MLB trade deadline: The 10 likeliest players to be moved in 2022

Chicago Cubs OF Ian Happ

27-year-old Ian Happ is one of the best remaining players on the Chicago Cubs worth much in a trade. He is in his sixth season in the big leagues and is coming off of the first All-Star Game selection of his career.

A switch-hitter that can play all three outfield spots and some infield in a pinch, Happ is highly valuable with both the bat and the glove. On the season, he has appeared in 94 games for the Cubs, hitting nine home runs, driving in 44 RBI and posting a .282 batting average with an OPS+ of 127.

Baseball-Reference has his oWAR at 2.3 and his dWAR at 0.2, both would serve as career-highs for him if the season ended today. With the Cubs struggling once again, another fire sale seems to be on the horizon with multiple names on the big league roster being floated in trade talks.

Other possibilities from CHC: INF Patrick Wisdom

Potential fits: Yankees, Padres, Braves, White Sox, Mets

Chicago Cubs RHP David Robertson

If you thought David Robertson‘s career was over after the Yankees let him go for the second time at the conclusion of the 2018 season, you are not alone. He made a handful of appearances for the Phillies in 2019 and the Rays in 2021 but seemed to be a shell of the player he once was, although he looked much sharper for the Rays than he did in Philly.

Now a member of the Cubs bullpen, Robertson has been enjoying an incredible season as the Cubs primary closer. In 35 games, he is 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 14 saves. He has allowed just three home runs in 39.1 innings and has struck out 50 batters along the way. His 0.7 HR/9 rate is lower than it has been in years and he currently boasts an 11.4 SO/9 rate.

The 37-year-old righty is yet another player that will be a free agent at year’s end and would be an immediate upgrade to the back end of virtually any contender’s bullpen.

Other possibilities from CHC: RHP Mychal Givens

Potential fits: Astros, Yankees, Mets, Twins, Dodgers

Oakland Athletics RHP Frankie Montas

Frankie Montas, 29, is one of the lone survivors from the Oakland A’s fire sale they had last year and for parts of this year.

Montas has had a few injury scares this season that could potentially turn some of his suitors off, but when he’s healthy as he has been for the majority of the year, he is still an elite arm.

In 18 starts this season for the struggling A’s, Montas is 3-9 with a 3.16 ERA and a 3.24 FIP. He has struck out 105 batters in 99.2 innings while walking just 25. One of the more appealing aspects to Montas is the fact that he is still under team control for another full season, as he is not set to hit free agency until the 2024 campaign.

Other possibilities from OAK: RHP Lou Trivino, RHP Paul Blackburn

Potential fits: Cardinals, Mets, Giants, Dodgers, Blue Jays

Cincinnati Reds RHP Luis Castillo

Luis Castillo is one of the most obvious locks to be traded in the next week in the entire league. With the Cincinnati Reds struggling to stay afloat, he is sure to be flipped for an insane haul as the Reds look to the future.

The 29-year-old Castillo is also under control until 2024 and has looked utterly dominant this season, even making the All-Star Game along the way. In 13 starts for the Reds, Castillo is 3-4 with a 2.77 ERA and a 3.05 FIP. He has struck out 82 batters in 78 innings and has allowed just five home runs along the way, good for a 0.6 HR/9 rate, the best of his career.

Other possibilities from CIN: RHP Tyler Mahle, LHP Mike Minor, RHP Hunter Strickland

Potential fits: Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Twins, Mets

Kansas City Royals OF Andrew Benintendi

Putting all of the COVID vaccine drama aside, Andrew Benintendi has emerged as one of the most valuable outfielders in the American League and also one of the likeliest to be moved at this year’s trade deadline.

Benintendi, 28, is enjoying the best season of his seven-year career, making the first All-Star Game of his career and hitting .322 through 91 games played. His power numbers are down (just three home runs so far) but he is an on-base machine that draws a fair amount of walks and picks his stolen bases wisely.

Benintendi is also a sharp defender in left, even if Baseball-Reference doesn’t love his play in the outfield this year. He is coming off of a season in which he won his first Gold Glove Award and has made himself in to quite the complete player that a bunch of teams would love to have down the stretch.

Other possibilities from KC: RHP Zack Greinke, OF Michael A. Taylor, UTIL Hunter Dozier, UTIL Whit Merrifield

Potential fits: Yankees, Padres, Brewers, Marlins, Red Sox

Oakland Athletics C Sean Murphy

Sean Murphy has quietly emerged as one of the better catchers in the game both on offense and defense. After finishing fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2020, he regressed at the plate a bit in 2021 but did manage to win his first Gold Glove.

This year through 89 games, Murphy has 11 home runs, 40 RBI and a 117 OPS+, a career-high mark for him if the season ended today. He comes with a ton of team control (not a free agent until 2026) and has drawn rave reviews both at the plate and behind the plate for the rebuilding Oakland A’s, who should trade him now and capitalize on his rising value.

The team control is especially of note here, as Murphy could be had by teams that aren’t currently in contention. He has multiple years left and could be a piece that rebuilding/retooling teams add to have around for their next playoff push. His potential suitors will have much more variety than other rentals named here.

Other possibilities from OAK: OF Ramón Laureano, OF Tony Kemp, INF Elvis Andrus, UTIL Chad Pinder

Potential fits: Angels, Twins, Rays, Guardians, Marlins

Washington Nationals 1B Josh Bell

29-year-old Josh Bell has continued to look great for the Nationals, who are gearing up for a busy trade deadline season. Bell, a switch-hitter with a sharp eye at the plate and light-tower-power, tops the list of Nats players likely to be moved.

In 97 games this year, Bell, a free agent at season’s end, has 13 home runs, 51 RBI, a .302 batting average and an OPS+ of 153. He doesn’t strike out much (55 times) but draws a ton of walks (47) and has actually improved his defense at first base this year (-0.2 dWAR compared to as low as -1.8 in 2018).

Bell would be an excellent fit on a number of contending teams looking to add some pop to their lineup. He is a solid defender at first, can play some DH and can even get a little bit of playing time in the outfield corners in a pinch.

Other possibilities from WSH: DH Nelson Cruz, OF Juan Soto, RHP Kyle Finnegan

Potential fits: Brewers, Mets, Astros, Red Sox, White Sox

Chicago Cubs C Willson Contreras

After somewhat surprisingly not being included in last year’s Cubs teardown, Willson Contreras is just about 99.9% being dealt in the next week before this season’s trade deadline. The longtime Cubs backstop is reportedly preparing himself to be moved and, to the surprise of nobody, has a long list of potential suitors at this year’s trade deadline.

At 30 years old and playing on an expiring contract, Contreras would be an immediate upgrade behind the plate for virtually any team with playoff aspirations this year. Coming off of his third-career All-Star Game appearance, Contreras has 14 home runs in 81 games for the Cubbies this year to go along with an OPS+ of 137.

On defense, Contreras has never been the sharpest defender but his numbers have regressed behind the plate in 2022. There has been some newly reported rumors that an acquiring team may look to move him off of catcher down the stretch, perhaps to first base or even left field, where he actually does have some experience in the past.

Potential fits: Astros, Giants, Mets, Padres, Rays