MLB Trade Deadline Possibilities: What to Expect from American League & National League

Three things a man thinks he can do better than anyone else are: grilling meat, driving a car, and managing a baseball team.

So when you hear Mike from Marietta or Sammy from Schaumburg complain about the moves their Braves or Cubs did or didn't make as the calendar advances into later July, you know It's the trade deadline.

It's hard to remember when the trade deadline included so many contenders, legal or otherwise. The race for the National League wild-card Toffees continues, with seven teams competing within six games of the New York Mets for the final spot. The American League isn't quite as crazy, but there should still be plenty of suspense come September.

With only five reliable sellers — and possibly six if/when Toronto admits this isn’t its year — it would mean chaos across the board. It can also lead to little to no action being taken as sellers try to squeeze every imaginable lead from their competitors in search of someone who can make a difference.

So who needs to take action and who can sit back and watch? Let's take a look.

U.S. alliance trade goals

The Yankees are going to take action because if general manager Brian Cashman doesn't, he's going to be overwhelmed by the media. Besides, you can't waste the prime years of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge's careers by hitting the pause button on July 31st.

Seattle could use the bat in the worst possible way. Its 10-game lead has shrunk to 3.5 games, and Houston is quickly catching up. If the Mariners want to see an October game, they have to make some moves in the lineup and miss out.

Kansas City will be an interesting place to watch. This is the first debate in a while, but how much will it increase wages? Where does it complement the most – a lineup that could use another bat, or a bullpen that could benefit from another solid late-inning team?

Cleveland entered the final 67 games with the best record in the league but was in desperate need of starting pitching. The dynamite bullpen has done a lot, but they would benefit greatly from having more guys who can get into the sixth or seventh inning.

The worst team in baseball may have a say in who pulls off the postseason miracle. The Chicago White Sox are 44 games below .500 but have one of the best starters this year in Garrett Crochet. Add him to someone's rotation and, for the right prospect, your team might be flying the flag.

As a great philosopher once said, the flag always flies.

National League trade possibilities

The Phillies swept the Los Angeles Dodgers last week and became a must-lose team. It has the best pitching and some of the best hitting. On paper it looks like it has the fewest holes, but it won't hesitate to pull the trigger and sink itself deeper.

Los Angeles will play in October, but who will pitch the game is becoming a deeper question. There's almost an entire pitching staff on the injured list, and as currently constituted, they're not going anywhere. But it has the wherewithal and the prospects to solve whatever problem it wants to solve.

Atlanta will find an outfielder or two from somewhere. If Alex Anthopoulos replicates his 2021 magic, he'll beI'm ready to handle Eddie Rosario's returndon’t bet on the Braves’ starting pitching.

After these three, a coin toss determines who can take the required action. Most of the wild card contenders have access to more weapons. You'll see teams like the New York Mets, San Diego, and Chicago Cubs that may have pitching fees that are too high.

Pittsburgh was within 1 1/2 games of progress after the break, but reports suggested owner Bob Nutting wouldn't be opening his checkbook. General manager Ben Cherington needs more offensive firepower to go with the outstanding young starting pitching.

Additionally, Washington could easily go into seller mode and hang a veteran like Jesse Winker as well as a reliable bullpen arm to add to its already stacked farm system.