Top 20 pitcher trade candidates ahead of deadline

We rank the top 20 pitchers who could be shipped out prior to the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Current performance, position, age, and years of control were taken into consideration.

• Top 20 position player candidates (Wednesday)

1. Tarik Skubal, Tigers

Position: SP
Age: 29
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 60%

Skubal seemed destined to be the crown jewel of the deadline as the Tigers headed into June with a 22-38 record. Detroit has gone 25-16 since to move within five games of a wild-card spot. The Tigers will have a tough call to make. They could push for the playoffs with the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner but risk watching him leave in free agency for draft compensation or wave the white flag by dealing him for a haul of prospects.

2. Mason Miller, Padres

Position: RP
Age: 27
Contract: Arb-eligible through 2029 (Super-Two)
Trade probability: 20%

If Miller is on the market, every team should be trying to acquire the best closer in baseball as he authors a historic season. But would the Padres really trade an all-world closer while still within two games of a wild-card spot? There are so many variables at play. It might take a San Diego slump combined with a true godfather offer to make a deal happen. Miller does represent the most valuable trade piece the Padres have.

3. Joe Ryan, Twins

Position: SP
Age: 30
Contract: Signed through 2026 ($13M mutual option 2027)
Trade probability: 30%

Ryan has regularly been mentioned in trade rumors since last season, so it's no surprise to see his name floating around again. The chances of the 30-year-old being dealt are low, however, with the Twins playing well of late. Minnesota is on the cusp of a playoff spot and will need its ace in order to have any chance of returning to the postseason for the first time since 2023.

4. Hunter Greene, Reds

Position: SP
Age: 26
Contract: Signed through 2028 ($21M club option for 2029)
Trade probability: 50%

Greene is a flamethrowing strikeout artist and he's under team control, forming half of a dominant Reds duo with Chase Burns. But there are whispers that Cincinnati might listen to offers for Greene, who missed the first half after elbow surgery but has struck out 26 in 16 1/3 innings since his return. If he's available, teams will be lining up to grab him.

5. Reid Detmers, Angels

Position: SP
Age: 27
Contract: Arbitration-eligible through 2028
Trade probability: 50%

Detmers is the Angels' biggest trade chip besides José Soriano. The lefty has put together a solid campaign following his return to the rotation: He ranks ninth in the majors for fWAR and in K/9 among starters with at least 110 innings. Detmers, who has multiple years of club control, seems like he could be a hot commodity at the deadline.

6. José Soriano, Angels

Position: SP
Age: 27
Contract: Arbitration-eligible through 2028
Trade probability: 50%

Soriano's regressed since authoring a 0.84 ERA through his first seven starts - he owns a 4.90 ERA dating back to May 4. Yet the right-hander is young and comes with years of team control, making him desirable on the trade market. Maybe interim general manager John Mozeliak can convince Arte Moreno to sell his best assets to kick start a proper rebuild.

7. Casey Mize, Tigers

Position: SP
Age: 29
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 60%

It looked as though Mize, like Skubal, would be shipped out as a rental until Detroit's recent surge put his trade status in flux. With the AL so wide-open, the Tigers can elect to hang onto Mize for the stretch and take a run at the wild card on the backs of their two starters. There's perhaps a slightly better chance the Tigers trade Mize anyway for the right offer.

8. Clay Holmes, Mets

Position: SP
Age: 33
Contract: Signed through 2027 ($12M player option for 2027)
Trade probability: 75%

Holmes has been on the shelf since mid-May after fracturing his fibula, but he's working his way back and could be a trade chip for the last-place Mets. The 33-year-old has been terrific as a starter during his two campaigns in Queens and might serve as a rental if he opts out of his contract following the season.

9. Foster Griffin, Nationals

Position: SP
Age: 30
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 60%

The Nationals unearthed a diamond when they brought Griffin over from Japan on a one-year, $5.5-million deal. The left-hander's on a tear: He set a franchise record with eight consecutive starts allowing one run or less, and he's racked up the second-most wins in the majors. Washington's making a sudden wild-card push, so the team has options. The Nats could hold onto Griffin and go for it, or flip him for prospects in a seller's market.

10. Freddy Peralta, Mets

Position: SP
Age: 30
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 90%

Barring the unforeseen, Peralta will be on the move as the Mets try to recoup some of what they lost when they traded for him in January. While this has been his worst season since 2019, some of that could be attributed to the Mets' overall struggles. Peralta's a workhorse veteran who is capable of rediscovering his old form and would help any contender down the stretch.

11. Robbie Ray, Giants

Position: SP
Age: 34
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 90%

The disappointing Giants are set to sell, and Ray has one of the best résumés among the pitchers who will almost certainly be moved. The 2021 AL Cy Young winner is a two-time All-Star with a career 10.6 K/9. The left-hander's strikeouts are down this season, but the veteran can still slot into the middle or back of a contender's rotation.

12. Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays

Position: SP
Age: 35
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 50%

Yes, it's another pitcher from an AL team that could go either way. If the Blue Jays fall too far back and elect to retool, dealing Gausman - one of the best free-agent signings in team history - for prospects would make sense. Though his age has started to show a bit, Gausman's still an innings-eater with a proven track record in the postseason. At this stage of his career, he'd fit perfectly in the back of a playoff rotation.

13. Michael Wacha, Royals

Position: SP
Age: 35
Contract: Signed through 2027 ($14M team option for 2028)
Trade probability: 75%

Wacha is in the midst of a third straight productive campaign with the Royals, who should consider dealing him while his value remains high. The All-Star right-hander would be a reliable rotation option for a contender, as he's authored a 3.62 ERA over 80 starts since 2024.

14. Trevor Rogers, Orioles

Position: SP
Age: 28
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 40%

It looked like Rogers would be on the move at the deadline, but Baltimore has won seven of its last eight and is in playoff contention. Although the lefty's performance hasn't measured up to last season's 1.81 ERA in 18 starts, he's worth keeping in the rotation if the Orioles want to contend.

15. Luis Castillo, Mariners

Position: SP
Age: 33
Contract: Signed through 2027 ($25M vesting option for 2028)
Trade probability: 30%

Castillo looks like the odd man out in a rotation that includes Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Emerson Hancock. Top pitching prospects Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan are also already in Double-A. The Mariners need to add thump to their lineup, and trading from a position of strength is the logical course of action.

16. Luke Weaver, Mets

Position: RP
Age: 32
Contract: Signed through 2027 (Owed $12.5M)
Trade probability: 50%

Weaver is one of the Mets' few offseason moves that's worked out - he's turning in a career year as one of their bullpen anchors. New York could take advantage of a seller's market to net a nice return for Weaver, who's undoubtedly a wanted man. But he could also help the Mets rebound in 2027. This will be a very interesting decision for David Stearns.

17. Seth Lugo, Royals

Position: SP
Age: 36
Contract: Signed through 2027 ($17M vesting option for 2028)
Trade probability: 75%

Lugo, like Wacha, is an aging starter on a young Royals team that looks like it has no shot of contending as it approaches the deadline. But Lugo hasn't performed as well as Wacha, and his salary is higher. Trading him will be tougher unless the Royals eat some money to help cover the remainder of Lugo's $21.5-million salary for this season on top of his $21.5-million wage in 2027.

18. Antonio Senzatela, Rockies

Position: RP
Age: 31
Contract: Signed through 2026 ($14M club option for 2027)
Trade probability: 90%

Senzatela's become a reliable bullpen arm this season after converting to a reliever. Even more encouragingly, he's posted a 2.39 ERA with 1.10 WHIP away from the hitter haven that is Coors Field, which should be attractive to other teams. The right-hander would most likely be a rental due to his pricey 2027 option.

19. Brady Singer, Reds

Position: SP
Age: 29
Contract: FA after 2026
Trade probability: 80%

Singer's not the sexiest name on the market, but he could likely be had for a lower cost than some of the other available starters. He's also boosted his stock of late by allowing just five earned runs with 17 strikeouts over his last three starts, including seven brilliant innings at Coors Field this past Friday. Singer could be a perfect addition to the back end of a contending rotation in the right ballpark.

20. Devin Williams, Mets

Position: RP
Age: 31
Contract: Signed through 2028 (owed $34M)
Trade probability: 15%

The Mets will certainly listen on Williams, but it's not clear what his market looks like. The two-time NL Reliever of the Year hasn't shaken off the struggles that began with the Yankees last year; while his 12 K/9 is impressive, he's walked over five batters per nine. With more than $30 million left on his deal (not including deferrals), Williams stands out as a high-risk, high-reward acquisition.

Other candidates: Shane Bieber, Patrick Corbin, Jeff Hoffman, Chris Bassitt, Bryan Abreu, Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, Kirby Yates, Taylor Rogers, Miles Mikolas, Zack Littell, Caleb Ferguson, Tomoyuki Sugano, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Walker Buehler, Tyler Mahle, Adrian Morejon, Riley O'Brien, Dustin May, Huascar Brazoban