Tarik Skubal tops ESPN’s MLB trade deadline board
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan rank Skubal, Byron Buxton and Jeremy Peña among the biggest names to watch before Aug. 3.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Tarik Skubal is the prize sitting at No. 1 on ESPN’s latest MLB trade deadline board, with Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan putting the Detroit Tigers left-hander atop a list of 100 possible movers before the Aug. 3 deadline.
The ESPN ranking, published July 6, says clubs are accelerating trade talks with four weeks left until the deadline. The list is built around total trade value, using projected rest-of-season value as a tiebreaker, and includes only players ESPN gives at least a 10% chance of being traded.
Skubal, listed with an 85% trade chance, is described by ESPN as a potential postseason-shifting ace. The report says he returned from midseason bone chip surgery quickly and reached 99.9 mph with his fastball, easing concerns about whether his arsenal had bounced back.
ESPN says Detroit’s place in the standings drives the situation: the Tigers are six games out of the final American League wild-card spot and trail six other teams. Skubal has only the rest of 2026 under team control, according to the ranking, which names the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Brewers, Blue Jays and Rays as more realistic fits among contenders.
Buxton stays on the board, barely
Byron Buxton lands at No. 2, though ESPN gives the Minnesota Twins center fielder only a 10% chance of being dealt. The low odds come after Buxton told reporters, “I’m a Twin,” and Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said a trade was “not something we’re exploring” and “not something we plan to explore.”
McDaniel and Passan still kept Buxton in the ranking because, in their view, a rival club could try to overwhelm Minnesota with an offer. ESPN lists Buxton with two more years of control after 2026 at a little more than $15 million per season.
The ESPN scouting note frames Buxton as the same premium athlete who went second overall in the 2012 draft, now with in-game power that has caught up to the old projections. The report lists the Phillies, Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, Rays, Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers as fits.
Astros face Peña decision
Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña is third, with ESPN assigning him a 35% chance of being traded. The report says Peña nearly agreed to an extension last year before hiring agent Scott Boras and stopping the deal.
ESPN says Houston’s weak farm system and uneven contention case could push the Astros toward moving Peña, either before Aug. 3 or before a Dec. 1 lockout. The report also notes one complication: few contenders are currently hunting for a shortstop, which could make a winter move more sensible.
Peña is listed with one more year of control after 2026. ESPN names the Braves, Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays and Red Sox as possible fits.
Twins starter also draws heat
Joe Ryan, another Twin, checks in fourth with a 55% trade chance. ESPN reports Minnesota had serious discussions involving Ryan at last year’s deadline before he stayed put, and says he has looked stronger this season.
The ranking points to Ryan’s strikeout-to-walk profile, saying only Jacob Misiorowski, Paul Skenes, Jacob deGrom and Cristopher Sánchez have better K-BB% marks this year. ESPN lists the Cubs, Padres, A’s, Diamondbacks, Braves, White Sox, Nationals, Blue Jays and Cardinals among his fits.
Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams appears fifth on ESPN’s board, though the available ranking excerpt does not include his trade odds or scouting breakdown.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.