The 2026 MLB season has begun with significant chaos, prompting an early preview of potential trade deadline moves for all 30 teams.
The trade deadline is set for August 3, 2026, with many teams’ plans still unclear.
Several 2025 playoff teams have struggled early in the 2026 season.
The Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox are all below .500.
The Blue Jays and Phillies entered a recent Sunday with two of the three worst run differentials in the majors.
The New York Mets, widely predicted as a 2026 playoff team, lost their 11th straight game that Sunday.
This was the Mets’ longest losing streak since dropping 11 in a row in 2004.
The preview will list one potential trade candidate from each team.
It focuses on major leaguers, players heading into free agency, and a few prospects.
For select playoff contenders, an if-all-goes-wrong trade candidate is also included.
The American League West appears more wide open than predicted before the season.
The Seattle Mariners were crowned the consensus favorites before the season began.
The Oakland Athletics might be contenders if their pitching holds up and hitters perform as expected.
The A’s could both add and subtract players at the trade deadline.
Luis Severino is mentioned as a player who still has good stuff but has struggled.
Severino had a 6.01 ERA in Sacramento last season compared to a 3.02 ERA on the road.
He allowed two home runs in his first start there this year.
He then gave up five runs, including two more home runs, on a Saturday.
A complication is Severino’s $22 million player option for 2027, which he might exercise.
