Answering all your burning Trade Deadline questions

MLB.com senior national reporter Mark Feinsand chatted with fans during a question-and-answer session on Reddit AMA. With the July 30 Trade Deadline looming and nearly two-thirds of the Major League teams seemingly in contention, there was a lot of ground to cover.

Q: What’s the vibe you get from teams this year and last, with the expanded playoffs and a willingness to not sell. Are teams more hesitant to sell because they’re still in the playoff hunt even if they’re hovering around .500?

Feinsand: Absolutely. We saw the D-backs get to the World Series last season after sneaking into the postseason with 84 wins, so every team has the belief that if they can get into the playoffs, they have a chance to make a run. It may result in fewer sellers overall, though most GMs tend to be realistic about their teams' chances of making a deep October run. If anything, the biggest impact is that those bubble teams won't declare their buy/sell intentions until a day or two prior to the Deadline.

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Q: I was curious about how the buyer/seller tiers have been developing. Do teams that are still nominally in contention have a strategy developing clearly now? If you can say, which teams have made a strong decision on buying or selling so far?

Feinsand: At the moment, I count only seven teams I would put in the absolute seller market: the Rockies, Marlins, Angels, Tigers, Athletics, White Sox and (probably) Blue Jays. Every other team remains within seven games of a postseason spot, so their front offices will likely wait another two weeks before making that difficult decision. The teams mentioned above have plenty of impactful players they can move, so there should be a lot of talent available over the next two weeks, then even more once some of those bubble teams decide to sell and look toward 2025.

Q: I feel like the Reds are in a weird spot. Do you see them as a buyer or seller? They have some potential chips with Jeimer Candelario and Frankie Montas, but could see them trading some prospects for some vets too.

Feinsand: Cincy is indeed in a weird spot, as the Reds are only three games out of a Wild Card spot after a win on Thursday. They don't have a ton of trade candidates, since their roster is young and they view most of these guys as parts of their future.

Candelario's contract could be tough to move, but Montas is definitely a trade candidate. I don't think they'll trade Jonathan India, but he has two years of control left and they have a lot of young infielders. If they play well over the next week or two, there's always a chance they become a buyer, though I would see them trying to make marginal improvements rather than a big splash. The Reds have some really good young players that they like a lot, so they're likely to stay on the current path and keep building for the future rather than giving up prospects to try making a run in 2024.

Q: Do you think the Mariners are going to target one big bat or multiple average-to-slightly-above-average bats?

Feinsand: Finding one big bat could be tricky, especially if Seattle doesn't want to give up any of its top prospects or young pitchers. Upgrading 2-3 spots to some extent could be the way to go given the market, allowing the Mariners to add depth to the lineup.

Q: Is there any weight to the Phillies having their eyes on Brent Rooker? Are they only looking to improve the outfield?

Feinsand: Rooker makes sense for the Phillies, but you can guarantee that [club president] Dave Dombrowski is monitoring every possible outfield target out there. He has never been shy about making moves he thinks he needs to, and the outfield and bullpen figure to be the two biggest areas Philly can improve on what is arguably the most talented roster in the league.

Q: Hey Mark, distraught Angels fan here! I was wondering what you are hearing at the moment about guys like [Tyler] Anderson, [Taylor] Ward, and [Luis] Rengifo. I keep having this eerie feeling that none of these guys will be traded. Trading all these guys away is the logical answer but logic seems to be missing down here in Anaheim.

Feinsand: As I mentioned earlier, I think the Angels are one of the few definite sellers. Anderson should have a good market given the season he's having and the lack of quality starting pitching that will likely be available. Carlos Estévez may be their other best trade chip, as he's having a stellar season and is headed for free agency. Ward and Rengifo each have another year of control, so the Angels don't have to deal them, but if the right offer comes along, it wouldn't surprise me if they get dealt.

Q: The NL East always seems to be interesting, but the Phillies have a huge cushion right now. Are there any trades that the Mets and Braves should be making to make it competitive? (Notwithstanding a classic NL East collapse that could befall the Phillies).

Feinsand: The beauty of the current playoff format is that you don't have to win your division to be a threat come October. The Braves are likely to try improving their outfield and possibly the rotation, while the Mets have a few areas they can address beginning with the bullpen. All you have to do is get in and you have a chance, so trailing by a number of games in the division is no longer a reason to stand pat in late July.

Q: Loved the Jays article yesterday. How likely do you think an extension is for Vlad [Guerrero Jr.] and a Chad Green trade?

Feinsand: I doubt a Vlad extension is coming anytime soon, but that's not to say he won't wind up signing one in the offseason. The Blue Jays insist they're not trading him, and some sources I have spoken to believe Toronto wants to keep him -- and that Vlad is open to staying there. The only question will be the contract and whether the two sides can close the gap. Vlad hasn't been able to replicate his 2021 season, and if he's looking to get paid based on that year, it's going to be tough for Toronto (or any team) to justify that. A big second half and a monster 2025 season would give him a much better argument to be paid in the upper echelon of players in MLB. Green has one more year at $10.5 million on his contract, so if a team comes to Toronto making a big offer to bolster its bullpen, I think there's a chance he gets moved. But they're not going to just give Green away, as the Jays hope to bounce back and contend again in 2025.

Q: The Yankees seem to be targeting bullpen help, but now with how the starting pitching has been and the poor offense, think they may try to pull off a bunch of moves or try to find some DFA’s to “get the job done”?

Feinsand: Their rotation is what it is. If the starters don't get their stuff together, the Yankees are in trouble. [Gerrit] Cole, [Nestor] Cortes, [Luis] Gil, [Marcus] Stroman and [Carlos] Rodón are going to be the five to sink or swim. I never put it past [GM] Brian Cashman to make some minor moves that wind up having a major impact, though. I was on the beat in 2005 when the rotation was in shambles and Cashman added Shawn Chacon, Aaron Small and Al Leiter, who wound up saving their season. I can tell you one thing: if there are moves that Cashman believes will give the Yankees a better chance to win, he'll make them.

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Q: What are some actually realistic trades the Orioles could make? We talk a lot about how they could move some prospects, but not who specifically, and for whom specifically, in a realistic sense.

Feinsand: Samuel Basallo, Coby Mayo and Heston Kjerstad are the names I hear most when talking to people around the league. Two of them would likely have to be included in a Garrett Crochet deal, but the beauty of having a deep farm system is that you can realistically get involved in any trade scenario out there. Giving up young players is never easy, but to get talent, you have to give up talent. Considering where the Orioles are in their process right now, they're going to have to make some moves to supplement their young core. The Corbin Burnes trade reminded me of the Cubs adding Jon Lester a decade ago. If I'm a Baltimore fan, I'm ecstatic about what the next 5-7 years hold for this club.