A week ahead of the MLB trade deadline, conversations -- the sort that will turn into a deluge of deals in the coming days -- started to pick up around Major League Baseball on Monday. With the MLB draft complete and the All-Star break passed, teams are finally turning their full attention to trade season.
The expectation, according to more than two dozen front office personnel members, is that while this deadline lacks a top-of-the-industry player, the openness of the playoff picture will compel a wide swath of teams to add from a limited pool of players.
Contenders, sources said, could subtract from positions of strength while simultaneously adding to address weaknesses. Teams near, or even over, .500 could take advantage of the market's spare inventory to hunt for value and offload players. In a landscape where, as one official said, "everybody needs bats and there are no bats available," creativity will be paramount.
It's all another consequence of expanding the postseason to 12 teams, making the days leading up to the 6 p.m. ET deadline on July 30 that much trickier to navigate. With a week to go, here is where every team stands, broken into categories that reflect their intentions. Whether they can execute on them gives this deadline its greatest source of intrigue.
Teams going big
Los Angeles Dodgers: All-in. They are healing at the right time, with Tyler Glasnow expected to return from the injured list tomorrow and Clayton Kershaw primed to make his 2024 debut Thursday. Still, the Dodgers are eyeing big names to fill their biggest needs. There are no impact shortstops available -- especially now that Bo Bichette, who multiple executives said was not entirely off the market before his recent calf strain, is out until at least August -- but the Dodgers can still find capable options in the outfield and on the mound. Whether it's a huge hack (Luis Robert Jr.) or a solid swing (Randy Arozarena), they can address their outfield depth.
L.A. can also play in every pitching sandbox, from Garrett Crochet to Jack Flaherty to, if he's available, Nathan Eovaldi. (Much more on that later.) The dream is wheedling Detroit into trading Tarik Skubal, but not one executive surveyed actually believes the Tigers will move ESPN BET's American League Cy Young favorite. With a deep farm system filled with high-ceiling and high-floor prospects, the Dodgers are positioned to strike. And they're flush with something else that can be particularly useful this time of year. "They've got money," one executive said, "and most of us don't."
New York Yankees: All-in. Perhaps most telling about the Yankees isn't the players they're targeting but the ones they're willing to move. Chasing a 50-22 start with a 10-20 stretch will put a scare into any organization, but it's especially acute for one with annual championship aspirations and 14 consecutive ringless seasons. That's why outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones -- the former recovering from an oblique strain, the latter New York's top prospect -- aren't entirely off the table. The chances of such a deal are slim, yes, but general manager Brian Cashman is sharp enough to recognize that limiting anything during a free fall is counterproductive. For now, the Yankees are focusing on late-inning relief help (there's plenty), a versatile infielder (there's not) and a productive bat (not many), with the potential to grab a high-end starting pitcher. Clarke Schmidt should return from a lat strain sometime in August, alleviating the urgency for a starter, but in reality the Yankees simply need better players, regardless of position.
Chicago White Sox: All out. They are listening on everyone, and they're the odds-on favorite to make the most deals in the next week. Rarely does a deadline line up so well for one team. The White Sox have the best pitcher and hitter actively on the market (Crochet and Robert). They've got arguably the best under-control pitcher expected to move (Erick Fedde) and another bat who's a deadline darling (Tommy Pham). They've got relievers (Michael Kopech, John Brebbia, Tanner Banks) and infielders (first baseman Andrew Vaughn and shortstop Paul DeJong). They're happy to do package deals or one-offs. When you're on pace to go 43-119, anything is on the table.
There is a chance Chicago holds on to one (or all) of its most valuable trade chips and moves them come the offseason -- especially if teams leery of Crochet's innings try to pay reliever prices for him -- but the prospect of an organization getting desperate and meeting the required return is never more palpable than in a wide-open playoff panorama.
Miami Marlins: All out. The aggressiveness with which the Marlins are approaching this deadline was foretold by their dealing of All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez in early May. Almost certainly gone are the team's lone impending free agents: closer Tanner Scott -- one of the gems of the deadline -- and, if they can find a taker for at least some of his hefty salary, first baseman Josh Bell. How many others join them is the mystery. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a popular name because of his age (26), control (through the end of 2026), versatility (center field and second base) and talent (bountiful), but fears about his ability to stay healthy and brashness have limited his market. A.J. Puk has returned to dominance in the bullpen (2.22 ERA, 30-6 ratio in strikeouts to walks) since his ill-fated stint as a starter. Left-hander Trevor Rogers is a backup option for teams seeking starting pitching. And the Marlins have an array of retread relievers (Calvin Faucher, Declan Cronin, Huascar Brazoban) who have pitched well.
Los Angeles Angels: All out. A sneaky-busy team, the Angels are making available arguably the deadline's best reliever (Carlos Estevez), a controllable starter with a sub-3.00 ERA (Tyler Anderson), multiple outfielders (Taylor Ward and Kevin Pillar), a worthwhile reclamation project (Reid Detmers, who has generated interest from multiple teams) and a pair of veteran bullpen options (Luis Garcia and Hunter Strickland). The best of the bunch would be infielder Luis Rengifo, were he not on the injured list with a bum wrist -- but there's such little infield supply, teams may pony up plenty for him anyway. Ward was once thought to be an in-demand option, but he has been so bad since June 1 (.164/.281/.279) that some teams have soured on acquiring him. Even so, the Angels have the opportunity to bolster the worst farm system in baseball by moving any and all of the above.
Washington Nationals: All out. Between Lane Thomas and a returned-to-form Jesse Winker, the Nationals have the solution to teams' outfield issues. Right-hander Kyle Finnegan is a hard-throwing All-Star closer who, along with Dylan Floro and Derek Law, offers a panoply of bullpen options. And while Trevor Williams won't return from an elbow injury in time to bring any sort of substantive return in a deal, the Nationals are in a comfortable place: on-the-rise talent in the big leagues (CJ Abrams, James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker), more on the way (Dylan Crews, Brady House) and a payroll almost entirely free of obligations. Spending the season near .500 has been gravy for Washington, and this deadline should only add to a future that looks better by the day.
Teams looking to capitalize
Philadelphia Phillies: Adding -- within reason. The Phillies might not be terribly busy, because when you're on a 103-win pace with the best run differential in baseball, little additions don't do much -- but there is no better fit than Philadelphia and Robert. The one thing the Phillies lack is an impact center fielder, and they've got the prospects to tempt Chicago. Philadelphia could make depth trades to protect in case of injury, and if talks for Robert go nowhere, they could consider grabbing a corner outfielder and sliding Brandon Marsh to center, where he has played 22 games this season. If they stay put, they're still a no-doubt World Series contender with four All-Star-caliber starting pitchers, a bullpen replete with some of the nastiest stuff in baseball and a lineup that's second in the National League in runs per game, just behind the Dodgers.
San Diego Padres: Adding -- within reason. There's plenty to like about the Padres. They can score runs. Their starting pitching has mostly stabilized. The back end of their bullpen, with Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada, is a festival of nasty. But Fernando Tatis Jr. is out with a leg injury, Luis Arraez's injured thumb could be a real problem and at 52-50 they've not performed like a team worth adding to at the deadline.
GM A.J. Preller is doing what he always does -- patrolling the landscape for any potential deal -- but it's with a diminished farm system whose best prospects (17-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries and 18-year-old catcher Ethan Salas) are off-limits and others (left-hander Robby Snelling and right-hander Dylan Lesko) have taken steps backward. As long as the teens aren't available, San Diego isn't getting a Crochet-level player. And while depth moves (and the return of Joe Musgrove or Yu Darvish) would help, it's unclear whether they'd be enough to separate the Padres from the NL wild-card pack.
Kansas City Royals: Adding -- within reason. After jumping the market to land Hunter Harvey and slot him and his filthy splitter into a bullpen leverage spot, the Royals remain interested in adding another late-inning reliever and a bat. They would prefer to grab an outfielder -- the market is pushing them in that direction, too -- but they're not inclined to be picky, as long as it's someone to drive in Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. Starting the second half with four consecutive wins was precisely what Kansas City needed after a rough patch to reinforce that this is, in fact, a team worth adding to, and despite a thin farm system, the Royals are among the game's most active teams looking for upgrades.
Seattle Mariners: Adding -- within reason. The Mariners have taken a precipitous fall in recent weeks that could prompt them to reconsider their deadline tack. At one point they were all-in. They still must add. Considering the grim state of their offense -- reflected in them placing first baseman Ty France on outright waivers -- standing pat would be heresy. They've got the best rotation in the AL and a top-5 farm system that some believe is the best in the game. With a representative offense, they could soar. How aggressive they get could depend on the next week, when they've got the easiest schedule in baseball: the Angels for two more games, after a series-opening ninth-inning implosion, then the White Sox for three. The ideal situation would be to match up with a team that has under-control bats so if this year goes sideways, not too much prospect capital is spent for naught. But considering the state of the obvious offloaders, finding such a trade partner could prove difficult.
Houston Astros: Adding, but not all-in. Unlike past seasons, the Astros aren't necessarily in the middle of high-level trade conversations. Barely a month ago, they were 10 games back of Seattle in the standings but got hot at just the right time. Despite an excellent rotation's worth of pitchers on the injured list -- Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy -- an eighth consecutive trip to the ALCS is no longer a pipe dream and they are happy to deal from their farm system in pursuit of winning. While the first-base options to fill in for the disaster that was the Jose Abreu contract are far from plentiful, if the Astros can make some small moves while getting Verlander and Kyle Tucker back from the IL, they are in the right division to make it to October with a mediocre-looking record -- and do what they do best.
Atlanta Braves: Adding, but not all-in. Sometimes it's just not your year, and that might be the case for Atlanta. Reigning MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. is out for the season with a torn ACL; Cy Young favorite Spencer Strider is, too, with a torn UCL. All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies won't be back until late September with a fractured wrist. All-Star left-hander Max Fried is on the IL. On Monday, the day he signed with Atlanta, Whit Merrifield got hurt during warmups. Nevertheless, the Braves find themselves atop the NL wild-card table, and they've still got the sort of pitching and lineup depth to scare even Philadelphia (which has knocked favored Atlanta out of two consecutive postseasons). So, yeah, even if president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is shooting more for singles and doubles than home runs, the Braves are primed to add an outfield bat -- they've long liked Washington's Lane Thomas -- and hope a repeat of their injury-pocked 2021 championship is in the cards.
St. Louis Cardinals: Adding, but not all-in. With an under-the-radar strong bullpen, a rotation of sturdy veterans and a solid group of young hitters -- Alec Burleson is what Jordan Walker was supposed to be -- the Cardinals have distinguished themselves as a team with enough to contend in the NL wild-card race. But how much prospect capital is this team worthy of depleting? Is Fedde the right fit at what will be a high cost? Or do the Cardinals shoot instead for a lower-tier arm? A return to the postseason would go a long way toward reengaging a fan base that has wavered in recent years, and if they get there, the Cardinals need a less homer-prone starter than what they've got beyond Sonny Gray. St. Louis has weathered regression from Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, but half-measures might not be enough if their peers in the wild-card race are willing to take the sorts of risks the Cardinals generally don't.
Cleveland Guardians: Adding, but not all-in. Maybe Cleveland surprises the industry, acts like a team that's 19 games above .500 and makes a push for AL supremacy. The Guardians find themselves in this place, though, because of their discipline. It's a feature, not a bug. They need starting pitching and should be able to land one or two arms -- preferably one to pair with Tanner Bibee atop the rotation. A bat to complement Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor would also be welcome, but the Guardians aren't nearly as offense-hungry as in past seasons. With an excellent farm system and controllable core, Cleveland believes this sort of success is sustainable. As much as this incarnation has earned the front office complementing it at the deadline, big-ticket deadline moves to add talent simply aren't in its DNA.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Adding, but not all-in. Slowly climbing back into second place in the NL West, the Diamondbacks have ridden a season filled with underperformance -- from Corbin Carroll to Jordan Montgomery to Eugenio Suarez -- to the precipice of another shot at a surprising World Series run. They're not likely to do anything of great consequence. But barring a collapse over the next week, they'll work within budgetary confines -- they already are carrying a franchise-record payroll -- and look to add relief help.
Oakland A's: Subtracting, but not completely. Believe it or not, the A's aren't going full liquidation. The ask for closer Mason Miller -- he of 70 strikeouts in 40 innings -- is so high that even teams who desperately need late-inning relief help are balking. Still, the A's are far from barren beyond him. No other available bat is producing like Brent Rooker, who's slashing .290/.368/.571 with 22 home runs and comes with three additional years of club control. He is a prize. And the rest of the A's bullpen beyond Miller offers plenty of intrigue, whether via velocity (Lucas Erceg, 98.5 mph), lack thereof (T.J. McFarland, 87.9 mph) or spin (Austin Adams, 74.2% slider usage). On the get-him-for-a-flier end of things, veteran Miguel Andujar is passable in left field and is hitting well above the league average.
Toronto Blue Jays: Subtracting, but not completely. Among the most disappointing teams in baseball, the Blue Jays blew the opportunity to salvage their season and have played themselves into offloading. Not expected to be among those moved: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose availability alone would add a shot of adrenaline to this deadline. With him and the injured Bichette unlikely to go anywhere, Toronto can focus on its impending free agents: relievers Yimi Garcia and Trevor Richards, left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi, catcher Danny Jansen and DH Justin Turner. They'll draw plenty of interest -- Garcia, in particular, is a popular name among contenders -- but running back more or less the same roster that has so deeply underachieved is a risky proposition.
The talent remains, from Guerrero to Bichette, Daulton Varsho to George Springer to Spencer Horwitz, Kevin Gausman to Chris Bassitt to Jose Berrios. But Toronto needs much more, and even then the proposition of contending in an AL East with the Orioles, Yankees, a Boston team on the rise and a reloading Tampa Bay outfit looks troublesome for even a good team. It's enough that some executives suggest it's a proper time to quick-start a rebuild. The Blue Jays say they intend to win with this team. Time will tell which approach was correct.
Detroit Tigers: Subtracting, but not completely. For all the rightful attention lavished on Skubal, any hope of acquiring him would require the sort of overpay almost no one is willing to consider. Teams instead can turn to right-hander Jack Flaherty, the biggest snub of All-Star week. His excellence this season is beyond question, whether it's via ratios (11.5 strikeouts per nine and 1.5 walks per nine) or baserunners (one of nine starters allowing fewer than one per inning), and he would pencil into the playoff rotation of any team that adds him. The calculus with Flaherty is simple: The offer must be stronger than what the Tigers could get with a draft pick in the early 30s, which they'd get if Flaherty signs a large free agent deal as expected. (And the Tigers have drafted very well in recent years.) Like Flaherty, veteran Mark Canha is an impending free agent whose market is robust, and infielder Gio Urshela is a cheap break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option for contenders. The Tigers have taken steps forward this year -- since May 1, rookie Colt Keith is hitting .293/.345/.486 -- and a good deadline is the next order of business before loading up this winter to contend in a suddenly competitive AL Central.
Colorado Rockies: Subtracting, but not completely. If ever there were a time to trade infielder Ryan McMahon, now is it. But it's not happening, because Rockies gonna Rockies. Rather than exploit a market bereft of infield talent, Colorado is open to trading either of its catchers (Elias Diaz and Jacob Stallings) and moving two starters (Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber) whose place in any postseason rotation is iffy at best. The Rockies' major league team is a disaster, and for the talent they've built up in the minor leagues -- they earned plaudits from evaluators for a draft class that starts with the massive power of No. 3 pick Charlie Condon -- they will keep losing as long as the fate of their deadline rests on the whims of their owner. Good organizations make the most of favorable markets. Dead-end organizations keep doing the same things and wonder where it has all gone wrong.
Chicago Cubs: Subtracting, but not completely. So many questions (beyond the most obvious: What happened?) surround the Cubs. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer answered among the most pertinent Monday: The Cubs do not intend to add to their 2024 team before the deadline. Even though they're only 3½ games back of the final wild-card spot, three other teams are ahead of them. So if the Cubs are open for business, relievers Mark Leiter Jr. and Hector Neris could help contenders -- and starter Jameson Taillon even more. Plenty of teams would love second baseman Nico Hoerner, who's got infield prospects Matt Shaw and James Triantos both performing well behind him in the minor leagues. And if things get really fraught for teams that need a bat, maybe Cody Bellinger -- on the IL with a broken finger -- comes into play.
Cincinnati Reds: Subtracting, but not completely. Getting swept to start the second half is killer for any team trying to figure out where it belongs on the add-subtract continuum. Getting swept by the Nationals is even more damning. The Reds find themselves in last place, which isn't quite as bad as it sounds considering they're in the NL Central. Barring a good showing this week on the road against Atlanta and Tampa Bay, though, they could be compelled to deal right-hander Frankie Montas and their three soon-to-be free agent relievers (right-handers Lucas Sims and Buck Farmer and left-hander Justin Wilson). Cincinnati also has a surfeit of young, under-control bats, and the return of infielder Matt McLain and outfielder TJ Friedl only will add to that. The Reds are bound to be a popular team this week. The market could well dictate how much they act upon it.
Teams trying to thread the needle
Baltimore Orioles: Adding and subtracting -- with a chance to do something historic. You probably didn't expect to see the team that presently owns the best record in the AL here. The Orioles aren't in the previous tiers because their organizational approach and variety of discussions don't align with such a designation. Yes, Baltimore wants to complement its talented roster with impact players, and, yes, the Orioles, more than any team, have the young, controllable, position-playing depth to do so. They could get Crochet and Robert if they desired. They're more patience than blockbuster, though, and they land here due to their willingness to discuss moving veteran first baseman Ryan Mountcastle or center fielder Cedric Mullins. Maybe they do something big. Maybe they go small and bet on their superior talent. Maybe they make room for Coby Mayo or Jackson Holliday or both with a deal. Maybe they do all of it. The possibilities for Baltimore are endless.
Tampa Bay Rays: Adding and subtracting. Here's where it gets even more fun. The Rays are .500 and 5½ games back of the last AL wild-card spot, so they're not a threat to turn into an export-only house. But if the trades they've made already -- right-hander Aaron Civale to Milwaukee, reliever Phil Maton to the New York Mets -- foretell anything, it's that Tampa Bay's fidelity to its process outweighs everything. The Rays don't just respond to markets. They make them. Which is why Arozarena -- a top-25 hitter in baseball since June -- could move. And why Jason Adam and Pete Fairbanks -- a pair of right-handed relievers who have performed in baseball's toughest division -- are there to be had. (Adam likelier than Fairbanks.) And why All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes could be the solution to the problem of teams vexed by mediocre offense.
Even if 2025 looks bright -- and with Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen and the emergent Taj Bradley in a rotation, it sure does -- Tampa Bay isn't going to outright punt 2024. If Zach Eflin (and his $18 million salary in 2025) goes, the Rays will add elsewhere. Deadlines like this are where great teams of the future can be built, and Tampa Bay knows as well as any team in baseball how to navigate them.
New York Mets: Adding and subtracting. If not for Grimace, this deadline might look a whole lot more intriguing. The prospect of another Mets unburdening -- they made seven deals at last year's deadline -- fell prey to whatever voodoo magic that purple mascot sprinkled into New York's milkshake. Alas, unless new president of baseball operations David Stearns is ready to unveil the ultimate slow-play, Pete Alonso is staying put. What the industry wants to know is how open the Mets may be to dealing away other impending free agents. Whether it's J.D. Martinez's bat or any of their starting arms -- Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana -- there is interest. But the Mets' torrid two-month stretch has thrust them squarely into wild-card contention and, at the very least, earned them another bullpen upgrade beyond Maton. Stearns knows the perils of trying to add and subtract simultaneously, but for a team with a future that needs more bright spots, focusing exclusively on the present would constitute a mighty deviation from the plan hatched upon Stearns' arrival.
Boston Red Sox: Adding and subtracting. The ugliness of the sweep at the hands of the Dodgers over the weekend and a 12-inning loss to Colorado on Monday injected some levity into a Red Sox team that entered the All-Star break flying high. There are dueling thoughts within the organization that run into direct conflict with one another. On one hand, the Red Sox have overachieved, so pushing some chips into the middle would reward a group that warrants such. On the other, they'll soon transition to a younger core, with Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel and Kristian Campbell all almost big league-ready, and in the AL East, it pays to have one eye as much on the future as the other is on the present. The Red Sox will be busy. They just might be the sort to nibble on the margins both ways.
Milwaukee Brewers: Adding and subtracting. Closer Devin Williams is nearing his return, as is left-hander DL Hall, one of the two players they received in return for Corbin Burnes -- who incidentally is exactly the player the Brewers could use right now. So, sure, Milwaukee will soon be better than it is right now. But adding a top-of-the-market player via trade simply isn't on the Brewers' bingo card at the moment, and with all the trade conversations they're having -- they're kicking plenty of tires -- they might wind up with similar talent to what they've got now, even if adding a frontline starter would propel them to the forefront of contention. One area worth monitoring: Among Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Blake Perkins and Joey Wiemer -- on top of Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio, neither of whom is going anywhere -- the Brewers' controllable outfield depth is a hammer worth wielding.
Minnesota Twins: Adding and subtracting. Money issues continue to hinder any shot at a big move, and it's why the Twins are an add-and-subtract team and not simply an add team like they ought to be. If the opportunity to acquire a higher-salary player presents itself, they would need to offload salary from their major league roster in that deal or another to cancel out the expense. With infielders Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda, plus reliever Brock Stewart, nearing returns from the injured list, the Twins' greatest deadline additions could come from within. And that's not even including shortstop Carlos Correa, who hit the IL last week after turning in his best first half since 2017.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Adding and subtracting. Despite clawing into playoff contention -- they're a half-game back of the final NL wild-card spot -- the Pirates remain a team every bit as much focused on its future as its present. The emergence of right-handers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones this season both revitalized the 2024 roster and has the franchise dreaming of what its future in the NL Central looks like. Now and for the years ahead, Pittsburgh needs bats, and while an add-and-subtract play is difficult for any team to pull off, Pittsburgh could acquire some bats on the margin while being open to moving a starter such as Bailey Falter or a back-end reliever, be it Aroldis Chapman or the options who would require a bigger return: setup man Colin Holderman or closer David Bednar. The Pirates' core, with Skenes, Jones and Mitch Keller in the rotation and outfielder Bryan Reynolds and shortstop Oneil Cruz in the lineup, is solid. But they require more offense, whether it's from infielders Nick Gonzales and Ke'Bryan Hayes or externally, to be the fearsome unit their starting pitching suggests they can be.
Texas Rangers: TBD. All eyes are on the defending World Series champions this week. The Rangers are up there with the Blue Jays in terms of letdowns, and after finishing their series against the White Sox, they'll head to Toronto for the most consequential matchup of the season between under-.500 teams. If Texas goes on a jag, perhaps GM Chris Young sees all the positive to come -- the expected returns of third baseman Josh Jung and right-handers Jacob deGrom and Tyler Mahle -- banks on a second-half surge and adds. If not, Texas can make the deadline a whole lot more interesting. Even though Max Scherzer said he's not inclined to waive his no-trade clause, the list of potential players the Rangers could move is tantalizing: Eovaldi (who could trigger a $20 million player option with 57 more innings this season), closer Kirby Yates, right-hander Michael Lorenzen, left-hander Andrew Heaney, right-hander Jose Urena, reliever Jose Leclerc and even first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. As Young showed last July, he is a dealmaker. Whether those deals get made might not be clear until a day or two before the deadline.
San Francisco Giants: TBD. Speaking of, the Giants have yet to indicate to other teams that they're ready to give up on this season. They're 48-53 -- the same record as Cincinnati, a half-game behind the Cubs -- and still ostensibly in the playoff mix despite their abject averageness thus far. San Francisco looks the part of a team that should be better than its record indicates. Heliot Ramos and LaMonte Wade Jr. are putting up star-level numbers. Five other regulars have an OPS that is better than the league average. The Giants' rotation is above-average and gets Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb back this week. Their bullpen, even with Camilo Doval's control issues, has four relievers with ERAs under 3.30. Compound that with the urgency spurred by their mediocrity over the past two years and their free agent spending spree over the winter, and it all indicates that unless this week veers off problematically, the Giants won't be subtracting, but they aren't likely to add much, either.