8 key players on Deadline sellers

Every year after the MLB Trade Deadline, the focus gravitates toward the aggressive buying teams and the key players they acquired. This makes sense since players finding new homes have a chance to alter their team’s playoff chances and make a name for themselves.

Inversely, some clear sellers have decided their playoff chances are too low and opted to swap short-term value for long-term gains. Even then, most of the focus on these teams is on new players and prospects who might have been acquired in Deadline deals and less on the players who were already there in the first place.

Those players who stayed put with selling teams might be overlooked post-Deadline but could be potential catalysts for their club’s future success.

With that in mind, here are the eight key players on selling teams to watch out for the rest of the season. All stats are through Monday's games.

Alejandro Kirk, C, Blue Jays

There are plenty of reasons why the Blue Jays have underperformed and opted to sell at this year’s Deadline. Kirk is among those and has shown concerning year-to-year trends since a breakout 2022 season.

After posting a 127 OPS+ and making his first All-Star Game in ‘22, Kirk dropped to a 93 OPS+ and 2.3 Wins Above Replacement (FanGraphs) in ‘23. The decline has been even starker this year as Kirk has a 78 OPS+ and has been worth 1.2 fWAR in 61 games. Kirk might not be the most notable underperforming Blue Jay -- Bo Bichette and Kevin Gausman might take that title -- but seeing the young Toronto catcher get back to his ‘22 level would bode well for the club’s success next season, especially with Danny Jansen’s departure from the club.

Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox

It’s been a rough year on the South Side of Chicago for a White Sox team on pace for 39 wins. Robert is hardly the reason for that, but he’s performed well below his excellent 2023 level that saw the outfielder finish 12th in AL MVP voting thanks to his 38 home runs, 20 stolen bases and a 130 OPS+.

Robert missed two months from early April to early June but still hasn’t played up to his dominant ‘23 level. In 59 games, Robert has posted a 95 OPS+ and has been worth 0.8 fWAR. The 27-year-old was a popular name in trade rumors -- an unsurprising development given the White Sox’s current position -- but the club ultimately held onto him. Whether Robert plays well down the stretch could go a long way toward determining his potential offseason trade value

James Wood, CF, Nationals

The up-and-coming Nationals have flashed signs that they could start making a competitive push in the next few years. Wood is one of many players the Nats are planning to build around, and the 21-year-old has held his own since debuting on July 1. In 30 games, Wood has a 110 OPS+ with two home runs and three stolen bases.

Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 overall prospect, Wood dominated in the Minors the last few seasons with an exciting blend of power and speed all while playing above-average defense as a 6-foot-7 outfielder. It could take some time for Wood to blossom and work to tame his inflated strikeout rate (33.9 percent), but if he reaches his full potential, he could be a true superstar.

Shane Baz, SP, Rays

Given the way the Rays operate and the competitive AL East picture this season, Tampa Bay was an aggressive Deadline seller, moving key players in Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes and Zach Eflin. As is often the case, the Rays have plenty of intriguing and talented players in place who could take big steps forward and help Tampa Bay in 2025 and beyond.

Along with Taj Bradley -- who has had a breakout season with a 2.71 ERA in 15 starts -- Baz has a chance to be a big part of the Rays’ rotation moving forward, now that he’s back from Tommy John surgery. Baz made his season debut on July 5, his first Major League action in almost exactly two years and has posted a 3.60 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings. If he can stay healthy, the 25-year-old could be a vital cog in the Rays bouncing back in 2025.

Lawrence Butler, RF, A’s

If it were not for Bobby Witt Jr.’s outrageous July, Butler could have taken home AL Player of the Month honors. After struggling through a 40-game stint in his debut last year and the first part of this season, Butler broke out in July with a 1.210 OPS, 10 home runs and 2.0 fWAR, which trailed only Witt’s 2.7 mark across the Majors.

Butler was an eighth-round Draft pick in 2018 and never rated as a top-100 prospect, so it was easy for him to fly under the radar until last month. The 24-year-old certainly has people’s attention now and tapped into a level that could make him a building block for the A’s. It was only one month, but Butler appears to be one of the most exciting A’s players moving forward.

Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Angels

Remarkably, Schanuel has essentially played a full season in the Majors since he was selected 11th overall by the Angels in the 2023 Draft. After moving the first baseman aggressively and promoting him to the Majors on Aug. 18 last year, the Angels have seen Schanuel take major strides recently.

Schanuel had just four hits in his first 54 plate appearances this season and a .622 OPS through the end of May, but he has an .810 OPS since June 1. That includes an excellent July in which Schanuel had a .949 OPS and had more walks (18) than strikeouts (15). If Schanuel’s true talent level is close to where he’s been since June, he could help form an intriguing Angels core along with youngsters like Logan O’Hoppe and Zach Neto.

Colt Keith, 2B, Tigers

Like Schanuel, Keith endured a brutal start to 2024, posting a .387 OPS through the end of April in his first taste of the Majors. Since then, Keith has put together a strong rookie season, posting an .815 OPS with 11 home runs dating back to May 1, including a whopping 1.048 OPS in July.

That July performance, which featured seven home runs and a .644 SLG, resulted in him winning AL Rookie of the Month, a positive sign for a Tigers team searching for young hitters to build around. Spencer Torkelson has been back in the Minors since being demoted in June, and the Tigers’ offense has scored the 10th-fewest runs in the Majors. But with Keith and Riley Greene, Detroit can comfortably build their offense around these two hitters.

Xavier Edwards, SS, Marlins

The Marlins went from a surprise playoff team in 2023 to a 42-71 record this season, prompting the club to sell aggressively at the Deadline. While they certainly did well in receiving young talent in their many trades, the Marlins will also need some of their existing young players to take steps forward. Edwards could be one of those players and has recently flashed the potential that he’s long had.

Edwards has a .925 OPS, 11 stolen bases and a 13.1 percent walk rate in 29 games, while he’s punched out in just 16.8 percent of his plate appearances. If you lower the minimum to 100 plate appearances, Edwards’ .456 OBP is tied with Aaron Judge for the best mark in the Majors. His most memorable effort came on July 28, when the 25-year-old not only hit his first career homer but also hit for the cycle. For the Marlins to get back to contending in the NL playoff picture, they’ll need players like Edwards to keep taking steps forward.