With one-quarter of the season behind us, it seems too early to begin thinking about which teams are ready to look to the future and become Trade Deadline sellers.

Or is it?

“The timing of when to start selling is really a byproduct of expectations and record,” a National League executive said. “It’s easier to consider early-season sell-side moves if you enter the season with low expectations and start off poorly. Clubs where only one of those two things is true will generally need to wait until closer to July before actively selling.”

Another NL executive believes the expanded playoff field will push most teams to wait until mid-to-late July before making the buy/hold/sell decision.

“Teams are going to want to see if they can recover with players returning from injury, etc.,” the exec said. “That said, there are some teams who are probably off to the kind of start that makes a recovery hard to imagine.”

Here’s a look at eight potential sellers, listed alphabetically, along with some names that could be on the move by the July 30 Trade Deadline:

Angels

The underperforming Angels have a number of players with expiring contracts – infielder Brandon Drury ($8.5 million) and relievers Matt Moore ($9 million), Carlos Estévez ($6.75 million), Luis García ($4.25 million), José Cisnero ($1.75 million) and Adam Cimber ($1.65 million) – and while the relievers figure to be the only ones that could bring back decent returns, even those won’t be huge.

GM Perry Minasian’s best trade chips might be players with club control beyond 2024, with lefty starter Tyler Anderson (earning $13 million in 2024 and 2025) and versatile infielder Luis Rengifo (arbitration-eligible for the final time next winter) leading that group. Left-hander Patrick Sandoval and outfielder Taylor Ward are each under control through 2026, making them interesting candidates, as well.

Then there’s Jo Adell. Long considered a change-of-scenery candidate, the 25-year-old outfielder is finally putting it together this season after struggling through his chances in each of the past four years. With Adell slated to hit arbitration for the first time this winter, would the Angels try to capitalize on his solid start and move him? Having waited so long for him to thrive, they may have to decide whether they think this is who he will be going forward or if the time is right to trade him.

Astros

Houston has been a buyer for several years, most recently acquiring Justin Verlander and Kendall Graveman last summer. This season has been different for the Astros, who find themselves near the bottom of the AL West after a subpar start.

Will GM Dana Brown become a seller and try to reset the roster without going through a rebuild?

Alex Bregman and Graveman are slated to become free agents after the season, while Verlander could also hit the market depending on whether he hits the 140-inning mark that would trigger a $35 million player option. Verlander owns a full no-trade clause, so while he controls his own fate, Bregman could be the biggest name moved prior to the Trade Deadline.

Don’t count out a Ryan Pressly trade, either; the reliever is earning $14 million this season and has a $14 million mutual option ($2 million buyout) for 2025, making him a likely free agent after the season, too. Other possible trade chips include Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez and Jose Urquidy, all of whom have one year of club control remaining after the 2024 season.

Athletics

Oakland has played better than most expected, but the Athletics still remain a longshot to reach the postseason. There has been a lot of recent chatter about closer Mason Miller as a possible trade candidate, but given that he’s under club control for five-plus years, it will take a huge haul to pry the fireballer from Oakland’s roster.

That doesn’t mean the Athletics won’t be trade players this summer.

Starting pitchers Ross Stripling and Alex Wood, infielders Aledmys Díaz and J.D. Davis, outfielder Miguel Andújar and relievers Scott Alexander, Trevor Gott and T.J. McFarland are all slated to become free agents after the season, while 2022 All-Star right-hander Paul Blackburn has one year of arbitration-eligibility remaining.

Blue Jays

If Toronto was in the National League, its sub-.500 record would still have the team only a few games out of a Wild Card spot. In the AL, however, the Blue Jays are closer to the bottom of the league than a postseason spot, though with three-quarters of the season left, there’s plenty of time to turn things around.

But what if they don’t?

Justin Turner and Yusei Kikuchi are both on expiring contracts and could bring back a prospect or two each. Both are trade candidates if the Blue Jays decide to look toward 2025, as is veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, another impending free agent.

Could GM Ross Atkins do something unexpected and field offers on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? The 25-year-old is having a decent season, but given his $19.9 million salary and one year of club control, he’s not posting the type of numbers to justify the dollars it will likely take to sign him to a new deal in the next 18 months. A change of scenery would give an acquiring team the opportunity to get a first-hand look at Vladdy this season and next – or use him as a trade chip next summer. Ditto for Bo Bichette, Chris Bassitt and Jordan Romano, who are also slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season.

Cardinals

St. Louis had high hopes for a rebound this season after signing Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson, and even as all three starters are performing well, the offense has left the Cardinals searching for answers.

Last summer, the Cardinals were big sellers, trading away Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks, Jack Flaherty, Paul DeJong and Chris Stratton before the Trade Deadline. All five of those players were headed for free agency, so it made sense for St. Louis to maximize its return rather than losing them for nothing at the end of the season.

This year’s roster doesn’t have an abundance of expiring contracts, with Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter, Andrew Kittredge and Brandon Crawford representing the only players heading toward free agency. (Lynn, Gibson and relievers Giovanny Gallegos and Keynan Middleton all have club options for 2025.)

Could Nolan Arenado be a trade candidate? The All-Star third baseman has three years and $74 million left on his contract after this season, and with a full no-trade clause, he will be able to control his future when it comes to any potential trades.

Marlins

Miami got trade season started earlier than anybody would have expected when it dealt Luis Arraez to the Padres on May 4. Based on the Marlins’ record and some of their assets, that won’t be the last deal president of baseball operations Peter Bendix makes this season.

The two most intriguing candidates are impending free-agent closer Tanner Scott (earning $5.7 million this season) and starter Jesús Luzardo, who is making $5.5 million in 2024 and is arbitration-eligible for two more years. Both pitchers should bring back strong returns for the Marlins, who will have Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez return in 2025.

Switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell -- who has been traded in each of the past two summers -- will be a free agent after the season and could help a team looking for power. Tim Anderson is the club’s only other impending free agent, though it’s tough to see Miami getting anything in return for the struggling infielder.

Rockies

Colorado is in a position no team wants to be in: owning one of the worst records in the league without a lot of trade chips to move this summer.

Kris Bryant, Kyle Freeland, Ryan McMahon and Antonio Senzatela are all under contract through at least 2026, and the only impending free agents of note are outfielder Charlie Blackmon and catcher Elias Díaz. The Rockies could look to trade McMahon, who is playing well and is owed $44 million from 2025-27, or Cal Quantrill and/or Austin Gomber, starters who are off to good starts and remain under club control through 2025.

White Sox

The White Sox began their sell-off during Spring Training with the trade of Dylan Cease to the Padres, and given their poor start and AL-worst run differential, it’s only a matter of time before GM Chris Getz begins his summer sale.

Chicago has a number of players on one-year deals including starting pitchers Mike Clevinger, Michael Soroka and Chris Flexen; reliever Tim Hill; shortstop DeJong and outfielder Tommy Pham, some of whom might bring back a prospect in return.

The team’s two biggest trade chips might be outfielder Luis Robert (owed $12.5 million in 2024 and 2025, with $20 million club options in 2026 and 2027) and flamethrower Michael Kopech ($3 million this year with one year of arbitration-eligibility remaining).