How Each AL East Team Is Attacking the Deadline

The American League East is a study in contrasts as the calendar steers closer toward the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Four teams are gunning for October while one is already thinking about 2026.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have flipped the script. A scorching stretch since late May put them back in the hunt, and they’re now in win-now mode. The lineup runs deep, but the trade deadline is ideally about impact, not insurance.

If they chase a starter, it has to be someone who can take the ball in Game 1 or 2 of a playoff series. The team’s internal pressure to make a splash was already high, but the recent surge could push them toward bigger, bolder moves.

New York Yankees

With their rotation decimated by injuries, the New York Yankees are also locked in on pitching. They’re aiming to add at least one starter and multiple relievers to shore up a staff that’s lost both Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt.

There’s also interest in upgrading the infield, particularly at third base, where the current platoon hasn’t delivered. Even with a slight slide in the standings, New York is firmly in the postseason mix — and the front office knows that an early exit won’t sit well.

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox sit in a Wild Card spot and may be, according to more than one MLB insider, one major piece away from World Series contention. According to MLB Trade Rumors’ Darragh McDonald, the Red Sox “are positioned to line up on another major swap” after saving money in the Rafael Devers deal.

A frontline starter to slot behind Garret Crochet tops the wish list — no surprise, since every team is chasing arms — while first base remains an unsettled platoon with no veteran to anchor the position. Boston also has outfield depth and a deep prospect pool to deal from, which gives chief baseball officer Craig Breslow room to maneuver.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays got a head start by acquiring reliever Bryan Baker on June 10, but they could still look to reinforce a bullpen that limped into the All-Star break. Despite a disrupted home schedule and the accompanying off-field distractions of playing in a minor league stadium, they’re in postseason position and are likely to be as creatively aggressive as ever. They may explore trading from their rotation depth while seeking a bat. Tampa always finds a way to stay relevant, even in chaos.

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are one of MLB’s easy candidates to identify as sellers. With the rotation thin and the deficit in the standings unforgiving, the focus will likely center on flipping rental bats and pitchers.

Outfielders Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins lead that list, and even a modest return helps restock a system that still has plenty long-term potential despite the O’s disappointing return to mediocrity following two straight playoff berths.

From splashy buys to strategic sells, no division has more on the line this deadline than the AL East.