Where all 30 MLB teams stand and their trade deadline outlook at the quarter mark

AL EastBlue JaysOriolesRaysRed SoxYankeesAL CentralGuardiansRoyalsTigersTwinsWhite SoxAL WestAngelsAstrosAthleticsMarinersRangersNL EastBravesMarlinsMetsNationalsPhilliesNL CentralBrewersCardinalsCubsPiratesRedsNL WestDiamondbacksDodgersGiantsPadresRockiesScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsThe Windup NewsletterFantasyMLB ProspectsMLB OddsMLB PicksPower RankingsStarting Pitcher RankingsThe 'A' on their hats stands for 'awesome' for the Braves and 'abysmal' for the Angels a quarter of the way through the season. Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Kevin C. Cox, Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images Share articleNearly 50 games into the MLB season, we are starting to get a sense of how the 2026 baseball marathon will unfold. Some expected contenders have tripped on their laces out of the gate, while some surprising teams have taken pole position. Though some of these underachieving teams are likely to find their rhythm and move up in the race later in the season, a few are in big trouble already. As teams start to find their identities, it’s becoming clearer which ones will be sellers and which ones will be buyers at the trade deadline. Below is how I’ve ranked the performance of all 30 teams thus far, leaning heavily on current records but also on how well positioned teams are to continue to play as they have thus far. I’ve also included my thoughts on how they are positioning themselves for the deadline: The Braves have been the best team in baseball pretty much from Opening Day. Their starting pitching has been elite, led by their ace Chris Sale and the surprising rebound by Bryce Elder, who both are early Cy Young Award candidates. The Braves invested heavily in the back of their bullpen in the offseason, and it’s paid off so far, as Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias have been lights out in the later innings. Matt Olson is having a bounce-back year, catcher Drake Baldwin is proving his rookie season wasn’t a fluke and Michael Harris II is finally back to the player he was a couple years ago. As usual, they’re an elite defensive team. Trade deadline position: Buyers. The Braves are a legitimate World Series contender. The Rays continue to dominate in the category of wins per dollars spent thanks to the strong leadership of team president Erik Neander and manager Kevin Cash. Chandler Simpson and his blazing speed have given them an effective old school leadoff hitter who changes games with his legs, while the trio of Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Díaz provide the power and consistent run production. The rest of their lineup is comprised of strong defenders and complementary-type offensive players. On the pitching side, Shane McClanahan is back and pitching like an ace while Drew Rasmussen continues to show why he’s an All-Star. Nick Martinez and Steven Matz have been steady mid-rotation starters and closer Bryan Baker has been solid. Trade deadline position: Buyers. The front office will likely have to land another starting pitcher if they’re going to win the division or make the playoffs. The Dodgers still have the best roster from top to bottom but they haven’t completely lived up to expectations to start the season. Max Muncy and Andy Pages have been leading the offense, but Mookie Betts has played just 14 games and recently came off the IL and Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Will Smith and Shohei Ohtani are off to slow starts. Imagine what their offense will look like when it’s firing on all cylinders. As a pitcher, Ohtani has been flat-out dominant, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow have been as good as expected, though Glasnow is on the IL with a back injury and they’ve received mixed results from Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaski at the back of the rotation. Justin Wrobleski has been a pleasant surprise, moving ahead of both Sheehan and Sasaki on the depth chart. Blake Snell returned briefly from the IL before going back on the shelf with loose bodies in his pitching elbow. LA lost their impact closer Edwin Díaz to elbow surgery but Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia have stepped up thus far. Their pitching depth has been tested, and the Dodgers signed lefty swingman Eric Lauer over the weekend to help them through this stretch. Trade deadline position: Despite the uneven start, the Dodgers are still the favorites to win it all. Injuries will dictate what they look to add at the deadline but they will be buyers as usual. I picked the Cubs to win the NL Central, so I’m not surprised they’re playing well. They’ve gotten off to a hot start despite a deluge of injuries, including to two of their best starting pitchers, Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd, and a setback in the rehab of lefty Justin Steele. They are making it work because the Cubs are one of the best defensive teams in the game and their lineup top to bottom gives professional at-bats every day and the lineup length is special. Trade deadline position: Buyers. Chicago is already making phone calls regarding starting pitching help, and I would expect between now and the trade deadline they land a starter because they have the prospects to make a deal. The Bronx Bombers lead MLB in home runs and are third in OPS thanks to Aaron Judge and Ben Rice, who have become one of the best power duos in the game. But it’s been their starting pitching that has carried the team early. Cam Schlittler has developed into an ace. Max Fried was off to a great start before hitting the IL last week with a bone bruise in his left elbow. Both Will Warren and Ryan Weathers have been solid, giving them a deep rotation. The Fried injury hurts, but the good news for New York is Carlos Rodón has returned and Gerrit Cole isn’t far behind. Trade deadline position: Buyers. They’re still my pick to win the AL East. The Yankees’ farm system is stocked with MLB-ready talent in the upper levels, which could help them fill gaps or trade for reinforcements. They are still not getting enough offense from third base and could improve the bullpen as well going forward. Manny Machado is hitting .180, Jackson Merrill is batting just .202, Fernando Tatis Jr. has yet to hit a homer, Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Germán Márquez are all on the injured list and the Padres are a half game up on the Dodgers for first place in the NL West — how can that be? Michael King and Randy Vásquez have both been consistently solid in the rotation and Mason Miller is doing historic things in the bullpen. The Padres bullpen as usual features so many different looks with velocity, shapes and sizes, giving them a huge advantage late in close games. Trade deadline position: Buyers. San Diego needs another quality starting pitcher and will be aggressive at the deadline like they always are under the leadership of A.J. Preller. The Brewers are led by flame thrower Jacob Misiorowski, who has made huge strides this season, not only throwing harder than any other starter in baseball but also becoming a pitcher, refining his command, control and pitch sequencing. He’s a true ace. Acquired from the Red Sox in the offseason, Kyle Harrison has also made great improvements, giving the Brewers a nice one-two punch at the top of their rotation. However, both the rotation and bullpen depth needs to get better if Milwaukee is going to catch the Cubs. They really miss Freddy Peralta. Offensively, they’re fun to watch because they are so athletic and move the chains as well as any team in baseball. In fact, they lead the sport in moving runners, scoring from third base with less than two outs and taking the extra base. They score runs by getting on base and making things happen once they’re there. Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich and Andrew Vaughn spent most of the first two months on the injured list and have recently returned, which should be a huge boost to their run production. Milwaukee’s management team of general manager Matt Arnold and manager Pat Murphy is one of the best in the game. Trade deadline position: Buyers. The Brewers will be looking to add more pitching depth. The Cardinals have been the biggest surprise team in baseball. They are building a strong core of young players, led by rookie second baseman J.J. Wetherholt, right fielder Jordan Walker, first baseman Alec Burleson, DH Ivan Herrera and shortstop Masyn Winn. Walker has been the MVP of the team, swatting 13 homers thus far in a breakout season, while Wetherholt has a legitimate chance to win Rookie of the Year. The starting pitching has been the biggest surprise as they have kept them in most games, led by right-hander Michael McGreevy, and Riley O’Brien has handled the closer’s role well. The team is playing with positive energy and enthusiasm, which is a direct reflection of their manager Oli Marmol, who is doing an excellent job developing this young team. Trade deadline position: Wait and see. I still don’t think they have the starting pitching to contend the entire season, but the team is definitely taking a big step forward. They could go either way at the trade deadline based on the standings. The Guardians are 10th in team ERA and 10th in runs scored and middle of the pack in most defensive metrics. That is a good reflection of who they are, which this year is good enough to win the AL Central, as 85 wins will probably give a team the division title. Reigning AL manager of the year Stephen Vogt continues to find ways to win close games. Rookie Chase DeLauter has been a difference maker, which has helped them weather superstar José Ramírez’s slow start (by his standards) and center fielder Steven Kwan’s struggles. The Guardians traded for Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey, who helps them defensively but provides very little offense for a team that needs it. Starting pitching has been the best aspect of this team, led by a pair of southpaws, rookie Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo. Gavin Williams is an ace in the making and although Tanner Bibee is off to a slow start, he should be able to turn it around before long. Trade deadline position: Buyers. The Guardians aren’t going away but the front office will need to acquire some offensive reinforcements. The White Sox season has been highlighted by the offensive production from the trio of Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas. Murakami has been everything the White Sox hoped he’d be from a power and on-base perspective, while Montgomery continues to hit for power and Vargas is off to the best start of his career. On the pitching side, Davis Martin leads a rotation that has also been boosted by solid showings from veterans Sean Burke and Erick Fedde. Trade deadline position: Sellers. Chicago is making progress but still has a ways to go and won’t be able to stay at .500. Continuing their long-term building is the best play for them this season. The Phillies got off to a horrible start, leading to team president Dave Dombrowski firing manager Rob Thomson. Don Mattingly replaced him at the helm and since then the Phillies have gotten right back into the wild-card race. The rotation has been mostly solid. Zack Wheeler is back from thoracic outlet surgery and is looking like his old self and Cristopher Sánchez continues to pitch like an ace, but Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola have been inconsistent and rookie Andrew Painter is going through growing pains. If healthy, this is still a playoff-caliber rotation, however. Offensively, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh are leading the way. Trea Turner, Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm have gotten off to slow starts, but all three look like they’re starting to turn the corner. Trade deadline position: Buyers. I still think this is a playoff team that will look to add, albeit as a wild-card club, not a division winner. They could use an upgrade at third base or right field and more quality bullpen arms. The Reds are 25th in team ERA, 15th in runs scored and rank in the middle of the pack in defensive metrics. Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart have led their offense, but the rest of the team has struggled. Reds fans are clamoring for them to sign both players long-term but so far they have not been able to get anything done. Edwin Arroyo continues to dominate Triple A and it won’t be long before he’s promoted to give the Reds a much-needed boost in the leadoff spot. Chase Burns has been the biggest bright spot in the rotation, but injuries to Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder have derailed that group. Trade deadline position: Wait and see. The key to the rest of the season will be the health of their starting pitching. They should be able to stay within striking distance for much of the season if they can get their starters healthy. They need to continue to find ways to improve their outfield production and bullpen. The Pirates finally improved their offense in the offseason and the moves have been huge for a team that is finally relevant again. Offseason trade acquisition Brandon Lowe and free agent Ryan O’Hearn have been impact players, though O’Hearn landed on the IL on Sunday with a quad strain. Center fielder Oneil Cruz is having a breakout season offensively, contributing with power and speed. After a slow start, rookie Konnor Griffin has started to find his rhythm at the plate. That improved lineup has supported the best part of the team, the starting rotation, which is led by the game’s best starter, Paul Skenes. Braxton Ashcraft and Mitch Keller have also been effective, giving Pittsburgh a solid top three in the rotation with Jared Jones almost ready to come off the IL. In addition, the Pirates have arguably the best starting pitching prospect in the minors in Seth Hernandez, who profiles as a future ace. Trade deadline position: Likely buyers. The Pirates need another middle-of-the-order bat for either third base, catcher or designated hitter and to improve their bullpen quality and depth. The Athletics have built a playoff-worthy core of position players, led by catcher Shea Langeliers, who has suddenly become the best offensive catcher in the American League, and first baseman Nick Kurtz, who is putting together a solid sophomore year after his award-winning rookie season. Shortstop Jacob Wilson recently landed on the injured list but was showing improvements defensively. The A’s have a few hitters off to slow starts — Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler — but all three should improve and Zack Gelof is looking more like the 2023 version of himself after a rough last two seasons. How long the A’s stay in contention is all up to their pitching, which has been below average. The good news is they’re building the team for the long-term the right way and if they start to add proven starting pitching this offseason, they should be ready to win by the time they open their new stadium in Las Vegas in 2028. In the meantime, this year they look more like a second- or third-place team, as I expect the Mariners to move past them before long. Trade deadline position: Buy and sell. The A’s are building for the future and aren’t likely to trade top prospects but depending on where they stand in the playoff race at the deadline could make some smaller moves to help the current team while also potentially making trades to improve for the future. The Diamondbacks are in the bottom third of the league in both runs scored and team ERA. Ildemaro Vargas has been the big story, leading the team in hits, homers and RBIs, while Nolan Arenado has had a solid bounce back year and Corbin Carroll has hit well despite his spring training hamate injury. On the flip side, Geraldo Perdomo has struggled and they’ve received little offense from the catcher’s spot. On the mound, both Eduardo Rodríguez and Michael Soroka look like comeback candidates, but Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly have been huge disappointments. Trade deadline position: Sellers. A third-place finish seems to be the end-game for Arizona this year behind the Dodgers and Padres but ahead of the Giants and Rockies. Other teams should have plenty of interest in their veterans, especially Gallen and Kelly if they can get back on track. The Nationals have over-achieved, thanks in part to their new leadership group’s implementation of technology and analytics they didn’t have in place before. CJ Abrams is having another All-Star caliber season at the plate, as is James Wood. On the pitching side, Foster Griffin has been their best starter, while Cade Cavalli is making progress, but in general the team’s pitching has been an issue. The Nats have a long way to go and will probably finish in last place again, but at least they have some building blocks for the future. Trade deadline position: Likely sellers. Though the big question is: What do they have to sell at the deadline? All indications are it won’t be Wood or Abrams. The Rangers are among the league leaders in team ERA, led by the resurgence of Jacob deGrom. The rest of the rotation has been more average with MacKenzie Gore, Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker all showing inconsistency. The offense has been a disaster. Corey Seager and Evan Carter are struggling to get to .200 and Seager is now on the injured list with a back injury, while Wyatt Langford has only played in 20 games because of injury and was hitting just .238 with one homer when he went on the IL. Josh Jung has been the one real bright spot, while Jake Burger has provided power but has done little else. Trade deadline position: Sellers. This is not a playoff team. They need to continue to build their lineup depth from top to bottom with players who can contribute on both sides of the ball. The Mariners are off to a really slow start, but I still expect them to win the AL West. Cal Raleigh was slumping badly before injuring his oblique and shortstop J.P. Crawford has also struggled. The rest of the offense hasn’t been consistent but Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena have all had their big moments, while Luke Raley has surprisingly been their most productive hitter. Brendan Donovan has been hurt much of the season and he was placed on the injured list on Sunday, opening up a spot for top prospect Colt Emerson. The starting pitching has not been as dominant as expected. George Kirby has been the ace of the group and Emerson Hancock is putting together his best big-league season, but Logan Gilbert and Bryan Woo have been inconsistent. Bryce Miller has made only one start due to injury and Luis Castillo has been awful. The good news is top pitching prospect Kade Anderson is dominating in the minors and the left-hander appears to be major-league ready whenever they want to make the call. I’m expecting both the offense and starting pitching will kick into gear, and the Mariners will be at the top of the division by June. Trade deadline position: Buyers. Seattle is always active under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and this team was built to win now, so expect the Mariners to fill holes at the deadline. However, their best acquisitions will probably come from internal promotions of top prospects like Anderson and Emerson. The Orioles have not hit or pitched as expected and have had a surprisingly difficult time against left-handed pitching. The catching tandem of Adley Rutschmann and Samuel Basallo has produced, but Pete Alonso is off to a slow start, Taylor Ward hasn’t found his home-run swing yet (though he’s hitting plenty of doubles and getting on base at a good clip) and Gunnar Henderson has struggled out of the gate. They’ve also been without Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg all season. The starting pitching has been the biggest disappointment, as Shane Baz, Trevor Rogers and Chris Bassitt all have inflated ERAs. Trade deadline position: Likely buyers. Despite the slow start, this team is much better than their record and a wild-card spot is well within reach. They’ll likely need more pitching, both in the rotation and bullpen. How are the defending American League champions down this low? Injuries to Alejandro Kirk, Cody Ponce, Shane Bieber, George Springer, Trey Yesavage, Max Scherzer, José Berríos, Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger and Anthony Santander and the loss of Bo Bichette in free agency have a lot to do with it. That said, Dylan Cease has been a successful signing thus far, giving them another top of the rotation starter, and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has given their lineup a power boost. Trade deadline position: Buyers. This team is not as good defensively as they were last year but the bullpen is deeper and when they get healthy they’ll be right back in the thick of things for a postseason spot. They’ll be above .500 by July and will be actively buying at the deadline for whatever their biggest need is at that time. The Marlins are 11th in runs scored and 18th in team ERA and that’s a good reflection of who they are, with the upside being a .500 team by the end of the season. Max Meyer has been arguably their best starter, while Sandy Alcantara continues to get better and Eury Pérez has had his ups and downs. Chris Paddack went 0-5 with a 7.63 ERA before they replaced him with Robby Snelling, but Snelling went down with an elbow injury after his first start. Braxton Garrett was just called up to replace Snelling, and top pitching prospect Thomas White should get to the big leagues by September, if all goes well. The best story surrounding the Marlins is their middle infield, as Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards have been terrific both offensively and defensively. Liam Hicks is having a breakout season, but rookie Owen Caissie has struggled and Kyle Stowers hasn’t gotten going yet after starting the year on the IL. Trade deadline position: Sellers. The Fish are an exciting young team but another year away from being contenders. Alcantara will once again be their top trade piece as he’s controllable through 2027. The Twins are near the bottom of the league in team ERA, but their offense has been excellent, allowing them to at least compete on a daily basis. Their top three starters — Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Taj Bradley — have all performed well, but they’ve had to use nine different relievers to try to close games. Byron Buxton, who recently sat five straight games because of a sore right hip, has carried the offense and catcher Ryan Jeffers and infielder Brooks Lee have also been significant contributors at the plate. Matt Wallner struggled from the outset and was recently sent down to Triple A for a reset. They’ll need Wallner to get back on track and Royce Lewis, who could also be headed to Triple A, and Josh Bell to stay healthy and start making an impact if they want to stay within striking distance. Trade deadline position: Sellers. The Twins look like a fourth- or fifth-place team that will be selling once again at the deadline. Will they convince Buxton to accept a trade? Will someone take a chance on the oft-injured Lewis? Can they bring back a haul with a Ryan blockbuster? It’s been a hugely disappointing start to the season for the Tigers, highlighted by back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal needing surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow. Casey Mize missed time with a groin strain but was excellent in his return on Saturday and has been strong when healthy. Framber Valdez has been mostly solid, but Jack Flaherty has not had control or command. In the bullpen, Kenley Jansen has led a unit that has already let several wins get away from them in the late innings. The biggest offensive brightspot has been rookie Kevin McGonigle, who has shown a special ability to get on-base and is the front runner for AL Rookie of the Year. Riley Greene has been locked in and catcher Dillon Dingler has provided some power, but overall the offense has underperformed. Trade deadline position: Likely buyers. The Tigers are underperforming, but I think they’ll be back in the race by the All-Star break. Trading for a top starting pitcher should be their biggest target. The Royals have also disappointed this season. They are in the bottom third of the league in team ERA and runs scored. Led by Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha, the rotation has been mostly solid, but Cole Ragans has battled injuries and hasn’t gotten back to that 2024 version of himself and Noah Cameron has really struggled. Though Lucas Erceg and Daniel Lynch have been effective in the back-half of the Royals’ bullpen, they’ve been without closer Carlos Estévez for most of the year, which has thinned their depth. Offensively, they’re led by the best shortstop in the game in Bobby Witt Jr. but the rest of their core — Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia and Jac Caglianone — have all under-achieved. Trade deadline position: Wait and see. Like the Tigers, I think the Royals will get back in the race for the AL Central, so there’s no need to panic early with this team. If things go south, they could dangle both Lugo and Wacha at the deadline. If they buy, help at second base, the outfield and bullpen are the three biggest needs. They should call themselves the New York Mess because that’s what it’s looked like all season. The core of their lineup (Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco) has started just five games together this year. In addition, center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and catcher Francisco Alvarez are both on the injured list. The promotion of rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing has brought new energy, and if they can tread water until the team is healthy, they might be able to get to respectability by mid July. The top of their rotation lost Clay Holmes to a fibula fracture over the weekend but is still respectable, led by Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta and Christian Scott. The bullpen, however, is a problem and needs help. Trade deadline position: Likely sellers. They’ve dug themselves a huge hole and I can’t see a path for them to catch the Braves, nor do I think they’ll be able to finish ahead of the Phillies. I still think they could finish strong and in third place if they can get healthy and fix the bullpen. If they do sell, Peralta, an impending free agent, would be the headliner. Others they could make available include closer Devin Williams and infielders Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. The Giants have not played well under rookie manager Tony Vitello, who looks overmatched at times. None of their superstar players are delivering, with Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman all off to slow starts and offseason signing Harrison Bader missing time with injury after his own slow start. They called up top prospect Bryce Eldridge, but he hasn’t played regularly since rejoining the big-league roster. Their Gold Glove catcher was just traded to the Guardians for a draft pick and minor-league lefty and the only real bright spots have been on the right side of their infield, where Casey Schmitt and Luis Arraez have been productive. The rotation has also been a nightmare. Their ace, Logan Webb, is on the IL with a knee injury and offseason pickups Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle have not been good. Landen Roupp has pitched well and Robbie Ray had been effective until a blowup start against Arizona on Monday, but the bullpen has been inconsistent and closer Ryan Walker was recently demoted to Triple A. Trade deadline position: Sellers. I’m not sure what’s going on with this team but there is no reason they shouldn’t be a .500 club. They could be an interesting selling team if they decide to move on from their veteran players and rebuild in earnest. Ray is the most likely candidate to be traded at the deadline, and Arraez should be an attractive trade chip since he’s on a one-year deal. They also could test the demand for their three best veteran players, Devers, Adames and Chapman. The Red Sox were 10-17 when chief baseball officer Craig Breslow fired manager Alex Cora. They’ve played a little better since interim manager Chad Tracy took over, though they are still lagging far behind the top of the AL East. The rotation has been solid, but the offense has been abysmal. Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras have been their two most productive hitters, while Jarren Duran, Trevor Story and Roman Anthony are off to slow starts and now Anthony and Story are on the IL. They really miss Alex Bregman and his replacement Caleb Durbin hasn’t been able to match Bregman’s offensive production. On the plus side, their two rookie left-handed starters, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, have been outstanding, and Ranger Suárez has pitched as well as they had hoped he would when they signed him this offseason. Those three have helped keep the rotation afloat while Garrett Crochet, who got off to a very slow start, is on the IL. Aroldis Chapman has also been outstanding in the closer’s role. Trade deadline position: Wait and see. The Sox have the pitching to stay in the race but have an awkward roster on the position player side with strong needs for an impact middle-of-the-order bat and an upgrade at third base. If they can keep themselves close to a playoff berth, they could be buyers and they have the prospect talent to make some deals. However, they also could sell or balance the approach by trading a major-league outfielder for a major-league infielder of equal value. The Astros have had a nightmare season, as their three best starters and impact closer all went down with injuries. It’s tough to compete when you lose your best four pitchers. On the position-player side, Carlos Correa had season-ending ankle surgery, Jeremy Peña missed significant time due to injury, Jose Altuve is on the IL with an oblique strain and was off to a slow start even before that, Yanier Díaz is also hurt, and two of their best young hitters, Cam Smith and Brice Matthews, have struggled. Yordan Alvarez has been the one bright spot and is in the MVP conversation. Christian Walker has rebounded, as well. Trade deadline position: Sellers. The Astros have overcome slow starts in the past but won’t be able to this time around. Walker, in particular, will be a nice trade piece, as he’s reached base at a .343 clip with 11 homers. The Rockies are not good, but they look and play a lot better than they did a year ago. Mickey Moniak has had an All-Star-caliber first couple of months and catcher Hunter Goodman has been a powerful bat in the lineup. TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston have also been solid contributors offensively. The pitching staff is weighed down with scuffling veterans like Michael Lorenzen, Kyle Freeland, José Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano, which makes it tough to compete. The one bright spot has been Chase Dollander who is starting to develop, though he was placed on the IL over the weekend with an elbow strain. Trade deadline position: Sellers. Though there isn’t much for the Rockies to sell, to be honest. The best part of this team are the young prospects they’ll be promoting later in the summer. The Angels have the worst record in baseball and a GM and manager who are working on expiring contracts. They look like a team that was put together by a chef who only knows if spaghetti is done by throwing it against the wall and seeing if it sticks. Their games are painful to watch outside of when their ace, José Soriano, takes the mound or when future Hall of Famer Mike Trout comes to the plate. Trade deadline position: Sellers. They’ll be looking to trade veterans and will probably undergo a much-needed front office overhaul by season’s end, as well. Most likely players to be traded include outfielder Jo Adell and designated hitter Jorge Soler. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms