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5 biggest questions heading into MLB's trade deadline

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Ahead of Major League Baseball's July 31 trade deadline, theScore's MLB editors Michael Bradburn, Brandon Wile, and Jason Wilson tackle some of the biggest questions facing teams.

Which team is under the most pressure to make a major move?

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Cubs: Of all the potential World Series contenders with a chance of missing the playoffs, the Cubs are under the most scrutiny. After sitting idle all winter - with due respect to Daniel Descalso and Brad Brach - Chicago opted to add Craig Kimbrel in-season to address a dire need in the bullpen and buy some short-term goodwill. That said, the club still needs to improve the lineup and the starting rotation. Considering the Cardinals are heating up and the Brewers can't be counted out - no matter how injured their starting rotation gets - the Cubs' front office must be feeling some urgency. - Bradburn

Dodgers: It seems silly to say a team with the second-best record in the majors and a 14 1/2-game lead in the NL West is under the most pressure to make a major splash, but the Dodgers aren't concerned with divisional banners. This team is coming off back-to-back World Series losses in its own stadium, and anything short of a championship will be viewed as a failure. Los Angeles boasts an elite offense and deep starting pitching, but the front office needs to acquire at least one top late-inning reliever. The bullpen imploded against the Red Sox during last year's World Series, and Kenley Jansen can't be relied upon to get every out. Landing one of Shane Greene, Kirby Yates, Ken Giles, Felipe Vazquez, or Will Smith is a must. - Wile

Twins: Minnesota didn't enter the campaign with the greatest of expectations, but after slugging its way to the top of the AL Central, missing out on the postseason would be crushing for the fan base. A surging Cleveland squad has applied added pressure while highlighting the Twins' biggest need: pitching. Jake Odorizzi has been shaky since an IL stint, underscored by a disastrous, nine-run outing against the Yankees on Wednesday. And though Jose Berrios, Martin Perez, Kyle Gibson, and Michael Pineda have all shined to varying degrees, added depth would help weather the storm and provide rest and relief for injuries. But it's the bullpen that's been most troubling. The relief corps has a 5.09 ERA in July and Blake Parker was bad enough since the start of June to get DFA'd. The team has already acquired veteran reliever Sergio Romo, and if they're willing to empty the prospect cupboard, the Twins could pursue Marcus Stroman and Ken Giles. - Wilson

Which player likely to be traded will have the biggest impact on his new team?

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Nicholas Castellanos: The Tigers outfielder is one of the steadiest bats available. He leads the majors with 36 doubles (including 10 in 18 July games) and is now batting .282/.339/.478 with 11 homers. It's not quite on par with his 2018 campaign, but he'd still be a welcome addition for a fringe contender like the Philadelphia Phillies, who have a need in the outfield. The Tampa Bay Rays and division-rival Cleveland Indians are logical fits, as well. Castellanos may not be a good defender, but his bat is the draw. And since he's a free agent after the season, the Tigers may be forced to accept less than they initially wanted. - Wilson

Marcus Stroman: The right-hander checks a lot of boxes for contending teams. He's enjoying a career year, he has an additional year of control, he's done well in one of baseball's highest-scoring divisions, and he's had success pitching in the postseason. With Stroman, an acquiring team also gets the ability to keep the ball in the park: He's allowed just 19 home runs over his last 227 innings. That should translate to success wherever he lands. Even more impressive is Stroman's 3.42 ERA against teams with a winning record this season. - Wile

Zack Greinke: The only thing preventing Greinke from being the bluest-chip player on the market is his exorbitant salary. But make no mistake, if there's one player who can turn a fringe contender into a World Series favorite, it's the veteran right-hander. Salary is the same obstacle the Tigers faced when trying to deal Justin Verlander, and that worked out phenomenally well for the Astros. At the time of the deal, Verlander was owed roughly $70 million - the same figure due to Greinke over the next two seasons. Houston sent a trio of middling prospects to Detroit for the Tigers to retain $16 million of Verlander's salary, only for the right-hander to enjoy a career resurgence that includes bringing at least one championship to Houston. Any contender would be foolish not to pay 75 percent of Grienke's contract for a shot at a title. - Bradburn

Which rumored-to-be-moved player would you not trade for?

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Zack Wheeler: The right-hander's stuff has never been in question, but he's been consistently volatile and has a long injury history that's prevented him from reaching his potential. Even when he broke out in 2018 with a 12-7 record and 3.31 ERA, Wheeler reached 182 1/3 innings in 29 starts. That's not terrible, especially in an era of aggressive pitch limits, but it's very close to his career high in 2014 that preceded two-and-a-half lost seasons. At 29 years old and poised to hit free agency, there are too many red flags unless the Mets are willing to give him away for a pittance. - Wilson

Matthew Boyd: The left-hander broke out this season, but there's plenty of reason to be wary of handing over top prospects. Boyd has come crashing back down to earth following an excellent start to the season, authoring a 6.10 ERA over his last seven starts while allowing opponents to post an .847 OPS against him. The Tigers want elite prospects in return for Boyd, who's under team control through the 2022 season. But he'll also be entering his age-29 season next year and has never thrown more than 171 innings at the major-league level. There's no doubt Boyd would help most teams, but the acquisition cost likely won't be worth it. - Wile

Noah Syndergaard: Thor has all the makings of a top-of-the-rotation ace but has yet to put it all together while staying healthy. When do we finally stop expecting him to reach that lofty ceiling? The 26-year-old has thrown more than 160 innings once in his career, back in 2016, and has really regressed this season with career-worst strikeout and walk rates. Among qualified starters this season, Syndergaard has a worse ERA and FIP than Sonny Gray, Marcus Stroman, Matthew Boyd, and Madison Bumgarner, most of whom are likely available this deadline for a fraction of the cost. Under team control through 2021, the right-hander could benefit from a move out of the quagmire that is Queens. Sending the Mets a handful of top prospects for the sake of that gamble, however, feels foolhardy. - Bradburn

Which team will win the deadline?

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Yankees: The Yankees have more money than God, so there's really no excuse for them not winning everything, always. They had a surprisingly productive offseason despite not paying up for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, and abstaining from those moves has afforded them the luxury-tax flexibility to add anyone made available by July 31. They also have the prospect capital to do so, with teams seemingly coveting Futures Game starter Deivi Garcia even though the diminutive right-hander doesn't crack top-100 prospect lists. The Yankees haven't made it to the World Series since 2009, and the specter of a decade-long drought will be a prime factor in their deadline dealings. - Bradburn

Blue Jays: With the Giants now likely to hold on to most - if not all - of their tradable assets, Toronto looks like the team that will make the most out of its deadline. Expect Marcus Stroman and closer Ken Giles to generate solid returns due to strong seasons and additional years of control at relatively affordable costs. Justin Smoak, Daniel Hudson, Freddy Galvis, and Eric Sogard should all generate interest from numerous teams, and though the returns won't be top-level prospects, they'll still generate future building blocks. That's all the front office could have asked of its veterans heading into the season. - Wile

Astros: Houston doesn't need much, but it'll almost certainly add a big arm and further offensive depth. Though the Astros have remained reluctant to deal outfield prospect Kyle Tucker, don't be shocked if they elect to part with him for controllable assets - specifically Trevor Bauer or Noah Syndergaard. Royals Swiss Army knife Whit Merrifield would be a fantastic addition, too, though he's not expected to be moved. Merrifield wouldn't be worth Tucker anyway, but Houston has a rich enough farm system to make an enticing offer without him. Either way, the Astros are going to make a major push to win their second World Series in three years. With Gerrit Cole hitting the open market after the season, the time is right to strike. - Wilson

Which team will make the most surprising trade?

Padres: General manager A.J. Preller has built a reputation on being bold, and after taking stock of his roster over 100-plus games, he can identify his long-term pieces. That will lead him to acquire one of Trevor Bauer, Noah Syndergaard, or Marcus Stroman. The Padres are loaded with a deep system and have the pieces to complete any trade. With San Diego not in contention this year, expect Preller to focus on starters with additional years of control. - Wile

Rays: Why not the team that made not one but two surprising blockbusters last year? Absolutely nobody saw the Rays acquiring Tommy Pham out of nowhere, which they did for a trio of middling prospects. Then they shipped out titular ace Chris Archer - which some folks expected - for a package so outlandish it's widely regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. Tyler Glasnow is currently sidelined but looked like a legitimate ace before getting injured, and Austin Meadows has bloomed into a remarkably talented hitter, playing an integral role in Tampa's impressive campaign. That's without even mentioning the third piece, Shane Baz, who owns a 3.45 ERA over 10 starts with Single-A Bowling Green. The Rays are going to do something outrageous this deadline, just wait. - Bradburn

Cardinals: A model of mediocrity for much of the season, St. Louis has turned a corner of late. Winners of four straight and eight of ten, the Cardinals are right back in the thick of the NL Central race. Paul Goldschmidt's bat has awoken from its slumber, and Matt Carpenter is nearing a return from injury. This is not a team that figured to be in a rebuild, not after signing Goldschmidt to an extension. The Cardinals would do well to add top-flight pitching - both in the rotation and in the pen - and it would be even better if those additions were controllable pieces. It's a big financial commitment, but re-engaging with the Arizona Diamondbacks about veteran Zack Greinke makes a lot of sense. - Wilson

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