MLB trade deadline: Eugenio Suárez, Mitch Keller, Merrill Kelly among prized players who could move

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks got the trade deadline party started on Thursday night when they dealt 2024 All-Star Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners for two pitching prospects.

That probably won't be the last time the D-backs make news before the July 31 deadline.

Arizona has had a disappointing season with a 51-57 record and now appears to be one of the most active sellers on the MLB market, dangling third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.

The potential buyers include teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are all trying to beef up their rosters in hopes of a deep playoff run.

The market is heating up quickly: The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies, while the Orioles traded left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the Mets and right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to the Blue Jays.

The Royals are among the teams who look like they've decided to keep possible trade chips. Right-hander Seth Lugo was expected to be a prized addition at the deadline, but Kansas City decided to extend the veteran on a $46 million, two-year deal that goes until 2027.

The D-backs have been one of the most intriguing teams in baseball over the past few weeks because management has had to make a tough decision whether to buy or sell. Arizona had a 50-50 record after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals following the All-Star break but were then swept by the Houston Astros, lost two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates and two more to the Tigers.

Naylor's already gone and he'll help a Seattle lineup that could use a little more punch. Suárez is having one of the best seasons of his career, slugging 36 homers over 104 games, and is arguably the best bat on the market.

Here's a look at some of the top players who could be available as teams try to upgrade for the stretch run:

Suarez is just an average defensive third baseman these days, but that's not why teams want to acquire him. He's got the kind of bat that can carry a team for weeks at a time, major pop from the right side of the plate. He has 312 career homers, is well-liked in the locker room and has been productive in limited postseason at-bats with a .300 average.

The 29-year-old Keller has been overshadowed in the Pirates' rotation thanks to the emergence of young star Paul Skenes, but the right-hander has been a reliable starter for the past four seasons and was an All-Star in 2023. The one catch is it'll take a sizable haul for the Pirates to make a deal: He's under contract through 2028 as part of a relatively reasonable $77 million, five-year deal.

Gallen is having the worst full season of his career with a 7-12 record and 5.60 ERA but could still be an attractive add for a team that needs a starter. The 29-year-old right-hander has been one of the top pitchers in the National League over the past five years, finishing in the top 10 of the Cy Young Award voting in 2020, 2022 and 2023. His stuff is still good and he's had a handful of dominant starts this season.

The 36-year-old righty has quietly been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball with a 9-6 record and 3.22 ERA. He was also excellent during the D-backs' postseason run in 2023 with a 3-1 record, 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 24 innings. Kelly doesn't have an overpowering fastball but has a five-pitch mix that has consistently delivered results.

The 29-year-old Alcantara isn't the same pitcher he was when he won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award, but the right-hander still has quite a bit of upside. He's allowed just one unearned run over 12 innings in his last two starts, which might help his value. His rotation partner Edward Cabrera — another right-hander — could also garner attention with a 3.35 ERA over 18 starts.

The 31-year-old is having a career year with a .284 average, .375 on-base percentage and 12 homers, helping him earn All-Star honors for the first time in his career. His left-handed bat would be useful in a contender's lineup.

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Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, July 18, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, July 18, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez, left, watches the flight of his three-run home run as St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo, right, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)