​There are less than three weeks until the 2026 MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3. As the second half of the season begins, teams are having conversations about players they can potentially acquire. And with the American League being so mediocre and only three of the 15 teams further than 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot, there is a heightened sense of importance on the next few weeks.We ranked the top 25 players who could be moved at this year’s trade deadline. And while several teams are in range of the wild card, things could change quickly.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere are a few names excluded from the list, including Yordan Alverez, Byron Buxton, Mike Trout and Willson Contreras. Buxton, Trout and Contreras each have no-trade clauses and have been public about not waiving them, making a trade feel remote.Here are top players who could be moved at this year’s trade deadline:Skubal has been baseball’s biggest trade piece since 2024. And as the years have gone by, the chatter surrounding the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner being moved has gotten only louder. Skubal, who’s 5-5 with a 3.09 ERA, is healthy and would make any postseason contender better ahead of being baseball’s biggest free agent this winter. But while six weeks ago a trade of Skubal seemed guaranteed, the Tigers’ season has shifted after a tumultuous start.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSince June 1, Detroit has the best record (22-14) in the American League and is currently just 3 1/2 games out of the third AL wild-card spot. While the Tigers have played well, it feels like Skubal’s time in Detroit has run its course. And even being close to a wild-card spot, risking the Tigers’ long-term future letting him go for nothing doesn’t make much baseball sense.Outside of Skubal, there may not be a better pitcher discussed at this year’s trade deadline than Ryan. The Twins’ ace has consistently been one of the best starters in the American League the past few seasons. Ryan, who is 6-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 20 starts this year, is in the midst of the best season of his career that featured a second consecutive All-Star selection.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Twins haven’t seemed interested in parting with their homegrown ace, declining to move him at their selloff at last season’s trade deadline when they moved shortstop Carlos Correa. But unlike center fielder Byron Buxton, who has a no-trade clause and has been vocal about using it, Ryan does not, making him much easier to move.  And he would be one of the only frontline arms who could be attainable.Minnesota is currently tied for the third and final AL wild-card spot, and if it remains within earshot, moving Ryan seems highly unlikely.Gray is having a phenomenal first season in Boston and has taken over as the team’s ace while left-hander Garrett Crochet has been on the injured list. The right-hander, who was named an All-Star for the third time, is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 17 starts this season. A