EVERY TEAM BIGGEST NEED AT THE MLB TRADE DEADLINE

July is a time of rumors, speculation and hypothetical scenarios as the non-waiver MLB trade deadline arrives on July 31. Here's a look at every team's biggest need as we get closer to the deadline.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES: PROSPECTS

It's not a surprise to Pirates fans that the team isn't competing for the NL Central after trading Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole in the offseason, and that's been reflected in the PNC Park attendance. The team still has plenty of players to build around at the major league level and the upper minors but lacks the depth to compete this year. There's no reason the Pirates can't compete in 2019 with a couple more moves, with top prospects Mitch Keller, Kevin Newman, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Kevin Kramer on the cusp of the majors.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: STARTING PITCHER

The D-backs have suffered key injuries in several areas, yet they still sit 1.5 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. The offense has made progress with Paul Goldschmidt's wake-up in June, as well as the returns of Jake Lamb and A.J. Pollock. However, the back of the rotation has struggled to overcome the loss of Taijuan Walker, playing musical chairs with the fifth spot in the rotation between Clay Buchholz, Matt Koch and Shelby Miller. It's time to address the spot for good if the team hopes to make the playoffs again.

ATLANTA BRAVES: RELIEF PITCHING, THIRD BASE

The Braves are in the playoff race well ahead of schedule due in large part to breakout seasons from Sean Newcomb, Mike Foltynewicz, Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr., as well as Nick Markakis' rebound. They have scored runs, but their production at the hot corner has been in the middle of the pack while they wait for top prospect Austin Riley. The bullpen ERA of 4.28 also ranks just 20th, and the pen is further compromised by Arodys Vizcaino's shoulder issues.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES: PROSPECTS

Baltimore has already started the fire sale by getting five prospects for Manny Machado during the break, and pending free agents Adam Jones, Zach Britton, Brad Brach and Danny Valencia could follow him out the door. The organization's lack of international spending has really hurt the farm system, and the team is forced to overcome the huge contracts of Chris Davis, Alex Cobb and Mark Trumbo. There are big changes ahead in Baltimore.

BOSTON RED SOX: SECOND BASE, STARTING PITCHER

Boston easily leads the league in runs as a result of great seasons from the likes of J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi. However, the second base spot hasn't gone as planned with Dustin Pedroia still struggling to get healthy after knee surgery and Eduardo Nunez a huge disappointment. Brandon Phillips was signed to a minor league deal, but a team with World Series aspirations should have a higher bar. Starting pitcher also became a need recently with Eduardo Rodriguez suffering a major ankle injury. Boston is five games ahead of the Yankees, but that lead could dissolve quickly if the Sox don't address Rodriguez's absence.

CHICAGO CUBS: STARTING PITCHER

It's been a bizarre first half for the Cubs, but they somehow finished it leading the NL Central. That's despite Yu Darvish making only eight starts with an ERA near 5.00, and Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo hitting well below expectations. The team still leads the NL in runs scored and run differential despite the issues, but the rotation has glaring issues. Jon Lester is due for regression with a 4.34 FIP at the break, and Tyler Chatwood has been a walks machine. It's tough for the team to count on Darvish returning to form, and even if that happens, the Cubs need more help.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX: MLB-READY PROSPECTS

The White Sox had only 33 wins at the All-Star break, but GM Rick Hahn has built a potential juggernaut in the minors that isn't far away. They have a long list of elite prospects that aren't far away, including outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert and pitching prospects Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease and Dane Dunning. The team is building for the next decade and can add more by trading assets like Jose Abreu, Joakim Soria and James Shields.

CINCINNATI REDS: STARTING PITCHING PROSPECTS

Cincinnati's offense quietly scored 461 runs in the first half, ranking third in the NL with big contributions from Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez, Scooter Gennett and Jesse Winker. While the rotation has some interesting arms like Tyler Mahle and Anthony DeSclafani, the Reds need much more to get out of the cellar in the NL Central. The rotation is near the bottom with a starting staff ERA above 5.00, and while prospects Robert Stephenson and Cody Reed should get more chances in the second half, they probably don't have enough to be competitive in 2019.

CLEVELAND INDIANS: SECOND BASE, OUTFIELD

If there was ever a team that should go all in at the trade deadline, it's Cleveland. The Indians are set for big free agent losses this offseason with Michael Brantley, Cody Allen and Andrew Miller hitting the market. The bullpen was already addressed at the high cost of top prospect Francisco Mejia, but Brad Hand and Adam Cimber give Cleveland real depth. The remaining holes are second base and the outfield, and the urgency depends on how much Cleveland believes in the internal options. Jason Kipnis is still digging out of a terrible start, while the outfield has been an issue all year other than Brantley. If Bradley Zimmer and Lonnie Chisenhall aren't able to help more, Cleveland could be forced to look outside the organization.

COLORADO ROCKIES: RELIEF PITCHING

After a late first-half surge, Colorado finds itself only two games out in the NL West. Jon Gray returned successfully at the end of the first half, and outfielder David Dahl will soon return from a fractured foot. The Rockies tried to build a shutdown bullpen in the offseason, but only Wade Davis and Adam Ottavino have been reliable. Overall, the team's pen has a 5.17 ERA, worst in the NL. Unless Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee can suddenly get on track, the Rox desperately need bullpen reinforcements.

DETROIT TIGERS: POSITION PROSPECTS

Even 17 games below .500, Detroit has exceeded most expectations this season. The Tigers are still in the midst of a rebuild and set for a rough second half without Miguel Cabrera. The good news is that the team's starting pitching prospects are impressive, a list that includes Franklin Perez, Alex Faedo, Kyle Funkhouser, Matt Manning and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize. Unfortunately, the system isn't as deep with hitting prospects. The Tigers do have a few attractive assets to trade like Shane Greene, Jose Iglesias and Leonys Martin.

HOUSTON ASTROS: CATCHER

What do you get for the team that has nearly everything? Houston's starting rotation leads MLB by a wide margin with a 3.02 ERA at the break, and the lineup has scored the second most runs in baseball. The one black hole has been catcher, where Brian McCann has struggled at the plate and is now on the DL following knee surgery. The hope is that he hits better when he returns, but an opportunity to add a catcher like J.T. Realmuto could be too good to pass up for a team that has enough talent to win back-to-back World Series

KANSAS CITY ROYALS: PROSPECTS

The Royals waited too long to blow up their squad after winning the 2015 World Series and are suffering the consequences. The offseason signings of Mike Moustakas and Lucas Duda still give the team some tradeable assets, and GM Dayton Moore has already traded Jon Jay and Kelvin Herrera. For a farm system that's now in the dumps, it's going to be a while before the Royals are competitive again.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS: PROSPECTS

It's been a disappointing year for the Angels, mostly due to injuries. Still, they've had some players fail to live up to expectations like Ian Kinsler and Kole Calhoun. The team continues to waste Mike Trout's elite talent. While the farm system has made some recent strides, the Angels need to keep adding with an eye toward 2019. Kinsler, Luis Valbuena and Martin Maldonado are a few of the trade pieces, though none of them will likely fetch a great return.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS: RELIEF PITCHING

The Dodgers' front office added Manny Machado during the All-Star break and worked miracles with big seasons from Matt Kemp and Max Muncy after adding them in the offseason. Despite a slow start, the Dodgers sit in first in the NL West with a healthy Clayton Kershaw. The bullpen has been mediocre, however. Kenley Jansen has put his early struggles behind him, but the front office still needs to add more depth.

MIAMI MARLINS: PROSPECTS

After the Marlins' offseason fire sale, they were predictably 16 games below .500 with the worst run differential in the NL at the break. The assets that they didn't trade during the offseason could be up for grabs in July, including J.T. Realmuto, Derek Dietrich, Starlin Castro, Justin Bour, Martin Prado, Dan Straily, Kyle Barraclough and Wei-Yin Chen. They should continue to build the farm system with an eye toward being competitive again at the start of the next decade.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS: STARTING PITCHING, CATCHER

Milwaukee was counting on Jimmy Nelson to return from shoulder surgery this season, but he won't be able to until September, if at all. In the meantime, the Brewers have made due with a motley crew of arms and a dominant bullpen. Adding at least one starter and possibly multiple will do them some good. Catcher has also been an issue, with Manny Pina regressing offensively and the team losing Stephen Vogt in spring training. The NL Central is still within reach, but the Brewers don't stack up well for a playoff run with a rotation ERA over 4.00.

MINNESOTA TWINS: PROSPECTS

It's been a sorely disappointing season for the Twins after a late-season surge in 2017. Among the disappointments have been Ervin Santana, Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. Trailing the Indians by 9.5 games, it's time for Minnesota to look toward 2019. Among the pending free agents are Joe Mauer, Santana, Lance Lynn, Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar, and each could fetch significant talent as the team tries to regroup.

NEW YORK METS: PROSPECTS

Some Mets fans are ready to blow it all up after another injury-plagued and disappointing season. Jacob deGrom is a Cy Young candidate, but Noah Syndergaard has been hurt for much of the year and the lineup has been anemic. Could the Mets actually trade deGrom and Syndergaard, indicating a complete rebuild? While there are some young pieces to build around like Amed Rosario, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and top prospect Peter Alonso, the organization is desperately in need of an influx of young talent if ownership isn't willing to spend like a big market.

NEW YORK YANKEES: STARTING PITCHING

While the Yankees were rumored to be in on Manny Machado, it's starting pitching that should be their top priority. The team trailed Boston by 4.5 games at the break and desperately needs to add top-end talent behind Luis Severino. The loss of Jordan Montgomery, along with Sonny Gray's struggles, has put New York in a tough position behind its archrivals. The Yankees got Gary Sanchez back from injury after the break and can withstand almost any other injury to their hitters with bench depth like Clint Frazier and Brandon Drury, but the rotation ranked in the middle of the pack with a 4.00 ERA in the first half.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS: CENTER FIELD, STARTING PITCHING

The A's go into the trade deadline as buyers, though making the playoffs in the loaded AL will be difficult. They've somehow survived despite injuries for most of their starters, and the return of Trevor Cahill and Daniel Mengden does give them a boost. However, Oakland is likely playing with fire by sending Edwin Jackson and Brett Anderson to the mound. Dustin Fowler remains an interesting long-term piece, but he has yet to deliver offensively this year. With the lowest payroll in baseball by a wide margin, it still remains to be seen how much flexibility the team has to work with.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: SHORTSTOP, RELIEF PITCHING

Philly came up short in the Manny Machado bidding but could still use help at shortstop with J.P. Crawford's offensive struggles and injury. The bullpen has also had its share of issues, with initial closer Hector Neris having a nightmarish season. The emergence of Seranthony Dominguez and return of Pat Neshek from injury help, but Philly needs to add more bullpen depth to compete with the NL's upper tier and hold off Atlanta and Washington in the East.

SAN DIEGO PADRES: PROSPECTS

The Padres are building a truly elite farm system and hope to compete soon after signing Eric Hosmer to a huge contract in the offseason. They already added top catcher prospect Francisco Mejia from the Indians for relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber, and he should add to an impressive young lineup with top prospects Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Urias in 2019. The team is also getting a look at young Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer in the rotation and has reinforcements like Chris Paddack, Cal Quantrill and Adrian Morejon behind them. The team's biggest remaining trade chip would seem to be the resurgent Tyson Ross.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: STARTING PITCHING, OUTFIELDERS

The Giants have weathered several major injuries and remain in the playoff picture. With Evan Longoria and Joe Panik on the comeback trail, the infield is looking promising. The team still has the same outfield issues it did coming into the year, with Hunter Pence, Mac Williamson, Gorkys Hernandez and Austin Slater unable to run with the outfield corner jobs. The rotation is actually in better shape than it has been all year with Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto healthy, but Jeff Samardzija is questionable for the rest of the year with nagging shoulder issues. Finding a fifth starter behind that pair, breakout youngster Andrew Suarez and Derek Holland should be a high priority.

SEATTLE MARINERS: PITCHING

The Mariners remain in the playoff hunt despite a negative run differential, and aggressive GM Jerry Dipoto will certainly be looking to make some moves in July and August. The return of Robinson Cano from a PEDs suspension in August will be a boost for the stretch run, but depth has been lacking for the rotation and bullpen all season. Wade LeBlanc has been a nice boost, but it's unclear whether his performance is sustainable. The Mariners could also be forced to make a tough decision if Felix Hernandez continues to sport an ERA above 5.00. Edwin Diaz has been arguably baseball's best closer this season, but the back end of the bullpen has had its fair share of issues.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: OUTFIELD, RELIEF PITCHING

The Cardinals already made a big move by firing manager Mike Matheny and hitting Coach John Mabry, but the front office is still caught in between coming out of the All-Star break. Given the team's resources, its likely St. Louis will make moves with an eye toward 2019 and beyond. The outfield performance has been lacking, especially the high-paid Dexter Fowler, but the team might be stuck with his contract. Defensive-challenged 1B/OF Jose Martinez is a top trade candidate after going to the bench, and the pen has been a massive disappointment between Greg Holland's struggles and injuries to Dominic Leone, Brett Cecil, Luke Gregerson and Ryan Sherriff.

TAMPA BAY RAYS: PROSPECTS

It's fair to say Tampa Bay has made the most of its talent this season, one game above .500 with a positive run differential, but the team's playoff chances are dire in the American League. Pitching injuries have killed the team since spring training, with Brent Honeywell, Jose De Leon and Anthony Banda all undergoing Tommy John surgery. The young core looks promising, but it's now time to move pending free agents like Wilson Ramos and Adeiny Hechavarria for long-term assets.

TEXAS RANGERS: PITCHING PROSPECTS

With a loaded division and lack of starting pitching, it's not a shock that the Rangers have struggled this year. Pending free agent Cole Hamels could be in play as GM Jon Daniels tries to replenish a farm system and major league rotation that's almost completely lacking viable starting pitchers.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS: PROSPECTS

Toronto hoped to make one final run with pending free agent Josh Donaldson, but injuries have plagued him and a lot of the pitching staff. Fans still have reason to be excited with elite prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio on the way, but the Jays have major trade assets with Donaldson, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ in the meantime.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS: CATCHER, STARTING PITCHING

The Nationals would be perhaps the most disappointing team in baseball if they fail to make the playoffs in Bryce Harper's walk year. They've tried to find answers all season and did address the bullpen already by acquiring Kelvin Herrera. Catcher has still been a major issue due to Matt Wieters' injuries and poor play, and the back end of the rotation also looks shaky with Tanner Roark struggling lately. The Nats are hoping to get an offensive boost in the second half with a healthy Daniel Murphy and Adam Eaton.