The 2015 MLB trade deadline is in the books and has been for almost a full week now. By now we can start to fully digest the plethora of moves that had big name stars relocating and either crushing the soul of one team as they give up on the 2015 season, or lift the spirits and hopes of another.

Every sport has buyers and sellers when it comes to the trade market, and several teams paid the iron price to beef up their squad to the point where they’re either strong enough to make a serious playoff push, or so elite that it’s hard not envisioning them competing for a World Series title. Only one team can win in the end, but after all the chaos, we at least have to have a leader. Let’s break down the top five contenders coming out of the trade deadline smoke and see who – once and for all – is going to win this thing this year:

Los Angeles Dodgers

Any team going full speed ahead with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke leading the way was probably going to be a problem. Then the Dodgers traded for a surging Mat Latos and the solid Alex Wood. A star-studded pitching staff got even deeper and with a strong offense backing them, the Dodgers look ready to hold off the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants in the NL West. They may have to, after all, if they want to even get into the playoffs. As tough as just getting in could be due to their competition inside their own division, the Dodgers now have the balanced attack needed to go the distance.

Kansas City Royals

Kansas City has one of the better offenses in baseball and even with outfielder Alex Gordon on the mend (groin), they weren’t a unit anyone wanted to face. The big problem? Pitching. The Royals opted to address their big need by bringing in Reds ace Johnny Cueto, and then topped off their offense by trading for do-it-all man, Ben Zobrist. Cueto may or may not be the missing link between the Royals and a deep playoff run, but he was certainly needed on a Royals team that lacked a truly elite arm. Now they have that arm, and with a 9.5 game league in the AL Central, are fully equipped to make some noise in the MLB playoffs.

Houston Astros

The Astros were one of the more balanced teams in all of baseball, but with studly pitching, their clear weakness remained on the offensive side. It was never really a weakness, though, as their glaring hole was just how much they can strikeout at times. To be safe, the Astros brought in some extra power in Carlos Gomez and even beefed up their elite pitching rotation by landing Scott Kazmir. Already a team to fear, Houston is as balanced as ever and has a great chance at holding down the fort atop the AL West.

New York Mets

New York is pretty stacked when it comes to arms, as they already had Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard leading a solid pitching rotation. Offense was their real problem. Lucas Duda has come alive lately and getting catcher Travis D’Arnaud back to full strength helps a ton, but neither of those happenings is as big as landing outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Yo has already made a huge impact in just a few games and he could really liven up the Mets’ bats, long-term. If this recent surge of offense holds strong, New York could potentially hold off the Washington Nationals and win the NL East. If that happens, they could be a serious title contender.

Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto already boasted the strongest offense in the league (most runs), but they lacked elite pitching. What did they do to get better? They upgraded at shortstop with Troy Tulowitzki AND went out and got an ace in David Price. The Blue Jays did a terrific job improving a major strength and then went out and picked up a stud pitcher to bolster a pitching rotation that – with an elite arm leading the way – now doesn’t look so bad. Are the Jays a legit World Series contender, though? Not just yet, but they’re close. The key will be a crucial series this week with the AL East-leading New York Yankees. How they fare at Yankee Stadium could go a long way in telling us if this team is ready for a real playoff push.

If we’re picking straight from this list, the Dodgers still carry the heaviest stick. Kershaw could be ready to finally deal some gems when it matters most and the Dodgers have a good enough offense to match just about anyone. Teams like the Giants and Cardinals didn’t do much at the trade deadline and still could be obvious trouble, but the Dodgers may take the cake and these five teams all got better. We expect the Dodgers to finally take that next step and win it all this year, but all of this trade action made one thing perfectly clear: whoever does win it all in 2015 won’t be doing so easily.

There has been tons of speculation for the past few months as to who would go where when it comes to MLB trade rumors. The whispers behind closed doors are about to come to an end, when MLB teams can finally no longer swing trades after Friday’s 4:00 pm ET deadline.

With names like Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels and Scott Kazmir already traded over the past two weeks, it’s hard to believe the trade market can get much crazier. There still remain some heavy hitters and big arms that could be dealt, however, and there is a whole day of action potentially awaiting us.

Let’s scour over the top names that are still likely to be traded and analyze what the latest buzz suggests:

All of the San Diego Padres

There isn’t one exclusive player, as the Padres aren’t going anywhere this year and are said to be very interested in making some deals. It certainly is worth noting that there’s been a lot of talk and entering the final day nothing has happened, but we can’t look past them. The biggest names by far are outfielder Justin Upton and pitchers Andrew Cashner, James Shields and Tyson Ross. Upton is leading the way in talks and has gotten serious interested from the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox, among others. He should be dealt on the final day of MLB trades for 2015.

As for the pitching, with the Padres so open to getting a deal done, at least one of them is probably on their way out. The Padres like Ross and he’s safely under roster control for a few years yet, so trading him makes less sense than trading one or both of their other top pitchers. That being said, the Chicago Cubs have shown strong interest and could end up prying him out of San Diego’s grasp. Cashner bombed in his most recent trip to the mound so I think his value dips a bit, but I’d be surprised if Shields isn’t moved to a contending team before Friday’s MLB trade deadline.

Yoenis Cespedes and Rentals

Detroit doesn’t totally want to give up on making a late run this season, but they also don’t want to lose a ton of talent for nothing. They already shipped off David Price and Yoenis Cespedes is the next big name that comes off the books after this season. Cespedes and any other Tigers player that is currently a rental is going to be a big time candidate to get dealt. I think that has Cespedes going elsewhere, while the Orioles and White Sox (just like with Upton), seem very interested in making a deal. Don’t rule out the New York Mets, either, as they whiffed on Carlos Gomez and should still be seeking a hot bat.

Parra Next Brewer to Go?

With Carlos Gomez finally shipped off in a trade, it’s clear the Milwaukee Brewers are open for business. Ourfielder Gerardo Parra is rumored to be the next Brew Crew member on the trading block and the Baltimore Orioles are the leading contenders. Baltimore is still pushing for a wild card spot and could use a consistent bat to take a step up.

Mets After Bruce

There hasn’t been a whole lot of word about the Cincinnati Reds now that Johnny Cueto is gone, but word is the team could consider parting ways with masher Jay Bruce. The New York Mets still badly need some offense and are reportedly smitten with the outfielder.

Yovani Garnering Interest

Yovani Gallardo just got slapped around by the New York Yankees but is said to be getting a good amount of interest from roughly five MLB teams. Gallardo is a solid arm in the right spot in a rotation and had largely been throwing good stuff until Thursday evening’s debacle. Gallardo could be on the move as the Rangers make room for star Cole Hamels to take over.

Chapman on the Move?

Easily one of the top closers in the game right now, Aroldis Chapman could be on his way out of Cincy. Chapman has the fastest toss in all of baseball and several teams are looking to pry him away from the Reds. The Arizona Diamondbacks are the latest team to poke around at Chapman’s status, but he’s by no mean’s a lock to leave Ohio.

The 2015 MLB trade deadline is almost here. Just two days remain before playoff hopefuls will find out if they have the ammunition needed, whether by arm or bat, to make that final push. Several trades involving star players have already gone down and we’re almost sure to see a few more before the deadline hits at the end of the month. The big question, naturally, is which ones get shipped out of town?

Rumors have swirled, but once the smoke clears there are still a ton of top shelf players that haven’t been moved. Let’s break them down and assess their top likely destinations if they end up getting traded:

Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Hamels remains the most highly sought after arm and his value couldn’t be higher thanks to a recent no-hitter. His top suitors remain the same, as the Yankees and Rangers are both interested. The trick with Hamels, of course, is that he can block any trade he doesn’t like. There has been a gigantic list of interested teams, but Hamels is really only considering a handful. Ultimately, he’s either sticking on the Philly roster or probably going to the Yanks.

David Price, SP, Detroit Tigers

Price is an interesting trade target, since the Tigers seemingly don’t even know if they want to keep trying to win this year or not. They’re expected to make a decision on that this week, and if they decide to tank the rest of the way, trading away their top ace could be a big part of that. Price isn’t wanting for suitors, as the Yankees, Dodgers and Blue Jays all are reportedly interested. L.A. could back off after acquiring Mat Latos from Miam, however.

Jeff Samardzija, SP, Chicago White Sox

Samardzija is on his second Chicago-based MLB team and it very well could be his last. Despite enjoying a nice run of late, Samardzija is very much on the trading block for a struggling White Sox team despite the team making a nice run recently. Of course, there are contradicting whispers that suggest the White Sox could be growing confident in what they have after their recent success. Samardzija is a free agent after this season, however, so Chicago would be risking an unlikely playoff run for getting nothing in return for one of their top aces.

James Shields, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, SP, San Diego Padres

The Padres aren’t very good and it seems they know it. Pretty much anyone and everyone is up for grabs, and that includes all of their best pitchers. Shields and Cashner are quality arms that have been negatively impacted by shaky run support and Ross is a nice young ace that could be a cornerstone for the right club. The Padres should be less willing to give up Ross due to his contract, but it’d be a minor shock if one of these guys isn’t shipped off in a trade this week.

Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies

CarGo has been ablaze lately and despite mildly slowing down on Tuesday night, he’s going to be high atop team’s lists if they’re looking for some nice offense. Recent reports suggest the Rockies may hold off on dealing Gonzalez before the deadline, but his recent tear suggests now is the time. With Colorado already getting rid of Troy Tulowitzki this week, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more Rockies on their way out of town.

Justin Upton, OF, San Diego Padres

Upton is probably the top hitter on the trading block that is almost certain to be dealt. The New York Mets were said to be extremely close to landing the 27-year old outfielder, but San Diego’s asking price was said to be too much. The lack of a deal has opened the door to other teams to get involved and the Baltimore Orioles are one of them. Odds are Upton gets dealt within the next two days and either the Mets or O’s are the likely landing spot.

Carlos Gomez, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Gomez isn’t the only other hitter than can be had, but he’s probably the last high profile batter on the trading block. Milwaukee has been pretty bad and despite a nice run a few weeks ago, they’ve slowed back down and are probably ready to sell. Gomez isn’t the most efficient hitter but he brings major power to the table and is still in his prime at 29 years old. He could put the right offense over the top and has been tied to the Rangers and Indians.

Got an even bigger name you think gets dealt before the 2015 MLB trade deadline hits? Tell us in the comments below!

We’re following all of the top MLB trade rumors closely, as it’s just a matter of days before the 2015 MLB trade deadline arrives. The Toronto Blue Jays made a solid move to bolster an already elite offense by trading for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and more moves could be coming on Tuesday afternoon.

Let’s scour the MLB trade rumor mill and see what other star players could be headed elsewhere within the next few days:

CarGo on the Go?

There might not be a better time to shop Carlos Gonzalez, who is fresh off of back-to-back outings with two home runs. The 29-year old outfielder hasn’t always had the best of luck when it comes to health and lacks consistent efficiency, but he’s a top shelf power hitter that numerous contending teams would love to have. Per reports, he’s more than available, and no one is doubting that after Colorado just dealt one of their top star players. The Mets have been very active in their pursuit for more hitting, so they could be the top team to watch as the trade deadline nears.

Giants Pushing For Hamels

The Cole Hamels trade rumors won’t quit until the trade deadline because he’s easily the hottest name on the market. Numerous teams have been tied to Hamels throughout the season, but the defending champion San Francisco Giants have now thrown their hat into the ring. San Francisco is making a “strong push” despite facing major competition in the Cole Hamels sweepstakes. The Dodgers, Yankees and many others will go hard after Hamels until a deal is final, but the Giants will have loads of cap room coming next year, making a deal for Hamels quite realistic. Already a top World Series contender, landing Hamels could be the finishing touch on a loaded pitching staff for SF.

Zobrist Interest Still Hot

Ben Zobrist has been one of the hottest name in the MLB trade rumor mill all year long and the utility man is still being eyed by numerous teams. The Mets need his offense the most, but the Pirates, Angels, Cubs and many others have continued to poke at him in trade talks. New York might be the slight leader due to their need for healthy bats, but it’s a guessing game as to precisely where he goes at this point. It’s also possible the A’s just keep him for the remainder of the season.

Mets Eyeing Papelbon

One of the game’s top closers could be on the move. Per reports, the New York Mets desire more than just an offensive boost, as they also are in talks to land Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon is wasting away on one of the league’s worst clubs, but the 34-year old righty still has racked up 17 saves on the year. Papelbon reportedly won’t OK the deal unless he’s slotted to be New York’s closer, however.

Ozuna Inquiries

The Miami Marlins aren’t said to be shopping Marcell Ozuna, but that hasn’t stopped “numerous” teams from inquiring about his availability. Miami isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so it’s possible they’ll start listening to offers for the 24-year old. Ozuna was recently demoted to the minors, but still carries plenty of upside.

The 2015 MLB trade deadline is just a few days away, which understandably has MLB trade chatter churning out at an all-time high. Huge likes like Scott Kazmir and Johnny Cueto have already changed hands and given some teams a much-needed boost, but plenty of stars could be on the move as teams try to make a last ditch effort to improve their World Series odds.

On top of that, losing teams are simply conducting fire sales, rendering many players that normally wouldn’t otherwise be shopped completely available. We’ll be tracking the latest MLB trade buzz as we get closer to the deadline, but let’s first go over the hottest updates for today:

Tigers in Buy Mode

David Price has been a hot name on the trade market due to speculation that the Detroit Tigers might be ready to mail in the 2015 season. Not so fast, says Jon Morosi, who suggests Detroit still like their balanced talent and for now is giving it a strong go at beefing up their roster and trying to make a run in the second half. Morosi does imply that the Tigers could quickly change their tune if they don’t far well against the Tampa Bay Rays this week, however.

Orioles, Padres Talk Upton

It’s been no secret that San Diego Padres star outfielder Justin Upton is available, while the Padres in general have made it known that just about everyone is available for the right price. Discussions have approached a serious level with the Baltimore Orioles regarding Upton, though. A potential deal could also include Andrew Cashner or Tyson Ross, although the Padres don’t seem overly excited about the idea of letting Ross go. Baltimore looks to stay in the race for the AL Wild Card (as well as the AL East), and landing a big bat and another useful arm could make that happen.

Suitor List For Hamels Grows

Who isn’t in the Cole Hamels sweepstakes at this point? Hamels was surely regarded as a strong arm to beef a rotation before this week, but a no hitter against the Chicago Cubs naturally has even more teams now excited to land the veteran ace. Reports suggest he’s done in Philly and it’s only a matter of time before his exit is complete. Too many teams are involved to know where he’s going just yet, though, while the Arizona Diamondbacks strangely are the latest team to be added to the list of interested clubs.

Victorino Sent to Angels

Trade rumors are flying left and right, but actual trade news is slow to creep out to start the week. Shane Victorino is the first casualty, though, as the Boston Red Sox have shipped him off to the L.A. Angels. Victorino is still a capable bat at times, but this isn’t a groundbreaking deal for either side.