The 2025 MLB Trade deadline is a little over a month away and some of the top contenders in baseball will be searching for bullpen help in order to make a deep postseason run. Several World Series contenders, including the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners, are among the teams looking to add a closer or at least another arm to their bullpen. Below, we’ll break down five closers who could change teams before the July 31st trade deadline and examine their potential destinations.
Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Potential Landing Spots: NYY, PHI, LAD
The Boston Red Sox are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline and 37-year-old closer Aroldis Chapman is expected to be one of their most valuable trade chips. After bouncing around the MLB over the past few years, Chapman is having his best season in nearly a decade. He has 12 saves to go along with a 1.59 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 28 ⅓ innings so far this season. Chapman also has more postseason experience and World Series rings (two) than any other player on this list. In 49 career innings during the MLB Playoffs, he’s logged a career 2.37 ERA with 68 strikeouts.
Mason Miller, Athletics
Potential Landing Spots: PHI, NYY, SEA
The A’s were adamant about keeping Mason Miller at last year’s trade deadline but might be more willing to part ways with the 26-year-old this season. If he’s available, Miller will be near the top of the list for several teams. Last season, he struck out 104 batters in 65 innings of work while posting a stellar 2.49 ERA. While he’s taken a step back in 2025 with a 4.63 ERA, he’s still a strikeout machine and a player that managers can rely on to get tough outs in the postseason. He won’t hit free agency until 2029 and is eligible for arbitration once the season is over, meaning he will be due for a big pay raise. Closers aren’t typically a priority for teams at the bottom of their respective divisions, which could make him one of the team’s most valuable assets over the next month.
Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays
Potential Landing Spots: MIL, CHI, SEA
Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks has struggled to stay healthy but when he’s on the mound, he’s one of the most talented relievers in baseball. The 31-year-old hasn’t pitched more than 45 ⅓ innings in any of his eight MLB seasons and isn’t striking out batters at the same rate that he did earlier in his career. However, he’s been among the most reliable relievers over the past five years. In 2025, he owns a 2.30 ERA to go along with 12 saves and 24 strikeouts in 27 ⅓ innings of work. Fairbanks also has a club option for next season and his contract is very affordable, making him a potential trade target for teams who need bullpen help but don’t want to spend up for one of the top available closers.
Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
Potential Landing Spots: PHI, CHI, MIL
Kyle Finnegan has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball this season. He has 18 saves and a 2.49 ERA, putting him on pace for the most saves in the MLB in 2025. Finnegan is a proven commodity coming out of the bullpen in high-pressure situations and logged 66 combined saves over the previous two seasons. Washington is an up-and-coming team with postseason aspirations, which could make this deal more difficult to make as the deadline approaches, but with Finnegan set to become a free agent at the end of the season, it might make sense to part ways. Plus, he’d probably return a decent haul of prospects, which might extend the Nationals’ window for contending down the road.
David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates
Potential Landing Spots: PHI, LAD, NYY
David Bednar has taken a major step back since leading the National League in saves in 2023. After logging a 5.77 ERA last season, he struggled to open the 2025 campaign before he was eventually demoted. Now back in the big leagues, Bednar seems to be on the right track and has lowered his ERA to 3.57 through 22 ⅔ innings of work. He has 33 strikeouts during that span and hasn’t allowed a run in any of his last eight appearances. Bednar has an extra year of team control on his contract, which means he won’t be a trade deadline rental. That could drive up his price at the deadline and give the Pirates enough motivation to part ways with their closer as they navigate another disappointing season.
