EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsYou can count on at least two things at Major League Baseball's trade deadline:1. A flurry of deals in the final hours.2. The key decision-maker for a team that did relatively little saying something like: Our big additions will be getting Player X and Player Y back from the injured list.To fans disappointed that their teams didn't bring in major talent from the outside, it's often a maddening rationalization. But it's also a very real factor. And that might be even more the case in 2026, a year in which the standings are so muddled that 23 teams entered August within four games of a playoff spot.This year's trade deadline brought its usual final burst, with 42 trades involving 118 players engineered on the final day. But don't dismiss those internal additions as an empty platitude. Some of them will wind up making a major difference.Below, we identified some of the returning players with the most potential impact.Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet, Boston Red SoxExpected return date: Nobody really knows. But at long last, there's progress. Anthony began a swing progression just before the end of July and is now hitting off a pitching machine. That might not sound like much, but up until recently, there had been little to no update since the second-year outfielder suffered a partially torn tendon in his right wrist on May 4. Now there's a path toward a rehab assignment. Crochet's progress had been even slower since landing on the IL with shoulder inflammation in late April. But he finally started throwing again last week, playing catch from about 60 feet out. The left-hander still has several steps to clear, but one can have reasonable hope he might be back this season in some capacity.What they mean to the team: What's most impressive about Boston's dominant run -- 32 wins in 39 games since June 25 -- is that its two best players haven't been part of it. Anthony is only 22 years old, with 101 major league games under his belt, but he is Boston's best, most important hitter. He proved that last year, slashing .292/.396/.463 before suffering an oblique injury on Sept. 2. Crochet is undoubtedly Boston's ace: In 2025 he went 18-5, put up a 2.59 ERA and finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting. If both return for the Red Sox down the stretch, they'll elevate the team to a new level.Felix Bautista and Ryan Helsley, Baltimore OriolesExpected return date: The 6-foot-8 Bautista, better known as "The Mountain," has not pitched since July 2025; he had shoulder surgery the next month. But he is approaching his return, throwing to hitters in live batting practice as of last week. The Orioles will be careful with a pitcher who has missed so much time, but Bautista doesn't need a big buildup. Helsley, out with elbow inflammation since late June, has resumed throwing, though he also has several more hurdles to clear.What they mean to the team: It has been a thoroughly disappointing past two years for the Orioles, culminating in last week's trade of Adley Rutschman, the man who once symbolized the end of a prolonged rebuild. But here they are, just two games out of a playoff spot. (Yes, the AL is that bad.) And given that catcher Samuel Basallo and infielder Blaze Alexander should return for the stretch run, and Bautista and later Helsley will eventually fortify their bullpen, it's entirely possible that the Orioles find their way into October. Bautista was one of the game's most devastating relievers before going down. Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million deal over the offseason to at least temporarily replace Bautista in the ninth inning. Both could be difference-makers.Matt Brash, Seattle MarinersExpected return date: Brash should be getting off a mound again soon. A rehab assignment would follow. And if all goes well, he should be back in the Mariners' bullpen before the end of August. Brash suffered a lat injury at the start of May, returned three weeks later, then suffered a more serious strain in a different part of his lat on June 8. The expectation then was that he would be out a while -- lat injuries can be tricky; setbacks are common. A conservative rehab program is crucial. The Mariners have been careful with Brash, but they need to get going.What he means to the team: Before going down -- the second time -- Brash had been charged with just one earned run across 20 appearances. He held a 0.54 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP, providing critical stability with Mariners closer Andres Munoz off to a rough start. Muoz has gotten back on track, with Jose Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo and Gabe Speier forming a sturdy bridge leading up to him. The Mariners' woefully disappointing season is far more a product of their sluggish offense than anything else. But unless their big bats finally get going, they'll have to pitch their way into contention.Corbin Burnes, Arizona DiamondbacksExpected return date: It has been a long road back for Burnes, who underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2025, then suffered a strain in his shoulder 12 months later, a significant blow just as he was on his way back. But there has been recent progress. Burnes is throwing off a mound now, and he told reporters his expectation is to be back before the end of August. That might be overly optimistic. But he is trending toward a rehab assignment, which is a very positive sign for a D-backs rotation that is also without Zac Gallen, Michael Soroka and Ryne Nelson.What he means to the team: Burnes was a big splash for a D-backs franchise that doesn't make many of them. At the end of December 2024, they swooped in and landed Burnes with a six-year, $210 million contract. Nearly 20 months later, that has bought them 11 starts. The D-backs did not meet the high prices for pitching ahead of this year's deadline, opting only to bring in left-handed-hitting outfielder Lars Nootbaar. They need their reinforcements -- Burnes, Gallen, Soroka, Nelson and potential closer Justin Martinez, who has started a rehab assignment -- to fortify a staff that ranks 16th in ERA. Burnes is the one who can single-handedly alter a wild-card race.Edward Cabrera and Daniel Palencia, Chicago CubsExpected return date: Cabrera, out since late June with a left hamstring/adductor strain, made his second rehab start on Wednesday. He went four innings and reached 99 mph. He'll make one more, and then potentially rejoin the Cubs' rotation around the middle of August. Palencia could be closing games by then, too. The 26-year-old right-hander has been out since suffering a flexor strain in the middle of June but began a rehab assignment with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate last week. As a one-inning reliever, he shouldn't require anywhere near as long a stay as Cabrera.What they mean to the team: The Cubs recently added Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes to fortify their rotation, and hard-throwing reliever Ryan Zeferjahn to provide another weapon in the bullpen. They were more aggressive than anybody else when it came to adding pitching before the trade deadline -- and they needed to be. Four starters and eight relievers currently make up the Cubs' IL. With Gausman and Holmes joining Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd and Javier Assad, the Cubs have a good group of starters for the stretch run. But Cabrera, their big get from the Miami Marlins this offseason, would clearly elevate it. And Palencia, with a 2.86 ERA and 25 saves since the start of last year, would secure the ninth inning.Carlos Correa, Houston AstrosExpected return date: When Correa underwent ankle surgery on May 11, the thought was that he would miss the remainder of this season. But Tuesday, doctors cleared him to swing a bat, and Correa expressed to reporters that his hope is to return before the end of the season. "I wouldn't be doing all this work if I didn't think there was a chance," he said. Correa had been running at roughly 80% intensity leading up to that point. Hitting, which prompted the injury in the first place, was the main issue. If he makes it all the way back, he'd essentially be cutting an initial six- to eight-month timetable in half.What he means to the team: The Astros got off to a 20-31 start but have since gone 40-28, giving them the third-best record in baseball during that stretch. It's still a flawed roster, though, and Correa isn't an ideal fit. Yordan Alvarez, who will probably win the AL MVP Award, has designated hitter locked down and Isaac Paredes, who's having a good enough year to warrant regular playing time, has been the third baseman. Correa coming back might prompt Paredes to play some second base, which means Jose Altuve plays left field. Or perhaps Paredes DHs and Alvarez goes to left. But all that can be sorted out later. Having Correa available could only help this roster.Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh PiratesExpected return date: Cruz, out since June 7 with fourth- and fifth-metacarpal fractures in his left hand, started a rehab assignment on Friday. The hope is still that he's back in the outfield before the end of August. Griffin, out since July 5 with a torn sagittal band in his left ring finger, has been participating in some light baseball activities while in a splint, with the hope of ramping up to return to shortstop at some point in early to mid September.What they mean to the team: On July 31, the Pirates lost Ryan O'Hearn to a quad strain that is expected to keep him out until September. But still they did not seek offense ahead of the trade deadline, for two reasons: The Pirates had scored the second-most runs in the majors by that point and they had major reinforcements coming back. Spencer Horwitz, who was OPS'ing .842 before going down with a hamstring strain in late June, was activated shortly thereafter, providing a much-needed boost. But Cruz and Griffin are easily the Pirates' most dynamic hitters. They can send them to October for the first time in 11 years.SP Tyler Glasnow, Will Smith and Blake Snell, Los Angeles DodgersExpected return date: Snell will return to the rotation on Tuesday, Glasnow is on track to join him before the end of August and Smith is slated for September. When you consider what the Dodgers have done without them, that's pretty scary. The Dodgers have been without Glasnow (lower back spasms) since May 6 and without Smith (neck inflammation) since June 5. Snell, meanwhile, has made one start all year. And yet, despite a dreadful stretch in which they've lost eight of their last nine games, the Dodgers own the second-highest run-differential and second-largest division lead in the sport. Glasnow has started a rehab assignment and Smith could be nearing one, too.What they mean to the team: For the Dodgers, it's all about being at their healthiest and best when October arrives. They slow-play their players in their returns from injury because the depth of their roster allows them to, and Glasnow, Smith and Snell have been no exception. Smith hasn't been himself offensively this year. But when he's right, he is arguably the game's best catcher. And given that his backup, Dalton Rushing, has a slight tear in his ulnar collateral ligament and might not catch the rest of this year, the Dodgers desperately need Smith back. When Snell and Glasnow return, they will join Yoshinobu Yamamoto and newcomer Tarik Skubal to form one of the best rotations in history -- and Shohei Ohtani is still expected to pitch eventually.Aaron Judge, New York YankeesExpected return date: Judge was asked recently if he would be back this season, and he sounded almost surprised by the question. "I don't know why I wouldn't be," he said. Any doubt, though, has been justified. Judge has been out since May 31 because of a stress fracture in a right rib and only recently got cleared for what Yankees manager Aaron Boone described as "light activity." It's the 10th day of August. Judge spent more than a month playing through pain in that rib until it simply became unbearable. And though it's safe to say Judge will find a way to return this season, it's also fair to wonder how healed he'll be.What he means to the team: Since Judge went down, the Yankees rank 28th in the majors in OPS and 27th in runs per game. Their record in that stretch is 30-29. Judge isn't the only one out, though. Cody Bellinger suffered a hamstring strain in late July that was expected to sideline him for four to six weeks, and Giancarlo Stanton has played in 24 games all year because of a calf strain, though he could be back before the end of the month. They'll both help the Yankees (as will starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, who has recovered enough from an elbow injury to start a rehab assignment). But this team lives and dies with Aaron James Judge. They're probably not going anywhere if he's not close to prime form.Joe Musgrove, San Diego PadresExpected return date: Musgrove's long, frustrating road back from Tommy John surgery in October 2024 might finally be coming to an end. On Aug. 2, nearly 22 months after repairing his UCL, Musgrove pitched in a professional game. It was for one of the Padres' Class A affiliates in a rehab assignment, but it reportedly went well. The Padres can now reasonably count on Musgrove helping their needy rotation down the stretch. Nick Pivetta pitched in that same game and exited with tightness in his elbow, though he was able to settle down and throw an additional 20 to 30 pitches indoors. He might have avoided surgery, but his status seems more in limbo.What he means to the team: For most of the year, the Padres have struggled to keep their heads above water while getting very few innings from their starting rotation. San Diego went into the year knowing it would need a lot of rotation help and tried to address it in volume, bringing in Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Lucas Giolito and Griffin Canning. Of that group, only Buehler remains in the rotation. The need for innings-eaters is nowhere near as pronounced now, with Robbie Ray and Casey Mize joining the rotation at the trade deadline. But the Padres could still really use a healthy Musgrove -- and Pivetta, if at all possible -- to chase down a playoff spot.Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta BravesExpected return date: Schwellenbach fractured his elbow last June, prematurely ending his season, then had surgery to remove bone spurs in February after feeling some discomfort in spring training. The Braves have been hazy about his timeline ever since. But Schwellenbach has thrown a handful of pain-free bullpen sessions recently and seems to be nearing a rehab assignment. He's going to need a full buildup, though, so whether or not he makes it back before season's end is still to be seen.What he means to the team: One of the biggest surprises at this year's trade deadline was that Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos did not add a frontline starting pitcher (a deal was in place for Jacob deGrom, but he used his no-trade clause to nix it). The Braves are one of the best teams in the sport, but we still don't know who would start Game 2 of a playoff series after Chris Sale. It probably won't be Spencer Strider, who's seemingly in a holding pattern while dealing with elbow inflammation. Schwellenbach, 26, could be another option. Before his first elbow injury, he was considered one of the game's best young pitchers, having put up a 3.23 ERA with 235 strikeouts and 41 walks in 234 innings. It's a lot to ask for him to recapture that so soon, but the Braves might need it.Justin Verlander, Detroit TigersExpected return date: When Verlander announced he would retire after this season, he compared navigating his injuries to "plugging holes in a boat." Verlander built one of the most decorated careers by being tireless, especially by modern standards. But he has made one start all year, at the end of March, and has been out with a hip injury since. He suffered a hamstring strain while working through a minor league rehab assignment in June. The last update provided by the team was that Verlander, 43, did some light throwing in front of the bullpen mound on Wednesday.What he means to the team: Yes, the Tigers are still in this thing, even after trading starters Skubal and Mize. Yes, a healthy Verlander can still help -- as would the recent return of Jackson Jobe and the forthcoming return of Jack Flaherty. But this is more of a sentimental pick. Verlander's career is down to its final weeks. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and is one of the greatest pitchers of the modern era. And it all began in Detroit. In a season when that fanbase lost one of the best players in franchise history in Skubal, it would be nice for them -- and for Verlander -- to get a more celebratory goodbye for the ace who came before Skubal.
