As the first series after the All-Star break has wrapped up, every team’s attention has shifted to the trade deadline in the final days of July. The National League is far from settled. Every team in second and even third place has a chance to make the playoffs if they rally hard enough, making it even harder to predict who will be buyers and sellers, and who may decide to wait for next year to be their year.

With a stacked NL filled with powerhouse teams and tight division races, MLB fans are in store for a wild trade deadline. Which National League teams will be buyers and sellers, and who will pass on the action this year?

Buy: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers (58-40) never make enough bold moves to be dangerous, which is why this year would be the perfect time to usurp expectations. While the Reds are staying relevant, it’s the Cubs the Brewers need to worry about. For the first time since 2018, the Cubs (59-40) are keeping up their end of the NL Central rivalry, and Milwaukee won’t want to see its former manager come out on top. Rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski (2.81 ERA, 0.90 WHIP) rounds out a complete rotation, but the Brewers could use a bat and relief help.

So who would fit Milwaukee’s bill? The Corbin Burnes-Joey Ortiz, DL Hall, and PTNBL trade worked out well, so why not run another Baltimore-Milwaukee trade back? This time, Milwaukee would be getting the big-name reliever Félix Bautista (2.41 ERA, 1.04 WHIP), and Baltimore would get the minor-leaguers. Chicago’s Mike Tauchman (.289/.383/.847) and Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn offer utility with DH and outfield experience, as both Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell are injured. O’Hearn can also play first, which is Milwaukee’s weakest position.

Sell: Atlanta Braves
Look away, Atlanta fans, July might not be your month to focus on baseball. Months ago, many thought the Braves had the best odds of challenging the Dodgers for the NL pennant. Now, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even with a relatively healthy lineup and Ronald Acuña Jr. fully recovered from his ACL tear, Atlanta is still batting .244/.317/.391. Having starters Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Spencer Schwellenbach and AJ Smith-Shawver all on the 60-day IL also puts high expectations on the bullpen, which is a recipe for disaster.

Sitting at 43-55, the Braves have several trade chips they can leverage. Although Marcell Ozuna’s absence from the lineup and his hitting struggles have been the talk of Atlanta, his power is still coveted by several teams. Even with a .238/.365/.395 slash line and his borrowed time, the Mets and Phillies need all the firepower they can get. Bullpen depth is highly coveted in August and September, so shipping Rafael Montero (3.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) and Pierce Johnson (2.78 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) may also be worth considering.

Sit: San Francisco Giants
Trading for Rafael Devers in June completely changed San Francisco’s future. Before the trade, the Giants may have considered making daring moves to stay alive in the most competitive NL division. By acquiring Devers, the Giants bought themselves time and patience to wait for the right year to go all-in. The Giants (52-48) have arguably the best bullpen in the league with Camilo Doval (2.95 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) and Tyler Rogers (1.54 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) packing a deadly 1-2 punch. However, they could still use an ace to help Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, as their offseason Justin Verlander signing hasn’t paid off.

While the Giants are just a couple of moves away from booking their ticket to October baseball, they should wait until at least next year, given how their payroll is structured. San Francisco may lose at least one key position player, either Mike Yastrzemski or Wilmer Flores, but finding a first baseman or right fielder won’t be hard, as both positions have a loaded free agent class in 2026. Additionally, they’ll shed Verlander’s $15 million, which will help them land a better ace or sign a righty slugger. The Padres should make some dramatic moves, and the Diamondbacks are a wild card, so the most the Giants should consider is dealing Verlander and waiting until the dust settles next year to make their move.