The number of available MLB stars on the trade market appears to be dwindling.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy will not be available for trade ahead of the July 31 deadline, Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Tuesday. Additionally, Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan is unlikely to be moved as well, Olney added.
The 30-year-old Murphy, an All-Star in 2023, is batting .240 with 16 home runs and 38 RBIs this season for the Braves. Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Kwan is batting .288 with six home runs, 32 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases for the Guardians, numbers that were good enough for Kwan to make his second career All-Star appearance this year.
A common thread for both players is that their respective teams have underperformed in 2025. The Braves are a miserable 44-55, and the Guardians are only slightly better at 49-50. Those underachieving records have given rise to trade speculation surrounding both teams.
However, both Murphy and Kwan are under contract for multiple more years at very reasonable salaries. Murphy is set to make $15 million in each of the next three seasons (with the Braves holding a $15 million team option on him in 2029 as well). As for Kwan, he still has two more years left of arbitration eligibility before potentially becoming a free agent after the 2027 season.
There could still be a lot of movement ahead of this year’s trade deadline, particularly with some marquee teams looking to buy. But those teams will probably be out of luck if they are eyeing a potential move for Murphy or Kwan before July 31.
