Starting pitching was the story at the MLB trade deadline last year, with Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Jordan Montgomery, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Michael Lorenzen and Jack Flaherty all finding new homes for the stretch run.

This year, the big storyline could be impact bats.

Will the Toronto Blue Jays legitimately shop Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette? Will the Chicago White Sox take their fire sale to the level of moving Luis Robert Jr.? Will the New York Mets move homegrown star Pete Alonso ahead of free agency?

Ahead we've highlighted the top 10 hitters expected to be available on the summer trade market, focusing on players who have at least a 50/50 shot of being dealt ahead of the deadline.

Let the rumors swirl!

Honorable Mentions

These hitters did not quite crack our top 10, but they could all be on the move to contenders this summer:

OF Miguel Andújar, OAK
OF Harrison Bader, NYM
1B Josh Bell, MIA
OF Dylan Carlson, STL
OF Bryan De La Cruz, MIA
SS Paul DeJong, CWS
OF Eloy Jiménez, CWS
OF Jake McCarthy, ARI
OF Tommy Pham, CWS
2B Brendan Rodgers, COL
3B Nick Senzel, WAS
C Jacob Stallings, COL
OF Lane Thomas, WAS
OF Jesse Winker, WAS

There is less than a 50/50 chance these guys are traded, but worth keeping an eye on:

OF Randy Arozarena, TB
3B Alex Bregman, HOU
1B Yandy Díaz, TB
1B Paul Goldschmidt, STL
3B Ryan McMahon, COL
3B Isaac Paredes, TB
OF Kyle Tucker, HOU

10. 2B/3B Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: 199 PA, 127 OPS+, .315/.364/.440, 14 XBH (4 HR), 19 RBI, 17 SB, 1.1 WAR

Infielder Luis Rengifo has quietly developed into a consistent offensive performer for the Los Angeles Angels over the past few seasons.

The 27-year-old put up strong offensive numbers in 2022 (102 OPS+, 17 HR, 52 RBI) and 2023 (111 OPS+, 16 HR, 51 RBI), and he brings the added value of defensive versatility across the infield with significant experience at second base, shortstop and third base.

He has a reasonable $4.4 million salary in 2024, and he comes with one additional year of club control next year, so he would be more than just a rental option for teams looking for an upgrade on the infield.

9. C Elías Díaz, Colorado Rockies

Stats: 216 PA, 117 OPS+, .303/.352/.439, 17 XBH (5 HR), 28 RBI, 1.3 WAR

Elias Díaz had a terrific first half of the 2023 season, earning a spot on the NL All-Star team and winning All-Star MVP honors on the strength of a two-run home run off Baltimore Orioles closer Félix Bautista.

However, he slumped after the break, hitting .255/.299/.375 with 15 extra-base hits in 221 plate appearances the rest of the way. Now playing in the final season of a three-year, $14.5 million deal, he is off to the best start of his career.

The market is extremely thin on catching, with free-agent-to-be Danny Jansen from the Toronto Blue Jays and Díaz's backup in Colorado Jacob Stallings the other notable names that could be on the move.

8. DH J.D. Martinez, New York Mets

Stats: 165 PA, 120 OPS+, .265/.323/.430, 14 XBH (5 HR), 19 RBI, 0.5 WAR

The New York Mets are paying a 110 percent tax on every dollar of the one-year, $12 million deal that J.D. Martinez signed in late March due to where their payroll stands relative to the luxury-tax threshold, so that alone will be plenty of motivation for them to flip the veteran slugger.

The 36-year-old enjoyed a resurgent season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, posting a 134 OPS+ with 33 home runs and 103 RBI while earning his sixth career All-Star selection, but his age and DH-only profile limited his market.

His strong postseason track record makes him an even more appealing trade target for contenders, as he has hit .294/.386/.588 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 33 career playoff games.

7. OF Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: 275 PA, 119 OPS+, .253/.331/.452, 24 XBH (12 HR), 36 RBI, 1.4 WAR

Taylor Ward was a first-round pick out of Fresno State as a catcher back in 2015, but he didn't become a regular in the big leagues until his age-28 season in 2022 when he hit .281/.360/.473 with 23 home runs and 65 RBI.

A hit-by-pitch to the head last season resulted in facial fractures and limited him to 97 games, but he has returned strong this season as one of the few consistently productive players in the Los Angeles Angels lineup.

The 30-year-old is arbitration-eligible through the 2026 season, so there is no pressing need to deal him this summer, but the Angels look like a prime candidate to sell off what they can and start over from scratch.

6. CF Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miami Marlins

Stats: 277 PA, 108 OPS+, .250/.318/.425, 23 XBH (9 HR), 32 RBI, 12 SB, 1.0 WAR

Since bursting onto the scene with an 18-homer, 23-steal, 2.5-WAR rookie season in 2021, Jazz Chisholm Jr. has had a tough time staying healthy, playing in just 157 combined games in 2022 and 2023.

However, when he has managed to take the field he has consistently been one of the most exciting power-speed threats in the game. Over the course of his career, he has averaged 27 home runs, 82 RBI, 31 steals and 3.0 WAR per 162 games played.

The 26-year-old is the closest thing the Miami Marlins have to a face of the franchise right now, but the early deal that sent Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres was a clear signal they are open for business.

The asking price will be high since he's under club control through the 2026 season, but don't be surprised if someone is willing to pay it for the potential to buy low on a superstar-caliber talent.

5. DH Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics

Stats: 231 PA, 151 OPS+, .263/.346/.522, 26 XBH (13 HR), 40 RBI, 1.6 WAR

After failing to carve out a role with the Minnesota Twins and turning in brief stints with the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals, slugger Brent Rooker finally found a home with the Oakland Athletics last year.

He posted a 127 OPS+ with 20 doubles, 30 home runs and 69 RBI in 137 games, serving as the team's lone All-Star representative and one of the few bright spots in the midst of a 112-loss season.

Any thoughts of that performance being a one-hit wonder situation have quickly been erased by his hot start this year, and while it might seem counterproductive for a rebuilding team to trade away a player who is under control through 2027, this is the Oakland A's we're talking about.

The 29-year-old Rooker will be arbitration-eligible for the first time next year, which means a healthy raise over the $750,000 he is earning this year. That alone will be reason enough for him to be shopped.

4. SS Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 272 PA, 82 OPS+, .240/.287/.346, 18 XBH (4 HR), 28 RBI, -0.1 WAR

Those are not good numbers for Bo Bichette to start the season, but any team targeting him on the trade market this summer will be hoping to get the player he's been the past several seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays.

During the three-year stretch from the start of the 2021 season through the end of last year, he hit .298/.339/.476 for a 124 OPS+ while averaging 185 hits, 34 doubles, 24 home runs, 89 RBI, 94 runs scored and 4.8 WAR per season.

Despite his middling surface-level numbers, his .275 expected batting average and a 45.2 percent hard-hit rate that is actually a slight improvement over last year speak to some positive regression to come.

The 26-year-old is in the second season of a three-year, $33.6 million deal that will carry him to free agency for the first time.

3. 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets

Stats: 286 PA, 126 OPS+, .235/.315/.463, 30 XBH (14 HR), 32 RBI, 0.9 WAR

Since breaking into the league with a record-setting 53 home runs as a rookie in 2019, Pete Alonso has been baseball's most prolific slugger:

• Pete Alonso: 206 HR
• Aaron Judge: 199 HR
• Matt Olson: 187 HR
• Kyle Schwarber: 187 HR
• Shohei Ohtani: 166 HR

The 29-year-old has turned in back-to-back 40-homer seasons, and while he doesn't provide much value outside of his power production, he will be the market's top rental bat by a wide margin if he is indeed made available.

With free agency looming, the Mets could look to flip him for prospects and then pursue re-signing him during the offseason, similar to what the New York Yankees did when they traded Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

2. OF Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox

Stats: 60 PA, 122 OPS+, .196/.250/.554, 8 XBH (6 HR), 9 RBI, 0.1 WAR

The 2024 Chicago White Sox are on pace for 122 losses and shaping up to be one of the worst teams in baseball history, and there is no one on the roster who will be deemed untouchable at the deadline.

The team's most valuable trade chip is undoubtedly outfielder Luis Robert Jr., and his team-friendly long-term contract only adds to his value.

The 26-year-old is making $12.5 million this season and has a $15 million salary for 2025, to go along with a pair of $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027 that could make him controllable through his age-29 season.

Injuries have been an issue for Robert throughout his career, but he showed what he can do in a fully healthy season last year when he posted a 129 OPS+ with 36 doubles, 38 home runs, 80 RBI, 20 steals and 5.0 WAR in 145 games.

He has four home runs in eight games since returning from a right hip injury on June 4.

1. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Stats: 297 PA, 125 OPS+, .281/.370/.408, 19 XBH (7 HR), 30 RBI, 1.6 WAR

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has never quite matched the MVP-caliber season he put together in 2021 when he hit .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs and 111 RBI, but he has still been an All-Star in each of the past three seasons.

The 25-year-old is earning $19.9 million this year and has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining in 2025, so trading him would represent a major retooling pivot for the Toronto Blue Jays in the coming years.

Digging into Guerrero's batted-ball metrics, he ranks among the MLB leaders in expected batting average (93rd percentile), average exit velocity (98th percentile) and hard-hit rate (99th percentile), which speaks to his potential to be a true impact addition.

The asking price will be extremely high given his remaining control and status as a face of the franchise type player, but don't be surprised if the Blue Jays shake up the trade market with a fire sale.