What happened: MLB.com published a team-by-team breakdown naming the single most valuable trade chip held by each of the league's 30 clubs as the trade deadline approaches. The piece frames rosters around the asset most likely to move or anchor a deal before the deadline passes.
Why it matters: The deadline is a hard cutoff for contenders to add and for rebuilding teams to sell, so identifying each club's top chip sets the market's opening terms. Front offices use these asset rankings to gauge leverage in trade talks over the coming weeks.
What to watch: Front offices will field calls on these assets through the trade deadline, with movement expected to accelerate as the date nears.