Major League Baseball's trade deadline falls on Aug. 1 this year, meaning that teams have less than a month remaining to take stock of their situations and make decisions about whether to buy, sell, or do a little of both. CBS Sports has chosen to honor the calendar flipping to July by highlighting 20 players who could be on the move over the next several weeks. 

One name you won't find listed belongs to Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels' two-way phenom who is scheduled to hit free agency this winter. The Angels have insisted they won't move him as long as they're in the playoff hunt. Maybe the bottom falls out between now and Aug. 1 — something that seems likelier with Mike Trout set to be sidelined with a wrist injury for the next 4-6 weeks — and the Angels have to alter their stance, but for now, we're proceeding as if that won't be the case.

As for the 20 players who are listed, below you'll find analysis on each individual and their situation, as well as three potential landing spots. We are legally obligated to include a few caveats, beginning with the note that there more than 20 realistic candidates, and more than three plausible suitors for everyone listed — do not be the person who complains that their team isn't listed often enough; it's unbecoming and misses the larger point of the piece.

Not every player included here will be traded, of course, but we suspect that they'll come up in conversations. The players are ranked in order of their perceived value and desirability based on the usual factors — expected production, positional scarcity, remaining team control, and so on. Keep in mind this exercise is more of an art than a science.

Now, let's get to it.

1. Max Scherzer, RHP, Mets

Scherzer's inclusion was cinched last week, when a report surfaced indicating he would consider waiving his no-trade clause for the right situation. From our perspective, it would take a once-in-a-century style syzygy for a deal to transpire. Scherzer holds all the cards in more ways than one. He can dictate whether or not he's traded this summer, and he can then opt in or out of his contract for next season. We don't think Scherzer would actually entertain hitting the open market again — he's sporting his lowest ERA+ in more than a decade, making it unlikely that he'd bail on a $43 million guarantee — but it does add another layer of complexity to a tricky calculus. Beyond all that, we're not sure the Mets have motivation to move him. Even if this season is lost, New York surely intends to compete next year — and to lure Shohei Ohtani to town this winter. Scherzer's presence helps in both pursuits, and it doesn't seem probable that any available deal will be worth the damage on those fronts. Potential suitors: Rangers, Astros, Diamondbacks

2. Lucas Giolito, RHP, White Sox

It says more about the state of the American League Central than it does the state of the White Sox that Chicago remains one good week away from being in the thick of things. That could complicate matters with respect to Giolito should the White Sox get hot at the right (or, perhaps, wrong, depending on your perspective) time. Anyway, Giolito is an impending free agent who has fully course-corrected from a rough 2022. Until the White Sox actually make a run, we're going to assume he'll be the best right-hander traded this summer. Potential suitors: Rangers, Astros, Orioles