With the 2022 MLB trade deadline less than two weeks away, action is expected to pick up rapidly once the All Star Break concludes, and with the AL East being the best and most competitive division in baseball, all five teams are expected to be very active come the Aug. 2 deadline. In this piece, we'll examine which AL East teams will be buyers, sellers, or both.

New York Yankees

The Yankees are in a position where they need to win the World Series for their season to be considered a success. With that being said, expect them to act like it at the trade deadline. Luis Castillo is the best starting pitcher available on the trade market, and is not a free agent until after the 2023 season. Because of that, the team that acquires Castillo would have to give up a little extra seeing he is not just a rental. New York is committed to keeping top prospect Anthony Volpe and top outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez. However, No. 2 prospect Oswald Peraza is expected to be used as a trade piece at some point down the road. A trade for Castillo would solidify the Yankees with the best rotation in baseball, joining All-Stars Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes Jr, along with solid middle of the rotation pitchers Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, and Jameson Taillon. New York is seen as the favorite to land Castillo, and I think they make the move to put themselves in a prime position to go deep in October.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are in an interesting spot as the trade deadline approaches. Their season has been extremely injury-riddled, as they have 15 players on the IL. On one hand, key bullpen pieces J.P. Feyereisen and JT Chargois are expected to return to the team at some point. On the other hand, rookie starting pitcher Shane Baz may be out for the rest of the season with a right elbow sprain. Because of so many unknowns regarding their player's injury statuses, it's tough to predict what Tampa Bay will do at the deadline. They currently sit 13 games back of the division-leading Yankees, but are in the top wildcard spot ahead of the Mariners and Blue Jays. With that being said, I expect them to do a little bit of buying and selling. Corey Kluber is a likely candidate to depart from Tampa Bay, similarly to how Rich Hill was sent to the Mets last year despite leading the team in innings pitched. They already acquired Christian Bethancourt from the A's, and may very well go after another bat with Harold Ramirez going to the IL with a broken thumb. Andrew Benintendi is certainly the big fish out on the market, but expect the Rays to go after someone who is not as sought after like David Peralta, who consistently hits the ball hard and plays above average defense.

Toronto Blue Jays

Even though the Jays have had an underwhelming season to this point, they still sit in a playoff spot at the All Star Break. The bullpen has been a mess and starting pitchers Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Berrios simply haven't gotten it done every fifth day. Frankie Montas is near the top of every team's trade target list, and the Jays seem destined to make a run considering how deep their offense is. Adding Montas to a rotation that already has frontline starters Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman would give them a "Big 3" that all World Series winning teams seem to have. And with a lineup that can go head to head with any team in the sport, getting a guy like Montas may give the Jays what it takes to win it all.

Boston Red Sox

Similar to the Rays, the Red Sox have been plagued by injuries, especially with their pitching staff. Chris Sale will be sent back to the IL after breaking his pinkie in just his second start of the season since returning from a stress fracture in his rib cage. With Boston's recent struggles that has sent them out of a playoff spot, many teams seem to think Boston will be sellers in the stacked AL East. If they do choose to take that route, Nathan Eovaldi is certainly a top candidate to depart, as he is in the final year of his contract and has postseason experience. Another name that Red Sox fans would not be happy to see leave, but would be another popular candidate on the market should they decide to sell, is J.D. Martinez. Martinez is also in the final year of his contract, and is hitting .302 with a 133 OPS+ on the season, which would automatically make him one of the top bats on the market if word comes out that he is available. If they decide to be buyers instead, Josh Bell seems like a perfect fit in Boston. Primary first baseman Bobby Dalbec hasn't been the hitting machine that the Red Sox had hoped for, and with Bell on a one year, $10 million contract, he should be available for cheap.

Baltimore Orioles

I don't even think the Orioles themselves thought they would be in this position at the All Star Break. Because the AL East is so stacked, the 46-46 Orioles are still in last place and recently lost 2 of 3 to the Rays to snap their 10-game win streak. Although it would be smart for the Orioles to hold still for the most part at the deadline, they should still trade rental pieces such as Trey Mancini and Jordan Lyles. They won't get too much in return for Lyles, who has posted a 4.76 ERA in 19 starts this year. Trey Mancini, on the other hand, is hot on a lot of team's trade lists after hitting .277 with a 119 OPS+ in the first half. If Baltimore can get a near MLB-ready prospect in return for Mancini, they will be set up nicely in 2023 to be serious playoff contenders in a loaded AL East.