(Updated July 19, 2014)

If you play in an AL- or NL-only fantasy baseball league, this can be a nerve-wracking time.

One reason I'm not a big fan of the above fantasy formats (aside from the fact your team is so much weaker): Teams are punished if one of their best players is traded to the opposite league.

If you have David Price on your AL-only team, best of luck. Same to you, owners of Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Ben Zobrist and many others.


For the rest of us (the non-AL- and NL-only fans), this is a fun time of year. Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, and here are seven of the biggest names who could be dealt by the end of the month (to build the considerable anticipation, we'll start at No. 7 and work our way up):

7. Marlon Byrd, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

He is one of many players being rumored as a potential acquisition of the Mariners. The 36-year-old Byrd is signed through 2015 and has an $8 million option for 2016 that vests if Byrd reaches certain plate-appearance incentives.

Prior to last season, Byrd had hit more than 20 home runs once in his career. Last year, he batted .291 with 24 homers, 88 RBI and an .847 OPS with the Mets and Pirates. Since signing with the Phillies prior to 2014, Byrd has continued the powerful pace. In his first 95 games this season, he had 18 homers and 54 RBI in 394 at-bats.

6. Joakim Soria, RP, Texas Rangers

Soria underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012 and was limited to 26 games the following season.

This season, the second year of his two-year, $8 million deal with the Rangers, Soria has regained the form he showed with the Royals, when he averaged 36 saves from 2008-11. He entered July 19 with 16 saves in 17 opportunities, along with a 2.59 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 42 Ks in 31 1/3 innings.

The struggling Rangers might try to get something for Soria now. The closer has had only one save opportunity since he recorded his 15th save on June 14. The bullpen-needy Tigers have been mentioned as a possibility.

Any team that lands Soria will get a reasonable contract, too. He has a $7 million team option for 2015 that has a $500,000 buyout.

5. Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Phillies

Papelbon's contract -- which calls for $13 million salaries in 2014 and '15, plus a $13 million option for 2016 that vests depending on the number of games the closer finishes -- limits the number of teams that would be interested in his services.

The Dodgers are a rumored target, but would L.A. really demote Kenley Jansen, who has 27 saves, or pay Papelbon all that money to be a setup man?

Papelbon is on track to have one of his best seasons. He has 22 saves in 24 chances, with a 1.21 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.

4. Ben Zobrist, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

The Mariners and Rays reportedly have discussed a trade that could land Zobrist and/or David Price in Seattle. The 33-year-old Zobrist would be a short-team solution, at best, since his best days seem to be behind him.

He averaged 19 homers, 83 RBI and 18 steals from 2009-12, posting an .822 OPS or better in all but one year. Last year, he hit .275 with a .756 OPS, 12 homers, 71 RBI and 11 steals. His numbers this year are pretty similar -- a .267 average, .766 OPS, seven homers, 26 RBI and five steals in 84 games.

Zobrist's five-year, $23 million contract ends in 2014, but the team that acquires him would have the option of paying him $7.5 million in 2015 or buying him out for $500,000.

3. Cliff Lee, SP, Phillies

Another Phillie whose trade market is limited by his gigantic salary. Lee is making $25 million this year and next, and he has a $27.5 million vesting option for 2016 that has a monstrous buyout ($12.5 million).

Lee has been limited to 10 games this season by a left elbow strain, but is expected to be activated from the disabled list and start July 21 against the Giants, giving him a couple chances to showcase his arm for another team.

Lee has been very good when healthy for the Phillies, going 48-33 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.08 WHIP since 2011. He has 802 Ks in 814 innings in that span.

CBS Sports reported that the fading Phils would rather trade Lee than Hamels, and we can think of a certain huge-pocketed franchise in New York that could use a starting pitcher.

2. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami Marlins

Let's preface this by saying we think it's very unlikely the Marlins will trade Stanton, who can't become a free agent until after the 2016 season. But he will command huge salaries in arbitration the next two seasons, and his next contract likely won't be paid by the Marlins.

Stanton entered July 19 leading the NL in homers (22) and RBI (64). He is hitting .296 with a .943 OPS and a lot of strikeouts (106 in 355 at-bats). Stanton was hampered by injuries in 2012 and '13, when he was limited to a combined 239 games.

His 162-game career averages show why many expect his next contract to be north of $150 million: 39 homers, 99 RBI and an .898 OPS.

1. David Price, SP, Rays

We recently outlined the reasons we think the Rays should deal Price now, before he walks in free agency. But those efforts are complicated by the fact that the AL East has been so bad that Tampa Bay, which was 45-53 through July 18, is still in the race.

The Rays are 21-11 in their last 32 games, and they trail the first-place Orioles by 8.5 games.

Will they deal Price to the Mariners in a package that includes prospect Taijuan Walker? Will they keep Price, try to win the East, and recoup a first-round draft pick when Price leaves after the season?

One thing that is certain: Price, who leads the AL in strikeouts (164) and has gone at least seven innings in 10 consecutive starts, should be the top prize for any pitching-needy team the next couple weeks.