Moving into May, some teams are starting to think about what pieces they can add to their team to make a deep playoff run, and struggling teams are starting to think about trading some of their talent for prospects to build toward the future.  With the two additional teams added to the playoff schedule last year, more teams will believe they have a shot at a deep run in the postseason if they can add a key player to their team.  Here is a look at some players who could be moved before the trade deadline this summer:
 

Giancarlo Stanton, Florida Marlins

When looking for teams willing to trade their best players, it’s always best to start with the Marlins, after all they do it so often.  Stanton will easily be the hottest commodity on the trade market this summer, and with no hopes of being relevant in the NL East in the near future, the Marlins might be smart to trade him for a ton of top prospects.  Stanton is the best power hitter in baseball right now, and the fact that he is under team control for the next few years will force a team to trade several of their top prospects to acquire him.  Stanton will become arbitration eligible this offseason, so any team who trades for him will know that even though he is under team control, he will soon be more costly to keep on the roster, but well worth it for one of the game’s top hitters.
Possible trade destinations:  Texas, Philadelphia, New York Yankees
 

Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies 

The Phillies are a tough team to predict for this season because they still could be buyers or sellers.  They have a good nucleus of talent, but it’s going to be tough for them to keep up with the Braves or Nationals in the NL East, so there is a good chance the only spot available to them in the playoffs could be that recently added second wild-card team.  If they find themselves out of contention this summer, they could seriously look at trading Lee.  Lee has a high price tag, so trading him wouldn’t be a move to acquire top prospects, but more of a move to get some money off the payroll.  Lee is still a top of the rotation starter on any team, and could be a huge addition to a team who might be looking to solidify their position in the playoffs, or a top team with their eye on winning the World Series.  Since his price tag is so high, a team likely wouldn’t have to give up their top prospects to get him, so it might only take a mid-level AA prospect, and the willingness to take on a decent chunk of his salary to make the trade.
Possible trade destinations:  Texas, Los Angeles Angels, Boston
 

Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs don’t look like they are going to make much noise this season, and they will be looking hard at unloading some money this season at the trade deadline.  The Cubs have been rumored to shop around Soriano for some time now, but there might not be much of a market for the 37-year old outfielder.  Soriano can still hit for some power and steal a bag, and might be an upgrade for a team looking to replace a weaker outfielder or designated hitter.  The issues holding up a deal for Soriano include not only the money on his contract, but also the fact that he is under contract for next year as well.  The most likely possibility of Soriano getting traded is probably a team that is a virtual lock to make the playoffs who has an outfielder suffer a significant injury.
Possible trade destinations:  San Francisco, Philadelphia
 

Chase Headley, San Diego Padres

The Padres and Headley supposedly tried to work out a contract this offseason, but it never got done, and there are many teams who would love to lock up Headley long-term.  There is a premium on third-basemen who can hit like Headley can, and if the Padres think he will command more money than they are willing to pay him, they might as well trade him to a team who thinks they can lock him up.  Headley had career highs in homeruns and RBI last year, and if he carries that success over to this season, some team will be willing to give up a top-10 prospect to get Headley.
Possible trade destinations:  Atlanta, New York Yankees
 

Bud Norris, Houston Astros

Definitely the least exciting name on this list, but Norris is a quality starting pitcher who will be a good addition to a team making a postseason push this summer.  Norris is having a solid year so far with a 3-3 record and 3.89 ERA.  Norris’ trade possibilities might be similar to Soriano’s, in that a team that thinks about acquiring him might be one with an injury, or one that views the back end of their rotation as the lone weakness holding them back from the postseason.  Out of all the other people on this list, Norris is most likely to get traded first, because he doesn’t cost a ton of money, and he won’t take a high-end prospect to acquire.
Possible trade destinations:  Los Angeles Angels, Texas, Los Angeles Dodgers