Preview/Prediction

Baseball's Hall of Fame will open its doors to two of the most impactful hitters in recent memory when Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza enter the Cooperstown, New York, shrine Sunday.

With time running out until MLB's non-waiver trade deadline, nearly half of the league is sandwiched together atop the standings.

Fourteen teams have accumulated at least 50 victories. Shortly before the non-waiver trade window shuts on Aug. 1, a clear line divides the contenders and pretenders. Given the parity at the top, every playoff hopeful can convince itself that one or two shrewd moves will catalyze a championship run.

Two of the top hitters of their generation will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the 2016 class.

MLB's trade deadline is fast approaching, and teams are beginning to declare whether they will be buyers or sellers in the market.

This year's non-waiver trade deadline is August 1, a day later than usual due to the fact that July 31 falls on a Sunday. 

The San Francisco Giants (57-38) are winless since the All-Star break, losing five straight after closing out the first half of the year on a four-game winning streak.

We don't need Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Velma or Daphne to help us sniff out clues as to which MLB teams are looking to the future at this year's non-waiver trade deadline. With Aug. 1 fast approaching, we've got a good idea of who they'll be.

That said, looking to the future doesn't necessarily mean a team will be sellers. Buyers can be forward-looking as well. In fact, at least one last-place team with no chance of contending this season could be looking to buy—and buy big.

We are now less than two weeks away from the Aug. 1 non-waiver MLB trade deadline, and the trade market is starting to heat up.

There have already been a few notable trades since the All-Star break.

Trade season is upon us, and while the Boston Red Sox have been the most aggressive team thus far, swinging deals for a starting pitcher (Drew Pomeranz) and reliever (Brad Ziegler) in recent weeks, the rest of baseball is sure to catch up in no time.

After all, the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline will be here before you know it. Considering how quickly the All-Star break seemed to arrive, the 11 shopping days that teams have left will pass in the blink of an eye.

That doesn't leave much time to answer some burning questions.

The usual MLB trade candidates typically follow a pattern. Veterans on cellar-dwelling franchises with contracts close to expiring dominate the pre-deadline rumor mill.

Yet as the August 1 non-waiver deadline approaches, the hot stove has expanded beyond the usual suspects to younger players on cost-effective deals. 

The Boston Red Sox (52-39) acquired lefty Drew Pomeranz (8-7, 2.47 ERA) hoping to put themselves over the top in the race to win the American League East.