MLB Rumors: Insider Predicts All-Star Will Be Traded For 4th Straight Season

Once July comes rolling around, there’s a good chance Josh Bell is packing his bags. 

Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly is betting on it, predicting that the veteran slugger will once again be on the move at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. If dealt, it would be the fourth straight season Bell has been traded mid-year, adding another chapter to a nomadic late-career stretch that’s already taken him from Washington to San Diego, Cleveland to Miami, and last year to Arizona.

Josh Bell Trade Rumors Heat Up Again as Deadline Looms

While Bell's .133 average and .495 OPS through early May with the Nationals don’t scream “deadline prize,” Kelly points out that the 32-year-old’s low $6 million salary and switch-hitting power bat still make him appealing to contenders in need of DH or first base depth. 

That’s especially true for teams like the Boston Red Sox, who may need a short-term replacement for Triston Casas after his recent knee injury. Bell’s history of slow starts followed by strong summer stretches — as he did in 2021 and 2023 — could make him a worthwhile buy-low target.

Still, patience is wearing thin. Nationals fans are frustrated with Bell’s lack of production in high-leverage spots, and even manager Dave Martinez has acknowledged the challenge of keeping him locked in. Bell, to his credit, remains accountable, saying recently, “If I’m hitting .200 at this point, I think we’re over a .500 team.” Whether he can heat up in time to fetch any real value — or just become another deadline depth deal — will be one of Washington’s more intriguing storylines heading into July.

Photo Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images