Baseball’s winter conferences are simply across the nook, and we’re prepared for some blockbuster offers.
We’ve already seen some intriguing trades this offseason with the New York Mets buying Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers for Brandon Nimmo and the Boston Purple Sox including Sonny Grey to their pitching employees — however there are even larger stars who might transfer within the weeks forward.
With that in thoughts, we requested our MLB insiders to offer us their most popular vacation spot for a few of the greatest names in our rating of the highest 25 MLB offseason commerce candidates.
The place did we ship All-Stars Ketel Marte and Byron Buxton? Which Purple Sox outfielder is on the transfer in our offers? And which contenders get beginning pitching assist? Let’s discover out.
The Arizona Diamondbacks ought to commerce Ketel Marte to the …
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners plucked from the D-backs to jolt their offense simply 5 months in the past, buying nook infielders Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor. They need to accomplish that once more, this time for Marte, the star second baseman who may be had for the suitable return. The Mariners have a necessity for an additional bat, and Marte would signify an enormous improve over merely re-signing Suarez or Jorge Polanco.
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Marte would slide in completely forward of fellow All-Stars Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, permitting Randy Arozarena to hitch Naylor in the course of the lineup and giving Seattle arguably the perfect offense within the American League — to pair with what is probably going the perfect pitching employees.
Coming off a gut-wrenching loss in Sport 7 of the American League Championship Sequence, it’s the right transfer to push the M’s towards the primary World Sequence berth in franchise historical past. And whether or not it’s Cole Younger, Michael Arroyo or Felnin Celesten, the Mariners may need sufficient younger, promising center infielders to fulfill the D-backs’ possible want for a Marte substitute with out parting with Colt Emerson. — Alden Gonzalez
Boston Purple Sox for Jarren Duran and Kyson Witherspoon
Roman Anthony‘s 2025 breakout rendered Duran expendable in an outfield already staffed by Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, each of whom supply extra remaining crew management. And with presumed second-baseman-of-the-future Kristian Campbell struggling as a rookie (86 OPS+, -1.0 WAR), the door swung open for a transfer of this magnitude.
Duran’s proclivity for doubles and triples will play superbly in Arizona (simply ask Corbin Carroll), and Witherspoon, the No. 15 choose within the 2025 MLB draft, immediately turns into the membership’s finest pitching prospect. — Paul Hembekides
The Purple Sox ought to commerce Duran to the Philadelphia Phillies for a package deal together with Alec Bohm
These lightning-rod gamers definitely aren’t coming off their finest seasons and maybe every wants the proverbial change of surroundings. The Purple Sox might have somebody to play third base, and Bohm, whereas no match for Alex Bregman, is a succesful hitter and defender. The Phillies might then get a extra constant third baseman who enjoys enjoying in Philadelphia. Duran would fill Philadelphia’s center-field want, and it will create some alternative in a crowded Boston outfield. See, trades can work out for each groups! — Eric Karabell
The Cleveland Guardians ought to commerce Steven Kwan to the Mariners
I like this concept a lot. Kwan would return to the West Coast, a couple of four-hour drive from Corvallis, the place he starred for Oregon State. He would give the Mariners a wanted improve at a nook outfield spot, teaming with Julio Rodriguez to enhance Seattle’s outfield protection. Most significantly, he might slide into the leadoff spot, providing contact and OBP as a poor man’s Ichiro, hitting in entrance of Cal Raleigh, Rodriguez and his previous Cleveland teammate, Josh Naylor. Let’s get this finished. — Bradford Doolittle
The Chicago White Sox ought to commerce Luis Robert to the …
Kansas Metropolis Royals
Rumor mill whispering has linked the Royals with Boston’s Jarren Duran for the hefty value of Cole Ragans, a swap I can’t abide. The Royals have beginning pitching depth, however they don’t have ace depth and Ragans should keep. Duran isn’t a great defensive match for Kauffman Stadium for those who view him as a middle fielder, and the Royals must improve at that spot badly.
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Enter Robert, whose work on strike zone judgment appeared to be paying off within the latter phases of final season. He’s youthful than Duran and has extra energy upside with out sacrificing pace and protection. The Royals’ new hitting employees is hyper-focused on bettering pitch recognition, and I’d love for them to be new voices in Robert’s ear. The Royals might preserve Ragans and modulate their rotation/prospect return based mostly on Chicago’s willingness to pay down a few of Robert’s $20 million for subsequent season. Alas, this may be extra palatable from a payroll perspective if the Royals had not already dedicated $8 million to run it again with Jonathan India. — Doolittle
Philadelphia Phillies
It’s time. Time for Robert to discover a new house and time for the Phillies to combine up the vibe a bit of. It’s attainable that final season proved to be Robert’s present flooring — good protection and 33 stolen bases will assist groups win video games. However it’s additionally simply as attainable the ceiling continues to be inside attain after years of underachieving. First off, getting away from the Sox did wonders for Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn. The identical could possibly be true of Robert if he strikes on, particularly since he’s lastly reducing his chase charge down.
Now put him in a very good lineup with even higher pitches to see — and maybe a bit of extra strain to carry out — and the Philles might simply get the perfect model of him. He has hit 28 homers in a season. He hit .338 in one other (partial 12 months). Put all of it collectively and he would possibly flip right into a steal. — Jesse Rogers
The Minnesota Twins ought to commerce …
Byron Buxton to the Los Angeles Dodgers
This falls into the “Why? Because they can, that’s why” class. Sufficient is rarely sufficient for the Dodgers, so this offseason’s installment of creating certain they’ve an excessive amount of is the acquisition of the perfect obtainable participant on the place they could truly imagine they should improve. Transfer Andy Pages to left, slot Buxton into the highest half of the lineup and go for 3 in a row. — Tim Keown
Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers to the New York Yankees
Ryan was a preferred title on the commerce deadline and he’s widespread once more coming off an All-Star season with a rebuilding crew and two years of crew management remaining. The Yankees don’t want one other front-line starter, however Ryan would give them some rotation stability early within the season with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon (and Clarke Schmidt) on the injured record and he would provide insurance coverage ought to Cole or Rodón return later than regular or battle upon return. And as these entrance workplaces prefer to say: You’ll be able to by no means have sufficient beginning pitching.
Jeffers would quench the Yankees’ want for a right-handed-hitting catcher after carrying three left-handed-hitting catchers for many of the 2025 season. He would platoon with Austin Wells and permit the Yankees to maneuver Ben Rice, additionally a left-handed hitter, to first base full time. — Jorge Castillo
The Miami Marlins ought to commerce Edward Cabrera to the New York Yankees for Jasson Dominguez If the Yankees are really centered on preserving their payroll in verify, they’ll must be artistic in how they handle their roster shortcomings. Presuming that the crew re-signs Cody Bellinger, the Yankees will have already got spent a majority of their obtainable free agent funds, and have rendered Dominguez extra with high prospect Spencer Jones additionally an in-season debut candidate. Dominguez is the type of high-ceiling teen the Marlins needs to be focusing on.
Cabrera is a proficient, albeit injury-prone, starter who can present crucial rotation depth whereas the crew waits for the wholesome returns of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt. Dominguez’s two extra years of crew management would possibly make this a slight overpay for the Yankees, however Cabrera’s projected $3.7 million wage by way of arbitration might make him a great, budget-conscious acquisition. — Tristan Cockcroft
The Miami Marlins ought to commerce Sandy Alcantara to the Athletics
Alcantara’s return from Tommy John surgical procedure was a catastrophe within the first half of the season, as he entered the All-Star break with an ERA over 7.00. That made him untradeable; it made no sense for the Marlins to deal him on the commerce deadline together with his worth at a low level. Alcantara discovered his groove over his last 12 begins, nonetheless, posting a 3.13 ERA with 69 strikeouts versus 18 walks over 77 innings. That may be a pitcher you’ll be able to commerce.
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The A’s completed twenty sixth in rotation ERA in 2025. The rotation did battle at house with a 5.52 ERA in Sacramento, in order that led to inflated ERAs, however their solely two returning starters with greater than 100 innings are Jeffrey Springs (4.11 ERA) and Luis Severino (4.54 ERA). It is going to be troublesome for the A’s to lure an honest free agent starter to Sacramento — they needed to overpay to signal Severino — so a commerce is sensible. Alcantara is signed to an inexpensive $17.3 million for 2026 with a $21 million membership choice for 2027, which even the A’s can afford.
With the Nick Kurtz-led offense, the A’s will rating runs. If they will construct out the rotation and bullpen, they’ve the look of 2026’s sleeper playoff crew. Their farm system is improved they usually have low-salaried pitching depth with guys like Mason Barnett and Jack Perkins to throw again Miami’s manner. — David Schoenfield
The Washington Nationals ought to commerce MacKenzie Gore to the Baltimore Orioles
Gore hasn’t fairly made the soar to front-line starter. However he has some qualities in widespread with larger slot lefties who’re front-line sorts, like Blake Snell and Max Fried, so there could possibly be one other gear to be teased out. He additionally comes with two years of management and his arbitration quantity this 12 months ought to land round $5 million.
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In return, the Orioles can ship a prospect package deal that includes OFs Slater de Brun and Austin Overn and RHPs Esteban Mejia and J.T. Quinn to the Nationals. Baltimore doesn’t have to incorporate C Samuel Basallo and may most likely grasp onto OF Dylan Beavers, as properly. I’ve the Nats opting for a bigger package deal of gamers that features what I believe would be the kinds of prospects we’ll see new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni goal. It helps new execs coming from the draft aspect of analysis to focus on current draftees, with de Brun and Quinn from the 2025 draft and Overn from the 2024 draft. — Kiley McDaniel
The Pittsburgh Pirates ought to commerce Mitch Keller to the San Francisco Giants
The Giants churned by way of 15 beginning pitchers in 2025 and return solely three who made greater than 10 begins (Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp), leaving two slots to fill other than the depth that’s required on this period. Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt are the highest inner candidates, however including a veteran starter for stability seems to be like an offseason necessity.
Keller is signed for 3 extra years at an AAV of about $18.5 million. His greatest power has been sturdiness and consistency, making not less than 29 begins 4 seasons in a row and averaging 183 innings and a couple of.1 WAR the previous three seasons. His strikeout charge has declined from 25.5% to twenty.0% since 2023, in order that’s a minor trigger for concern, however shifting to the Giants, with higher protection behind him and a stellar catcher in Patrick Bailey ought to assist decrease his batting common allowed.
Do the Pirates have sufficient rotation depth to commerce Keller? In all probability not, however they do have Paul Skenes, Mike Burrows, Braxton Ashcraft, Johan Oviedo and Bubba Chandler, plus Jared Jones getting back from harm, so there not less than is the makings of an thrilling younger rotation even with out Keller. They want energy, nonetheless, so the ask from the Giants could be their high prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge.
Too steep for the Giants? Maybe. Eldridge has 35-homer potential and has produced whereas being very younger for his ranges, reaching Triple-A in 2025 at simply 20 years previous. He does have some holes in his sport, with a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, he struggled in opposition to breaking balls from left-handers, he has below-average pace and his protection at first base is fringy, so he is likely to be a DH with Rafael Devers enjoying first. The ability is actual — sufficient for the Pirates to gamble on and in addition actual sufficient that he’ll be troublesome to pry away from the Giants. — Schoenfield
