We’re more than halfway through the offseason, and the context of the trade and free agent markets has changed wildly since the offseason began in early November. Just under half of MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents have signed — with virtually every pitcher who came off the board topping (trouncing, in a few cases) expectations in what’s been a chaotic rush to add rotation help. We could theoretically re-rank the top remaining free agents based on how their earning power looks now, but such a list would generally consist of the same names up top and a bunch of one-year deal candidates at the bottom.
The trade market, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. Twenty percent of the players we listed at the beginning of the season have changed hands already — it’d be 23%, had Nolan Arenado not vetoed a trade to Houston — and at least a handful of the remaining names are still veritable locks to move. The offseason has already produced quite a few new trade candidates, as revelations about certain teams’ financial flexibility (or more specifically, their lack thereof) and certain players’ motivations have come to light.
For instance, the Cardinals would likely have welcomed the opportunity to trade Willson Contreras or Sonny Gray as they refocus on player development and look to scale back payroll … but both players somewhat surprisingly informed the club they’re not inclined to waive their no-trade rights despite that move away from a win-now mentality. Tampa Bay needed to scale back payroll but opted to deal from the rotation rather than move Yandy Diaz or Brandon Lowe, both of whom are now expected to stay put. The A’s might’ve thought harder about trading Brent Rooker had he rebuffed their extension overtures, but he put pen to paper on a five-year contract recently. Each was on the initial list, but clearly, they’re not going to be on the updated one.
Knowing what we know now, let’s revisit the trade market and run through some of the top names who could change hands between now and Opening Day:
The Yankees might’ve been motivated to trade Stroman even before signing Max Fried, but their eight-year deal with the longtime Braves ace now gives New York a rotation of Fried, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. Stroman, who’s owed $18MM in 2025, is their sixth-best starter. His contract also contains a conditional player option, which he’d unlock at 140 innings pitched. That’d guarantee him another $18MM if exercised. The Yankees are willing to pay down some of Stroman’s deal to facilitate a trade. The veteran righty is coming off a season in which he pitched 154 2/3 innings of 4.31 ERA ball with drops in velocity, strikeout rate and ground-ball rate. However, most of his troubles came at home (5.31 ERA). He pitched to a 3.09 ERA on the road and away from Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch.
It’s hard to find a good fit for Arenado at this point. He already invoked his no-trade clause to veto a trade to the Astros. A lot of big-market clubs have set players at third base. Smaller-market teams aren’t thrilled about the three years and $74MM left on his contract ($10MM of which is being covered by the Rockies), and Arenado may be similarly wary of an up-and-coming club’s chances of contending long-term (e.g. Tigers, Royals). Katie Woo of The Athletic recently reported efforts to trade Arenado were at a standstill. The Red Sox are in the mix but have ample roadblocks on the current roster. St. Louis is clearly motivated to trade Arenado, but a deal is far from a given since he controls his own fate.
3. Dylan Cease
It may seem counterintuitive for the Padres to trade Cease just one year after acquiring him, but the Friars’ payroll situation has changed. San Diego is looking to trim spending as ownership has turned over from the late Peter Seidler to his siblings. San Diego uncharacteristically hasn’t made a single signing or trade this winter despite need in left field, in the rotation, on the bench and at designated hitter. Trading Cease could bring back a controllable option for one of those positions while also shedding his $13.75MM salary — funds that could be reallocated to another of those needs. (MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently took a look at what Cease could command in a trade.) Cease is a free agent next winter. The Padres could make him a qualifying offer and receive draft compensation in 2026, but there are pressing needs to address right now and scant resources to find solutions.
4. Luis Arraez
The same factors that make Cease a trade candidate are largely applicable with Arraez. He’s a free agent next season. The three-time batting champ will earn $14MM in 2025. He’s not a strong defender, nor does he hit for power or run well, but Arraez makes contact at an elite rate and is probably the game’s best pure hitter. Moving him would create flexibility to spend on other areas and perhaps bring back some MLB help at another position.
The Mariners don’t want to trade from their excellent rotation, but they’re working on a tight budget with around $10-12MM of funds remaining after signing Donovan Solano. They’ve wanted multiple infielders all winter and have thus far only added Solano — a part-time bat who’ll platoon with Luke Raley at first while seeing occasional reps at third base and second base as well. Dealing Castillo and the remaining three years and $68.75MM on his contract would give the M’s plenty of resources with which to work, but it may be too little, too late when it comes to reallocating those savings to an impactful hitter. Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado remain available, but a number of the options have dwindled. Moving Castillo for major league talent might be difficult — a contender interested in Castillo would be less interested in weakening itself by dealing from elsewhere on the MLB roster — but if the Mariners can find a partner they’d be looking at $30MM+ in available funds to spend on an infielder and a rotation replacement.
Montgomery isn’t a bad rebound candidate after a season in which he missed all of spring training due to signing late and subsequently dealt with a knee injury. He ultimately posted a 6.23 ERA in 18 starts. Prior to that, Montgomery pitched 524 1/3 innings of 3.48 ERA ball with solid strikeout/walk/ground-ball rates from 2021-23. He’s being paid $22.5MM this season after exercising a player option. The Snakes would’ve tried to move him anyway, but after their shock signing of Corbin Burnes on a six-year deal, Arizona’s staff is deep enough that Montgomery is probably the No. 7 starter behind Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson. The D-backs still want a closer and already have a club-record payroll projection ($194MM). Shedding some of the Montgomery deal could help them add a finishing piece to the bullpen.
The Twins signed Vazquez to a three-year, $30MM contract two offseasons ago, which generally fell in line with market expectation. However, what was originally an even timeshare with Ryan Jeffers quickly saw Jeffers overtake Vazquez for the lion’s share of playing time. Vazquez remains an elite defender but has just a .222/.265/.322 slash (63 wRC+) in his two seasons with Minnesota. The Twins aren’t going to be able to shed his entire $10MM, but they’re tight on payroll space and have added two catchers to the 40-man roster this winter in trades for Diego Cartaya and Mickey Gasper. Glove-only catchers can still command $4-5MM (see: Austin Hedges); the Twins could shed close to half the deal or perhaps take back an overpriced reliever in return.
On the other end of the Twins’ trade spectrum, Paddack’s $7.5MM salary seems reasonable, given the soaring price of open-market starting pitching. He’s a free agent at season’s end and posted a lackluster 4.99 ERA in 88 1/3 innings this past season, but that was his first full year back from a second Tommy John surgery. Paddack fanned 20.6% of opponents with a 10.7% swinging-strike rate and terrific 5.5% walk rate. He was too homer-prone but was also plagued by a .327 average on balls in play. There might not be a ton of surplus value, but there’s arguably a few million dollars worth — enough for the Twins to move the entire contract and command a modest return. They have a host of in-house options to slot in behind the top four of Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson in the event of a Paddack swap.
The former No. 1 overall pick was never supposed to be on a list like this, but the 25-year-old increasingly looks like a player without a concrete role on the Tigers. Detroit signed Gleyber Torres to play second base and, in doing so, announced that second baseman Colt Keith would move to first base, usurping Torkelson in the process. President of baseball ops Scott Harris has said he still sees a role for Torkelson’s right-handed bat on a Tigers squad that needs production against left-handed pitching, but “Tork” won’t have everyday at-bats at first base or at designated hitter available to him. (Corner outfielders Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene and Matt Vierling could all see time at DH — Carpenter in particular.) Harris also shot down the idea of Torkelson getting work at another position. Torkelson has effectively been relegated to a bench piece, so if another club is willing to buy low, a deal could make sense. However, he’s controllable for another four years, has an option remaining and isn’t arb-eligible yet; the Tigers won’t just give him away.
10. LaMonte Wade Jr.
The Giants have been looking for ways to add some punch to their lineup. Wade is a solid and affordable bat, earning $5MM in his final year of club control. He’s hit .248/.352/.415 in four seasons with San Francisco. But Wade doesn’t hit lefties well, lacks power against righties and is a plodding runner with seventh-percentile sprint speed, per Statcast. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle recently listed Wade as a possible trade piece, as the Giants continue to look for a bigger bat in the lineup. Clubs like the Astros, Yankees and Nats have already filled their first base needs, but others like the Reds or even Wade’s former Twins club could plausibly jump into the mix.
11. Steven Matz
The Cardinals entered the offseason hoping to trim payroll and create opportunity for younger players. No-trade clauses for Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray and the aforementioned Arenado have thrown a wrench into those plans. Contreras and Gray are staying put. Arenado isn’t making it easy on the Cardinals. If they need to pivot to other cost-saving measures, dumping a portion of Matz’s salary could make sense. The Cards have received some interest in him, despite a grisly 5.08 ERA in 44 1/3 innings last season. Matz is owed $12MM in 2025, the final season of his four-year deal with the Cards. He pitched 105 frames of 3.86 ERA ball with a 21.8% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate as recently as 2023. The 33-year-old’s contract probably isn’t that far north of what he’d earn in free agency. The Cardinals could spare themselves most of the tab if they’re willing to move him for a minimal return and reallocate those innings elsewhere.
12. Rhys Hoskins
When signing Hoskins to a two-year, $34MM deal with an opt-out last offseason, the Brewers probably hoped to get one season of vintage Hoskins, thank the slugger for his services, and make him a qualifying offer. For two months, the plan looked great. Hoskins, in his first year back from an ACL tear, hit .243/.345/.468 through the season’s first two months. He tanked thereafter, hitting .200/.282/.387 in his final 350 plate appearances. Milwaukee now owes Hoskins an $18MM salary and a $4MM buyout on a 2026 mutual option. It seems likely that commitment has handcuffed the baseball operations department’s efforts to add to the payroll this winter. If they can pay Hoskins down to the $6-8MM range, they might find a taker late in the offseason or in spring training after injuries pile up elsewhere in the league.
13. Alec Bohm
The Phillies have maintained that they’re not shopping Bohm and have held a high asking price on him in trade talks, but they’ve spoken to enough clubs about him that it seems fair to presume they’re more open to it than they’ve publicly let on. The efforts to deal Bohm were largely tied to reshaping an offense that has at times become redundant and stagnant. Rumblings on Bohm have cooled, and in the meantime the Phils have signed Max Kepler and traded for Jesus Luzardo. That probably represents the bulk of their offseason dealings, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski rarely idles. As other teams begin to incur injuries this spring, it remains possible that Bohm could yet find himself playing elsewhere — at least, if the Phils are willing to stop seeking controllable young starters with more control than Bohm has left in return for the third baseman. He’ll be paid $7.7MM this coming season and is under club control through 2026.
14. Triston Casas
Casas, 25 tomorrow, has hit .256/.357/.480 over the past two seasons, popping 37 homers in just 745 plate appearances. That would seem to make him a key piece of the future, but his name has at least surfaced in trade chatter as Boston tried to pry some young pitching away from the Mariners. Rafael Devers’ shoddy glovework across the diamond has led to speculative scenarios wherein the Sox would move Devers to first base, sign/acquire a third base upgrade and trade Casas for pitching. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow would probably at least listen to proposals along those lines — Boston has been heavily linked to both Arenado and Bregman — but at a certain point it’s worth asking how much they’re actually improving. Casas has game-changing power and handles lefties well enough that he doesn’t need to be in a strict platoon. He’s a valuable and controllable player in his own right, as he’ll be arb-eligible through 2028.
15. Erick Fedde
Fedde should be higher on this list. Heck, he should’ve already been traded. The Cardinals announced to begin the offseason that they were going to step back and focus on player development. They’ve been trying to trade Arenado for months, to no avail. Their payroll isn’t down as low as ownership would like, it would seem. Beyond that, the step toward a youth movement seems to strongly eliminate the chances of the Cards contending. Fedde is being paid a bargain $7.5MM and is a free agent at season’s end. If the Cardinals are trying to contend, they should add around players like this. If they’re trying to step back and focus on development, Fedde should be shopped for prospect help since he’ll be gone next winter and isn’t a guarantee to remain healthy/productive until the deadline. As Anthony Franco recently wrote, the St. Louis offseason has been a half measure, and not a very productive one at that.
16. Ryan Helsley
All of the Fedde points made above apply here — and then some. Helsley is a dominant closer earning an affordable $8.2MM salary — the type of player every single contender would love to get its hands on. The Cardinals, a team that won 83 games last year and has not meaningfully added to the roster, could fetch a sizable return for him. Trading him prior to the season gives his new club the chance to make a qualifying offer at season’s end, thus increasing his trade value. (Ditto Fedde, for that matter.) Yet all reports out of St. Louis have suggested the Cards plan to hold onto Helsley and Fedde. If the Cardinals want to back their way into Wild Card contention, they should be trying to add to the roster. If they want to retool, they should be shopping short-term assets. Holding Helsley until the deadline lowers his trade value and creates the risk of an injury or downturn in performance. Relievers are baseball’s most fickle asset. The Cardinals seem caught in the middle. It’s perplexing.
17. Camilo Doval
Doval lost his closer job late in the 2024 season. His walk rate spiked from 9.3% in 2023 to 14.4% in 2024. His ERA accordingly erupted from 2.93 to 4.88. Doval still averages better than 99 mph on his cutter, however, and misses bats in droves. He fanned 28.8% of his opponents even in a down ’24 showing and recorded a massive 14.5% swinging-strike rate that largely mirrored his 2023 levels (14.8%). Doval is earning $4.525MM this season and is controllable for three years. Teams are often loath to sell low on this type of power arm, but Slusser reported in that same previously mentioned piece that Doval has drawn interest from clubs looking for a closer. The Giants could move him and justifiably ask for MLB talent in return.
18. Ryan Pressly
The Astros already shook up the roster with a trade of Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, netting third baseman Isaac Paredes, righty Hayden Wesneski and top infield prospect Cam Smith. Trading Tucker, who’s in line for the type of mega-deal owner Jim Crane has eschewed throughout his tenure, paved the way for Houston to sign Christian Walker on a three-year deal. They’re now sitting just over the luxury tax line — a threshold Crane would quite likely to duck beneath. Houston has shopped Pressly and his $14MM salary this winter, but his no-trade clause is a notable roadblock. Few relievers have a lengthier or better track record, though. Houston could instead try to move outfielder Chas McCormick, backup catcher Victor Caratini or utilityman Mauricio Dubon if Crane mandates a drop below the CBT line, but Pressly presents the largest savings and could even give the Astros enough breathing room to make a subsequent free agent addition at a lower rate … if he’ll waive his no-trade provision, that is.
19. Starling Marte
The Mets reportedly told Marte they’d try to find a trade partner for him and have been willing to pay down a portion of his remaining year and $19.5MM for some time now. No deal has come to fruition. Once a fleet-footed threat to steal 40 bases per season, the now-36-year-old Marte’s average sprint speed fell below league-average in 2024, per Statcast. His range in the outfield ranked in the fifth percentile, though his arm strength checked into the 90th percentile. Marte hit .269/.327/.388 — about 4% better than average, per wRC+ — in 370 plate appearances. No one is taking on the full freight of his salary, but he could be swapped out for another underwater contract and/or the Mets could eat a large chunk of the deal to save at least some money and free up a roster spot. They’re in the top tier of luxury penalization, so every dollar they save is essentially doubled when accounting for tax purposes.
20. Robert Suarez
As noted with regard to Cease and Arraez, the Padres are aiming to scale back payroll. They’ve “entertained” offers on the 33-year-old Suarez (34 in March). A trade probably won’t be easy to put together. Suarez is earning $10MM this season and has a two-year, $16MM player option next winter. He has to exercise his 2026 and 2027 options simultaneously or else decline them and become a free agent. In essence, a trade partner knows that if Suarez pitches as hoped, he’s probably going to decline those options and reenter the market. If he performs poorly or suffers an injury, he’ll likely pick those options up, sticking his new team with two years of a mid-30s reliever it doesn’t really want. That’s not an ideal set of circumstances. Suarez is quite good, however. He pitched 65 innings of 2.77 ERA ball with a 22.9% strikeout rate, a terrific 6.2% walk rate and a 41.8% grounder rate. His 99.1 mph average heater and sharp 12.5% swinging-strike rate suggest there could be a few more punchouts in the tank (as we saw when he whiffed 32% of opponents as a rookie in 2022).
Others Considered: Willi Castro (Twins), Jon Gray (Rangers), Mike Yastrzemski (Giants), Brett Baty (Mets), Taylor Ward (Angels), Luis Robert Jr. (White Sox), Jake McCarthy/Alek Thomas (D-backs), Mitch Haniger/Mitch Garver (Mariners)
No
Padres aren’t signing free agents and are trading half their team away,just to clear space?!
We all know the prospects coming back won’t be worth a hill of beans.
Why?
“Salary relief”
Then the savings WILL NOT BE RE-IMVESTED INTO ACQUIRING TALENT.
It’s simply a FOR PROFIT move.
Sell the team, if that’s the way you are going to operate.
What makes you think that’s the padres plans ? Bc it’s reported in the news lol. Preller is elite and I only expect the great moves by padres to put a competitive team on the field. I also have faith in him to keep Sasaki from dodgers !
@Big
this didn’t agree very well.
Maybe Stroman and a prospect or two for Arraez and Cease. SD is in an ownership and money quandary and this could help ease the problem. Arraez at 2B Cease fits in great in their rotation (or any rotation). Cashman has to own up to the big mistake signing Stroman and get something in return. Call Prellar today and make another big trade with the Pads.
@178
You’re acting as if a Sherman was brought in to be an ace. he wasn’t. An overpaid mid rotation guy.
Padres don’t want Stroman. Can’t play catcher and can’t hit.
Why would the padres make that move? It gets them no salary relief and instead brings back a substantially inferior asset (which is saying something given the limitations in Arraez game).
The Yankees don’t have the prospects necessary to pull that off without talking about the Martian. The gap there would be tremendous as Arraez is substantially more valuable than Stroman himself so the prospects needed to close the gap by adding Cease would need to begin with the Martian and add from there. This doesn’t make sense for either team, really.
SD spends money. They currently have the 8th highest payroll snugged between Atlanta and Toronto. Even if they trimmed a net $20M off in trades they would still have a higher payroll than all of the AL and NL Central teams, the Red Sox, the O’s and the Dbacks. Some contending teams. They have been willing to spend. Just not smartly
I can see Arraez and Suarez, but not Cease now they’re out on Sasaki
Hi Pads, how about Mize and Torkelson for Cease and Arraez? Everyone wins
A joke, right?
@towinagain No reasonable Padres fan can possibly argue that their ownership hasn’t been willing enough to compete. The team used more of its minor league assets (and then money) to trade into stars than any team in baseball in recent seasons. The financial losses and overreach has also been among the most well documented in the sport. Complaining about the Padres in this respect is simply foolish and emotional nonsense.
The dodgers will trade at least 1 guy slated for the MLB roster before opening day. Probably more than one.
Swap Taylor for Marte to platoon with Conforto.
Who wants Taylor?!?
Maybe MLB will allow the Japan Dodgers to have 5 extra roster spots for all of the players they have signed! Seems like they can do whatever they want to manipulate baseball. Or maybe sign Alonso and Bregman while they are it.
Salty
Masataka Yoshida should have been on this list also.
sheer – As soon as I saw he wasn’t on the list or even in the honorable mentions, I envisioned keyboards and phones being slammed by several around here! Haha!!
It’s a month until ST and Yoshida can’t even throw a baseball yet, what team would trade for him and take on a huge amount of his contract without him even being healthy?
I’ve been saying it all offseason, let him recover and play and re-establish his trade value. Then trade him at the trade deadline if he’s not needed.
Fever, all I see is talk about RS looking to shop him. anytime I’ve watched he usually hits against the Yanks. There was a lot of hype in the 2022 off-season about him. what has happened that he is being essentially run out of town? Blocking farmhands who plays better def?
Jope – He hasn’t hit as expected for a full season and isn’t a great fielder when healthy, so he hasn’t lived up to the contract. I’m one of his few defenders, I think he can put up a .300 BA and .870 OPS if healthy. But the Sox outfield will be crowded and Devers or Casas will need to move to DH so that’s the main reason people want him gone.
Most of these are Dumpster Players…
Castillo is still a legit 3/4/5 rotation guy. I do think his expected return is a little steep.
Castillo was 29th in era last year and 12th in 2023. How do you go from that to a 3/4/5 rotation guy?
He’s the no 1 starter on 10-15 teams
You’re living in the past. Check his stats a little more.
Well it wasn’t long ago Chris Sale had downward trending stats indicating he was soon to be done, then he won a Cy Young. I wouldn’t write off Castillo for a few markers going south just yet.
Would Torkelson cost a premium re: prospects? Probably is my guess given the No. 1 pedigree, but I would be intriguing as a 1B/DH option for the Red Sox to help balance the lineup and maybe catch a bit of a rebound. Obviously contingent on moving Casas and/or Yoshida. But I guess if that happened the Sox might rather just get a known with Pete Alonso.
I think they’d be selling low if they move. Detroit should keep him and hope he regains form. I have casas graded out above tork
They would definitely be selling low. Your banking that his problems have solely been the Stadium. Personally, he reminds me of Bobby Dalbec with very little trade value. Worth more to Detroit to keep him and hope he suddenly finds himself.
Or find a change of scenery candidate on another team who fills a need and swap them out.
Henry Davis. That’s not enough though probably. But a starter.
I think a 1:1 Davis for Tork is a good idea. Pirates get a 1b and clear the catcher logjam when Endy is back. Tigers can give Davis a shot at catcher rather than moving him around to find a position.
The Tigers have two catchers they like in Rogers and Dingler though and Liranzo on the way (Briceno is likely going to end up at 1B).
The Tigers need a 3B and a closer level bullpen arm though. I read your 3B may have asked for a trade. Tork didn’t seem to be big on listening to coaches so maybe a swap of two players with attitudes would jar something loose. Work Bednar in too with more added on the Tigers side.
I’d be fine with losing Bednar at this point.
It’s just weird trying to judge the value of Davis and Tork. I had expectations that they’d each be cheap power hitters for rebuilding teams. Ultra pro ready top picks, I just don’t know how Davis has looked so lost at the plate. Tork would give the Pirates a classic power 1B if he pans out and allow them to move Horowitz to 2B or SS, where he and Nick Gonzeles would make up a very promising young infield.
Horowitz was a good pickup. Very versatile.
Tork definitely needs a change of scenery. Him and Davis are just more good examples of how top prospects don’t always work out. Having said that you get guys like Profar who turn it around in new locations later in their careers. I hope Tork gets moved somewhere he will get to play and sort things out.
And I have Casas graded out above Alonso and costs about 95% less!
If Torkelson still had “#1 pedigree” status he wouldn’t be on this list. He’s looking more and more like a bust.
I think at this point they’re probably ready to move on. I doubt it’d take a top 100 prospect. Probably a couple of guys in an average teams top 12-15 would be adequate.
Red Sox really thought they would get one of those great young Mariners SP for Casas lmfao
Castillo Casas makes sense maybe Woo if the Bosox throw in someone else but demanding Yoshida and taking his salary back is a hell no
Marco, Castillo going to a smaller park and given his cost the next three seasons is not alone worth Casas. Sox thought one of their other pitchers with control and less $$ per year was balanced. Casas injury should not prevent a big 25. I only am looking to deal him for young pitching that opens up 1B for a righty bat with pop.
Castillo is (non) arguably the Mariners worst starting pitcher. They figure they can hide their front-line pitchers and dangle the guy they don’t want for a hitter. Maybe I’m in the minority, but Luis Castillo has never impressed me.
In other words, you might be a little blind.
let – 4.25 ERA away from T-Mobile ….. that’s all I need to know, I want no part of him either.
dewey – I totally agree, in fact I wouldn’t have even done the Casas/Yoshida trade proposal if I were the Sox.
You know what’s interesting? Zero Abreu trade talk. Nearly everyone here was so convinced he would be gone to make room for Roman, but maybe we will get the ADA outfield that Red Sox Nation is hoping for.
You way under value a guy who throw 200 innings and had the 29th best era in baseball last year and 12th in 2023
Fever, at this point I just want change with one or two righty bats balancing the lineup. Too many strikeouts especially against lefty pitching. I’m in the minority but if the team could get young pitching with promise, I’d trade Casas to be able to get Arenado and to sign Alonso. Then dump Yoshida at any cost (and you know I believe in him as a hitter).That keeps the OF defense strong and if Story stays healthy (a big if), you have great defense on that side. Let Campbell earn second but also sign Iglasias as the backup/depth. Then this team can win. You still have Anthony who can push for CF or RF.
To be fair though, most players perform better in their home parks. A 4.25 ERA on the road really isn’t that bad. It’s concerning as it’s a touch higher than you’d like but it’s over a small sample size and shouldn’t be viewed as the end all, be all statistic.
Castillo is not the mariners worst starting pitcher. Woo put up great numbers but he was pitching 4-5 innings most games. A guy who pitches 200+ innings like castillo is far more valuable.
Marco – Look what Casas did from June through September 2023, then get back to us.
You could very much be regretting that trade not happening.
What about casas you don’t like ?
I don’t like his defense and his sprint speed. He will/should have good stats against rhp, but is that enough to get a great young SP like Woo or Miller? Absolutely not, at least imo.
Bronx – Defense doesn’t matter at first base, as long as he’s not Schwarber-bad.
Have you seen Vladdy playing first base?
Look at what Casas did at the plate from June-September 2023, he is an elite hitter if he’s fully recovered from the rib injury and can stay healthy and can keep his head straight.
And yes I know, lots of ifs …. but still possible.
I don’t think you have seen Vladdy at first base. If it weren’t for Vladdy Bo would have 50 errors per season. He is pretty acrobatic and has deceiving range.
Fever, potential is there of course and trades are made for a reason. At this point next year, all Seattle fans could be clamoring for that deal that wasn’t made. You just don’t know. Casas can be who he was in 24 but I think he came back too early. He has .270 – .300 potential with 40 bombs. How many can do that in that stadium?
Boat, when I watch Blade, sometimes he’s just a clown out there but other times he reminds me of a George Scott, big for the position who somehow makes the play. Boomer in his prime was an art in motion yet you scratched your head wondering how he did it.
Blade? Vlade.
Dewey – Thought for sure you meant Wesley Snipes.
Vlade as in Sade? ;o)
Your counterpoint to his poor defense is putting him on the same level as Schwarber and Vlad because he had a couple month stretch? What a homer move.
Castillo has not only been consistent, but he’s been healthy. Just because he’s a 3/4 starter for Seattle doesn’t mean he isn’t a 2 starter for the majority of teams.
Boston fans have such a hard on for casas. Like yankee fans had for Greg bird.
The – I’ve seen him around 15 games a year. Stretching to catch throws isn’t the hard part, in fact Casas with his height and reach does it well. It’s the fielding that both are bad at.
I’m to the point where Dipoto should just do the trade for Woo or Miller. If it gets us Casas I think you have to pull the trigger. Maybe add something for a Phillies 3-way to get Bohm to Seattle too. (Woo to Boston, Abreu, Brash to Phillie; Bohm & Casas to Seattle)
Was trying to fit Daywalker into some metaphor.
I kind of like the nickname Blade for him!
Pronklington – Casas has actually produced in the majors, so I’m not sure a comparison to Bird is comparable.
Casas was also a top prospect around the league. Bird was never highly regarded like that. They’re nowhere close to the same.
The – BTW Vlad ranks 2nd-worst UZR and 4th-worst DRS in MLB the past 2 years (min 1,500 innings).
Compared to Casas who is 10th-worst and 6th-worst respectively.
@Joemo. I’m not saying they are comparable players. I’m just saying how Boston fans are thinking hes the guaranteed thing like Yankee fans were speaking like Bird. Overvaluing a prospect. I don’t know how many time I’ve seen someone speaking about him as if it’s a given he will be good and how he’s much more valuable that whatever trade target mentioned.
Some were saying Casas for Crochet 1:1 was an overpay.
Pronk – The Real Fans aka Red Sox Nation is very aware Casas has many question marks.
Should’ve posted the list with over/under odds to be traded…to make things interesting.
That the Rangers havent pulled the trigger on a trade for Helsley is a bit surprising, might be the only team in MLB still closer free
No, the Cubs need a closer. Although the Cards would obviously never trade Helsley there. Look, you’re being too hard on the Rangers bc it seems like STL doesn’t want to move him. Their mindset seems to be, hey, if you want to overpay then we’ll consider the offer but bn otherwise we’re keeping him.
The Cardinals can get something good for him at the deadline if the team is out of it. And by doing that they give the team a chance to compete in the meantime. This isn’t fantasy baseball. When fans leave often it takes them years to come back if they ever do. Cardinals don’t want or need to lose any more fans.
Thats cute that you have that much hope for the cardinals, and also bank on Helsley staying healthy to get a return at the deadline because i dunno if you havent noticed but staying healthy isnt one of his better traits. But he11 go for it
If Helsley gets hurt then he gets hurt. All players are injury risks.
Without a substantial TV contract, the Cardinals can’t ignore their already weakening stadium revenue.
Trading Helsley before season is inviting disaster to the win column, and 2023’s W/L is not a distant memory.
Winning is now a back burner item during the “reset”, but attendance is still THE priority for stl, every season.
Sure there is risk in holding onto Helsley for two-thirds of 2025, but sometimes a best case scenario is not entirely about the trade return.
Yes, but when you’re rebuilding it is ill-advised to assume that risk. Just ask the White Sox re: Luis Robert. That guy was being talked about as a potential star with a great contract who should bring back some legit assets and instead the White Sox wayyyy overshot, asking for a Sot0=esque return, and ended up with an injured and underperforming asset and have no real choice but to sit on him and hope he rebounds so that they can get even a fraction of the assets they once dreamed of in return for him. It’s better to sell for a bit less than your dream scenario and escape the risk than invite the injury fox into the henhouse.
Who is rebuilding? The team won 83 games last year.
Arizona is looking. Detroit could stand an upgrade for that matter.
Sometimes I think Arizona is the only place I see Tork thriving. He’s got too much stuff swirling around in his head in Detroit. Maybe a return to his home turf will finally see him relax, stop thinking so much and just swing the damn bat.
I hope this list isn’t in order of value. There’s no world where Steven Matz is a better value than Camilo Doval or Ryan Helsey
the trade lists are usually ranked by likelihood
Torkelson to the Pirates for Henry Davis makes sense for both clubs
I like that deal for both clubs
Bad match for Torkelson. Back to the ol’ Rumor Board.
Detroit already has 2 catchers who can’t hit – and they really like one of them.
Plus there’s another catcher who can hit in the pipeline – albeit he can’t catch.
.
Baty for Torkelson
That one I like. If they plan to move Jung back to 2B it would make sense. Tork needs a change of scenery.
DBacks should not be selling low on Monty. They’ve signed Burnes so they’re invested in the season. If Monty rebounds to form, that’s going to be an even better rotation.
But can they afford to keep him and his salary!
@Yankees
after what the owner said publicly, I can’t see Monty wanting to be back.
He either plays or doesn’t get paid.
Fans – Yep if anything it should motivate him to get into shape and perform better for a mid-season trade and next contract.
That’s spilt milk under the bridge these players aren’t that fragile.
A lot of these guys have such short memories and they are involved in so many activities. I’m sure he is motivated to show at least his teammates that was 2024 was an aberration.
He can console himself every time the check clears.
Now reds have more money to spend and target controllable players. Plus Boston is linked to Bregman, how bout reds acquire casas ?
I also like Marte to reds too.
The Reds aren’t trading for a 1Bman, maybe an OF’er.
Marte like he said.
Sure, Mets have to include 16M$.
I hope the Giants keep Doval. I think they went a bit early on the light show spectacular last year. I know the rep is as cool as a cucumber but I’m not sure he handled it that well. Head farked him. Give him a fresh start and see what happens.
If the Cardinals were going to trade Helsley and Fedde what exactly are they waiting for?
Arenado i think gets dealt no later than the trade deadline and 50 50 by opening day. Matz no later than the deadline if he is pitching well probably not until then. The Cardinals have a lot of young starters who project to be ready by mid season.
I would like to see both Arenado and Matz traded and then the Cardinals sign Scherzer. That saves money, allows the team to compete still and gives the fans something to cheer for.
If the Cardinals trade Matz, they aren’t signing another starter to replace him. The plan (without Matz) is to go with Gray, Fedde, Pallante, and two prospects, McGreevy most likely being one of them.
(This is assuming Mikolas is an afterthought at this point who will either be pitching long relief or receiving a DFA after Spring Training. If he actually is in the starting mix, that’s even more reason not to sign another starter.)
The money saved would then partially go towards signing a right-handed reliever and a right-handed outfielder.
I don’t think the Cardinals are going with 2 prospects in the rotation on opening day under any circumstance. And i certainly expect Mikolas to be in the rotation, at least until July.
The team does need a right handed hitting outfielder who can play center and at least 1 reliever. That’s for sure.
Scherzer gives a long shot team a chance to contend if everything goes right. And it gives people a reason to go to the ballpark. We will see what happens. I want them to sign him.
No Masataka Yoshida (Red Sox)? Sox need right handed hitting, have too much left handed and a crunch at DH / OF. Getting someone to take on a chunk (not all) of the contract for some speculative lower minor talent should be doable and Sox should jump at it.
Yeah Casas could make some sense but Yoshida is the guy that really makes sense to trade.
The Red Sox would have to eat about 40M of that contract to facilitate a trade. Current ownership isn’t willing to do that.
Did anyone hear a rumor than Ke’bryan Hayes asked for a trade? I read it on some random site I never heard of and they didn’t really give a reason why he would’ve demanded a trade and trade demands aren’t usual in baseball. Just curious if above heard anything too
I heard it also on WFAN
I haven’t researched if there was more than 1 source and IF it is a reliable source etc.
Pirates insiders shut down trade buzz surrounding former first-round pick
search.app/Agk4wRcdtZAnMETC8
How about change of scenery flip. Torkelson for Baty?
how is Bo bichette not on this list?
Bo is not there, because Atkins will refuse to trade him, and will let him walk at the end of the season for free.
Atkins is a poor poor poor judge of what is going on. They are selling the jays as a playoff contender and need Bo to sell tickets.
I thought Ke’Bryan Hayes would be on that list.
what do you think is a fair return from the Yanks for Hayes?
Random prospect. Hayes contract is a contract they should dump.
My targets as a pirates fan, if i was looking for someone on this list.
Marte for cause i liked watching him play in the black and gold and an upgrade even if he lost a tire along the way. Probably wouldn’t cost much while still being an upgrade.
Ward, decent upgrade, extra year of control. Probably have to give up one of the higher rated pitching prospects
Jake McCarthy an upgrade and lots of control. Probably not as expensive as Ward while not being cheap.
Suarez, pirates need quality pen. Insurance for Bednar. Trigger the options one way or the other during the trade somehow for some certainty. Not sure if/how that would work with player options.
Marte would be an upgrade over any other RF candidates they have but Mets would have to pay most of salary. Doesn’t look like Pirates are going to sign any bona fide major league OFers
Watched Marte take some strange routes to balls past couple of seasons & wonder whether his speed once upon a time masked that. Perhaps someone who saw him as a Pirate, etc knows?
Grichuk is probably looking 2 years. A paid down Marte would fit well as a platoon with Suwinski.
I really think the Yankees need to get a 3b and the only attractive name on the list is Alec Bohm who isn’t a sure thing. I don’t love the idea of marrying Bregman for 6 years, I want Kyle Tucker or the stud Japanese 1B(who will join the dodgers) next year with that money but Bregman makes more and more sense as a lower K bat.
@unglar: Why would the Dodgers sign a 1Bman while Freeman’s still under contract for 3 more seasons?
Why to be part of the Japanese national team, the Nippon Los Angeles Dodgers. There will obviously be space as Andrew Friedman will trade Freddie after he has his last elite year in 2025 so the Dodgers extract max value and trade him for a bunch of young stud prospects (before he inexplicably loses his touch in 2026, thus winning the trade) so they can make room for the Japanese 1B whose name I am embarrassed to have forgotten. Duh.
(Kidding) (Cranky Yankees fan whose envious of the dodgers having Andrew Friedman, Freddie Freakin’ Freeman and all the elite Japanese players, though not Ohtani, for some reason, I’m more upset about Yamamoto)
The Cardinals are keeping Fedde and Helsley, because they *do* have a chance to contend even while they dump payroll, and they probably will add a right-handed reliever and a right-handed platoon or bench outfielder before the offseason is over. Going for it is worth the risk of holding those guys until the trade deadline (and then still not trading them if they actually are in contention).
Also, you seem to think they want to cut a lot more payroll than they plan to actually do. They never said they actually wanted to trade Contreras or Gray, and they could make do with the payroll they’ve already cut to keep Arenado if they needed to do so.
Either way, hopefully they can trade Matz. If they can’t move either Arenado nor Matz, they may have give up Fedde in order to afford both of those aforementioned additions (perhaps getting one or both of them as part of the return package).
For what it’s worth, I think Fedde and Helsley are still on the team because other teams haven’t offered Mo enough.
Teams are more willing to go overboard at the trade deadline, but Fedde, Helsley, and others have to remain healthy and retain their value.
I’m still holding out hope Arenado, Helsley, Fedde, Matz and others are traded prior to opening day.
Mo has specifically stated that he isn’t trying to trade either player this offseason (unless of course blown away by the offer, in which sense your statement is true).
As I said, the risk of them getting injured or otherwise having a bad year is more than covered by the increase in playoff odds.
Come to think of it, why are Fedde and Helsley on the list at all, when even you agree that the Cardinals have no plans to move them this offseason?
Stop pushing a Jake McCarthy trade. He ain’t going anywhere.
Nolan Arenado will have a bounce back season and the Cardinals will compete for the NL Central title.. Mark my words.
How many of these guys were on the list before the offseason started?
Would certainly like my Bucs to go and get Casas.
Rumor is pirates are still offering up Mitch Keller and Jones and also trying to trade Hayes . And there asking for prospects . Because there trying to lower payroll
You forgot Mitch Keller and Jared Jones are on the block for a rebuilding pirates who are after prospects. Also here there trying to trade Kebraun Hayes to lower payroll . So I’d say those should be on your top 20 also
they Hayes rumors have been reported to be false by more reputable sources.
Jones trade seems silly unless the pirates know something we don’t, like the injury being a bigger issue than we know.
Keller also seems really unlikely, a mid to back end work horse starter at 70m over 4y is borderline high regardless of the team.
Keller and Hayes for Mike Trout, make it happen 😉
I was expecting to see Masa Yoshida on this list. He’s the real reason you haven’t seen Bregman or Arenado come to Boston yet.
Vlad and Bo should make this list now.
I can understand completely the Yankees need to trade Stroman for salary relief however the Yankees starters are not known to give much length and a possibly injury I don’t know why DJL is not number one on the list. I want to get rid of Stroman but sometimes depth in the rotation is a good thing, especially when the bullpen is constantly coming in earlier and earlier to ruin them by August
Cardinals could move Arenado if they included Helsley.
I know the Cards would rather have the flexibility in moving both separately but if that’s the goal, moving Arenado’s salary now, they could make it too hard to resist.
I still believe one or two of Bohm, Castellanos, Walker or Suarez are dealt before the season starts for the Phillies
Brewers or Cubs need to sign Yates, with the other team needing a Pressly or Suarez. Scott’s priced himself out of it right now. Yankees & Cards are destined to make an Arenado deal. Angels could do worse than acquiring Montgomery with D-bags picking up a chunk of change. Tigers should kick the tires on Fedde, while Orioles desperately need Cease – but that lousy deal with Marlins (Nordby & Stowers for a Triple-A plug – yuck) is probably scaring them off…
Casas aint going nowhere and nobody wants stroman
Luis Castillo to KC for Carter Jensen, Kris Bubic, and Nick Loftin , who hangs up first maybe throw in Pratto for fun to see if he can find a groove elsewhere
Why in the world would the Reds be interested in Lamont Wade Jr. they have half a roster full of players like him. Left handed batter, little power, slow and poor defender. The Reds have Jake Fraley, Jemier Candelario, Wil Benson and others for that role already.
Giants and Twins should be the perfect trade partner #10 for #8
I don’t think the Tigers are quite ready to give up on Torkelson, they’re not trading him this year.
Why even have a season in 2025? What teams have a legit shot to dethrone the massive Dodgers? No one. can match that. I like a competitive baseball world and you guys wont be seeing any more of my money on mlb dot com. What a waste.