There’s nothing but turkey bones, sweet potato scraps and stale biscuits left over from Thanksgiving.
Black Friday has come and gone and Cyber Monday has passed.
But now is the time for Major League Baseball executives to jump on the phones, letting everyone know this week who is actually available on the trade market. It’s shopping season for teams to make their best offers before the winter meetings.
Teams are envious of the heist Craig Breslow and the Boston Red Sox pulled off a year ago when they traded for Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet, who finished second in Cy Young voting and led his new team to the playofs.
Who can forget Dave Dombrowski sending six players to the Florida Marlins in the winter of 2007 for young Miguel Cabrera, who spent the next 16 years of his career in Detroit becoming one of the greatest hitters in history?
There was no greater winter-meeting blockbuster the last 40 years than the 1990 trade between the Blue Jays and Padres. First baseman Fred McGriff and shortstop Tony Fernandez went from Toronto to San Diego for second baseman Roberto Alomar and outfielder Joe Carter. The trade was so sensational that the assembled media actually broke into applause. Alomar and McGriff went into the Hall of Fame and Carter hit the biggest home run in Blue Jays history.
And no one rebuilt their team at the winter meetings using a series of trades more than St. Louis Cardinals GM Whitey Herzog in 1980, who engineered three trades involving 23 players, including future Hall of Famers Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers and Ted Simmons. Two years later, the Cardinals won the World Series with Herzog as manager.
In an offseason in which we’ve already seen the New York Mets and Texas Rangers swap the big contracts of Brandon Nimmo and Marcus Semien; the Los Angeles Angels trade slugger Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles for starter Grayson Rodriguez; and the Red Sox acquire starter Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals, here are the top 10 trade candidates heading into baseball’s winter meetings that commence Monday in Orlando:
1. Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
He’s the ultimate prize on every contender’s wish list. He’s easily the finest pitcher available with Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes going nowhere. What team wouldn’t want Skubal leading the way to the World Series? The trouble is that the price tag will be enormous for only one year of service, unless someone is willing to offer $450 million on the spot. The Tigers will trade Skubal only if they get completely blown away, delaying any tough decision until next summer. But it doesn’t hurt to ask – and the Tigers are willing to at least listen.
2. Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers
Peralta, who went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts, can certainly fit into anyone’s budget. He earns only $8 million in the final year of his contract and would cost less than Skubal in terms of a trade. Yet, after reaching the NLCS last year, the Brewers are hungry for more and believe they have the rotation that could vault them to their first World Series appearance since 1982. Just like the Tigers, the Brewers would have to be presented a package impossible to ignore to move on from Peralta.
3. Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks continue to have operators standing by ready to field your phone calls. They have told anyone and everyone they are willing to listen to offers for their All-Star second baseman, who signed a six-year, $116.5 million deal last spring with $46 million in deferred money. The D-backs want pitching, and lots of it, in return. They spent a franchise-record last winter, missed the playoffs and will open next season without free agents Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly – and ace Corbin Burnes on the injured list for most of the season. They need help, and Marte is their most valuable trade chip. The Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays, who have plenty of pitching, are all on the radar.
4. Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
They nearly traded him at last year’s deadline, and it was the best move they didn’t make with their dramatic comeback to win the AL Central. Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove winner, is projected to earn $8.8 million in his second year of salary arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Certainly, the Guardians are a better team with Kwan, but he’s the best outfielder on the trade market and would be a much more reasonable option than high-priced free agents Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger.
5. Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
The Red Sox nearly pulled off a deal for Ryan at last year’s deadline, only for them to run out of time. He’s one of the premier starters on the market with three years of control and projected to earn just $5.8 million in his first year of salary arbitration. He was 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA last season despite his struggles down the stretch, going 1-5 with a 6.47 ERA in his last seven starts. The biggest question is whether Ryan really is available this winter. The Twins, trying to reduce their debt, are trying to decide whether to move Ryan or starter Pablo Lopez, who has two years left at $21.5 million a season.
6. MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals
He’s controllable, he’s cheap, and he still has the talent that every team believes they unlock and turn into a front-line starter. If Paul Toboni, the new man in charge, wants to rebuild the farm system, Gore is the perfect player to kick-start the project. Gore, 5-15, 4.17 ERA last season, earned $2.9 million last season and is projected to earn $4.7 million in 2026. He still is under club control two more years.
7. Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays raised eyebrows by picking up Lowe’s option, considering it will cost them $11.5 million a year before he hits free agency. After resisting trade offers for him the past two seasons, this is the ideal time to move the All-Star. The question now is whether the Rays’ new ownership would really want to move a fan favorite as they try to generate some good will as the team returns to Tropicana Field.
8. Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox listened, but never came close to trading Duran at last year’s deadline. Now, it makes little sense to keep him. They already have Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu in the outfield, and have engaged on free agents Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso. Duran, who hit 16 homers with 84 RBIs, is still under control for three more years.
9. Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals’ rebuild began last week with the trade of Sonny Gray, and before spring training, will dump Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado, who plans to waive his full no-trade clause. Yet, their biggest trade piece will be Donovan, their All-Star who can play second base, shortstop and the outfield, with two more years of club control.
10. Luis Severino, Athletics
The Athletics, who celebrated his arrival a year ago when they signed him to a three-year, $67 million contract, now could be cheering his departure. Severino has not been shy letting everyone know how much he hates pitching at home in Sacramento, and has the stats to prove it. He was 2-9 with a 6.01 ERA in 15 home starts, and was 6-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 14 road starts. He is scheduled to earn $20 million in 2026 with a $22 million player option in 2027. Could a change of scenery make the difference? The A’s are trying to persuade teams to believe it.
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