The trade market hasn’t had the same impact as free agency has this winter, but with Spring Training rapidly approaching, that will surely change in the months ahead.
Daulton Varsho, Gabriel Moreno, Hunter Renfroe, Kolten Wong, Jesse Winker and Gio Urshela also landed with new teams, but the trade market has been relatively quiet for much of the offseason.
It might remain that way between now and Opening Day, but as the season gets underway and the calendar turns from spring to summer, the rumor mill will assuredly churn with trade concepts as contenders begin to separate themselves from pretenders.
For the fifth consecutive year, MLB.com has put together an “All-Trade Rumor Team,” one position at a time, looking at the key players whose names figure to be bandied about between now and the Trade Deadline.
C: Travis d’Arnaud, Braves
The Braves’ acquisition of Murphy left Atlanta with a pair of solid options behind the plate, and the club’s plan appears to be to play both catchers regularly, taking advantage of the designated hitter spot to keep them in the lineup together. That said, should the Braves need to fill a hole as the Trade Deadline approaches, that depth could come in handy.
Buzz factor: Low. d’Arnaud is set to earn $8 million in 2023 and has an $8 million club option for 2024, one that seems unlikely to be picked up as Murphy’s salary jumps from $4 million to $9 million in 2024. GM Alex Anthopoulos has said he doesn’t plan to trade d’Arnaud, but things can always change.
1B: C.J. Cron, Rockies
Cron has been quite productive during his two years with the Rockies, hitting 28 and 29 home runs in 2021 and ’22 while reaching the 100-RBI mark last season for the first time in his career. Cron has thrived outside of Colorado as well, averaging 28 home runs in each of the past four full 162-game seasons. Entering the second year of his two-year, $14.5 million deal, Cron could be a solid trade chip for Colorado if the Rockies are out of the race leading up to the Deadline.
Buzz factor: Medium. It seems unlikely that the Rockies will contend in the difficult NL West, and Cron isn’t the type of player expected to receive a qualifying offer, making a midseason trade a distinct possibility.
2B: Gleyber Torres, Yankees
With two years of arbitration eligibility remaining, Torres could be part of the Yankees’ plans in both 2023 and 2024, but he’s set to earn about $9 million this season and even more next year. He bounced back with a solid season in 2022, but he hasn’t approached his 2018-19 All-Star form over the past three seasons, and given the presence of DJ LeMahieu (who doesn’t have a starting spot), the presence of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the potential emergence of youngsters Oswald Peraza, Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera, the Yankees could decide to deal Torres to fill another hole.
Buzz factor: Low. The Yankees seem content to use LeMahieu in a jack-of-all-trades role, keeping Torres as their everyday second baseman. But should an injury arise on the pitching staff or the front office decide the bullpen needs a big boost, Torres could represent an attractive trade chip for the Yankees.
SS: Amed Rosario, Guardians
Rosario is set to become a free agent at the end of 2023, and while he and Andrés Giménez are set to start the season as the team’s middle infield combo, Rosario is likely to command roughly $9 million in his final year of arbitration — a significant figure for a club that finished 2022 with a payroll around $60 million. Brayan Rocchio, the club’s No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 69 overall prospect in the game, could be ready to assume a regular role before too long, opening the door for a trade.
Buzz factor: Medium. Cleveland is not a club that can typically afford to take on salaries at the Trade Deadline, making Rosario a potential trade chip if the Guardians feel they need to upgrade elsewhere this summer.
3B: Eduardo Escobar, Mets
Assuming that the Mets wind up with Carlos Correa, Escobar would become an expendable piece in the team’s infield. His ability to play multiple positions makes him a valuable bench piece, but Luis Guillorme can fill the same utility role at a fraction of the price. Escobar is in the second year of a two-year, $20 million deal, one that includes a $9 million club option for 2024.
Buzz factor: Medium. The potential arrival of Correa creates a roster logjam, and Escobar’s production — he’s averaged 27 home runs per year over the past three full 162-game seasons — makes him an intriguing option for teams seeking infield help.
OF: Bryan Reynolds, Pirates
Reynolds figures to appear on any list of trade candidates until he is eventually dealt, though with three years of club control, the Pirates are in no rush to move the talented center fielder. Reynolds expressed his desire to be traded this offseason, but unless the Pirates get an offer they simply can’t refuse, the club is likely to hang on to the 2021 All-Star until its price is met.
Buzz factor: Medium. The entire baseball world assumes Reynolds will be traded at some point, but the window for such a deal to take place is lengthy. It could take a major injury for a contender to pony up the players the Pirates are seeking, but given Pittsburgh’s situation and Reynolds’ request to leave, anything is possible.
OF: Ramón Laureano, Athletics
The Athletics’ rebuild continued this offseason with the trade of Sean Murphy to Atlanta, leaving Laureano as Oakland’s most logical trade chip. The 28-year-old is arbitration-eligible for the next three years, will earn roughly $4 million in 2023 and is a strong defender in both center and right field. His offensive production has been inconsistent since the start of 2020, but he showed early in his career that he’s capable of more than that. A change of scenery could help bring the best out of Laureano.
Buzz factor: Low — at least for now. The Athletics have traded most of their established veterans during the past two years, and with some youngsters such as Esteury Ruiz and Conner Capel waiting in the wings, it would hardly be a surprise to see Oakland move Laureano at some point to shed his salary.
OF: Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals
St. Louis showed its willingness to deal from the Major League roster last summer when it traded Harrison Bader to the Yankees for Jordan Montgomery, and even after making that move, the outfield remains the club’s biggest area of depth. O’Neill was limited to 96 games last year thanks to a variety of injuries, though his production when he did play paled in comparison to his strong 2021 season.
Buzz factor: Low. With Dylan Carlson, Lars Nootbaar and Juan Yepez on the roster — and prospects Jordan Walker (MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect in the game) and Alec Burleson knocking at the door — the Cardinals could use O’Neill, who is slated to become a free agent after the 2024 season, to address another need before the Trade Deadline.
DH: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
The Angels emphasized their intention to keep Ohtani this winter, shooting down any talk of an offseason trade. But what if Los Angeles finds itself out of the race by May or June? The demand for Ohtani would be enormous, igniting a bidding war for the two-way superstar. Ohtani’s $30 million salary in 2023 is high, though it wouldn’t stop a number of teams from pursuing him for a second-half run to the postseason.
Buzz factor: High. This is not to say that people expect Ohtani to be dealt, but should the Angels make him available, he would immediately become the most highly sought-after trade candidate in years (or decades?). If the Angels don’t think they can retain him at the end of the season and aren’t true postseason contenders, it would be crazy for them not to entertain the idea of bringing back a haul of prospects for Ohtani.
SP: Pablo López, Marlins
López was involved in trade talks last summer, and with only two years until his free agency, the right-hander figures to hear his name in rumors throughout 2023, as well. Entering his age-27 season, López has posted a 3.52 ERA over the past three years, throwing a career-high 180 innings in 2022. The Marlins have been seeking an impact bat to add to their lineup, and trading López — who is due to earn more than $5 million in his second year of arbitration — might be their best path to acquiring one.
Buzz factor: Medium. The Marlins appear open to the idea of trading any starter not named Sandy Alcantara, but given that López is only two years away from free agency, he would be the most logical candidate. With few impact starting pitchers still available on the free-agent market, pitching-needy teams could come calling before the season even starts.
RP: Gregory Soto, Tigers
Following an offseason that saw Edwin Díaz (five years, $102 million), Taylor Rogers (three years, $33 million) and Kenley Jansen (two years, $32 million) land big deals, you would have to assume that a two-time All-Star reliever entering his first year of arbitration would be a very valuable commodity.
Buzz factor: Low. Given Soto’s three years of club control, the Tigers should be in no rush to trade their closer. But after a disappointing 2022, trading the left-hander could bring back young talent or potentially fill a hole or two on the roster.