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In a perfect world, every trade made in MLB would be inoffensive. All involved parties would get what they want and fans would never get up in arms.
This, of course, is not how it works. Least of all where fans are concerned.
After all, time isn’t a necessary ingredient for a trade to become controversial with fans. Some are unpopular right off the bat. As proof, one only needs to gesture in the direction of recent deals involving Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt, Francisco Lindor and Nolan Arenado.
Which brings us to this question: What unpopular trade concepts not only could, but should come to fruition this winter?
I’ve proposed one for each team, though I took advantage of the leeway afforded by the word “concepts.” Most of these concern players who should leave town, but a select few ponder deals that shouldn’t be made.
The general idea was to find middle ground between unflinching and logical. Just because these are unpopular ideas doesn’t make them nonsensical, in other words.
After beginning with a team that no longer associates itself with any city, we’ll proceed in alphabetical order by city.
The Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta
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The Athletics: They Shouldn’t Trade Brent Rooker
Honestly, this is a hard argument to make. The truth is that the A’s would be wise to get all they could for Rooker even if they weren’t about to sequester themselves at a minor league stadium for the next three years.
The slugger is about to turn 30 on November 1 and will be arbitration-eligible for the next three years. He’s therefore not an ideal building block. And after posting a .927 OPS and 39 homers in 2024, his value may be as high as it’ll ever be.
The A’s were nonetheless right to be reluctant to move Rooker at the deadline. They have a halfway-decent team coming together, and its transition to an actual good team could go much faster if he’s kept on as a mentor for Lawrence Butler and other young hitters.
Arizona Diamondbacks: They Should Trade Jordan Lawlar
The Diamondbacks drafted Lawlar with the No. 6 overall pick just three years ago, and he’s still counted among the top prospects in the game.
Increasingly, though, there are questions about how and when he’s going to become a mainstay in Arizona. Injuries have done much to slow his progression, and especially this year. The 22-year-old ultimately played in just 24 minor league games.
As the Diamondbacks are otherwise more than well-equipped on offense at the major league level, they should consider swapping Lawlar for help for their much-maligned pitching staff. Garrett Crochet, at least, figures to be out there for the taking.
Atlanta: They Should Trade Marcell Ozuna
To be clear, Atlanta is already expected to exercise Ozuna’s $16 million option for 2025. It’s an easy call, as he’s emerged from lost years in 2021 and 2022 to slam 79 homers over the last two seasons.
And yet, it will deliberately create a logjam at designated hitter as soon as it picks up Ozuna’s option. It’s the only truly viable position for both him and Jorge Soler, who will also pull in $16 million next season.
If one of them has to go, it should be Ozuna. And not just because he has more value than Soler right now. At 33, he is also a year older than Soler, and there’s a greater risk of what value he has going kaput in the near future.
Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs
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Baltimore Orioles: They Should Trade Jordan Westburg
The expression “good problem to have” comes to mind, but it’s nonetheless fair to raise the point that the Orioles have more young hitters than they’re going to have at-bats for.
Should they seek to subtract from this surplus, Westburg is a sensible selection on multiple fronts. For starters, the 25-year-old’s value is up after an All-Star season. There’s also how his right-handed swing suffers a power penalty at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, where the left field wall is miles away from home plate.
In theory, the Orioles could trade Westburg for pitching and replace him with Coby Mayo. He’s also a right-handed-hitting third baseman, but his power is, shall we say, a bit more ample.
Boston Red Sox: They Should Trade Jarren Duran
Speaking of surpluses, the Red Sox have way, way too many left-handed hitters. They would do well to trade one of them this winter, with Triston Casas and Wilyer Abreu seeming like the two most probable candidates to go.
However, there are advantages with trading Duran instead. The big one is that, following a season in which he had 83 extra-base hits and topped even Juan Soto in rWAR, his trade value is probably as high as it’s ever going to be.
Yet there’s also Duran’s less-than-ideal profile as a cornerstone. He’s already 28 years old, and 2025 will be his first of four arbitration-eligible seasons, making him neither especially young nor especially cheap.
Chicago Cubs: They Should Trade Jameson Taillon
Granted, this is not the first time during Taillon’s tenure with the Cubs that his name has come up in trade speculation. He was being floated as a possible trade candidate back in July.
If the Cubs didn’t want to trade him then, they may be even less amenable to moving him this winter. With a 3.27 ERA over 165.1 innings, the veteran righty more than justified his $18 million salary. And the Cubs finished strong, going 32-21 after the deadline.
There is nonetheless a slight odor of unsustainability with Taillon’s 2024 performance, so the Cubs would be wise to sell high. They would be even wiser to swap him for a bat. To throw one idea out there, a Taillon-for-Ozuna concept could be workable.
Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians
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Chicago White Sox: They Shouldn’t Trade Luis Robert Jr.
Saying the White Sox shouldn’t trade Garrett Crochet would be the hotter take here, but even I can’t go that far. They would be fools not to cash him in even if he was perfectly happy with his financial situation, and he’s not.
Comparatively, it’s a layup to say the White Sox shouldn’t move Robert. But that doesn’t make it any less sensible.
He had value aplenty after a 2023 season in which he amassed 5.0 rWAR, but much of it is now out the window after he struggled with injuries and posted .657 OPS this year. Chicago should hold him for 2025 and hope he recoups value in time for a summer deal.
Cincinnati Reds: They Should Trade Spencer Steer
The Reds are another team with a surplus of young hitters, and the popular idea for how to leverage it in a trade tends to involve moving Jonathan India.
The thing about Steer, though, is that he’s a corner infielder who doesn’t have much daylight to regularly play those positions for Cincinnati. Hence why he spends so much time in left field, where he’s among the worst defenders in MLB.
At the least, there’s no harm in the Reds dangling Steer in front of teams that could use him at first base and see if they can extract pitching from any of them.
Cleveland Guardians: They Should Trade Josh Naylor
Like with the Jameson Taillon concept, this is not an original idea. The Guardians were reportedly talking about moving Naylor last winter.
Doing so would have been unpopular even then. With Naylor now fresh off hitting a career-high 31 home runs, one’s gut says Cleveland fans would be even less understanding if he was traded this winter.
The Guardians have nonetheless been known to trade prized assets before they have a chance to reach free agency, and that moment will come for Naylor after 2025. If they can move him for a much-needed starting pitcher, they should.
Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros
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Colorado Rockies: They Should Trade Ryan McMahon
“[Sorry], the Rockies love him, he’s under contract for three more years, and they’re not even listening to offers for him.”
That was Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Colorado’s stance with McMahon ahead of the trade deadline, and the only surprising thing was how unsurprising that was. For better or worse, loyalty is the Rockies’ calling card.
It’s often for worse, including in this case. After back-to-back 100-loss seasons, they need to recognize their love for McMahon shouldn’t overrule his value as a trade piece potentially worth multiple prospects.
Detroit Tigers: They Should Trade Will Vest
Remember when everyone was buzzing about the Tigers possibly trading Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline? Well, it didn’t happen then and it sure as heck won’t happen this winter.
What Detroit should consider, though, is subtracting from its seemingly limitless supply of talented relievers. Vest is one of the better ones on paper, but he’s also the best candidate for a sell-high deal.
Though the righty finished with a sub-3.00 mark for a second year in a row, his ERA should have been a run higher than it was. So, if the Tigers can leverage Vest and his three remaining years of club control for a hitting prospect, they should do it.
Houston Astros: They Should Trade Framber Valdez
Oh, don’t be so surprised. The Astros were reportedly listening on Valdez last winter, and that was a time when the state of their starting rotation was questionable.
That isn’t so much the case now. Even if Valdez is removed from the equation, the Astros still have Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco, plus Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr. and José Urquidy awaiting returns from injuries in 2025.
Meanwhile, Astros general manager Dana Brown is already talking about having to get “a little bit creative” with payroll this winter. To this end, moving Valdez and his projected $17.8 million salary could improve the team’s chances of re-signing Alex Bregman.
Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Kansas City Royals: They Should Trade Brady Singer
The Royals made the playoffs on the strength of their run prevention, but then they were unable to hide how thin they are offensively. They scored all of 15 runs in six games.
Since it would be out of character for the Royals to shop at the top of the free-agent market, it’s hard not to think of them making a classic arm-for-bat trade. And if they do, Singer should be the one to go.
He has value by way of being a 28-year-old who just made 32 starts and posted a 3.71 ERA, but he was merely the Royals’ fourth-best starter. Singer would stand to play that part again if they’re able to keep Michael Wacha, who has a $16 million player option for 2025.
Los Angeles Angels: They Shouldn’t Trade Anyone
The Angels’ first post-Shohei Ohtani season went about as well as anyone could have expected. And if any team in MLB needs to rebuild, it’s surely this one.
Yet it seems Angels owner Arte Moreno prefers the “I’m not owned” route. He wants to contend in 2025, and he aims to raise payroll to make it happen.
It probably won’t work, but L.A. wouldn’t be out of its mind to try to replicate the Royals model by fleshing out its pitching staff around Tyler Anderson. And besides, it’s not like it has any hugely valuable trade chips to cash in anyway.
Los Angeles Dodgers: They Should Trade Max Muncy
It was only after I thought of this idea that I saw Adam Jude of the Seattle Times pitched it first, specifically in conjunction with the Mariners.
I nonetheless consider this a “great minds” situation, because trading Muncy this winter is something the Dodgers should be willing to consider.
As he’s tallied 190 home runs since 2018, it would be easy to market the 34-year-old as a top source of left-handed power. They could then use the savings on his $14.5 million salary to address other needs, be it re-signing Teoscar Hernández or adding starting pitching.
Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins
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Miami Marlins: They Shouldn’t Trade Jesús Luzardo
This is a hard one, as it’s difficult to have strong feelings about any of the players the Marlins are rostering right now. All the same, now simply isn’t a good time to move Luzardo.
They should have done it last winter, when the lefty was coming off his best season yet as a major leaguer. He made 32 starts and posted a 3.58 ERA, with 208 strikeouts in 178.2 innings.
Luzardo went from that to missing most of 2024 with a stress reaction in his lower back, also managing just a 5.00 ERA when he was healthy. Like with the White Sox and Luis Robert Jr., patience and hope could suit Miami better than jumping the gun here.
Milwaukee Brewers: They Should Trade Devin Williams
This is another not-quite-original take, as the Brewers themselves are not committing to bringing Williams back for 2025:
The twist is that, unlike with Corbin Burnes, the Brewers notably have some cost control over their two-time All-Star closer. The deal they did with him last winter contains a $10.5 million club option for 2025, which is a bargain price for a reliever of his caliber.
Yet as they were with Burnes, the Brewers must be realistic about the likelihood of Williams leaving as a free agent after 2025. If they can turn him into a haul of prospects, they need to take advantage.
Minnesota Twins: They Should Trade Royce Lewis
This is perhaps the most out-of-nowhere concept in this entire exercise, but there are multiple reasons for the Twins to be questioning how Lewis fits in their plans.
He often can’t fit in their plans because of his injuries, which have limited him to 532 professional games since 2017. And because of poor defense at third base, his future is likely at second base. Trouble is, that’s also the best spot for erstwhile top prospect Brooks Lee.
The Twins need to upgrade a pitching staff that degraded from 2023 to 2024, and they need to do it with less broadcasting revenue. A trade of Lewis could be a difference-maker to this end.
New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies
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New York Mets: They Should Trade Edwin Díaz
Ordinarily, a trade of a closer who missed all of 2023 and who wasn’t great in 2024 would be a hard sell. And in this case, we’re talking about a closer on a $102 million contract.
However, the Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer deals from last year prove Mets owner Steve Cohen is amenable to eating a ton of money for the sake of maximizing returns in trades. And he should want to go to that well again with Díaz this winter.
Committing $102 million to the 30-year-old was always risky, and the potential reward is clouded after a year in which both his fastball velocity and whiff rate were below his career norms.
Díaz’s no-trade protection is indeed a variable in this scenario, but that alone shouldn’t stop the Mets from at least trying to offload him before his deal truly goes bad.
New York Yankees: They Should Trade Luke Weaver
The thought occurred to make this about Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones. But with Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo about to be free agents, the Yankees aren’t exactly in a position to subtract outfielders.
So why take an “Actually, this guy should go” stance on Weaver? Partly for lack of a better idea, to be honest. But also because the Yankees are probably never going to get a better chance to sell high on him.
The 31-year-old has been terrific this season, and especially since taking over closing duties on September 6. But relative to the rest of his career, to call 2024 an outlier for him would be understating it. The Yankees must be careful about believing it can last.
Philadelphia Phillies: They Should Trade Bryson Stott
Trade speculation is already starting to swirl around Alec Bohm, but he’s not the best fit for this particular exercise.
As much as Phillies fans probably wouldn’t be sad to see Bohm go after how he finished the year, the team shouldn’t want to move him. His power is suspect, sure, but he’s probably the best pure hitter the team has.
After a season in which he regressed both offensively and defensively, Stott is the guy the Phillies should really be looking to trade. He could likely bring back a solid package of prospects, and then they could look to a near-future in which Trea Turner and top prospect Aidan Miller are sharing the middle of their infield.
Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants
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Pittsburgh Pirates: They Should Trade Jared Jones
This isn’t quite the same as suggesting the Pirates should trade Paul Skenes, but it’s close. Along with Mitch Keller, the two are meant to be fixtures in Pittsburgh’s rotation for a long time.
The problem, of course, is that the Pirates badly need offense. They’ve finished 13th or lower among NL teams in runs five years in a row. Imminent help isn’t coming from the farm, and you can pretty much rule out the Bucs buying bats in free agency.
The trade market is therefore pretty much their only hope of adding an impact hitter or two. And even sans Jones, the future of Pittsburgh’s rotation would still look bright. The club’s farm system is rich with upper-level pitching.
San Diego Padres: They Should Trade Luis Arraez
Sometimes you just have to give in when tempted to cause chaos. That’s what I’m doing here, as this would result in a three-time defending batting champion getting traded for a third time in as many years.
Yet in all seriousness, the Padres should at least be willing to listen on Arraez this winter. The alternative is running headlong into a $14.6 million projected salary, and they shouldn’t be overly willing to do so.
That is a lot of money for a guy who, despite all the hits, was only worth 1.1 rWAR this year. It’s also money they could then reinvest in Jurickson Profar and/or Ha-Seong Kim in free agency.
San Francisco Giants: They Should Trade Jordan Hicks
The caveat here is that Hicks wouldn’t seem to be especially popular in San Francisco. He was quick to earn goodwill in his first season as a Giant, but just as quick in squandering it.
The hard-throwing righty had a 2.33 ERA in 11 starts out of the gate, but then a 6.42 ERA over his next nine. He finished the year in the bullpen, where his reliability was about as spotty as it had been in prior experiences with St. Louis and Toronto.
With the guy who signed Hicks to a four-year, $44 million contract now out of the picture, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants at least shopped him this winter. The only question then is what they could even get for him.
Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays
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Seattle Mariners: They Should Trade Bryce Miller
“That wouldn’t be Plan A, but we’ll go into every offseason open to whatever ideas might make us better.”
That was Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto in September, speaking on the possibility of trading one of the club’s prized starters for a hitter. And according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, the team is “open to anything” with trade scenarios.
If that includes choosing Miller as the arm to be sacrificed for a bat, then so be it. As a 26-year-old with club control through 2029, he’s a rarely valuable piece in the abstract. And yet, he also likely overachieved in posting a 2.94 ERA this year.
St. Louis Cardinals: They Should Trade Lars Nootbaar
The entire Cardinals roster has spent the last few years devolving into a nondescript unit, but you can at least still call Nootbaar a fan favorite with a straight face.
The 27-year-old should be a trade candidate anyway, of course. Because while he does come with baked-in injury concerns, above-average hitters who can play all three outfield spots and still have club control through 2027 aren’t exactly plentiful.
Plus, Nootbaar is coming out of 2024 with some helium. He was hot in the last six weeks of the regular season, batting .280 with an .896 OPS over his last 39 games.
Tampa Bay Rays: They Should Trade Jeffrey Springs
These are the Rays we’re talking about. Nobody should rule out them trading anyone, ever. That’s just how they roll.
And this winter, it seems more than likely they’ll subtract from their pitching depth in an attempt to improve their offense. Springs is the most logical candidate to go, and not just because his salary will double from $5.3 million this year to $10.5 million in 2025.
Though he was sidelined for over a year after Tommy John surgery in April 2023, he has a 2.59 ERA to his name as a starter for the Rays. They may be able to spare him, but you can bet other teams will treat him as a rare find if he’s made available.
Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals
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Texas Rangers: They Should Trade Josh Smith
This is possibly the least controversial idea of the bunch, as it’s hard to see Smith as anything more than a spare part in Texas.
The 27-year-old only got a chance to show what he can do at third base by way of Josh Jung’s broken wrist, and his initial success proved to be short-lived. After batting over .300 through May 7, Smith hit only .247 the rest of the way.
The best argument for the Rangers to keep Smith is as insurance for both Jung and Corey Seager on the left side of the infield. But with GM Chris Young set to prioritize starting pitching, Texas could benefit if another team wants Smith for an everyday job.
Toronto Blue Jays: They Should Trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Bo Bichette is the core star the Blue Jays will reportedly be looking to move this winter, but they’d be better off shopping Guerrero.
As he’s projected to earn $29.6 million in his final season of arbitration-eligibility, there’s an obvious financial incentive for Toronto to move Guerrero. There’s also the straightforward matter of value. Bichette had a lost season in 2024, while Guerrero posted a .940 OPS and topped 30 homers for the third time in four seasons.
Trading Guerrero would require the Blue Jays to admit defeat on next season, which would run contrary to how they’ve positioned themselves. But if nothing else, waving the white flag on 2025 would be an honest assessment of where the team is right now.
Washington Nationals: They Should Trade Jacob Young
It’s hard to imagine the Nationals trading as either a seller or as a buyer this winter. They’re not laden with veteran trade chips, and their core youngsters aren’t going anywhere.
But when one looks at Young, one basically sees the next coming of Myles Straw. The 25-year-old is an exceptionally talented defensive center fielder, yet one with little to offer on offense apart from a solid bat-to-ball skill and speed on the basepaths.
Granted, this is not a flattering comparison in the context of the Nationals keeping Young. But given the Astros turned Straw into Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton in a 2021 trade, the comparison could end up looking a lot better if they move him.
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