The Best Landing Spot for MLB Players Rumored to Be on the Trade Block
We are at the point of the MLB offseason where everything appears to be moving at a snail's pace.
The most compelling aspect of free agency is figuring out how an eight-year-old ankle surgery is suddenly keeping Carlos Correa from a life-changing contract.
Most of the relevant player movement happening now can be expected from the trade market. Not every team achieved its free-agency goals, leaving the trade option as their next best thing.
So, let's look at the best landing spot for MLB players rumored to be on the trade block.
Pablo López to St. Louis Cardinals
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St. Louis is coming off a magical 2022 season, but it was upended when they were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card Series.
Since then, the Cardinals have watched their NL competitors either close the gap or pass them by during free agency. In the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs signed shortstop Dansby Swanson and added former NL MVP Cody Bellinger.
The New York Mets signed former Cardinals pitcher José Quintana to go on a staff with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. They're also still working on that deal for Carlos Correa.
The San Diego Padres signed Xander Bogaerts just a few months after trading for Juan Soto.
St. Louis needs to do something beyond replacing Yadier Molina with Willson Contreras to separate itself from the previous year's team.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Marlins are listening to offers for "almost anyone" other than Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.
López (10-10, 3.75 ERA, 174 K, 1.17 WHIP) would help a rotation that does not have a true ace but still hopes to remain competitive in a healthy Senior Circuit.
López's contract is under team control for the next two seasons, giving the Cardinals at least a couple of years with some stability on its staff.
Josh Donaldson to Any Team That Will Take Him
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The problem with finding the right landing spot for Josh Donaldson, who the Yankees have made available in trade talks, is that no one really seems interested in acquiring his services.
Last season, Donaldson was a Gold Glove-caliber defender at third base but produced his lowest single-season wRC+ (97) since 2012. Bat speed is a question for the 37-year-old former MVP, who posted a 1.6 fWAR and slashed .222/.308/.374 with 15 homer runs and 62 RBI.
Donaldson, who made $21 million in each of the last three seasons, is set to make $21 million again in 2023. His deal features a $6 million mutual option in 2024.
If we had to pick a team, though, he is still better than anyone the Texas Rangers have at third base. They are a team looking to become a legitimate contender, as evidenced by signing Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jacob deGrom in the last two offseasons.
Aaron Hicks to San Francisco Giants
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So the Giants don't get the Yankee Aaron they want but rather the Yankee Aaron they need.
That's right. Not Aaron Judge. Aaron Hicks.
Like with Donaldson, the Yankees are reportedly open to trading Hicks, who is owed $30 million over the next three seasons but had a disappointing 2022 season. He hit .216/.330/.313, far from a compelling trade magnet for any team.
But The Athletic's Chris Kirschner came up with an interesting trade package of Hicks and Gleyber Torres to the Giants for Alex Wood and Tommy La Stella.
Granted, this was proposed before the Giants signed Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger or brought back Joc Pederson. But it was also before they whiffed on Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa.
Hicks gives San Francisco some outfield depth with Pederson and Conforto. This may not be enough to convince the Giants to make a move, but New York should be looking for a team like San Francisco with enough money and roster flexibility to help the Yankees create their own by moving a declining but useful player like Hicks.
Corbin Burnes to Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers have to address a rotation that has lost Tyler Anderson to the crosstown Angels, Andrew Heaney to the Texas Rangers and will be missing Walker Buehler in 2023 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
They are bringing back Clayton Kershaw and adding Noah Syndergaard, but it's going to take more than that to help carry Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May to the best NL rotation, as it was in 2022.
Burnes was excellent this past season, posting a 2.94 ERA with a 12-8 record in 33 starts. His 202 innings pitched was a career high, as were his 243 strikeouts.
Understandably, the asking price for Burnes is "astronomical," according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The Dodgers boast one of baseball's top farm systems and would likely have to part with a top prospect like catcher Diego Cartaya to land Burnes. But it would make such a difference for a group struggling to keep its grip on a spicy National League.
Bryan Reynolds to Boston Red Sox
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The Red Sox have a long way to go toward building a roster their fans can feel good about. It may not happen this offseason, coming off a last-place finish in an otherwise thriving AL East.
Still, trading for Bryan Reynolds remains a faint possibility and would liven up what's been an otherwise underwhelming offseason in Boston.
As laid out for a previous landing spots article about Reynolds, the Red Sox have high priority holes to fill in the outfield. Their best free agent options are gone.
Plus, with one of the better farm systems in baseball, Boston could meet the Pittsburgh Pirates' steep price for Reynolds, who would immediately become their best option in center field. It would also keep him away from the rival New York Yankees or Toronto Blue Jays, other teams to watch in the Reynolds pursuit.
It's worth mentioning the Pirates' reluctance to deal Reynolds away, but given his early December trade request, they could be swayed.
Jorge Mateo to Atlanta
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According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Baltimore Orioles started getting inquiries on Mateo as soon as Dansby Swanson reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs.
It only makes sense that Atlanta, after missing out on its own free agent, would turn to Mateo as a solid backup plan at shortstop.
He makes sense as a trade target for Atlanta. Along with Willy Adames, Mateo is likely the best player at the position who could be available and his contract is under club control through 2025.
Mateo ranked 14th among shortstops in fWAR (2.8) and 20th in wRC+ (82). That doesn't exactly replace Swanson's production, who posted a 6.4 fWAR and 116 wRC+ last season.
But it's the closest Atlanta will get for the estimated $1.8 million Mateo's owed in his first arbitration year, compared to Adames' $9.6 million.
Alek Thomas to New York Yankees
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The Yankees are still in the market for a left fielder after losing Andrew Benintendi in free agency.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the market for a right-handed hitting infielder, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
Thomas played all 112 of his games in center field for Arizona this past season but could fill the role New York is looking for in left. He posted a slash line of .231/.275/.344, with eight home runs, 39 RBI, 76 OPS+ and 1.4 bWAR.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the Yankees have discussed outfielders with the Diamondbacks, with Thomas named as the most likely to be traded by Arizona. Sherman noted that the Yankees would likely have more interest in Daulton Varsho, but Arizona has already traded him to Toronto.
The question is the price to pay. Would it cost more than simply Gleyber Torres, who fits the right-handed-hitting infielder profile Arizona craves?
Or would it require a top-tier prospect like shortstop Oswald Peraza?
