MLB Trade Proposals to Revive Players in Need of a Fresh Start
A year ago, Tommy Edman was a relatively minor pickup by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the same trade involving the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox that allowed the eventual World Series champions to acquire reliever Michael Kopech.
As it turned out, Edman was a massive addition, as he gave the Dodgers defensive flexibility and won the NLCS MVP.
It wasn't that the 30-year-old hadn't been productive at times in St. Louis, but a change of scenery allowed him the opportunity to perform so well that the Dodgers rewarded him with five-year, $74 million deal in the offseason.
So who could be this year's version of Edman? Here are six trade proposals that would give talented players who have stalled out in their current locations a fresh start.
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Pirates Trade Ke'Bryan Hayes to Yankees
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Many Yankees fans would like their team to acquire Eugenio Suárez from the Arizona Diamondbacks. But if Brian Cashman and Co. don't land the All-Star slugger, Ke'Bryan Hayes of the Pirates could be an interesting option at third base.
To be clear, Hayes hasn't developed into much of an offensive player, so it would be incorrect to think of him as an alternative to Suárez, even though he plays the same position.
Hayes did hit 15 home runs and drive in 61 runs in 2023, so there's a chance things could still click for the 28-year-old to at least be a capable offensive player.
His meal ticket, though, has been his glove. He won a Gold Glove Award in 2023, and he has a staggering 15 defensive runs saved and 13 outs above average in 2025. He's probably one of the five best defenders at any position in baseball.
A Pirates team that pinches pennies under owner Bob Nutting probably isn't thrilled about paying Hayes $30 million over the next four seasons, but the reality is that if he is even just OK at the plate, his defense will make that amount a bargain.
If the Yankees are willing to absorb the remaining money owed to Hayes, it probably wouldn't take a major return to land the third baseman. LHP Henry Lalane and/or RHP Cade Smith—the No. 10 and No. 15 prospects in New York's system, per MLB Pipeline—could be interesting pieces for the Pirates to consider.
White Sox Trade Luis Robert Jr. to Padres
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While the Padres were thankful not to have re-signed Jurickson Profar when he was suspended after testing positive for PEDs during the first week of the season, they have struggled to replace his production in 2025.
On the surface, there's not a ton to love about what Luis Robert Jr. is as a player right now. He has a lengthy injury history and has hit just .216 with a .648 OPS since the start of the 2024 season.
What's interesting, though, is that Gavin Sheets has revived his career in San Diego this season with 14 home runs and 51 RBI after being non-tendered by the White Sox last offseason.
Might San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller be compelled to go back to the well with a once-heralded player from the White Sox?
Frankly, there's not a lot of risk. If you trade for Robert and he stinks and/or gets hurt, so be it. But this is someone who is only two years removed from hitting 38 home runs.
He is really struggling this year, but his .267 batting average on balls in play—he has a .321 career BABIP—suggests he's been unlucky. And he's generally been a strong center fielder.
Robert's contract has $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, meaning he's likely a rental. So acquiring him likely wouldn't require giving up a top-10 prospect.
Robert—who will turn 28 in early August—would likely move to left field if acquired by the Padres, who have Jackson Merrill in center field. Sheets would then get more at-bats at DH.
Diamondbacks Trade Zac Gallen to Cubs
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Two years after he was an NL Cy Young Award finalist, Zac Gallen is having a rather disastrous contract year, with a 5.58 ERA and 4.86 FIP to show for his first 21 starts.
But between 2022 and 2024, his 12.1 WAR was seventh among all starting pitchers, according to FanGraphs. If the Diamondbacks are willing to consider offers for him—he's among a ton of impending free agents in Phoenix—there are going to be teams who convince themselves they can get him back on track with some minor tweaks.
The Cubs are a team in win-now mode given Kyle Tucker can become a free agent after this season. They have a strong one-two starting rotation punch with Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd, but they could use another frontline option to take the ball for them in the postseason. Gallen, when he's right, fits that bill.
Chicago or any other team is going to have to convince Arizona not to hold onto Gallen and give him a qualifying offer in the offseason. If he gets the QO from the Diamondbacks, perhaps he takes it to rebuild his value. If he declines it, the Snakes will get draft compensation in return for him.
So, there's an argument to be made for holding on to the soon-to-be 30-year-old, even if the D-backs acknowledge 2025 probably isn't their year.
But if Cubs' president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer offers the Diamondbacks a pitcher who could help Arizona at the MLB level in 2026—like No. 5 prospect Jaxon Wiggins or No. 7 prospect Brandon Birdsell—Gallen could wind up pitching on the north side for the remainder of the season.
Rangers Trade Adolis García to Giants
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Adolis García is in a weird spot because he's been one of the best fielders in baseball this season, with 14 defensive runs saved, which is sixth among all defenders.
For the second consecutive season, though, he's not hitting like you would expect, which could make him an interesting trade candidate in the coming weeks if the Rangers either fall out of things or just look to shake up a lineup that has largely underperformed as a group.
At his best, García is an electric player with pop. Before eventually winning ALCS MVP in 2023, he hit 39 home runs and posted an .836 OPS during the regular season. But since then, he's hit just .226 with a .678 OPS in 250 games.
Perhaps the 32-year-old will never recapture the magic he had a few years ago, but considering he's still an elite defender and there are so few impact at-bats available, teams will be intrigued by trying to unlock him at the plate again.
Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey has already swung a trade for Rafael Devers, and García is someone who would fit well in San Francisco.
Not only is he capable of traversing the complicated right field at Oracle Park, but he would also give San Francisco a significant offensive upgrade against lefties over Mike Yastrzemski.
Righty Trevor McDonald—San Francisco's No. 9 prospect—is someone who could help the Rangers next season, if not in 2025. A decent prospect at 24 and the chance not to have to pay García an increase on the $10.5 million he's making this year in 2026, his final arb year, could get a deal done.
It's just dependent on whether the Rangers believe they can get more out of García at the plate moving forward.
Twins Trade Griffin Jax to Phillies
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Griffin Jax is a little different than some of the other names on this list because while his 3.74 ERA this year has been disappointing, his 2.88 expected ERA and 1.91 FIP both suggest he's been unlucky to this point and is going to get much better results moving forward.
Even if the 30-year-old doesn't need a change of scenery before the July 31 trade deadline to turn things around, it's possible he'll get one.
Both Jax and Jhoan Durán will be coveted by bullpen-needy teams. While Durán is the bigger name and an excellent closer, it's Jax who leads all relievers in WAR since the start of the 2023 season, per FanGraphs. He's a tremendous reliever, and there's no reason to think he couldn't be a closer if either Durán is dealt or Jax gets traded to a team in need of a stopper.
To that end, the Phillies are a team that even after signing David Robertson is desperately in need of bullpen reinforcements. Offseason signee Jordan Romano hasn't panned out, and while José Alvarado will return in mid-August from his PED suspension, he's not going to be eligible to pitch in the postseason.
Jax would immediately be the best reliever in Rob Thomson's bullpen, giving the Phillies an elite arm to pair with their excellent starting rotation in a year with World Series expectations. He also has two remaining arbitration years after 2025, so the Phillies would potentially be getting Jax for three postseason runs.
Of course, the Twins aren't going to trade the 30-year-old unless they get a great return.
Shortstop Aidan Miller—the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies' system and No. 20 in baseball—could headline a deal for Jax. The 21-year-old has dealt with some growing pains at Double-A Reading this year, but he is a piece who could become a building block in the Twins' lineup beginning in 2026.
