10 MLB Players Who Could Still Be Traded Before 2026 Opening Day
The 2025 MLB trade deadline was one of the busiest in recent memory, but there were also a lot of notable players rumored to be on the move but ended up staying put.
Guys such as Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara will now close out the 2025 season with their current clubs, but that doesn't slam the door on a potential trade in the future.
Ahead, we've highlighted 10 players who stayed with their current club at the deadline but could still be traded before 2026 Opening Day.
All of these players were at least rumored to be generating interest from other clubs leading up to the deadline, so there is more than just speculation at play in suggesting they could be dealt.
SP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
1 of 10
Age: 29
Contract Status: Signed through 2026, club option for 2027
Stats: 22 GS, 6.44 ERA (4.35 FIP), 1.42 WHIP, 86 K, 116.0 IP, -1.4 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: Things have not gone well for Alcantara in his return from Tommy John surgery, and his lackluster performance is the reason he is still wearing a Marlins uniform. The club was not willing to lower its asking price at the deadline, and contenders were not willing to pay a premium for a pitcher with an ERA over six. If he finishes strong, expect him and his $17.3 million salary for 2026 to be back on the trade block this winter.
Potential Impact: Alcantara is still not far removed from posting a 2.28 ERA over 228.2 innings while racking up 8.0 WAR on his way to 2022 NL Cy Young honors, and his peripheral numbers suggest there is room for positive regression in his 2025 performance. Another year removed from going under the knife, he is capable of providing frontline production.
3B Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
2 of 10
Age: 34
Contract Status: Signed through 2027
Stats: 394 PA, 85 OPS+, .235/.294/.366, 26 XBH (10 HR), 43 RBI, 1.0 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Cardinals have been trying to move Arenado since the start of last offseason, and while he blocked a trade to the Astros in December, he has never ruled out accepting a move elsewhere. His contract was front-loaded, so his salary drops from $32 million this year to $27 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027, and the Rockies are paying $5 million of his 2026 salary, so the financials don't seem quite as insurmountable as they did a year ago.
Potential Impact: At this point in his career, Arenado is a solid veteran presence with a reliable glove at third base, but he's no longer the superstar he was in his prime. He has adopted more of a contact-oriented approach this season and is striking out a career-low 9.9 percent of the time, so he has shown an ability to adjust as his raw tools diminish.
1B Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays
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Age: 33
Contract Status: Club option for 2026
Stats: 477 PA, 126 OPS+, .282/.344/.473, 41 XBH (20 HR), 65 RBI, 2.2 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Rays have made a habit of signing guys to team-friendly extensions, back-loading those contracts, and then flipping the players before they reach peak cost. Díaz is the third-highest paid player on the Tampa Bay roster this year with a $10 million salary, and his club option for next year is valued at $12 million, making him an obvious trade chip for the cost-conscious club.
Potential Impact: Teams that miss out on Josh Naylor, Ryan O'Hearn and Luis Arraez in free agency could turn their attention to Díaz on the trade market as they look to address first base. He is an elite contact hitter on his way to blowing past his previous career high of 22 home runs, and his reasonable salary and short-term commitment makes him a potential target to a broader market of teams.
OF Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
4 of 10
Age: 28
Contract Status: Club option for 2026, arbitration-eligible through 2028
Stats: 498 PA, 118 OPS+, .262/.328/.462, 54 XBH (12 HR), 63 RBI, 3.3 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Red Sox have an obvious logjam in the outfield with Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and rookie Roman Anthony all vying for playing time. Duran is the most logical trade candidate of the bunch in terms of value and remaining control. Flipping him for a controllable pitcher to bolster the starting rotation is something the Boston front office will need to seriously consider.
Potential Impact: He might not duplicate his 8.7-WAR season from a year ago, but Duran continues to fill up the stat sheet while providing quality defense in the outfield. He can be a game-changing leadoff hitter to a team looking to reshape its lineup, and his ability to handle all three outfield spots further widens his appeal to teams.
SP MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals
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Age: 26
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027
Stats: 22 GS, 3.80 ERA (3.48 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, 148 K, 123.0 IP, 2.9 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: In theory, Gore is exactly the type of player the Nationals should be holding onto as they try to take the next step from rebuilding to climbing back into contention. However, he is just two years away from free agency, which might not line up with their return to relevance. He also has Scott Boras as his agent, which makes hammering out an extension unlikely. And once he hits the open market, the odds are high the Nationals will be outbid by someone else.
Potential Impact: Gore is not quite an ace at this point in his career, but he is knocking on the door, earning his first All-Star selection this year. His 28.7 percent strikeout rate ranks seventh among qualified starting pitchers, and he has improved his walk rate in each of his four seasons in the majors. He can slot in as a good No. 2/3 starter with ace upside on a contending team.
SP Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Age: 29
Contract Status: Signed through 2028
Stats: 23 GS, 3.89 ERA (3.70 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, 104 K, 132.0 IP, 1.2 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Pirates opted to hold onto Keller at the trade deadline, along with several other more obvious trade candidates, but expect him to be shopped more aggressively this winter. The five-year, $77 million extension he signed prior to the 2024 season is set to pay him $16.9 million in 2026, $18.4 million in 2027 and $20.4 million in 2028. That's not unreasonable relative to his market value, but it's likely more than the tight-fisted Pirates want on the books.
Potential Impact: At his best, Keller is an All-Star starter capable of serving as a No. 2 starter on a contending team, but he remains a bit inconsistent to be counted on to fill that role. Instead, he would slot in nicely as a No. 3/4 starter on a team with title aspirations, with the knowledge he is capable of outperforming that role for stretches.
OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians
7 of 10
Age: 27
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027
Stats: 471 PA, 106 OPS+, .283/.345/.399, 30 XBH (9 HR), 38 RBI, 3.1 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Guardians were reportedly "trying to move" Kwan ahead of the deadline, which reads like they were doing more than just entertaining offers and doing due diligence. If they don't intend to extend the two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, trading him this winter would be the best way to maximize his value, and there will be no shortage of interested clubs.
Potential Impact: Kwan is never going to be the traditional power-hitting corner outfielder, but he is one of the game's elite contact hitters. His 16.0 WAR since the start of the 2022 season ranks sixth among all outfielders during that span, and he is the type of well-rounded player who makes any team better.
2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays
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Age: 31
Contract Status: Club option for 2026
Stats: 371 PA, 119 OPS+, .271/.321/.472, 31 XBH (19 HR), 51 RBI, 1.3 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: For all the same reasons Yandy Diaz is on this list, Lowe is also a candidate to be moved by the small-market Rays this winter. His $10.5 million salary this year makes him the second-highest paid player on the roster, and that is set to jump to $11.5 million next year if his club option is exercised. Expect the Rays to exercise it and then aggressively shop him as the offseason unfolds.
Potential Impact: An All-Star for the second time in his career this season, Lowe is one of the game's premier offensive second basemen when he is healthy, but he only topped 110 games played once over his first seven seasons in the majors. He has stayed on the field this year, which will help his trade value, and he should be in demand in a thin market for second basemen outside of Gleyber Torres.
OF Lars Nootbaar, St. Louis Cardinals
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Age: 27
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027
Stats: 396 PA, 99 OPS+, .226/.328/.376, 27 XBH (12 HR), 38 RBI, 1.1 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: The Cardinals stopped short of a full-blown fire sale at the trade deadline, but the vultures were circling, with Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson all drawing interest from contenders. From that group, Nootbaar is the most likely to be moved, since he has one less year of club control than Burleson and does not provide the same defensive versatility as Donovan.
Potential Impact: Despite middling numbers this season, Nootbaar is capable of making a significant impact. He posted a 116 OPS+ and a .351 on-base percentage in the three seasons prior to this year, and while he fits best at a corner spot, he has also played a passable center field. Earning just $2.95 million this year, he should still carry an extremely reasonable price tag next season in his second year of arbitration.
SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins
10 of 10
Age: 29
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027
Stats: 21 GS, 2.83 ERA (3.15 FIP), 0.93 WHIP, 141 K, 127.1 IP, 4.4 WAR
Why He Could Still Be Traded: In the aftermath of the Twins' deadline fire sale, it was revealed that reliever Griffin Jax requested a trade. Don't be surprised if Ryan makes his own trade request this winter, and even if he doesn't, the Twins have no reason to stop selling now they've started. The 2025 All-Star was one of the few potential trade candidates to stay put, though he called deadline day "sobering" after he was nearly traded to the Red Sox.
Potential Impact: Ryan has steadily developed into one of the better starters in the AL during his five seasons in the big leagues, and his elite .202 opponents' batting average this season represents another step forward in his development. He will likely still carry a price tag under $10 million next year after earning just $3 million this season in his first year of arbitration, and he can be a rock-solid No. 2 starter on a title contender.
