Predictions For MLB's Biggest Names Who Can't Escape Trade Buzz
Call it a hunch, but the MLB offseason is likely headed for a bit of a lull. All the major procedural stuff will be wrapped up with the tender deadline on Friday, and then there will be a couple weeks until the winter meetings kick the hornets' nest.
This makes now a good time to round up the biggest names who have been connected to trade rumors and ask, possibly for the last time: Will they actually go anywhere?
There are 10 players on this list, and every one is an established star with obvious appeal. Since that appeal naturally applies to the teams they're already on, why they could be available and what it would take to get them are very much at issue here.
Otherwise, it's all about identifying potential landing spots and making predictions about whether these players will go anywhere. You know, the usual drill.
Except this time, we'll count down from the most likely player to be traded to the least likely player to be traded.
1. 2B Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Why He Could Be Available
The Diamondbacks have had back-to-back seasons of diminishing returns since going to the World Series in 2023, and managing partner Ken Kendrick hasn't been shy about his plans for the 2026 payroll. It's going down.
Though he's a three-time All-Star and back-to-back Silver Slugger winner, it came out this summer that Marte had rankled his teammates with his approach to taking days off. He also just plain represents a sell-high candidate, as he's 32 years old and is about to gain 10-and-5 rights next April.
What Could Make the Diamondbacks Listen
Marte is owed $91 million through 2030, which amounts to pennies for a guy who has averaged 30 homers and 5.3 rWAR over the last three seasons.
All the same, Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported Arizona is motivated to move him. They would presumably have to save real money in any trade they make, but not at the expense of their contention outlook for 2026. The club simply isn't giving off rebuild vibes.
The ideal trade for the D-backs is one that would bring back established or MLB-ready talent for a rotation that badly needs help, plus a right-handed bat who could play one of the corner infield spots.
Potential Landing Spots: Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays
Prediction: Traded to Mariners
2. CF Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
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Why He Could Be Available
Remember when Byron Buxton was emphatic that he would not waive his no-trade clause in July? Well, that was before the Twins sold off close to everything they had ahead of the trade deadline, and they're still in recovery mode.
The 31-year-old is now willing to reconsider his no-trade clause, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. He's one of the last good trade chips the Twins have to cash in, though his age, injury history and $15.1 million salaries for the next three seasons layer complications on top of his no-trade clause.
What Could Make the Twins Listen
The question here is exactly what the Twins are planning for 2026 and beyond. They seem to be a team in the beginning stages of a rebuild, yet they have publicly insisted they're done stripping their roster for parts.
That said, any trade they make with Buxton at its center would almost certainly be meant to help grow the farm system. It's on an upswing as it is, with B/R's Joel Reuter ranking it at No. 7 in MLB in September.
Buxton has $19 million in surplus value, according to Baseball Trade Values. He's thus worth at least one top-100 talent, and maybe more if the Twins can extract maximum leverage from a career-best 2025 season that included 35 home runs, a .878 OPS and 4.9 rWAR.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers
Prediction: Traded to Mets
3. LF Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets
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Why He Could Be Available
The Mets are taking a holistic approach to remaking their roster this winter, and ESPN's Jeff Passan reported a trade of Brandon Nimmo could be part of it.
The 32-year-old hasn't done anything wrong, but it's also fair to say he hasn't done enough right since he inked his eight-year, $162 million contract two winters ago. He has averaged a .744 OPS and 2.6 rWAR in his last two seasons, compared to a .815 OPS and 4.5 rWAR in two seasons leading up to free agency.
What Could Make the Mets Listen
Ordinarily, a team with this bad of a contract on its hands would have to limit its hopes to another team simply taking it on, with no compensation coming back to the giving team. And that's assuming Nimmo waived his no-trade clause anyway.
In this case, though, Mets owner Steve Cohen has previously demonstrated a willingness to eat money to facilitate better returns. If the team stuck to that principle in a Nimmo trade, it could swap him for immediate upgrades for 2026.
The Mets have no shortage of needs on that front, with the most pressing ones being starting pitching, high-leverage bullpen help, a center fielder and corner infielders.
Potential Landing Spots: San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals
Prediction: Stays with Mets
4. RHP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
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Why He Could Be Available
Given how many rumors have revolved around him over the last 365 days, it is frankly astonishing that Sandy Alcantara is still on the Marlins. And according to Nightengale, owner Bruce Sherman aims to keep it that way.
And yet, the 30-year-old should not be as untouchable as he was when he was coming off his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2022. He regressed in 2023, missed all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery, and never really reclaimed his ace card in a 2025 season that resulted in a 5.36 ERA.
What Could Make the Marlins Listen
Alcantara is owed $17.3 million in 2026, followed by either a $21 million club option for 2027 or a $2 million buyout. Given his pedigree, none of these numbers pose a serious threat to a deal.
However, if the Marlins are going to trade their ace, it would have to be for the sake of their offense. It was close to average at scoring runs this year, but it could use an injection of power after ranking 27th in home runs.
Both corner infield spots are primed for an upgrade, and power is always welcome behind the plate if a team has a chance to get some.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros
Prediction: Traded to Astros
5. LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Why He Could Be Available
The consensus that has emerged in recent days is Tarik Skubal is going nowhere this winter, and it's the Tigers themselves who are pushing the narrative, both publicly and privately.
Still, everyone knows the score. The 29-year-old is a year away from free agency, and the chances of him signing a contract extension are virtually zilch.
Even if they are in the middle of a contention window, cashing in the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner for a massive haul now arguably makes more sense than letting his walk year play out.
What Could Make the Tigers Listen
Even though Skubal is likely to earn close to $20 million in his last year before free agency, Baseball Trade Values puts his surplus value at a little over $60 million.
That's close to twice as much surplus value as Corbin Burnes had when the Milwaukee Brewers rented him out to the Baltimore Orioles two winters ago, so the Tigers have every right to not move Skubal unless they get everything they ask for.
To this end, multiple top-100 prospects would be a must. The Tigers could also try to replace him in their 2026 rotation, either with an MLB-ready prized pitching prospect or someone who already has No. 1 credentials in the bigs.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees
Prediction: Traded to Red Sox
6. RHP Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
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Why He Could Be Available
There was some buzz early on about a possible trade of Hunter Greene, but Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall shut it down. He said the 26-year-old is "not on the table."
Like the Marlins, though, the Reds are a small-market team that only has so many means to improve. And since they're already relatively solid on the pitching front, it could make sense to cash in the sheer trade value that comes from Greene's talent and his $42 million in guaranteed money through 2028.
What Could Make the Reds Listen
The Reds did make the playoffs this year, but it was very much in spite of their offense. It somehow slugged just .391 with only 167 home runs even with the help of Great American Ball Park, a known launching pad.
Even though he's had issues with injuries, Greene is still young and probably has the best pure stuff of any right-handed starter. Per Baseball Trade Values, his $81.8 million in surplus value sounds about right.
Value like that could fetch the offensive upgrades the Reds need, and they especially need them at second base, left field and center field.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles
Prediction: Stays with Reds
7. 1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
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Why He Could Be Available
It's been a minute since Bryce Harper trade hysteria was a thing. The last update on the situation came during the GM meetings, when Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said he and the 33-year-old had had a "nice conversation."
Even so, it's hard to completely forget how all this only started because Dombrowski aired his doubts about Harper ever being an elite player again after a relatively subdued 2025 season.
With the Phillies looking to reshape their roster this winter, trading him is feasible if Dombrowski truly believes what he said.
What Could Make the Phillies Listen
Harper has six years and $153.2 million remaining on his 13-year, $330 million contract. It isn't too much for a two-time MVP and eight-time All-Star, but it might be the most he'd get if he were a free agent this winter.
Yet this is not to suggest the Phillies would be getting a good deal if they simply offloaded his money and got nothing back. They don't have to move him, and could thus hope for a Godfather offer from a team willing to bank on his pedigree.
The Phillies have holes in their starting rotation, in their outfield and at catcher, plus a need to upgrade at third base and second base. If they could make a trade that satisfied at least two of those needs, maybe that could be Harper's exit.
Potential Landing Spots: Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres
Prediction: Stays with Phillies
8. SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
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Why He Could Be Available
This idea kind of came out of nowhere on Thursday, when Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic casually pondered Corey Seager as someone who could have been an option for the Atlanta Braves if they weren't on his no-trade list.
This may well be the end of it, but we know from Nightengale and other reporters that the Rangers are cutting payroll this winter.
If they do cash in Seager as part of the effort, they'll stand to cut as much as $31.5 million per year through 2031.
What Could Make the Rangers Listen
Seager's trade value is tricky. Yes, he's been good for at least 5 rWAR per year since 2023. But he's also 31 and has only averaged 115 games played in this same span, so the risk of a sudden decline is real.
Like with the Phillies and Harper, though, the Rangers could hold Seager until a team is willing to overpay for him. Taking on his entire contract would be a must, but Texas would also need to get back players who can help now and later.
To this end, it would make the most sense if the Rangers swapped Seager for a controllable arm who could further establish them as a pitching powerhouse in 2026, plus a well-regarded prospect who could one day take his spot as a lineup centerpiece.
Potential Landing Spots: Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees
Prediction: Traded to Yankees
9. RF Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
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Why He Could Be Available
Nobody was talking about a Fernando Tatis Jr. trade until Nightengale brought it up. Yet even if the Padres underscored his point about dire financials by teasing a sale of the franchise, one team source told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune: "We're not trading Tatis."
And yet, the Padres may not get many more chances to get out from under the $292.4 million they owe the 26-year-old through 2034. And if they can move that money this winter, suddenly they have ample flexibility to address a roster that's full of holes.
What Could Make the Padres Listen
Even with all the money that's still owed to him, Baseball Trade Values puts Tatis' surplus value at $83.3 million. That's basically Greene territory, though that shouldn't surprise anyone. Tatis has averaged 6.6 rWAR per 162 games for his career.
The goal for the Padres if they were open to moving Tatis would thus be simple: Clear all the money and get multiple players back who can help right now.
A top-of-the-rotation starter would be a must. The Padres also just plain need power, specifically on the right side of their infield and at designated hitter.
Potential Landing Spots: Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners
Prediction: Stays with Padres
10. RHP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Why He Could Be Available
Paul Skenes is "not going anywhere," according to Passan. And while the furor was fun while it lasted, the newly minted NL Cy Young Award winner was "frustrated" by reports he wants to pitch for the Yankees.
However, to stop this discussion here would be to ignore the reality that the 23-year-old isn't going to be a Pirates lifer.
If Skenes is not the first, he's sure to be the second $400 million pitcher in MLB one day, and that money sure as heck won't come from the league's most notoriously frugal franchise.
What Could Make the Pirates Listen
Skenes might be the single most valuable trade chip in baseball. Though Baseball Trade Values puts his surplus value at an enormous $126.6 million, even that doesn't account for his sheer scarcity as a young, cost-controlled, history-making ace.
Of course, the Pirates are reportedly willing to add as much as $40 million to their payroll this winter. That doesn't buy many players in this economy, though, and the Bucs need as many as they can get to finally escape the NL Central cellar.
It almost certainly won't happen, but the Bucs should move Skenes for nothing less than a replacement arm with No. 1 upside and two impact hitters, be they established types or upper-tier prospects.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers
Prediction: Stays with Pirates (obviously)
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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