MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Josh Donaldson, Christian Yelich and More

The rumor mill started operating on overdrive this week during the MLB Winter Meetings in Florida, as the trade market became more wide-open after the Miami Marlins dealt reigning home run champion Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees.

Stanton was viewed as Plan A for several teams around baseball looking to upgrade their offenses. Now that he's off the table, front offices have begun the process of looking elsewhere for an impact bat, including other possible trades or free agency.

So let's check out some of the latest trade talk, headlined by a couple other sluggers, and analyze what it could mean for the teams involved as the offseason hot stove continues to burn.

Toronto Blue Jays Holding Firm On Josh Donaldson

Donaldson is coming off another strong season with the Jays. He posted a .270/.385/.559 triple-slash line and crushed 33 home runs in just 113 games. He's established himself as one of the game's premier power hitters over the last five years, averaging 32.8 homers with Toronto and the Oakland Athletics.

In turn, it's no surprise his name has come up with numerous clubs seeking more pop and his contract set to run out following the 2018 season. While the latter factor would seemingly force the Blue Jays to consider a move, there's no apparent sense of urgency.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the St. Louis Cardinals "keep pushing" for a deal involving the third baseman, but the Jays have stuck with their high price tag since they are planning to seriously compete in the tough AL East next season.

The Cards were one of the teams most commonly linked to Stanton before he joined the Yanks, so the connection makes sense. They already added Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins for power help.

Trading for Donaldson, which would likely shift Matt Carpenter to second base, would eliminate St. Louis' lack of longballs and give it one of the league's deepest lineups.

Christian Yelich Generating Widespread Interest

It's unclear when Miami's fire sale of assets will conclude, but outfielder Christian Yelich could be the next marquee name on the move if the front office's payroll-reducing efforts continue. He finished 2017 with a .808 OPS, 18 homers and 16 stolen bases.

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported "at least 10 clubs" have reached out to the Marlins to check the availability of the 26-year-old California native. He noted the interested group includes the Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Braves are an intriguing option as they attempt to turn a corner in their rebuilding efforts. An outfield that features Yelich, Ender Inciarte and super-prospect Ronald Acuna would create a foundation for long-term success. Finding a way to move Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis will be difficult, though.

Meanwhile, the Marlins have already stripped their roster of two key players after a season where they posted a 77-85 record. They are better off keeping Yelich, who's playing under a reasonable seven-year, $49.6 million contract through 2021 with a club option for 2022, unless the return package is irresistible.

Kelvin Herrera Targeted By Texas Rangers

Herrera will be looking to bounce back in 2018 after a down year by his typically high standards. He finished last season with a 4.25 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 64 games. Over the previous five years, however, he compiled a 2.57 ERA with 360 strikeouts in 354.1 innings.

Some opposing front offices may view it as a chance to buy low on the reliever, but it doesn't seem like the Kansas City Royals are going to bite.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Rangers are "strongly pursuing" the right-hander. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports noted Kansas City is seeking "big prospects" in return, which has caused Texas to shy away from making a deal, at least so far.

The Rangers finished 28th in MLB with a 4.76 bullpen ERA last season and don't have a proven closer on the current roster. Acquiring Herrera would give them a right-handed complement to lefty Alex Claudio and allow manager Jeff Banister to mix and match in the final innings.