Major League Baseball’s trade deadline passed on Tuesday night, drawing the summer’s mad season to a close ahead of the stretch run. That would make this, the day after, the perfect occasion to take a deep breath and reflect upon the past week.
We’re not going to do that, however. Instead, we’re going to look past the next two months of baseball — not to mention the entirety of the playoffs — by focusing on what the winter trade market may hold in store. If you’re the type to have MLB Trade Rumors set as your homepage, this is for you. For everyone else? Think of this as a way to ease off the rumor mill without quitting cold turkey.
With the acknowledgement that this kind of exercise is more art than science, here are 10 players we suspect will frequent trade talks this offseason. (Do note the players are presented in no particular order.)
- Garrett Crochet, LHP, White Sox
Whatever you make of Crochet’s reported demands, including a stipulated extension if he was going to pitch into the postseason, they should become less of a factor for teams heading forward. Provided Crochet stays healthy the rest of the way — the stated intent for those demands — he’s going to enter the offseason with a full year of starting under his belt. That development may ease (but won’t erase) the durability concerns associated with his game. Lefties with two years of team control remaining and Crochet’s kind of arsenal tend to be in high demand. Besides, the White Sox, as terrible as any team in recent memory, have no incentive to keep him into the 2025 season.
- Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox
Yes, another White Sox player with durability concerns. Robert’s market never appeared to heat up this summer. We have to believe that’s owed in part to the weird season he’s having: his OPS+ is at its lowest mark since 2020, his rookie season, and he’s striking out entirely too often (36% of his plate appearances, well above his career marks). Robert could help his trade value by making more steady contact the rest of the way, and by clearing the 100-game threshold for the second time in his career. His contract contains club options for the 2026-27 seasons, suggesting that the White Sox can hold him until the next deadline if that’s what it takes for him to regain value.
- Yandy DÃaz, 1B, Rays
DÃaz is days from his 33rd birthday, and months from entering the final guaranteed season of his contract. That combination, plus Tampa Bay’s ongoing retool, make him an obvious candidate to change teams this winter. It’s worth noting that DÃaz is in the midst of his worst season since joining the Rays, and that his skill set (he’s on pace for another sub-.400 slugging percentage) may not appeal to all clubs. We think some teams would overlook his low home-run totals to add his contact and on-base skills.
- Brandon Lowe, 2B, Rays
Lowe is reliably good when healthy, he’s just not reliably healthy. If he can clear the 100-game threshold (he’s 41 shy as of Wednesday), it would mark just the third time in his career he’s accomplished that feat. Lowe’s contract contains two club options heading forward: one for $10.5 million next season, the other for $11.5 million in 2026. We continue to think that some team other than the Rays will be making those calls.
- Jesus Lúzardo, LHP, Marlins
Lúzardo seemed like a sure thing to move this July before suffering a lumbar stress reaction in June. He didn’t pitch to his usual marks before the injury, but there’s a lot working in his favor, including his youth (he’ll turn 27 in September), his track record (106 ERA+ since summer 2021), and his team control (through the 2026 campaign). Marlins head baseball boss Peter Bendix has shown he’s in “everything must go” mode as he attempts to fashion Miami into the Rays of South Florida. As such, it’s only a matter of time (and health, we suppose) before Lúzardo lands with another club.
- Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins
On that note, how’s this for a wild card? Alcantara has not pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery last fall. He should be ready to roll come Opening Day 2025, however, giving teams ample time to monitor his rehab in the interim. Alcantara had established himself as one of the top pitchers in baseball prior to the injury (he was a year removed from winning the National League Cy Young Award), and a team with confidence in their risk analysis could try to swing a deal for him this winter. Remember, Alcantara is about to get (relatively) pricey for the Fish: he’s owed $34 million over the next two seasons and has a club option worth $21 million for the 2027 campaign.
- Taylor Ward, OF, Angels
We were a little surprised the Angels didn’t move Ward at the deadline. He turns 31 in December, making it unlikely that he meaningfully improves his stock beyond “solid platoon outfielder.” We suppose there’s something to be said of the Angels not completely bottoming out. Ward is under team control through the 2026 season, giving general manager Perry Minasian plenty of time to find a deal between now and then.
- Luis Rengifo, 2B, Angels
Rengifo was another Angels hitter we thought would be on the move — especially with how often he popped up in rumors heading into the deadline. He’s in the midst of his best season to date, and he’s slated to hit the open market after next year. Shy of the Angels deciding to extend Rengifo, we have to assume a move is coming this winter.
- Cal Quantrill, RHP, Rockies
The problem with the Rockies is you never know if their deadline inactivity is because of a lack of interest from other teams or because of a lack of desire on their own part. Adding Quantrill last winter and watching him reestablish himself as a legitimate big-league starter was a nice piece of business. The Rockies probably should have accepted the win and cashed out, recouping some prospects in return. That they didn’t means we’re not entirely sure what their endgame is here. An offseason trade? An extension? Neither? We’ll give the Rockies this much: they keep things interesting.
- Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies
The Rockies were adamant they weren’t moving McMahon at the deadline — that despite him being in the midst of a career-best season and being owed $44 million over the next three years. Might they change their minds this offseason? Probably not. We do think that other teams will continue to monitor McMahon as they seek infield help.
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