There will be plenty of time to dig into the most likely landing spots for the top trade chips of the 2023-24 MLB offseason and build out reasonable trade ideas that have a high likelihood of actually happening.
First, though, we thought it would be fun to throw out a few outside-the-box trade ideas to get the ball rolling on trade season.
The idea here is not necessarily to focus on trades that are likely to happen, but instead to highlight a few wild ideas that could be logically justified for all involved.
Cardinals and Mariners Swap Rising Stars
To STL: RHP Bryce Miller
To SEA: IF Nolan Gorman
The St. Louis Cardinals have a wealth of good young hitters, but they need to completely rebuild a starting rotation that ranked 26th in the majors with a 5.07 ERA and replace Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners are loaded with controllable young starting pitching, but their offense finished in the middle of the pack in OPS (.734, 16th) and runs per game (4.68, 12th), and slugger Teoscar Hernández is a free agent.
Assuming Logan Gilbert and George Kirby are off-limits in trade talks, the Cardinals could still make a play for Bryce Miller (25 GS, 4.32 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 119 K, 131.1 IP) or Bryan Woo (18 GS, 4.21 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 93 K, 87.2 IP) who both put together strong rookie seasons in 2023 and have several years of club control remaining.
The Cardinals will cling tightly to budding star Jordan Walker, but slugger Nolan Gorman (117 OPS+, 27 HR, 76 RBI) might be available in the right trade. Alec Burleson, Dylan Carlson, Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan are other controllable position-player pieces they could leverage for pitching help.
In terms of overall impact, Miller and Gorman appear to have the brightest futures of all the players listed above, and a one-for-one swap of the two up-and-comers would make both teams better, plugging major roster holes without creating any new ones in the process.
These two teams have matched up before on a one-for-one, pitcher-for-hitter trade when they swapped outfielder Tyler O'Neill and left-hander Marco Gonzales at the 2017 trade deadline.
A Juan Soto Prediction That Isn't the Yankees
To HOU: OF Juan Soto
To SD: OF Jacob Melton, RHP Spencer Arrighetti, IF/OF Joey Loperfido, RHP Miguel Ullola, RHP Brandon Bielak
The New York Yankees have quickly emerged as a popular hypothetical landing spot for Juan Soto if the San Diego Padres decide to shop him ahead of his final year of arbitration eligibility, And with a revolving door in left field and a need for more left-handed production in a righty-heavy lineup, it's easy to see why.
Just last week, I proposed a hypothetical deal of Soto to the Yankees in exchange for prospects Everson Pereira, Drew Thorpe, Will Warren and Jared Serna, so I'm just as guilty of perpetuating the connection as anyone.
So let's try something different here.
Fresh off being bumped in the ALCS by a Texas Rangers team that simply outslugged them, the Astros could look to make an offensive splash this offseason.
Veterans Justin Verlander, José Altuve and Alex Bregman are all entering the final guaranteed season of their current contracts in 2024, so trading for Soto and subsequently signing him to a long-term deal would give them a younger franchise player to build around alongside Yordan Alvarez, Cristian Javier and extension candidates Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker.
The Padres are not going to get the same type of package they gave up to acquire Soto now that he is essentially a one-year rental in terms of value, but he should still bring back multiple young pieces with impact upside.
Outfielder Jacob Melton is the centerpiece here as a potential five-tool outfielder coming off a 23-homer, 46-steal season in the minors. The X-factor in the return package could be Miguel Ullola, who has an absolutely electric 70-grade fastball.
A Budding Bullpen Star No One is Talking About Joins the Rangers
To TEX: LHP Angel Perdomo
To PIT: 1B Abimelec Ortiz
There were only eight pitchers during the 2023 season who tallied at least 20 innings pitched and had a strikeout rate north of 36 percent:
- Félix Bautista, BAL: 46.4%
- Aroldis Chapman, KC/TEX: 41.4%
- Robert Stephenson, PIT/TB: 38.3%
- Devin Williams, MIL: 37.7%
- Angel Perdomo, PIT: 37.6%
- José Alvarado, PHI: 37.2%
- Pete Fairbanks, TB: 37.0%
- Josh Hader, SD: 36.8%
Left-hander Angel Perdomo is far from a household name, and his 3.72 ERA in 29 innings with the Pittsburgh Pirates doesn't jump off the page, but he has a chance to be a game-changer in a contender's bullpen.
The 29-year-old generated a whiff rate north of 30 percent on his mid-90s fastball and his lethal slider, and with a towering 6'8", 265-pound frame, helped his stuff play up thanks to elite extension.
He struck out 44 of the 117 batters he faced in 2023, and while he has fewer than 50 innings pitched at the MLB level, his stuff and the undeniable results give him the potential to be a terrific under-the-radar target for a Texas Rangers team that will be looking to bolster its relief corps.
For the Pirates, first baseman Abimelec Ortiz gives them an exciting young slugger who hit .294/.371/.619 with 33 home runs and 101 RBI in 109 games between Single-A and High-A as a 20-year-old.
Now 21, there is some risk in his offensive-centric profile, but there is also significant upside.
It's an outside-the-box move for a reliever who is not a frequently mentioned name on the trade market, but it could pay huge dividends for everyone involved.
Corbin Burnes Gives Orioles the Ace They Need
To BAL: RHP Corbin Burnes
To MIL: IF Jordan Westburg, C Samuel Basallo, LHP Cade Povich, RHP Justin Armbruester
Will the Milwaukee Brewers accept the inevitable and trade Corbin Burnes this offseason before his final year of arbitration eligibility and inevitable departure for greener pastures after the 2024 season?
An injury to co-ace Brandon Woodruff could be the final push the Brewers need to take a step backward and retool for the future following another disappointing postseason exit, and flipping Burnes could bring back a wealth of young talent.
The Baltimore Orioles were the breakout team of the 2023 season, and their dynamic young core should make them perennial contenders for the foreseeable future. But the starting rotation remains a work-in-progress.
A proven ace like Burnes alongside Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez at the top of the rotation could push them over the top, and with as bright a long-term outlook as any club in baseball, they should be able to make a strong case for Burnes to sign a long-term extension.
Infielder Jordan Westburg is an MLB-ready bat who hit .295/.372/.567 with 15 doubles, 18 home runs and 54 RBI in 67 games at Triple-A before posting a 100 OPS+ with 22 extra-base hits and 1.2 WAR after making his MLB debut in June.
Samuel Basallo is one of the brightest young catchers in baseball and a consensus Top 100 prospect, Cade Povich racked up 171 strikeouts in 126.2 innings in the upper minors, and Justin Armbruester is a high-floor right-hander who logged a 3.56 ERA in 121.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
Mike Trout: New Face of the Franchise for the Giants
To SF: OF Mike Trout, $95 million
To LAA: OF Mitch Haniger, LHP Kyle Harrison, RHP Carson Seymour
If Shohei Ohtani signs elsewhere in free agency as expected this offseason, it's not out of the question to think the Los Angeles Angels might look to hit the reset button entirely and find a trade partner for future Hall of Famer Mike Trout.
The 32-year-old has had a tough time staying healthy in recent years, playing in 237 total games, and he is still owed roughly $260 million over the next seven years.
In order to facilitate a deal, the Angels are almost certainly going to have to kick in a significant chunk of cash, and eating $95 million of his remaining salary would make him a $25 million-per-year player over the remainder of his contract. That's still a steep price to pay, but it's much easier to swallow, especially if he can stay on the field and return to being an MVP candidate.
The San Francisco Giants whiffed in their pursuit of a new face of the franchise last year when they made a run at signing Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, and they settled for adding veteran outfielders Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger offensively.
Haniger has a $19 million salary for 2024 and a $17.5 million club option for 2025, so sending him the other way in a trade would further help make the money work on the Giants' side, and it would also help the Angels ask for a better prospect return.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison checked in at No. 21 on B/R's final Top 100 prospect list of the 2023 season, and while he has one of the highest ceilings of any pitching prospect in baseball, he has also dealt with some command issues with 6.6 BB/9 in 65.2 innings at Triple-A. Is that enough to keep him from being fully untouchable?
Carson Seymour is a 6'6", 260-pound right-hander who logged a 3.99 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 112.2 innings at Double-A last year, and he generates a ton of groundballs with a heavy upper-90s sinker. He has a high floor and back-of-the-rotation potential.
Have your own wild trade idea? Share it in the comments, and I'll give you my thoughts on the proposal.
Read 0 Comments
Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation