Opening Day is fast approaching. While teams are rightly preoccupied with trimming their rosters, evaluating prospects and getting veterans into game shape, there's always room to gaze ahead.

Specifically, what blockbuster trades should clubs be considering, even as the Cactus and Grapefruit league slates play out?

We're not saying any of the following deals will go down in the near-term. But all should be on the table come the July 31 trade deadline at the latest, especially if certain squads have fallen out of contention and others have failed to fill obvious holes.

Whit Merrifield to the Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are crossing their fingers for a comeback from veteran second baseman and franchise icon Dustin Pedroia. The four-time All-Star played in three games last season before undergoing knee surgery. 

He made his spring training debut March 7 and singled in one inning. 

"It made me happy to run around the bases," Pedroia told reporters. "It was really fun out there."

Early optimism aside, he's 35 years old. The Red Sox need a backup plan as they defend their 2018 World Series title.

In-house options exist, including Eduardo Nunez, Brock Holt and prospect Michael Chavis. If all of the above don't cut it, the Sox could go shopping.

Enter Whit Merrifield, who hit .304 with an .806 OPS and 45 stolen bases for the Kansas City Royals last season while picking up down-ballot MVP votes.

He's signed through 2023 with a team option, meaning K.C. might keep him around. Alternately, the rebuilding Royals could flip him to a contender such as Boston in his age-30 season. In exchange, the Red Sox might surrender a top MiLB chip such as Chavis or left-hander Jay Groome.

Jose Abreu to the New York Yankees

Despite passing on 26-year-old superstars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the New York Yankees are well-positioned to contend in 2019. 

First base is a question mark, however. Greg Bird is an injury-prone enigma, and Luke Voit needs to prove himself over the long haul. 

If the position isn't sorted soon, the Yankees could pick up the phone and call the Chicago White Sox. The ChiSox have a first baseman in a contract year by the name of Jose Abreu.

The Cuban slugger averaged an .883 OPS, 31 homers and 4.2 bWAR each season between 2014 and 2017. His OPS dipped to .798 in 2018, but he clubbed 22 homers with 36 doubles in 128 games and made the American League All-Star team. 

High-upside 24-year-old right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga ought to be enough to get the White Sox interested.

Robbie Ray to the St. Louis Cardinals

The Arizona Diamondbacks are lurching toward a rebuild after trading first baseman and franchise cornerstone Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals and saying goodbye to left-hander Patrick Corbin and outfielder A.J. Pollock via free agency.

They'd surely love to shed right-hander Zack Greinke and the $104.5 million remaining on his contract, but that would probably require the Snakes to swallow more cash than they're comfortable with.

Instead, they could dangle lefty Robbie Ray. The 27-year-old was an All-Star and top-10 NL Cy Young Award finisher in 2017 and averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings with a 3.93 ERA last season.

Add the fact that he's controllable through 2020, and the Diamondbacks should be able to command a massive haul from someone. Like, for example, the Cardinals.

We already know the two sides are willing to deal thanks to the Goldy swap. And the Cards could use more starting pitching as they try to break through in a stacked NL Central.

It may cost them a couple of top pitching prospects such as Dakota Hudson and Ryan Helsley, but it'd be worth it given the Redbirds' apparent win-now mindset.

Madison Bumgarner to the Milwaukee Brewers

In January, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers had "substantive communication" regarding Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner. 

Nothing came of it, and it appears Bumgarner will begin the season in San Francisco. 

The Brewers advanced to Game 7 of the National League Championship Series in 2018. A starting rotation that posted a 3.92 regular-season ERA and lacked a postseason-tested ace might have been part of the reason they fell short.

The Giants, meanwhile, are clinging to the remnants of their 2010-14 even-year dynasty and need to tear it down. If they realize that by late July, the Brew Crew ought to swoop in.

Toolsy outfield prospect Corey Ray and an ancillary piece or two should bring San Francisco to the table and would set the Brewers up for a Fall Classic run with an unflappable playoff legend in his contract year.

Corey Kluber to the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Cleveland Indians are the nominal favorites in the weak, winnable AL Central. After that, though, they aren't equipped to hang with the Yankees, Red Sox and Houston Astros among the AL elite.

As such, they should consider trading right-hander Corey Kluber to a pitching-hungry contender with a deep farm system. Enter the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers have ample pitching depth and promising young arms such as Walker Buehler and Julio Urias. They also haven't won a title since 1988 despite throwing gobs of money and talent at the problem.

If the Indians are within striking distance of a legitimate run by this summer, they may not consider moving Kluber, who's signed through 2021 with two team options.

On the other hand, the Dodgers could blow Cleveland away with an offer headlined by top outfield prospect Alex Verdugo, who'd fill an area of weakness for the Indians at a cost-controlled price.

Assuming his spring shoulder problems are a blip, ace southpaw Clayton Kershaw could join the Klubot to form an unfairly formidable lefty-right duo.

Win-win? We'll see.

All statistics and contract information courtesy of Baseball Reference.