MLB Rumors: Here are a few trade candidates
Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox (MLB.com)
7) Nolan Arenado 34 yo | 3B | Cardinals
Much has been made about Arenado’s availability, especially since he indicated a willingness to waive his no-trade clause and potentially even take a stab at first base. It’s unlikely that teams will play him at 1B, given the 10 Gold Gloves he’s accumulated at the hot corner throughout his career. Nolan is owed $74M for the next three years, but the Rockies are paying $10M of that, and some of it is deferred. In 2024, Arenado was in the bottom 12% in hard hit, exit velo, and barrel rates. At 34 years old, it might be a stretch to expect much more than average offense numbers from Nolan. That said, he still had an elite K rate in 2024, and plays very good defense at third base. Alex Bregman is the only true everyday third baseman on the free agent market this winter, though Willy Adames could be moved to 3B. Since only one club can get Breggy, the price will be steep and there are several clubs that need an everyday third baseman. The Yankees could move Jazz to 2B and trade for Arenado, while the Phillies could also make sense as they shop Alec Bohm around.
Best Fits: Red Sox, Yankees, Mariners, Nationals, Phillies
6) Devin Williams 30 yo | CL | Brewers
Back in 2021, Williams punched a wall during a celebration in October and broke his hand. In 2023 and 2024, he struggled to close games in the postseason, and it appears the Brewers are ready to move on despite his regular season dominance. Devin missed the first four months of the regular season with back issues, but he was able to bounce back for a 1.25 ERA over 22 games in August and September. The 2X Hoffman Reliever of the Year winner is under team control for 2025, with a projected salary of $7.7M. From 2022-2024, Williams leads all MLB relievers with a 1.66 ERA over 148 games. His airbender changeup has consistently rated as one of the best pitches in the MLB, along with his mid-nineties four seamer. Even with the back injury, contending clubs should be interested in adding a dominant closer. The Padres just lost Tanner Scott to free agency, while the Phillies lost Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman. The Yankees are a dark horse for Williams after losing both Holmes and Kahnle. Luke Weaver had some success taking over for Clay, but can he sustain the performance over a full season?
Best Fits: Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox
2022-2024 Reliever ERA Leaders (Fangraphs)
5) Ryan Helsley 30 yo | CL | Cardinals
Per the Fangraphs list above, Helsley has been a Top 3 reliever in baseball after Williams and Emmanuel Clase. Ryan doesn’t quite have the swing and miss of Williams or the groundball rate of Clase, but he has excellent K:BB numbers and limits hard contact. While Williams is a four seamer/change guy, Helsley is a slider/four seamer closer. Helsley also did rank in the 97th percentile in both whiff % and barrel rate. With the Cardinals prioritizing development over contention, Ryan is as close to a sure bet as it gets for a trade this winter. He’ll have similar suitors to Williams, some of it is preference as they are both 30 and only under team control through 2025. If you want the brand name and resume, you’ll probably prefer the Brewers closer. If you have recency bias and favor 2024 results and health, Helsley is your guy to get.
Best Fits: Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers
4) Yandy Díaz 33 yo | 1B | Rays
There is a long list of talented Rays players traded in their arb years, the latest being Isaac Paredes and Randy Arrozarena. The Rays will be playing in Steinbrenner field for home games for the foreseeable future, and a minor league stadium is a hard sell for major league veterans with choices. For this reason, I don’t expect the Rays to be on the top of any player’s list, it’ll be difficult for the Rays to attract talent until there is a new Major League park. Even without the stadium disaster, the Rays seemed destined to move Díaz this year. Yandy is the 2023 AL batting title champion, and he’s under team control for 2025 with a reasonable $12M option for 2026. Teams looking for a right-handed contact first hitter will have Díaz at or near the top of their list. While Yandy did come up as third baseman, he can really only play 1B at this point. He has doubles power and averages 33 two-baggers, compared to a 15 HR average over the last three years. He’s also a .302 hitter from 2022-2024, which makes him elite in a league that’s currently hitting .243. I expect lower payroll teams who don’t want to buy players to engage with the Rays for Yandy, the Mariners being a good example.
Best Fits: Astros, Yankees, Snakes, Mariners
Yandy Díaz 2022-2024 Performance (bRef)
3) Cody Bellinger 29 yo | OF/1B | Cubs
Belly played a decent amount of center, right, and first in 2024. That kind of versatility is rare for a hitter of his caliber. The former MVP had a down year last season after winning comeback player of the year in 2023, and opted into the remainder of his Cubs deal. He’ll have a $27.5M salary in 2025 with another player option for 2026. I believe Chicago was rooting for him to opt out, and likely would trade him for little to nothing as long as the team takes on the full salary. Many teams will see Belly as a center fielder for 2025, while some will see him as a first baseman or move him back and forth. He’s a career .259 hitter, solid glove at all three positions, and he’s flashed 25 HR power. Teams losing on Juan Soto could pivot to Cody for offensive help, while we’ll also see teams in need of a center fielder inquiring about the All Star.
Best Fits: Yankees, Astros, Jays, Snakes
2024 Cody Bellinger Profile (bRef)
2) Brent Rooker 30 yo | DH | A’s
This Silver Slugger hasn’t played in an MLB playoff game yet, and will now find himself in Sacramento unless a trade can materialize. Luckily for Brent, it looks like he is finally going to get out of this organization and get moved to a contender. He’s on a short list of guys with 40 HR power; he hit 39 bombs last season. Rooker only played 14 games in the field last year– he is firmly a DH at this point. That should make him more affordable on the trade market, but the A’s front office will still want a hefty package for three years of a premier hitter. The most obvious fits here are teams without an old expensive slugger, who are also starved for offense. The Tigers fit the mold, as a competitive team with a nice 2024 playoff run. It was clear, however, that they were overmatched offensively. The Royals and Guardians also match that description, while I could also see a West Coast club like the Padres acquire him to stack their lineup without having to write a nine figure check.
Best Fits: Tigers, Cubs, Reds, Royals, Guardians
1) Garrett Crochet 25 yo | SP | White Sox
Crochet is an interesting case as a 25-year-old lefty, with only one year of experience as a starter. Garrett was an effective reliever, but he put himself on the map with 209 K’s in only 146 innings of work last season. He’s under team control for 2025 and 2026, and hitters only managed a .198 average against his four seamer in 2024. Just about every team looking to make the playoffs will be interested in Crochet, but only a few will be willing to entertain the premium price the White Sox and Chris Getz will charge. The Red Sox are an obvious choice, lacking a lefty and an ace. If they get Corbin Burnes or Max Fried in the free agent market, I still wouldn’t rule out a Crochet trade. The Orioles badly need a lefty starter, and need an ace if they can’t bring Corbin back. Similar to Yandy, I see a market with Crochet for clubs that don’t necessarily want to pay for the top of the market. Obviously, that could include the Orioles, but I would throw the Reds and the Guardians in that category as well.
Best Fits: Red Sox, Orioles, Reds, Guardians, Braves
Garrett Crochet 2024 Metrics (Baseball Savant)