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Best Landing Spots for MLB Players Rumored to be on the Trade Block
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Icon Sportswire by Larry Radloff/Getty Images
We are at the point of the MLB offseason when everything seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.
The most compelling aspect of free agency is Carlos Correa’s understanding that ankle surgery at the age of 8 is abruptly moving him away from a life-changing contract.
Most of the relevant player movements happening now can be expected from the trade market. Not all teams achieved their free agency goals, leaving trading options as the next best option.
So let’s take a look at the best landing spots for MLB players rumored to be on the trade block.
Pablo Lopez to St. Louis Cardinals
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St. Louis is about to have a magical 2022 season, but that was turned upside down when they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card Series.
Since then, the Cardinals have seen their NL rivals close the gap or overtake them during free agency. In NL Central, the Chicago Cubs signed shortstop Dunsby Swanson and added former NL MVP Cody Bellinger.
The New York Mets signed former Cardinals pitcher Jose Quintana to the staff of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. They are also still working on Carlos Correa’s contract.
The San Diego Padres signed Xander Bogaerts just months after trading Juan Soto.
St. Louis needs to do more than replace Yadier Molina with Wilson Contreras to separate them from the previous year’s team.
According to John Heyman of new york postThe Marlins have heard offers from “nearly everyone” other than Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.
Lopez (10-10, 3.75 ERA, 174K ERA, 1.17 WHIP) helps rotations that don’t have a true ace, but wants to stay competitive on a healthy senior circuit.
Lopez’s deal will keep the team under control for the next two seasons, giving the Cardinals at least two years of staff stability.
To which team Josh Donaldson will take him
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The problem with finding a suitable landing spot for Josh Donaldson, which the Yankees have made available in trade talks, is that no one really seems interested in acquiring his services.
Last season, Donaldson was a Gold Glove defender at third base, but produced his lowest single-season wRC+ (97) since 2012. 222/.308/.374 with 15 homers and 62 RBIs.
Donaldson, who has earned $21 million in each of the last three seasons, is set to make $21 million again in 2023.
However, if he had to pick a team, he’s better than anyone the Texas Rangers have at third base. They’re a team looking to be legitimate competitors, as evidenced by their signings of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Jacob deGrom in the last two offseasons.
Trading Donaldson won’t get the Rangers over the hump, but it will definitely help them improve their bottom five numbers in wRC+ (73) and wOBA (.269).
Aaron Hicks to San Francisco Giants
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So the Giants get the Yankee Aaron they want, not the Yankee Aaron they want.
That is correct. Not Aaron Judge. Aaron Hicks.
Like Donaldson, the Yankees are reportedly open to trade Hicks, which owes him $30 million over the next three seasons, but the 2022 season has been a disappointment. The 330/.313 was far from an attractive trade magnet for any team.
But The Athletic’s Chris Kirshner came up with an interesting trade package of Hicks and Gleyber Torres to the Giants of Alex Wood and Tommy La Stella.
Indeed, this was suggested before the Giants signed Michael Confort and Mitch Haniger or brought back Joc Pederson. But that was also before they blamed Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa.
Hicks will give San Francisco depth in the outfield with Pederson and Conforto. This may not be enough to convince the Giants to make a move, but New York should seek out a team like San Francisco.
Corbyn Barnes → Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers have to deal with a rotation that has lost Tyler Anderson to the Crosstown Angels, Andrew Heaney to the Texas Rangers and Walker Buehler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2023.
They’re bringing back Clayton Kershaw and adding Noah Syndergaard, but they’ll need more than that to lead Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May into the National League’s best rotation as they do in 2022. It will be.
Barnes did well last season, going 12-8 in 33 games with a 2.94 ERA. His 202 innings pitched were a career-high, as were his 243 strikeouts.
Not surprisingly, Burns’ asking price is “astronomical,” according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Dodgers boast one of the top farm systems in baseball, and they may have to let go of promising players like catcher Diego Cartaya to acquire Barnes. But it will make a big difference for a group struggling to keep their grip on the spicy National League.
Brian Reynolds to Boston Red Sox
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The Red Sox have a long way to go in building a roster that fans will be happy with. That may not be the case this offseason. Because they finished last in an otherwise prosperous AL East.
Still, the chances of a trade for Brian Reynolds are still slim and would liven up an otherwise underwhelming offseason in Boston.
As we discussed in our previous landing spot article on Reynolds, the Red Sox have high priority holes to fill in the outfield. Their best free agent option is gone.
Plus, with one of the better farm systems in baseball, Boston was able to keep up with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ hefty price tag for Reynolds. It will also keep him away from other teams to watch out for in Reynolds’ pursuit, such as the rival New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.
It’s worth mentioning that the Pirates are reluctant to keep Reynolds away, but given his trade request in early December, they could be upset.
Jorge Mateo to Atlanta
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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles began receiving inquiries about Mateo as soon as Dansby Swanson reached an agreement with the Chicago Cubs.
It’s no surprise Atlanta will look to Mateo as a solid backup plan at shortstop after missing out on their own free agency.
He makes sense as a trade target for Atlanta. Along with Willy Adames, Mateo is arguably the best player at this position, and his contract remains under the club’s control until 2025.
Mateo ranked 14th (2.8) in fWAR and 20th (82) in wRC+. This is not a complete replacement for Swanson’s work last season, which posted 6.4 fWAR and 116 wRC+.
But that’s the closest thing Atlanta owes in its first year of arbitration, at an estimated $1.8 million, compared to Adams’ $9.6 million.
Alec Thomas to New York Yankees
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After losing Andrew Benintendi in free agency, the Yankees are still in the left field market.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Arizona Diamondbacks are looking for a right-handed infielder.
Thomas played in center field in all 112 games for Arizona last season, but he was able to fill the role New York needed in left field. He had a home run, 39 RBIs, 76 OPS+ and 1.4 bWAR.
Joel Sherman new york post The Yankees have discussed an outfielder with the Diamondbacks.
The problem is the price you pay. Does it cost more than just Gleyber Torres to fit the right-handed infielder profile Arizona covets?
Or do you need a first-class prospect like shortstop Oswaldo Peraza?
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