Baseball's annual trade deadline came and went Monday and dozens of trades were completed in the preceding days. The biggest blockbuster was, of course, the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers landing two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Freddy Peralta, Casey Mize, and Adley Rutschman were among the other big names moved.
There are about eight weeks to play in the regular season and then we'll have a month of postseason baseball, which is when many teams will count on their deadline pickups to have the greatest impact. Even with all that baseball still to be played, it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason and get an idea of who could hit the trade block over the winter.
Here now is a super early look at the top 10 offseason trade candidates, ranked in order of how likely they are to be moved.
1. C William Contreras, Brewers
The Brewers made one of the best trades of the decade when they nudged their way into the Sean Murphy trade with the Athletics and Braves, and landed William Contreras (and two others!) for Esteury Ruiz and nothing else. Contreras has performed at an All-Star level during his four seasons with Milwaukee. Next season will be his last season before free agency, however, which is when the Brewers tend to trade their best players. Freddy Peralta in 2026, Devin Williams in 2025, Corbin Burnes in 2024, etc. Contreras will reach that point in the offseason and the Brewers ostensibly acquired his replacement at the deadline in Bo Naylor. Super early possible landing spots: Padres, Rangers, Yankees
2. SP Reid Detmers, Angels
3. SS Zach Neto
It was overdue, but the Angels finally traded away some controllable players (Jo Adell, José Soriano, etc.) at the deadline to add sorely needed young talent to the organization. Reid Detmers and Zach Neto remained despite significant interest in both, and it stands to reason that interest will continue into the offseason. Detmers is under team control through 2028, Neto through 2029. They are two prime-aged players at positions where demand always exceeds supply. The Angels did nice work in a seller's market at the deadline, and they figure to clean up if they move these two over the winter. Super early possible landing spots: Cardinals, Cubs, Nationals for Detmers; Braves, Red Sox, Tigers for Neto
4. SP Joe Ryan, Twins
A surge up the standings and into the wild-card race meant that not only did the Twins not sell at the trade deadline, but they actually bought (Jeff Hoffman, A.J. Minter, etc.). Rental catcher Ryan Jeffers stayed in Minnesota, as did Joe Ryan, even though his name has been in trade rumors for two years now. Next year is Ryan's final season of team control. The Twins could keep him and see where things stand at next year's trade deadline, but they'll get more in return for him in the offseason. They'd also assume much less injury risk. Bottom line, though, teams keep calling about Ryan. There's no reason to think that will change in the offseason. Eventually, a team will make an offer that gets the Twins to say yes. Super early possible landing spots: Astros, Mets, Orioles
5. OF Steven Kwan, Guardians
Word is that the Guardians came very close to trading Steven Kwan to either the Dodgers or Padres at the 2025 deadline, but they ran out of time and couldn't get a deal across the finish line. Cleveland kept Kwan last offseason, which looked like a bad decision earlier this year, though Kwan has looked more like himself these last few weeks and is salvaging his season. Arbitration will boost his salary above $10 million next year, his final year of team control, which could push the perpetually thrifty Guardians to move him. This team has a history of trading its top players a year before free agency (Francisco Lindor, Corey Kluber, etc.). Super early possible landing spots: Blue Jays, Mariners, Phillies
6. C Hunter Goodman, Rockies
Understandably, the Rockies set a very high asking price for Hunter Goodman, who went into Wednesday with more home runs on the road (18) than at Coors Field (15). He will remain under team control through 2029. Catchers who can hit for this much power are rare. Teams will accept the strikeouts and sketchy defense, and pay a high price, to get it. The Rockies are slowly but surely beginning to move in the right direction, though they remain a few years away from serious contention. I have no doubt teams will ask about Goodman this offseason. If they can't get him to sign a long-term extension, Colorado might trade him over the winter, when his value will be at its highest point. Super early possible landing spots: Giants, White Sox, Yankees
7. RP Mason Miller, Padres
In the span of about a month, it went from looking like there was no chance the Padres would trade Mason Miller to looking like it was a lock to happen to again there being no chance it would happen. Eight wins in nine games immediately prior to the deadline kept Miller in San Diego for at least the rest of this season. The game's best reliever will remain under team control through 2029, so there is no urgency to move him, but the Padres need help all over the field. The rotation, the outfield, behind the plate, everywhere. Trading Miller for a package of young players would be the easiest and most straightforward way to address multiple needs in one fell swoop. At minimum, the Padres have to be open to the idea. Super early possible landing spots: Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees
8. SP Hunter Greene, Reds
There were rumblings that the Reds would listen on Hunter Greene and their other controllable players (Elly De La Cruz?), and when there's that kind of smoke, there's at least a little fire. Greene has pitched at an ace level when on the field the last few years and his contract is very team-friendly: $15 million in 2026, $18 million in 2027, and a $21 million club option ($2 million buyout) for 2028. He missed the first three months of this season following surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow and is back on the injured list with what the Reds called a sore elbow, so that's not good. As long as it's not a major injury, Greene will be in extremely high demand this offseason given the quality of the pitcher (when healthy) and his contract. Super early possible landing spots: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets
9. SS CJ Abrams, Nationals
The Nationals sold pretty aggressively at the deadline (Luis García Jr., Foster Griffin, Curtis Mead) but kept CJ Abrams, whose name surfaced in trade rumors. My sense is that the leaks had more to do with teams calling about him than Washington shopping him. Abrams has another two years of control, and the Nationals are a team on the rise. Keeping him and winning with him would be preferable, I imagine, though president of baseball operations Paul Toboni & Co. have to at least be willing to listen. Abrams could bring back an enormous package of not just prospects, but MLB-ready players who can help Washington win in 2027. Super early possible landing spots: Braves, Pirates, Red Sox
10. SS Francisco Lindor, Mets
Prior to the trade deadline, POBO David Stearns said the Mets "have to be open-minded," and there was some belief they were open to moving Francisco Lindor, if not actively shopping him. He has a full no-trade clause and is owed $160 million from 2027-31, which are two enormous obstacles. That is especially true with a new collective bargaining agreement coming and the sport's economic structure expected to change. It'll be hard to move that contract before knowing if a salary cap is being introduced, a different version of revenue sharing, etc. There have been enough rumblings the last few weeks that we have to mention Lindor as a trade candidate, though. I don't expect this to fade into the background.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager is in a similar situation. He'll pick up no-trade protection after the season and is owed $155 million from 2027-31. The Rangers have seen their local television revenue decline over the last few years and it's an open secret that they want to shed some of their big contracts (Seager, Jacob deGrom, etc.). The money and no-trade clauses will make a trade difficult. I would not assume Lindor and Seager are off-limits, however. Super early possible landing spots: Braves, Mariners, Phillies
Other super-early offseason trade candidates: OF Jasson Domínguez, Yankees; OF Jarren Duran, Red Sox; 2B Xavier Edwards and SS Otto Lopez, Marlins; SP Emerson Hancock and SP George Kirby, Mariners; C/DH Iván Herrera, Cardinals; OF Trevor Larnach, Twins; OF Jake McCarthy, Rockies
