The MLB offseason continues to move at a snail’s pace as we begin the new year. There have been sporadic big signings, such as Dylan Cease in Toronto or Tatsuya Imai in Houston. The trade market is alive, if not explosive, with most of the big moves running through Boston to date (Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, Willson Contreras, etc.). But the offseason’s true marquee stars — Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman — remain unsigned, with hardly a squeak out of the rumor mill.
Something needs to change. All these dudes will sign eventually, but spring training is only a couple months away and MLB fans league-wide are getting antsy. So let’s spice things up with a few helpful suggestions in the form of blockbuster trades, all of which feel (potentially) mutually beneficial in my book.
Diamondbacks send Ketel Marte to Rays
It’s feeling more and more like Ketel Marte will remain in Phoenix after all, but months of trade speculation — and looming 10-5 rights, which give Marte full trade veto power — mean there is still a chance that we see the All-Star second baseman on the move this winter.
With the Boston Red Sox apparently out of the running post-Willson Contreras trade, one obvious favorite has emerged: the Tampa Bay Rays. As the AL East arms race heats up, Tampa has diligently maneuvered its way into pole position here. In trading Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz, the Rays now have a surplus of quality Minor League talents with imminent MLB upside, not to mention an opening at second base.
Marte would help to crystallize an impressive core of hitters in Tampa, joining Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero and Richie Palacios, all of whom posted an OPS of .846 or higher last season. Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025, mashing 28 home runs and driving in 72 runs.
He’s a plus defender and arguably MLB’s crème de la crème as far as second basemen are concerned. He’s under contract through 2030 at an exceedingly affordable rate, making this a golden opportunity for a Rays team that is seldom inclined to spend big in free agency. This trade makes the AL East a real coin flip division.
Padres send Fernando Tatis Jr. to Tigers
It does not feel like the San Diego Padres are going to trade Fernando Tatis Jr. this winter, but there has been enough chatter of seismic changes in San Diego — enough smoke blowing on the wind — to at least consider the possibility. If the talented outfielder does wind up on the market, the Detroit Tigers make all the sense in the world as a team in need of that foundational, superstar-level bat.
Tatis’ contract pays him a smidge over $20 million next season, but escalates to $36.7 million annually from 2029-2034. On one hand, that means almost a decade of control for the Tigers. On the other, it’s a lot of guaranteed money and significant back-end risk, which typically dissuades this Detroit front office. But we know the Tigers were willing to pay Alex Bregman a handsome sum last winter, and the uncertain future of Tarik Skubal increases the pressure to make something happen.
All that is to say we are living in a world of hypotheticals right now, and Tatis would meaningfully move the needle for a Detroit team that feels oh so close to true World Series contention. The Tigers’ lineup is incredibly deep and versatile, but Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene are a little too inconsistent to be the star anchor points of a championship-level team. Tatis is not. He’s a five-tool star who posted an .814 OPS with 25 home runs and 32 stolen bases in 2025. He’s primarily a right fielder nowadays, but also has experience at shortstop. Don’t be shocked if AJ Hinch experiments with Tatis in the infield, too.
San Diego is in a financial crunch and AJ Preller desperately needs to restore his prospect stores after his disastrous trade deadline splurge last season. This trade gives San Diego a ready-made Tatis replacement in Wenceel Peréz, as well as two imminent MLB bats in Hao-Yu Lee and Tre’ Morgan — not to mention much-needed pitching depth in Jaden Hamm.
Angels send Mike Trout to Pirates
Mike Trout’s contract brings the odds of a trade close to zero, but never say never in MLB. If the Los Angeles Angels are willing to eat enough money — and the Anthony Rendon buyout shows how desperate the front office is to free up cash — someone out there will take an interest in Trout, the three-time MVP and future Hall of Fame inductee whose career has gone off the rails due to injury.
Last season was (finally) a step in the right direction for Trout, who made the switch to DH and appeared in 130 games. That is the most he has played since 2019. While he couldn’t reach the MVP heights of yore, Trout still did a fair amount of mashing. He cranked 26 home runs and drew a ton of walks, finishing with a .797 OPS and 121 OPS+. The underlying metrics are all extremely positive. Trout remains one of the mostly intimidating and explosive performers in MLB when healthy.
He’s down to the final five years of his contract, on a deal not all the far removed from the four-year, $120 million offer Pittsburgh lobbed at Kyle Schwarber in free agency. It’s clear that the Pirates are willing to spend, at least more so than usual, and adding a bat like Trout’s to the middle of the lineup meaningfully improves their standing in the NL Central.
Trout can remain a DH in Pittsburgh and hopefully avoid future injury scares. Meanwhile, the Angels eat $12 million annually for the next five years — a total of $60 million out of Trout’s remaining $185.3 million. Los Angeles gets an MLB-ready pitching prospect in Thomas Harrington, as well as a couple upside swings on Nick Yorke (a former top prospect in desperate need of a change in scenery) and 19-year-old righty Jeter Martinez.
Tigers send Tarik Skubal to Mets
It sure feels like Tarik Skubal will finish out the remainder of his contract in Detroit before signing with the highest bidder in free agency. If Detroit finds other ways to be aggressive (see: Fernando Tatis Jr.), however, it could open the door to trade Skubal and recoup value before he leaves for nothing in a year.
A lot of teams would love to add Skubal, even as a rental, but I’m not sure any contender needs to morale boost and the talent influx more than the New York Mets right now. GM David Stearns has effectively gutted the roster after a disappointing 2025 season and he’s operating with a lot more patience than the average Mets fan right now. Selling the farm for Skubal on an expiring contract does not really fit with Stearns’ current strategy, and he tends to shy away from big pitching expenses. But if any team can cough up the $400 million-plus Skubal will demand as a free agent, it’s the Mets. Skubal is worth breaking the trend.
Detroit can still expect a hearty haul in return. Carson Benge can start in the outfield on Opening Day, while Jonah Tong made his MLB debut in 2025 and could slide into Skubal’s spot in the rotation within a year. Ryan Clifford has combination of power and positional flexibility that Detroit ought to appreciate in a prospect, while Jonathan Pintaro is a potential impact arm in the bullpen next season.
This trade gives the Mets the veteran ace that rotation so desperately needs. If Skubal sticks around, him and Nolan McLean could form the nastiest one-two punch in the National League for the next decade. New York fans need a pick-me-up after such a depressing start to the offseason. Skubal would more than suffice.