The MLB postseason is one of the most wonderful times of the year. And this year, with no clear favorite and so many teams in contention, the unpredictability should lead to yet another unforgettable postseason.
But let’s look a little deeper, specifically toward the offseason where free agency lacks high-end depth that could lead to an active trade market. There have already been names mentioned in rumors and there should be even more as the offseason gets closer.
Where could some of those top names end up? Here are some of the best fits for the top three players mentioned in trade rumors.
Ketel Marte: Detroit Tigers
With this Detroit Tigers collapse, if they are eliminated from the postseason early, they are going to need a spark.
They are not going to fire Scott Harris. They are not going to fire AJ Hinch. But they should go all in and trade for Marte.
Do I expect Marte to get traded? It’s unlikely. But it’s definitely possible. Detroit had room to go out and get Alex Bregman last winter and were the runners up. Why not get Marte, who is signed to a very team-friendly deal, and go all-in on a season that could very well be Tarik Skubal’s last in Detroit? It would be very smart. And I think they should do it.
Freddy Peralta: San Diego Padres
This is going to be a really, really difficult decision for the Brewers. Peralta is in a similar category as Willy Adames was in Milwaukee: loved by teammates, a core player, and someone who loves being a Brewer.
But teams will come calling Milwaukee and there will be intriguing offers for Peralta, who has one year remaining on his contract. This is around the time the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams and Josh Hader. It’s around the time the Brewers contemplated trading Adames, electing to keep him and turn down offers for young, high-end players.
And gosh, this feels like something Padres executive A.J. Preller would really like. The Padres need starting pitching, with Dylan Cease and Michael King facing uncertain futures after this season. Maybe Preller looks to the free-agent market instead after gutting the farm system at the trade deadline. But I expect him to call.
Sonny Gray: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox would also be a fit for Peralta and maybe that’s a better fit than Gray, but I could see A.J. Preller being aggressive for Peralta. Just my own speculation. Alas, we’ll go with Gray here.
The Red Sox reaped the reward of acquiring Garrett Crochet last trade deadline. They were optimistic that Walker Buehler would be a strong complement to him in the rotation, but that didn’t work out. Insert Gray, who has been a very productive starter across 13 seasons in the majors, posting a 3.58 ERA and 1925 strikeouts.
Gray has a no-trade clause, something he has previously seemed unwilling to waive. But with the Cardinals in a transition period with young players asserting into more prominent roles, Gray has become more willing to waive it. “Whether I do decide that I want to go somewhere else - whether that actually happens - I don’t have complete control of that,” Gray told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Obviously, I have control of where I can’t go or don’t go. I’m going to be 36. I’m going to be in my 14th season. Last year of my contract for this. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”