The MLB Playoffs should be a great time for 12 of the league's best teams. For the other 18, the offseason has already begun. That includes the Colorado Rockies, losers of 100 games for the third-straight season, and even the Pittsburgh Pirates, who could finish over .500 for just the fourth time in the past 23 years. All over the diamond, there are improvements to make, and those adjustments are all the tougher thanks to a looming lockout that threatens to derail the 2027 season.
Finding specific trade fits this early in the offseason is virtually impossible. We don't know how the market will develop, or how quickly. That's a warning to those of you keyboard warriors rushing to your social feeds to rip me a new one. These are fits that makes sense on paper, and are informed by spotrac's latest list of possible trade candidates. Nothing more, nothing less.
Colorado Rockies
- Biggest need: Starting pitching
- Trade fit: Luis Severino
I'd be surprised if the Rockies pulled off a big trade like this, especially since they're in the middle of a rebuild. Yet, Severino has very candidly stated he doesn't want to play for the Athletics moving forward. In 2026, he had a 4.17 ERA, which would've made him one of the best Rockies starting pitchers. Sure, playing at Coors Field can make it difficult on any rotation piece, but at some point Colorado needs to invest in its young core and make marginal improvements. Sevy has a player option for 2027, and the A's aren't very good, either.
Los Angeles Angels
- Biggest need: Catching depth, among other things
- Trade fit: Hunter Goodman
I'm aware this goes against everything I just wrote about the Colorado Rockies, investing in the young core, etc. However, Stan Kroenke just bought the Angels, and he'll want to make a big splash fast. The Angels had the lowest combined catcher bWAR in baseball last season. Goodman, who is signed through 2027 and has a sweet power stroke to boot, could change that if he stays healthy.
Athletics
- Biggest need: Starting pitching
- Trade fit: Mitch Keller
If the A's are going to sell out stadiums once they move to Las Vegas, then John Fisher has to invest in this young team. Sure, contract extensions for Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz will help matters, but what the Athletics are really missing is starting pitching. Even if it's only a temporary solution, Keller has proven he can be a top-flight starting pitcher, and the Pirates have plenty of those to go around.
San Francisco Giants
- Biggest need: Starting pitching
- Trade fit: Sandy Alcantara
The Giants have a talented roster that just hasn't played up to its potential. Much of that, at least this season, can be blamed on the pitching staff, which contributed -8.6 bWAR over the course of 162 games. Yikes, indeed. The Marlins have been shopping Alcantara for years now and this winter seems like the ideal time to deal their ace before he loses most of his trade value. Buster Posey likes to swing for the fences, after all.
Kansas City Royals
- Biggest need: Outfield help, particularly CF
- Trade fit: Mickey Moniak
The Royals have a lot of holes to fill, especially in the rotation, but I chose to point the finger in a different direction. Kansas City had the second-lowest bWAR in center field this season. Great teams are built up the middle, and the Royals already have the best shortstop in baseball in Bobby Witt Jr. Moniak isn't the best defensive center fielder, but he had a .767 OPS alongside 23 home runs this season. He's got some pop, which the Royals need.
New York Mets
- Biggest need: Power at first base
- Trade fit: Josh Bell
The Mets assembled one of the highest payrolls in baseball last season. Somehow, that end product meant missing the playoffs. There are plenty of places to point at this Mets roster, but we'll start at first base. New York's positional power was lacking there once they lost Pete Alonso. A trade for Josh Bell, who can at least hold his own defensively and offers 25-30 home run power every year, would be a nice addition.
Cincinnati Reds
- Biggest need: Third base pop
- Trade fit: Isaac Paredes
Ke'Bryan Hayes simply isn't going to cut it moving forward. Reds ownership has been unwilling to spend to improven this roster, and perhaps that's why Nick Krall didn't make a single trade at the deadline. Who knows? If the Reds want to add some serious pop to the hot corner — or they could move him to another position if need be — why not Isaac Paredes? The Astros star is signed through 2027 and has been floated in trade talks for quite some time. He's an ideal rental for this team.
Detroit Tigers
- Biggest need: Relief help
- Trade fit: Ser'Anthony Dominguez
The Tigers bullpen actually played better in the second half, but Detroit still managed to fall so far behind the eight ball through the end of May mostly thanks to their bullpen. In the hopes of avoiding such a downfall again, Scott Harris should seek back-end help from somewhere (anywhere?). Dominguez had a 3.69 ERA with the Mariners and is signed through 2027. Detroit has the prospects to make this work.
Seattle Mariners
- Biggest need: First base
- Trade fit: Willson Contreras
Unrealistic? Absolutely. Red Sox fans love Contreras and he's been immensely productive this season when healthy. However, Contreras has been floated in trade rumors in the past year, even after he was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mariners could send back an elite young arm to buoy Boston's already-talented rotation. I'm just saying, there might be something here.
Minnesota Twins
- Biggest need: Shortstop
- Trade fit: Otto Lopez
Back-to-back heaters? Oh, you betcha. Twins ownership claims they want to contend in the near future. They were ahead of schedule in 2026, and have plenty of top prospects coming through the pipeline to pair with Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton. Trading for Lopez, who the Marlins would be silly to make available in the first place, could make the Twins AL Central favorites heading into 2027. Lopez is hitting .304 and has a 5.7 WAR on the year.
Washington Nationals
- Biggest need: Starting pitching
- Trade fit: Eduardo Rodriguez
The Nationals have one of the best lineups in baseball, and assuming they don't trade CJ Abrams this offseason, that should carry over into 2027. Washington has some rotation depth to speak of — and did just extend Cade Cavalli — but there is more work to do. Eduardo Rodriguez has had a nice bounceback season in Arizona after a dominant WBC. He'd be a prime trade candidate for the Nats and is under contract through 2028.
Toronto Blue Jays
- Biggest need: Position player talent
- Trade fit: CJ Abrams
As I was saying...the Nationals should not trade CJ Abrams. But if they do, the Blue Jays could be an intriguing fit. Abrams could slide into one of the middle infield positions — though the Nationals clearly prefer him at second base — or even DH. Toronto is not lacking in star power, but they haven't replaced Bo Bichette since he left (or at least not well). Abrams would do that and then some.
St. Louis Cardinals
- Biggest need: Bullpen
- Trade fit: Kenley Jansen
The Cardinals have the sixth-worst bullpen in baseball per bWAR. It's an issue that has plagued them all year long. While St. Louis is still a few years away from contending atop the NL Central, they surprised a lot of pundits this season. Adding a proven closer like Kenley Jansen, who has World Series' to his name, might send the right message to this core group of young players.
Miami Marlins
- Biggest need: First base
- Trade fit: Jake Burger
Yes, the Marlins traded Jake Burger to the Texas Rangers just a couple years ago. No, I don't think it'd stop them from adding him back into the fold. Burger has a 2.28 WAR and 27 home runs on the season. Miami is lacking exactly that, and on a team that has all the pieces to be a dark horse NL Wild Card contender in 2027, adding Burger could be what makes the difference.
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Biggest need: Bullpen
- Trade fit: Rico Garcia
The Pirates should finish the season over .500 for just the fourth time in 23 years. The bad news is they should've been much better were it not for a bad bullpen. In Pittsburgh, these sorts of chances don't come around very often, and Ben Cherington's decision to spend his last dime on Marcell Ozuna instead of another bullpen arm will haunt him. Garcia, who is under team control through 2030 and had a 3.09 ERA this season, could be exactly what Pittsburgh needs.
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