The MLB trade market is as alive as it's been all offseason. In the past 48 hours alone, we've seen the New York Mets win the Freddy Peralta sweepstakes and the Texas Rangers come out of nowhere to acquire MacKenzie Gore. Coming off two blockbusters, MLB fans have to be asking, who's next? Here's a look at the top eight remaining trade candidates and where they might end up.
SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
After trading Gore away, it feels like a matter of when, not if, CJ Abrams will follow suit. Sure, Abrams plays a different position and does have one more year of control than Gore, but the logic behind a trade would be the same. The Washington Nationals traded Gore because his value was high on the market and because they wouldn't be competitive by the time he was set to hit free agency. By all indications, Abrams' value is pretty high, and the Nationals almost certainly won't be competitive by 2028 when he's set to hit free agency.
Predicted landing spot: Seattle Mariners
A team like the Seattle Mariners could be willing to meet a high asking price. Jorge Polanco is gone, and there's a good chance Eugenio Suarez will also depart in free agency, meaning the Mariners have two vacancies in their infield and not many viable external options to replace them. Trusting one young guy like Cole Young or Colt Emerson makes sense, but the Mariners probably shouldn't trust both of them to play regularly on Opening Day when they're trying to compete.
Abrams would give them a clear upgrade that they desperately need in their infield. And honestly, joining a lineup with Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor might just bring the most out of his very talented bat.
1B Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles
It was a bit surprising that the Baltimore Orioles chose to tender Ryan Mountcastle a contract, and that decision becomes stranger by the day based on how Baltimore has acted this winter. The Orioles replaced Mountcastle at first base with Pete Alonso, leaving many to question what his role in Baltimore would be. Might he be a platoon partner with Samuel Basallo at the DH spot? That feels like the only justifiable role, and even then, they still have Coby Mayo, who should really be at the big-league level.
Predicted landing spot: San Diego Padres
Mountcastle is not a fit in Baltimore anymore, particularly at the $6.7 million price tag he's set to earn, so trading him makes the most sense. A team like the San Diego Padres with a clear need at first base could be a natural fit. The Padres reportedly pursued Nolan Arenado with the intention of moving him to first base, and Mountcastle is probably a better hitter than Arenado is right now.
The O's probably can't get much for Mountcastle coming off a down year, but something is better than nothing. The Padres get a cheap stopgap at first base who can hit for some much-needed power, and the Orioles can spend some of what Mountcastle is making on additional pitching.
3B Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros
The Houston Astros have an infield logjam with five infielders on their roster and only four spots available. The Astros would probably prefer to trade an expensive veteran like Carlos Correa or Christian Walker, but doing so feels virtually impossible. Trading Isaac Paredes, though, could make a lot of sense, as he'd have a good amount of value on the trade block.
Predicted landing spot: Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox match up as a potential landing spot for a couple of reasons. First, they desperately need an infielder, particularly one with Paredes' skillset. He might not offer much speed or defense, but he has tons of power and loves to pull fly balls. What better park for him to play at half the time than Fenway? He can give the Red Sox the big bat they desperately need in the middle of their order.
Second, the Red Sox have a lot of what the Astros need. If they want an outfielder, can I interest you in Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu? If they're after starting pitching, Connelly Early, Payton Tolle and Brayan Bello all figure to be available for the right price. A deal would be more complicated than just a one-for-one in all likelihood, but the two sides could very easily match up and help each other out.
OF Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox
Speaking of Duran, the Red Sox ought to trade him. They have four outfielders for three spots, and Duran is the most expendable of the bunch, given Ceddanne Rafaela's center field defense, Roman Anthony's star power, and Wilyer Abreu's additional year of cheap club control. As for a fit, it's hard to find a better one than the Astros.
Predicted landing spot: Houston Astros
The Astros might prefer Abreu, but Duran would be a great fit as well. He's a left-handed hitter, which they desperately need, and he's an outfielder, which they also could really use given their options consist of Zach Cole, Cam Smith, Jesus Sanchez and Jake Meyers - an underwhelming group.
The Astros would likely need to tack something on top of Paredes to get a deal done, but a swap that'd send Duran to the Astros and Paredes to the Red Sox makes too much sense and is something MLB fans should start to look out for.
LHP Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals have one of the best rotations in the American League, but their lineup, which ranked 26th in runs scored in 2025, remains an issue. Their outfield should be a bit better thanks to the Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas additions, and a full season of Carter Jensen should help, but trading a starting pitcher to help bolster their lineup could make a lot of sense.
Predicted landing spot: New York Yankees
The New York Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger, completing their outfield and leaving both Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones without a clear path for playing time. New York would almost certainly love to keep at least one of those outfielders, if not both, but one should be expendable for a starting pitcher.
Even after acquiring Ryan Weathers, the rotation is a clear need for the Yankees, and with Gore and Peralta off the board, options aren't wide-ranging. Bubic might not be as good as Peralta, but he is coming off an All-Star year, and given this is his final season of club control, he shouldn't cost too much.
2B Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Signing Alex Bregman immediately brought Nico Hoerner's Chicago Cubs' future into question, and it isn't hard to see why. Bregman is set to take over at third base, but the Cubs still have Matt Shaw, a top prospect who played well down the stretch of last season at the hot corner, on their roster. They could use Shaw as a utility player, but they could also move the versatile infielder to second base in place of Hoerner, who is on an expiring contract. Doing so would make little sense, though.
Predicted landing spot: Chicago Cubs
The Cubs shouldn't and presumably won't shut down trade talk entirely, but Hoerner isn't a player they can easily replace. This past season he was worth 4.8 fWAR, tied for 20th among all qualified position players with Gunnar Henderson and ahead of superstars like Ketel Marte, Junior Caminero and even Kyle Tucker. Hoerner might not have big power, but he's such a good contact hitter and such a good defender to the point where he's one of the most valuable infielders in the sport.
Signing Bregman tells me the Cubs are interested in winning right now. Barring a return that's likely unrealistic, trading Hoerner would be more to ensure they get something for him before risking losing him in free agency than it would be trying to win games in 2026. Even if he winds up leaving for nothing next winter, the Cubs can't trade Hoerner unless they improve right now. The odds of that happening are practically zero, so Hoerner should and probably will stay in Chicago.
2B/OF Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals have traded Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado, and chances are, they aren't done wheeling and dealing yet this winter. Chaim Bloom has made it clear that the team is entering a rebuild, and while they don't have to trade Donovan, an All-Star infielder with a couple of years of control, the time for them to do so would be now, while he still has multiple years of cheap club control and can bring the Cards an absolute haul.
Predicted landing spot: San Francisco Giants
Donovan, a 29-year-old who can play all over the diamond, is a fit for many teams, but the San Francisco Giants make almost too much sense. Not only do they lack an established leadoff hitter in front of Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, but they also have clear needs at second base and in their corner outfield.
Donovan can fill either one of those holes and do so at an extremely high level. He won't come cheap, but if the Giants are serious about making a playoff push, making a deal for Donovan, one of the best position players available, feels like a must.
LHP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers still have yet to publicly shut down trade talks for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Whether Tigers fans like this or not, until they clearly state that he's not going anywhere, Skubal trade chatter will persist. Trade rumors only grew louder when Skubal and the Tigers couldn't even come close to a deal to avoid arbitration. Whether they should trade him or not can be debated, but I don't see it happening.
Predicted landing spot: Detroit Tigers
The argument for trading him is quite obvious: it's better to get something for him than to lose him for nothing more than a draft pick in free agency. Even with Skubal on an expiring contract, he'd command a ridiculous haul. I mean, look at what Peralta, a pitcher not in the same stratosphere as Skubal, got in a trade.
The Tigers will ask for the moon and then some for Skubal (and rightfully so), and I don't believe their asking price will be met. Again, we can debate whether the Tigers should trade Skubal or not (I happen to think they should), but it's not and really never has been likely to happen.
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