The MLB Winter Meetings came and went, with the likes of Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Diaz all finding a free-agent suitor. However, there are still plenty of high-end contributors available in free agency, including Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Framber Valdez, Alex Bregman and more.
However, the focus of this article is primarily the trade market. While there were limited deals made at a quiet Winter Meetings, the trade market reportedly moved quite a bit behind the scenes, including big names like Tarik Skubal and Hunter Greene. Here's the latest.
Cubs could shop Nico Hoerner
A surprising development at the Winter Meetings was the trade chatter surrounding Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner. One of the best defensive second basemen in MLB and coming off a 6.2 bWAR season, Hoerner fits the Cubs identity better than most. But Chicago's interest in Alex Bregman – who could move to second base and help their lineup quite a bit – would make Hoerner expendable if Jed Hoyer so chooses.
"Although Hoerner can become a free agent after the 2026 season — when he will be 29 years old and able to market himself as a potential shortstop — he has already signed one contract extension with the Cubs. His appreciation for Wrigley Field and the franchise’s history is genuine...Nevertheless, this front office operates without much sentiment and uses the offseason to gauge the value of virtually every player on the roster," Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reported.
The Cubs don't have to trade Hoerner, but adding Bregman would help them fill a Kyle Tucker-sized void in their lineup. Chicago also needs frontline starting pitching, and there are plenty of available ace-level starters available via trade. Sending Hoerner elsewhere could help them put together a viable trade package for, say, a Tarik Skubal or Edward Cabrera.
The Cubs listen on most of their players – even their stars – so seeing Hoerner's name floated in trade rumors doesn't necessarily mean anything. But it's surely something to watch as the offseason progresses.
A Hunter Greene trade is looming for the Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a confusing operation. On the one hand, they made an offer to hometown product Kyle Schwarber, ultimately falling short. Schwarber re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a deal far greater than what the Reds reportedly offered.
On the other hand, the Reds are reportedly listening to offers on their best starting pitcher, Hunter Greene. The 25-year-old Greene had a sub-3 ERA in 19 starts, the second straight season he's achieved such a mark. Greene signed a six-year extension in 2023, and thus is under contract through the 2029 season, which includes a club option. While Freddy Peralta and Tarik Skubal are the best starting pitchers available on the market, Greene could be a more intriguing fit for contenders in search of team-friendly contractual control. Enter the New York Yankees.
As Brendan Kuty noted in his post-Winter Meetings column, the Yankees are in search of front-end rotation security. They don't know what they'll get out of Gerrit Cole when he returns from Tommy John surgery. Max Fried is solid, but also a question mark in the postseason. Carlos Rodon has a strong bounceback campaign as well.
But adding Greene would change everything. It's a trade the Yankees will struggle to pull off without including one of their promising young arms like postseason hero Cam Schlitter, but it's worth exploring.
Tigers will deal Tarik Skubal eventually
For most of the offseason, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has refused to comment on Tarik Skubal's future. If anything, Harris wanted to keep an open line of communication between the team and Skubal's agent, Scott Boras, regarding a potential trade or contract extension. However, as the Winter Meetings progressed, it became more clear that Skubal intends to test free agency next winter, and remaining with the Tigers could quickly become an afterthought as a result.
The Tigers risk losing Skubal for nothing. He reportedly wants at least a $400 million contract, which would be a record for a starting pitcher. Signing any pitcher, even one of Skubal's caliber, comes with significant risk. Skubal underwent Tommy John in college and thus could be a candidate for a second elbow surgery later in his career. As great as a long-term extension sounds to Tigers fans – especially since it isn't their money – ownership isn't as enthusiastic. Here is what ESPN's Jorge Castillo had to say about the likelihood of a Skubal trade after the Winter Meetings:
"A Tarik Skubal trade is likely. Here's what we know: Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris can shut down speculation by simply saying he is not trading Skubal and he has not done that. Instead, he noted this week that there aren't any "untouchables" on his roster. Trading the best pitcher in baseball when you're trying to compete would upset the fan base, but the Tigers, knowing re-signing Skubal next winter is unlikely, appear open to it."
In the span of a month, Harris went from refusing to acknowledge Skubal trade rumors to openly discussing life without him. It's unclear when a deal might happen, but it's on the Tigers radar. That's a lot of movement in a short period of time.