The MLB offseason spotlight is typically focused on free agency, but several impact players were exchanged via trade over the last few months. We never got that Tarik Skubal blockbuster, nor did we see cost-controlled stars like Ketel Marte or CJ Abrams get the boot. Still, multiple transformative trades are bound to impact on the league's competitive landscape.
From a new ace in Queens to sweeping upgrades in Boston, a lot of quality players were sent packing. Some are probably more happy about it than others, and the same can be said for the fans. In the interest of full context, let's rank the 10 best offseason trade chips.
Honorable mentions: LHP Matt Strahm, RHP Shane Baz, LHP Ryan Weathers, RHP Grayson Rodriguez, OF Isaac Collins, OF Luis Robert Jr.
10. Caleb Durbin | 3B | Boston Red Sox
Caleb Durbin finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, emerging as a key piece of Milwaukee's first-place team. While the 25-year-old offers very limited power, his contact tool is elite. Durbin works deep into counts, sees the zone incredibly well, and keeps strikeouts to an absolute minimum. He hit .256 with a .334 OBP and .721 OPS in his first taste of MLB action. He was also a solid defender at both third and second base.
Why did the Brewers abandon ship for so little in return? That's unclear right now. The Brewers are typically graded on a curve when it comes to trades, as that organization is better than most at locating value on the margins. While Kyle Harrison and David Hamilton were bit players in Boston, Milwaukee clearly sees traits they like — and who are we to question them at this point? Still, this was a huge win for the Red Sox, even if Durbin isn't the splashy, Alex Bregman or Ketel Marte-level addition Boston fans wanted.
9. Taylor Ward | OF | Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore took a bold swing here, trading four years of club control over a proven starter in Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward, a 32-year-old outfielder on the final year of his contract. This was clearly an investment in the here and now for Baltimore, adding Ward's 36 home runs from last season to a lineup in need of a bit more oomph. Factor in the Pete Alonso signing, and the O's dramatically raised their ceiling this offseason.
The book on Ward is straight forward. He's a solid corner outfielder with a weaker arm, meaning the O's will stick him in left. At the plate, he offsets a strikeout-heavy diet with significant power, driving in a career-high 103 runs last season. Rodriguez put up a 3.86 ERA and 3.66 FIP in 20 starts back in 2024, but he missed all of 2025 recovering from elbow surgery. Clearly, the O's were less than confident in him bouncing back, which led to pushing their chips in for an immediate offensive game-changer in Ward.
8. Marcus Semien | 2B | New York Mets
The Mets and Rangers engineered one of the most fascinating trades of the offseason: a straight swap of two key contributors, with both teams appearing to alleviate clubhouse tension and address important areas of need. For New York, this was plainly an effort to bolster the defense. Semien is a perennial Gold Glove candidate at second base, which ought to come in handy as New York incorporates two less-than-stellar infield gloves in Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco.
Last season was a struggle for Semien at the plate. The former AL hitting champ hit .230 with a .669 OPS and 97 OPS+. It's his second straight season with a sub-.700 OPS. Semien has a long track record of success, but the Mets can't expect much offensively at this point. Semien is something of an ironman, which helps, but the injury bug finally caught him in 2025, so take that with a grain of salt as he approaches his age-36 season.
7. Brandon Nimmo | OF | Texas Rangers
Texas was never a viable landing spot for top free agents, but GM Chris Young did his part on the trade front. Nimmo is a mediocre glove in left field at this point, but he's due roughly $11.5 million less in salary this season and he's three years younger than Semien. He is also far more productive at the plate, with a .760 OPS and 114 OPS+ last season to go along a career-high 25 home runs and 93 RBI.
Nimmo strikes out more than his fair share, but the dude hits baseballs extremely hard, with exit velocities in MLB's 88th percentile last season. This Rangers lineup needed more thump beyond Corey Seager. Nimmo should slot into the heart of the lineup and deliver regular moonshots and exta-base knocks for Texas.
6. Sonny Gray | RHP | Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox effectively acquired Sonny Gray on an expiring contract, as his $30 million mutual option for 2027 is of no logical interest to Boston. Between Gray and Ranger Suárez, Boston added significant experience and postseason bonafides to its rotation. Gray costs a lot and he's approaching a productivity cliff, but he still made 32 starts last season. Durability and pedigree were no doubt factors in this investment for Boston, plus hopes that he comes alive in a more competitive environment.
Gray put up a 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP last season, with 201 strikeouts in 180.2 innings. While he does not overwhelm with velocity, Gray exhibits elite command and mixes up to seven different pitches into his weekly arsenal. His sweepers and curveballs are some of the best in MLB. He still has a knack for keeping opposing hitters guessing. The decline is imminent, but if Boston can squeeze one more All-Star(ish) season out of Gray, this Red Sox rotation is airtight.
5. Edward Cabrera | RHP | Chicago Cubs
Chicago paid a premium to pry Edward Cabrera out of Miami with three years of cheap club control. Owen Caissie was formerly the Cubs' top prospect and he's a potential franchise cornerstone for the Marlins, but this was a smart gamble for the Northsiders. Cabrera, 27, has some top-shelf stuff and a change of scenery could be exactly what he needed to put it all together. The Cubs needed reinforcements at the top of the rotation, especially with Justin Steele still rehabbing.
Cabrera can dial up a fastball in the upper-90s, but its his fifth-most frequently thrown pitch. He leans heavily on a grade-A changeup and a nasty curveball that he can spin into the dirt, with a hearty sinker to encourage plenty of groundball contact. He inherits an elite infield defense behind him in Chicago, which should help. If Cabrera takes the leap Chicago is clearly hoping for, the Cubs are in prime position to at least challenge L.A. atop the National League.
4. MacKenzie Gore | LHP | Texas Rangers
The surface-level numbers for MacKenzie Gore last season weren't great, with a 4.17 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 159.2 innings. But he recorded 185 strikeouts and made his first All-Star appearance. The upside was on full display for those watching the Nationals. At 26, Gore comes with a couple years of club control and profiles as a major breakout candidate for Texas. Perhaps this ranking over-indexes potential, but Gore has some truly nasty stuff.
Gore is a few small tweaks from greatness. The curveball works wonders, but he needs to exert better command over his fastball and ideally squeeze a bit more value out of his changeup. If Gore can fine-tune his arsenal while still maintaining his explosive delivery and quality out pitches, the Rangers will have a new ace to bring up behind Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom.
3. Willson Contreras | 1B | Boston Red Sox
Boston sacrificed some of their excess pitching reserves to acquire Willson Contreras from St. Louis with three years of club control left. Cardinals president Chaim Bloom targeted his former employers in Boston as potential facilitators for St. Louis' rebuild. It allowed the Red Sox to add a couple key contributors in Contreras and Gray for relatively little, save for the financial burden.
Contreras is consistently productive at the plate, with a decade-long career of .730-plus OPS seasons. He put up a .791 OPS and 123 OPS+ in 2025, cranking 20 home runs with a new personal-best 80 RBI. He will strike out a fair amount, but Contreras is still generating premium exit velocities and he made the transition from catcher to first base seamlessly, supplying six outs above average (90th percentile) last season.
2. Brendan Donovan | 3B | Seattle Mariners
Seattle's patient approach to this offseason paid dividends with the Brendan Donovan trade. It was hard to find a better landing spots for the Cardinals All-Star, who put up a .353 OBP and .775 OPS last season. Donovan has an elite hit tool, despite limited power, and he's a versatile defender, able to slide between third base, second base and left field. Seattle figures to use him primarily at the hot corner, but Donovan is a workhorse who will wear many hats for the Mariners next season.
As Seattle attempts to build on the success of last season, which ended in a seven-game ALCS loss to Toronto, Donovan presents a sizable upgrade over the slumping Eugenio Suárez. If Colt Emerson can win the Opening Day job at second base, suddenly Seattle has reshaped its infield in awfully compelling fashion, with Donovan slated to bat leadoff, get on base, and score a bunch of runs with Julio RodrÃguez and Cal Raleigh batting behind him.
1. Freddy Peralta | RHP | New York Mets
The Mets made what is quite possibly the most consequential trade of the offseason, plucking Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee in the final year of his contract. While the Mets paid a premium in two top-100 prospects, few contenders more desperately needed an ace. There is still plenty to sort out with New York's rotation, but if Sean Manaea can bounce back, and if Kodai Senga can stay healthy, the Mets rotation stacks up with any team — at least on paper.
Peralta finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting last season, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 33 starts. He logged 204 strikeouts in 176.2 innings, with four plus to plus-plus pitches at his command. That changeup is a real gravedigger. Peralta definitely outperformed his metrics and could be due for mild regression, but he's still a bankable 1A or 1B next to Nolan McLean atop this Mets staff. New York needed veteran poise and stability, Peralta provides it — and there's a good chance New York can extend him, too.