MLB Insider: 3 stars to watch on trade market and where they fit best

The Major League Baseball offseason is in full swing after the General Manager Meetings, and it provided some clues as to what potentially is ahead.

The talk of baseball, of course, is Shohei Ohtani. He is the best free agent in baseball history and is in line to receive the biggest contract in American sports history, with his eventual deal expected to land in the $500-600 million range.

But the free-agent market also includes Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman, Lucas Giolito, and many more players. The trade market is another intriguing aspect to monitor – the 40-man roster deadline is on Tuesday afternoon – and there is expected to be a flurry of moves as teams trim their rosters.

MLB insider: 3 stars who could be traded this offseason

There will also be bigger trades, and here are three names to keep an eye on this offseason, according to major-league sources.

Cal Quantrill, Cleveland Guardians

It would not be a surprise to see the Guardians move Quantrill, perhaps sooner than later. The 28-year-old is coming off a down season in 2023, posting a 5.24 ERA in 19 starts. So the Guardians would potentially be selling low.

But Quantrill, who earned $5.55 million in 2023, is arbitration eligible for the next two seasons and is scheduled to earn around $7 million in 2024. It makes him a prime non-tender or trade candidate and considering his history – he has a 3.83 ERA in five career seasons, including 94 starts – it makes him a logical trade candidate.

It could lead to some team absorbing that salary in 2024 in hopes that he performs closer to what he did from 2020-2023. It would not be shocking at all to see him playing elsewhere in 2024.

Potential fit: Los Angeles Dodgers