With the winter meetings around the corner and the hot stove heating up, it’s also time to think about trades. Here are five deals I want to see this winter.
Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox
It seems like the Red Sox are looking to take big swings again in the free-agent market, and while they wait for Juan Soto to decide if he wants to play at Fenway Park for the next decade, their search for top-tier talent shouldn’t stop in free agency.
Boston needs an ace for a rotation that, while promising, took steps backward in the second half of 2024. And since Craig Breslow took over as the team’s head of baseball operations, pitching has been a priority. While there’s been a lot of buzz around Max Fried being a perfect fit in Boston, there’s a southpaw on the South Side of Chicago who makes plenty of sense.
Garrett Crochet was one of the most coveted trade targets at the July trade deadline, and he remains one of the hottest names on the market. The White Sox’s All-Star lefty took off in his first full season as a starter, going 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA and 209 strikeouts, which ranked seventh in MLB.
Crochet is exactly the type of frontline starter Boston needs, and the Red Sox could get him in the prime of his career. Boston has developed one of the best farm systems in baseball, and it has the prospect firepower to pull off a blockbuster to bring another Chicago ace to Beantown. The Red Sox could also extend Crochet after the trade, which was the southpaw’s preference during the season.
If Boston is going all-in on talent, there’s no need to stop at Soto. Acquiring Crochet would give Red Sox fans something to get excited about.
Devin Williams to the Phillies
The Phillies are right in their window as World Series contenders, and they’ve loaded their roster with plenty of star power offensively, with the likes of Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber. Meanwhile, their starting pitching has held up its end of the bargain, with an elite rotation featuring Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and 2024 All-Star Cristopher Sánchez.
But the Phillies’ biggest area of need during this era of contention has easily been their bullpen, specifically the back end of the bullpen. After failed experiments with Craig Kimbrel, José Alvarado, Hector Neris and Seranthony Dominguez, there has never been a time when Philadelphia has needed a lockdown closer more.
Enter Devin Williams.
The Brewers’ closer has been electric since entering the league in 2019. The 2020 NL Rookie of the Year easily transitioned from setup man to closer following the Brewers’ trade of Josh Hader in 2021 and has thrived in the role. Williams, 30, is 27-10 with a 1.83 ERA in 241 appearances across his career with Milwaukee. He missed much of 2024 due to a back injury but is expected to be healthy by next season.
Milwaukee made it no secret that they would like to move their All-Star closer with him being a year away from free agency. The Phillies are in win-now mode, and if they want to continue to give themselves a chance to win their first World Series since 2008, adding a high-leverage arm in Williams could be the key to getting over the hump.
Cody Bellinger to the Mariners
The Mariners have disappointed since finally making the postseason in 2022, and in a time when Seattle, led by young star center fielder Julio Rodríguez, was supposed to make its assent, the Mariners have instead taken steps back, leading to the firing of former manager Scott Servais and hitting coaches Jared DeHart and Brant Brown during the previous season. The offense’s biggest issue is its propensity to swing and miss. The Mariners’ had one of the worst strikeout rates in MLB history last season and were unable to generate consistent offense.
Since joining the Cubs in 2023, Cody Bellinger has found a new version of himself. And while this version of Bellinger might not hit 40 homers a year like the younger version, he has figured out how to tap into his power consistently while controlling the strike zone. The Cubs’ first baseman and center fielder struck out fewer than 90 times in each of the past two seasons, with 44 homers in that span.
Bellinger’s offensive profile and production would be welcomed in Seattle, and his left-handed bat would help balance out a very right-handed lineup. One of the other benefits of the former NL MVP is his positional flexibility, as he has the ability to play first base, an area of need for the Mariners, as well as a corner or center field if Rodríguez needs a day off. With a surplus of outfielders, the Cubs are reportedly interested in trading Bellinger, and they could find the ideal partner in Seattle.
Yandy Díaz to the Mets
Similar to the Red Sox, the Mets are all in on Juan Soto, and that’ll be their sole focus until he makes his decision. If the Mets sign Soto, they’ll likely have to part ways with longtime first baseman Pete Alonso, who is also currently a free agent. In that case, they’ll need to acquire a replacement at first base, but solid production at first might not be that hard to find.
Yandy Díaz is not your typical first baseman, but the former All-Star has been extremely productive for the Rays over the past several seasons. Since 2022, Díaz has the sixth-highest batting average in MLB, and he has elite bat-to-ball skills. In a lineup with as much slug as the Mets have, a player such as Días can keep the line moving while driving in runs. But the best part about Díaz is that he’s on a very reasonable deal, owed just $10 million in 2025 with a $12 million club option for 2026.
The Rays have been willing to move Díaz as they turn their roster over, and the Mets could be the perfect trade partner to make that happen.
Nolan Arenado to the Yankees
The Mets aren’t the only team that needs a contingency plan if their quest to sign Juan Soto fails. While Soto is a huge part of the Yankees’ offseason goals, there are other areas where the Yankees need to improve, whether or not they retain the prized free agent. One of those is the hot corner.
Last season, the Yankees got little production from third base, with the struggles of longtime veteran DJ LeMahieu leading the team to acquire Jazz Chisholm from the Marlins and move him to third. But with the Yankees likely moving on from free-agent second baseman Gleyber Torres, New York could slide Chisholm to second, leaving a hole at third.
Nolan Arenado was one of baseball’s biggest stars when he got to St. Louis. But between St. Louis entering a rebuilding period and Father Time seemingly catching up to him, the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner has taken a step back offensively, with a .719 OPS and 16 homers this year, his fewest since 2014. That said, Arenado still has some production left in his bat, and a new club with less pressure to be the guy could unlock it. He’s just two years removed from an .891 OPS and a third-place finish in 2022 NL MVP voting. And according to reports, he’d be willing to move across the diamond, which could address another area of need in the Bronx.
The Cardinals want to move Arenado, but it won’t be easy with him being owed $52 million over the next three years. Still, if the Yankees are willing to take a gamble, Arenado could be the right fit.
