MLB Trade Rumors: Top 10 Stars Most Likely To Be Traded This Winter

Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox, rips at his jersey

As we get closer to the official MLB offseason, teams are preparing their shopping lists for the winter. Aside from purchasing some free agent gifts for themselves, teams will also look to swing trades.

To that end, let's have a look at the 10 biggest name players most likely to be traded this offseason, as listed by former GM and insider for The Athletic, Jim Bowden. And it starts off with a trio of superstar starting pitchers.

Tarik Skubal, P, Detroit Tigers
Freddy Peralta, P, Milwaukee Brewers
Hunter Greene, P, Cincinnati Reds
Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox
MacKenzie Gore, P, Washington Nationals
Sandy Alcantara, P, Miami Marlins
Sonny Gray, P, St. Louis Cardinals
Brandon Lowe, 2B, Tampa Bay Rays
Alec Bohm, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies
Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels

A trade of soon-to-be back-to-back Cy Young winner Skubal would rock the baseball world, and we ran down the five teams that are expected to be the most aggressive in trying to pry him loose from the Tigers.

Why the Brewers could look to bring back a haul for Freddy Peralta this winter

Just as stunning as Skubal would be a trade of Peralta by the Brewers. But there are a lot of similarities in their situations. Both star hurlers can be free agents after the 2026 season, and both Detroit and Milwaukee are teams that aren't known for handing out humongous nine-figure contracts in free agency, which is what it'll take to sign either of these guys. The Brewers have done this kind of thing before, and recently, when they dealt ace Corbin Burnes a year before he could hit free agency.

As for Greene, this one is more puzzling. He makes Bowden's list because, as he writes, there are "several reports out of Cincinnati that the Reds are planning to shop Greene this winter". Why, we don't know. And neither does Bowden. The fireballing right-hander is under team control through 2029. But his frequent injury concerns could be a factor in this.

Plenty of star MLB trade candidates could finally get dealt this winter

Duran was on the rumor mill much of the 2025 season, as the Red Sox have some depth in the outfield. They could finally pull the trigger.

Additionally, all of the rest of the names on this list have been bandied about in trade rumors over the past year, and in the cases of Alcantara and Lowe, it's a surprise they made it through the 2025 season without being moved. It could happen in the coming months.

There should be plenty of excitement on the hot stove circuit this winter, and we'll be here with all the biggest doings.