Arizona Diamondbacks: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
Prime Target: Miami’s Edward Cabrera (Arbitration-Eligible through 2028)

We’ll see what becomes of Zac Gallen, who might return to Arizona in 2026 on a qualifying, $22M offer. But if he doesn’t, this rotation becomes Eduardo Rodríguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and two big unknowns while Corbin Burnes makes $30M to recover from Tommy John surgery. They can’t afford to do nothing about the rotation, but they also maybe can’t afford to sign another marquee free agent starting pitcher. The trade block figures to be their friend.

Colorado Rockies: A Trade of Jimmy Herget
Contract: Arbitration-Eligible through 2027

Assuming All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman is virtually untouchable, Herget might be on a one-name list of players who the Rockies would be willing to trade and that other teams would actually want. He had a 2.48 ERA in 83.1 innings of work, which is the exact same ERA he posted in 69 innings pitched (with nine saves) with the Angels in 2022.

Los Angeles Dodgers: A Trade of Starting Pitching
Seeking: Lineup Depth and/or Prospects

The Dodgers have all of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Landon Knack, Bobby Miller, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, Michael Grove and Kyle Hurt under team control through at least 2027. That’s 14 arms that probably should be in a big-league rotation, which is near the top of the list of absurdly excessive things this franchise is doing. The first five names on that list aren’t going anywhere, but any of the other nine could be trade chips.

San Diego Padres: A Trade for a First or Second Baseman
Prime Target: Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz ($12M in 2026, conditional option for 2027)

With three-time batting champ Luis Arráez on his way out the door, the Padres have a hole on the right side of the infield next to Jake Cronenworth. Filling it with a first baseman who has hit .301 over the past four seasons sure would make a lot of sense. If the Rays are intent on keeping Díaz, though, perhaps Cardinals’ 2B Brendan Donovan (two years of arbitration eligibility remaining) is on the table? Either one could work with Cronenworth’s positional flexibility.

San Francisco Giants: A Trade for a Starting Pitcher
Prime Target: Minnesota’s Pablo López ($21.75M in 2026, $21.75M in 2027)

The 1A/1B of Logan Webb and Robbie Ray is top notch. Rounding out the rotation with some combination of Landen Roupp, Kai-Wei Teng, Trevor McDonald, Carson Whisenhunt and Hayden Birdsong is considerably less promising—unless the Giants are just cool with staying in .500 purgatory for another year. They don’t have much to offer as far as prospects go, so getting a Joe Ryan or MacKenzie Gore might be a pipe dream. But they could offer Minnesota quite a bit of salary relief, if the Twins are still in fire sale mode.