Baseball fans who remember last winter’s free-agent frenzy should hold on to those memories, for the upcoming crop of unsigned talent is shaping up to be one of the weakest in recent memory, especially when it comes to starting pitching.
That’s why many, including Bleacher Report’s Jacob Shafer, believe that the trade market could be the driving force behind much of the coming offseason’s most notable, game-changing moves.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the top players, both free agents and potential trade candidates, who could be wearing a different uniform come Opening Day 2017—and predicted their fate.
Of course, with two months to go before the offseason begins, much can—and probably will—change. Not only could our list of players look drastically different the next time we revisit those who could be on the move, but their ultimate destinations could change as well.
How drastically things will change is a question that can’t be answered, at least not yet. But we’ve got answers to other queries, such as whether Wilson Ramos will re-sign with Washington before testing the open market and whether Chris Sale is a lock to be traded by the Chicago White Sox.
Read on to get the answers.