The 2022-23 offseason has begun and there has already been one major free-agent signing: Edwin Díaz returned to the Mets on a reliever record five-year, $102 million contract. It's very rare for a top free agent to re-sign during the five-day exclusive negotiating period. Usually once a player makes it this far, they see what free agency has to offer. Kudos to the Mets for acting swiftly and keeping their closer.
Here are R.J. Anderson's top 50 free agents. This is a top-heavy free-agent class, and because of that, teams could venture out into the trade market to address their needs. There are still plenty of rebuilding teams willing to trade their best players for prospects, and no shortage of contenders looking to reshape their roster and reallocate dollars.
With that in mind, here are MLB's top 20 trade candidates heading into the 2022-23 offseason, ranked in order of how likely they are to be moved and how attractive they are to potential trade suitors.
1. Sean Murphy, Athletics
2. Ramón Laureano, Athletics
The A's purge is nearly complete. Laureano and Murphy are Oakland's two best players and top remaining trade chips, and both are projected to make $4 million or so through arbitration. Hard to see the A's paying that. Furthermore, the club already has Murphy's long-term replacement behind the plate in top prospect Shea Langeliers, who debuted in the second half and came over in the Matt Olson trade.
Murphy is the top prize. He is one of the game's very best all-around catchers and he will remain under team control through 2025. The 28-year-old provides power and hard-hit ability without striking out excessively, and he rates exceptionally well as a pitch-framer. Murphy is not J.T. Realmuto but similarities exist. He's a really good player on both sides of the ball and a cornerstone type with long-term control. The Athletics will demand a haul for Murphy and they should get it.
As for Laureano, his offense has slipped in recent years and his outfield defense is more along the lines of making the occasional highlight-reel play than being consistently above average. He comes with three years of control, and while he fits best in right field, he should be able to roam center fielder for at least a little longer if a team wants him there seeing how he's only 28. Laureano is a low on-base/middling power hitter and it's a risky profile. That said, the free-agent center field market is barren.
Possible landing spots: Cardinals, Giants, and Rays for Murphy. I'm not sure it'll happen but I'd like to see the Tigers get involved as they try to advance their rebuild. A great two-way catcher with multiple years of control is exactly the kind of player Detroit should be after. The Cubs, Marlins, and White Sox are the teams to watch on Laureano. He just has that White Sox vibe, doesn't he?
3. Jesse Winker, Mariners
There is more to this than Winker having a disappointing season after coming over in a trade with the Reds last winter. Ryan Divish, the plugged-in Mariners beat writer for the Seattle Times, detailed some behind the scenes issues with Winker. Here's what Divish said during an appearance on the "Brock & Salk Show" last month:
"I think he was home (during the postseason). I was curious because he didn't make the trip when we went to Toronto and then Houston, and I asked. And they said, 'Well, he wanted to get a second opinion on his neck.' … I think they probably just told him to go home. I mean, it speaks to that. I think by the end of the season, it's what scouts call a tired act. I just think some of his teammates were done with him, were just tired of putting up with him. I think the team is frustrated with him. Everything that Mitch Haniger does to prepare for a game to get ready, Jesse Winker's kind of the opposite. I mean — I can say it, he may not like it — I think he's not very physically strong. I don't think he puts in the time to be better defensively or to have a better arm or any of the work that should be done. And really it is counter to what has made this team great. The last few years, this team prepares more than any team I've ever seen on a daily basis to be ready to play that day, and he doesn't. He doesn't always. It's just not there. And it's noticeable. Players notice it. I think part of it is, too, when he didn't post for that doubleheader (on Oct. 4) and guys were having to play 18 straight innings, I think that bothered some players. And once you lose your teammates, why be there? So there's gonna be some hard conversations either with Jesse from this front office, or they're just gonna move on. And (manager) Scott Servais has said that a lot of times like, 'We have a plan. We have a way we play. We have a way to prepare. If you don't like it, we'll find somebody else that does.' If you can, do it. And I mean Scott's preached it, all the time. But it takes all these guys to embrace it … They do it, they believe that's why they're good. And Jesse Winker just hasn't followed through on that a lot."
Yeesh, that ain't good. Winker had by far his worst offensive season as a big leaguer in 2022, with concerning drops in exit velocity and hard-hit ability in addition to underwhelming surface stats. He's also a poor defensive outfielder, one of the very worst in the game, so Winker is essentially a DH who didn't H this past season.