Why Rangers Strategy May Fit Offseason’s Potential Trading Trend

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi and the rest of baseball are getting ready to head to Las Vegas for the annual general managers meetings. Usually, this is where general managers, agents and players begin laying the groundwork for free agent moves and trades. Because of the potential for a work stoppage in December, the belief is that the GM meetings may be more busy than usual and that moves could start to happen there.

Morosi said the potential work stoppage, which will eventually lead to a new collective bargaining agreement, will keep teams from moving players with one year of team control for prospects. His list of players included Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara, Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert and Cleveland Guardians center fielder Steven Kwan. GMs don’t know what the financial system will look like and don’t want the risk of losing players sooner than expected.

Morosi also reported that teams will be more likely to move veterans on expiring deals for other veterans in the same circumstances as a way of balancing the risk. This could help Young in his desire to make the team younger and more athletic.

If he wants multiple players in return via trade, it now seems more like teams will trade off their MLB roster than their farm system to acquire veteran players. In addition to getting younger and more athletic, he wants more competition at the Major League level. That makes it more likely Young will deal for players that can help next season as opposed to waiting until 2028 or beyond.

If other GMs are using the same strategy, then it’s possible for Young to get quality in return for deGrom, Eovaldi or Seager in terms of MLB talent that can help him now. Trades between now and December seem less likely to be prospect laden, which helps his stated offseason goals.

There is still a matter of the money and the no-trade clauses, but knowing teams are on a similar page this offseason is a start to getting a potential deal done.