Earlier this week, we examined the potential trade market for Tarik Skubal, the clear headliner in next winter’s free-agent class.
But Skubal isn’t the only impending free agent whose name will surface in trade talk in the coming weeks and months. Clubs could look to move players ahead of this summer’s Trade Deadline – or perhaps even Opening Day – rather than risk losing them for compensatory Draft picks or, in some cases, nothing at all.
Here’s a look at nine players (listed alphabetically) who could be headed for free agency and what their trade market might look like in 2026.
Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins
Miami has already traded Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers this offseason, reducing the chances that Alcantara will be moved prior to Opening Day. Alcantara is in the final year of his five-year, $56 million extension, though there is a $21 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout, offering an acquiring club an extra year of control. The 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner missed all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery, and while he struggled during the first half of 2025, he looked more like his old self over his final 12 starts, pitching to a 3.13 ERA. Alcantara figures to be a popular trade candidate this summer.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, Yankees
Chisholm has been extremely productive since being traded to the Yankees prior to the 2024 Trade Deadline, posting a 30-30 season in his first full year with New York. Chisholm, who turns 28 on Feb. 1, has been a good fit in the Bronx, but it’s unclear whether the Yankees will try to extend him during the season or try to re-sign him next winter. The club’s top prospect is middle infielder George Lombard Jr., who could play second base or shortstop in the Majors when he arrives, making this a crucial year for Anthony Volpe when he returns from shoulder surgery. Given the Yankees’ goals for this season, a trade of Chisholm – who will earn $10.2 million in 2026 – has seemed unlikely, and while the Yankees had been loosely connected to Bo Bichette, his signing with the Mets all but eliminates the idea that Chisholm will be dealt prior to the season.
Yandy Díaz, 1B/DH, Rays
Díaz set career highs with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs in 2025, posting an .848 OPS in 150 games. Tampa Bay exercised his $12 million club option for 2026, adding a vesting $13 million option for 2027 if he records 500 plate appearances this season that becomes a $10 million club option if he doesn’t reach that number. That salary seems reasonable given Díaz’s production, but the Rays have a history of dealing players a year before they hit free agency, so while an offseason deal is unlikely, Díaz could find his name in trade rumors this summer.
Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Marlins
Miami signed Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million contract this winter, adding some much-needed late-inning relief help for 2026. Given the eternal need for bullpen arms around the Trade Deadline, however, the Marlins could move Fairbanks this summer if their season isn’t going well, giving them a prime trade chip. Fairbanks has collected 75 saves while posting a 2.98 ERA over the past three seasons with the Rays, establishing himself as one of the more consistent relievers in the league.
Nico Hoerner, 2B/SS, Cubs
Hoerner is in the final year of a three-year, $35 million extension, set to earn $12 million this season before becoming a free agent next winter. The Cubs signed Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract to play third base, giving Chicago a surplus in the infield. Matt Shaw will likely assume a super-utility role, but the Cubs could look to trade Hoerner instead and slot Shaw in at second base, giving president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer options as he looks to fine-tune Chicago’s roster in an effort to win the club’s first NL Central title since 2020.
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles
The arrival of Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo in Baltimore appeared to make Mountcastle expendable, but this winter’s signing of Pete Alonso has left the 28-year-old without a clear role with the Orioles in 2026. Mountcastle – who has seen an offensive decline in each year since his 33-homer breakout in 2021 – settled on a $6.787 million salary to avoid arbitration, a deal that included a $7.5 million club option for 2027. The option may have been included in an attempt to boost Mountcastle’s trade value, making him a potential candidate to be moved prior to Opening Day.
Freddy Peralta, RHP, Brewers
Peralta has been a popular name on the trade circuit all offseason, and given his $8 million salary, it’s not hard to see why most teams would be interested. The Brewers exercised his club option for 2026, but Brandon Woodruff’s decision to accept the qualifying offer has put Milwaukee into a bind in terms of payroll. With only one year remaining until free agency, Peralta is the best 2026 rental available on the trade market, giving the Brewers an opportunity to acquire at least one controllable player in return. The Yankees are among the clubs that have spoken recently with the Brewers about a potential deal.
Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox
What would a list of trade candidates be without Robert, who has been a potential trade chip for the White Sox for the past two years. Robert completed his six-year, $50 million deal last season, but Chicago exercised the first of its two $20 million club options, bringing the 28-year-old back for another season. With an identical option available for 2027, a trade would offer an acquiring club two years of control, and while the White Sox have made some nice moves this offseason, Robert doesn’t figure to be around by the time they are ready to contend. Robert played better down the stretch last season (.798 OPS, five home runs, 19 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in his final 34 games), but the White Sox may need him to get off to a good start in 2026 to inflate his trade value further.
Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics
At first glance, Severino’s first season with the Athletics was the epitome of mediocre after he went 8-11 with a 4.54 ERA in 29 starts. But the 31-year-old looked like two different pitchers at home and on the road; he went 2-9 with a 6.01 ERA in 15 starts in Sacramento, while his 14 road outings produced a 6-2 record and 3.02 ERA. Getting Severino to a new home ballpark would seemingly be a positive, and with two years and $42 million left on his contract (he will earn $20 million this season and has a $22 million player option for 2027), the right-hander could be an under-the-radar addition for teams that missed out on starting pitching this offseason.