10 Win-Win Trade Ideas Coming out of the 2020 MLB Winter Meetings

Major League Baseball's winter meetings have come and gone, and left a handful of oh-so-juicy trade rumors in their wake.

We couldn't help but take a few and run with them.

With help from rumors that arose during last week's virtual meetings, we've imagined 10 trades that would be both a win for the buying team and for the selling team. Basically, ones in which the former gets a star (or two) and the latter gets payroll relief and up-and-coming players to build around.

We'll count down to the one we want to see the most.

Though all eyes are on which stars the New York Mets might add this winter, there's a chance that they might subtract left-hander Steven Matz.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets reached out to the Toronto Blue Jays to "gauge their interest" in Matz before signing the 29-year-old to a $5.2 million deal for 2021. The Mets could always return to shopping Matz, who might benefit from a change of scenery after flopping with a 9.68 ERA in 2020.

One thing Matz still had going for him in 2020 was a changeup with above-average horizontal and vertical action. The San Diego Padres might like a closer look at it, as they already have two guys in their rotation (Chris Paddack and Zach Davies) who offer deadly changeups.

Between Matz's low value and looming free agency after 2021, the Padres could probably get him for one of their lesser prospects. The Mets might go for right-hander David Bednar, who has the fastball to be a shutdown reliever one day.

The Deal: Padres get LHP Steven Matz; Mets get RHP David Bednar

After going an MLB-worst 19-41 in 2020, the Pittsburgh Pirates are an obvious seller. And according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, Joe Musgrove and Adam Frazier are coming up a lot in trade talks.

Musgrove, 28, only made eight starts in 2020 yet impressed by striking out 55 batters in 39.2 innings. Frazier, 29, boasts a solid .774 OPS against right-handers and the ability to serve as an everyday second baseman or a utility man. Both players are controlled through 2022.

Musgrove and Frazier will likely be moved separately, but the Philadelphia Phillies could make a play for both of them. Musgrove would fit well after Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler in their rotation, while Frazier could platoon with Scott Kingery at second base.

The Pirates wouldn't have any hope of prying right-hander Spencer Howard from Philadelphia. But they might get 21-year-old righty Francisco Morales, who ranks as our No. 94 prospect, plus another promising pitching prospect. Perhaps 22-year-old lefty Erik Miller, who has a nasty slider.

The Deal: Phillies get RHP Joe Musgrove and 2B Adam Frazier; Pirates get RHP Francisco Morales and LHP Erik Miller

Speaking of the Pirates, a rumor that had everyone buzzing last week was the one linking the Yankees to first baseman Josh Bell and right-hander Jameson Taillon.

It came from Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who was notably unsure of the "seriousness or scope" of the talks between the two teams. It's likewise notable that neither Bell, who had an awful 2020 season, nor Taillon, who had his second Tommy John surgery in 2019, has much value right now.

Then again, they are indeed intriguing buy-low candidates. Bell cranked out 37 home runs in an All-Star campaign in 2019. Taillon pitched to a 3.20 ERA over 191 innings as recently as 2018. And like Musgrove and Frazier, both are controlled through 2022.

The Yankees could base a traded around Miguel Andujar, who's become a buy-low target in his own right since finishing second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2018. The Yankees might also add 23-year-old center fielder Estevan Florial, who was considered a top prospect as recently as 2019.

The Deal: Yankees get 1B Josh Bell and RHP James Taillon; Pirates get 3B Miguel Andujar and CF Estevan Florial

Pretty much as soon as ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Phillies were shopping Wheeler, the club's brass came right out and shot the idea down.

But even after the Phillies hired Dave Dombrowski to run their front office, there might still be a non-zero chance of them moving Wheeler. Because he boosted his value with a 2.92 ERA in 2020, they could potentially clear a bunch of payroll space by offloading all of the $96.5 million he's owed through 2024.

Plenty of teams need starting pitching, but the ones that can also afford Wheeler fit on a shorter list. Perhaps the most fascinating team on said list is the Los Angeles Angels. They need a top-of-the-rotation starter, and a trade for Wheeler would potentially carry less risk than a megadeal with free-agent ace Trevor Bauer.

In exchange, the Phillies could push for 22-year-old outfielder Brandon Marsh. Though he's the Angels' top prospect and our No. 83 talent overall, he's looking up at Mike Trout, Justin Upton and Jo Adell in Anaheim. A lesser pitching prospect such as Oliver Ortega could be enough to complete the deal.

The Deal: Angels get RHP Zack Wheeler; Phillies get OF Brandon Marsh and RHP Oliver Ortega

Two winters after trading for and subsequently extending Sonny Gray, the Cincinnati Reds might be prepared to move on from the ace right-hander.

Rosenthal reported in late November that the Reds are open to offers for Gray, and Heyman heard more recently that "several teams" are in on him. Not exactly surprising, given that the 31-year-old has pitched to a 3.07 ERA since 2019 and is owed just $20.4 million through 2022.

One of the more interesting possibilities for Gray is the Minnesota Twins. Making a splash in their rotation would be a good counter for the Chicago White Sox's acquisition of Lance Lynn. And after throwing only 25.8 percent four-seamers in 2020, Gray would fit well in a Twins staff that has little use for that pitch.

In exchange for Gray, the Reds could angle for 21-year-old shortstop Royce Lewis, who we have ranked as MLB's No. 16 overall prospect. That would require them to sweeten the deal, perhaps with 26-year-old slugging outfielder Aristides Aquino.

The Deal: Twins get RHP Sonny Gray and OF Aristides Aquino; Reds get SS Royce Lewis

Alternatively, the Reds could put the entirety of their focus on the trade market into acquiring a surer thing at shortstop.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the Reds do indeed want to go big at shortstop and have specifically considered Francisco Lindor and Trevor Story. Because both are due for free agency next winter, trading for either one would be a case of the Reds going all-in on 2021.

If so, perhaps they'll pull a fast one and trade for Carlos Correa instead. He's yet another All-Star shortstop who's due for free agency after the '21 season. He's also relatively affordable, as MLB Trade Rumors projects him for a maximum salary of $10.2 million via arbitration.

Correa's name appeared in trade whispers in November, and Houston Astros general manager James Click didn't say last week that the 26-year-old is unavailable. From the Reds, the Astros could go for 25-year-old former top prospect Nick Senzel and one of Cincinnati's spin rate standouts, such as Tejay Antone.

The Deal: Reds get SS Carlos Correa; Astros get INF/OF Nick Senzel and RHP Tejay Antone

The Tampa Bay Rays surely don't want to trade Blake Snell. But like James Shields and David Price before him, the ace lefty could be forced out of town by the club's ever-present financial difficulties.

The 28-year-old gets it, telling Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he's ready to be traded "whenever that point is." In Rosenthal's words, the Rays will proceed by "daring some team to meet it and reluctantly agreeing to a deal if the offer matches or exceeds their desired threshold."

Perhaps the Los Angeles Dodgers will come along with such a deal for the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner. They could use another starter, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman originally drafted Snell when he was Tampa Bay's GM in 2011.

Because Snell is signed through 2023 for just $40.8 million, the Dodgers would have to at least begin an offer with hard-throwing righty Dustin May and catching prospect Keibert Ruiz. To cap things off, an upside play like former top prospect Mitch White could do the trick.

The Deal: Dodgers get LHP Blake Snell; Rays get RHP Dustin May, C Keibert Ruiz and RHP Mitch White

If not Snell, the Dodgers might aggressively pursue a trade for Nolan Arenado. 

Fat chance, though. According to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, there's a "realistic possibility" of the Colorado Rockies trading Arenado this winter. However, team owner Dick Monfort is "extremely hesitant" to deal the five-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glover within the National League West.

Outside the NL West, few teams need Arenado like the Washington Nationals. They lost both a star third baseman and an elite right-handed hitter when Anthony Rendon walked as a free agent last winter. Provided that he recovers from the left shoulder injury that sunk his value in 2020, Arenado can fill those shoes.

Arenado is owed $199 million through 2026, and his deal includes both a no-trade clause and an opt-out after 2021. The Rockies might nonetheless be able to swing him for both Washington's former No. 1 prospect (third baseman Carter Kieboom) and current No. 1 prospect (right-hander Jackson Rutledge).

The Deal: Nationals get 3B Nolan Arenado; Nationals get 3B Carter Kieboom and RHP Jackson Rutledge

If not Arenado, the Rockies might look to move Story instead.

Though the former is a bigger star, the latter is a two-time All-Star in his own right and his trade value isn't nearly as nebulous. The 28-year-old is coming off a typically excellent season marked by an .874 OPS and 2.4 rWAR, and he'll make a reasonable $18.5 million in his final season before free agency in 2021.

Per Nick Groke and Eno Sarris of The Athletic, Story "seems to be available." The Yankees should keep that in mind, as they could move Gleyber Torres back to second base and seek a new shortstop if they lose DJ LeMahieu—which, according to Brendan Kuty of NJ.com, could happen if the two sides don't close a $25 million gap in negotiations.

The Yankees might be able to get the Rockies' attention if they dangled Andujar, but they'd surely have to add more to get something done. Attaching right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who's our No. 53 prospect, to the deal could be enough "more" for the Rockies.

The Deal: Yankees get SS Trevor Story; Rockies get 3B Miguel Andujar and RHP Clarke Schmidt

Much more so than Correa or Story, Lindor is the most likely member of the post-2021 class of free-agent shortstops to be moved in a trade this winter.

According to Olney, it now seems "inevitable" that Cleveland will trade its four-time All-Star shortstop. He could make as much as $21.5 million via arbitration in 2021, which is a bit much by Cleveland's standards. What's more, the odds of the 27-year-old signing an extension seem somewhere between "slim" and "none."

Though they have Bo Bichette at shortstop, the Blue Jays have often been mentioned as a potential fit for Lindor. Cleveland also likes the idea of dealing Lindor to Toronto, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com—especially if it can get 27-year-old left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back in return.

Gurriel's OPS has gotten higher every year, and he isn't eligible for free agency until after 2024. A one-for-one swap would therefore favor Cleveland, but it might balance things out by packaging Lindor with an MLB-ready pitching prospect such as southpaw Scott Moss.

The Deal: Blue Jays get SS Francisco Lindor; Cleveland gets LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and LHP Scott Moss