Trades: Three Names to Watch This Winter

The 2026 Major League Baseball season isn't over yet, and there's still some great baseball to look forward to.

But after the World Series, things will move very quickly, in part because of the looming threat of a lockout hanging over the Manfred league.

And at that point, three big names could be on the move. In fact, just yesterday (Sunday), our colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois reported that things are about to shake up with the Houston Astros, as Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, and Jeremy Pena are likely to find themselves in new surroundings.

But they're not the only ones in this situation in the world of baseball. Take C.J. Abrams of the Washington Nationals, for example, who was mentioned in trade rumors this summer before the trade deadline.

The 26-year-old is coming off a season in which he hit 33 home runs, drove in 106 runs, and posted a .261 batting average in 152 games played. Granted, he still has two seasons of control remaining with the Nationals, but there's no smoke without fire, and if he's traded this winter, the return will be massive.

Next up is Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves. The Georgia-based team considered sending the pitcher to the Texas Rangers before the last trade deadline, but Jacob deGrom blocked the deal by invoking his no-trade clause.

So it's clear that Atlanta is open to trading its former ace pitcher—there's sure to be a team willing to take a chance that he'll stay healthy, at least to some extent.

Finally, credit where credit is due: Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox, who has been at the center of every rumor since 1903.

Yes, the outfielder has had the toughest offensive season of his career so far in 2026, as evidenced by his .207 batting average. But the Red Sox will eventually trade him, and when that happens, the San Diego Padres could be in the running.

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