The Opener: Trade Market, Bullpen Market, Coaching Staffs

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Trade market buzzing:

On the heels of this week’s GM Meetings, there’s been plenty of rumors about the trade market that will be worth monitoring as the offseason progresses. Cardinals super utility man Brendan Donovan, Royals southpaw Kris Bubic, and Mets veteran Jeff McNeil have all drawn interest from rival teams in recent days. All of those pieces appear to have real potential to move this offseason, but there are other longer shot trade candidates floating around the rumor mill as well. The Diamondbacks are getting plenty of calls on star infielder Ketel Marte, and the Mets are getting interest on mercurial right-hander Kodai Senga. Even with teams like the Reds and Astros publicly taking big names like Hunter Greene and Isaac Paredes off the table, there’s still plenty of early intrigue on the market.

2. Bullpen market heating up?

Yesterday, a report from Francys Romero of BeisbolFR suggested that the market for relievers could start moving in the early part of the offseason. That would be a sharp contrast to last winter, when top relief arms like Tanner Scott lingered on the market into January and even the earliest signings for veteran closers didn’t start until the Winter Meetings. There have already been plenty of rumors about the offseason’s top relief arms this winter.

Right-hander Brad Keller is garnering interest as a starter after a dominant year in the bullpen with the Cubs. The Red Sox, Reds, Dodgers and Marlins have been connected to Devin Williams, and the Dodgers have also been connected to Raisel Iglesias as they look to bolster a middling bullpen that forced them to move Roki Sasaki into a ninth inning role this October. One other interesting wrinkle in the bullpen market this year is the presence of Edwin Diaz, who wasted no time in signing during his last trip to free agency when he inked a deal with the Mets in early November back in 2022. Could he or another top relief arm follow suit with a November deal this year?

3. Coaching staff additions continue:

While most of the focus is on free agency and the trade market at this point, teams are still doing the little things in the background to prepare for the 2026 season. That includes making alterations to and finalizing their coaching staffs. Just in the past few days, the Orioles, Twins, Reds, and Astros have all made significant coaching moves. More will surely continue to trickle in throughout the offseason, especially from the many teams that have hired new managers this winter. That’s also to say nothing of the Rockies, who still have to hire a manager after naming Paul DePodesta their president of baseball operations last week.