To call it a stunner would be an understatement. Over the weekend in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers hooked up for one of the biggest trades in sports history. It’s certainly one of the most surprising: Luke Doncic for Anthony Davis. Two top-15 players in the world traded for one another. There were other players and draft picks in the trade, but it boils down to Doncic for Davis.
“We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer,” Mavericks GM Rico Harrison said. “(Doncic) being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract, and so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams — they’ve had it out there — teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”
MLB stars get traded all the time. Nolan Arenado, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Juan Soto (twice) have all been traded within the last five years. Baseball stars get traded for young players and prospects though. Not other stars. MLB’s last star-for-star trade was what, Alex Rodriguez for Alfonso Soriano? I don’t think Yoenis Cespedes for Jon Lester rises to the level of Doncic/AD.
Either way, it’s been a while since baseball’s last star-for-star blockbuster, so on the heels of the Doncic/AD trade, let’s put together some hypothetical star-for-star MLB trades, shall we? The kind of trades that, when you look at your phone half-awake in the morning, spring you out of bed and make you go 😮. Come with me, won’t you?
When the good people at FanGraphs ran their annual Trade Values series last July, Henderson was No. 1 and Skenes was No. 3 (Bobby Witt Jr. was No. 2). It’s one of the best young hitters in the game and the best young pitcher in the game. The 2023 AL Rookie of the Year for the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year. This would be fun, eh?
You’d needn’t squint too much to see how it would make sense for both teams too. The Orioles badly need a top of the rotation starter, and to replace Henderson, they could slide Jackson Holliday back to shortstop, and flank him with Jordan Westburg at second and Coby Mayo at third. Baltimore sacrifices some offense (OK, a lot of offense) to get a legitimate frontline starter.
The Pirates, meanwhile, add a sorely needed middle-of-the-order bat, and they need a shortstop too with Oneil Cruz now playing center field. Pittsburgh would still have a credible 1-2 rotation punch in Jared Jones and Mitch Keller, and top prospect Bubba Chandler isn’t too far away. How else are the Pirates supposed to get a difference-making bat? Sign one? Hah.
Who says no? Both teams. Young players are like children. Everyone loves their own more than they love everyone else’s. I think the Pirates would be closer to saying yes than the Orioles though. O’s GM Mike Elias doesn’t seem like the type to pay huge for pitchers either via trade or free agency, and giving up four years of Henderson to get five years of Skenes qualifies as huge.
Hey, Correa’s name has popped up in trade rumors this offseason. Nothing serious, they were more like “teams have asked about Correa” rumors than “the Twins might actually trade him” rumors. Still, Minnesota has had a quiet offseason, ostensibly because they’re out of cash. Whether they’re actually out of cash or just pretending they’re out of cash is another matter, but I digress.
The Mariners are in perpetual need of more offense and their projected second baseman is two kids in a trench coat (Dylan Moore, actually). Correa has never played second base in the big leagues, though he was going to play third for the Mets before that deal fell apart. Seattle can put Correa at the hot corner and slide Jorge Polanco back to second base, his most familiar position.
As for the Twins, they could slot erstwhile top prospect Brooks Lee in at shortstop, and would get a badly needed starting pitcher. A very good one with long-term control too. It doesn’t have the same name value, but this trade might best fit the Doncic/AD model because we’re trading a big-name player in his early 30s for a 20-something who ranks among the sport’s best at his position. I see the vision.
Who says no? The Mariners, clearly. As good as Correa is (it feels like he’s become underrated), he’s owed a lot of money ($128 million from 2025-28), and teams don’t take on that much money in a trade and give up good players. The Twins could shop Kirby around and find a package built around younger players. Then again, the Mavs didn’t do that with Doncic, so who knows?
Look, I didn’t say these trades would be realistic, only that they would qualify as jaw-droppers, and a Trout trade would definitely be a jaw-dropper. The generation’s greatest player has been unable to stay healthy the last few years, but he has been very productive when on the field, and we know Trout would waive his no-trade clause to go to Philadelphia.
The man deserves happiness. The Angels have not been to the postseason since 2014 and the Phillies have a need in center field. Slot Trout into the No. 2 lineup spot between Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, and let him go. Trout gets to go back to the postseason and compete for a championship, and the Phillies add a huge star and a still productive player (when healthy).
The Angels, meanwhile, would save face by landing arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball. Painter has been unable to stay on the field himself (he’s coming back from Tommy John surgery), but he’s so impressive when healthy. Trading your franchise player is never easy, even in his decline years, but the Angels would shed Trout’s contract and get a foundational piece in return.
Who says no? The Phillies. My tepid take is Trout could be more valuable to the 2025-29 or so Phillies than Painter, but they’re not trading Painter for Trout and taking on the remainder of his contract ($212.7 million from 2025-30). Also, Painter doesn’t qualify as a “star,” does he? I’m not sure many casual baseball fans know who he is. Hmmm. Our hypothetical trade may have hit a sang.
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