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Seven MLB Stars Who Should Be Traded This Offseason, Including Ronald Acuna Jr.
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- Seven MLB Stars Who Should Be Traded This Offseason, Including Ronald Acuna Jr.
Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
It was a surprising and shocking MLB trade deadline last week that saw Carlos Correa reunite with the Houston Astros , Mason Miller go to the San Diego Padres , Eugenio Suarez return to Seattle and the Philadelphia Phillies go all-in on closer Jhoan Duran .
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and the sprint to the postseason underway, we take a look at the seven stars who should get dealt in the offseason.
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**Statistics entering Friday, Aug. 1**
Ronald Acuna Jr.
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Yes, it's time for the Atlanta Braves to part with former National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. Several teams would offer a bounty and major-league-ready talent for the five-time All-Star. Even though Acuna is a superstar, he's suffered two major knee injuries and is back on the injured list with a calf strain. He's owed $17 million next year and has two $17 million club options for 2027 and 2028. It would behoove the Braves to see what they could get back for Acuna and help rebuild the franchise.
Byron Buxton
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Even though Byron Buxton said he wants to be a Minnesota Twin for life, the franchise should approach him in the offseason and ask if he wants to play for a contender. The Twins are in full rebuild mode, having traded away 11 players from their roster, including Correa, Duran, Griffin Jax , Willi Castro and Harrison Bader . Buxton made his second All-Star team in 2025 as he's healthy for the first time in years. He will be 32 at the beginning of the 2026 season and is owed $15.1 million annually through 2028. If he stays healthy and is willing to move, the Twins should look to trade Buxton in the offseason.
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Jarren Duran
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Jarren Duran's name was very popular in trade rumors ahead of the deadline as the Boston Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders in Roman Anthony , Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu . A first-time All-Star in 2024, Duran's OPS is 41 points lower this season but he's still a very good player, leading the American League in triples with 12. He's arbitration eligible for the next two seasons and won't be a free agent until after 2028. It wouldn't be surprising if Duran finds a new home this offseason, with the Red Sox getting a nice haul in return.
Jo Adell
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Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell has already set a career-high in home runs with 21 and there are still two months left in the season. After dealing with injuries and struggling offensively, Adell is finally putting it together in his sixth year in the league. He turns 27 next April so he's entering his prime and is under team control through 2027. The Angels could get quite a nice package of prospects for Adell if they sell high on him in the offseason. Also, as much as baseball fans want to see Mike Trout play for a contender, he's not leaving until he demands a trade.
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Dalton Rushing
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Dalton Rushing, who was once ranked the 14th-overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, is currently serving as a backup catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and is blocked by Will Smith . It creates an interesting dilemma because you don't want to stunt Rushing's growth, and where would he get playing time on a stacked roster? They could potentially move him to the outfield in 2026, but it might make sense for LA to see if they can get controllable pitching for Rushing in the offseason. In limited playing time, he is hitting .200 with a .545 OPS and 55 OPS+ in 89 plate appearances.
Oneil Cruz
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No, the Pittsburgh Pirates won't be trading Paul Skenes anytime soon, but don't be shocked if they listen to offers for 26-year-old center fielder Oneil Cruz. He has elite bat speed (78.6 mph) which ranks in the 100th percentile in baseball. His average exit velocity is 96.3 mph (100th percentile), barrel rate is 20.8% (99th percentile) and hard-hit percentage is 57.5% (99th percentile). His average and OPS are down from last year (.259 to .217 and .773 to .733), but he still has 17 home runs and leads baseball with 34 stolen bases. Teams could also consider moving him back to shortstop as he is poor defensively in center field. Cruz is under team control through 2028 and would bring a bevy of prospects back to the forever-rebuilding Pirates.
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Sandy Alcantara
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It was widely thought since the beginning of the season that Sandy Alcantara would have been traded by the Miami Marlins at the deadline, but that didn't happen — mainly because the former Cy Young winner has been struggling since returning from Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2024. He has a 6.36 ERA, 69 ERA+ and a 1.422 WHIP, so the Marlins would have been selling low. They will hope that he returns to form in the final two months of the season to rebuild his trade value. Alcantara is owed $17.3 million in 2026 and has a $21 million club option for 2027.
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