Who doesn’t like a good prediction article? In this case we are jumping into the minds of MLB General Managers to come up with transactions they might be considering. We are also taking it a step further and analyzing the fantasy impact these moves might have for your dynasty team.

Ketel Marte will be traded to the Boston Red Sox for Khristian Campbell, Payton Tolle, Juan Valera, and John Holobetz.

There is just too much smoke around the trade rumors surrounding Ketel Marte for there to be no fire. I would expect that the Diamondbacks would be looking to upgrade the quality and quantity of their pitching as their main goal in any Marte trade. The Red Sox (like everyone) need another mid-order bat and Marte fits that bill.

The Red Sox part of this equation is easy to analyze. After trading for Johan Oviedo, they have enough pitching depth to use it to add a player of Marte’s talents. He has been one of the best second basemen in baseball over the last several seasons, and his contract is relatively affordable to the increasingly cost-conscious Red Sox. Fenway Park is rough on him per his Baseball Savant page, but the road parks in the AL East are all favorable in terms of expected home runs. I would expect a small dip in his offense, but nothing that alarms me.

I do not expect dealing Marte to signal a rebuild, so they will likely try for a replacement for Marte at 2B and as many young arms as possible. Campbell gets a fresh start in Arizona. He has made some adjustments to his stance in Winter Ball, but after only a few games it’s difficult to say if they’ve been effective. Payton Tolle struggled in Boston after riding a bullet train through their minor league system in 2025. He’s a big-bodied lefty that generates elite extension and velocity. He is among the best pitching prospects in baseball and should slot into the middle of Arizona’s rotation next season. Valera is a young big-armed prospect with a starter’s build and arsenal. He also has a strong fallback position of a high-leverage reliever. Holobetz can be a solid arm in the back of the rotation or as a multi-inning reliever who can contribute innings as soon as 2026.

Brandon Ring (@ringb39.bsky.social)

The Cardinals will trade Nolan Arenado to the Tigers for a package that includes Max Anderson and Thayron Liranzo.

I predict the Tigers will hold Skubal and try to go all in for 2026. Arenado will provide a much-needed RBI threat in the batting order. He played through a finger injury last year and if healthy, some of this power will return.  I’m not optimistic that he’ll return to thirty homerun form, but in still spacious Comerica Park, he could rack up extra-base hits and RBIs. And since you need to give to get, Anderson’s proximity will make him attractive to the Cardinals and still leave the Tigers with Kevin McGonigle and Bryce Rainer as top infield prospects in their system.

The fantasy relevance of this trade is primarily the potential for increased RBI numbers for Arenado.

Kyle Tucker signs with Toronto.

Toronto has been reported as being in on Tucker for a while, so this isn’t a particularly hot take, but it’s one I have confidence in. The Jays are motivated, have the money, and would like to keep the fan base, which is basically a whole country, excited about another run. They’re also smart enough to know a team can’t win the AL East by standing pat. I also have a feeling that Tucker is probably a great teammate and would love the vibe in Toronto, but that he doesn’t have a desire to be the “face of the team” in a New York or Boston market. The fantasy impact of a healthy Tucker (never a sure bet) in the Toronto lineup has the potential to be immense.

Bonus prediction: The Red Sox, after missing out on Alonso, Schwarber, and others, will go all in (read: overpay) on Alex Bregman and follow that up with a trade of Jarren Duran for bullpen depth.

(Drew Klein @drewgotigers.bsky.social)

Edward Cabrera finally gets traded away by the Miami Marlins. I am predicting a trade to the New York Yankees for Elmer Rodriguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Dax Kilby.

Edward Cabrera is coming off of the best season of his career, posting a 3.53 ERA, 3.62 xFIP, 25.8% strikeout rate, and a fantastic (for Cabrera) 8.3% walk rate. His unique pitch mix full of hard stuff will play well in New York and could give him the opportunity with a new set of pitching coaches to unlock his final form, which is one that walks even less batters. If he can improve his control once again this coming season, we could see him take another jump into SP2 territory.

On the flip side, Rodriguez and Lagrange still need more seasoning in the minor leagues, which a trade to Miami will give them ample time to become great pitchers themselves before becoming a 2nd/3rd wave of an already stacked Marlins pitching pipeline. Dax Kilby would slot in as one of the Marlins top hitting prospects and that is something they desperately need more of.

(Daniel Labude @OrcaBaseball, @orcabaseball.bsky.social)

Lucas Giolito signs with the San Diego Padres.

My prediction is centered around one of the more underrated starting pitchers in baseball and for dynasty leagues, Lucas Giolito. Coming back from Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2024 season, he had a blazing hot stretch in 2025 that truly showed his upside and will be the driving factor towards his payday this offseason.

From June 10th to August 31st, Giolito made 15 starts, racked up 11 quality starts during that span, and in five of the games he went six or more innings without giving up a run. His strikeout ratios did not return to what they once were prior to the surgery, however, a fresh start with a new team could really propel him to regain the swing and miss stuff he had when he was with the Chicago White Sox.

In comes the San Diego Padres. Having already lost much of their 2025 rotation, they are in desperate need of arms and most certainly quality pitchers that can keep them in the playoff picture deep into the summer. Giolito would welcome a return to California, where San Diego is just down the road from where he went to high school in Los Angeles.  While he approaches his age 32 season, he will be looking for the best of all worlds in his next and possibly final contract and San Diego is the place that can provide it to him.

With a signing in San Diego, Giolito can keep his win totals up, get a rejuvenation that could help his strikeout rate jump up from a near career low mark of 19.7%, and maybe decrease his tendency to give up the long ball with a more pitcher friendly home ballpark. If San Diego can land him, look for a possible late career breakout.

(Brian Labude @Polar_Bear_Ball @polarbearbaseball.bsky.social)