MLB Trade Deadline 2023: Blockbuster Deals We’d Love To See Happen

The 2023 Major League Baseball trade deadline is approaching, and it has the potential to produce fireworks.

The fact that 12 clubs now make it to the postseason has already shown that all you have to do is give yourself a chance (shoutout to the 2022 Philadelphia Phillies), meaning there will be more “buyers” than ever in 2023.

We’ve seen a few star players floated in trade rumors, while a notable name has already reportedly been plucked from the table. Keeping that in mind, here are several blockbuster deals the NESN Digital team, as baseball fans, would love to see happen.

Ricky Doyle: Padres trade Blake Snell AND Josh Hader to the Texas Rangers
San Diego should seriously consider trading Snell and Hader — both set to become free agents this offseason — to replenish a farm system that was gutted with last year’s pre-deadline blockbuster for Juan Soto. (Heck, maybe the Padres even think about dealing Soto.) And Texas should go all-in, this time on the trade market after making waves in free agency the past couple of winters.

Snell would be one of the best starters available, while Hader would be the top closer and a late-game weapon contenders dream about adding at this stage of the season. The Rangers need pitching help — both in the rotation and the bullpen — and swinging for the fences with a trade of this magnitude could help them stave off the Astros in the American League West and move them one step closer to winning their first World Series title in franchise history.

Tim Crowley: Cubs trade Cody Bellinger AND Marcus Stroman to the Texas Rangers
The Rangers have seen a few years of offseason spending pay off with a thunderous offense and a staff led by Cy Young candidate and former Boston Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi. They lead the AL West and can certainly add at the deadline, while the Cubs are moving closer to selling and have two major pieces in Bellinger and Stroman. If the Rangers could pay up to acquire both, Bellinger compliments as a left-handed bat to pair in the outfield with Adolis Garcia, while Stroman would join Eovaldi at the top of the rotation. 

Sean McGuire: Padres trade Blake Snell to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore really needs to upgrade its rotation should it want to put together a legitimate postseason run. What better way to do that than by acquiring the starting pitcher who holds an MLB-best 2.61 ERA? It would be kind of wild to see the Orioles, who haven’t won the AL East in nearly a decade, to outlast the Rays for the division crown.

Giomar Rivera: Angels trade Shohei Ohtani to the Seattle Mariners
This has become an annual tradition for baseball purists who actually enjoy watching the best players playing on the biggest stage — October. Yet, Los Angeles’ front office hasn’t figured it out, now six years into having arguably the greatest player in the history of MLB. So… it’s time to stop prolonging the inevitable.

Ohtani doesn’t deserve to suffer the same fate that teammate Mike Trout has for over a decade now. Instead, the World Baseball Classic should be a reminder of what Ohtani can provide fans if given the opportunity. 

For the sake of MLB fans everywhere, it’s time for LA to let go.

Jason Ounpraseuth: Cubs trade Cody Bellinger to the Texas Rangers
The AL is wide open, so it would behoove the Rangers to make a move to push them to the next level. Bellinger is having a solid season with the Cubs and would be a strong bat to add to the lineup and give Texas better depth in the outfield.

Keagan Stiefel: Tigers trade Eduardo Rodríguez to the Los Angeles Angels
If the Angels are going to go all-in, they should go all-in. Los Angeles showed Ohtani good faith by making the first blockbuster acquisition of 2023 in Lucas Giolito, why not double-dip and really make things interesting.

The Angels are never going to keep Ohtani if they don’t make a deep playoff run, so selling the farm for one big run is essentially their only play at this point. It would also be hilarious for everyone else in MLB if it blew up in their face, so win-win.