The 5 Most Overlooked MLB Trades That Could Change Everything

Illustration by Thomas Dyson

Pete Alonso is headed to Baltimore, Bo Bichette is Big Apple bound, and Alex Bregman will be the newest star player to grace the ivy-lofted walls of Wrigley Field. It’s been a rather interesting MLB offseason, with multiple blockbuster moves bound to capture your attention. However, there have also been plenty of moves going on in the background that haven’t been talked about to the same degree, despite having the potential to make a significant impact in their own regard. I’ve narrowed it down to five players who have switched teams this offseason, all of whom I believe can make their next career venture a memorable one.

Jesús Sánchez - Houston Astros to Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays surprised quite a few when they made it all the way to the World Series last season, the first time the AL East club had done so in 32 years. They’ll be looking to build on this momentum to make another push next season; however, they have a few holes to plug since star shortstop Bo Bichette joined the New York Mets in January during free agency.

The Jays have been making their own moves, with one of them being a trade with the Houston Astros for outfielder Jesús Sánchez. The 27-year-old spent five and a half years with the Miami Marlins prior to joining the Astros during the 2025 season, in which he recorded a batting average of .199 over 160 plate appearances. These figures may not seem like much, but when he was playing regularly for the Marlins, Sánchez was comfortably averaging around the .250s, as well as driving in 14–18 home runs per season. He also recorded over 100 hits in each of his last two seasons. Sánchez has shown signs of being an incredibly effective ballplayer—he just needs to find somewhere he can be given the chance to do so. Toronto looks to have the markings of being the most competitive environment he’s been in so far, and they’re a team that could use someone rising to the occasion in the absence of Bichette. Baseball has shown us that star players aren’t always the way to go—sometimes a combination of uncut gems bodes better. I have reason to believe that the Blue Jays’ new man, Jesús Sánchez, could be the next to do so.

Ben Williamson - Seattle Mariners to Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays didn’t have a particularly memorable year in 2025, with their 77–85 record seeing them miss out on postseason contention for a second consecutive season. One player they can hope will help turn things around is third baseman Ben Williamson, who they acquired from the Seattle Mariners. Williamson played 85 games during his rookie season in 2025, recording 70 hits, 21 RBI, one home run, and a batting average of .253. The Mariners clinched the AL West title last year and made it as far as the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Williamson has shown that he can appear regularly on a contending team and will see a team like the Rays as a chance to get more plate appearances and ultimately develop into an incredibly promising young ballplayer. The Rays are in need of a rebuild, but they’re not a team that’s too far gone—they’ve reached the postseason in five of their last seven seasons, including a World Series appearance in 2020. The Rays will be looking to Williamson to restore some momentum to Tampa, and the young third baseman will be taking every chance to prove himself as well.

Jordan Hicks - Boston Red Sox to Chicago White Sox

Next up is somebody that I’ve been keeping a keen eye on throughout last season, as he had a stint for my beloved Red Sox. Jordan Hicks arrived in Boston from the San Francisco Giants as a return for the controversial Rafael Devers trade and was later dealt to the White Sox as part of a package deal for pitcher Gage Ziehl. Hicks’ 6.95 ERA last season may raise a few eyebrows, and quite understandably so. However, don’t let the numbers make you forget what this guy has in his locker. The 29-year-old has some of the most intense heat in the big leagues. His 105 mph fastball is not to be messed with, and his velocity has seen steady improvement throughout the span of his career. He may have never found his footing in Boston, with games getting out of control quite quickly—but if given the right surroundings, Jordan Hicks can be nothing short of an absolute beast. His career ERA is 4.41, and the 2023 and 2024 seasons saw him record 81 and 96 strikeouts as a reliever, respectively. The Red Sox bullpen was all over the place last season and seemed to be one of the weak points in what was otherwise a rather successful season. The White Sox are a team that is rebuilding but look to be making steady progress since their disastrous 41-win season in 2024. Hicks will be looking to lead by example with a fresh opportunity, and I have reason to believe that the Chicago White Sox could be the perfect environment for him to do so.

MacKenzie Gore - Washington Nationals to Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers have seemed to plateau a bit since their 2023 World Series triumph, with their 81–81 record in 2025 coming in at a perfect .500. With names such as Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jacob deGrom, their roster is still very much one that has the potential for success. It seems they just need a few more pieces to restore them to being a title contender once again, and they’ll be hoping that starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore can be exactly what their already star-studded rotation needs. Gore posted an ERA of 2.50 for the Nationals last year, and his 185 strikeouts in 30 games were enough to earn him the first All-Star selection of his career. We’ve seen the signs of him being a serious starting pitcher, and sharing a bullpen with the likes of deGrom and Eovaldi could be a catalyst for taking his game to an additional level.

Chase Shugart - Pittsburgh Pirates to Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are simply a team that always needs to be taken seriously. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and company are always capable of making a serious run each season, and they’re always going to be a team that’s looking to build something special. One area in which they’re looking to freshen up is their bullpen. There are plenty of dangerous arms at Citizens Bank Park; however, four of their five relievers with the highest WAR are over the age of 30. They’ll need to bring in some youth and have done so by trading with the Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Chase Shugart. Shugart makes the switch across Pennsylvania after 41 games over a span of two seasons, following year-long stints in Boston and Pittsburgh. His 3.40 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 45 innings pitched last year show that he has the potential to become more polished in what will be his third season in the big leagues, and the back-to-back NL East champions will be banking on him to do so.