MLB Trade Rumors

Though the Chicago Cubs failed to sign free-agent catcher Russell Martin last week, it doesn’t mean the team won’t have other intriguing options moving forward.

The signings of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez by the Boston Red Sox have rightfully dominated the discourse around MLB for the past two days.

For as incredible as the saga detailed by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman is, however, there’s been plenty of movement on the trade front.

The first month of the MLB offseason is the most crucial because it generally establishes which teams are going to be players and which teams are going to sit most of the winter out.

We've now come to roughly the one-month mark, and many teams have already indicated the roles they'll play in the coming weeks. The rumors have swirled since before the World Series ended, but they've now picked up with no more baseball to play. The focus is solely on free agency and the trade market.

The 2014 MLB offseason has been underway for several weeks, meaning it's about that time when we'll start to see some major dominoes fall.

Some big pieces have already fallen. Russell Martin has gone north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays. Adam LaRoche is headed to the South Side of Chicago to suit up for the White Sox. Billy Butler left the American League champion Kansas City Royals to play for the team they beat in the Wild Card Game, the Oakland Athletics.

The hot-stove season has already provided plenty of heat. Some high-profile free agents have already agreed to deals, while other big names have been moved in trades. It's already shaping up to be one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory, and we haven't even hit the winter meetings.

You can feel the urgency between Major League Baseball teams and players picking up each day. There's been a pattern in recent years where it took months for deals and trades to happen. That hasn't been the case so far this offseason, which leads to more excitement and unpredictability. 

Rumor turned to report when the MLB offseason's first blockbuster trade unfolded Monday.

Following constant buzz about the Atlanta Braves shopping Jason Heyward, they dealt him and relief pitcher Jordan Walden to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. MLB's Twitter page pounced on the news:

After a relatively quiet weekend, several notable MLB moves were made in rapid succession on Monday.

First, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the Miami Marlins and Giancarlo Stanton had reached an agreement on a 13-year, $325 million contract.

It’s not a coincidence that many of the biggest trades in recent years have involved blue-chip prospects. With the market rate for impact players on the rise and teams trying to manage their payrolls more economically, prospects, though unproven in nature, have come to represent a form of currency.