MLB Trade Rumors

For the Tampa Bay Rays, planning to trade star pitcher David Price isn't so much a matter of whether the price is right but when the timing is.

At the end of the 2013 season, speculation started that the small-market Rays more than likely would be swapping their ace left-hander, primarily because of his escalating salary and imminent free agency following 2015.

Trade rumors may have died down and teams are gearing up for the start of spring training, which is approaching quickly. But that doesn't mean that trade talks aren't happening between teams. Things do tend to happen in baseball when you least expect it. 

Last offseason's seven-player trade between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves involving Justin Upton, Martin Prado and Chris Johnson didn't take place until January 24.

The free-agent and trade markets have been quiet since the conclusion of December’s Winter Meetings. However, with the Jan. 24 deadline for a team to reach a deal with Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka edging closer every day, it’s only a matter of time until things pick back up.

With little major league-ready depth after their projected five starters, the Cincinnati Reds aren't currently in a position to shop Homer Bailey as he enters his last season before free agency. So it makes sense that the Reds were telling teams last month that he's not available, as was reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

The Prince Fielder-Ian Kinsler trade kicked down the door on the MLB offseason, but there hasn't been another blockbuster deal since.

That could change in the near future, though, and maybe Masahiro Tanaka is to blame for the holdup.

There have already been a number of trades this offseason, and there are bound to be at least a few more.

While evaluating deals that have gone down is always on the agenda, it's just as fun to look forward to the next names—big or small—who seem destined to be moved in the near future for one reason or another.

With spring training just a couple of months away, the MLB trade rumors are still swirling around the league.

There have already been a lot of big free-agent signings around the league, including big names like Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury.  The biggest trade of the offseason so far came in November, with the Detroit Tigers trading Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler.

Teams have been busy over the past two months, putting their offseason plans in place and trying to fill as many holes as possible. For many of those teams, however, there are still needs to address, and time is running out before it's time to report to spring training. 

Now that the calendar reads January, we're closer to the start of 2014 spring training than we are to the final out of the 2013 World Series.

As such, a select few of baseball's top free agents are still playing the waiting game as they look for work for the new season. Likewise, many well-known players are still on the trading block following a winter rampant with rumors.

While there have been plenty of MLB trade rumors this offseason involving top prospects Archie Bradley and Taijuan Walker, there's just one big problem: Neither pitcher is actually available.