MLB Execs Believe 'at Least One' of Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor and Kris Bryant Will Be Traded

The hot stove has been limited to a warm simmer the past few years, with a hint of collusion in the air quashing plenty of massive free agent deals.

But an unintended side effect of the proliferation of penny-pinching ownership may now be rearing its head.

Many of the league's elite teams, like the Indians, Red Sox, and Cubs, seem poised to join the realm of the cost-cutters, which could lead to trades the likes of which we've never seen. The list of young megastars who've popped up in trade rumors includes Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Kris Bryant, and a casual poll of MLB executives indicates at least one of these big names will be changing sides this offseason.

The obvious takeaway here is that Lindor is the most likely to leave; Cleveland's Dolan-led ownership is downright spooked by the cost of keeping him long-term, and they've already cautioned fans in The Land to "enjoy him" while they still can. Far from a ringing endorsement.

But Betts isn't far behind, if Boston truly does follow their reported new mandate and execute a small-market strategy this offseason. Following JD Martinez's opt-in, it'll take plenty of shedding to get below their desired luxury tax threshold. If they can't offload David Price or Nathan Eovaldi, they can't afford Mookie and meet their goal. It's that simple.

Bryant appears to be the outlier here, sitting firmly in third in the power rankings. But...it's clear Chicago intends to take a Boston-style budgetary step back, and may not be willing to entertain the type of extension Bryant will be looking for following 2021, his age-29 season. The face of the Cubs reportedly turned down a $200 million deal last summer, and Theo Epstein may be losing interest by the day in paying a player exiting his 20s that type of money (even though we've been unable to find a discernible partner for a big-money deal). Bryant's joined the rumor mill in recent days, along with his teammate Willson Contreras, the latest indicator that baseball's fracture is bordering on a full break.

Generally, lopsided offseason trades are a case of the rich getting richer. These would mostly involve the rich opting to become poor. And that's an issue.