Assuming the MLB Players Association and MLB owners can hash out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement by the December 1st deadline, there will be be no lockout to disrupt the usual happenings of the MLB offseason. That means that the Winter Meetings - currently scheduled for December 4th through 8th in Maryland - will go on without interruption, and that’s where a large portion of league-wide offseason moves either go down or get started.
Back in 2014, the Cincinnati Reds did much of the initial heavy lifting of this current rebuild during the Winter Meetings, trading both Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon on the same day in deals with the Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers, respectively.