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Where will the next surprise trade come from?

Kelley L Cox / USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks-Seattle Mariners blockbuster deal late Wednesday night came out of nowhere.

In what is typically a slow period in Major League Baseball due to American Thanksgiving, general managers Jerry Dipoto and Mike Hazen added some additional excitement on the eve of the holiday. The Mariners shipped Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte to the desert in exchange for reigning National League hits leader Jean Segura and prospects.

While rumors are in full force over the winter months, and much of the buyers and sellers have identified themselves, some deals still manage to completely catch us off guard.

Here are four teams that could be part of the next big surprise trade:

Oakland Athletics

Athletics president of baseball operations Billy Beane has been on the losing end of a number of trades recently, but he certainly did strike gold when landing Khris Davis from the Brewers last winter for a pair of prospects. The 28-year-old outfielder hit .247/.307/.524 with 42 home runs and 102 RBIs in 150 games last season, and could serve as one of Beane's biggest trade chips this offseason. Davis has three years of team control left and is projected to earn $5 million in salary arbitration this winter, making him an attractive option for a team looking for some power from the corner outfield. With the Athletics far from contending, Beane would be smart to try to deal Davis while his stock is at its highest.

Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners, Indians, Rangers

Kansas City Royals

No longer the reigning World Series champions, the Royals head into 2017 a curious case. They were ravaged by injuries last season but still managed to finish .500. Their championship core is still intact, with the exception of Kendrys Morales, who signed in Toronto. How much ownership wants to sink into the team remains the big question. The Royals need help at DH, second base, and in the rotation. The AL Central projects to be one of the weaker divisions, and could be made worse if the Tigers decide to sell, putting the Royals and Indians in competition for top spot. The trade route seems more logical for the club, which isn't known to be a major player in free agency.

Potential targets: Jed Lowrie, Stephen Vogt, Logan Forsythe, Brandon Phillips, Michael Wacha, Jordy Mercer

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates recognize their window to compete at the top of the division has been all but slammed shut thanks to a potential dynasty being formed on the North Side of Chicago. Much like at the non-waiver deadline, when they dealt closer Mark Melancon away, the Pirates would be wise to spend the winter selling off some of their assets to accelerate a rebuild. Andrew McCutchen is unlikely to receive an extension, and trading him away with two years left on his deal will generate the biggest return, while general manager Neal Huntington could take advantage of a weak infield and catching free-agent market by dealing Jordy Mercer, David Freese, Francisco Cervelli, and Josh Harrison away.

Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Indians, Royals, Braves, Dodgers, Mets, Giants

Colorado Rockies

Owners of the National League's highest-scoring offense from a season ago, the Rockies have ambitions of finally competing for a division title in 2017. In order to do so, they'll need some help at first base and in the rotation. The Rockies could look to deal from a position of strength in the outfield to help land an arm. While there's been talk of extending Carlos Gonzalez, the Rockies could instead look to deal the talented 31-year-old and impending free agent in order to address other areas of need. They could also look at dealing top infield prospect Brendan Rodgers or reigning NL batting champ DJ LeMahieu to acquire talent in other areas.

Potential targets: Gio Gonzalez, Michael Wacha, Ervin Santana, Clay Buchholz

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