Archives for December 2023

We covered the National League’s 15 teams earlier today, so now let’s check in on how the American League’s 15 clubs have done (to date) in fixing their biggest problem positions from the 2023 season.  Baseball Reference’s position-by-position bWAR breakdown is our guide through last year’s numbers….

Angels (First base, -0.7 bWAR): No team received less from its first basemen than the Angels, even with Brandon Drury hitting well in part-time duty and rookie Nolan Schanuel emerging late in the season.  Schanuel and Drury working in a platoon could improve things, yet the Halos are in something of a state of flux in general, as the team is weighing a lot of internal trade possibilities and other free agent signings in the wake of Shohei Ohtani’s departure.  Not that there’s a silver lining to Ohtani leaving, but the Angels do now have the DH spot open to potentially add a slugging first base/DH type to pair with Schanuel and perhaps keep Drury at second base.

Astros (First base, 0.0 bWAR): Jose Abreu struggled badly for most of 2023 before finally heating up in the final six weeks of the regular season and throughout Houston’s playoff run.  Since the former AL MVP is owed $39MM over the next two years, the Astros can only hope that Abreu has shaken off any new-team jitters and will be back to his old form for the rest of his tenure in Houston.

Athletics (Relief pitching, -0.9 bWAR): Whew, where to begin.  Oakland had the second-lowest relief bWAR and rotation bWAR, and thus their 0.0 total pitching bWAR was the lowest in baseball.  The A’s also received sub-replacement-level production at third base (-0.8), center field (-0.5), shortstop (-0.3), and an even 0.0 bWAR from their pinch-hitters.  Trevor Gott, Osvaldo Bido, and Gerardo Reyes have at least been signed to try and beef up the pitching, yet with the A’s rebuilding and focused more on figuring out where they’ll be playing between the end of their lease at the Coliseum and the opening of their new ballpark in Las Vegas, expect only low-cost additions between now and Opening Day.

Blue Jays (Pinch-hitting, 1.7 bWAR): Toronto’s lack of position-player depth was exposed basically every time the Jays had even one regular out with an injury.  The lack of bench help contributed to the Blue Jays’ overall offensive struggles, and this problem won’t be any clearer until the team addresses its big holes at second base and third base.  If at least one starting infielder was obtained, the in-house infield options (i.e. Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, Davis Schneider, Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz, Orelvis Martinez, Addison Barger, Leo Jimenez) could then make for a relatively deep, if unproven, bench.

Guardians (Shortstop, -0.3 bWAR): Cleveland dealt the underperforming Amed Rosario to the Dodgers prior to the trade deadline, opening the door for Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio to get most of the playing time at shortstop.  Neither has hit much at the Major League level, but the Guardians will continue to give the duo (as well as Tyler Freeman, Jose Tena, and perhaps Juan Brito) more opportunities in 2024.  It isn’t an entirely ideal situation for a team in sore need of hitting help, yet since spending is again limited, the Guards will stick to their normal plan of relying on their minor league pipeline.

Mariners (First base, 0.7 bWAR): Ty France hit .250/.337/.366 with 12 home runs over 665 plate appearances last season, translating to about a league-average offensive performance.  With Mitch Garver now signed as the primary DH, Seattle might stick with France at first base, or the team could continue to explore other first base targets and perhaps look to trade France elsewhere.  Isaac Paredes, Josh Naylor and Rhys Hoskins are some of the names linked to the Mariners for a potential trade or signing.

Orioles (Pinch-hitting, 1.5 bWAR): This is a relatively minor weak link as far as “weakest positions” go, as Baltimore still ranked fourth in baseball in pinch-hitting bWAR.  The talent floor should only continue to rise as the Orioles introduce even more top prospects to regular Major League action, so there isn’t much to worry about on the position-player side.  As for pitching, the O’s still might considering moving a bat for an arm, either for the rotation or for a bullpen that has been somewhat fortified by the signing of Craig Kimbrel.

Rangers (Relief pitching, 0.0 bWAR): The shaky Texas bullpen almost cost the Rangers a postseason berth altogether, yet the relievers stabilized enough in the playoffs to help deliver the team’s first World Series championship.  The Rangers signed Kirby Yates to help make up for the departures of Will Smith and Chris Stratton, and the team has also reportedly shown interest in such high-leverage relievers as Jordan Hicks and Robert Stephenson.  Though Texas isn’t going to be continuing their spending sprees from the last two offseasons, they should still have enough payroll room to bolster the pen, even if signing Josh Hader might be a reach.

Rays (Catcher, 1.2 bWAR): Tampa Bay has been trying to stabilize the catching position for years, and the quest will continue this winter.  Christian Bethancourt was non-tendered, leaving Rene Pinto and Alex Jackson lined up as the current tandem behind the plate.  The Rays already moved their biggest trade chip (Tyler Glasnow) without getting a catcher as part of the return from the Dodgers, yet since Tampa’s front office is always actively seeking out deals, the Rays could pick up a backstop in a deal.  Some kind of signing seems inevitable, whether it’s adding someone for a more regular role, or simply signing a couple of veterans to minors contracts to provide Spring Training competition.

Red Sox (Second base, 0.0 bWAR): Ten different players lined up at second base for the BoSox last season, with little success to be had.  Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has highlighted the keystone as a natural target area, ideally for a right-handed hitter with a good glove.  Free agent Whit Merrifield is one name known to be on Boston’s radar, and Merrifield’s ability to play the outfield also adds more flexibility to the roster, particularly should the Red Sox have interest in giving Ceddanne Rafaela a look at second base.  Breslow’s first couple of months on the job have been mostly focused on remaking the Sox outfield, and pitching remains a larger overarching need of the Red Sox offseason.

Royals (Relief pitching, -1.4 bWAR): Few expected the Royals to be one of the offseason’s more aggressive spenders as we hit Christmas, yet Kansas City has splurged (by their standards) to upgrade its dismal pitching situation.  Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha were signed to bolster the rotation, and the bullpen has also been a focus with the additions of Will Smith, Nick Anderson, and Chris Stratton.  The work done to the rotation could filter down to the relief corps, as such names as Daniel Lynch, Angel Zerpa, or Alec Marsh could be used in the bullpen if they’re not being used as starting depth.

Tigers (Third base, -0.3 bWAR): Zach McKinstry, Nick Maton, and Matt Vierling are still around to man the second and third base positions, and act as utility depth in general.  However, the Tigers aren’t likely to seek out a big upgrade since they hope some help is coming on the farm.  It isn’t clear where any of Colt Keith, Jace Jung, or Justyn-Henry Malloy might eventually end up around the diamond, yet all of this trio is expected to make their MLB debuts in 2024 and could help immediately at the keystone or at the hot corner.

Twins (First base, 1.4 bWAR): Alex Kirilloff’s young career has been plagued by injuries, so just getting a healthy year from Kirilloff would automatically help the Twins get more from the first base position.  Edouard Julien could also play first if Jorge Polanco remains at second base and isn’t traded, though there is an expectation that at least one of Polanco or Max Kepler won’t be in Minnesota by Opening Day.  President of baseball operations Derek Falvey identified first base as a likely target area in some fashion back in November, though it’s been a pretty quiet offseason thus far for the Twins, with most of the talk centered around payroll cuts and uncertainty over the club’s TV deal.

White Sox (Right field, -2.4 bWAR): There weren’t many positives in Chicago’s miserable 101-loss season, and that can be taken literally given all of the negative bWAR numbers around the diamond.  The White Sox had a league-worst collective 0.4 bWAR for all non-pitchers, and were also below replacement level at shortstop (-1.7), catcher (-1.5), pinch-hitting (-0.6), second base (-0.4), and left field (-0.1).  New GM Chris Getz has added talent at some of these positions already, but with so many holes to be plugged, Getz has yet to turn his attention to improving on the right field combination of Oscar Colas and Gavin Sheets.  Some outfield additions seem inevitable, and Chicago’s roster might end up looking quite different in 2024 considering that Getz has been open to trade offers for just about any White Sox player.

Yankees (Left field, -1.6 bWAR): This was also the lowest left field bWAR total for any team in baseball in 2023, as New York’s revolving door of outfield options didn’t result in any consistent production.  However, the Yankees have already upgraded their outfield in eye-opening fashion, acquiring both Juan Soto as the new right fielder and Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox to handle left field.  Though Verdugo had some clashes with Sox manager Alex Cora and Verdugo has been only slightly above average over the last couple of years, that still represents a solid improvement over the mess that was the Yankees’ left field situation.  Verdugo and Soto are also both left-handed hitters, so the Yankees have balanced out their heavily righty-swinging lineup.

There’s still plenty of time left in the offseason for teams to check items off their winter to-do lists, but with the spirit of holiday shopping in the air, let’s take a look at what baseball’s teams have already done to fix their roster’s weakest links from last season.  Using Baseball Reference’s list of how each team performed (as per bWAR) by position in 2022, let’s start with the 15 National League clubs….

Braves (Pinch-hitting, 0.3 bWAR): We’ll start with a team without many weak points, as the Braves amassed 104 wins thanks mostly to one of the best offensive lineups in baseball history.  Atlanta’s everyday players were so good and so durable that the bench didn’t get much of a chance to even hit the field, even as late-game subs.  As to how the bench depth might improve, Vaughn Grissom is expected to take on a larger role, and David Fletcher was acquired from the Angels as a backup infield upgrade over Nicky Lopez.

Brewers (First base, 0.4 bWAR): Carlos Santana is a free agent, Rowdy Tellez was non-tendered, and Mark Canha was traded to the Tigers as the Brew Crew might more or less completely reshuffle their first base mix.  GM Matt Arnold did hint that Santana could return and highly-touted prospect Tyler Black could factor at either corner infield position, but for now, first base remains somewhat in flux.  Jake Bauers was acquired from the Yankees and currently projects to work with Owen Miller in a platoon at the cold corner.

Cardinals (Pinch-hitting, 0.2 bWAR): St. Louis’ rotation problems have been well-documented, and their 4.1 rotation bWAR ranked 28th of 30 teams.  However, pinch-hitting was technically the Cardinals’ weakest point by pure bWAR metrics, and this area might just improve with better results from the team’s in-house options.  On paper, the Cards have plenty of versatile position-player depth, though they need to figure out which members of this group will be lineup regulars or perhaps off the team altogether.

Cubs (First base, 0.4 bWAR): Even with Cody Bellinger getting a big chunk of the playing time at first base, he hit only .267/.310/.467 over 200 plate appearances as a first baseman, in contrast to his red-hot .323/.381/.548 slash line in 339 PA as a center fielder.  A Matt Mervis/Patrick Wisdom/Christopher Morel combination is currently in place at the cold corner, yet it doesn’t feel like the Cubs are going to just stand pat the position.  Wrigleyville has been linked to such trade and free agent targets as Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor, and Rhys Hoskins, plus a reunion with Bellinger can’t yet be ruled out.

Diamondbacks (Third base, 0.0 bWAR): The NL champions only got replacement-level production at the hot corner last year, but Arizona has already made a big move by adding Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Mariners.  It’s a possible short-term fix since 2024 is the last guaranteed year of Suarez’s contract, though he should provide the D’Backs with some extra power while the team gets some more time to evaluate Jordan Lawlar’s readiness at shortstop (which could shift Gerardo Perdomo to third base in the future).

Dodgers (Pinch-hitting, 1.3 bWAR): Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers’ “weakest position” is still pretty respectable.  The return of Gavin Lux and the acquisition of Manuel Margot should raise the talent floor on the roster in terms of bench depth, as younger players like Miguel Vargas or Michael Busch could contribute in backup or part-time roles, rather than being relied on (as Vargas was last season) for a high-pressure starting role.  The left field position also generated 1.4 bWAR in 2023, and Los Angeles hopes that the addition of Margot can help on that front, plus a return to form for Chris Taylor would help a ton.

Giants (Shortstop, -1.3 bWAR): Longtime shortstop Brendan Crawford battled injuries all season long and wasn’t very productive when he was on the field, leaving the Giants short-handed at one of the most important positions on the diamond.  Top prospect Marco Luciano made his MLB debut last season and will get a longer look in 2024, but San Francisco is also looking around for shortstop help, perhaps just as a one-year stopgap to help Luciano ease into the big leagues.

Marlins (Catcher, -0.6 bWAR): Jacob Stallings wasn’t tendered a contract, and Christian Bethancourt was acquired from the Guardians as president of baseball operations Peter Bendix picked up another of his former players from the Rays.  The Bethancourt/Nick Fortes tandem is at least a defensively-stout pairing behind the plate, though Miami isn’t done in exploring the market for more catching help, and former Cardinal Andrew Knizner is reportedly of interest.

Mets (Third base, -1.2 bWAR): No team got less from the hot corner than the Amazins, but New York’s initial plan for the offseason was to keep rolling with younger players like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, or Mark Vientos.  However, Mauricio will now miss most or all of the season due to a torn ACL, reducing the options to Baty, Vientos, or utilityman Joey Wendle.  Justin Turner is reportedly a player of interest for the Mets, which could fit since Turner would also get a lot of time as a DH, allowing for the youngsters to get action at the third base spot.  If not Turner, some other veteran infield depth option could be obtained, yet the Mets want to give their top prospects some time since 2024 is looking like something of an evaluation year for the team.

Nationals (Designated hitter, 0.7 bWAR): Joey Meneses got the bulk of DH at-bats in 2023, and he couldn’t keep up the magic of his surprising 2022 breakout, hitting only .275/.321/.401 in his second year in the majors.  Meneses could get more time at first base now that Dominic Smith has been non-tendered, and Washington also brought in Juan Yepez and Lewin Diaz on minor league deals.  In short, both the DH and first base spots are basically open-call auditions at this point, as the Nationals probably aren’t likely to acquire a longer-term answer for either position while the team is still rebuilding.  The designated hitter role might not be addressed directly, as the Nats might end up cycling several players through the position.

Padres (First base/pinch-hitting, 0.5 bWAR): San Diego’s crowded infield picture resulted in Jake Cronenworth getting most of the first base opportunity, and he struggled after posting some very solid numbers from 2020-22.  Cronenworth is still the favorite for the position at this point, and his big contract makes it likely that he’ll still be on the roster next year even though Cronenworth’s name has surfaced in some trade talks.  Manny Machado will be used as a DH early in the season until he fully recovers from his elbow surgery, which somewhat complicates any plans San Diego might have in obtaining a slugging first base/DH type, yet such a player might still be a wise addition if the Padres feel confident Machado won’t need too much time to get fully healthy.  As much as the Padres’ offseason has been defined to date by payroll cuts, their recent signing of reliever Yuki Matsui indicates that the team is still planning to contend, and getting another big bat in the lineup seems like a must.

Phillies (Third base, 0.4 bWAR): Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa mostly split the third base duties in 2023, as Bohm saw a lot of time at first base with Rhys Hoskins out and until Bryce Harper was ready to take over as the regular first baseman.  Harper will be sticking at first base in 2024, so Bohm will be back as the full-time third baseman.  The former top prospect has been roughly a league-average hitter in his four MLB seasons and his glovework at third base still garners mixed reviews, so if the Phillies did want to make a bigger move to their everyday core, Bohm might be a candidate to be the odd man out.  That said, president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski has indicated that the Phils are more or less done with their top-tier winter shopping.

Pirates (Catcher/shortstop, -0.9 bWAR): The answer is the same at both positions for the Bucs — get full and healthy seasons from two of their best young players.  Oneil Cruz missed almost the entire season due to ankle surgery, while Henry Davis made his MLB debut but barely played any catcher, mostly seeing time as a right fielder instead.  Unfortunately, another top catching prospect in Endy Rodriguez will miss the entire season due to UCL surgery, so Davis now looks to be the top choice behind the plate unless the Pirates prefer to use Jason Delay and Ali Sanchez while Davis gets more acclimated to the position.

Reds (Right field/DH/Pinch-hitting, 0.7 bWAR): Cincinnati had a three-way tie in the “weakest position” race, and the answer to all three positions might be internal improvements.  Or, at least a shuffle caused by the signing of Jeimer Candelario, which will further crowd the infield and push Spencer Steer into a clear left field role.  This will in turn make Will Benson and Jake Fraley into the right field platoon, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand or Jonathan India might now be in line for DH duty now that the Reds have parted ways with Joey Votto.  There are plenty of moving parts here for the Reds, not to mention the fact that Cincinnati might still move one of their infielders in a trade for pitching.

Rockies (First base/second base, -0.6 bWAR): Colorado hopes to have Kris Bryant and Brendan Rodgers healthy, which would automatically make things better at the two lackluster infield positions.  It’s been a pretty quiet winter to date for the Rockies, as their limited transactions to date have understandably been focused on addding pitching.  Colorado only received 0.6 bWAR from its starting pitchers in 2023, the lowest mark in baseball.