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How They Were Acquired

How They Were Acquired: Los Angeles Dodgers NLDS Roster

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The Dodgers have now taken the NL West for five consecutive seasons. But the current roster wasn’t exactly built with just that in mind. The big-city organization hasn’t won the World Series since way back in 1988.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi were looking to construct a powerhouse. At mid-season, they struck a deal to land ace Yu Darvish to an already-loaded rotation. Despite a late-season lull, the team racked up 104 wins.

Here’s how it all came together:

[Related: Los Angeles Dodgers Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

Los Angeles will lose some players to the open market at the end of the year, but all were signed to one-year pacts last winter or added over the summer via trade. That means that the core of the club will remain under control — in many cases well into the future. No matter how things turn out this fall, though, there will likely be quite a few interesting opportunities for the always-creative Dodgers front office to pursue over the offseason to come.

How They Were Acquired: Washington Nationals NLDS Roster

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The Nationals are back in the postseason after their fourth NL East crown in the past six years. By now, the search for redemption is a familiar tale for this organization, which has failed to advance past the NLDS in each of the past three years. There has been a fair bit of roster turnover through the years, as president of baseball operations/GM Mike Rizzo has successfully transitioned from prior core players to new ones through a variety of methods.

Here’s how the current roster came together…

[Related: Washington Nationals Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

While the Nationals’ window has long been a topic of conversation, it figures to stay open a while longer. The club will lose a few contributors this winter — Werth, Perez, and deadline additions Kendrick and Kintzler are probably the most significant — but none are major drivers of the organization’s success. While there’s only one more year of control over Harper past the present season, when he’ll be joined by Murphy and Gonzalez in free agency, several other top-quality performers are still around beyond 2018 … and the team has hopes that Robles will soon become the team’s next star.

How They Were Acquired: Chicago Cubs NLDS Roster

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This year, the Cubs returned much the same roster that ended the franchise’s curse by winning the 2016 World Series. Of the tweaks that were made, perhaps the most notable was the move to add Wade Davis to replace outgoing closer Aroldis Chapman (himself a mid-summer rental). By now, the story of how the team’s excellent core was compiled is rather well-known; indeed, books have been written on the general subject.

The title defense efforts got off to a sluggish start, though, prompting some further tinkering from PBOp Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer in advance of the trade deadline. Ultimately, the Cubbies closed strong and now enter the postseason looking to regain that ’16 magic. Here’s how the NLDS roster was compiled:

[Related: Chicago Cubs Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

Even if this isn’t the Cubs’ year, this is a team that’s built to contend for some time to come. The organization will have some roster maneuvering to account for over the winter, though. Arrieta will hit the open market along with a variety of other oft-used veterans, including Lackey, Davis, Uehara, and Duensing from the pitching staff. For now, though, the focus is on an attempt at a repeat crown.

How They Were Acquired: Cleveland Indians ALDS Roster

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The Indians came within one game of celebrating their first World Series championship in nearly seven decades last season, and they had the luxury of retaining the vast majority of that team for the 2017 campaign. Unlike others so far in this series, Cleveland has assembled its roster almost entirely via the draft, international free agency and trades. Such moves have accounted for 22 of the Indians’ 25 players, with only three joining the roster via free agency or waivers.

Here’s how president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti, general manager Mike Chernoff and the rest of the Indians’ brain trust have pieced together a 102-win team that led the American League in wins thanks largely to a historic winning streak late in the year…

[Related: Cleveland Indians Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

The vast majority of the Indians’ core is controlled not only for the 2018 season but into 2019 as well. Cleveland could lose Santana and Shaw as free agents this winter, and rental pickups Bruce and Smith are eligible for free agency as well. But Cleveland’s future is exceptionally bright, with stars like Kluber, Carrasco, Lindor and Ramirez all controlled through at least the 2020 season. With at least two teams in full rebuild mode in the AL Central, the Indians are primed for a prolonged run of success.

How They Were Acquired: Houston Astros ALDS Roster

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Astros fans were subjected to three consecutive 100-loss seasons as the Jeff Luhnow-led front office aimed to build a young core by stockpiling talent in the draft. That approach led the Astros multiple top-five overall selections in the draft, and the team also leaned on creative means of utilizing its draft to nab highly touted prospects that slid down the board due to signability concerns. The finishing touches on this year’s 101-win team were made last offseason in trades (Brian McCann), free agency (Josh Reddick, Charlie Morton, Carlos Beltran) and of course, with this August’s last-minute Justin Verlander blockbuster.

Houston drew plenty of criticism from skeptics of their data-driven approach as they effectively tanked multiple seasons, but they now sport an imposing all-around roster the looks poised for a lengthy run of success. Here’s how they built the roster that now has the opportunity to make Sports Illustrated’s infamous 2014 prediction come true…

[Related: Houston Astros Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

Of the players on Houston’s 25-man ALDS roster, only Beltran, Gregerson, Maybin and Liriano will be free agents at the end of the season. In fact, nearly each of the Astros’ star-caliber players can be controlled through at least 2019, with the notable exception of Keuchel, who will hit the open market next winter. With few weaknesses and a wealth of young stars that are in their prime, the Astros look to be a perennial postseason contender for the foreseeable future.

How They Were Acquired: Boston Red Sox ALDS Roster

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The Red Sox have now captured consecutive AL East titles with identical 93-69 records. Boston’s success continues to be spurred by the homegrown core of position-player talent compiled by prior front office administrations. But that’s not to say that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski hasn’t had an impact. In particular, many key members of the pitching staff have come from outside the organization, quite a few via recent trades.

Here’s how every member of the Red Sox’ 2017 ALDS roster was originally acquired:

[Related: Boston Red Sox Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

The bulk of Boston’s roster remains under control beyond the present season. Most of the team’s players that will head to the open market — Reed, Fister, Nunez, and Davis — were picked up during the current season. Moreland is the only other player to make this roster who’ll depart via free agency. He’ll be joined by outfielder Chris Young, who was perhaps the most notable omission from the postseason unit.

How They Were Acquired: Colorado Rockies Wild Card Roster

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Entering the 2016-17 offseason, the Rockies were viewed by many as an organization that could position itself for contention with the right moves. While the club’s biggest splash (the signing of Ian Desmond) hasn’t really panned out thus far, the addition of closer Greg Holland surely did, helping lead the club to an 87-win regular season.

Of course, the bulk of the talent on hand in Colorado wasn’t just added last winter. The team’s two best players — Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado — are homegrown stars. Most of the other regulars have been around for some time and the rotation has largely come through the farm system. More recently, the Rox took advantage of the summer trade market to add two important pieces in catcher Jonathan Lucroy and reliever Pat Neshek. Here’s how the Rockies’ Wild Card roster was compiled by the front office, which is currently led by GM Jeff Bridich …

[Related: Colorado Rockies Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

The Rox will say goodbye to CarGo at the end of the year, along with Mark Reynolds, with Holland likely to decline his option and reenter the open market as well. But the team still has another year in which it can pair Blackmon and Arenado, retains most of its other key players, and can anticipate further strides from its youthful rotation. Plus, there are several intriguing prospects who may be ready to make full contributions at the game’s highest level as soon as 2018.

How They Were Acquired: Arizona Diamondbacks Wild Card Roster

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Fresh off a 93-loss season, the Diamondbacks weren’t a popular pick to make a postseason run in 2017. However, a bounceback from the biggest free-agent signing in franchise history (Zack Greinke), better health from star center fielder A.J. Pollock and breakouts from Robbie Ray, Zack Godley and Jake Lamb (among others) helped propel the team to a 93-win season in 2017.

First-year Diamondbacks execs Mike Hazen (general manager), Amiel Sawdaye (assistant GM) and Jared Porter (assistant GM) as well as the rest of the D-backs’ front office made some changes to the roster’s composition in the offseason, most notably shipping Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger to the Mariners in the swap that netted them Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte. They were again active at the non-waiver deadline, adding arguably the most impactful trade pickup of the summer in J.D. Martinez. But by and large this is a team that looks fairly similar to the unit that underachieved in 2016. Here’s how they all came together…

[Related: Arizona Diamondbacks Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

The Diamondbacks likely feel more of a sense of urgency than some other clubs with younger cores. Martinez is set to hit free agency this winter, while Pollock will hit the open market next offseason. Greinke rebounded brilliantly in 2017 but still figures to decline over the final four years of his massive six-year deal, and Goldschmidt is presently controlled only through 2019.

That’s not to say that the D-backs don’t have a nice core of young talent, however. Lamb, Ray, Godley, Drury, Peralta and Bradley are among the quality young players that Arizona can control for a minimum of three more seasons, and the team’s payroll could have room to grow, as the massive television contract the D-backs signed in 2015 kicked in last season and will gradually provide increasingly larger revenues over its 15- to 20-year term.

How They Were Acquired: New York Yankees Wild Card Roster

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After selling off pieces at the 2016 non-waiver trade deadline, the Yankees have successfully returned to the postseason with a stacked core of young talent that looks to have them positioned for long-term success in the AL East. The composition of their roster varies significantly from their opponent in tonight’s AL Wild Card game, the Minnesota Twins, who developed the bulk of their roster via the draft and international free agency.

The Yankees have their share of homegrown talent — including the likely Rookie of the Year and possible AL MVP Aaron Judge — but they’ve acquired nearly half of tonight’s active roster via trade. Just five of the Yankees’ current players came via free agency, only two of whom signed in the past calendar year, as the team has trended more and more toward stockpiling young talent to build a cost-controlled foundation and to serve as capital on the trade market. Here’s how general manager Brian Cashman and his staff assembled one of the most talented teams in the American League…

[Related: New York Yankees Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

Of the players currently on the roster, the only Yankees that could leave via free agency either this offseason or next are Gardner, Sabathia, Headley, Holliday, Robertson, Warren and Todd Frazier. With talent like Gleyber Torres, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield, Estevan Florial and many others still on the horizon and plenty of money to spend on established big leaguers, the Yankees look dangerous for years to come.

How They Were Acquired: Minnesota Twins Wild Card Roster

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The Twins became the first team in MLB history to go from a 100-loss season to a playoff berth in 2017, and while that’s skewed somewhat by the fact that the postseason field of 10 teams is relatively new, it’s nonetheless an impressive feat. Newly minted chief baseball officer Derek Falvey, general manager Thad Levine and the rest of the Twins’ front office deserve credit for both the offseason additions they made last winter and for the restraint they showed in not blowing up a young roster that wholly underperformed reasonable expectations in 2016.

Former general managers Terry Ryan and Bill Smith and their lieutenants (including assistant GM Rob Antony, who still holds that title the new-look front office) also deserve credit, as a number of the players in question were acquired under their watch.

Here’s a look at how the Twins acquired the 25 players that will comprise their roster in tonight’s Wild Card playoff at Yankee Stadium…

[Related: Minnesota Twins Depth Chart and Payroll Outlook]

  • ACQUIRED VIA RULE 5 DRAFT (1)

Notably, the Twins announced today that slugger Miguel Sano — a major factor in their postseason berth this season — will not be a part of the Wild Card roster due to ongoing discomfort in a stress reaction he suffered when fouling a ball into his shin in late August. He’d been activated for the final three games of the season, lending some optimism that he could potentially play in the divisional series should the team advance, but he was apparently too limited to carry on the roster for this all-hands-on-deck game.

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