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Oswald Peraza, Frankie Montas Added To Yankees’ Roster For ALCS

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The Yankees announced their roster for the ALCS, with infielder Oswald Peraza, right-handers Frankie Montas and Greg Weissert as new additions from the ALDS. They will take the place of outfielder Aaron Hicks, who is done for the year, as well as utility player Marwin Gonzalez and left-hander Lucas Luetge. Also of note, infielder DJ LeMahieu and outfielder Andrew Benintendi, both out with injuries, have not been added.

Here is the full roster for the Yankees, as they get set to take on the Astros:

Right-Handed Pitchers

Left-Handed Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Designated Hitter

The injury sustained by Hicks has led to a domino effect, necessitating some of today’s switches. For the last two games of the ALDS, Hicks started in left field with Oswaldo Cabrera at short, bumping Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the bench. After Hicks was injured yesterday, Kiner-Falefa was eventually installed at short with Cabrera going out to the left field. Without Hicks, it seems possible that the Yanks will use Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader and Cabrera as their regular outfield mix. That subtracts Cabrera from the infield picture, which Peraza will now step into. Gonzalez is capable of playing anywhere, though he hit just .185/.255/.321 this year. It seems the Yanks would prefer the rookie Peraza, who hit .306/.404/.429 in his 18-game debut this year.

Benintendi underwent hamate surgery in early September and has recently been working out, trying to get healthy enough to rejoin the club. However, recent reporting indicated he’s been experiencing continued soreness, leading to an injection in his wrist. With him not able to return, Cabrera could be in line for regular outfield duty. Giancarlo Stanton could theoretically be an option, having played 38 games in the outfield this year, though the Yanks might also opt to keep him as the designated hitter.

Similar to Benintendi, LeMahieu has been out of action for a while and has been trying to get healthy enough to return. His absence has been due to a ligament issue with the second toe of his right foot. It appears that he hasn’t recuperated enough to get a roster spot. With LeMahieu’s lingering issue, Cabrera likely in the outfield and Kiner-Falefa struggling, Peraza has been swapped in for Gonzalez to contend for shortstop playing time.

As for Montas, he was the Yankees’ big deadline acquisition for the pitching staff. However, he struggled badly after coming over from the A’s. He had a 3.18 ERA with Oakland but then a 6.35 ERA after the deal. It’s possible that shoulder issues were hampering him, as he missed a few starts prior to the trade and was eventually placed on the IL by the Yanks due to shoulder inflammation. He hasn’t been fully stretched out and won’t be a candidate for a starting job, though manager Aaron Boone recently said Montas could throw some multi-inning outings.

With the additions of Montas and Weissert and the subtraction of Luetge, the Yankees are left with Wandy Peralta as the only lefty in their bullpen. The Astros are very right-handed, having just two lefties in their lineup, though the two are Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. It seems the Yanks have a bit more faith in some of their right-handers to face the middle of the Houston lineup, with Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loáisiga and Miguel Castro perhaps in line to try to quell Alvarez and Tucker.

Christian Vazquez Eyeing More Playing Time

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Astros catcher Christian Vazquez will be a free agent this off-season, and has indicated his biggest priority will be finding a team willing to hand him the starting job.

Vazquez, 32, started 24 of a possible 58 matches after being traded from the Red Sox to Houston for minor leaguers Wilyer Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez on deadline day. The team usually opts for Martin Maldonado to catch Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers, meaning starts for Vazquez haven’t been as plentiful as in Boston.

“It was hard and it’s still hard,” Vazquez told Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. “But I’ll be a free agent after the postseason and I can choose where I want to go. Everybody knows that.”

The Puerto Rico native had been with the Red Sox since being drafted in the ninth round in 2008, and had been their starting catcher since 2018. He put together a combined .262/.311/.389 line during his time in Boston, and graded out as an above-average catcher defensively. His bat and ball skills are well measured, but he’s also widely regarded as a strong leader and positive clubhouse presence, too. Vazquez’ offensive numbers dropped significantly after the trade, and he hit just .250/.278/.308 across 108 plate appearances, but given the sudden drop in playing time perhaps it’s forgivable that Vazquez struggled to find consistency initially. Nonetheless, he’ll figure to do well in free agency as one of the better catchers available.

Bat-first catcher Willson Contreras headlines the catching free agents, but Vazquez is arguably the second best option available. With Maldonado under contract in Houston for another year, it seems likely that Vazquez will look for a new team to give him the playing time he seeks. While almost any team could do with a well-rounded catcher like Vazquez, a return to the Red Sox would be something he’d welcome.

“I hope so. I’d love it. It was my [house] for a long time,” Vázquez said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Reese McGuire impressed down the stretch for the Red Sox, but Kevin Plawecki is a free agent and Connor Wong struggled in his small sample of playing time so the Red Sox do figure to be active in the catching market this off-season. Ultimately though, with the Mets, Twins, Rays, Cardinals, Brewers, Guardians, and White Sox among the contending teams that could be seeking upgrades at the position Vazquez is likely to have plenty of interest.

Orioles Outright Louis Head

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The Orioles have sent reliever Louis Head outright to Triple-A Norfolk, per his transactions page at MLB.com. Head was designated for assignment by the team on Friday.

Head, 32, was claimed off waivers by the Orioles in July after spending the first half of the season in Miami. Originally an 18th round selection by Cleveland back in 2012, Head spent nine years in the minor leagues before the Rays gave him a shot in the big leagues in last year.

At Tampa Bay, Head pitched to a 2.31 ERA across 35 innings. While he was never a big strikeout guy, Head kept the walks and home runs in check to provide strong innings out of the Rays bullpen, although he also benefited from a .216 opponent batting average on balls in play. The Marlins to acquired him in the off-season, but the results went south after the trade. Head’s walk rate jumped significantly to 9.9% while his home run rate more than doubled from his time at the Rays. As a result, he pitched to a 7.23 ERA across 23 2/3 innings before the Marlins exposed him to waivers in July.

Head only pitched five innings in Baltimore, but struggled in his time at Triple-A Norfolk as well, pitching to a 7.04 ERA. While Head has less than three years of service time and is being outrighted for the first time, as a player who has spent parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues, he can elect free agency.

Dodgers’ Friedman/Gomes Discuss Roberts, Kershaw, Bellinger, Justin Turner

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The Dodgers were baseball’s best team in the regular season, winning a franchise-record 111 games. They cleared the next-closest team, the Astros, by five games and finished ten clear of anyone else in the National League.

That didn’t translate to postseason success, however, as Los Angeles dropped three of four to the division-rival Padres in their Divisional Series. As they enter the offseason earlier than hoped, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes met with reporters this afternoon (links via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times and Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic).

The executives predictably expressed their disappointment with the early postseason exit, with Friedman suggesting it was the most painful series loss of his tenure atop baseball operations. Yet he quickly downplayed the need for sweeping organizational changes, pointing to the volatility inherent in a short playoff series. While Friedman credited the Padres for outplaying the Dodgers during the Division Series, he noted the lack of situational hitting which plagued L.A. in the postseason is the sort of thing that tends to ebb and flow throughout a year.

To that point about the team not requiring any kind of drastic overhaul, Friedman confirmed previous reports manager Dave Roberts would be back for an eighth season. “I feel like Dave and his coaching staff did an incredible job during the regular season to lead this team to 111 wins,” Friedman said, noting that the skipper would “100%” return to the role in 2023. “I don’t feel like it’s a switch that was then turned off or the players needed a different voice in those (playoff) games. That’s my personal belief.”

Friedman added he doesn’t expect there to be any changes to Roberts’ coaching staff, implying that everyone will be offered a chance to return. Each offseason, teams run the risk of seeing a coach depart to take on a more impactful role with another club. Bench coach Bob Geren and first base coach Clayton McCullough each got some managerial attention last winter, for instance, and it’s possible their names are floated again in searches this offseason.

Turning to the playing personnel, Friedman and Gomes touched on a few key decisions they’ll need to make early in the offseason. Los Angeles will see franchise icon Clayton Kershaw hit free agency for the second straight winter. Last offseason, the Dodgers surprisingly elected not to make Kershaw a qualifying offer. Friedman later explained the Dodgers didn’t want to pressure the future Hall of Famer into making a decision whether to return within the 10-day window allotted to qualified free agents. Kershaw didn’t make a decision until after the lockout, and he eventually re-signed on a one-year, $17MM guarantee in Spring Training.

Because Kershaw didn’t receive a qualifying offer last winter, he’s eligible for one again. Friedman didn’t explicitly rule out the QO this time around but strongly hinted they’d again opt against it. “Like I said last year, I think for him to take the time and put his head together with (his wife) Ellen and figure out what makes the most sense for their family is what we’re going to give him time to do,” the Dodger president said. Friedman called it his “strong hope” that Kershaw elects to return for a 16th season in L.A.

This year’s qualifying offer has been set at $19.65MM. That’s a perfectly reasonable price to pay for the three-time Cy Young winner, who remains among the best starters in the game on a rate basis. Kershaw pitched to a sterling 2.28 ERA across 126 1/3 innings this past season, striking out an above-average 27.8% of opponents against an elite 4.7% walk rate. He lost roughly a month apiece to hip and back injuries, but he didn’t seem to feel any ill effects of the forearm discomfort that cut his 2021 season short.

Kershaw has stated a few times in recent weeks that he’s presently leaning towards continuing his career. Immediately after the series loss, he told reporters that “as of right now, I’d say I’ll play again.” He added that spending time with his family early in the offseason had the potential to change his mind, however, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Kershaw take his free agency process slower than most players do. Last winter’s decision seemed to come down to a return to L.A., joining his hometown Rangers, or retiring. It figures to be a similar story this winter, with both the Dodgers and Rangers sure to have significant interest in signing him. (Other teams would obviously call if Kershaw broadened his geographic range, but that’d be quite surprising).

While the ball is primarily in Kershaw’s court as to whether he returns to Dodger Stadium, the onus falls on the team to decide how to proceed with 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger. Bellinger is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter, and MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him to receive an $18.1MM salary if tendered a contract. Only Juan Soto has a higher arbitration projection, a testament to Bellinger’s early-career accomplishments. Those earned lofty salaries early in his career, and the arbitration system is designed so that salaries almost always escalate year-over-year.

However, Bellinger’s offensive production has evaporated over the past few seasons. He followed up his 47-homer MVP campaign with a slightly above-average showing (.239/.333/.455) in 2020. While that looked like a potential blip in an anomalous season, he’s seen a continued sharp drop-off at the plate. Bellinger hit .165/.240/.302 over 350 trips to the plate last year. He rebounded slightly this past season, but his .210/.265/.389 line across 550 plate appearances was still markedly worse than average.

Among 172 hitters with 800+ plate appearances over the past two seasons, Bellinger ranked dead last with a .256 on-base percentage. His .355 slugging mark is in the bottom ten. Bellinger’s 7.7% walk rate and 27.1% strikeout percentage are each worse than average, and his hard contact rate is down notably from its 2019 peak. Those extended struggles would seem to point towards Bellinger being non-tendered in lieu of such a large salary, but he’s been a strong plus outside the batter’s box. He swiped 14 bases in 17 attempts this past season and rated as an above-average baserunner overall. More importantly, he’s checked in as a plus defensive center fielder throughout his career, including a +5 runs above average from Statcast this season.

Neither Friedman nor Gomes made a definitive statement on the possibility of a non-tender, but Gomes generally praised Bellinger’s overall value. “Belli has had spurts of being really successful throughout the season,” the GM said. “I think elite defense has continued to be there, and we still think there’s (offensive) upside. So those are discussions we’re going to have moving forward as we look into what 2023 looks like.”

Friedman offered a similar sentiment when asked about the club’s $16MM option on third baseman Justin Turner. Friedman called Turner “a huge part of our success” but noted the front office needed more time to think through key roster decisions. Turner looked to be trending towards a $2MM buyout with a .256/.330/.403 showing in the first half of the season, but he made that a tough call for the front office by posting an excellent .319/.386/.503 line coming out of the All-Star Break.

MLBTR Poll: Who Will Win The ALCS?

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The Yankees knocked off the Guardians by a 5-1 margin this evening, taking two elimination games to advance past Cleveland. New York is back in the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2019.

Awaiting them tomorrow: an Astros juggernaut that has had one of the better runs of playoff success in recent history. Houston has gotten to the ALCS in six straight seasons. The first of those seasons was their now-infamous run to a World Series that was later revealed to be aided by a sign-stealing operation. Houston has barely missed a beat in the half-decade since then, though, playing for the pennant every year. The Astros claimed the pennant in both 2019 and 2021 (eliminating the Yankees during the former season), and while they’ve not managed to win a World Series since 2017, they’ve joined the 1990’s Braves as the only teams to reach six consecutive Championship Series.

Houston has home field advantage after a 106-win regular season, claiming the AL’s top seed in the second half after an historically great first few months by the Yankees. The ’Stros swept their division-rival Mariners last week, earning three off days in the process. Their pitching staff should essentially be lined up as desired, and they’ll turn to presumptive Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander tomorrow evening. The Yankees will answer with Jameson Taillon for Game One after using top two starters Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes on Sunday and today, respectively, to survive the Guardians.

The Yankees, anchored by an all-time great season from Aaron Judge, led all American League teams with 807 runs scored. Houston finished third in that category, plating 737 runs. New York finished second in the Junior Circuit behind the Blue Jays in on-base percentage at .325, while the Astros placed fourth at .319. The Yankees finished second in slugging (again behind Toronto) at .426, while Houston was just behind at .424.

While New York had a slight advantage offensively, the Astros were clearly the best pitching team in the American League. They led the league with a 2.95 rotation ERA, a half-run better than the second-place Rays. New York came in third at 3.51. Astros and Yankees starters each fanned 24.8% of opponents (with the Astros leading the league by a fraction of a percentage point). Houston’s bullpen was also number one in strikeout percentage at 28.3%, while the Yankees checked in sixth at 24.2%. Houston (2.80) and New York (2.97) finished first and second, respectively, in bullpen ERA.

It’s a battle of the two teams that have looked to be the best in the American League, in some order, from start to finish. Yesterday, MLBTR readers weighed in on an NLCS that took the exact opposite form. In a battle of the Senior Circuit’s fifth and sixth seeds, the readership gave a 56-44 edge to the Padres over the Phillies.  We’ll now put forth the same question for the American League. Which team is headed to the World Series: Astros or Yankees?

(poll link for app users)

Who Will Win The AL Championship Series?
Astros 67.93% (6,594 votes)
Yankees 32.07% (3,113 votes)
Total Votes: 9,707

 

Francisco Alvarez Undergoes Ankle Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training

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The Mets announced this evening that rookie catcher Francisco Álvarez underwent surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right ankle. The club’s expectation is that’ll be ready for the start of Spring Training.

Álvarez is regarded by prospect evaluators as one of the top young talents in the sport. The 20-year-old backstop (21 next month) combined for a massive .260/.374/.511 line in 495 plate appearances between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season. The Mets rewarded him with a late-season big league call in an attempt to add some right-handed juice to the lineup as they tried to hold off the Braves in the NL East race. Álvarez collected two hits (including a homer) in 12 at-bats down the stretch, and Atlanta seized the division title. New York carried him on the Wild Card series roster against the Padres but only gave him one plate appearance in the loss.

New York certainly views Álvarez as their long-term backstop, but it’s possible he opens next season back in Triple-A. He only started one game behind the dish in the majors, with some reservation among evaluators about his current defensive level. He’s generally expected to remain a catcher long-term, but the Mets could determine he needs a few more reps behind the plate before taking over as a #1 catcher in the majors.

At some point in the not too distant future, however, Álvarez figures to get that longer look. The Mets have veteran James McCann under contract for two more years at a combined $24.3MM. The Mets would presumably welcome an opportunity to shed some of that money after McCann hit only .195/.257/.282 in 61 games this season. They’re not likely to find much trade interest, and McCann is well-regarded enough as a game caller and defender New York seems likelier to wind up keeping him around. He could eventually move into a depth role as Álvarez gains more defensive experience.

Tim Healey of Newsday first reported Álvarez’s surgery before the team announcement.

Aaron Hicks To Miss Remainder Of Postseason

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The Yankees kept their season alive this evening, knocking off the Guardians 5-1 to take their Division Series in five games. They advance to the AL Championship Series to take on the reigning pennant winners in Houston, starting tomorrow.

While New York is obviously happy to advance, they didn’t come out of today’s contest completely unscathed. Left fielder Aaron Hicks was knocked out of the game in the top of the third after colliding with shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera in pursuit of a shallow fly ball off the bat of Steven Kwan. Hicks left the field with just slight assistance from skipper Aaron Boone, but he suffered a left knee injury that’ll end his playoffs. After the game, Hicks told reporters he’ll need around six weeks to recover (via Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record). Specifics of the injury aren’t clear, but the Yankees announced he was headed for an MRI.

It’s the conclusion of what has been a disappointing season altogether for Hicks. The 33-year-old hit .216/.330/.313 across 453 regular season plate appearances, his second straight below-average campaign. Hicks had been one of the game’s better center fielders from 2017-20, but he’s seen his power production take a sharp downward turn over the last two years. He also got subpar marks for his defense in center field, leading the Yankees to turn to Aaron Judge quite a bit more up the middle than they had in prior years before acquiring Harrison Bader from the Cardinals at the trade deadline.

Hicks was on the bench for the first three games of the Division Series, but he did draw into the lineup for the final two contests. He started in left field for both Game 4 and 5, going hitless with a walk in four plate appearances out of the nine-hole. Cabrera, who’d been the left fielder for the first three games of the series, moved up to shortstop for the final two contests. That pushed Isiah Kiner-Falefa out of the lineup after some defensive miscues in Game 3.

With Hicks out, the Yankees could move Cabrera back to left field and pencil Kiner-Falefa back in at short. They also have Matt Carpenter as a corner outfield option, although Boone indicated before the ALDS he preferred to keep Carpenter as a bench bat during his first action back after a two-month absence due to a foot fracture. Utilityman Marwin González drew an at-bat in relief of Hicks this evening, but the Yankees aren’t likely to give him a playoff start after a .185/.255/.321 showing in the regular season. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is also a possibility to assume some left field work, although it’s not clear whether the Yankees would run the risk of him playing defense for the first time since mid-July.

The Yankees acquired Andrew Benintendi from the Royals to solidify left field, but he’s been out since early September surgery to repair a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist. Boone indicated after tonight’s win he doesn’t anticipate Benintendi being active for the ALCS (via Andy Martino of SNY). The Yankees will have to formally announce their ALCS roster tomorrow, but it seems they’ll have to make due with their in-house outfield options against Houston.

It doesn’t seem likely Hicks’ injury will significantly affect his offseason routine. He’s under contract through 2025 and will presumably get a chance to compete for a starting job next spring, as the Yankees will have a hard time shedding any notable chunk of the $29.5MM that remains on his contract.

Previewing The 2022-23 Free Agent Class: Corner Outfield

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As the offseason approaches, MLBTR is taking a position-by-position look at the upcoming free agent class. Today, we’ll focus on corner outfield, which features a very obvious name at the top, but several other decent options as well.

Top of the Class

Did you know that Aaron Judge had a pretty good season in 2022? Many people are talking about it. Perhaps you heard. 62 home runs, 16 stolen bases, a hair away from a Triple Crown, .311/.425/.686, 207 wRC+, 11.4 fWAR, 10.6 bWAR. Judge’s season was so good that he’s going to steal an MVP award from Shohei Ohtani, despite Ohtani having yet another “we’ve never seen this before” kind of season.

Judge will be the top name on this year’s free agent market, regardless of position. He’s long been one of baseball’s preeminent sluggers but took his game up a notch at the perfect time, just on the verge of hitting the open market. In addition to his incredible work with the bat, he also expanded his repertoire with the glove. Though he had 24 games of center field experience coming into this year, he added 78 more. Advanced defensive metrics considered his work passable up the middle, but any team signing Judge to a long-term deal will likely prefer to keep him in a corner.

The major question about Judge’s market will be the length of his next contract. He turns 31 in April, which will likely lead to him getting a deal at eight or nine years, though it will depend how crazy the bidding gets. The Yankees offered Judge a seven-year, $213.5MM extension in the spring, which came with an average annual value of $30.5MM. But he reportedly sought an AAV of $36MM over a period of nine or ten years. The decision to turn down that offer now looks very wise, as he’s done nothing but increase his value since then. He will receive and reject a qualifying offer, though that will be a small matter for teams willing to meet his asking price.

Everyday Regulars

During his first few years in the majors, Benintendi seemed like he was on his way to becoming one of the elite players around the league. He produced 5.0 fWAR in 2018 when he was just 23 years old, displaying a five-tool skillset. He took a step back in 2019 and then suffered through an injury-marred 2020 before getting traded to the Royals.

Since then, he’s been able to re-establish himself as a solid everyday player. He might not be able to recapture the form he showed in 2018, but he’s still been plenty useful. Last year, he hit 17 home runs with KC and slashed .276/.324/.442 for a wRC+ of 105. This year, he traded in power for a better approach at the plate, striking out less and walking more. He hit .304/.373/.399 on the season as a whole for a 122 wRC+, including time with the Yankees after a deadline deal. His 2.8 fWAR is his best apart from that 2018 peak. Hamate surgery in early September put an early end to his regular season and may prevent him from appearing in the playoffs with the Yankees, but he’s still shown that he can be a solid piece of an everyday lineup. He is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer due to his midseason trade.

Brantley has dealt with a handful of injuries in his career but has always been an excellent hitter when healthy. He played only 11 games in 2016 and then only 90 in 2017 but then managed to put together a four-year run of good health. He got into 143 games in 2018, 148 in 2019, 46 in the 60-game 2020 campaign and then 121 in 2021. Over that four-year stretch, he hit .309/.366/.472 for a wRC+ of 127.

He was humming along at a similar clip here in 2022, hitting .288/.370/.416 for a wRC+ of 127 through 64 games before a shoulder injury placed him on the IL. That would eventually require season-ending surgery, though Brantley intends to play again next year and should be ready for spring. As he ages, the concerns about durability should grow, but there’s no question he’s an upgrade to any lineup when he’s in it. Brantley is unlikely to receive a qualifying offer after missing the second half of the season.

Haniger is an excellent hitter and the primary question mark hovering around him is health. For his career, he’s hit .261/.335/.476 for a wRC+ of 122. In 2022, he slashed .246/.308/.429 for a wRC+ of 113. However, he only got into 57 games this year, primarily because of ankle sprains. He was healthy enough to play 157 games in both 2021 and 2018, but those are the only campaigns he’s gotten over the century mark. He also missed the 2020 season entirely.

Haniger’s free agent market will be difficult to predict. On the one hand, he’s been consistently good, producing above-average numbers in five consecutive full seasons. On the other hand, he’s only been properly healthy in two out of the past six years. Someone will surely bet on the upside of his bat, though the size and strength of his contract will depend on how teams weigh the durability concerns. Haniger is a borderline qualifying offer candidate.

Mancini had a tremendous 2019 season where he hit 35 home runs and produced a batting line of .291/.364/.535, wRC+ of 132. He then missed the entire 2020 season while undergoing treatment for colon cancer. After recovering, he’s returned to be a solid, above-average regular, though not quite at that 2019 level. Over 2021 and 2022, he hit 39 home runs in 290 games, slashing .247/.323/.412, wRC+ of 104. He’s better suited to be a regular at first base but still played 31 games in the outfield corners this year. He is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer due to his midseason trade.

McCutchen is a few years removed from his MVP form but can still be a serviceable player. In 134 games this year, he hit 17 homers and stole eight bases. His overall batting line was .237/.316/.384, just a hair below league average with a wRC+ of 98. He also provided adequate defense, with all of DRS, UZR and OAA considering him to be average or above in the field. He’s better against lefties and would perhaps be best suited to something less than a full-time role, but he’s not going to kill you if he’s in there every day. He put up a 106 wRC+ against lefties this year and a 95 against righties.

Pederson had subpar seasons in both 2020 and 2021 and had to settle for a one-year, $6MM deal with the Giants. Pederson responded with perhaps his best season to date, putting up a .274 batting average that was more than 20 points above his previous career high. The power was still there as well, as he hit 23 long balls. His overall line was .274/.353/.521, production that was 44% better than league average as measured by wRC+.

For his career, Pederson has had noticeable platoon splits, producing a 127 wRC+ against righties but just a 72 against lefties. However, he showed a marked improvement in that department this year, with a 149 wRC+ while holding the platoon advantage but a 112 when facing southpaws. This is a small sample, however, with the Giants giving him just 57 plate appearances against lefties.

Defensive metrics have never been kind to him but were especially harsh this year. He posted a -10 UZR, -15 DRS and -11 OAA. It’s certainly a flawed profile, but Pederson still produced 2.1 fWAR this year, his best campaign since 2019.

Conforto missed all of the 2022 season after suffering an offseason shoulder injury that required surgery. He wasn’t at peak form in 2021 either, hitting .232/.344/.384 through 479 plate appearances. The shoulder issue means Conforto may well be looking at a one-year bounceback deal to try to propel himself back into the multi-year deal territory he’d been seeking early last winter during a return trip to free agency in 2023-24. He raked at a .265/.369/.495 clip between 2017-20, making him a very interesting rebound candidate.

Platoon Options/Veterans Coming Off Down Years

Dickerson played 97 games for the Cardinals this year, hitting .267/.300/.399 for a wRC+ of 98. This was his third straight year of being just a bit below league average. He doesn’t strike out much, as he hasn’t had a rate above 20.1% in the last five years and was at just 16.2% this season. However, he also doesn’t walk often, with a 5.8% rate in that department for his career and just 4% this year. He got a one-year deal last winter and will likely be looking at the same scenario this offseason. He was much better against righties, though the Cards only let him get 28 plate appearances against southpaws.

Duvall had perhaps the best season of his career in 2021, mashing 38 home runs and winning a Gold Glove for his work in right field. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to carry it forward into 2022. He limped to a line of .213/.276/.401 over 86 games and then required season-ending wrist surgery in July. He’s always been a wide variance guy, hitting lots of homers but also racking up lots of strikeouts. He’d be an interesting low-risk flier but his market will likely depend on his health.

Gallo is perhaps the most mercurial player in the league, occasionally looking like one of the best hitters alive but then looking completely hopeless for extended stretches. The poster boy for the three true outcomes, he always piles up huge amounts of strikeouts, walks and home runs.

From 2017 to 2019, he hit 103 homers while striking out in 36.8% of his plate appearances and walking in 14.3% of them. His .217/.336/.533 batting line led to a 120 wRC+. He slumped in the shortened 2020 season to the tune of .181/.301/.378, wRC+ of 86. In the first half of 2021, he rebounded by hitting .223/.379/.490 for a 128 wRC+ with the Rangers. But after a trade to the Yankees, he hit just .160/.303/.404, 95 wRC+. He was still with the Yanks to start 2022 but struggled again, hitting .159/.282/.339, wRC+ of 82. A trade to the Dodgers improved things, but only slightly, as Gallo hit .162/.277/.393 in Los Angeles for a wRC+ of 91.

Gallo’s now over a year removed from looking like a competent hitter, but he was red hot just before then. Despite the struggles, he keeps getting attention from contending teams and is sure to get interest this winter based on his tremendous power and relative youth.

Game spent 2022 as the solid veteran on a Pittsburgh team full of youngsters still trying to find their footing. He performed decently in that role. In 115 games, he hit nine long balls, stole five bases and drew walks in 11.3% of his plate appearances. He finished with a batting line of .232/.324/.369, just barely below league average with a wRC+ of 97. He was way better with the platoon advantage, hitting .252 against righties with a 112 wRC+, while hitting .175 against southpaws with a 56 wRC+.

Grossman had an excellent showing in the shortened 2020 season and the Tigers took a chance on him repeating that. They gave him a two-year deal that looked like a shrewd move after a 2021 campaign where the switch-hitter went deep 23 times and hit .239/.357/.415, wRC+ of 116. Unfortunately, he took a step back this year, hitting just seven homers and slashing .209/.310/.311, 82 wRC+. He’s been much better against lefties this year and in his career overall, perhaps suggesting he’s best suited to be in the short side of a platoon.

Naquin played well enough for the Reds this year that he was acquired by the Mets at the deadline, primarily because he’s a left-handed bat who generally fares well with the platoon advantage. Between the two clubs, he hit .241/.300/.446 for a 105 wRC+ against righties, but just .180/.206/.328 against southpaws for a 43 wRC+. His career splits are similar but not quite as pronounced, 109 wRC+ against righties and 62 against lefties.

Peralta had spent his entire career with the Diamondbacks up until a few months ago. With some exciting young outfielders bubbling up to the majors, it came time to make some room for them, with Peralta getting dealt to the Rays. He was a bit above average overall this year, bouncing back after a down year in 2021. This season’s batting line was .251/.316/.415 for a wRC+ of 104. However, it wasn’t a strong finish, as he produced a 111 wRC+ before the deal and a 91 after. Peralta has always been better against righties but his platoon splits were especially pronounced this year, leading to a 38 wRC+ against southpaws but a 116 when holding the platoon advantage.

Utility/Depth Types

Almora is considered a glove-first player and lived up to that reputation this year. In 64 games with the Reds, he hit .223/.282/.349 for a wRC+ of 71 but also produced 8 DRS, 6 OAA and 7.8 UZR in 523 innings across all three outfield positions. He was released in September and will likely be looking at minor league deals.

Bradley has long been an excellent defender but has been less steady at the plate, having some excellent offensive seasons but also some poor ones. After a strong campaign in 2020, he was able to secure a two-year, $24MM contract from the Brewers. Unfortunately, he was a disaster in 2021 and got traded back to the Red Sox for 2022. Boston was surely hoping for Bradley’s bat to reverse course again but it never happened and he got released, signing with the Blue Jays shortly thereafter.

Between the Sox and Jays, he finished 2022 with a line of .203/.255/.311, wRC+ of 56. He hasn’t been above-average at the plate in a full season since 2016 but still gets excellent grades for his defense. He could draw some interest as a depth outfielder, or perhaps a rebuilding team would give him regular at-bats and hope for another bounceback so that he could become a deadline trade chip.

Diaz has been serving a utility role for the Astros in recent years, playing all over the infield as well as time in left field. He’s not a true outfielder but can be stashed in a corner when needed. In each of the past three seasons, he’s been just barely below league average at the plate. His 2022 batting line was .243/.287/.403 for a wRC+ of 96.

Once considered one of the top prospects in baseball, Mazara has failed to live up to the hype. After seven seasons in the big leagues, he’s shown good power but never walked much or hit for a high average, never producing a wRC+ higher than 95. This year, he hit .264/.316/.352 for the Padres, producing a wRC+ of 94. He was released in August and will have to settle for a minor league deal, just like he did a year ago.

Pinder hit 12 home runs this season, his highest total since 2019. However, his 3.7% walk rate and 31.1% strikeout rate were both career worsts. His batting line of .235/.263/.385 was 14% below league average by measure of wRC+. The most-recent and only time he cracked 100 in that department was back in 2018. Pinder played all over the infield earlier in his career but was mostly on the grass this year.

Piscotty had some nice seasons earlier in his career but the last time he was above-average with the bat was 2018. This year, he hit .190/.252/.341 for a wRC+ of 70. He only walked in 6.5% of his plate appearances and struck out in 34.5% of them. He was released by the A’s in August and signed a minor league deal with the Reds.

Player Options

  • AJ Pollock (35), $13MM player option with $5MM buyout

Pollock signed a four-year deal with the Dodgers prior to the 2019 campaign, with that deal carrying a player option for 2023. The base of the option was originally $10MM with a $5MM buyout, though that salary could be pushed up based on plate appearances. Pollock could kick it up by $1MM for hitting 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances in 2022. In the end, he got to 527, adding an extra $3MM. That makes this a net $8MM decision for Pollock.

Even before those escalators were tacked on, Pollock was likely leaning towards exercising the option based on his weak season this year. In the first three years of his contract, Pollock hit .282/.337/.519 for a wRC+ of 125. But after being traded to the White Sox, he hit .245/.292/.389, wRC+ of 92. He still mashes lefties, putting up a 161 wRC+ against them this year, compared to just a 69 against righties. He would certainly get interest from teams looking to put him into a platoon role, though it might be wise for him to simply collect his salary and stay with the Sox for another season.

Profar signed a three-year deal with the Padres prior to the 2021 campaign, with the contract allowing him the opportunity to opt out after each season. The first year did not go well, as Profar hit just .227/.329/.320 in 2021, producing a wRC+ of just 86. However, he had a much better campaign this year, hitting .243/.331/.391, 110 wRC+.

Defensively, Profar has played many positions in his career but the Friars kept him in left field exclusively this season. The consistency seems to have suited him, as he posted a DRS of 2 and a UZR of 1.1, though OAA was less enthusiastic and gave him a -4. With his decent showing on both sides of the ball, he’s been worth 2.5 fWAR this year.

Given the buyout, this is effectively a $6.5MM decision for Profar. He’s not among the game’s elite but is solid enough that he should be able to find more than that on the open market. He’s also having a nice postseason so far, walking more than he strikes out, and could boost his earning power if he can keep that up.

Club/Mutual Options

2022 was the worst full season of Calhoun’s career. In 125 games for the Rangers, he hit .196/.257/.330 for a wRC+ of 67, his lowest such mark outside of a cup of coffee in his 2012 debut. He struck out in 32.1% of his plate appearances, easily eclipsing his previous career high of 25.6%. The Rangers are sure to pass on his option and look for alternatives in the outfield for next season.

  • Wil Myers (32), $20MM club option with $1MM buyout

Myers has been floated in trade rumors for years but has still stuck around San Diego. That’s more a reflection of his contract than his performance, as Myers is still been an above-average hitter for the majority of his career. He and the club signed a six-year, $83MM extension prior to the 2017 season. That extension was heavily backloaded, with Myers earning $20MM in each of the final three years.

Since joining the Padres in 2015, Myers has mostly been solid, though not elite. His overall batting line in those eight seasons is .254/.330/.451, wRC+ of 111. He slumped in 2019 and had a wRC+ of 97 then rebounded with a huge 155 wRC+ in 2020. Apart from that, he’s been between 104 and 115 in each season in San Diego. In 2022, he hit .261/.315/.398 for a wRC+ of 104, though injuries limited him to just 77 games.

There’s no way the Padres will exercise that option, with Myers sure to get the buyout instead. He’ll head to free agency as a guy capable of being a solid regular somewhere. He’s earned good defensive marks for his work in the outfield while also spending some time at first base.

  • Tommy Pham (35), $12MM mutual option with $1.5MM buyout

Pham was a free agent a year ago, securing himself a $7.5MM guarantee from the Reds. That came in the form of a $6MM salary and a $1.5MM buyout on a mutual option for 2023. Some reporting had the value of the option as $6MM but it was recently reported to actually be $12MM.

The outfielder took a step back this year, hitting .236/.312/.374 for a wRC+ of 89, a drop-off from his 2021 line of .229/.340/.383, 102 wRC+. The Red Sox, who acquired Pham midseason, won’t be interested in paying him a $12MM salary after that slide. As is so often the case with mutual options, the result will be free agency.

* Player age for 2023 season

Previous FA positional previews: catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop

Pirates Claim Ali Sánchez, Beau Sulser; Designate José Godoy

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The Pirates have made a pair of waiver claims, according to their transactions tracker at MLB.com. Catcher Ali Sánchez was claimed from the Tigers and right-hander Beau Sulser was claimed from the Orioles. Additionally, the Pirates designated catcher José Godoy for assignment.

Sánchez, 26 in January, has a very limited MLB track record, getting into five games with the Mets in 2020 and two games with the Cardinals in 2021. The Cards kept him in the minors this year, before he went to the Tigers on a waiver claim in June. The Tigers also stashed him in Triple-A as depth, before designating him for assignment last week.

He is known as a glove-first catcher but showed some encouraging signs at the plate this year, walking in 12% of his plate appearances. His batting line in 291 trips to the plate this year was .262/.354/.389 for a wRC+ of 101, or 1% above league average.

The Bucs have a fairly wide open catching mix for next year, Jason Delay and Tyler Heineman getting the bulk of the work down the stretch in 2022. Neither of them hit much but they both posted strong defensive numbers. Delay hit .213/.265/.271 while Heineman slashed .217/.276/.268. They also have Zack Collins, though he spent more time at first base than behind the plate for Pittsburgh. Sánchez will be out of options next year and thus won’t be able to be sent to the minors without first being passed through waivers.

He seems to have replaced Godoy, 28, in the club’s catching plans. Godoy got into 10 MLB games this year between the Twins and Pirates, spending the bulk of his time in Triple-A. He only hit .197/.272/.299 down on the farm for the Twins but a much better .333/.357/.590 in Indianapolis. Still, it seems that wasn’t enough to hold onto a roster spot. Since he has been previously outrighted in his career, he would have the right to elect free agency if he passes through waivers again.

Sulser, 29 in May, began the year with the Pirates but went to the Orioles on a waiver claim in May. Between the two clubs, he threw 22 1/3 innings with a 3.63 ERA, 47.1% ground ball rate, 19.2% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate. In 56 2/3 Triple-A innings, he had a much stronger strikeout rate of 24.3%. He will still be optionable in 2023, meaning he can shuttled between Triple-A and the majors again next year.

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