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The Angels’ Potentially Elite Rotation

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Despite boasting two of the most gifted players on the planet on their roster, the Angels have failed to make the playoffs since 2014 and failed to secure a winning season since 2015. As they have been for quite some time, they’ll look to change that in 2023 and return to the playoffs. While they haven’t made a splashy move, their signings of Tyler Anderson, Carlos Estevez and Brandon Drury, and acquisition of Gio Urshela and Hunter Renfroe have put them in good shape to do well this year.

Of course, a big challenge for the Angels is that they play in a division with the defending champion Astros, as well as the Mariners and Rangers, two teams that have big ambitions to compete this season. If they are to return to the postseason, they’ll need contributions across the board, but one area that the Angels will surely be leaning on as a strength is their starting rotation. The team has tended to work with a six-man rotation to preserve Shohei Ohtani’s workload in the past, and given they were linked with Nathan Eovaldi just before he signed with Texas, it seems likely they’ll add another starter before the season starts.

In the meantime, let’s take a look at the starting five for the Angels as things stand:

Shohei Ohtani: The Angels will be relying on their two-way superstar to have another monster season this year. There’s not a lot that hasn’t been said about how good Ohtani is, but for this exercise we’ll talk about him purely as a pitcher. He had his best year yet in 2022, throwing 166 innings of 2.33 ERA ball. The strikeouts were up, the walks were down, and Ohtani benefited a fair bit from leaning less on his fastball and throwing his slider more often. Angels manager Phil Nevin has already stated he plans to increase Ohtani’s workload next season, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles that given his other duties, but if the Angels can get another year like 2022 out of their ace they’ll come away very happy.

Tyler Anderson: Signed to a three-year, $39MM deal, the left-handed Anderson is the lone new face in the Angels starting rotation. A respectable back-of-the-rotation starter for a number of years, Anderson broke out with the Dodgers in 2022, pitching to a 2.57 ERA over 178 2/3 innings. It wasn’t so much an overhaul of his pitching repertoire as it was a few small tweaks (bumping up his changeup usage slightly) that seemingly did the trick for Anderson, and he induced a ton of soft contact out of opposition hitters. If he can show 2022 was no outlier Anderson will slot in as a very reliable second option behind Ohtani.

Patrick Sandoval: The second of four southpaws in the rotation, Sandoval enjoyed his own breakout year in 2022. The 26-year-old gave the Angels 148 innings of 2.91 ERA ball, striking out batters at a 23.7% clip and walking them 9.4% of the time. FIP pegged him a 3.91, which suggests a bit of regression is due, but he also had an above-average opponent’s BABIP of .316. Regardless, even if he can’t post a sub-3 ERA Sandoval definitely has the makings of a very productive starter. He struggled early on in his career, working to a 5.33 ERA between 2019-20, but has been highly effective ever since. One change he did make in 2022 was throwing his fastball less and leaning far more on his slider.

Jose Suarez: The 24-year-old hurled 109 innings of 3.96 ERA ball for the Angels last year, showing a strong 7.1% walk rate and a solid 22.3% strikeout rate, both of which improved from a year prior. He maintained his fastball usage in 2022, but mixed in a slider to his off-speed stuff (which includes a curveball and changeup) that he’d only thrown sparingly in the past. The ERA doesn’t jump off the page, but he was elite in the second half last year, working to a 2.81 ERA over 11 starts after the All Star break. Still just 24 there’s certainly a ton of promise in this youngster, and if he can build off his showing in the second half the Angels will have a very good fourth starter on their staff.

Reid Detmers: Rounding out their five is Detmers, a 23-year-old southpaw who worked to a 3.77 ERA over 129 innings last season, his first full year in the big leagues. He had a fast rise through the system after being drafted 10th overall in 2020, and given there was no minor league season that year it makes his rise to the big leagues, and strong first full season that much more impressive. Detmers owns a 93 mph fastball, and mixes in a slider, curveball and changeup. There’s plenty of upside for Detmers to tap into over the next few years, and if he can take another step forward in 2023 it won’t take long before he’s near the top of a list like this rather than rounding it out.

As noted earlier, it does seem likely that the Angels would opt to bring in a sixth starter to deepen the rotation. That could be someone like Michael Wacha or Johnny Cueto off the free agent market, or they could go with an internal option such as Chase Silseth, Griffin Canning or Chris Rodriguez. They’ve also got top pitching prospect Sam Bachman at Double-A, and getting closer to being a big league option.

Regardless of who the sixth option is, there’s a lot to like about this group, even if they were just able to put in a repeat of their 2022 performance. But the key for the Angels is there’s also a ton of upside in this group, particularly in the back of the rotation. That’s the sort of thing that could go from making this a strong rotation to one that is up there with the best in baseball. Of course, an injury or two could derail things quickly and there’s a chance that players take a step back rather than a step forward, but the potential is there for this group to be dominant.

Free Agent Profile: Andrew McCutchen

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A busy month of December has seen the free agent cupboard mostly cleared out. Yet as we begin 2023 there are still a few interesting options on the open market for teams looking for upgrades heading into the new season. Of course, many teams will look to the trade market over the next month or two – particularly if they’re after impact options – but good deals can still be found in free agency.

One such player is a former MVP, who remains a threat at the plate and is well-regarded as a veteran presence in the clubhouse. Andrew McCutchen may not be the same player that went to five-straight All Star games with the Pirates, but he could still help a lot of teams. There was a report in early December that the Rays and Dodgers had interest in McCutchen, but it’s been quiet since. The Dodgers have since signed J.D. Martinez, which may rule them out, but the Rays could still feasibly have a spot for him.

McCutchen, 36, spent the past season with the Brewers on a one-year, $8MM deal. They’d signed him on the back of three years in Philadelphia, which culminated in McCutchen hitting .222/.334/.444 with 27 home runs over 574 plate appearances. It was a solid enough season, but what perhaps got Milwaukee’s attention was the way in which McCutchen torched left-handed pitching in 2021, slashing .293/.405/.622 in 195 plate appearances against southpaws. It was particularly pronounced in 2021, but McCutchen’s splits have favored hitting against left-handers over his career.

Unfortunately for the Brewers, it wasn’t the case in 2022. McCutchen would hit just .221/.303/.435 against left-handers in Milwaukee, contributing to an overall line of .237/.316/.384 overall line of 580 plate appearances. While his walk and strikeout rates have trended in the wrong direction in recent times, they were still reasonable marks, as he struck out 21.4% of the time against a 9.8% walk rate. That was good for a wRC+ of 98, a couple of ticks below the league average but the first time it had dipped below 100 in his career. He did enjoy a 262 plate appearance tear in the middle of the summer, where he crushed 11 home runs and hit at an .868 OPS. Of course, the fact that his overall season mark was well below that suggests there were some very lean runs in there as well.

Perhaps the biggest concern from McCutchen’s season was the drop in power. He slugged 27 home runs a year prior with the Phillies, but hit just 17 last season. American Family Field in Milwaukee is generally less favorable to home run hitters than Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, but it was still a significant drop in long balls. In McCutchen’s defense, his exit velocity and HardHit% were both roughly the same as a year earlier, so he’s still making plenty of solid contact.

On the defensive side of things, McCutchen has spent most of his time in the DH spot in recent years, but can still play the outfield, and enjoyed a bit of success there in 2022. He was worth 5 Defensive Runs Saved in a small sample of 268 1/3 innings, while he also spent a small amount of time in right and center. He did make 82 appearances in the DH spot and his days of being an everyday outfielder are probably over, but he’s by no means a liability in the field and his numbers in 2022 could encourage a new team to give him a larger workload in the field in 2023.

McCutchen will likely sign another one-year deal, quite possibly in the same range as the $8MM salary he took home in 2022. At this stage of free agency, most of the players available have some flaws, but McCutchen could still work as a solid option for a number of teams. He still has ~20 home run power, draws walks at a bit above the league average rate and doesn’t strike out too often. While he’s not likely to be a team’s everyday outfielder, he could shift around the corner outfield spots, making DH appearances and allowing teams to spell their starting outfielders on a regular basis. Further to that, McCutchen’s got a good clubhouse reputation and could perhaps work on a contending team with a slightly younger roster. While he’s unlikely to be a difference maker at this point, teams could do worse than bringing in the veteran to deepen their roster for the upcoming season.

Farhan Zaidi: “Unlikely” That Giants Can Circle Back To Carlos Correa Deal

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Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi addressed reporters (including ESPN and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) for the first time since the team’s $350MM deal with Carlos Correa fell through due to concerns raised in the physical. Correa has since agreed to a $315MM deal with the Mets, but they too are concerned by the player’s physical and that signing has not been made official.

It’s been quiet since reports emerged on Christmas Eve that the Mets had concerns over his physical, with the last report stating the teams were working through things and a deal with New York still appeared “likely”. That’s not stopped a few other teams checking in on the situation, and Zaidi confirmed that the Giants have also checked in with Correa’s agent Scott Boras.

“We’ve had some conversations. Since then, obviously, you know, we’ve been in touch with Boras on other players as well. But our understanding and, as it’s been reported, they’re focused on a deal elsewhere at this point. So I think chances of a deal with us at this point are pretty unlikely based on their position,” Zaidi said.

Correa’s deal with San Francisco falling through shocked the baseball world. The Giants had scheduled a press conference to introduce their new star, but postponed that to further investigate Correa’s physical. That set off a chain of events that came together quickly, and within 24 hours Correa had agreed to a deal with the Mets. Zaidi confirmed that the Giants and Correa’s camp had different views on the medical review, but said they maintain a strong relationship with Boras.

“I was on the phone with Scott Boras on the Monday that we did Carlos’ physical right when his plane landed in San Francisco at 5 p.m., and those conversations continued from that point, so any suggestion that this was an 11th-hour thing is just not accurate. As soon as we had information, we shared it. We have a good working relationship with Scott Boras and his agency.”

The off-season has surely been a frustrating one for the Giants organization. They came into the winter in search of a new face of the franchise, and make a strong push to sign top free agent Aaron Judge. The reigning AL MVP would turn them down to re-sign with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360MM deal. They quickly pivoted to Correa, and just six days after news broke that Judge had agreed to return to New York, reports emerged that the Giants and Correa were in agreement on a 13-year deal.

The team has still been active this winter, adding Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea to their rotation, Taylor Rogers to the bullpen and Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger to the outfield. San Francisco certainly has a stronger roster as a result of those moves, but they do lack the superstar they coveted coming into the off-season, and the free agent market no longer has any stars.

“One of the unfortunate aspects of the offseason is there’s been — and maybe this is inevitable given the players — a lot of attention paid to players that we wound up not signing rather than the players that we have signed,” Zaidi said.

One added layer to the Correa saga is what it means for long-time Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and is owed $16MM in 2023. A Correa signing would have likely meant that Crawford moved to third-base, but it seems with the Correa deal off he’ll be manning short in his 13th season in San Francisco.

“I’m sure it was a frustrating and confusing period for him, but I also said we had to explore every opportunity to improve this team, including the group of shortstops that were out there, All-Star-caliber players that we all felt would really improve our team. I think Brandon was aware that adding one of these players was a possibility. It didn’t work out and he’s our shortstop now and we want and expect to be a playoff team.”

Hirokazu Sawamura Looking For MLB Opportunities Over Return To Japan

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Former Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawamura is looking for another opportunity in the US over a return to Japan, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.

Sawamura pitched for a decade in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball before going stateside, signing for the Red Sox on a two-year, $3MM deal. He’d compiled a 2.77 ERA across 868 1/3 NPB innings. Sawamura initially worked as a starter for Yomiuri but switched to the bullpen in 2015 and became the team’s closer. A shoulder injury saw him miss the 2017 season, but he’d return as a quality setup man before his eventual move to the US in 2021.

When the Red Sox landed Sawamura, 32 at the time, it was seen as an affordable pact with a fair bit of upside if he could excel in the transition to MLB. While he never blossomed into a dominant relief arm, he did give the Sox some valuable middle relief innings. In 2021, Sawamura tossed 53 innings of 3.06 ERA ball, striking out batters at a strong 26.2% clip and walking them at a below-average 13.7% rate.

2022 started well for Sawamura, as he held a 2.48 ERA on July 23. Things went downhill quickly though, and over the next month Sawamura would work to a 5.40 ERA before the Red Sox opted to designate him for assignment in late August. All told, Sawamura owned a 3.39 ERA over 103 2/3 innings for Boston. Given his affordable salary that mark would make the DFA a little surprising, but there were some troubling signs below the surface, and Sawamura had seen his strikeout rate dip and his HardHit% jump towards the end of his time with the Red Sox.

There also may have been some financial motivation to the DFA. There was a club and player option in place for 2023 with the value of those options increasing based on performance. Sawamura had a player option of $1.9MM at the time of the DFA, while the club option sat at $3.7MM. The player option would have increased to $2MM with his 50th appearance, but the Sox DFA’d him after his 49th appearance. Boston would outright Sawamura to Triple-A, but he’d ask for a release from the team ten days later to pursue other opportunities. The Red Sox granted that release, and Sawamura received a $1MM buyout on the 2023 option.

Royals To “Explore” Adding More Starting Pitching

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The Royals entered the offseason with a stated goal of adding some veteran depth to their young rotation, and the signings of Jordan Lyles and Ryan Yarbrough have addressed that need.  However, general manager J.J. Picollo may not be done, recently telling The Kansas City Star’s Lynn Worthy and other reporters that “I think we have to still explore” further reinforcements to the starting five.

“Because we just don’t know how it’s going to end up throughout the offseason, regardless of who the pitcher is,” Picollo said.  “So if there’s an opportunity for us to get deeper and get better, we can’t close the door right now.”

Technically, only Lyles is assured of a full-time spot in the 2023 rotation, as K.C. could opt to keep using Yarbrough in a swingman capacity.  Yarbrough has started 59 of his 127 career MLB games (all with the Rays), operating as a traditional starter, an opener, a bulk pitcher behind an opener, and in a long relief capacity.  New Royals manager Matt Quatraro is a former longtime member of the Rays’ coaching staff, and thus is very familiar with how Yarbrough can be deployed in a way that helps a pitching staff as a whole.

Considering the uncertainty throughout the rest of Kansas City’s rotation, Yarbrough’s versatility gives Quatraro, Picollo, and company some flexibility with their pitching options.  Lyles and Brady Singer are the only sure things for starting roles, as highly-touted younger starters Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic, and Jackson Kowar have all struggled in their relatively brief big league careers.  Veteran Brad Keller has also been quite shaky over the last two seasons, and was shifted to the bullpen last summer.

As much as the Royals still want (or need) to see what they have in Lynch, Bubic, and Kowar, bringing in another steady veteran hurler in addition to Lyles and Yarbrough might help the Royals be more competitive in 2023.  While this could leave the youngsters competing for just one starting spot heading into Opening Day, it can be assumed that Keller might be something of a short leash for a rotation job.  Plus, the Royals could also pivot and move Yarbrough to the pen if multiple pitchers impress during Spring Training.

Picollo also suggested that any starters who don’t win rotation spots could work out of the bullpen.  K.C. is also looking for relief pitching this winter, yet this need could be addressed from within if one of younger starters make at least a temporary transition to the pen.  This wouldn’t forego an eventual return to rotation work later this season or in 2024, but clearly the Royals are willing to explore all possibilities for upgrading a pitching corps that struggled last year.

How NL Teams Have Addressed Their Weakest Positions Of 2022

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We covered the American League’s 15 teams earlier today, so now let’s check in on how the National League’s 15 members have done (to date) in fixing their biggest problem positions from the 2022 season.  Baseball Reference’s position-by-position bWAR breakdown is our guide through last year’s numbers….

Braves (Left Field, -1.4 bWAR): The lowest total of any outfield position in baseball, left field was a glaring weak spot in an otherwise very strong Atlanta lineup.  Eddie Rosario and Marcell Ozuna will look to bounce back from down years, but the Braves have otherwise only tinkered rather than overhauled the position, adding depth pieces like Sam Hilliard, Eli White, and Jordan Luplow to the mix.  One can never rule Alex Anthopoulos out for making a bigger acquisition, and the Braves are one of the many teams asking the Pirates about Bryan Reynolds.  However, with these many options on board and a lot of strength elsewhere on the roster, Atlanta might opt to stand pat in left field for now, and only pursue help if nobody steps up during the season.

Brewers (Catcher, 0.9 bWAR): Speaking of big Braves trades, the Brewers got themselves involved in the huge three-team blockbuster that brought Sean Murphy to Atlanta.  The deal brought Milwaukee its own catcher of the future, as William Contreras has already delivered on his hitting potential with an All-Star performance in 2022.  Contreras will join Victor Caratini behind the plate, and with Omar Narveaz and Pedro Severino departing in free agency, Payton Henry was also acquired from the Marlins as a depth move.

Cardinals (Catcher, 0.4 bWAR): Both Contreras brothers will be in the NL Central, as William’s big brother Willson Contreras jumped from the Cubs to the Cardinals on a five-year, $87.5MM free agent deal.  St. Louis led the majors in non-pitcher bWAR in 2022, though catcher was the weak spot, as injuries hampered Yadier Molina’s farewell season and backup Andrew Knizner didn’t provide much during fill-in duty.  With Molina hanging up his cleats, the Cards will now replace Molina with another established star backstop.

Cubs (Center Field, -0.1 bWAR): Cody Bellinger’s offense has badly fallen off since his 2019 MVP season, but his glovework remains very strong.  In signing Bellinger to a one-year deal worth $17.5MM in guaranteed money, Chicago is hoping that his defense alone will shore things up in center field, but naturally the Cubs would love to see Bellinger recapture his old batting form.  First base (0.1 bWAR) was another weak point for the Cubs, and a veteran addition like Eric Hosmer might yet be added, but Chicago is also planning to give breakout prospect Matt Mervis a long look at the MLB level.

Diamondbacks (Relief Pitching, -4.4 bWAR): For comparison’s sake, the Pirates’ -0.8 total was the second-worst bullpen bWAR number, giving you an idea of just how little Arizona received from its relief corps.  The D’Backs inked Scott McGough to a two-year/$6.25MM deal, with McGough making his return to the majors after a very successful four-year stint in Japan.  McGough could be something of a hidden gem, and he joins several other new arms (Miguel Castro, Cole Sulser, Miguel Vargas, Zach McAllister, Austin Brice, Sam Clay, and more) as the bullpen options the Diamondbacks will sort through during Spring Training.

Dodgers (Pinch-Hitting, 0.8 bWAR): The Dodgers’ 61.4 total bWAR led all 30 teams, even though both center field (1.5) and left field (1.6) were relative weaker links among the everyday positions.  Even the lower pinch-hitting total wasn’t exactly bad, even if Los Angeles did have a bit less depth than in recent years.  With the Dodgers almost exactly slated to meet the $233MM luxury tax threshold, it remains to be seen if L.A. will exceed the threshold again or perhaps look to reset its tax penalties, which might limit what the Dodgers can do in amassing more depth.  Youngsters like Miguel Vargas, Michael Busch, and James Outman are being groomed for larger roles in 2023, so the Dodgers might first see if they can fill some holes from within.  Veterans like Jason Heyward, Bradley Zimmer, and Steven Duggar have also been signed to minor league contracts.

Giants (Designated Hitter, 0.1 bWAR): The platooning and lineup-juggling that worked so well for San Francisco in 2021 backfired last year, as catcher was the only lineup position with a collective bWAR above the 1.2 mark.  The DH spot was at the bottom of the list, and such frequent designated hitters as Tommy La Stella and Evan Longoria are already gone.  Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto figure to boost the DH spot when they’re not in the outfield, but by and large, the Giants will keep cycling multiple players through the DH role to keep everyone healthy.

Marlins (Right Field, -0.7 bWAR): Despite signing Avisail Garcia to a four-year, $53MM deal winter, the Marlins still got sub-replacement numbers out of the right field spot, as Garcia battled hamstring injuries and had a dreadful year at the plate.  Miami has enough money committed to Garcia that there isn’t much to do except hope for a rebound, which isn’t out of the question given that Garcia has alternated between good and bad seasons over the last six years.  Center field is the more pressing outfield position for the Marlins, and first base (0.0 bWAR) and catcher (0.1 bWAR) are also problem areas.

Mets (Pinch-Hitting, 0.0 bWAR): With the Carlos Correa signing not yet official, we’ll wait before declaring that Eduardo Escobar will be an overqualified backup for the Amazins’ next season.  However, the Mets might be more likely to keep Escobar than trade him to a team that can offer more playing time, since the Mets will want plenty of depth to keep its World Series push from being waylaid by injuries (especially given whatever concerns New York has about Correa’s health).  Among everyday positions, the Mets only got 0.1 bWAR from the catching spot, but James McCann was traded to the Orioles and Omar Narvaez was signed.  With Narvaez, Tomas Nido, and star prospect Francisco Alvarez ready for the majors, the Mets are expecting a lot more from behind the plate.

Nationals (Starting Pitching, -4.8 bWAR): If the Diamondbacks were feeling bad about their lackluster bullpen, here come the Nats with an even bigger gap between last and second-last place in a single position.  The Tigers were 29th in the majors with a cumulative 1.7 rotation bWAR, making Washington the only team with sub-replacement performance from their entire starting pitching corps.  Trevor Williams was signed to a two-year, $13MM deal to provide some help, but since the rebuild is on, D.C. will be limited to similar veterans on modest deals rather than any big splashes.  The Nationals are counting on youngsters Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore, and Cade Cavalli to take some steps forward in 2023, and getting any kind of rebound from Patrick Corbin or good health from Stephen Strasburg would be immensely helpful to the Nats’ efforts.

Padres (Pinch-Hitting, 0.4 bWAR): The DH spot was next on the list with 1.2 bWAR, adding to the Padres’ overall goal of building more depth.  Josh Bell, Wil Myers, Brandon Drury, and Nomar Mazara have all signed elsewhere, but San Diego’s blockbuster signing of Xander Bogaerts shuffled around the everyday lineup to the extent that Fernando Tatis Jr. now looks slated for the outfield when his suspension is over.  Matt Carpenter was also signed to aid the DH mix, and since president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is nothing if not aggressive, any number of trade possibilities are still open for the Padres to further bolster the position player ranks.

Phillies (Right Field, 0.4 bWAR): Bryce Harper’s torn UCL limited him to DH duty for almost the entire season, leaving Nick Castellanos handling most of the action in right field.  Unfortunately for the Phils, Castellanos struggled both offensively and defensively, delivering a subpar -0.1 bWAR in his first season in Philadelphia.  Since Harper will be out until at least midseason while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Castellanos will have to hold the fort, though he might get more DH at-bats on days when Matt Vierling or Dalton Guthrie are used in the outfield.  The Phillies got 0.6 bWAR from both the center field and shortstop positions in 2022, but center field might’ve already been addressed by the midseason trade for Brandon Marsh, and the Phils upgraded at shortstop in a major way with their signing of Trea Turner.

Pirates (First Base, -2.1 bWAR): Pittsburgh had low bWAR scores over most positions, with right field, the bullpen, pinch-hitter, and catcher also clocking with negative figures.  With first base standing out as the biggest issue, the Bucs swiftly moved on from Yoshi Tsutsugo and Michael Chavis by signing Carlos Santana and swinging trades for Ji-Man Choi and Connor Joe.  Santana and Choi figure to essentially split first base duty, and Santana in particular could be in line for a bounce-back year given how heavily opposing teams have used defensive shifts against him in recent years.  With the new rules restricting the use of shifts, Santana figure to improve on his roughly league-average offense from 2022.

Reds (Catcher and Center Field, -0.8 bWAR): Like their NL Central brethren in Pittsburgh, the Reds are another rebuilding team with needs all over the diamond, including four positions that had sub-replacement bWAR totals.  Curt Casali and Luke Maile were signed to play catcher, but getting a healthy year from Tyler Stephenson (even if Stephenson sees additional time as a first baseman or DH) will be Cincinnati’s biggest boost in that regard.  If Nick Senzel can stay healthy, he’ll still be the Reds’ top choice in center field, but the club has been looking around for help in center and might even be willing to trade from its surplus of young shortstop prospects to land an equally promising young outfielder.

Rockies (Catcher, 0.1 bWAR): There hasn’t been much buzz about the Rox getting involved in the catching market, so it seems likely the team will just run it back and hope for better results from Elias Diaz and backup Brian Serven.  Diaz signed a three-year, $14.5MM extension in November 2021, and followed up that long-term pact by hitting only .228/.281/.368 over 381 plate appearances.  Given the lack of MLB experience on the catching depth chart, the Rockies will probably sign at least one veteran backstop to a minor league deal, if for no other reason than to provide Serven with some competition in Spring Training.

How AL Teams Have Addressed Their Weakest Positions Of 2022

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New Year’s Day isn’t technically the midpoint of the baseball offseason, yet with business slightly paused as the calendar turns to 2023, it seems like a good time to see how teams have taken care of some of the most pressing items on their to-do list.  With a tip of the cap to Baseball Reference’s bWAR breakdown of how each club performed by position in 2022, let’s explore how the American League’s 15 teams have looked to correct their biggest positions of need.

Angels (First Base, -1.0 bWAR): The top-heavy Angels are known for superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, but the club also had sub-replacement production at a whopping five positions.  First base was the lowest of the bunch, as Jared Walsh struggled through a rough season that was cut short by thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.  While Walsh is expected to be ready for Spring Training, the Halos picked up some depth and insurance by acquiring Gio Urshela from the Twins and signing Brandon Drury, either of whom could see action at first base when not playing elsewhere around the diamond.

Astros (Catcher, -0.8 bWAR): Unsurprisingly, the World Series champions were pretty strong across the board, apart from sub-replacement numbers at catcher and first base (-0.4 bWAR).  The signing of Jose Abreu instantly updated first base, though Martin Maldonado and prospect Korey Lee remain the top options behind the plate. Houston reportedly had interest in such free agents and trade targets as Willson Contreras, Sean Murphy, Tucker Barnhart, and old friend Christian Vazquez, and while these players have all found new homes, it still feels like the Astros will bring at least one new catcher into the fold by Spring Training.

Athletics (Third Base, -1.2 bWAR): Oakland’s combined 9.1 bWAR was the lowest of any team in baseball, yet another dubious distinction for the A’s in a 102-loss season.  After Matt Chapman was traded to the Blue Jays last offseason, third base turned into the weakest of the Athletics’ many weak links.  Vimael Machin and Sheldon Neuse got the bulk of playing time at the hot corner in 2022 but both are now off the roster, leaving Kevin Smith and newly-signed utilitymen Jace Peterson and Aledmys Diaz in line to help stabilize things at third base.

Blue Jays (Pinch-Hitting, 1.4 bWAR): With a heavily right-handed starting lineup, the Jays filled their bench with left-handed hitters like Raimel Tapia, Bradley Zimmer, and Jackie Bradley Jr. all of whom struggled at the plate.  This lack of depth became apparent pretty much every time a regular starter was injured, or when the Blue Jays needed a bat off the bench for an important late-game at-bat.  In theory, a full season of Whit Merrifield should help the depth, as at least two of Merrifield, Santiago Espinal, Cavan Biggio, or even Kevin Kiermaier or Daulton Varsho should be available off the bench.  However, Toronto seems likely to seek out at least one more veteran backup type this winter.  In terms of everyday positions, Jays left fielders were the lowest with 2.1 bWAR — Toronto has addressed that area by adding Varsho, and trading former regular left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to the Diamondbacks as part of that swap.

Guardians (Catcher, -0.1 bWAR): Austin Hedges and Luke Maile provided very little offense, which wasn’t a huge concern for a Guardians team that has long prioritized defense from its backstops.  However, Bo Naylor made his MLB debut last season, and the Guards are hopeful that the prospect can provide both good glovework and some pop from the catching spot.  With Hedges and Maile both departing in free agency, Cleveland added Mike Zunino, another good defender who is inconsistent at the plate but has delivered some big power numbers in the past.

Mariners (Second Base, 0.4 bWAR): Seattle hopes Kolten Wong can fill the gap at the keystone, after the Mariners acquired Wong in the trade that sent Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro to the Brewers.  Even in an uncharacteristically poor defensive year for Wong in 2022, he still generated 3.1 bWAR, marking a vast improvement over what the Mariners got from the position last year.  Second base just edged out left field (0.5 bWAR) as Seattle’s biggest need, and the latter position remains a bit of a question mark.  With Winker and Kyle Lewis both dealt and Teoscar Hernandez acquired to handle right field, the Mariners will likely still look to improve over the current mix of Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, and utilitymen Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty.

Orioles (Second Base, 0.1 bWAR): One team’s castaway is another team’s upgrade, while the Mariners looked to improve on Adam Frazier, Baltimore inked him to a one-year, $8MM contract.  Frazier brings a veteran presence to a young and still unsettled Orioles infield, as while Frazier will probably get the bulk of time at second base, it remains exactly to be seen if Gunnar Henderson will be deployed as the regular third baseman or shortstop.  Ramon Urias, Terrin Vavra, Jorge Mateo, and a wealth of other up-and-coming prospects will also factor into the infield picture.  Frazier had a rough offensive year in 2022, but he brought more to the table than Rougned Odor, whose clubhouse leadership didn’t make up for a -0.4 bWAR.

Rangers (Left Field, -1.0 bWAR): Texas has been focused on pitching, as between retaining Martin Perez via the qualifying offer and adding Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Jake Odorizzi, the Rangers have done a lot to improve a starting mix that ranked 25th of 30 teams in rotation bWAR.  With the rotation now addressed in major fashion, left field is the next item on the checklist for Texas GM Chris Young.  Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger were among the names on the Rangers’ radar before both outfielders signed with the Giants.  Young will continue to look to add a veteran bat to either replace or complement the Rangers’ younger options in left field.

Rays (Catcher, 0.2 bWAR): As usual, the Rays were pretty solid at every position, though catcher remains an ongoing concern for the organization.  With Zunino gone, Christian Bethancourt and Francisco Mejia are the incumbents, and Tampa Bay at least explored a big upgrade in checking in on the Sean Murphy trade market.  However, now that Murphy is in Atlanta and many of the other top available names have landed elsewhere, the Rays may once again be facing more of a second-tier addition.

Red Sox (First Base, -0.5 bWAR): Top prospect Triston Casas made his MLB debut last season, and Boston’s hope is that Casas will live up to that potential quickly.  Such a breakout could solve the first base position for years to come, though to alleviate some pressure on Casas, the Red Sox also acquired Justin Turner with an eye towards giving the veteran some time at first base and DH.  On paper, Rafael Devers might also get some first base time if Turner fills in at third base.  As for other first base options, the Sox already parted ways with Eric Hosmer, and Bobby Dalbec is being shopped in trade talks.

Royals (Shortstop, 0.2 bWAR): Bobby Witt had a solid rookie season, beginning the year as Kansas City’s third baseman before moving into pretty much everyday duty at shortstop.  Witt’s glovework at both positions was pretty rough, but the Royals are hopeful that their young cornerstone can improve enough to provide at least passable defense at shortstop, even if Witt’s long-term position might still be a question.  The Royals haven’t done much with their position player mix at all, and so if Witt has to be moved back to third base, the incumbent answers at shortstop are still Nicky Lopez and (if healthy) Adalberto Mondesi.  Prospect Maikel Garcia made his MLB debut in 2022 and could also factor into the backup picture.

Tigers (First Base, -1.3 bWAR): Another case of a team counting on a youngster to blossom, as there’s really nowhere to go but up for Spencer Torkelson after a mediocre rookie season.  The former first overall pick hit only .203/.285/.319 in his first 404 Major League PA, and was temporarily demoted back to Triple-A at midseason.  Since the Tigers seem to be taking a step back after a team-wide letdown in 2022, Torkelson will still get plenty of playing time, and it’s far too early to write off a rookie who is still only 23 years old.  The Tigers have been linked to Brian Anderson and Edwin Rios, two free agents that could be part-time options at first base when they’re not at the hot corner.

Twins (Catcher, 1.0 bWAR): Christian Vazquez was signed to a three-year, $30MM deal, as Vazquez will take over the starting catching duties even though Ryan Jeffers will still get a good chunk of playing time.  Vazquez brings experience, a solid bat, and quality defense, so his signing should instantly patch one of the holes on Minnesota’s roster.

White Sox (Catcher, Right Field, each -0.4 bWAR): The Pale Hose were yet another team who had interest in trading for Murphy, and Chicago is still looking for a catcher as a platoon partner or even a replacement for Yasmani Grandal.  Gavin Sheets is the favorite for playing time in right field until prospect Oscar Colas is ready, though the White Sox did improve their outfield mix as a whole by signing Andrew Benintendi for left field and moving Andrew Vaughn from the corner spots to first base.  Sheets isn’t a strong defender either, but limiting the shaky glovework to just one outfield position is a step up for the White Sox.

Yankees (Left Field, Pinch-Hitting, each 2.0 bWAR): New York led all American League teams with 54.7 total bWAR, so their “weak positions” are still pretty solid.  Benintendi, Joey Gallo, Miguel Andujar, Marwin Gonzalez, and Matt Carpenter have all been removed from the revolving door that was left field in Yankee Stadium, leaving intriguing rookie Oswaldo Cabrera, struggling veteran Aaron Hicks, and slugger Giancarlo Stanton (when Stanton isn’t in his primary DH role) as the top options.  Former top prospect Estevan Florial could also get a look for more playing time.  This all being said, the Yankees also seem to be eyeing more help, and have explored trades with such teams as the Pirates, Twins, and Diamondbacks while also speaking with free agents like Benintendi, Conforto, and Brandon Nimmo.  Willie Calhoun and Billy McKinney were also just signed to minors deals, but with the free agent market drying up, New York will probably have to turn to the trade route for a more substantive addition in left field.

Angels Sign Jose Godoy, Gerardo Reyes, Cam Vieaux To Minor League Deals

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The Angels have signed catcher Jose Godoy, right-hander Gerardo Reyes, left-hander Cam Vieaux to minor league contracts, according to MiLB.com’s official transactions page.  All three players were assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Reyes has the most big league experience of the trio, with 29 games and 28 innings pitched across two seasons.  Twenty-six of those innings came with the Padres in 2019, and then Reyes was sidelined by the abbreviated 2020 season and Tommy John surgery early in 2021.  Finally returning to game action last April with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate, Reyes had a 3.74 ERA over 45 2/3 minor league innings, racking up a lot of whiffs (28% strikeout rate) and unfortunately also a lot of free passes (15.9% walk rate).  The righty also got back to the majors for two appearances with Anaheim.

A hard-thrower with a live fastball, Reyes is still a work in progress as he enters his age-30 season.  He has posted increasingly strong strikeout totals dating back to his time in the Padres’ farm system, though walks have also been a consistent issue, and his 2022 walk rate represented his highest over such an extended sample size of innings.  There isn’t much risk for the Angels in continuing to carry Reyes on a minor league deal, just in case he gets fully on track after a normal offseason and can finally harness his velocity.

After joining the Angels, Godoy has now been part of five different organizations since March, starting with the Mariners and then bouncing to the Giants, Twins, and Pirates on waiver claims.  All these travels resulted in only 10 MLB games for Godoy in 2022, suiting up twice for Minnesota and eight times with Pittsburgh.  With two outright assignments, Godoy had the ability to become a free agent, and he took that option after the season.

Godoy has appeared in 26 total Major League games over two seasons, and the longtime Cardinals farmhand has some respectable numbers in the minors, including a .271/.323/.405 slash line over 605 career Triple-A plate appearances.  The 28-year-old Godoy joins Matt Thaiss and Chad Wallach as catching depth for the Angels behind Logan O’Hoppe and Max Stassi, though there have been some rumblings that Los Angeles might be looking to further upgrade itself behind the plate.  The Angels had some interest in Willson Contreras before he signed with St. Louis, so unless the Halos’ interest was limited to Contreras specifically, they could still aim to bring another catcher into the mix.

Vieaux made his Major League debut in 2022, posting a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings with the Pirates.  Vieaux qualified for minor league free agency after the season, as Pittsburgh designated and outrighted him twice off its 40-man roster — by coincidence, the Bucs DFA’ed Godoy to create roster space when selecting Vieaux’s contract back in August.

A sixth-round pick for Pittsburgh in the 2016 draft, Vieaux will be changing organizations for the first time in his pro career.  The lefty was a starter for much of his time in the minors but transitioned to relief pitching in 2021, and Vieaux seemed to hit a wall at the Triple-A level.  Things started to click in 2022, as he posted a 3.06 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 7.6% walk rate over an even 50 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis.  While not huge strikeout numbers for a reliever, Vieaux’s K-rate has ticked upwards since his move to the bullpen, so the 29-year-old might yet be able to reach another gear as he continues to acclimate to relief pitching.

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