Offseason In Review: St. Louis Cardinals
2024/03/offseason-in-review-st-louis-cardinals-16.htmlGibson has been a fairly reliable innings eater but doesn't have much upside at this point in his career. … The Cardinals are looking to prove that last year was a fluke.
Marlins Sign Mychal Givens To Minor League Deal
2024/03/marlins-sign-mychal-givens-to-minor-league-deal.htmlAssuming the 33-year-old is back to full health, Givens has some quality upside as a non-roster invite to Miami's camp. … The Marlins have signed right-hander Mychal Givens to a minor league contract, MLB.com's Christina De Nicola reports (X link).
Offseason In Review: Houston Astros
2024/03/offseason-in-review-houston-astros-15.htmlThe Astros declared before the winter that they'd turn the primary catching job to 25-year-old Yainer Diaz, who brings a lot more offensive upside than Maldonado offers. … The Astros entered the offseason anticipating a few depth acquisitions.
Pirates To Sign Eric Lauer To Minor League Deal
2024/03/pirates-to-sign-eric-lauer-to-minor-league-deal.htmlLauer's never shown any kind of ace-level upside but he has a proven ability to be a back-of-the-rotation guy, which could be enough for him to be valuable to the Pirates. … Left-hander Eric Lauer will be heading to the Pirates on a minor league deal, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Red Sox Sign Brayan Bello To Extension
2024/03/red-sox-brayan-bello-in-advanced-talks-on-extension.htmlAdding Bello to that mix will put another salary of note on the payroll and modestly add to the team's luxury ledger, but the extension is nonetheless an affordable means of locking in some stability while giving the team some upside in the event that Bello takes his game to a new level. … The Red Sox announced they have signed right-hander Brayan Bello to a six-year extension with a club option for 2030.
Offseason In Review: Toronto Blue Jays
2024/03/offseason-in-review-toronto-blue-jays-16.htmlJoey Votto's possible inclusion could change this picture in terms of upside if not numbers, as if Votto's minors deal is selected to the active roster, he would surely just replace Vogelbach. … The Blue Jays' offseason was defined by who they didn't sign rather than who they did sign, as they came up short in their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani.
Twins Notes: Kirilloff, Santana, Buxton
2024/03/twins-notes-kirilloff-santana-buxton.htmlThe left-handed hitter has more offensive upside than Santana brings to the table at this stage of his career. … Not long after the Jorge Polanco trade cleared room in the Twins' budget, the front office added Carlos Santana on a $5.25MM free agent pact.
The Opener: Giants, Martinez, Acuna
2024/03/the-opener-giants-martinez-acuna.htmlThe deal substantially improves the club's defense at third base while adding a high-upside bat to the lineup, and checks a box that was near the top of the club's offseason shopping list. … The Giants made a splash on the free agent market this weekend by signing third baseman Matt Chapman on a three-year deal with opt-outs after the 2024 and '25 seasons.
Which Is The Best Team In The AL East?
2024/03/which-is-the-best-team-in-the-al-east.htmlMeanwhile, southpaws Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon both struggled badly with injuries and ineffectiveness last year but still carry front-of-the-rotation upside when healthy, while veteran hitters like Stanton and Anthony Rizzo could also benefit from improved health this season and rebound from difficult 2023 campaigns. … Just over a week ago, MLBTR's Darragh McDonald discussed the National League Central, which is arguably MLB's most tightly-contested division.
Giants Notes: Davis, Pederson, Ahmed
2024/03/giants-notes-davis-pederson-ahmed.htmlThat upside could make Davis an attractive target for a team lacking in certainty at the infield corners, such as the Cubs, Mariners, or Brewers, potentially allowing the club to shed his $6.9MM salary and free up additional payroll space for a possible pursuit of southpaw Blake Snell. … San Francisco's reported agreement with third baseman Matt Chapman last night added an elite defender and quality hitter to a lineup that's already added Jung Hoo Lee and Jorge Soler this winter as the Giants look to bolster their offense after posting a 93 wRC+ as a team last year, which was a bottom-ten figure in the majors.
Cardinals Sign Brandon Crawford
2024/02/cardinals-to-sign-brandon-crawford.htmlProspect evaluators have praised his defensive acumen and power upside, though, and the Cards haven't made any effort to block his path to MLB playing time. … February 27: The Cardinals made the deal official, announcing it today.
Twins Acquire Manuel Margot
2024/02/dodgers-trade-manuel-margot-twins.htmlEven if his bat never comes around, there's utility upside for Miller within the next few years based on the quality of his defense. … The Twins announced the acquisition of veteran outfielder Manuel Margot, infield prospect Rayne Doncon and cash from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league shortstop Noah Miller.
Marlins Sign Tim Anderson
2024/02/marlins-to-sign-tim-anderson.htmlThe up-the-middle pairing of Anderson and Arraez isn't likely to be a great defensive group, but there's significant offensive upside if Anderson rebounds. … TODAY: The Marlins have officially announced Anderson's signing.
Pirates Extend Mitch Keller
2024/02/pirates-mitch-keller-extension-five-years.htmlThat ugly start in 2022 and similarly rocky finish in 2023 bookend a stretch of 41 starts that underscore the upside the Pirates are chasing with this signing. … The Pirates announced that they have signed right-hander Mitch Keller to five-year contract extension.
Hollander: Mariners Additions Likely To Be “More On The Margins”
2024/02/hollander-mariners-additions-likely-to-be-more-on-the-margins.htmlFormer top 10 pick Emerson Hancock remains on hand as a high-upside depth piece. … Mariners general manager Justin Hollander met with reporters this afternoon to discuss the possibility of some late-offseason acquisitions.
Dominic Fletcher Has “Leg Up” On White Sox’s Right Field Job
2024/02/dominic-fletcher-has-leg-up-on-white-soxs-right-field-job.htmlThere are still questions about his pitch selection and raw power upside. … While most of the White Sox's offseason has focused on players they could trade away, they acquired outfielder Dominic Fletcher from the D-Backs a few weeks ago.
Cubs, Dominic Smith Agree To Minor League Deal
2024/02/cubs-dominic-smith-agree-to-minor-league-deal.htmlThe first baseman had flashed significant offensive upside in limited work between 2019-20, hitting .299/.366/.571 in just under 400 plate appearances over that stretch. … The Cubs are in agreement with free agent first baseman Dominic Smith on a minor league contract, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (X link).
A’s Re-Sign Francisco Perez To Minor League Deal
2024/02/as-re-sign-francisco-perez-to-minor-league-deal.htmlThe opportunities come largely on account of the swing-and-miss upside he has shown in the minors. … The A's recently re-signed lefty Francisco Perez on a minor league contract, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
Cubs Chairman On Cody Bellinger: Some Discussions But Not A Negotiation
2024/02/cubs-chairman-on-cody-bellinger-some-discussions-but-not-a-negotiation.htmlGiven his youth and previous MVP upside, he seemed like a strong candidate for a huge deal, with him and Boras reportedly looking for $200MM or more. … Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts spoke to members of the media today, including Jesse Rogers of ESPN, and addressed the topic of free agent Cody Bellinger.
NL East Notes: Garrett, Wheeler, Robles, Matzek
2024/02/nl-east-notes-garrett-wheeler-robles-matzek.htmlRobles has largely been a plus-glove center fielder with below average offense throughout his career, though in 2023 he appeared to flash more offensive upside as he slashed a solid .299/.385/.364. … The Marlins kicked off Spring Training with a potential injury scare in the rotation, as Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald relays that, per manager Skip Schumaker, southpaw Braxton Garrett is dealing with "general soreness" in his left shoulder.
Moreno: No Plans To Sell Angels, Team Likely To Operate On “Lower” Budget In 2024
2024/02/moreno-no-plans-to-sell-angels-team-likely-to-operate-on-lower-budget-in-2024.htmlIt's understandable that the club still wants to develop their first-rounder as a starter going forward, given his youth, upside and full slate of options. … Angels owner Arte Moreno spoke to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register this week, touching on various topics.
Rays Anticipate Jose Caballero, Rene Pinto Taking Starting Roles
2024/02/rays-anticipate-jose-caballero-rene-pinto-taking-starting-roles.htmlIt's a similar profile to Taylor Walls, another highly-regarded defender with minimal offensive upside. … Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander spoke with reporters yesterday at the opening of the team's Spring Training camp.
Which Teams Would Benefit Most From Matt Chapman?
2024/02/which-teams-would-benefit-most-from-matt-chapman.htmlFive years removed from a career-best campaign in which he hit .249/.342/.506 with 36 homers, it's difficult to sell Chapman as a significant upside play at the dish. … Matt Chapman has been the clear #1 option for clubs looking to address third base all winter.
Marlins Acquire Darren McCaughan, Designate Peyton Burdick
2024/02/marlins-to-acquire-darren-mccaughan-designate-peyton-burdick.htmlThe hit tool is the biggest question with Burdick, who possesses solid raw power upside. … The Marlins are acquiring right-hander Darren McCaughan from the Mariners for cash considerations, reports Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (X link).
Blue Jays Announce Yariel Rodriguez Deal, Designate Otto Lopez For Assignment
2024/02/blue-jays-sign-yariel-rodriguez-dfa-otto-lopez.htmlThere's a good bit of upside, to be sure, but given the long layoff, acclimation to a new culture and step up in overall level off competition, there's a wide range of plausible outcomes for Rodriguez in MLB -- specifically in his first season. … After a lengthy wait, the Blue Jays have formally announced their signing of right-hander Yariel Rodriguez.