The Opener

With just about a month left before Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today as the offseason enters its final stretch:

1. What does Correa’s return mean for the rest of Minnesota’s lineup?

In signing Carlos Correa to a six-year, $200MM deal, the Twins have successfully retained their top offseason target and transformed their lineup. They’ve also created something of a roster crunch. Correa, Jorge Polanco, Luis Arraez, and Jose Miranda will get regular infield work, with versatile infielder Kyle Farmer and infielder/outfielder Nick Gordon serving as utility options. That entire group is under team control through at least the 2024 season, and by then, Royce Lewis will likely have returned from injury while prospects Brooks Lee and Austin Martin, both already at Double-A, could be knocking on the door of the big leagues.

It’s a similar look in the outfield, where Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo and Max Kepler are currently penciled in as the starters, with Gordon, Gilberto Celestino, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner as possible alternatives. With their current glut of position players, it would make sense if the Twins more explored offers on the trade market. Kepler, in particular, has been viewed as a trade candidate — even more so in the wake of Minnesota’s signing of Gallo.

2. Does the Rojas swap portend more moves?

Longtime Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas was traded last night to the Dodgers in exchange for Jacob Amaya, filling a hole in L.A.’s roster left by Trea Turner’s departure. Could this deal spur both clubs into more action? For the Dodgers, Rojas’ $5MM salary puts the club on track to pay into the luxury tax, when they had previously seemed to be trying to avoid. Could Los Angeles look to shed salary through trade? Or is it possible that the club gives up on staying under the luxury tax and participates more aggressively in the trade market going forward to improve the club in 2023?

Meanwhile, Miami gave themselves a lot more flexibility by moving Rojas. Amaya could be a serviceable infielder for them in 2023 (perhaps in a platoon with Joey Wendle) alongside Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jean Segura. On the other hand, without surefire starters at every infield position anymore, it’s possible that this deal allows the club to widen their scope when looking for partners in a trade for one of their starting pitchers. Previously, it seemed reasonable to assume they would focus on improving the outfield, but without Rojas, but perhaps there’s some extra consideration now given to MLB-ready infielders.

3. O’Hearn DFA Conclusion Coming

Last week, the Orioles designated first baseman Ryan O’Hearn for assignment. The outcome of that DFA is due today. O’Hearn’s four years of service time surpasses the minimum three years required to reject an outright assignment, although rejecting an outright would mean forgoing the $1.4MM deal he agreed to earlier in the offseason. O’Hearn debuted in 2018, slashing .262/.353/.597 (153 wRC+) in 170 plate appearances with the Royals that season, but he’s struggled to a .211/.282/.351 (68 wRC+) slash in 901 MLB plate appearances since the start of the 2019 season. The O’s designated O’Hearn just days after acquiring him in a trade — seemingly part of their ongoing effort to stash some lefty-swinging first base depth in Triple-A.

With the biggest story of the offseason finally seemingly having reached a conclusion, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Devers, Correa deals expected to be announced today.

Over the past week, both Rafael Devers and, more surprisingly, Carlos Correa have signed long-term deals with the clubs they played for in 2022. Devers signed a 10-year, $313.5MM extension that will begin with the 2024 campaign, lessening the 2023 burden on the Red Sox for luxury tax purposes. Boston is planning a press conference for 11am EST to announce the deal. Correa, meanwhile, has landed with  the Twins on a six-year, $200MM deal that could escalate to a ten-year, $270MM through a series of four vesting options. Correa’s pact to return to the Twins is his third agreement of the offseason after a 13-year, $350MM deal with the Giants and a 12-year, $315MM deal with the Mets both fell apart after the teams conducted their physical of Correa. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the Twins had no such issues with Correa’s physical and expect to announce the deal with him sometime today.

2. Where does the SP market stand with Cueto off the board?

Veteran starting pitcher Johnny Cueto landed in Miami yesterday on a one-year, $8.5MM guarantee. The signing fortifies an already deep Marlins rotation and further strengthens their position on the trade market, both by allowing them to more freely deal cost-controlled pitching from their rotation and by taking arguably the top remaining starter out of free agency and limiting the options of clubs still looking to add pitching. So, what options do clubs looking to add a free agent starter have still available now that Cueto’s off the board? The pickings are slim, with just two unsigned pitchers who tossed at least 100 innings with an ERA below 4.50 in 2022: Zack Greinke, who would be pitching at age 39 in 2023, and Michael Wacha, whose solid 2022 showing marked a nice rebound from a 5.05 ERA (81 ERA+) and 5.11 FIP across 285 1/3 innings from 2019-2021. Outside of those two aforementioned righties, all that remains on the free agent market are fliers who were injured in 2022, like Danny Duffy and Michael Pineda, or bounce-back candidates like Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy. Pitching-hungry teams will need to look to the trade market, where the Marlins, Brewers, Mariners and Mets — among others — could have options of varying quality available.

3. MLBTR chat today

Yesterday, MLBTR’s Steve Adams fielded questions during a live chat (transcript here). If you still have unanswered questions about this offseason or the direction of your favorite team, you’re in luck, as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco will be hosting another chat today at 5pm CT. You can submit a question in advance here, and you can use the same link to check back in this evening and participate live once the chat begins.

After a busy morning on the free agent market, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Belt, Blue Jays deal to be made official.

Susan Sussler of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that longtime Giant Brandon Belt, who landed in Toronto last night on a one-year deal, will be officially announced by the Blue Jays today. Because the Blue Jays have a full 40-man roster, the club will need to announce a corresponding move to clear space for the slugger. Belt, who will play next season at age 35, has passed his physical and is good to go for the 2023 season after undergoing knee surgery in September, per Slusser. The addition of Belt should help the Blue Jays in their quest to balance their lineup, which was heavily right-handed in 2022. He joins Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho as lefty bats the club has added to their position player mix this offseason.

2. Is a Correa conclusion on the horizon?

Last night brought an update on Carlos Correa’s free agent saga, as reports began to swirl that talks between Correa and the Twins are accelerating. Correa initially agreed to a deal with the Giants last month before a snag in negotiations caused by Correa’s physical caused the shortstop’s camp to pivot to a new deal with the Mets to play third base. The Mets, too, flagged an old injury in Correa’s physical as cause for concern, and the sides have spent the past few weeks trying to finalize the agreement. Whether Correa ultimately ends up in New York, Minnesota, or somewhere else entirely, it seems likely that Correa’s rollercoaster free agency could be finally approaching its conclusion.

3. MLBTR Chat Today

MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be taking questions from readers today when he hosts a live chat at 1pm CT. You can submit a question in advance, and the same link will take you to the chat when it begins later today if you would like to participate live.

With five weeks left until Spring Training begins, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on today throughout the baseball world:

1. Reported signings that could be made official

In one of last week’s Openers, we discussed three signings that could be made official in the coming days: Corey Kluber with the Red Sox, Evan Longoria with the Diamondbacks, and Wade Miley with the Brewers. Only Longoria’s signing has been made official to this point, with right-hander Edwin Uceta getting DFA’d in the corresponding move. An official announcement and corresponding move should still be in the works for both Kluber and Miley. In addition, two other deals from last week that could be made official in the coming days are the one-year, $5MM deal between Arizona and Zach Davies and the agreement between the Cubs and Eric Hosmer. Both Arizona and Chicago will need to make a corresponding move to clear 40-man roster space in order to add Davies and Hosmer, respectively.

2. What’s next for the Tigers?

This weekend’s five-player deal that sent Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens to Philadelphia in exchange for Nick Maton, Matt Vierling, and Donny Sands is the biggest move of Detroit’s offseason to this point. The Tigers addressed the most significant holes on their roster with this deal, as Maton can take the lion’s share of starts a third base, filling a hole left by the non-tender of Jeimer Candelario earlier this offseason. Vierling, meanwhile, serves as a much-needed righty complement to Detroit’s all-lefty outfield unit of Akil Baddoo, Riley Greene, Austin Meadows, and Kerry Carpenter. Of that group, only Greene posted productive numbers against southpaws (.303/.353/.394, 116 wRC+). So, what’s next for the Tigers? They certainly could make room for another bat, or even a rotation arm, if a deal arises that interests them.

The most pressing issue at this point, however, seems to be restocking the bullpen. Detroit’s relief corps has lost both Soto and Joe Jimenez to sell-side trades this offseason while also losing Wily Peralta and Andrew Chafin to free agency. That’s 210 1/3 innings of quality relief work in 2022 that won’t be returning in 2023, leaving the bullpen as the clearest place left where president of baseball operations Scott Harris can add to the club.

3. Will the Mariners keep adding?

With the addition of outfielder AJ Pollock on a one-year, $7MM deal, the Mariners have a platoon partner for former top prospect Jarred Kelenic if he succeeds in the majors in 2023 or some insurance in the outfield if Kelenic continues to struggle. Even with that pair in left, Julio Rodriguez in center and Teoscar Hernandez in right, there’s still room for another outfield-capable bat. Acquiring another outfielder would allow Hernandez to spend more time at designated hitter and ideally give manager Scott Servais another above-average bat to rotate through the outfield and DH mix. As it stands, the Mariners’ DH spot would likely be used for Hernandez and the occasional rest day for other regulars, which would allow names like Cooper Hummel, Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty to get into the lineup elsewhere.

With less than six weeks left until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day today in the baseball world:

1. Correa Talking To Other Clubs Again

For a few weeks now, Carlos Correa and the Mets have been trying to work the kinks out of their 12-year, $315MM agreement due to issues with the same old injury that gave the Giants pause in their 13-year, $350MM agreement with the All-Star. It appears those negotiations are no longer entirely exclusive, as Correa’s camp has resumed discussions with at least one team besides the Mets due to the difficulties hammering out a final agreement in New York. Correa’s free agency has been one of the biggest and strangest stories of the offseason, and that’s sure to remain the case until it eventually reaches a proper conclusion.

2. What does the added rotation depth in Milwaukee mean for Houser?

The Brewers fortified their rotation this week by signing Wade Miley and added another depth arm with their waiver claim of Bryse Wilson, who’s out of minor league options (and thus will need to be on the roster or else again designated for assignment). With Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta already locked into starting roles for the club, it seems likely that Miley will compete with Eric Lauer and Aaron Ashby for the final two spots in the rotation, with the third lefty likely joining the bullpen alongside Wilson. Adrian Houser already seemed like a possible trade candidate for Milwaukee considering the number of clubs looking for starting pitching in a thin market, but with even more depth in Milwaukee now, it’s possible that a trade has become even likelier. Houser, who’s controllable for two more seasons and projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a reasonable $3.6MM through arbitration in 2023, could make sense for a variety of teams looking to add depth to their rotation, including the Angels, Orioles, and Padres.

3. La Stella, Moustakas To Join Free Agent Market

Just as the free agent infield market was thinning out, the Reds and Giants each added another player to the mix, as Cincinnati released Mike Moustakas and San Francisco did the same with Tommy La Stella. The two players have a lot of similarities as they enter the market. Both are lefty-swinging infielders entering their mid-thirties who are capable of playing first, second, and third base. Both have struggled with injuries and under-performance in recent years but have had success as recently as the shortened 2020 season. Perhaps most importantly, both can be had for just the major league minimum in 2023, with their former club still on the hook for the remainder of their contracts.

Either player would be a useful addition to any club if they can rediscover their old form, and there should be teams with a need in the infield who’ll be willing to give them a chance, given the minimal commitment necessary to do so. The Orioles stand out as a particularly interesting match for either Moustakas or La Stella because they recently pursued a lefty infielder in a similar contractual situation: first baseman Eric Hosmer, who ultimately landed with the Cubs. Speculatively speaking, the White Sox, Tigers, Rays, and Cubs are among the other teams who could make sense for this veteran duo.

As the offseason continues to move along, here are three things to keep and eye on throughout the day today:

1. Reported signings that could be made official.

Free agent deals are often reported before they’re officially complete and announced by the team. Delays in making things official are often due to the player’s physical not being done yet, or perhaps simply because the team wants to delay having to make a corresponding 40-man roster move. The recent holiday season could also play a role in delaying the physicals on such agreements. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy tweets that Wade Miley’s one-year, $4.5MM deal with the Brewers, agreed upon yesterday, could have a short turnaround and become official as soon as today. Additionally, deals that still haven’t been made officially from last week, such as Arizona’s one-year, $4MM agreement with Evan Longoria and the one-year, $10MM deal between the Red Sox and Corey Kluber, could also be made official soon. All three organizations have full 40-man rosters, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move to open up space for their incoming free agent.

2. Could Cueto be nearing a decision?

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Padres and Marlins are “vying” for the services of veteran right-hander Johnny Cueto, with the Reds also interested in acquiring the 36-year-old. Cueto stands as one of the top free-agent pitchers remaining on the market following a solid season with the White Sox where he posted a 3.35 ERA (18% better than league average by ERA+) and a 3.79 FIP. Both the Marlins and Padres have been previously mentioned as interested in adding Cueto to their rotation; this being said, it’s somewhat notable that Rosenthal seems to indicate that the Padres and the Marlins are the frontrunners at this point ahead of Cincinnati, with whom Cueto spent the first seven and a half years of his career.

3. Two Cubs players are currently in DFA limbo.

Yesterday, the Cubs sent recently reliever Erich Uelmen, who had recently been designated for assignment, to the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. While this move brings Uelmen’s DFA to a conclusion, Chicago still has two players in DFA limbo, with the results of their DFA unannounced: first baseman Alfonso Rivas and catcher P.J. Higgins. Rivas, who was designated to make room for a waiver claim of Anthony Kay, cannot reject an outright assignment to Triple-A, meaning he will likely stay in the Cubs organization if he goes unclaimed on waivers. Higgins, meanwhile, does have the option of rejecting an outright assignment, by virtue of the fact that he’s been outrighted previously in his career. He’ll have control of his own future should he go unclaimed on waivers following his DFA, which made room for the club’s signing of Tucker Barnhart.

As the baseball world starts to wake back up, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day:

1. 1B Market Update

There was some movement on the first base market yesterday, as Dominic Smith landed with the Nationals and Eric Hosmer appears to be headed to the Cubs. While many corners of the free agent market are running low on both suitors and options at this point, there are still several recognizable veteran names at first base. Trey Mancini is the top option remaining, but the likes of Luke Voit, Brandon Belt, and Miguel Sano all remain available to teams looking to make an addition. While both the Cubs and Nats were among the most obvious clubs for a first baseman, other teams still remain. The Orioles were known to have interest in Hosmer, while the Rays and Royals were in on Smith. The Marlins, Mariners, and Tigers are other teams for whom it could make sense to add another bat, though such an addition for any of these clubs would not necessarily need to come at first base.

2. Could the Yankees stand pat in left field?

The Yankees came into the offseason with the outfield as their most obvious hole, and while they’ve succeeded in retaining Aaron Judge, there’s still plenty of room for the club to make a second addition. Judge, Harrison Bader, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Aaron Hicks are the team’s current outfield options, and Giancarlo Stanton could potentially contribute on days he isn’t the team’s DH. There’s been a lot of talk throughout the offseason about who the team could add to play left field, but is it possible they’re content going into opening day with their current options? Cabrera was solid in a 44-game cup of coffee in 2022, batting .247/.312/.429 (111 wRC+) while splitting time between both outfield corners and all four infield spots. Meanwhile, Hicks is under contract for the next three seasons, so they may prefer to see if his value can bounce back in more of a part time role after a difficult season in 2022.

In addition to the options currently on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have loaded up on veteran outfield depth on minor league deals. Outfielders Michael Hermosillo, Willie Calhoun, and, most recently, Rafael Ortega have all landed deals to play in Scranton to start 2023. Any of them could prove to be plausible bench pieces for the big league club if the current position player mix suffers any losses, whether via injury or trade, before Opening Day. Ortega, in particular, posted a .265/.344/.408 line (108 wRC+) across 701 plate appearances with the Cubs during the 2021-22 seasons, and his left-handed bat could provide balance to a Yankees hitting corps currently dominated by righties.

3. MLBTR Chat Today

Yesterday, MLBTR’s Steve Adams fielded questions during a live chat (transcript here). If you still have unanswered questions about this offseason or the direction of your favorite team, you’re in luck, as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco will be hosting another chat today at 5pm CT. You can submit a question in advance here, and you can use the same link to check back in this evening and participate live once the chat begins.

Three things for baseball fans to keep an eye out for as the New Year gets rolling…

1. Outside of Miami, which teams could plausibly trade a starter?

Fortunately for teams either unable or unwilling to meet the asking price on a member of the Marlins starting corps, there are other teams out there who could be willing to deal from their available starting options. The Mariners have expressed interest in dealing one of Chris Flexen or Marco Gonzales, either of whom could shore up the back of a contender’s rotation. The Mets, who have expressed a willingness to listen to offers on Carlos Carrasco, could also provide a back-end option to teams looking to add to the rotation. Teams looking for a little more upside could discuss Chris Sale with the Red Sox, though he comes with a hefty salary and a great deal of uncertainty following several injury-marred campaigns.

It’s also worth noting that other clubs with an excess of pitching options could move a starting-caliber player who’s been pushed out of the rotation by offseason additions or recent prospect graduations. For instance, neither Adrian Houser (Brewers) nor Adrian Sampson (Cubs) has a clear rotation spot right now. The Braves have multiple MLB-ready arms vying for one rotation spot (Mike Soroka, Ian Anderson, Bryce Elder). The Guardians were willing to listen on names like Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale prior to the trade deadline. Ultimately, there are options still available for teams looking to add starting pitching, though few (if any) with the combined certainty and upside of, for example, Miami’s Pablo Lopez.

2. What options remain for the White Sox at second base?

The White Sox currently project to run out Leury Garcia and Romy Gonzalez at second base, but neither of those options is particularly inspiring. Garcia posted an OPS of just .500 in 2022, and Gonzalez’s .609 mark is not much better. Free agency offers the potential for a reunion with either Josh Harrison or Elvis Andrus, but little else in the way of certainty, though bounceback candidates like Jonathan Villar do remain available. All told, it seems likely Rick Hahn’s front office will have to explore the trade market to find new talent to bring into the fold.

One team with a plethora of options at second base, as discussed yesterday by MLBTR’s Anthony Franco, is the Blue Jays. Toronto appears poised to mix and match between Whit Merrifield, Cavan Biggio, and Santiago Espinal, with Merrifield likely earning the lion’s share of playing time out the gate. Either Biggio or Espinal would represent an upgrade over in-house options for the White Sox, and both would come with some upside, as they’ve shown flashes of being above-average regulars in the past. The Padres, meanwhile, are reportedly willing to listen to offers on Ha-Seong Kim, but he’s also slated to play a regular role in their infield, so he won’t necessarily be easy to acquire. Miami’s Joey Wendle was pushed out of a starting role by the Marlins’ signing of Jean Segura. There’s been ample speculation about the Yankees moving Gleyber Torres throughout the offseason, and the Rockies at least discussed Brendan Rodgers in talks with the Marlins (albeit with Colorado seeking the type of controllable MLB pitching the White Sox don’t necessarily have to offer).

3. MLBTR Chat today at 1pm CT

MLBTR’s Steve Adams will host a chat with readers today at 1pm CT. You can submit a question in advance, and be sure to circle back to participate live this afternoon at 1:00!

With 2023 officially underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Where can the Royals look for pitching?

Recently, Royals GM J.J. Picollo told reporters that the team is still interested in adding to their rotation, even following deals with righty Jordan Lyles and lefty Ryan Yarbrough. While a deal for another starter makes sense for the club, the best available arms, such as Pablo Lopez and Chris Sale, reside on the trade market at this point in the offseason. It seems unlikely that Kansas City would go to the level of prospect (in the case of Lopez) or financial (in the case of Sale) commitment necessary to land either of those arms, or any other top arm that could become available, for that matter. Given this reality, it seems the best option for Picollo’s front office would be scouring what’s left on the free agent market.

Few quality free agent starting pitchers remain, but a reunion with future Hall of Famer Zack Greinke might make the most sense if the Royals are going to continue adding pitching. Greinke was a stabilizing force in the Kansas City rotation in 2022, posting a solid 3.68 ERA over 137 innings. Failing a Greinke reunion, the Royals could look to take a flier on a pitcher with a solid track record who battled injuries in 2022, such as Wade Miley or former Royal Danny Duffy. Either pitcher comes with durability concerns, but Kansas City should have enough young depth to cover for those potentially missed innings.

2. Could a Hosmer deal be imminent?

Following the Red Sox decision to release Eric Hosmer, other clubs have expressed interest in adding the first baseman to their roster. In particular, the Cubs and Orioles have been connected to Hosmer since his release by Boston, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post describing the prospects of a deal between Hosmer and the Cubs, specifically, as “promising” in a tweet over the weekend. A Hosmer signing would allow the Cubs to give first base prospect Matt Mervis more time in the minors should he not win a big league job out of camp this spring. Hosmer can hold down first base at Wrigley until Mervis is ready and afterwards could act as an additional lefty bat in the DH mix for a team that saw only Ian Happ take regular at-bats from the left side in 2022. A deal with Hosmer could take the Cubs out of the market for the likes of Dominic Smith and Trey Mancini, to whom Chicago had previously been connected this offseason.

As for the Orioles, Hosmer would provide a veteran clubhouse presence to a young roster that exceeded expectations in 2023 on a league-minimum salary. He could share time with Ryan Mountcastle at first base while joining Kyle Stowers and Terrin Vavra in the mix for DH at bats. The Orioles are far from the only club who could be interested in Hosmer’s combination of veteran leadership and cheap acquisition cost, however, even in spite of his release by Boston.

3. Which teams have the biggest weaknesses left to address?

Yesterday, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk took a look at how each AL and NL club has addressed their weakest positions in 2022 by bWAR, and a few weaknesses on contenders stick out as potential places the clubs could look to address headed into the next phase of the offseason. As has been mentioned in previous Openers, perhaps the most glaring needs remaining on teams looking to contend in 2022 are that of the Rangers and Braves in left field, where each club got negative contributions in terms of bWAR. Jurickson Profar is the last everyday player on the free agent market, but even a part time addition like David Peralta or Andrew McCutchen could improve either team’s production at the position.

Looking elsewhere around the league, the Rays have pursued a handful of potential upgrades at catcher throughout the offseason, but as of now are set to go into the season with Francisco Mejia and Christian Bethancourt as their tandem behind the plate. And a handful of catchers remain on the free agent market, however, so it’s possible the club could see a potential upgrade in a player like Jorge Alfaro or Gary Sanchez. By contrast, the Diamondbacks have made several additions to their weakest 2022 position, adding Miguel Castro and Scott McGough (among others) to their MLB-worst bullpen. Still, given the massive struggles of Arizona’s relief corps in 2022 (-4.4 bWAR), more additions could make sense, with former Diamondback Andrew Chafin leading the pack of relief options still on the market.

For the final time in 2022, here’s three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around baseball throughout the day today:

1. Looking for a partner in a Grisham deal

A report yesterday suggested the Padres may be open to moving either center fielder Trent Grisham or Ha-Seong Kim. After adding Xander Bogaerts and Matt Carpenter to their already considerable corps of position player talent, and with Fernando Tatis Jr. on the way back from suspension early in the 2023 season, it’s no wonder that the Padres would at least consider dealing a player like Grisham or Kim if they could improve the big league club in other areas by doing so. While Kim would surely draw interest from infield-needy clubs, Grisham likely has more value thanks to an extra year of team control and being a quality center field option in a market devoid of options at the position. Perhaps the most obvious fit for Grisham is the Marlins, who have a deep starting rotation they’re reportedly open to dealing from. A starter such as Pablo Lopez or Trevor Rogers would allow the Padres to push either Seth Lugo or Nick Martinez into the bullpen, improving both sides of the pitching staff in doing so. From Miami’s perspective, Grisham would offer them a true Center Fielder who would free up Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez to join Avisail Garcia, Jorge Soler, and Jon Berti in the mix in the outfield corners and at DH. Grisham would also provide a different look to pitchers as a lefty hitter in a predominantly right-handed lineup, and his bat has upside should he rediscover his 2020-21 form at the plate (111 OPS+ in 191 games). Getting more creative, one potential fit for Grisham would be the Yankees, who are known to be looking for a lefty hitting outfielder. Grisham, as a gold glove Center Fielder, should have no trouble patrolling left in Yankee Stadium, and would combine with Harrison Bader and Aaron Judge to form the likely best defensive outfield in all of baseball. While adding Grisham certainly makes sense for New York, nailing down a trade return isn’t as simple as it would be in a deal with Miami. Perhaps they could package Frankie Montas, who struggled badly after a trade to New York last season, with a member of their excess position player depth such as Gleyber Torres or Oswaldo Cabrera? These surely aren’t the only two teams who would be interested in adding a player with Grisham’s combination of talent and team control, however, leaving the possibility of a deal as something to be monitored as the calendar flips to 2023.

2. What will the Angels do with Adell?

Jo Adell was once among the most promising prospects in the game, but after three consecutive seasons of struggling in his opportunities at the major league level, he appears to be in danger of being pushed off the roster in Anaheim entirely. Taylor Ward and Hunter Renfroe are poised to start in the outfield corners on either side of Mike Trout on Opening Day 2023, and with Shohei Ohtani locking up the DH slot, it seems that Adell will be relegated to competing for fourth outfielder duties with Mickey Moniak this spring. Between this situation and the fact that Adell has already had roughly a full season’s worth of plate appearances with the Angels (557 PA), it would be understandable if the club decided a change of scenery was the best thing for both sides, particularly if the Angels could deal him to fill one of their remaining needs. While there aren’t any glaring holes remaining on the club, they could certainly benefit from adding another starter who could push Jose Suarez into a swing role, a late-inning reliever to join Carlos Estevez at the back of the bullpen, or a more surefire shortstop than their currently available options of Luis Rengifo, Gio Urshela, and David Fletcher. On the other hand, given Adell still has a minor league option remaining, it’s possible the club could be content stashing him in Triple-A as depth to protect against the injury woes that have so frequently plagued the Angels in recent years.

3. What will the Tigers do from here?

The Tigers came into the 2022 season as a trendy wild card pick, but had a deeply disappointing season that featured a brutal 66-96 record and long-term injuries to promising youngsters Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal. This left Detroit in a curious position to begin the offseason, and new president of baseball operations Scott Harris hasn’t made the club’s direction clear going forward his transactions thusfar; short-term deals for Matthew Boyd and Michael Lorenzen, and a trade of reliever Joe Jimenez to the Braves are the biggest moves out of Detroit so far this offseason. Perhaps part of the quietness on the transaction front is due to the fact that, given the under-performance of almost the entire position player corps, there’s little in the way of obvious holes in the roster outside of third base, where Jeimer Candelario was non-tendered earlier this offseason. Bringing in a bat to replace Candelario seems sensible, whether that comes through free agency, where Evan Longoria is the top option remaining, or through trade, where Joey Wendle, Eduardo Escobar, and Ramon Urias are among the names who could be available. Looking beyond the hot corner, the club could add one of the complementary outfielders still remaining on the market such as AJ Pollock or David Peralta; while they might not be surefire upgrades over the current group, they could still pitch in to raise the team’s floor. Additions to the bullpen mix to solidify the group could also make sense, though Alex Lange and Gregory Soto seems capable of handling late-inning duties. Another possible direction for the Tigers would be to sell of short-term assets such as Austin Meadows in order to improve the club’s longer-term outlook while waiting for Skubal and Mize to return to make another push toward contention.