The Winter Conferences are over. The winter, nevertheless, will not be.
A lot of the prime free brokers are nonetheless out there. There are clearly trades but to be made. Groups that fancy themselves contenders nonetheless have holes to fill – in some instances, a lot of them. There’s not a single staff that thinks it has its full and full 2024 Opening Day roster in-house proper now, not even the Braves. There’s nonetheless a lot extra to occur.
However which golf equipment have the most important wants to deal with? With a purpose to not record dozens right here, we’ll set ourselves two guidelines:
We’ll additionally use somewhat subjectivity right here. For instance, Houston’s first basemen don’t fee very nicely (projected Twenty fifth-most fWAR), however since Jose Abreu is getting into the second 12 months of a three-year contract, it’s laborious to see them truly making a change there. The identical goes for Detroit at shortstop (Twenty ninth), the place it’s clearly Javier Báez’s job regardless that that hasn’t labored out very nicely to this point.
Final 12 months, we did this, and precisely predicted that the St. Louis rotation completely was not going to overlook bats. We additionally stated the Rangers’ outfield wasn’t going to be superb. Can’t win all of them, we suppose.
The most important present wants, as we see them, roughly ordered by place, with FanGraphs’ positional WAR projections in parentheses …
Crimson Sox: Catcher (projected: twenty eighth)
Forward of solely the White Sox and Rockies isn’t any place to be for a staff that’s making an attempt to enhance. No staff had a greater strikeout fee from its catchers than Boston in 2023, and not one of the Crimson Sox backstops rated as a constructive defender. (Connor Wong was excellent at throwing out runners, however he gave that worth again in framing and blocking.) It’s in all probability not as pressing as Boston’s extra determined want within the rotation, but it looks like a brand new entrance workplace gained’t merely roll again the identical Wong/Reese McGuire combo, both.
Potential fixes: Signal Mitch Garver to separate time between catcher and DH; commerce for outdated pal Christian Vázquez (MIN)
Cubs: First base (projected: twenty sixth)
Getting into 2023, the Cubs had what appeared a superbly affordable plan for first base, which was to make use of veterans Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini to purchase a while for prospect Matt Mervis to succeed in the bigs. It didn’t go nice. Hosmer was launched in Might, Mancini on the finish of July, and Mervis struggled whereas gathering simply 99 plate appearances. By the second half, Cody Bellinger was enjoying extra first than middle, and commerce acquisition Jeimer Candelario was seeing time there, too. Now, 4 of these 5 names are out of the group, and handing the job to Mervis appears unlikely. Fortuitously, there’s a good match out there on the free-agent market.
Potential fixes: Signal Rhys Hoskins earlier than the Brewers do
Brewers: First base, second base, third base (projected: Twenty ninth, twenty seventh and twenty eighth, respectively)
Would possibly as nicely simply lump all of them collectively, as a result of except for shortstop Willy Adames – himself a topic of commerce rumors – Milwaukee has some severe wants within the infield. We nonetheless don’t know the Brewers’ route, and gained’t till they resolve whether or not to maneuver ace starter Corbin Burnes, however both method, the infield they’ve now can’t be the infield they carry into the season. We’ll assume that Brice Turang will get one other shot at second, and nook infielder Tyler Black (Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect) might be within the combine someplace, however outdoors additions would appear to be a necessity.
Potential fixes: Carry again Carlos Santana; signal Hoskins or Brandon Belt; commerce for Isaac Paredes (TB)
Crimson Sox: Second base (projected: twenty third)
One of many largest issues the Sox had in 2023 was that the center infield was wildly unsettled and customarily unproductive; they had been Twenty ninth in WAR at second and twenty sixth at quick. It seems to be somewhat higher now that Trevor Story is wholesome and prone to be the common shortstop once more, however it nonetheless leaves a ton of questions at second, the place Enmanuel Valdez and Pablo Reyes aren’t full-time choices, and with Ceddanne Rafaela doubtlessly to see extra time within the outfield. Fortuitously, that is one spot the place there appears to be a number of choices out there by way of commerce, so it shouldn’t be terribly tough to fill. The one challenge is that between this, and catcher, and the pitching employees, there’s lots of locations new entrance workplace chief Craig Breslow must direct his focus.
Potential fixes: Commerce for Jorge Polanco (MIN), Brandon Drury (LAA) or Jonathan India (CIN); signal Tim Anderson, who’s reportedly prepared to maneuver from quick to second.
Mariners: Second base (projected: Twenty fifth)
This isn’t the most important Seattle want – we’ll get to the outfield shortly – however Mariners second basemen hit .205/.293/.313 final 12 months. Whereas it’s a minimum of believable they’d simply roll with some sort of Josh Rojas/Jose Caballero/Ryan Bliss combo, they’re doubtless going to want so as to add some outdoors bats after how a lot of their 2023 lineup has been despatched elsewhere. As with Boston, there’s choices to be discovered right here.
Potential fixes: Similar to Boston’s choices
Marlins: Shortstop (projected: twenty seventh)
Miami might additionally use a catcher, however we’ll deal with shortstop right here, the place final 12 months’s group was unproductive (-0.4 WAR, Twenty ninth-best), and now Joey Wendle and Garrett Hampson have moved on. It’s potential that Jacob Amaya is a part of the answer right here, however a .752 OPS in Triple-A isn’t precisely lighting it up, and Jon Berti is extra of a utility participant than an on a regular basis shortstop. Workforce execs are brazenly discussing their want so as to add on the place, although it’s not precisely a robust free-agent market, so a commerce could be a greater route.
Potential fixes: Commerce for Ezequiel Duran (TEX), Gabriel Arias (CLE) or Jorge Mateo (BAL); signal Tim Anderson or Amed Rosario, regardless that every are higher served at second than shortstop
Mariners: Left area (projected: Twenty ninth)
To date, Seattle’s offseason has largely consisted of buying and selling away Eugenio Suárez and Jarred Kelenic, whereas selecting to not supply Teoscar Hernández a qualifying supply, so in fact they want bats, and they know that. There’s excellent news and unhealthy information right here. The excellent news is that nook outfield bats are typically comparatively simple to seek out; the unhealthy information is that they’re hardly the one contender who wants these bats, as you’ll see within the subsequent few objects.
Potential fixes: Signal Jorge Soler or Joc Pederson to separate OF/DH time; commerce pitching to Reds for Spencer Steer; commerce for Randy Arozarena (TB)
Padres: Left area and middle area (projected: twenty eighth and Twenty fifth, respectively)
That’s proper, the Padres are nonetheless contenders, even after buying and selling away Juan Soto. Whereas it’s laborious to argue that your roster is best with out an all-time nice hitter, they did a minimum of add a big infusion of pitching expertise to a employees that desperately wanted innings. The problem now’s that with out Soto and Trent Grisham, San Diego has precisely one starting-quality outfielder in Fernando Tatis Jr., and a have to contend in 2024 given all the massive contracts within the infield. We hesitate to say “they’ll signal 2022 KBO MVP Jung Hoo Lee as a result of he’s shut buddies with Ha-Seong Kim,” however the match actually does make a substantial amount of sense, and transferring Soto does open up some wage area.
Potential suits: Signal Lee or Kevin Kiermaier for middle; signal Lourdes Gurriel Jr. or Teoscar Hernández for a nook; commerce for Randy Arozarena (TB)
Guardians: Heart area and proper area (projected: twenty sixth and 22th, respectively)
Thirty-six totally different outfielders hit 18 or extra homers final 12 months, which is precisely as many as Guardians outfielders hit as a gaggle: 18. If a complete outfield hitting solely 18 dwelling runs looks like not very many, that will be right, however it doesn’t start to scratch the floor of what meaning. We hadn’t seen a full-season outfield with such a low homer whole since 1989, when the Astros additionally had 18. We hadn’t seen a full-season outfield hit fewer homers for the reason that 1976 White Sox – that’s proper, the shorts staff – had solely 17 almost a half-century in the past. (They misplaced 97 video games.) Steven Kwan is secure in left, however it’s laborious to see Myles Straw getting one other 500 plate appearances in middle. It’s so dire that selecting a robust bat with a weak glove may make sense right here.
Potential suits: Commerce for Anthony Santander (BAL); signal Joc Pederson/Jorge Soler, or Lourdes Gurriel Jr./Teoscar Hernández
Dodgers: Left area (projected: twenty sixth)
With Mookie Betts trying like a full-time second baseman, the Dodgers’ outfield consists of James Outman in middle, a platoon veteran in proper (Jason Heyward, who doesn’t play towards lefties) and a ton of query marks. Understandably, the Ohtani derby is holding issues up, however we’re assuming that Chris Taylor, Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch – i.e., just a few of the gamers who simply misplaced second base time with Betts’ transfer – aren’t actually going to be the full-time solutions right here.
Potential suits: Signal Teoscar Hernández or Jorge Soler, however provided that they don’t get Ohtani; signal Michael A. Taylor; commerce for Randy Arozarena (TB)
Mets: Left area (projected: sixteenth) or proper area (twentieth)
It’s been a quiet winter in Queens to this point, although completely nobody expects that to proceed. Understandably, the Mets’ precedence is on beginning pitching, they usually’ll give Starling Marte each likelihood to rebound subsequent to Brandon Nimmo. However for as a lot enjoyable as DJ Stewart was late final 12 months, the staff gained’t merely hand him a beginning job. Jeff McNeil may see outing right here as nicely, however he’s additionally wanted at second, and didn’t actually hit final 12 months, both.
Potential suits: Signal Teoscar Hernández, Michael A. Taylor or Jorge Soler; signal Jung Hoo Lee; commerce for Randy Arozarena (TB)
Blue Jays: Left area (projected: Twenty fifth)
Final 12 months, greater than 97% of innings in left area for Toronto had been taken by both Daulton Varsho (who seems to be prone to transfer to middle) or Whit Merrifield (who’s a free agent). In 2023, the Jays made it a precedence to enhance protection and velocity over energy, and now it appears they might be trending again the opposite method, partly due to their disappointing run-scoring final 12 months, and partly as a result of Brandon Belt, Matt Chapman and Kevin Kiermaier are all free brokers. In contrast to a number of the different groups right here, Arozarena in all probability isn’t an possibility, because the Rays and Jays are direct rivals within the AL East.
Potential suits: Signal Joc Pederson; carry again Teoscar Hernández or Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Giants: Heart area (projected: 14th)
We hardly have to recite the problems of the Giants: Lack of energy. Lack of star energy. You realize the rating right here. However what’s new is how the dominos of the remainder of the offseason are falling. They gained’t get Soto, clearly. It appears unlikely they’ll get Ohtani. They nonetheless appear in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, however so are lots of groups, and in the event that they strike on the market, can they actually undergo one other winter and not using a huge win? They may find yourself being the staff that goes after Cody Bellinger, regardless of the chance there, as a result of they should.
Potential suits: Bellinger or bust? (Or signal Kevin Kiermaier or Harrison Bader for higher protection in a tough outfield.)