WHICH TEAMS MADE THE GRADE?
With spring training starting, find out how your team did during the offseason
USA Today Sports took a look at the top marks and borderline failures in the American League and National League during the offseason, with spring-training camps set to open this week and all 30 teams scheduled for Opening Day on March 30:
NL
Phillies, A: The NL champions jumped into the deep end of the free-agent market again, this time landing All-Star shortstop Trea Turner for $300 million. They didn’t stop there, signing starter Taijuan Walker and enhancing their bullpen by acquiring Craig Kimbrel and Gregory Soto.
Padres, A: San Diego might be only the 27th-biggest market, but chairman Peter Seidler once again is spending with the big boys, trying to capture the Padres’ first World Series. They spent $280 million on shortstop Xander Bogaerts and were willing to spend $400 million on Aaron Judge, who took less money to stay with the Yankees. They signed Matt Carpenter, Nelson Cruz and Seth Lugo and retained pitchers Robert Suarez and Nick Martinez.
Mets, A-: It might have been an A-plus if they had signed Carlos Correa, but they were a force with an owner who still has a pocket full of money to spend. They re-signed center fielder Brandon Nimmo, closer Edwin Diaz and reliever Adam Ottavino, replaced ace Jacob deGrom with Justin Verlander, signed Japanese starter Kodai Senga, extended second baseman Jeff McNeil and added David Robertson and Tommy Pham.
Cubs, B+: They walked the talk this winter, spending $305.5 million on nine free agents, led by Dansby Swanson’s seven-year, $177 million deal. They also brought in starter Jameson Taillon and veteran Trey Mancini. The team still has flaws and wasn’t able to land a frontline starter or big bat.
Braves, B-: This was the second consecutive offseason they let a franchise icon walk away, not budging from their $100 million offer to shortstop Dansby Swanson. They spent a major-league-low $3 million on the free-agent market but turned around and did a wonderful job by trading for Gold Glove catcher Sean Murphy and signing him to a six-year, $73 million extension.
Diamondbacks, C: They spent only $18.75 million in a division with the Dodgers and Padres. They made a shrewd move for the future by trading outfielder Daulton Varsho to the Blue Jays for prized catching prospect Gabriel Moreno and veteran outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The Diamondbacks added veteran third baseman Evan Longoria for clubhouse leadership and 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis, but they did relatively nothing to improve their bullpen.
Marlins, C: They landed AL batting champion Luis Arraez in a trade with the Twins. Jazz Chisholm is moving to center field to make room for Arraez at second base, with new addition Jean Segura likely starting at third. They also landed veteran starter Johnny Cueto.
Giants, C: So they didn’t get Aaron Judge or Carlos Correa. But they did spend almost $174 million on free agents, remaking their lineup with free-agent outfielders Mitch Haniger (three years, $43.5 million) and Michael Conforto (two years, $36 million). They spent $33 million on closer Trevor Rogers and another $25 million on starter Ross Stripling.
Brewers, C-: Trying to make up for the Josh Hader trade that turned into a fiasco, they did make some slight improvements. They acquired All-Star catcher William Contreras from the Braves and hope that outfielder Jesse Winker can return to form after his miserable season with the Mariners. Still, they lost power hitter Hunter Renfroe and Gold Glove second baseman Kolten Wong. Their only free-agent signings were veteran starter Wade Miley ($4.5 million) and third baseman Brian Anderson ($3.5 million).
Pirates, C-: They made a public-relations coup by bringing back outfielder Andrew McCutchen on a one-year, $5 million contract. They spent a total of $30.4 million if you include the signings of veterans Rich Hill, Austin Hedges, Carlos Santana, Vince Velasquez and Jarlin Garcia. They traded for first baseman Ji-Man Choi, too. They’re still a year way from being a contender.
Cardinals, C-: They desperately needed a catcher to replace future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina and got just that by signing Willson Contreras to a five-year, $87.5 million contract. Yet despite vowing to spend money, that was their only big move. They brought back veteran starter Adam Wainwright but failed to bring in any more starters or add to their bullpen.
Dodgers, D: Either the Dodgers are this rich in talent, or they’re doing everything possible to clear the books for free agent Shohei Ohtani. For the second consecutive offseason, the Dodgers let a $300 million shortstop walk, this time Trea Turner. They let veteran third baseman Justin Turner go. They said goodbye to 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger. Free-agent pitchers Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney were shown the door. They did pick up aging designated hitter J.D. Martinez and grabbed starter Noah Syndergaard to fortify their rotation.
Nationals, D: The Nationals, up for sale but still without a buyer, are entrenched in no-man’s land. They can’t spend in free agency and remain years away from developing their top prospects.
Reds, F: They reduced payroll once again, with their only significant addition being the signing of slugger Wil Myers to a one-year, $7.5 million contract. If Myers can put up big numbers, the Reds would love to trade him for prospects in July, saving themselves about $4.5 million. They also acquired catchers Luke Maile and Curt Casali, along with veteran pitcher Luke Weaver. The Reds will struggle badly again this season.
Rockies, F: The Rockies were hoping to sign center fielder Cody Bellinger. They were willing to go big on center fielder Brandon Nimmo. But they came up short both times. They also failed to grab a quality starter, adding only Connor Seabold after he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox. The Rockies think they’ll improve simply if Kris Bryant can stay healthy and their young pitchers can take another step.
AL
Yankees, A: They had to sweat it out, but they brought back Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo, maintaining the guts of a 99-victory team. And they suddenly might be the AL favorites, with Carlos Rodon making them a problematic opponent come October.
Angels, A-: Committing $39 million to Tyler Anderson in November turned out to be a bargain. The additions of Brandon Drury and Hunter Renfroe were as adequate as could be expected from a club that thought it was competing with a lame-duck owner.
Rangers, A-: Almost as nice as Jacob deGrom’s signing were the additions of Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney, thickening a suddenly daunting rotation. Now will the lineup be deep enough for it to matter?
Twins, B+: Acquiring likely ace Pablo Lopez was the cherry on top after Carlos Correa re-signed — and at reasonable terms, no less. Just not sure what they’ll get out of Joey Gallo (at $11 million) that the Yankees and Dodgers couldn’t.
Mariners, B+: They opted out of the eliteshortstop sweepstakes and will keep riding with J.P. Crawford, but Teoscar Hernandez’s bat and Kolten Wong’s glove provide improvements to a 90-victory club.
Blue Jays, B+: Trading Teoscar Hernandez and Gabriel Moreno and adding Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier to the outfield was a bold, defensively minded gambit. But it dovetails nicely with the solid addition of Chris Bassitt to the rotation.
Guardians, B: Josh Bell will be a nice switch-hitting addition. Yet many doubts remain about whether the club ever will commit to a significant free agent or retain a star such as Shane Bieber (beyond Jose Ramirez’s team-friendly extension, that is).
Rays, B: Adding Zach Eflin gives the Rays a solid five-man rotation, and extensions for pitchers Jeffrey Springs and Pete Fairbanks and slugger Yandy Diaz bring some sense of stability. Watch out.
Astros, B-: They can survive Justin Verlander’s defection. Striking early for slugger Jose Abreu — at $68.5 million — will be an interesting referendum on owner/temporary general manager Jim Crane’s acumen.
Orioles, C: It’s an open question whether their modest buys — pitcher Kyle Gibson and infielder Adam Frazier — were the best use of their apparently limited budget.
Royals, C: Zack Greinke is back, with Jordan Lyles, Ryan Yarbrough and Aroldis Chapman joining the party. It’s almost like a mid- to late-2010s nostalgia tour.
Tigers, C-: Matt Boyd is a Tiger again, and the trade of Gregory Soto to the Phillies returned useful spare parts in Matt Vierling and Nick Maton.
Red Sox, D: There’s just no getting around them misfiring so badly with Xander Bogaerts, who probably will reach a World Series with the Padres while the Red Sox wonder whether they ever will replace him.
A’s, D: Dumping Sean Murphy and Cole Irvin is par for the course for a franchise determined to make Oakland despise it.
White Sox, F: From a purely baseball standpoint, the signing of Mike Clevinger was curious enough. Now a domestic-violence investigation might sideline him for much of the season, a startling failure of evaluation and due diligence.