Six teams across baseballl who got better over the winter
Though some appealing free agents like Matt Wieters, Jason Hammel, Mike Napoli and Chris Carter remain available, the offseason’s heavy lifting has been done and teams are looking ahead to the beginning of spring training in less than three weeks.
Here is an examination of which teams helped themselves the most during the offseason.
Boston Red Sox
Going away: DH David Ortiz (retired), RHP Clay Buchholz, INF Yoan Moncada, 3B Travis Shaw, RHPKoji Uehara New blood: LHP Chris Sale, 1B Mitch Moreland, RHP Tyler Thornburg
Why their moves work:
Trading for an ace like Sale was a master stroke, even if it came at the expense of perhaps the game’s top prospect in Moncada.
Nobody in the league can match Boston’s 1-2-3 starting combo of Rick Porcello, David Price – both Cy Young Award winners – and Sale.
The Red Sox resisted the urge to go after a big-name DH like Edwin Encarnacion to replace Ortiz, instead adding Moreland’s slick glove and shifting Hanley Ramirez to the DH spot.
They’re also betting a healthy and lighter Pablo Sandoval will bounce back from two miserable years and handle third base adeptly.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Going away: 2B Chase Utley, OF Howie Kendrick, OF Josh Reddick Coming back: 3B Justin Turner, LHP Rich Hill, RHP Kenley Jansen New blood: 2B Logan Forsythe
Why their moves work:
Despite their enormous resources, the Dodgers were not expected to retain all their key free agents, Jansen, Turner and Hill.
They invested $192 million to keep them, then filled their biggest void by trading for Forsythe to take over at second base and help them solve their woes facing lefty pitching.
The outfield remains unsettled, but there’s a number of options to choose from, including the slimmed-down Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier and youngsters Andrew Toles and Trayce Thompson.
Seattle Mariners Going away: RHP Taijuan
Walker, 1B Adam Lind, OF Seth Smith, SS Ketel Marte, CChris Iannetta, OF Nori Aoki, 1B Dae-ho Lee, RHP Nate Karns
New blood: SS Jean Segura, 1B Danny Valencia, OF Jarrod Dyson, LHP Drew Smyly, RHP Yovani Gallardo, C Carlos Ruiz, OF Mitch Haniger
Why their moves work:
For a team that finished 10 games above .500, the Mariners did a virtual housecleaning, replacing two regulars in the infield and two in the outfield and also bringing in two new starting pitchers.
The resulting mix could give Seattle a push toward its first playoff appearance since 2001, provided key pitchers like Gallardo and staff ace Felix Hernandez bounce back from disappointing seasons.
The addition of Segura is particularly welcome because he represents a steadier presence at shortstop – returning to his original position after a year at second base – and a legitimate leadoff hitter with pop.
Baltimore Orioles
Going away: C Matt Wieters, DH Pedro Alvarez, RHP Yovani Gallardo Coming back: OF-DH Mark Trumbo New blood: C Welington Castillo, OF Seth Smith
Why their moves work:
Trumbo led the majors with 47 homers last season and re-signing him for $37.5 million over three years is a steal, even with his defensive limitations.
The Orioles hit the most home runs in the majors by a wide margin last season and added two other productive bats in Castillo – who replaces Wieters behind the plate – and Smith, a needed lefty bat in a right-handed-heavy lineup.
Smith owns an .827 career OPS when facing right-handed pitching. He arrived tp Baltimore in a trade for Gallardo, who won’t be missed after going 6-8 with a 5.42 ERA in 23 starts.
Chicago White Sox
Going away: LHP Chris Sale, OF Adam Eaton, C Dioner Navarro, OF J.B. Shuck
New blood: INF Yoan Moncada, OF Cody Asche, LHP Derek Holland, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez.
Why their moves work:
There’s nothing worse than being mired in mediocrity, not good enough to compete, not bad enough to wipe the slate clean and start anew.
The White Sox are in the process of doing the latter, dealing away Sale and Eaton for a haul of prospects that includes Moncada, Giolito, Lopez and some promising minor-leaguers.
More moves might be coming, with Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and closer David Robertson as likely bait for the acquisition of young talent.
The White Sox probably won’t be any good this year, but at least they have begun the rebuilding process.
Philadelphia Phillies
Going away: 1B Ryan Howard, OF Cody Asche, OF Peter Bourjos Coming back: RHP Jeremy Hellickson
New blood: OF Michael Saunders, OF Howie Kendrick, RHP Clay Buchholz
Why their moves work:
Hellickson was expected to command a fairly hefty multiyear deal in free agency, yet agreed to return for the $17.2 million qualifying offer.
Kendrick, Buchholz and Saunders lend a veteran presence to a youth-oriented club, and none requires a commitment beyond this year.
The Phillies are finally done with Howard’s onerous contract, adding further flexibility to the payroll and enhancing the team’s chances of landing big-name free agents after this season.