USA TODAY International Edition
Red Sox, Dodgers make winning moves
Though some appealing free agents such as Matt Wieters, Jason Hammel, Mike Napoli and Chris Carter remain on the market, the offseason’s heavy lifting largely has been done and teams are looking ahead to the beginning of spring training, which will be here in less than three weeks.
USA TODAY Sports’ Jorge L. Ortiz examines which teams helped themselves the most during the offseason. BOSTON RED SOX Going away: DH David Ortiz ( retired), RHP Clay Buchholz, IF Yoan Moncada, 3B Travis Shaw, RHP Koji Uehara
New blood: LHP Chris Sale, 1B Mitch Moreland, RHP Tyler Thornburg Why their moves work: Trading for Sale was a masterstroke, even if it came at the expense of perhaps the game’s top prospect in Moncada. Nobody in the league can match Boston’s 12- 3 starting combo of Rick Porcello, David Price — both Cy Young Award winners — and Sale. Boston resisted the urge to go after a big- name DH such as 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 seasons 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: De- spite their enormous resources, the Dodgers were not expected to retain all of 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 solve their woes against lefthanded pitchers. The outfield remains unsettled, but there’s a number of options to choose from, including 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, C Chris Iannetta, OF Nori Aoki, 1B Daeho 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 such as 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 major leagues 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 Major League Baseball by a wide margin last season and added two other productive bats in Castillo — who replaces Wieters behind the plate — and Smith, a needed left- handed batter in a right- handed- heavy lineup. Smith owns a .827 career on- base- plus- slugging percentage against righties. He arrived 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: IF 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, having dealt 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 continued 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 multiple- year contract 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 season. The Phillies are done with Howard’s onerous deal, adding further flexibility to the payroll and enhancing the team’s chances of landing big- name free agents after this season.