MLB free agency: Homecomings for Stephen Strasburg, Gerrit Cole among best fits for all 30 teams
Also, Anthony Rendon stays in the NL East... just not in D.C.
By
Danny Vietti
•
11 min read
It's November, which means baseball free agency is underway. Last year's signing period taught us to be patient throughout the long offseason. So while players are already free to negotiate and sign with teams, we might have to wait to see a few of the notable deals until February, or, in extreme cases, June.
While some teams are likely to be more aggressive than others, all clubs will make some type of addition(s) to their rosters. Whether it is a rebuilding team searching for young talent or a championship contender looking for the missing piece, expect every team to be a player in the hot stove game.
In preparation of the ensuing signing period, we have played a little baseball matchmaking -- pairing one of the top free agents available with each of the 30 teams. We have used our own RJ Anderson's top 50 free agent list for reference. Among roster depth and team needs, we considered all of the following when making these selections: approximate payrolls, team direction, and past offseason strategies.
Every team needs something. We believe these signings would be a encouraging start to filling those voids.
AL East
Yankee fans may be disappointed if GM Brian Cashman is unable to land either Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg. However, it is Bumgarner -- the pitcher with more playoff experience than either Cole or Strasburg combined -- who could be the missing piece in the Bronx. A rotation of Severino, Paxton, Tanaka, Bumgarner (not necessarily in that order) is enough to make a deep title run.
Tampa Bay already possesses one of the more talented and hardest throwing pitching staffs, all the Rays need is a little more thump in that lineup. Encarnacion is likely not the 40-plus home run threat he once was, but his 34 last season, which came despite missing more than a month with a fractured wrist, is no small number. Similar production in Tampa would certainly suffice.
The Boston front office is in a state of transition -- as is the team's starting rotation. Rick Porcello hit free agency, and David Price and Chris Sale both endured disappointing 2019 campaigns. Odorizzi is a cheaper alternative to some of the bigger names in free agency. He also has plenty of experience -- productive experience -- pitching in the AL East after spending five seasons in Tampa Bay.
Howie Kendrick
1B
BA.344
R61
HR17
RBI62
SB2
Kendrick's veteran leadership and clutch hitting in the 2019 postseason garnered him NLCS MVP. He is a joy in the clubhouse and would be a great influence on promising young infielders Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, and Bo Bichette. Not to mention, the guy hit for a .344 average last season.
Problems in Baltimore extend further than pitching. Nevertheless, addressing the staff would certainly be a good start. Wood is expected to be affordable after coming off an injury-riddled season in Cincinnati. Plus, he relies on his changeup forcing weak contact to succeed on the bump -- a soft ball strategy that plays well in an AL East division filled with hitter-friendly ballparks.
AL Central
Let's take a look at the current Twins starting pitching depth chart: Jose Berrios. That's it. Minnesota's four other starters -- Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, Martin Perez, and Michael Pineda -- are all now free agents. Hamels is a veteran southpaw with loads of playoff experience -- something Minnesota could have used against New York in the ALDS. Before hitting the IL with Chicago this past season, Hamels was quietly enjoying his best full season since his prime days in Philadelphia.
Cleveland has some questions to answer in regards to what the team wants to do with Francisco Lindor. Rumors have already began to swirl. Grabbing a player like Zobrist who can play anywhere on the field (except for maybe catcher) can be an indispensable weapon; especially considering Jose Ramirez missed much of the last couple months due to injury.
The White Sox are in a bit of a limbo. They want to add some marquee names, but their time for contending is still uncertain considering their young prospects are still not established. Julio Teheran provided the Braves with 30-plus starts each of the past seven seasons. He is a reliable workhorse who could teach the young White Sox pitchers a thing or two about taking care of their bodies through a 162-game season.
Considering Kansas City's low payroll (eighth-lowest in the MLB), the field of free agents will have to be condensed to more affordable players. Roark landed with Cincinnati for a 1-year/$10 million last offseason before being traded to Oakland. He should be available at a relatively low cost and can help a Royals staff desperate for healthy arms.
Detroit ranked last in a handful of offensive categories in 2019, including runs scored. The Tigers need some pop in the middle of their lineup. Smoak is an all-or-nothing power bat who, despite never hitting for a high average, always has a knack for getting on base thanks to his plate discipline.
AL West
Houston carried a total of zero southpaws on its ALCS and World Series rosters in the 2019 playoffs. That may have come back to bite the Astros as opposing left-handed hitters, most notably Juan Soto, never had to adjust to same-handed hurlers. Though much of his success in 2019 came out of the bullpen with Milwaukee, Pomeranz can also serve as a fourth or fifth starter.
When looking at the Athletics' depth chart, they really have no holes as long as they can stay healthy. Corey Dickerson could fill in as both a fourth outfielder and security blanket for Khris Davis if his struggles continue into 2020. He is a typical Billy Beane low-cost signing.
After declining his $16 million player option, Grandal is expected to have his pick of the litter considering the amount of teams that would love to add a power-hitting catcher. At the plate, he set career-highs in both homers and RBI. Defensively, he ranked third in all of baseball with a 20.9 framing rate behind the dish, according to Baseball Prospectus. Grandal would be a great fit for a Texas team that could be just a couple pieces away from returning to the postseason.
This offseason could be one for the record books in Orange County. Considering the Angels' front office has failed to provide a Mike Trout-led club with any sort of pitching depth, they may just dig deep in their pockets this winter for some immediate superstars, starting with the most sought after arm in free agency: Gerrit Cole. The Southern California native led all of baseball with 326 strikeouts and set career-highs in just about every statistical category in 2019.
With how much the Mariners have invested Japanese lefty Yusei Kikuchi ($56 million minimum to be exact), adding Ryu, a native of South Korea who also grew up pitching in international leagues, could prove beneficial to Kikuchi's development. Ryu could also be a valuable trade chip if he signs a short-term deal with Seattle and pitches well again.
NL East
In September, Rendon declined an extension offer from Washington that was, according to the Washington Post, as much as seven-years, $215 million. Safe to say, that was a smart decision for the World Series champion. With Josh Donaldson weighing a qualifying offer from Atlanta, the Braves have the flexibility to dig deep for Rendon, if they so desire. Addressing the bullpen will be another point, but if they do indeed have a shot at landing the MVP-candidate Rendon, that should be priority No. 1.
Though the staff came alive in the playoffs, the Nationals ranked dead last in bullpen ERA in the regular season (5.66). If the Nats want to have a chance to "finish the fight" once again, this will have to be addressed. Will Smith was named an All-Star for the first time and tallied a career-high 34 saves with San Francisco last season.
The struggles by both Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia in Queens really handcuffed the Mets in 2019. The likelihood of New York spending big bucks this offseason is unlikely considering the team already holds one of the highest payrolls in the league. Nonetheless, adding another right-hander in Will Harris would at least provide some relief insurance in case Diaz and Familia continue to struggle into 2020.
Dallas Keuchel
SP
ERA3.75
WHIP1.367
IP112.2
BB39
K91
The elephant in the room for the Fighting Phils is their starting pitchers' inability to throw deep into games. After Aaron Nola, Philly lines up Vince Velasquez (career 4.61 ERA), Zach Eflin (career 4.73 ERA), and Jake Arrieta, who struggled through major shoulder problems last year. Dallas Keuchel's experience and ability to make 30-plus starts in a season could be instrumental to the progression in Philadelphia.
The Marlins are in full-rebuild mode, but if they decide to roll the dice on any free agent, we believe it should be Yasiel Puig. The Cuban-born outfielder can bring back some personality back to what was an otherwise dull atmosphere last season in South Beach. Miami and Puig sound like a match made in heaven.
NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals
With power-hitting prospect Nolan Gorman likely still a couple years away from breaking into the bigs, the Cardinals will need a boost in their lineup (especially if Marcell Ozuna ends up signing elsewhere). Donaldson is one of the most powerful and respected hitters in the league when healthy, as evident by his 37-homer resurgence with Atlanta.
Whether it's in the offseason or at the mid-season trade deadline, Milwaukee has failed to land a big-name starter each of the past two seasons. Wheeler features an upper-90's fastball along with a couple different hard breaking balls. He has the stuff to be an ace. It is just a matter of staying healthy and putting all the tools together.
It is hard to find a perfect fit for any player, but the numbers do not lie when it comes to Nicholas Castellanos in the North Side of Chicago. After the Cubs acquired him minutes before the trade deadline in August, Castellanos did everything in his power to try to propel his team to the playoffs, slashing .321/.356/.646 with 16 home runs and 21 doubles in just 56 games.
The market for shortstops, as usual, is slim. Nonetheless, the Yankees decision to not offer Didi Gregorius a qualifying offer could prove beneficial for a lucky suitor in need of a power-hitting middle infielder. Cincy is in need of one with Jose Iglesias hitting free agency. A lineup featuring Eugenio Suarez, Joey Votto, Aristides Aquino, Nick Senzel, and Gregorius is a scary one to say the least.
Pittsburgh infielders all have the ability to hit the ball, but hitting the ball out of the yard was their biggest challenge (the Pirates were seventh in team average and 27th in homers in 2019). The Pirates front office and coaching staff is still undergoing changes, which is a bit concerning considering the holes this team needs to fill on the field. Moustakas has tallied 28-plus homers each of the past three seasons. He would provide a much-needed threat for a power-thirsty lineup in Pittsburgh.
NL West
Rumors have circulated regarding Los Angeles' desire to improve the offense. When looking at both the Dodgers' regular season and postseason success, the bullpen is truly the area of need. Los Angeles led the NL in almost every offensive category, but its bullpen had the most blown saves (29) -- much of that due to Kenley Jansen's continued struggles. Betances, though coming off an Achilles injury, is just one season removed from being one of the most feared relief pitchers in the game.
Garcia possesses raw power, as illustrated by his 471-foot tape measure shot back in May and his 437-foot no-doubter in the AL Wild Card. Place him in hitter-friendly and high-elevated Chase Field in Arizona and it has the potential to be bombs away.
An unfathomable 68 different players have started in left field for San Francisco since Barry Bonds retired in 2007. Twelve years later, it is time to finally fill that void. It is hard to find anybody who hits well in San Francisco, but Ozuna is a rare exception, hitting for a .295 batting average with nine extra-base hits in 21 games at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.
Bullpen depth is at the top of the wish list in Denver. Colorado's closer Wade Davis led the team with 15 saves last season albeit with a 8.65 ERA. That is not a recipe for success in the ninth inning. A player like Daniel Hudson who has the ability to pitch on the inner-half of the plate and chew up lumber with his upper-90's fastball has the talent to succeed in Colorado.
This free agency period may very well decide the fate of the Padres in 2020. If they land a platinum level starter, such as Strasburg, the Friars immediately turn into serious players in the NL West. Strasburg grew up in San Diego and even played his college ball under the late Padre legend Tony Gwynn at San Diego State. The Padres have struggled attracting free agents in years past (with the exception of Machado), but Strasburg might be their next best chance.
