The latest major checkpoint of the MLB offseason is behind us. Royal We’re talking about the recent Winter Meeting in San Diego. Teams, agents, and several notable players available for hire took part in the annual hootenanny, and as is usually the case, some major pairs came out of it. Yes Carlos Correa, Carlos Major free agents and rumored trade targets such as Rodon and Sean Murphy remain available, but many notable names are now off the board thanks to the Winter Meeting.
In preparation for the rest of the 2022-23 MLB offseason, let’s take a quick look at what happened in San Diego and take a look at some highlights from the Winter Meeting. Below is where the devil lives.
1. The Yankees got a player, but there’s work left
For a while, Aaron Judge seemed headed for his native Bay Area, but eventually he took over the Giants’ proposal and joined the organization he’s been with since signing with Fresno State University in 2013. Back. The aggressive struggle and inconsistency of the non-judge portion of the Yankee lineup last season was just an essential step for the Yankees.
There are some risks here. His 2022 season, with Judge hitting his 62 home runs, recording his 211 OPS+, and hosting the Triple Crown, will likely be the year of his career. Similarly, there aren’t many examples of how Judge’s massive physical size hitter will age as he transitions into his late 30s. But that’s how the superstar’s free agency deal goes. Teams take some risk on the backend in exchange for surplus value on the frontend. This is no exception. Judge boasted his 150 career OPS+ in top-tier batted ball metrics before his legendary 2022 was part of the calculation, so he should at least have his 2022. is very likely to remain an elite force at bat in the first half. his new contract. This is to say nothing of the Yankees’ virtually limitless income and ability to soak up Judge’s eventual decline without even registering.
Ponying up for the judges is admirable, but the Yankees still have holes. They also need to accept the reality that Isaiah Kiner-Whalefa is not an acceptable shortstop solution for teams aiming for the World Series. Whether that means swinging for positions with star options in the free agency market or giving jobs to internal candidates with more offensive advantages than the IKF. , something has to happen on that front.
2. The Mets may have upgraded their rotation front
Outgoing ace and former Mets life Jacob deGrom signed a $185 million deal with the Rangers just before the start of the Winter Meetings, with the Mets joining Justin Verlander with a 2025 best option responded quickly by signing a two-year, $86.66 million deal. It may sound strange to say that the Mets may have improved their fortunes in the rotation, at least in the short term, by signing a pitcher who is about five years older than deGrom and $100 million less in the market. Hmmm, but that’s probably their thing. Accomplishment.
Most of the time, this comes down to health and durability – reliability. Yes, Verlander is pushing 40 and recently had Tommy John surgery, but he’s done the 2022 season, making 28 starts and playing 175 innings to win the AL Cy Young Award. Meanwhile, deGrom has totaled 156 1/3 innings over the past two seasons combined. That’s thanks to shoulder, forearm and back injuries. These injuries can recur and raise concerns about moving forward.In other words, bet on pitching more innings and starting more pitchers over the next two seasons. Throw in a similar advantage in terms of performance, and the Mets are more sure of themselves in the rotation over the next two years, essentially trading deGrom for Verlander. You can rightly claim that there is.
3. Turner landed in the ideal spot
Yes, Trea Turner reportedly could have gotten a pretty big guarantee by signing with the Padres, but he still broke $300 million in his contract with the Phillies. You’ll land on your favorite East Coast and reunite with friend and former Nationals teammate Bryce Harper. Likewise, Bryson Stott’s shift to second base will allow Turner to stay in his preferred position at shortstop for the foreseeable future. Perhaps from Turner’s standpoint, he lands a pennant winner with a deep recent history of doing what it takes to build the best team possible. The Phillies have been a welcome exception in recent years. And as our own Matt Snyder recently wroteTurner will undoubtedly move the needle as the Phillies aim to return to the World Series after 2023.
4. The Cardinals made a big move to the catcher position
With the retirement of franchise legend Yadier Molina and an internal assessment that Andrew Knizner isn’t a full-time solution, the Cardinals needed a catcher this winter. , they signed late Cubs late Wilson Contreras to a five-year deal. Perfect for St. Louis.
No, Contreras is not a defender like Molina, especially when it comes to framing. However, Contreras’ framing skills have improved over the last few seasons and he has a good arm. Above all, Contreras directly addresses the crippling lack of productivity the Cardinals suffered last season.
In 2022, St. Louis catchers (primarily Molina and Andrew Knysner) combined to hit .209/.261/.291, while last season MLB catchers averaged a .228/.295/.368 thrashline. (And note that the league-wide line has been pulled down by the Cardinals). Contreras is a .256/.349/.466 hitter with elite contact qualities, especially by positional standards. He also posted a career-high OPS +128 in the 2022 campaign, backing it up at batting level. Contreras plans to significantly upgrade the current state of the bat.
As for the estimated drop in framing, we’re much less worried long-term, as automatic ball-strike calls are likely to arrive at the MLB level, perhaps in time for the 2024 season. The presence of Universal DH also provides a way to give him a rest while keeping Contreras’ bat in the lineup. DH is also where he could land later in this contract moving into his mid-thirties. .
5. The Red Sox finally got something done
It was a time when the Red Sox had a dedicated group of owners and a product on the field that reflected that commitment. But that hasn’t been the case for a while, and in many ways he dates back to his disastrous Mookie Betts trade in early 2020. Despite huge earnings and a loyal fan base, the Red Sox rank outside the top. Five on the payroll each of the past two seasons, he currently ranks outside the top 10 in MLB when it comes to salary commitments for 2023. .yes they signed Kenley Jansen When Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida We may reunite with Xander Bogaerts soon. If the latter occurs, a partial reassessment may be appropriate. For now, the above accusations are mostly valid.
Unfortunately, lack of effort on the part of owners is all too common in MLB these days, and in that sense the Red Sox are in a tough spot. But what seems different is the Red Sox’s new strategy of, frankly, a C-grade freelance his agent, “Well, I tried.” Consider what happened recently, including during the winter conference.
For example, if the Giants instilled in the press a good faith effort to sign judges, that would be one thing, but doing what the Red Sox did recently would be a whole other thing, a whole other thing. If you ignore the basic obligations of team ownership so much, at least have the decency to do it quietly. Yes, the Red Sox did more than they ever did on the final day of the Winter Meetings, but the bar is too low for one of the best franchises in the game.
6. Many celebrities remain on the board
Yes, the Winter Meeting is over, but no, it’s not the time to worry about the 2022-23 offseason. Research the latest free agent tracker, and, as of this writing, we know that our No.3 FA Carlos Correa is still looking for a job. Overall, 5 of the top 10 and 10 of the top 25 are still available, and A’s catcher Sean Murphy is likely to be traded before the season opener as well. If you’re unsatisfied with your level, know that there are still plenty of real innovators out there.
CBS Sports has been following the Winter Meetings moves and rumors all week long. Check out the live blog below.
