10 MLB Offseason Predictions That Will Actually Come True
The MLB offseason is now in full swing, and with the hot stove kicking into high gear, there are no shortage of rumors to sift through each morning from around the league.
The first big surprise of the offseason came on Monday, when the New York Mets wasted little time signing Michael Cuddyer after he declined his qualifying offer from the Colorado Rockies.
The 35-year-old signed a two-year, $21 million deal to join his good friend David Wright, giving the Mets the right-handed power bat they were said to be targeting.
There will no doubt be at least a few more surprise moves in store between now and the start of spring training, and some may already have been rumored here in the early stages of the offseason.
So with that in mind, what follows is a look at 10 predictions that could actually come to fruition, including potential free-agent signings, trades and in-house extensions.
Cleveland Indians Will Extend Corey Kluber
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The Cleveland Indians have moved aggressively to lock up their in-house talent over the past few years, extending Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes and Michael Brantley in the past calendar year.
The next in line for an extension could be Corey Kluber, and Jeff Todd of MLBTradeRumors highlighted him as an extension candidate back in August.
The right-hander finished the 2014 season at 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235.2 innings, emerging as the clear ace of a young Indians rotation and one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.
The 28-year-old is an interesting case when it comes to extension talks, as he will likely be just as motivated as the Indians are to get a deal done.
Given his age and the fact that he is still a year away from arbitration, Kluber won't hit free agency for the first time until his age-33 season. With that in mind, there is likely not a nine-figure mega deal waiting for him down the line.
Madison Bumgarner signed a five-year, $35 million extension with one pre-arbitration season left, so that could be a starting point in extension talks. At the end of the day, a five-year, $50 million deal could be agreeable for both sides.
Howie Kendrick Will Be Traded to the Toronto Blue Jays
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The second base position has been a hole for the Toronto Blue Jays since Aaron Hill was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the position produced just a .247/.295/.340 line with seven home runs and 48 RBI last year.
According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, the team has shown interest in Los Angeles Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick.
"Howie Kendrick is definitely worth monitoring, as the Blue Jays have placed multiple calls on his availability this year...Their calls suggest genuine interest, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the Blue Jays call on a lot of players this time of year."
The Angels are expected to be move either Kendrick or third baseman David Freese this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, with both infielders set to hit free agency at the end of the 2015 season.
Perhaps a package built around left-hander J.A. Happ, with a mid-level prospect or two thrown in, could be enough to pry Kendrick away from an Angels team that is still in the market for starting pitching depth.
The 31-year-old hit .293/.347/.397 with 33 doubles, seven home runs and 75 RBI for the Angels last season, and his 5.4 WAR represented the highest mark of his nine-year career.
Jeremy Hellickson Will Be Traded
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Even after moving David Price at the trade deadline last season, the Rays still appear to be in the market to move right-hander Jeremy Hellickson this offseason.
With Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi all under team control long term and former All-Star Matt Moore expected back from Tommy John surgery at some point in the first half of 2015, Hellickson looks like an expendable piece.
The 27-year-old won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2011, and while he has gone just 23-26 with a 4.19 ERA in 75 starts over the past three seasons, he still has some upside and trade appeal.
According to a tweet from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Rays are moving closer to a deal with an NL team and could have a move completed by the end of the week.
Hellickson is projected to earn $3.9 million in his second year of arbitration eligibility, and the Rays could use that money to add some pop to an offense that was in desperate need of another power bat last season.
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Russell Martin Will Be the Chicago Cubs' First Big Offseason Signing
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The Chicago Cubs' No. 1 priority this offseason remains upgrading their starting rotation, but their first move of the offseason might be upgrading behind the plate by signing Russell Martin.
The market's top backstop, Martin hit .290/.402/.430 with 20 doubles and 11 home runs last season, and he has posted a 9.9 WAR during his time with the Pirates over the past two seasons.
According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBSSports, the Cubs are set to make a strong push for the 31-year-old in the weeks to come. A reunion with the Pirates is still in a possibility, with the Blue Jays and Dodgers still in the mix, but the Cubs look to have a real shot at signing him this winter.
Adding Martin to the mix early on this offseason could be just one more chip in their favor as they push to sign one of the market's top starting pitchers, as he is widely regarded as one of the better defensive backstops and game-callers in the league.
After turning down a qualifying offer from the Pirates, Martin is said to be seeking something in the neighborhood of $75-80 million over five years, according to Paul Blair of Sportsnet.
Welington Castillo hit .237/.296/.389 with 13 home runs for a 1.8 WAR as the primary backstop for the Cubs last season.
Ervin Santana Returns to the Kansas City Royals
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For the second straight offseason, Ervin Santana has rejected a qualifying offer, and he will look to land a multiyear deal this time around after waiting until March to sign a one-year deal last offseason.
Santana went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 196 innings last season with the Braves, and the 31-year-old looks to be atop the second tier of starting pitchers this offseason, behind the likes of Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields.
The Royals are expected to make a push to re-sign Shields this offseason, but if they miss out on bringing back their ace, a reunion with Santana could be the answer to filling out their rotation.
The right-hander was 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 211 innings for the Royals in 2013, after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels.
According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports, a return to Kansas City is "definitely an option" for Santana this offseason, and the Royals have already reached out.
Yordano Ventura, Jason Vargas, Jeremy Guthrie and Danny Duffy make up their current rotation without Shields, so they will likely need to add at least one more arm to the mix before next season.
Pablo Sandoval Will Get a 6-Year Deal...From the Boston Red Sox
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The San Francisco Giants have made it a point to retain their in-house talent over the past several seasons, but that strategy will be put to the test this offseason with the free agency of third baseman Pablo Sandoval.
Fresh off of another dazzling postseason performance in which he hit .366/.423/.465 with seven doubles in 71 at-bats, Sandoval is one of the top position players on the market this offseason, and the cream of the crop among third basemen.
Still in the prime of his career at 28 years old, Sandoval is reportedly seeking a six-year deal, according to his agent Gustavo Vasquez.
"Pablo is 28,” Vasquez told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. “He is still young. Maybe if he was 30 or 31 we could talk about four or five years. But he’s 28. He deserves more than that."
An average annual value in the $17-18 million range seems like a reasonable asking price for Sandoval, putting the deal at $102-108 million over six years.
While re-upping with the Giants remains a possibility, someone like the Boston Red Sox might be willing to offer up more money and years, and they have a clear hole to fill at third base.
If the Giants drag their feet on whether they are willing to offer up a sixth year, the Red Sox might just be able to swoop in and sign him away before the Giants even get a chance to make their best offer.
Will Middlebrooks is currently penciled in at third for the Red Sox, but he hit just .191/.256/.265 over 215 at-bats last season and might be out of chances to prove he can handle the everyday job.
Mat Latos Is the Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Who Will Be Traded
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With Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon all headed for free agency after the 2015 season, the Cincinnati Reds have some big decisions to make about the future of their starting rotation.
According to MLB Network Radio on Twitter, the Reds have had no discussions with Latos about an extension to this point, though he is open to working out a long-term deal.
That, coupled with the fact that he was briefly dangled at the trade deadline last year, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, would appear to make Latos the most likely to be dealt.
The 26-year-old made just 16 starts last season, as he began the year on the disabled list while recovering from knee surgery and also missed 19 games with elbow inflammation, but he was terrific once again when healthy.
In his three seasons with the Reds, he's gone 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.179 WHIP, and given his age he will be among the most attractive free-agent options on the market next winter.
The Reds have not officially indicated that they are shopping any of their arms to this point, so no clear suitors for Latos or any of the other pitchers have emerged, but the Red Sox would seem like a good fit given their abundance of outfielders and need for front-line pitching.
Hanley Ramirez Signs with the Seattle Mariners
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The Seattle Mariners made a splash last offseason when they signed Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million deal, and the result was a 16-win improvement and a team that contended for a playoff spot until the final day of the season.
With the game's best bullpen and a solid rotation with upside to be even better with the continued emergence of James Paxton and Taijuan Walker, adding another bat could be the move that pushes their team over the top.
In particular, they are looking for a right-handed power hitter to slot between Cano and breakout third baseman Kyle Seager, and there are a number of players who could fit the bill.
Nelson Cruz, Victor Martinez and Billy Butler appear to be among their top targets, but they have also shown interest in shortstop Hanley Ramirez, according to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Ramirez has indicated that he is willing to switch positions, and the Mariners could be eyeing him as a left fielder with a clear hole to fill there.
After missing out on Cruz last offseason and settling for Corey Hart, the Mariners could take a more aggressive approach this winter to fill their most glaring need, and Ramirez could be the answer.
A recent article from Jon Heyman of CBSSports had his contract predictions ranging from five-year, $90 million to six-year, $122 million.
Kenta Maeda Signs with the New York Yankees
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It would appear that the New York Yankees won't be going on another $500 million spending spree this offseason.
According to a report from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the team is unlikely to pursue any of the Big Three starters or Pablo Sandoval and will instead look to add second-tier pieces to fill out the roster.
Brandon McCarthy appears to be atop their list of mid-level starting pitching targets, but they could also make a run at Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda.
The 26-year-old was 11-9 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.096 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 187 innings of work this past season and is 82-59 with a 2.44 ERA, 1.053 WHIP, 1.9 BB/9 and 7.3 K/9 in his seven-year career for the Hiroshima Carp.
Ben Cafardo of The Boston Globe wrote last month that Maeda could see as much as $120 million-$130 million over six years, but given his perceived ceiling as a No. 3 starter, something more in the range of a $15 million salary annually would seem more reasonable.
Maeda has indicated that he would prefer to pitch for either the Yankees or Boston Red Sox, and joining fellow countrymen Masahiro Tanaka in the Yankees rotation could make for an easier transition to the MLB game.
Carlos Gonzalez Will Be Traded...to the Chicago White Sox
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The Colorado Rockies might finally be willing to move oft-injured stars Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki, according to an article from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
"The Rockies are telling clubs they are keeping their 'eyes and ears open' for potential deals involving both players, according to major-league sources," wrote Rosenthal.
CarGo is owed $53 million over the next three seasons, and while he was limited to just 70 games last season with finger and knee injuries, he remains one of the most dynamic all-around offensive players in the game when healthy.
The 29-year-old put together four straight 20/20 seasons prior to last year, and he is capable of playing all three outfield spots, making him an attractive trade target in a market that is thin on outfielders.
The White Sox have made it clear they are looking to add another power bat this offseason to pair with slugger Jose Abreu. According to WSCR-AM's Bruce Levine, Victor Martinez will be one of their targets, but there's still a good chance he re-signs with the Detroit Tigers.
If they miss out on V-Mart, it's not inconceivable to think they turn their attention to the trade market and Gonzalez, and he could be the perfect fit.
A package built around breakout pitching prospect Francellis Montas, and perhaps also including right-hander Chris Beck and infielder Micah Johnson, might to get a deal done.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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