2016 Reviews, Offseason Outlooks for All of MLB's Non-Playoff Teams
The division races are over, the wild-card berths have been won and playoff baseball is about to begin.
Tuesday night will see division rivals Baltimore and Toronto do battle one more time in the American League Wild Card Game, while the National League tilt between the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants will take place Wednesday at Citi Field.
But for 20 of Major League Baseball's 30 teams, the 2016 season has officially come to an end. What follows is a look back at the 2016 season for each of those 20 franchises and a look at what might lie ahead this coming offseason.
Arizona Diamondbacks (69-93)
1 of 20
Season in Review
Jean Segura turned out to be a steal from Milwaukee, Shelby Miller turned out to be a bust from Atlanta and Arizona spent much of the season without two of its most important players—ace Zack Greinke and All-Star leadoff hitter A.J. Pollock, who both missed significant time due to injury.
A powerful lineup produced the 10th-most runs in baseball, but a dumpster fire of a pitching staff was unable to keep things close enough for it to matter. With the team finishing in a tie for the sixth-worst record in baseball, dumpster fire might be putting it kindly.
Offseason Outlook
Time could be up for general manager Dave Stewart and chief baseball officer Tony La Russa, as Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall alluded to on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's Doug & Wolf show last week, per Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com.
"It’s an uncomfortable area right now. We’ve got about two weeks where we know we’re going to have to make a decision, then we’re going to have to act quickly, and it’s not a fun place to be in."
Whoever is in charge will have to try to extinguish the aforementioned blaze that has charred the pitching staff, but with a weak crop of free-agent starters and a farm system that B/R's Joel Reuter ranked in the bottom third of baseball, accomplishing that feat is easier said than done.
Bolstering the bullpen around rookie hurler Jake Barrett, who looks like a future closer, could be a realistic option. A number of quality relievers, including former D-backs closer Brad Ziegler, will be testing the free-agent waters.
They'll also want to explore (and hopefully work out) long-term extensions with catcher Welington Castillo and second baseman Jean Segura, who are under team control through 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Atlanta Braves (68-93)
2 of 20
Season in Review
For the first time in a few years, there's reason for optimism in Atlanta.
After a brutal 9-28 start under Fredi Gonzalez, the Braves were only six games under .500 (59-65) with interim manager Brian Snitker at the helm and played winning ball (31-25) since Matt Kemp arrived at the non-waiver trade deadline.
The team's young pitching, aside from a nice bounce-back season from ace Julio Teheran, was disappointing, but the emergence of shortstop Dansby Swanson and an MVP-caliber season from first baseman Freddie Freeman should have fans excited about the future.
Offseason Outlook
Retaining Snitker as manager is a decision that should take general manager John Coppolella and president of baseball operations John Hart only seconds to make. The first-year skipper has the team moving in the right direction.
When it comes to roster construction, Coppolella laid out the team's plans in a wide-ranging chat with fans on the team's official Twitter account. The Braves will be active in free agency, armed with "more money to spend than in the last 10 years" and plan to spend it on starting pitching and catching.
Matt Wieters is the best available free-agent backstop, and he did play his college ball at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, so there could be a match there. The team could also rekindle trade talks (per MLB.com's Mark Bowman) with the New York Yankees about former Brave Brian McCann.
While there are a handful of useful back-of-the-rotation arms available in free agency, the Braves might have to go the trade route to add a legitimate impact starter to pair with Teheran atop the rotation, if that's what they seek.
Chicago White Sox (78-84)
3 of 20
Season in Review
Chicago went to sleep on May 9 with a 23-10 record and six-game lead in the AL Central. It dozed off Sunday night with a third consecutive fourth-place division finish. Solid pitching couldn't overcome the team's mediocre defense and inconsistent offense.
That's normally the type of thing that leads to turnover in the dugout and front office.
GM Rick Hahn and president Kenny Williams appear to be safe in their jobs, given Hahn's comments to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times that management and ownership agree on an offseason strategy.
Robin Ventura is out as manager, per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune, and is expected to be replaced by former Chicago Cubs manager Rick Renteria, according to a report from Van Schouwen.
Offseason Outlook
Going with a full-blown rebuild makes the most sense, given Renteria's reputation for being a great mentor to young talent. Trading All-Star starters Jose Quintana and Chris Sale, who the team listened to offers for at the non-waiver trade deadline, per Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan, would infuse the organization with a massive influx of young talent.
Deals involving outfielders Melky Cabrera and Adam Eaton, third baseman Todd Frazier, and closer David Robertson, among others, could further accelerate that rebuilding process.
If the strategy is to plug holes on the roster to contend in 2017—which seems like a long shot at this point—adding a center fielder to complement Cabrera and Eaton—Dexter Fowler, perhaps—is a must.
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Cincinnati Reds (68-94)
4 of 20
Season in Review
Jay Bruce was finally traded, Dan Straily wasn't, Joey Votto continued to do Joey Votto things and the bullpen was historically awful with a rebuild underway in Cincinnati.
You can't really blame the Reds for sticking with the 27-year-old Straily (3.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP), who combines with Anthony DeSclafani (3.28 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) and Brandon Finnegan (3.98 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) to give the Reds a trio of arms to build their future rotation around.
But the bullpen was dreadful, becoming the first group of relievers to allow 100 home runs in a given season, pitching to a combined 5.08 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
Offseason Outlook
Cincinnati only has three significant salaries on its books: Joey Votto, who has seven years remaining on the 10-year, $225 million extension he signed in 2012; Homer Bailey, who is due $63 million over the next three years; and Brandon Phillips, who will be entering the final year of his deal.
Of that trio, only Bailey lacks the ability to block trades. And while he wasn't good in his return from Tommy John surgery (6.65 ERA, 1.83 WHIP), Bailey does have a track record of success in the big leagues. Entering his age-31 season, he has value, especially in a weak pitching market.
But Bailey isn't the only veteran the Reds could part with.
Shortstop Zack Cozart, who was nearly traded to Seattle at the non-waiver trade deadline, is another candidate to be moved, though a season-ending knee injury could complicate matters. With infielders Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera, who the Reds got from the New York Mets in the Bruce trade, both in need of regular playing time next season, moving Cozart makes a lot of sense.
No matter who the Reds decide to trade—if anyone—expect to see the team focused on adding more young, controllable talent to the mix, weaving some low-cost veterans into the mix along the way.
Colorado Rockies (75-87)
5 of 20
Season in Review
While a losing record and a fifth consecutive season of finishing at least 10 games back in the NL West offers little reason for optimism, 2016 offered some signs that things are beginning to turn around for the Colorado Rockies.
Trevor Story was a stud before he suffered a season-ending thumb injury in early August. David Dahl has been great since joining the team in late July. Oh, and the Rockies figured out how to pitch outside of Colorado, with the team's 4.37 road ERA baseball's 15th best.
The problem is the Rockies can't hit away from Coors Field. Only eight teams had a lower road OPS than the Rockies (.700) did.
Offseason Outlook
The team's first task will be to find a new manager, as Walt Weiss isn't expected to return due to what team sources tell the Denver Post's Patrick Saunders is a "strained relationship" between the skipper and general manager Jeff Bridich.
Carlos Gonzalez is heading into the final year of his deal, and while the veteran outfielder is a beloved fan favorite and the face of the franchise, the time may have come for the team to move him.
With Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon due significant raises through arbitration, Dahl's emergence and the presence of veteran outfielder Gerardo Parra, the $20.429 million that CarGo is due next season could be put to better use.
CarGo isn't the only familiar face who could be leaving Colorado, as veteran starter Jorge De La Rosa (5.51 ERA, 1.64 WHIP) is set to become a free agent. Heading into his age-36 season, he may no longer fit into the team's plans.
Detroit Tigers (86-75)
6 of 20
Season in Review
Powered by one of baseball's highest-scoring lineups, Detroit found itself in contention for a playoff spot entering the season's final weekend. But the Tigers season was ultimately undone by injuries to the rotation and sketchy relief pitching.
One of the team's biggest offseason additions, Jordan Zimmermann was limited to only 105.1 innings of work due to groin and neck injuries, while neither Mike Pelfrey nor Anibal Sanchez did anything to show they're worthy of rotation spots in 2017.
Detroit's other big-ticket offseason addition, Justin Upton, didn't get going at the plate until after the All-Star break, while J.D. Martinez, missed nearly a month and a half of the season with a fractured elbow.
There were bright spots, of course, none brighter than the emergence of Michael Fulmer as a front-of-the-rotation arm, The 23-year-old right-hander has a great chance to become the first Tiger since Justin Verlander in 2006, to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
Offseason Outlook
With most of the roster under contract in 2017, Detroit doesn't have much in the way of difficult decisions to make this offseason.
Exercising team options on Cameron Maybin ($9 million) and Francisco Rodriguez ($6 million) are simple decisions for GM Al Avila, as is letting the team's only two free agents, Erick Aybar and Casey McGehee, take their talents elsewhere next season.
Houston Astros (84-78)
7 of 20
Season in Review
If you had to summarize Houston's 2016 season in one word, the word would be inconsistent.
After starting the season 7-17, the Astros went a combined 35-20 in May and June and looked like the contenders they were expected to be. Then it fell apart again, with the club hovering around the .500 mark the rest of the way to stay on the fringes of contention without ever making a real push.
The offense was inconsistent. The pitching was inconsistent. In fact, the only consistent player at Minute Maid Park was Jose Altuve, who won his second AL batting crown in three years, hitting .338 with 24 home runs, 96 RBI and a legitimate claim to MVP honors.
Offseason Outlook
Of the four players Houston has heading to free agency, Jason Castro seems the most likely to still be with the club in 2017.
"I think there would be a strong desire from our side to try and bring him back," GM Jeff Luhnow recently told the Houston Chronicle's Jake Kaplan, noting that Evan Gattis—whose $5.2 million team option will assuredly be picked up—and Max Stassi will factor into that decision.
As for the team's other free agents, both Doug Fister and Colby Rasmus figure to depart, while Luis Valbuena's season-ending hamstring surgery clouds his potential market. If anything, that unfortunate injury could improve his odds of sticking around Minute Maid Park.
Adding another outfielder, preferably one with a big bat, seems like a necessity, as George Springer is the only sure starter currently on the roster. Whether it's a free agent like Yoenis Cespedes or swinging a trade for a player coming off a down season like Andrew McCutchen, the Astros will have options.
Kansas City Royals (81-81)
8 of 20
Season in Review
Going all in to win the 2015 World Series robbed Kansas City of much of its pitching depth, which was only one of the many issues facing the defending champions in 2016.
Injuries robbed the team of key players for significant periods of time, a list that includes Lorenzo Cain, Wade Davis and Mike Moustakas, the latter playing in only 27 games before being lost for the season due to a torn ACL in late May.
Alex Gordon was banged up as well and never really got going, hitting just .220 with a .692 OPS, while Yordano Ventura, Edinson Volquez and Chris Young were inconsistent in the rotation, with Young ultimately losing his starting job before the All-Star break.
Offseason Outlook
Kansas City has one more year to make another run with this team, as Cain, Davis, Moustakas and Eric Hosmer can all become free agents after the 2017 season. There's no chance the Royals will be able to keep all of them in the fold.
Adding at least one starting pitcher to replace Volquez, who figures to depart as a free agent, has to be a priority, though it won't be the front-of-the-rotation arm the Royals could really use. A veteran innings-eater—Bartolo Colon perhaps—seems a far more likely target.
The Royals could also pursue a reunion with former outfielder Carlos Beltran, who could replace Kendrys Morales as the team's designated hitter.
Los Angeles Angels (74-88)
9 of 20
Season in Review
Excellent defense couldn't make up for an inconsistent offense and a pitching staff decimated by injuries in Los Angeles, dooming the Angels to their fifth losing record (and first since 2013) in the 12 years that Mike Scioscia has been the team's manager.
Only two starters—Matt Shoemaker and Jered Weaver—stayed healthy enough to make at least 20 starts on the year, while C.J. Wilson (shoulder surgery) never threw a pitch. Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano were both lost to Tommy John surgery, while Garrett Richards was limited to six starts by his own elbow injury.
But things weren't all bad, as Mike Trout continued to do Mike Trout things, Cam Bedrosian emerged as a legitimate late-inning reliever and Albert Pujols put together a productive season that saw him drive in more runs (119) than he had since winning his third—and final—National League MVP Award in 2009.
Offseason Outlook
Both Heaney and Tropeano figure to miss all of 2017, while Richards is no lock to be ready to start the season and could wind up undergoing Tommy John surgery himself if he suffers a setback in his recovery.
When you factor in that both Weaver and Wilson are free agents, it seems clear that the Angels have to add a couple of starting pitchers this winter. Re-signing Weaver, who recently told reporters, including the Los Angeles Times' Pedro Moura that he is "definitely not retiring," is a possibility.
The Angels are still on the hook for $28.4 million of Josh Hamilton's salary—2017 will be the final year they have to carry that on their books—so the club doesn't figure to be overly active when it comes to the top free agents on the market.
But adding at least one more starting pitcher is a necessity, as is finding an everyday option in left field, a position that was essentially an automatic out whenever one of the eight players the Angels tried at the position stepped to the plate.
Miami Marlins (79-82)
10 of 20
Season in Review
Miami looked like a contender for much of the season, but a 10-18 August record and yet another untimely injury to slugger Giancarlo Stanton—who ultimately returned to action in early September—crushed the Marlins' playoff hopes.
But the 2016 season will be remembered in Miami not for anything that happened on the field, but the tragic death of 24-year-old ace Jose Fernandez, who passed away in a boating accident in late September.
A larger-than-life personality who dominated every time he stepped on the mound, the loss of Fernandez is not only a blow to the Marlins, but all of baseball, which has lost one of its brightest, most affable—and irreplaceable—young stars.
Offseason Outlook
With Andrew Cashner (5.25 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) headed for free agency, the Marlins were already going to be in the market for a starting pitcher. But with Fernandez no longer on the roster, Miami now has to bring in a pair of arms to bolster the rotation around Wei-Yin Chen, Adam Conley and Tom Koehler.
The team has already worked out an extension with third baseman Martin Prado, who could have departed as a free agent. The Marlins could pursue extensions with any of their six arbitration-eligible players, a list that includes closer A.J. Ramos and outfielder Marcell Ozuna.
Speculation surrounding Alex Rodriguez, who could slide in as the right-handed part of a first-base platoon with Justin Bour, is sure to pick up as the offseason gets going.
Milwaukee Brewers (73-89)
11 of 20
Season in Review
The rebuilding process continued in Milwaukee, with the Brewers trading away veterans Jeremy Jeffress, Jonathan Lucroy and Will Smith while continuing to stockpile controllable young talent for the future. But there were some bright spots that indicate things are moving in the right direction.
Jonathan Villar, who the Brewers acquired from Houston last November in a move that hardly anyone paid attention to, surprised with a big year, hitting .285 with 19 home runs, 62 stolen bases and a .826 OPS. If he can improve his defense, he could be the team's long-term answer at the hot corner.
Keon Broxton emerged as a defensive whiz in center field, Zach Davies looks like a keeper in the rotation and Tyler Thornburg had no issues taking over as closer after Jeffress and Smith departed. Top prospect Orlando Arcia has looked overwhelmed at times, but his natural talent is obvious.
Offseason Outlook
The biggest story in Milwaukee this winter will be whether the Brewers trade Ryan Braun. The former NL MVP was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in late August in a deal that, according to a report from MLB.com's Adam McCalvy, would have included Yasiel Puig and Brandon McCarthy, among others.
In mid-September, Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote that not only does he expect the two teams to rekindle those trade talks after the season, but that he believes a deal is likely, noting that Braun will earn 10-and-5 rights in May 2017, giving him full veto power over potential trades. Currently, he can only block trades to 24 teams.
It'll be interesting to see what the Brewers do with 31-year-old starter Junior Guerra, who went 9-3 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 20 starts. Guerra could certainly stick in the rotation, but he might be more valuable to the team as a trade chip, especially given the lack of quality starting pitchers available.
Minnesota Twins (59-103)
12 of 20
Season in Review
A 15-35 start to the season ensured that Minnesota wouldn't emerge as a surprise contender the way it did in 2015, but the team's awful pitching staff made it nearly impossible for the Twins to dig themselves out of that hole.
Minnesota's starters pitched to a combined 5.39 ERA, while its relievers were only slightly better with a 4.63 mark. Both were the worst in the American League. Ervin Santana (3.38 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) was the team's only pitcher with at least 100 innings pitched to post an ERA below 5.00.
That makes it easier to understand how the Twins could lose 100 games despite having a Brian Dozier-led offense that wasn't terrible. Dozier delivered a monster season with 42 home runs, 99 RBI and a .889 OPS.
After looking lost for much of the season and finding himself demoted—again—to Triple-A, something finally clicked for Byron Buxton, who hit .277 with seven homers and a .936 OPS in September.
Offseason Outlook
Derek Falvey, who is currently Cleveland's assistant GM, will be tasked with finding the pitching that Minnesota needs, as he was hired to take over for Twins interim GM Rob Antony on Monday, per the Associated Press. Antony has served as the team's interim general manager since Terry Ryan was fired shortly after the All-Star break.
Falvey will helm the Twins front office as the team's executive vice president and chief baseball officer. He may want to bring in his own general manager—or handle those duties himself.
Adding quality arms to both the rotation and the bullpen is a must if the Twins are going to have any shot at restoring respectability, let alone becoming a contender, anytime soon.
New York Yankees (84-78)
13 of 20
Season in Review
After parting ways with Alex Rodriguez and trading away Carlos Beltran, Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Ivan Nova, it looked like the New York Yankees were punting on the season with an eye toward 2017. But the Yankees went 17-11 in August to make a late playoff push before fading down the stretch.
Gary Sanchez (20 HR, 42 RBI, 1.032 OPS) has not only made a strong case to be named AL Rookie of the Year despite playing in only 53 games, but he looks like the cornerstone piece the Yankees hoped he'd become to build a future lineup around.
CC Sabathia has shown that he's still capable of bursts of brilliance, while Dellin Betances remains a dominant anchor at the back end of the bullpen. But a lack of consistent offense and a shaky rotation were ultimately the team's undoing.
Offseason Outlook
With Sanchez firmly entrenched as the team's everyday catcher, the Yankees figure to try to move veteran backstop Brian McCann over the winter. As previously noted, the Atlanta Braves could be a potential landing spot. Outfielder Brett Gardner could also find himself on the trade block.
A reunion with Chapman, who will be a free agent, isn't out of the question, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, but the Yankees are clearly on a path to get younger and less expensive, considering the moves they made during the season.
That said, the club won't be quiet during the offseason, as Jon Heyman reported for Today's Knuckleball that the club will be looking to add a power bat and more arms.
Oakland Athletics (69-93)
14 of 20
Season in Review
Oakland couldn't score runs, ranking 28th in baseball in runs scored. Oakland couldn't prevent runs, not with what advanced metrics grade as the worst defense in baseball. While Oakland's pitching staff finished the year with one of the game's 10 highest ERAs, most of the team's bright spots were on the mound.
Youngsters Kendall Graveman and Sean Manaea look like they'll be fixtures in the A's rotation until they become too expensive for the team to keep around, while Ryan Dull busted out a terrific season from the bullpen.
Offensively, rookie Ryon Healy, who hit for average and power, looks like a potential big-time run producer the team can pair alongside Khris Davis, who smacked a career-high 42 home runs (and drove in a career-best 102 runs) in his first year with the A's.
Offseason Outlook
Trade winds will continue to swirl around staff ace Sonny Gray, who is coming off the worst season of his career (5.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP), but he's not the only member of the club who could be shopped.
Versatile veteran infielder Jed Lowrie, who has been traded three times during his career—twice by Houston to Oakland—recently acknowledged to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he could be on the move once again this winter. "Whatever happens, happens," he remarked.
Another versatile vet, Danny Valencia, is "unlikely" to return to the A's in 2017, per Slusser, though it's unclear whether the club will trade him (he has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining) or non-tender him.
Philadelphia Phillies (71-91)
15 of 20
Season in Review
Expectations were low in Philadelphia with the team rebuilding, so it was somewhat surprising that the Phillies sat seven games above .500 (24-17) at the season's quarter mark. But a lack of offense—no team in baseball scored fewer runs—ultimately did the team in.
It didn't help that third baseman Maikel Franco (.733 OPS), arguably the team's most talented position player, took a step backward in his development.
There was (mostly) good news on the mound, with Jerad Eickhoff (3.65 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) and Vince Velasquez (4.12 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) looking like cornerstone rotation pieces alongside Aaron Nola. But Nola, the team's most promising young arm, suffered a season-ending elbow injury in early August.
Offseason Outlook
While adding a bat remains a priority, GM Matt Klentak told CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury that bolstering the rotation is at the front of his mind. "I don't think we will ever have the luxury of ignoring starting pitching," Klentak said. "Starting pitching is the name of the game."
The Phillies will likely extend Jeremy Hellickson (3.71 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) a one-year, $19 million qualifying offer, but the 29-year-old is sure to find a longer-term deal elsewhere. Ryan Howard, the last remaining link to the 2008 World Series-winning team, will depart as well, with his $23 million team option declined.
With only three players of any significance—infielder Freddy Galvis, closer Jeanmar Gomez and second baseman Cesar Hernandez—due for raises in arbitration, Philadelphia should have the ability to add payroll. But that doesn't mean the team will spend lavishly on the open market.
"Free agency is an important market for us and every team to improve," Klentak told Salisbury. "Just how strongly we invest in it is going to depend, No. 1, on the types of players that are available and, No. 2., on where the organization is at that moment."
Pittsburgh Pirates (78-83)
16 of 20
Season in Review
Injuries, subpar pitching, puzzling deals and a career-worst year from the face of the franchise, Andrew McCutchen, put an end to Pittsburgh's three-year run of playoff baseball.
Francisco Liriano lost his mojo and was traded to Toronto (along with two legitimate prospects, Reese McGuire and Harold Ramirez) for the oft-injured Drew Hutchison, who allowed seven earned runs and 15 hits over just 11.1 innings of work in a Pirates uniform.
Staff ace Gerrit Cole was limited to 21 starts due to injury, while Josh Harrison and Starling Marte both missed more than 30 games.
But Ivan Nova, acquired in a midseason trade with the New York Yankees, helped to stabilize the rotation, while youngsters Steven Brault, Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon all showed flashes of what the club could expect from them over the course of a full season if given a regular rotation spot.
Offseason Outlook
Will the Pirates trade McCutchen? Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review believes they should. Even if they don't trade him, McCutchen could be entering his final year with the club, as there's no guarantee the Pirates would pick up his $14.75 million team option for 2018.
With top prospect Austin Meadows waiting in the wings to take over in center field, dealing McCutchen isn't as crazy as it might have sounded at the beginning of the season.
The Pirates "are aggressively trying to sign" Nova before he hits the free-agent market, according to Sawchik. Nova said he would like to stay, telling Sawchik that he "doesn't want to leave this clubhouse," though he wouldn't commit to re-signing.
Keeping super-utility man Sean Rodriguez and reserve outfielder Matt Joyce around would be a good move for the Bucs as well. While both are due raises after terrific seasons, neither one is going to sign a budget-busting deal.
Cole is the most significant player Pittsburgh has headed to arbitration, and he's going to receive a significant raise from his 2016 salary of $548,000. Just how expensive Cole becomes will play a large role in how active the Pirates are when it comes to bringing in outside help to bolster the roster.
San Diego Padres (68-94)
17 of 20
Season in Review
Wil Myers delivered an All-Star first half before slumping down the stretch; Ryan Schimpf came out of nowhere to hit 20 home runs and put up an .869 OPS; and top prospect Hunter Renfroe has looked like the real deal at the plate, with seven extra-base hits and 14 RBI in his first 11 games.
Nearly all of the team's high-priced veterans—Andrew Cashner, Matt Kemp, Drew Pomeranz, James Shields and Melvin Upton Jr.—were traded away as San Diego continued to tear things down.
But the negatives outweighed the positives. Aside from poor results on the field, staff ace Tyson Ross missed all but one game due to a shoulder injury that GM A.J. Preller recently told the San Diego Union-Tribune's Dennis Lin could require offseason surgery to correct.
Speaking of Preller, he was suspended for 30 days by MLB for after failing to disclose medical information about traded players, including Pomeranz. That could pose a problem for the club heading into the offseason.
Offseason Outlook
You can't help but wonder whether other general managers will avoid dealing with Preller at all this winter, unsure of whether they're getting the full story when it comes to a player's medical history. While it'd be insane for the Padres to continue trying to deceive teams after getting caught, anything's possible.
Myers and Yangervis Solarte represent the team's two most important arbitration-eligible players, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Padres tried to work out long-term extensions with the pair in an attempt to keep future costs more manageable.
Trading catcher Derek Norris, the subject of multiple trade rumors throughout the regular season, is likely going to be a priority for Preller, as the Padres have both Christian Bethancourt and Austin Hedges ready to take over behind the plate.
Seattle Mariners (86-76)
18 of 20
Season in Review
How frustrating was the 2016 season for Seattle, which remained in contention up until Saturday night? The Mariners had the AL's fourth-highest run differential at plus-61 (per ESPN.com), yet missed the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season.
It certainly didn't help that, statistically, 30-year-old Felix Hernandez had his worst season since 2008 and failed to make at least 30 starts for the first time since 2005, when he broke into the big leagues as a 19-year-old.
Hernandez pointed to the nearly two months that he missed due to a calf injury, not his age, as a reason for his struggles. "I’m going to go out and show everybody they can believe in me," Hernandez told ESPN.com's Jim Caple of his plans for 2017.
Offseason Outlook
All of Seattle's key players remain under contract, and the players that don't—Franklin Gutierrez, Adam Lind and Drew Storen—are expendable pieces who could be replaced by cheaper in-house options or low-cost free agents.
The Mariners figure to pick up the team options they hold on Hisashi Iwakuma ($10 million) and Seth Smith ($7 million), and it wouldn't be shocking if the team explored extending Nelson Cruz's deal, which runs through next season.
If the Mariners were to do anything substantial on the open market, it could be to find an upgrade behind the plate. But the club remains committed to Mike Zunino as its catcher of the future, according to Bob Dutton of the News Tribune, which may limit the team's interest in adding a substantial backstop.
St. Louis Cardinals (86-76)
19 of 20
Season in Review
It was a weird season in St. Louis, where the Cardinals uncharacteristically led the National League in home runs but boasted a mediocre pitching staff and equally mediocre defense.
Only one of the team's regular starters, Carlos Martinez, pitched to an ERA below 4.60 or a WHIP below 1.30, while All-Star closer Trevor Rosenthal pitched his way out of the ninth inning, giving way to Seung Hwan Oh, who along with Matt Bowman was one of the few bright spots in the team's bullpen.
Randal Grichuk suffered through the dreaded sophomore slump, finding himself demoted back to Triple-A at one point, while Rookie of the Year candidate Aledmys Diaz missed nearly a month and a half of the season due to a thumb injury.
Yet for all that mediocrity, St. Louis was in the running for a playoff spot until the season's last day.
Offseason Outlook
The Cardinals already announced that they probably won't be picking up Matt Holliday's $17 million team option, and with Brandon Moss set to become a free agent, the Cardinals could have an opening for an everyday left fielder.
Jaime Garcia's $12.5 million team option figures to be picked up, but it's far from a sure thing.
With youngsters Alex Reyes and Luke Weaver expected to be in the mix for a rotation spot next season, the Cardinals could opt to part ways with the 30-year-old, who was unable to replicate his stellar 2016 numbers.
But as is the case with most of the teams that came ever so close to the playoffs in 2016 but missed out, most of the current team remains under contract heading into 2017, leaving little room for substantial offseason additions.
Tampa Bay Rays (68-94)
20 of 20
Season in Review
Tampa Bay once again struggled to put runs on the board in the third consecutive season that has seen the Rays rank either last or next-to-last in the American League in scoring. While the Rays are normally able to overcome that with excellent pitching, the team's arms simply weren't as sharp as usual.
Staff ace Chris Archer was one of the biggest culprits—at least early—pitching to a 4.66 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in the first half before delivering a more Archer-like 3.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP after the All-Star break. That said, he's still gone just 9-19 on the year, an ugly record no matter how you spin it.
But there were some bright spots in what amounted to a lost season. Alex Colome emerged as a legitimate late-inning weapon, while Blake Snell (3.54 ERA, 1.62 WHIP) flashed the front-of-the-rotation stuff that made him one of baseball's top pitching prospects heading into the season.
Offseason Outlook
Will the Rays trade pitching to bolster their offense? That's the biggest question in Tampa Bay this offseason.
Trade winds swirled around nearly all the team's arms as the non-waiver trade deadline neared—Archer and Jake Odorizzi (3.69 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) especially—and dealing either Archer or Odorizzi this winter could bring the club the young, controllable impact bats it needs to add alongside Evan Longoria and Logan Forsythe.
Trades remain the only viable way Tampa Bay can really add substantial talent, as the club lacks the financial wherewithal to be anything more than bargain-bin shoppers in free agency.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, FanGraphs and MLB.com and are current through games of Oct. 3. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts (via Baseball Prospectus).
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