Finding a Fix for Every MLB Team's Biggest Hole Entering May
We're almost a month through the regular season, which usually means there's enough data to draw some conclusions regarding the rest of the season. With that data, we can diagnose each team's biggest hole and how to fix that particular weakness.
Whether it's an anemic offense, an erratic rotation or an unreliable bullpen, we've got a solution for your team's most pressing issues.
Let's get to it!
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Biggest Hole: Starting Catcher
Arizona Diamondbacks catchers are 14-for-74 to begin the season. Tuffy Gosewisch is a career minor leaguer, while Jordan Pacheco is striking out over 36 percent of the time.
The Fix: Trade for One of the Available Catchers
Luckily for the Diamondbacks, there are plenty of backstops around the league that would be expendable to their current squads. Welington Castillo of the Chicago Cubs and Dioner Navarro of the Toronto Blue Jays would be significant upgrades at reasonable prices.
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
Biggest Hole: Underperforming Table-Setters
The Atlanta Braves have received little production from their table-setters in 2015. Eric Young Jr., Jace Peterson, Cameron Maybin and Alberto Callaspo each have on-base percentages lower than .327
The Fix: Promote Jose Peraza
Jose Peraza is currently the No. 38 overall prospect in the minor leagues. The speedy infielder hit over .330 with 60 steals between High-A and Double-A last season. Peraza is only 20, but he's close to being ready for major league duty.
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
Biggest Hole: Fifth Starter
Baltimore Orioles starters have the third-highest ERA in baseball over the season's first month. Those numbers are inflated by Bud Norris and his 12.18 ERA in just 17 innings.
The Fix: Move Kevin Gausman into the Rotation
Gausman started 20 games for the O's in 2014, posting a 3.57 ERA and a 3.41 FIP. The right-hander is blessed with elite arm talent, often throwing his fastball in the upper 90s.
The 24-year-old has proved he can get major league hitters out. It's time for Baltimore to move the talented youngster into the rotation on a full-time basis.
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Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
Biggest Hole: Lack of an Ace
No rotation has struggled more than that of the Boston Red Sox. Boston starters rank last with a 5.84 ERA.
Clay Buchholz, Joe Kelly, Rick Porcello and Justin Masterson do have strikeout percentages of 20 percent or higher, indicating that there's plenty of talent on the staff. But without an ace, there's no stability in the rotation.
The Fix: Trade for Cole Hamels
The Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies flirted with a Hamels blockbuster all winter, but they couldn't agree to a deal.
Boston has the assets to appease Philly's lofty demands, and Hamels would provide the Red Sox with the front-line starter they desperately need.
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
Biggest Hole: Middle Relief
Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop have combined to form one of the most underrated eighth and ninth inning combos in baseball.
But in middle relief, Phil Coke, Jason Motte and Brian Schlitter, who was just option to Triple-A, each have struggled at times in the season's first month.
The Fix: Target Cheap Bullpen Help
Luckily for the Chicago Cubs, bullpen help is the easiest thing to acquire at the trade deadline.
Neftali Feliz, Jim Johnson, Brad Ziegler and Tim Stauffer are all free agents at the end of the season and could likely be had at a reasonable price.
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Biggest Hole: Underperforming Table-Setters
Jose Abreu has continued to mash for the Chicago White Sox in 2015, but he's had nobody on base in front of him. Melky Cabrera, Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez each have a wRC+ under 100.
The Fix: Be Patient
Despite the early-season struggles, the White Sox must remain patient with their top of the order.
Cabrera has been a consistent offensive force since 2011, while Ramirez has been a league-average offensive shortstop his entire career. Eaton is 26 with only one full season of major league service under his belt, so extended slumps shouldn't be seen as abnormal.
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
Biggest Hole: Bullpen
Aside from Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds relievers have been anemic this season. Cincinnati's bullpen has posted an ERA of 5.54, despite Chapman's 0.00 mark.
The Fix: Trade for Jason Grilli
Grilli is perfect in his seven save opportunities in 2015. He's struck out over 44 percent of hitters he's faced while allowing just one earned run in seven innings.
The Braves will surely look to flip Grilli for prospects to continue their rebuilding efforts. The 38-year-old would be a great fit in the eighth inning for the Reds.
Cleveland Indians
8 of 30
Biggest Hole: Shortstop
Jose Ramirez is hitting just .185 in his first 61 at-bats this season. The 22-year-old is also striking out 18 percent of the time.
The Fix: Promote Francisco Lindor
Francisco Lindor reached Triple-A last season at the age of 20 and has impressed there again in 2015. The 21-year-old is slashing .284/.360/.403 with five extra-base hits and six stolen bases.
Zack Meisel at Cleveland.com believes Lindor has to be nearing his major league debut:
"Through 17 games with Columbus, Lindor has compiled a .302/.380/.429 slash line with six stolen bases. He recently completed a stretch of 10 hits in 16 at-bats over four games. So what must Lindor accomplish at Triple-A before the Indians would consider a change of scenery for the guy ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the league by MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus?
"
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
Biggest Hole: Starting Pitching
Although there's been a vast improvement in 2015, the Colorado Rockies rotation is still the club's weak link.
Rockies starters all have walk percentages over 9 percent, and only Jordan Lyles is averaging over six innings per start.
The Fix: Trade For Scott Kazmir
At 11-8, the Rockies have the offense to hang around in the NL West. Trading for Kazmir would give them the front-line starter they desperately need.
Kazmir improved his ground-ball late to nearly 50 percent this season, which would play in the hitter friendly confines of Coors Field.
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
Biggest Hole: Bullpen
It wouldn't be right if the Detroit Tigers bullpen wasn't filled with question marks.
The good news for Tigers fans is that Joakim Soria has locked down the ninth inning. With Joba Chamberlain looking like his former self in his first few outings, the Tigers have the makings of a solid back end in the pen.
The Fix: Trade for Tyler Clippard
There are plenty of relievers who will become available as the season progresses, but Tyler Clippard may be the best of the bunch.
The right-hander has a career ERA under 3.00 while fanning over 27 percent of the batters he's faced. Billy Beane loves to flip free-agents-to-be, so Clippard will likely be available in the right deal.
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Biggest Hole: Evan Gattis and Chris Carter
Both Gattis and Carter have whiffed at ridiculous rates to begin 2015. Each slugger is striking out over 32 percent of the time while hitting only two home runs between them.
The Fix: Give Marwin Gonzalez and Hank Conger More At-Bats
By using the switch-hitting duo of Gonzalez and Conger more, the Houston Astros will be better suited to combat right-handed pitchers.
Carter is hitting .217 in his career against righties, while Gattis has a lifetime average of .235. Meanwhile, Gonzalez and Conger have posted a wRC+ of 117 and 131, respectively, in their limited at-bats.
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
Biggest Hole: Back End of the Rotation
Boy, this feels like nitpicking, as the Kansas City Royals are one of the most complete teams in the American League.
But if pressed into choosing a weakness, the back end of the rotation could use an upgrade. Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie each have a plus-5.00 ERA and are among the league leaders in home runs allowed.
The Fix: Cheap Starting Help
It wouldn't be wise for the Royals to sell the farm for a high-profile hurler, so acquiring a veteran starter for depth purposes would be a solid move.
Yovani Gallardo, Aaron Harang and Kyle Lohse are just a few options that Kansas City might want to take a look at.
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
Biggest Hole: Catcher
It's almost hard to believe how bad Los Angeles Angels catchers have been this season. Jon Morosi at Fox Sports noted on Twitter that Angels backstops have the lowest OPS in baseball.
In 70 combined at-bats, Chris Iannetta and Drew Butera are 7-for-70 with 20 strikeouts.
The Fix: Trade for One of the Available Catchers
We've already mentioned Welington Castillo and Dioner Navarro as potential trade chips. Castillo has posted an .837 OPS this season, while Navarro has a career OPS of .688.
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
Biggest Hole: Starting Rotation
Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are two of the best hurlers in baseball, but injuries and inconsistencies have raised some alarm regarding the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation.
Brandon McCarthy is out for the rest of the season with an elbow injury, while Hyun-jin Ryu has yet to throw a pitch in 2015.
The Fix: Trade for an Available Starter
Names like Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto will be linked to LA throughout the summer, but the Dodgers may decide to make a less flashy move.
Scott Kazmir will be a free agent in 2016, and he has allowed just three earned runs in 27 innings. Aaron Harang is another veteran arm that could entice the Dodgers.
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
Biggest Hole: Catcher
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins this past week after a nightmare start to the season.
The 29-year-old was 2-for-29 on the season and was whiffing over 36 percent of the time.
The Fix: Stick with J.T. Realmuto
The Fish will get a big boost from J.T. Realmuto, just from the sheer fact that he'll put the ball in play.
The 24-year-old has shown great discipline in the minor leagues, posting walk-to-strikeout ratios of 0.70 or better at any stop in which he had more than 300 at-bats.
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
Biggest Hole: Organizational Pitching Depth
Outside of Jimmy Nelson and Wily Peralta, the Milwaukee Brewers have very little pitching talent in their system. Matt Garza, Kyle Lohse and Mike Fiers are all 29 or older.
Making matters worse, Milwaukee's highest-rated pitching prospect is Devin Williams at No. 7.
The Fix: Fire Sale
In the short term, there's not much Milwaukee can do. The Brewers "boast" the worst record in baseball and their leader, Jonathan Lucroy, just hit the disabled list.
A rebuild is likely in order, and players like Lohse, Carlos Gomez, Jean Segura and Aramis Ramirez should be used to replenish the pitching talent in a barren farm system.
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
Biggest Hole: Outfield
With the exception of Shane Robinson, the Minnesota Twins are getting next to nothing from their outfield.
Torii Hunter, Oswaldo Arcia and Jordan Schafer are hitting .215, .200 and .190, respectively.
The Fix: Trade for Carlos Gomez
The Twins are loaded in the developmental levels, with top-tier prospects all over the field. Adding a player in his prime like Gomez would be a great investment in the short and long term.
Gomez is under team control through the 2016 season. He's swiped 74 bags and mashed 47 homers over the last two seasons. When healthy, he's as dangerous an offensive force as there is in the league.
New York Mets
18 of 30
Biggest Hole: Bullpen Depth
Similarly to Kansas City, the New York Mets haven't shown too many weaknesses in 2015.
But with injuries to Bobby Parnell and Jerry Blevins and the suspension of Jenrry Mejia, New York's bullpen depth could become an issue over the course of a full season.
The Fix: Sign Rafael Soriano
Soriano went unsigned this winter, but it's only a matter of time before a desperate team gobbles him up. The 35-year-old has over 200 career saves, and his velocity hasn't seen a noticeable dip as he's aged.
With Soriano on board and the returns of Parnell, Blevins and Mejia, the Mets would tout a versatile and lockdown bullpen.
New York Yankees
19 of 30
Biggest Hole: Didi Gregorius
As the heir apparent to Derek Jeter, Didi Gregorius has done very little to inspire fans in the Bronx.
Gregorius is slashing just .218/.279/.255 and has scored just two runs in his first season in pinstripes.
The Fix: Be Patient
The New York Yankees have enjoyed a bright start to the season without any production from Gregorius. With Brendan Ryan on the DL, there's really no reason to give up on Gregorius just yet.
Stephen Drew does provide the Yankees flexibility in the middle if Gregorius continues to struggle, but for now, that duo is the best middle infield combination the Yankees have at their disposal.
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
Biggest Hole: Bullpen
The Oakland A's have one of the best rotations in the American League, but the efforts of those starters is often being wasted by poor performances from the bullpen. The A's rank 25th in reliever ERA.
The Fix: Acquire a Left-Handed Reliever
A big issue with Oakland's pen is the lack of a second dependable lefty. Fernando Abad hasn't been terrible, but Eric O'Flaherty's 11.37 ERA has been a tough blow for the pen.
There are a handful of southpaw late-inning options who will be free agents at the end of the season. Sean Marshall, Ross Detwiler, Neal Cotts and Jeremy Affeldt all have histories of getting guys out.
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Biggest Hole: Offense
The Philadelphia Phillies just can't score runs, as the club ranks last in runs in the league. Philadelphia hitters have mustered only a measly .275 on-base percentage.
The Fix: Promote Maikel Franco
Franco is the third-best prospect in the Phillies organization. He is raking at Triple-A to begin 2015, hitting .338 in 85 plate appearances.
The Phillies will likely keep him in the minors until mid-May in order to extend his years of team control. But he'd surely help an offense that ranks near the bottom in every offensive category.
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Biggest Hole: Shortstop
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstops rank last in baseball in wRC+ while combining for an average of .194 to start the season.
The Fix: Give Jung-ho Kang Extended Playing Time
The Pirates signed Kang to a four-year, $11 million contract this winter, but they have given the majority of the playing time at short to Jordy Mercer.
Kang hasn't hit the ground running in MLB, but Mercer's .192 average in 61 at-bats, as opposed to Kang's 22 at-bats, doesn't deserve regular playing time. Giving Kang some consistent playing time will help him better acclimate to the league.
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Biggest Hole: Shortstop
Alexi Amarista is hitting just .229 and has begun to lose at-bats to 36-year-old Clint Barmes.
The Fix: Trade for Jean Segura
After a winter of wheeling and dealing, why stop now?
Jean Segura might be able to be had due to the dumpster fire in Milwaukee. Segura is hitting .312 and striking out less than 10 percent of the time to start 2015.
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Biggest Hole: Rotation
The San Francisco Giants' starting pitching has been the team's calling card during this recent run of success.
But so far in 2015, Giants starters rank 22nd in ERA. Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong look overmatched at this stage in their careers.
The Fix: Give Yusmeiro Petit a Few Starts
Petit has recorded a 5.75 ERA out of the bullpen in 2015, but he threw well in a starting role last season. The right-hander struck out nine per nine innings and posted a FIP of 3.59.
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Biggest Hole: Catcher
Mike Zunino couldn't have begun the 2015 season any worse. The 24-year-old is slashing .132/.203/.264 in 59 at-bats this season. Even more troubling are his strikeout totals, as he is whiffing over 42 percent of the time.
The Fix: Trade for a Veteran Catcher
The Seattle Mariners shouldn't totally give up on Zunino, but they can't afford to keep trotting him out there in a competitive AL West.
Dioner Navarro's name has been mentioned multiple times throughout these slides, but he'd be a great fit in Seattle. He's a switch-hitter, which would allow the Mariners to platoon him with the right-handed Zunino.
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Biggest Hole: The Loss of Adam Wainwright
The loss of Adam Wainwright is a huge blow for the St. Louis Cardinals' postseason aspirations.
St. Louis has plenty of pitching depth and quality, but a World Series run seems less likely with Wainwright's injury.
The Fix: Trade for a Starting Pitcher
St. Louis could go one of two ways: jump into the Cole Hamels sweepstakes or acquire a cheaper alternative.
With so many pitchers headed for free agency this winter, the Cardinals might be better suited to make a deal for depth purposes instead of sending multiple prospects for Hamels.
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Biggest Hole: Fifth Starter
As usual, the Tampa Bay Rays can claim one of the best rotations in MLB. But only Chris Archer, Nate Karns and Jake Odorizzi have logged over 20 innings this season.
The Fix: Piece It Together Until Help Returns
Tampa Bay has endured a handful of key pitching injuries that have affected the depth of the rotation.
Drew Smyly recently returned from the DL, and Alex Cobb and Matt Moore will follow him sometime this season. Until then, the Rays need to remain in contention with the likes of Erasmo Ramirez and Matt Andriese getting the ball every fifth day.
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Biggest Hole: Backend of the Rotation
Nick Martinez, Colby Lewis and Yovani Gallardo have all been productive to begin 2015, but the rest of the Texas Rangers rotation remains in limbo.
Ross Detwiler has allowed 15 earned runs in 12 innings, while Derek Holland and Anthony Ranaudo failed to make it out of the first inning in their respective starts.
The Fix: Continue to Start Wandy Rodriguez
The Rangers signed Wandy Rodriguez after he was let go by the Atlanta Braves, and he pitched well in his first start with the club. Rodriguez allowed just one earned run in five innings.
Excluding 2014, Rodriguez has always been a tough customer. From 2008-2013, the southpaw posted six straight seasons with an ERA under 4.00.
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Biggest Hole: Bullpen
Toronto Blue Jays relievers are responsible for the fifth-highest ERA in baseball through the season's first month.
The Jays have given ninth-inning responsibilities to 20-year-old Miguel Castro, who's shown signs of inexperience that you'd expect from such a young hurler.
The Fix: Acquire a Proven Closer
Castro is blessed with an electric arm, but he's better suited for an eighth-inning role at this point in his career.
But moving him from the closer position would require Toronto to bring in a proven closer. Jason Grilli, Jonathan Papelbon and Neftali Feliz are all possible solutions to the Jays' bullpen woes.
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Biggest Hole: Team Defense
The Washington Nationals may have the most talented roster in baseball, but their defense has led to a disappointing start.
Washington leads the league in errors with 22. Shortstop Ian Desmond is responsible for nine of those miscues.
The Fix: Trade Ian Desmond
A dominant pitching staff needs a dependable defense behind it. Desmond's shaky glove makes him a liability for Washington, no matter how productive he is at the plate.
Desmond's contract also expires at the end of the season, which is even more reason to include him in a deal. The Nats can still get quality value in return for their shortstop and can play Yunel Escobar there in the short term.
Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraph unless otherwise mentioned.
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