MLB's All-Offseason Acquisition Bust Team for 2015
There's a certain amount of risk involved in MLB with any free-agent signing or trade, as baseball is an unpredictable game and offseason additions don't always work out.
Whether it's a blockbuster trade or a big-money free-agent signing, there are always winners and losers, and the following article will focus on the latter.
Which players on the move this past offseason have struggled the most in 2015?
What follows is the MLB All-Offseason Acquisition Bust Team, with one player highlighted from each position and then a full 25-man roster at the end for fun.
Catcher: Rene Rivera, Tampa Bay Rays
1 of 11
Acquired: Trade, San Diego Padres
2015 Salary: $1.2 million
Stats
| 2014 | .252/.319/.432 | 116 | 74 | 18 | 11 | 44 | 27 | 0 | 3.2 |
| 2015 | .189/.219/.294 | 43 | 50 | 13 | 5 | 25 | 14 | 0 | -1.4 |
Player Overview
Entering the 2014 season, a 30-year-old Rene Rivera had just 121 games and 344 plate appearances under his belt.
He began the year splitting catcher duties with Nick Hundley and Yasmani Grandal, but by season's end, he was the San Diego Padres' primary backstop on his way to career highs across the board offensively.
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired him in the three-team, 11-player deal that sent Wil Myers to the Padres in hopes that he could be the answer behind the plate, but his breakout performance last year has proved to be a fluke.
1st Base: Ike Davis, Oakland Athletics
2 of 11
Acquired: Trade, Pittsburgh Pirates
2015 Salary: $3.8 million
Stats
| 2014 | .233/.344/.378 | 104 | 84 | 19 | 11 | 51 | 43 | 0 | -0.3 |
| 2015 | .229/.301/.350 | 81 | 49 | 17 | 3 | 20 | 19 | 0 | -0.4 |
Player Overview
After a 32-homer season in 2012, it looked like Ike Davis would be a key piece of the future and an impact middle-of-the-order bat for the New York Mets.
Instead, he was slowed by an oblique strain the following season and has been unable to return to his 2012 form in the years since.
Davis was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates early last season, and he was on the move again this past winter, when the Oakland Athletics took a chance on him as part of their major offseason overhaul.
His power has not returned, though, and he's wound up splitting time at first base with Mark Canha and Max Muncy.
2nd Base: Stephen Drew, New York Yankees
3 of 11
Acquired: Free agent; one year, $5 million
2015 Salary: $5 million
Stats
| 2014 | .162/.237/.299 | 50 | 44 | 14 | 7 | 26 | 18 | 1 | -0.3 |
| 2015 | .199/.266/.385 | 80 | 65 | 14 | 15 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 0.3 |
Player Overview
Saddled with a qualifying offer following the 2013 season, Stephen Drew did not sign with a team until May 21, 2014, when the Boston Red Sox brought him back on a one-year deal.
It was no big surprise that he struggled, jumping into the middle of the season without a normal offseason and spring training. When all was said and done, he put up the worst numbers of his career while splitting his time between Boston and New York.
Most expected the New York Yankees to turn over second base duties to prospects Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder, but they instead opted to bring back Drew on another one-year deal.
His 15 home runs represent solid power production relative to the position, but he's been below the .200 mark for much of the season. In addition, his defense (minus-four defensive runs saved, minus-3.0 ultimate zone rating per 150 games) has not graded out nearly as well as it has in the past.
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3rd Base: Pablo Sandoval, Boston Red Sox
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Acquired: Free agent; five years, $95 million
2015 Salary: $17.6 million
Stats
| 2014 | .279/.324/.415 | 112 | 164 | 26 | 16 | 73 | 68 | 0 | 3.4 |
| 2015 | .258/.308/.391 | 89 | 102 | 21 | 10 | 39 | 38 | 0 | -0.4 |
Player Overview
After seven seasons and three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants, Pablo Sandoval opted for greener pastures in the offseason, joining the Red Sox on a five-year, $95 million deal.
Little has gone right for the Red Sox this season, with a subpar starting rotation serving as the biggest reason for their struggles. That said, Sandoval hasn't helped much, either.
Not only is he putting up the worst offensive numbers of his career, but he's also been a nightmare defensively (minus-12 DRS, minus-26.6 UZR/150) after ranking as a plus defender during his time with the Giants.
Including his option buyout, the Red Sox are on the hook for $77.4 million over the next four years with Sandoval. If this season is any indication, things could go from bad to worse in the years to come.
Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins, Los Angeles Dodgers
5 of 11
Acquired: Trade, Philadelphia Phillies
2015 Salary: $11 million
Stats
| 2014 | .243/.323/.394 | 101 | 131 | 22 | 17 | 55 | 78 | 28 | 4.0 |
| 2015 | .225/.278/.366 | 78 | 98 | 21 | 12 | 39 | 56 | 9 | -0.1 |
Player Overview
Jimmy Rollins spent the first 15 years of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in hits (2,306) and doubles (479) along the way.
With Rollins entering the final season of a four-year, $44 million deal, the rebuilding Phillies shipped the 36-year-old to the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason in exchange for pitching prospects Zach Eflin and Tom Windle.
The results have not been great, as his .225 batting average and .643 OPS represent the worst numbers of his career, but the team has stuck with him. It's not as though the Dodgers are short on options at the position, as they have top prospect Corey Seager, who is putting up terrific numbers in Triple-A, waiting in the wings.
Once Seager gets called up, Rollins' tenure with the Dodgers figures to come to an end. His subpar 2015 campaign is likely only expediting that process.
Left Field: Hanley Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
6 of 11
Acquired: Free agent; four years, $88 million
2015 Salary: $19.75 million
Stats
| 2014 | .283/.369/.448 | 131 | 127 | 35 | 13 | 71 | 64 | 14 | 3.5 |
| 2015 | .254/.294/.433 | 95 | 99 | 11 | 19 | 53 | 57 | 6 | -0.9 |
Player Overview
Adding Hanley Ramirez and Sandoval to an already solid lineup this offseason appeared to give the Red Sox a potential juggernaut offensively, but that's been far from the case.
Once one of the most dynamic offensive players in the game, and just a year removed from a fantastic 2013 season that saw him hit .345/.402/.638 with 25 doubles and 20 home runs in just 304 at-bats, Ramirez got off to a terrific start in Boston. Over the first month of the season, he hit .293/.341/.659 with 10 home runs and 22 RBI.
Since then, however, he's hit just .244/.281/.373 with nine home runs and 31 RBI in 308 at-bats. Those offensive struggles coupled with his awful defense in left field (minus-19 DRS, minus-31.1 UZR/150) have made him perhaps the biggest flop of 2015.
Center Field: Wil Myers, San Diego Padres
7 of 11
Acquired: Trade, Tampa Bay Rays
2015 Salary: $519,800
Stats
| 2014 | .222/.294/.320 | 77 | 72 | 14 | 6 | 35 | 37 | 6 | -1.0 |
| 2015 | .277/.327/.459 | 120 | 41 | 10 | 5 | 19 | 30 | 3 | 0.6 |
Player Overview
Wil Myers looked to be headed for stardom after winning Minor League Player of the Year in 2012 and American League Rookie of the Year the following season.
There's still plenty of time for the 24-year-old to realize his full potential, but in large part because of injuries, he's been unable to build off his successful debut.
A fractured wrist limited him to just 87 games last year, but that didn't stop the Padres from putting together a blockbuster deal to acquire him in the offseason, as they gave up top prospects Trea Turner, Joe Ross and Burch Smith, among others.
That's the big reason Myers earns a spot on this list, as the cost to acquire him has outweighed his contributions in another injury-shortened season.
Right Field: Alex Rios, Kansas City Royals
8 of 11
Acquired: Free agent; one year, $11 million
2015 Salary: $11 million
Stats
| 2014 | .280/.311/.398 | 98 | 138 | 30 | 4 | 54 | 54 | 17 | 0.6 |
| 2015 | .242/.279/.310 | 62 | 68 | 13 | 2 | 22 | 29 | 8 | -1.1 |
Player Overview
A right-handed-hitting corner outfielder with some pop had been on the Kansas City Royals' wish list for several seasons, and it looked like they finally found their guy when they gave Alex Rios a one-year, $11 million deal in the offseason.
He started the season strong, hitting .321/.345/.464 with eight RBI in his first seven games, but he missed the next 40 games with a hand injury.
Since returning, he's hit just .233/.272/.292 with one home run in 253 at-bats. At this point, it looks like a safe bet that the Royals will decline his $12.5 million option, leaving them again to search for a corner outfield bat.
Designated Hitter: Adam LaRoche, Chicago White Sox
9 of 11
Acquired: Free agent; two years, $25 million
2015 Salary: $12 million
Stats
| 2014 | .259/.362/.455 | 127 | 128 | 19 | 26 | 92 | 73 | 3 | 2.3 |
| 2015 | .210/.296/.345 | 82 | 79 | 18 | 11 | 40 | 36 | 0 | -0.4 |
Player Overview
One of a handful of players added in a busy offseason for the Chicago White Sox, slugger Adam LaRoche was expected to serve as some much-needed protection for Jose Abreu in the middle of the lineup.
After averaging 26 home runs and 85 RBI with an .804 OPS over the past three years while playing for the Washington Nationals, LaRoche has struggled mightily this season.
He's been dropped to the No. 6 spot in the lineup as a result, leaving Melky Cabrera in the role of protecting Abreu rather than hitting second, where he can be a table-setter.
With a shortage of impact bats on the market, the two-year, $25 million deal LaRoche signed originally looked like a steal for the White Sox. Instead, he's come nowhere near living up to his $12 million salary.
Starting Pitcher: Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox
10 of 11
Acquired: Trade, Detroit Tigers
2015 Salary: $12.5 million
Stats
| 2014 | 31 | 204.2 | 15-13 | 3.43 | 3.67 | 1.231 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 4.0 |
| 2015 | 20 | 114.2 | 5-11 | 5.81 | 4.70 | 1.439 | 2.1 | 7.2 | -0.6 |
Player Overview
After failing to re-sign Jon Lester and missing out on the rest of the market's top arms, the Red Sox settled on flipping Yoenis Cespedes for Rick Porcello in hopes that he could take another step forward and emerge as an ace.
Shortly after the season started, the Red Sox locked up the free-agent-to-be with a four-year, $82.5 million extension that now looks like a mistake.
His 5.81 ERA is at least partially the result of some bad luck, as evidenced by his 4.70 fielding-independent pitching, but he's nonetheless taken a big step backward after a breakout 2014 season.
Given the fact that Porcello is still just 26 years old, that four-year extension may wind up working out in the long run, but his time in Boston has not gotten off to a positive start.
Full 25-Man Roster
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To cap things off, let's take a look at what a 25-man roster of the worst offseason additions would look like:
Full 25-Man Roster
| SS Jimmy Rollins, LAD | $11,000,000 | -0.1 |
| 2B Stephen Drew, NYY | $5,000,000 | +0.3 |
| LF Hanley Ramirez, BOS | $19,750,000 | -0.9 |
| DH Adam LaRoche, CWS | $12,000,000 | -0.4 |
| CF Wil Myers, SD | $519,800 | +0.6 |
| 3B Pablo Sandoval, BOS | $17,600,000 | -0.4 |
| RF Alex Rios, KC | $11,000,000 | -1.1 |
| 1B Ike Davis, OAK | $3,800,000 | -0.4 |
| C Rene Rivera, TB | $1,200,000 | -1.4 |
| C Wil Nieves, SD | $850,000 | -0.2 |
| 1B/3B Casey McGehee, SF/MIA | $4,800,000 | -0.8 |
| IF Daniel Descalso, COL | $1,500,000 | -0.9 |
| OF Michael Cuddyer, NYM | $8,500,000 | +0.4 |
| RH Rick Porcello, BOS | $12,500,000 | -0.6 |
| RH Ervin Santana, MIN | $13,500,000 | -0.2 |
| RH Brandon McCarthy, LAD | $12,500,000 | -0.3 |
| RH Kyle Kendrick, COL | $5,500,000 | -0.7 |
| RH Shane Greene, DET | $515,000 | -1.8 |
| RH Justin Masterson, BOS | $9,500,000 | -0.3 |
| RH Kevin Gregg, CIN | $1,500,000 | -0.7 |
| RH Rafael Betancourt, COL | $1,000,000 | -0.6 |
| LH Dan Jennings, CWS | $523,000 | -0.3 |
| RH Joba Chamberlain, DET | $1,000,000 | -0.5 |
| RH Joel Peralta, LAD | $2,500,000 | -0.3 |
| RH John Axford, COL | $2,600,000 | +0.3 |
All stats and salary information courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
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