1 Perfect Remaining Offseason Target for All 30 MLB Teams
The MLB winter meetings have come and gone, and a number of the marquee free agents are now off the board as a result.
That being said, a wealth of impact talent is still looking for new homes for the 2016 season.
Jason Heyward signed on with the Chicago Cubs, but the rest of a talented outfield market is still taking shape as Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon are all available.
Chris Davis and Ian Desmond are also available on the position-player side of things, as well as secondary targets such as Gerardo Parra, Daniel Murphy, Howie Kendrick and David Freese.
Meanwhile, the last big domino fell on the starting pitching market when Johnny Cueto joined the San Francisco Giants.
However, quality second-tier starters out there including Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, Yovani Gallardo, Wei-Yin Chen and Japanese ace Kenta Maeda.
The relief pitching market moved quickly in the early stages of the offseason, but guys such as Tyler Clippard and Antonio Bastardo can still upgrade a bullpen.
So with that in mind, let's take an updated look at one potentially perfect target for all 30 MLB teams.
Some targets are potential trade candidates, but most are remaining free agents. Some target suggestions are based on rumors of team interest, while others are purely speculative.
Arizona Diamondbacks: RP Tyler Clippard
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The Arizona Diamondbacks have already taken significant steps toward legitimate contention this offseason with the additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to the top of the starting rotation.
While it appears they are set to rely on Brad Ziegler once again in the closer's role, they could use another proven late-inning arm to help bridge the gap between that improved rotation and Ziegler.
Tyler Clippard is the top remaining bullpen arm on the free-agent market, and given the team's aggressiveness so far this offseason, it's reasonable to think Arizona would be willing to pay up for someone of his caliber as well.
As things stand, former starters Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter would likely serve as the team's top setup options.
Atlanta Braves: SP Henderson Alvarez
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The Atlanta Braves have gone all-in with their plans to rebuild this offseason, trading off Andrelton Simmons and Shelby Miller as they continue to add young, controllable talent and unload payroll.
Julio Teheran, Matt Wisler, Williams Perez, Mike Foltynewicz and Manny Banuelos would likely make up the Opening Day rotation if the season started today, but the Braves could kick the tires on one of the market's reclamation projects in an effort to find someone they can flip come July.
Henderson Alvarez is one such potential target, as he was non-tendered by the Miami Marlins after making just four starts last season due to injury.
Prior to that, he was 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.235 WHIP while earning a spot on the NL All-Star team in 2014.
Still just 25 years old, Alvarez is worth taking a chance on for a team like the Braves, who can afford to give him starts and hope for the best.
Baltimore Orioles: 1B Pedro Alvarez
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The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly made a seven-year, $154 million offer to Chris Davis, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but they are also looking at other options as the slugger has yet to make a decision.
One such option is Pedro Alvarez, whom the team has showed some interest in, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Baltimore already added Mark Trumbo this offseason in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, but Alvarez would probably be better served spending the bulk of his time as a designated hitter anyway after an atrocious season defensively last year.
What Alvarez brings to the table is power, and plenty of it, as he's hit 111 home runs over the past four seasons.
Adding the 28-year-old to the mix on a relatively low-cost deal would be a step toward replacing the 47-homer, 117-RBI production that Davis provided this past season.
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Boston Red Sox: RP Seung-Hwan Oh
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The Boston Red Sox have a good track record of success finding quality relievers in Japan. Hideki Okajima, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara have all been key bullpen pieces in recent years.
They could keep that trend going and add perhaps the final piece to their improved bullpen by targeting right-hander Seung-Hwan Oh, who is set to make the MLB jump this winter.
Oh, 33, is actually Korean and spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Samsung Lions of the KBO before signing with the Hanshin Tigers prior to the 2014 season.
All told he's piled up 357 career saves with a 1.81 ERA, 0.854 WHIP and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and he'd slot in nicely as a setup man ahead of Craig Kimbrel in the revamped Boston bullpen.
Chicago Cubs: RP Jake McGee
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One of the hottest rumors of the winter meetings was a potential swap between the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays involving infielder Javier Baez and a pitcher of some sort, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Nothing has come of those rumors to this point, but it's still a deal the two sides could consider making—and one that could make a lot of sense for both teams.
The Cubs have already added John Lackey to the mix this offseason, giving them a rotation of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Lackey, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks.
While they could still target another starting pitcher, the bigger need right now might be to bolster the relief corps, and left-hander Jake McGee would be a terrific fit alongside right-handers Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon in the late innings.
A straight-up swap of Baez for McGee is unlikely, but a bigger package with someone such as Alex Cobb added on the Rays side and a few lower-level prospects on the Cubs side could work.
Chicago White Sox: 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda
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Despite adding Brett Lawrie in a trade with the Oakland Athletics during the winter meetings, the Chicago White Sox are still in the market for infield help.
Lawrie's ability to play both second and third base gives them some flexibility as far as who they eventually wind up targeting.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports named the White Sox as one team with interest in Japanese third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda, and he could certainly help bolster an offense that ranked last in the American League with 3.84 runs per game.
Matsuda, 32, is coming off the best offensive season of his career, as he posted an .889 OPS with 22 doubles, 35 home runs and 94 RBI for the SoftBank Hawks.
Cincinnati Reds: RP Neftali Feliz
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The Cincinnati Reds' plans to deal All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman hit a significant snag when a recent domestic violence incident came to light that the league is now investigating.
Assuming he does still wind up traded before the offseason is over, the Reds will need to find a replacement closer and will likely try to do so for cheap.
One player who could make sense as a low-cost target is former AL Rookie of the Year Neftali Feliz, who was finally healthy this past season after pitching just 44 games combined over the previous three years.
A return to health did not mean a return to effectiveness, though, as he posted a 6.38 ERA and 1.563 WHIP over 48 appearances while splitting the season with the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.
For as subpar as his numbers look on the surface, there is some reason for optimism that Feliz can turn things around going forward.
His 4.05 FIP and .349 BABIP suggest some positive regression is in order, and his 94.6 mph average fastball velocity is still strong, according to FanGraphs.
He'll likely have to settle for either a minor league deal or at the very least an incentive-heavy guaranteed contract, so there won't be much risk for whoever signs him.
If he bounces back, he would become another attractive trade chip for the Reds; if not, they're not out any significant money.
Cleveland Indians: RP Jerry Blevins
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Improving offensively is still the biggest need for the Cleveland Indians this winter, but finding a reliable left-handed reliever is also on the to-do list.
Kyle Crockett pitched to a 1.80 ERA in 43 appearances as a rookie in 2014, but he saw that ERA climb to 4.08 in 31 appearances this past season.
He's the only left-hander projected to earn a spot in the bullpen, per Roster Resource, while Giovanni Soto is the only other southpaw reliever on the 40-man roster.
Antonio Bastardo is the top lefty on the free-agent market now that Tony Sipp has re-signed with the Houston Astros, but Jerry Blevins is also a solid target who would likely come significantly cheaper.
Blevins, 32, made just four appearances last season after fracturing his forearm on a liner back up the middle and then fracturing it again when he slipped on a curb.
However, prior to that he had averaged 57 appearances per year from 2010 to 2014 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.213 WHIP and 8.5 K/9.
Colorado Rockies: SP Alfredo Simon
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Convincing quality starting pitchers to sign at altitude where their ERA will almost certainly inflate continues to be a tough sell for the Colorado Rockies.
Last winter, they settled for adding Kyle Kendrick as their big offseason pitching addition, and chances are they will have to aim similarly low this winter as they look to bolster the staff.
One player who could be a nice fit at a relatively low cost is Alfredo Simon.
The 34-year-old did not have the best season for the Detroit Tigers last year, going 13-12 with a 5.05 ERA, 1.439 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 187 innings of work.
However, his FIP (4.77) points to the potential for some positive regression, and if nothing else he proved to be durable once again in topping 180 innings for the second straight year.
Simon also has a 46.2 percent ground-ball rate for his career, thanks in large part to an oft-used split-finger fastball, and keeping the ball on the ground is key at Coors Field.
Detroit Tigers: RP Matt Albers
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The Detroit Tigers have had one of the worst bullpen in baseball several years running, and they've finally made improving the relief corps a priority this winter.
They acquired Francisco Rodriguez and Justin Wilson in a pair of trades, while Mark Lowe signed a two-year deal in free agency. Those three are expected to anchor the back of the bullpen.
The team also made a handful of intriguing minor league signings, adding Preston Guilmet, Drake Britton, Rafael Dolis and Lendy Castillo as non-roster invitees.
However, signing one more proven veteran to join the aforementioned trio and incumbents Alex Wilson and Bruce Rondon could be enough to make the bullpen a legitimate strength.
Matt Albers made good on a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox last season, posting a 1.21 ERA and 1.071 WHIP over 30 appearances.
While he likely earned a major league contract this time around, he should still come at a reasonable price.
Houston Astros: SP Mike Leake
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Now that the Houston Astros have addressed the bullpen by re-signing Tony Sipp and acquiring Ken Giles from the Philadelphia Phillies, they can turn their attention to other areas of need.
"I think we’re going to look at either bringing in another pitcher for the rotation or a bat of some sort," general manager Jeff Luhnow told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. "We’re going to be creative and think through different options and see where we end up but our work’s not done."
Drellich goes on to name Scott Kazmir and Yovani Gallardo as two mid-level starters the team has shown interest in, and while he has not been specifically linked to the Astros, Mike Leake could also be an option on that same tier.
Leake would give the Astros a durable innings-eater to slot behind the duo of Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh, and considering he's still only 28 years old he could be a part of the team's present and future plans on a long-term deal.
The right-hander went 11-10 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.161 WHIP in 192 innings of work, splitting the season between Cincinnati and San Francisco.
Kansas City Royals: RF Gerardo Parra
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While the Kansas City Royals have not ruled out potentially re-signing Alex Gordon, they appear to be ready to head in a different direction.
GM Dayton Moore talked with Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com about how comfortable the team is with its in-house depth at the corner outfield spots, and it appears that one corner spot will go to Jarrod Dyson in an expanded role this coming season.
That said, signing a second-tier free agent such as Gerardo Parra could be a nice alternative to spend big on Gordon.
Like Gordon, Parra is a terrific defender and is coming off the best offensive season of his career. He hit .291/.328/.452 with 36 doubles, 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases.
Jon Morosi of Fox Sports tweeted earlier this month that the Royals are interested in Parra as a backup plan to Gordon.
Los Angeles Angels: LF Yoenis Cespedes
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The Los Angeles Angels have already added Andrelton Simmons and Yunel Escobar to the mix this offseason, but the team is still in the market to make a splash signing in an effort to bolster the offense.
Adding an impact bat in left field would seem to be the most likely solution, and according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the team could make a run at signing slugger Yoenis Cespedes.
The 30-year-old is coming off a fantastic season at the plate, as he hit .291/.328/.542 with 42 doubles, 35 home runs and 105 RBI for a 6.3 WAR and helped the New York Mets reach the World Series.
After leading all of baseball in scoring at 4.77 runs per game in 2014, the Angels offense took a big step back this past season. That number dropped to 4.08 runs per game, which ranked 20th in the league.
Mike Trout remains a dynamic all-around threat, and Kole Calhoun has turned into a solid contributor, but adding another impact bat to the middle of the order seems like a must.
Los Angeles Dodgers: SP Kenta Maeda
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have watched this offseason as two division rivals in the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants have both improved their starting rotations significantly.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have lost Zack Greinke and only managed to replace him so far with veteran Hisashi Iwakuma on a three-year deal.
For now, the team's rotation stands as follows:
- LHP Clayton Kershaw
- RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
- LHP Brett Anderson
- LHP Alex Wood
- LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu
Given the injury history of Anderson and the fact that Ryu missed all of last season, the Dodgers at the very least need to add something in the way of depth.
However, they could make a splash by targeting Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda, who has been posted by the Hiroshima Carp.
The 27-year-old Maeda has gone 97-67 with a 2.39 ERA, 1.048 WHIP and 1,233 strikeouts in 1,509.2 innings over eight seasons in Japan.
That includes 15-8 with a 2.09 ERA, 1.013 WHIP and 175 strikeouts in 206.1 innings this past season, and he would be a viable No. 2 starter behind Kershaw in the revamped rotation.
According to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker, there has been some speculation in Japan that he prefers to pitch for the Dodgers.
Miami Marlins: 1B Steve Pearce
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The Miami Marlins have trotted out the likes of Greg Dobbs, Logan Morrison, Carlos Lee, Casey Kotchman, Ed Lucas, Jeff Baker and a pair of recent free-agent signings in Garrett Jones and Michael Morse at first base the past few years with varying levels of futility.
Credit goes to 27-year-old Justin Bour for providing some nice value this past season with a .262/.321/.479 line and 23 home runs in 409 at-bats, but his 21.5 percent HR/FB rate is not sustainable, and he also hit just .221/.293/.279 against left-handed pitching, per FanGraphs.
With that in mind, the team would be wise to at least find a right-handed hitting platoon partner for Bour.
In fact, adding depth to the roster as a whole is a legitimate need for the Marlins this offseason, and adding someone with the versatility of Steve Pearce could go a long way.
Pearce was one of the surprise stars of 2014, hitting .293/.373/.556 with 26 doubles and 21 home runs in 338 at-bats for a 5.9 WAR.
Those numbers proved to be unsustainable, though, as he hit just .218/.289/.422 with 13 doubles and 15 home runs in 294 at-bats for a minus-0.4 WAR in 2015.
Over the past two seasons, Pearce has seen time at first base, second base, left field and right field.
Using him as a platoon bat with Bour at first base and as a part-time starter/insurance policy in the outfield makes a lot of sense.
Milwaukee Brewers: 3B Will Middlebrooks
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Will Middlebrooks burst onto the scene with the Boston Red Sox in 2012 when he hit .288/.325/.509 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI over 267 at-bats as a rookie.
However, he hit just .213/.265/.364 over the next two seasons, and the Red Sox shipped him to the San Diego Padres in exchange for catcher Ryan Hanigan.
The change of scenery didn't exactly do the trick this past season, as he hit .212/.241/.361 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 255 at-bats for a minus-1.1 WAR.
That underwhelming performance led to his being non-tendered this offseason, and now he's looking for a new home.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe recently reported that as many as 11 teams have inquired on Middlebrooks, and he speculated that the Milwaukee Brewers could be a good fit.
As it stands, Jonathan Villar, Hernan Perez and Garin Cecchini appear to be the leading contenders for playing time at the hot corner in Milwaukee.
Minnesota Twins: RP Antonio Bastardo
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It's been a fairly quiet offseason for the Minnesota Twins this time around, and after the free-agent signings of Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana, the past two winters did not quite work out as planned. That's not overly surprising.
So far the only notable additions have been catcher John Ryan Murphy and designated hitter Byung-ho Park, and the focus the rest of the way figures to be on the pitching side of things.
With Brian Duensing and Neal Cotts both reaching free agency, the team really doesn't have a left-handed reliever who is a lock for next year's bullpen outside of All-Star closer Glen Perkins.
With Tony Sipp now off the market, Antonio Bastardo is the top remaining southpaw reliever available in free agency.
The 30-year-old posted a 2.98 ERA, 1.134 WHIP and 10.0 K/9 while recording nine holds in 66 appearances.
Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com wrote during the winter meetings that the team was targeting Sipp, Bastardo and fellow veteran Matt Thornton, and a deal with Bastardo still seems like a real possibility.
New York Mets: LF Justin Upton
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The New York Mets finally pulled the trigger on some moves during the winter meetings, acquiring a new middle infield of Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera that should prove to be one of the more productive tandems in the league.
However, the need remains for an impact bat to replace Yoenis Cespedes in the middle of the lineup, as simply hoping that David Wright can stay healthy and Michael Conforto can take the next step is a risky proposition for a team with the potential to contend for a title on the strength of its pitching.
Ernie Palladino of CBS New York may have summed it up perfectly in a recent article:
"They have to get that big bopper in the middle of the lineup.
It’s not a luxury, or the cherry on top of the sundae. It’s a necessity. If Sandy Alderson, John Ricco, and the other helpers who landed Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker don’t find that consistent home run hitter, all the optimism and good will that flowed out of Nashville the past week will vanish faster than a mutual fund with Bernie Madoff.
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The surprising retirement of Michael Cuddyer could help make such a move possible. He was set to earn $12.5 million this coming season, and even with a buyout the Mets could still suddenly have $10 million-plus in payroll flexibility.
Justin Upton (28) and Cespedes (30) are the two obvious potential targets, and while the latter was phenomenal for them over the final two months, they might feel more comfortable investing a long-term deal in Upton, who is two years younger.
Upton posted a .790 OPS with 26 doubles, 26 home runs and 19 stolen bases this past season while playing half of his games in spacious Petco Park.
New York Yankees: RP Tommy Hunter
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Despite phenomenal seasons from Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, the New York Yankees bullpen still ranked just 14th in the league with a 3.65 ERA.
Gone are Adam Warren (traded to Cubs) and Justin Wilson (traded to Tigers), and what's left is a relief corps with a number of question marks outside of the aforementioned duo.
Chasen Shreve was terrific early in his rookie season before fading down the stretch, but even if he rebounds there is still a clear need for a second right-handed reliever to help take some of the pressure off Betances.
Since the start of the 2014 season, no pitcher has thrown more innings without making a single start than the 174 twirled by Betances. Part of that has to do with how great he's been, but there's always the risk of burning him out at the rate he's going.
Tommy Hunter may not be the most exciting arm on the market, but the burly right-hander has been durable and productive over the past three seasons with a 3.26 ERA and 1.095 WHIP in 186 appearances.
With an average fastball velocity of 96.2 mph, per FanGraphs, he'd be another power arm at the back of a Yankees bullpen that still has the potential to be a strength even after subtracting two key members.
Oakland Athletics: SP Scott Kazmir
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After an unexpected career renaissance with the Cleveland Indians in 2013, Scott Kazmir signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Oakland Athletics that wound up being a terrific bargain.
The left-hander went 20-14 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in 50 starts with the A's before being shipped to the Houston Astros at the deadline last year in exchange for prospects Jacob Nottingham and Daniel Mengden.
Now, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, it appears the A's have interest in bringing him back as they look to solidify their rotation after focusing on the bullpen so far this winter.
As it stands, the Oakland rotation would look something like this:
- RHP Sonny Gray
- RHP Jesse Hahn
- LHP Rich Hill
- RHP Chris Bassitt
- LHP Sean Nolin
The 31-year-old Kazmir would once again slot in as a solid No. 2 starter, and while he's likely in line for a raise over his previous contract, he should still be a somewhat affordable option for the small-market A's.
Philadelphia Phillies: RP Fernando Rodney
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The Philadelphia Phillies have already rolled the dice on a pair of potential buy-low candidates this offseason with the acquisitions of Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton via trade.
Those two will join the promising young duo of Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff in the starting rotation, along with whoever wins the No. 5 starter job between Brett Oberholtzer, David Buchanan, Adam Morgan, Vincent Velasquez and a few others.
Now, it may be time to focus some attention on the buy-low reliever market.
David Hernandez was a nice pickup who could potentially rebuild some value and be flipped at the deadline, and after the team traded Ken Giles, he may be the leading candidate to close games as things stand.
That being said, another roll of the dice on someone like Fernando Rodney could give the Phillies a more proven ninth inning option who still comes at a reasonable price.
The 38-year-old struggled with the Seattle Mariners last season, posting a 5.68 ERA and converting just 16 of 22 save chances over 54 appearances before being traded to the Chicago Cubs.
The move appeared to rejuvenate the veteran, as he posted a 0.75 ERA and 11.3 K/9 in 14 appearances with the North Siders, showing he still has something in the tank.
Pittsburgh Pirates: SP Justin Masterson
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Remember when Justin Masterson went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA, 1.202 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 193 innings to earn a spot on the AL All-Star team back in 2013?
He looked like a safe bet to command a contract north of $100 million heading into his contract year in 2014, but then the wheels fell off and his ERA climbed to 5.88 in a season split between the Indians and Cardinals.
The right-hander wound up settling for a one-year, $9.5 million deal with the Boston Red Sox last winter, and it was more of the same as he posted a 5.61 ERA in 59.1 innings of work before being released on Aug. 19.
Injuries have played a role in his struggles, as a knee injury derailed him in 2014 and he had shoulder troubles this past year.
However, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, he is "expected to finally be 100 percent for 2016" and having his shoulder cleaned up.
The 30-year-old will have to settle for another one-year deal as he looks to prove he's healthy, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are interested, according to Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Truthfully, there may be no better place for him to get his career back on track than in Pittsburgh under the tutelage of pitching guru Ray Searage.
San Diego Padres: SS Ian Desmond
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The combination of Clint Barmes and Alexi Amarista at shortstop did not make for a pretty offensive season at the position for the San Diego Padres this past year.
Those two, along with a few scattered starts from Jedd Gyorko and Will Middlebrooks at the position, posted a .228/.279/.365 line with 14 home runs and 57 RBI.
With Asdrubal Cabrera off the market and Starlin Castro already traded to the New York Yankees, more and more signs are pointing to a potential match with free agent Ian Desmond.
According to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune back in November, the Padres had expressed interest in Desmond, and it stands to reason that interest would remain as they have yet to address the position.
After a rough first half in 2015, Desmond rebounded nicely and looked very much like the player who had three straight 20/20 seasons in the second half.
The 30-year-old hit .262/.331/.446 with 10 doubles and 12 home runs after the All-Star break, and that could be enough to chalk up his prior struggles as a fluke.
The Padres have not had a shortstop capable of producing anywhere near the level Desmond has throughout the course of his career since a young Khalil Greene once looked like a future star in the early 2000s.
San Francisco Giants: LF Alex Gordon
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Will the San Francisco Giants keep spending after shelling out a combined $220 million to sign Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija?
The team gave Cueto a six-year, $130 million deal Monday, per David Schoenfield of ESPN.com, rounding out the starting rotation with the top remaining starter on the free-agent market.
A need still remains in left field, and prior to the Cueto signing the team was viewed by some as the front-runner to sign Alex Gordon, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.
The team has Gregor Blanco along with rookies Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson as the leading candidates to man left field this coming season, but with the Giants already showing they're ready to gear up for another World Series run, they could make one more splash signing.
Despite missing significant time with a groin injury last season, Gordon was still a 2.8 WAR player and a finalist for the Gold Glove.
He's an elite defender and terrific on-base threat who would add another 20-plus home run bat to what is already one of the deepest lineups in baseball.
It's simply a matter of whether or not another $100 million contract is in the budget.
Seattle Mariners: 1B Chris Davis
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It's been a ridiculously busy offseason for the Seattle Mariners, as new GM Jerry Dipoto has set to work rebuilding a roster that fell well short of expectations a year ago.
As it stands, there could be as many as 13 newcomers on the Opening Day roster, but despite all of those additions, he's yet to make any significant financial commitments.
Adam Lind ($8 million) and Joaquin Benoit ($7.5 million) represent the two biggest contracts the team has added to the books for 2016, and both of those players are headed for free agency at season's end.
That means the team could conceivably still be in a position to make a major splash this winter, and adding a bat like Chris Davis to the mix would certainly qualify.
While there is no longer a hole at first base after the addition of Lind—who is expected to platoon with Jesus Montero—the team could still find a spot for Davis in the middle of the lineup.
Nelson Cruz, Seth Smith, Franklin Gutierrez, Nori Aoki and Leonys Martin are options to fill the three outfield spots and designated hitter in some combination.
However, signing Davis to serve as the primary DH and trading someone like Smith to open up at-bats would undoubtedly make the team better, and it would appear the money exists for such a move.
St. Louis Cardinals: SP Wei-Yin Chen
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St. Louis Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said shortly after the team missed out on re-signing Jason Heyward that a "dynamic" signing is now unlikely for the team this offseason.
His full quote was as follows, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
"It’s clear now this offseason is not going to have that dynamic signing that we tried to do with (David) Price and Heyward. There isn’t anything now that we’re chasing with a nine-figure contract. We can take the time to see what we have in the players we control. Obviously, we’re always open to adjusting.
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If that is in fact the case and a nine-figure deal is unlikely, that would seemingly take the team out of the mix for Chris Davis, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon.
However, one player St. Louis has been linked to who could still be an option is left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
While he's by no means David Price, Chen has gone 27-14 with a 3.44 ERA and 1.223 WHIP in 62 starts over the past two seasons, quietly establishing himself as one of the better lefty starters in the game.
The loss of Lance Lynn for the season to Tommy John surgery put the Cardinals in the market for another starter, and a durable arm like Chen who is still in his prime at the age of 30 would be a great pickup.
He does come tied to a qualifying offer, so he'd cost the team a first-round pick, but that appears to be a price worth paying for a Cardinals team that has been shut out so far this winter as far as impact additions are concerned.
Tampa Bay Rays: IF Javier Baez
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One of the hottest rumors of the winter meetings was a potential deal that would send promising young infielder Javier Baez from the Chicago Cubs to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitching of some sort.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times wrote the following during the meetings:
"Baez, 23, would provide the kind of young impact bat the Rays seek. He has played parts of the last two seasons with the Cubs after starring in the minors.
The Rays have pitching depth to deal from - either of their two late-inning relievers, Jake McGee or Brad Boxberger, and a starter from the group of Drew Smyly, Matt Moore, Jake Odorizzi and Erasmo Ramirez.
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Earlier we touched on Jake McGee as the ideal target for the Chicago Cubs, and while a straight swap of the two players would likely not be agreeable by the Cubs, those two make sense as the centerpiece of a larger deal.
Last season, Evan Longoria led the Rays in doubles (35), home runs (21) and RBI (73) despite having the least productive full season of his career.
There's a clear need for more run production and power, and while Baez is still a work in progress, his elite bat speed gives him the potential to provide plenty of both in the not-too-distant future.
Texas Rangers: SP Colby Lewis
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According to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, the Texas Rangers are looking to add two more starting pitchers before the offseason is over, and re-signing Colby Lewis is the preferred route to filling one of those holes.
Lewis led the Rangers with 204.2 innings of work this past season; it's the third time in his career he's topped the 200-inning mark, and he went 17-9 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.236 WHIP.
A reunion with Yovani Gallardo is also a possibility, but the 36-year-old Lewis figures to come significantly cheaper even if he receives a decent raise over his $4 million salary from a year ago.
Lewis actually had a similar FIP to Gallardo (4.17 to 4.00) while besting him in WHIP (1.236 to 1.416) and K/9 (6.2 to 5.9).
However, because of the seven-year age difference, Gallardo could get a four-year deal, while Lewis may have to settle for a one-year pact with an option.
The Rangers will begin the season with Cole Hamels, Martin Perez and Derek Holland filling three of the rotation spots, and Yu Darvish is expected to occupy the fourth once he returns from Tommy John surgery.
The final spot is up for grabs, with Chi Chi Gonzalez and Nick Martinez the leading candidates for the job, but re-signing Lewis seems like a good starting point on rounding things out.
Toronto Blue Jays: RP Blaine Boyer
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The Toronto Blue Jays are still in search of relief help this offseason, as deadline additions Mark Lowe (free agent) and LaTroy Hawkins (retired) are both gone. There's also a good chance Aaron Sanchez returns to the rotation at some point.
Roberto Osuna gives the team a potential star in the closer's role, and left-hander Brett Cecil is a solid setup option, but finding a right-handed reliever to join him in eighth inning duties appears to be one clear remaining item on the offseason to-do list.
Tyler Clippard is the top remaining option on the market, but a run at a considerably less expensive alternative such as Blaine Boyer could be the team's preferred approach.
Boyer, 34, made good on a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins last season and quickly emerged as their most reliable setup man.
He finished the season with 19 holds to go along with a 2.49 ERA and 1.246 WHIP over 68 appearances, and while he doesn't have elite strikeout stuff (4.6 K/9), he gets a decent number of ground balls and throws strikes.
Washington Nationals: CF Charlie Blackmon
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The Washington Nationals are in the market for a left-handed hitting outfielder, and they have been in contact with the Colorado Rockies about both Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon, according to Pete Kerzel of MASN Sports.
With Denard Span likely to sign elsewhere in free agency, the team also has a need for a leadoff hitter, so Blackmon could be the preferred target of the two.
The 29-year-old Blackmon proved his breakout 2014 performance was no fluke with another strong season this past year.
He hit .287/.347/.450 with 31 doubles, 17 home runs and 58 RBI while also ranking third in the National League with 43 stolen bases.
Blackmon still has three remaining years of team control, so the asking price for him could be steep.
At the same time, the Nationals' window to win is still open for the time being, and relying on Michael Taylor as the every-day center fielder and leadoff hitter is a risky move after he posted a .282 on-base percentage and 30.9 percent strikeout rate last season, per FanGraphs.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
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