MLB Free Agency 2017: Updated Team-by-Team Offseason Report Cards
We're coming down the homestretch of another long MLB offseason, with pitchers and catchers set to begin reporting to sunny Arizona or Florida in a matter of weeks.
The offseason market isn't closed just yet, though.
Mike Napoli, Matt Wieters, Chris Carter, Pedro Alvarez, Chase Utley and Chris Coghlan headline the top hitters still looking for a new home; Jason Hammel, Travis Wood, Doug Fister and Colby Lewis are all available starting pitching options; and Joe Blanton, Sergio Romo, Jerry Blevins, Boone Logan, Joe Smith and Fernando Salas should all be able to find their way into an MLB bullpen.
Where those remaining free agents wind up landing can still change the complexion of the offseason heading into spring training.
For now, though, we can get a pretty good gauge on how all 30 MLB teams' offseason activity looks and whether they've come away a better team after a busy winter.
With that in mind, what follows is an offseason report card for each team.
The following factors went into grading each club's offseason:
- Talent Lost vs. Talent Gained: The easiest place to start is to simply look at the cumulative effect of the players added this offseason compared to the players lost.
- Payroll Factors: For some teams, it's not simply a matter of re-signing their top talent and filling roster holes with big signings. It's often about minimizing their losses and filling holes by signing cheaper replacements.
- Prospect Talent Added: Rebuilding is an inevitable part of the game, and for teams not in a position to contend in 2017, improving the farm system becomes the No. 1 priority. So, did a team get the most out of the assets it moved?
- Remaining Needs: A simple question of how well each team addressed its areas of need this offseason.
Note: The number in parentheses following each prospect addition reflects where the player currently ranks among the organization's top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com's Prospect Watch.
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Taijuan Walker, RP Fernando Rodney, SS Ketel Marte, C Chris Iannetta, C Jeff Mathis, OF Gregor Blanco, OF Reymond Fuentes, OF Jeremy Hazelbaker, OF Oswaldo Arcia, RP J.J. Hoover, RP Tyler Jones (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: SS Jean Segura, C Welington Castillo, RP Daniel Hudson, SP Rubby De La Rosa, C Tuffy Gosewisch, OF Rickie Weeks, OF Mitch Haniger, OF Peter O'Brien, 1B/OF Kyle Jensen, OF Gabriel Guerrero
Offseason Review
The Arizona Diamondbacks will get a bigger boost from their own in-house talent returning to full health than they will from anyone they've added this offseason.
A.J. Pollock and David Peralta were both non-factors last season, and a bounce-back performance from Shelby Miller would go a long way as well.
That being said, Taijuan Walker still has legitimate front-line upside and joins Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray to form an intriguing trio atop the rotation.
Selling high on Jean Segura after his monster 2016 season was a smart move, and it's not out of the realm of possibility to think Ketel Marte could be the better shortstop option a few years down the line.
Chris Iannetta and Jeff Mathis will be tasked with handling the pitching staff after Welington Castillo was non-tendered. While that will be a downgrade offensively, it could be a boost from a receiving standpoint.
Veteran outfielder Gregor Blanco was one of the better gets on a minor league deal and should have a good chance of breaking camp with a bench spot.
Grade: B
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Bartolo Colon, SP R.A. Dickey, SP Jaime Garcia, UT Sean Rodriguez, C Kurt Suzuki, OF Adam Brett Walker, 2B Micah Johnson, SP Kris Medlen, SP John Danks, RP Jordan Walden, RP Armando Rivero (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Luiz Gohara (12), OF Alex Jackson (14), RP Luke Jackson (24)
Notable Losses: C A.J. Pierzynski, OF Mallex Smith, RP Shae Simmons, RP Chris Withrow, SP Williams Perez, SP Rob Whalen, SP Max Povse, SP John Gant, SP Chris Ellis, 2B Luke Dykstra
Offseason Review
The Atlanta Braves might not be ready to contend in 2017, but they're heading in the right direction.
The main focus this offseason has been shoring up the starting rotation. They did that in short order with the signings of Bartolo Colon and R.A Dickey, as well as the addition of Jaime Garcia in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.
While that trio won't give the Braves a top-tier rotation by any means, they're all capable of eating innings and won't stand in the way of young arms since they're on short-term deals. Garcia also has some intriguing upside as a potential July trade chip.
Signing Kurt Suzuki and Sean Rodriguez adds a nice veteran presence to the bench and they're both capable of stepping into expanded roles if needed.
The Braves have also continued to add prospect talent to an already loaded system, picking up a quality arm form the Seattle Mariners in left-hander Luiz Gohara, as well as an intriguing buy-low candidate in Alex Jackson—who will return to catching after shifting to the outfield to begin his pro career.
After a 20-10 run to close out the 2016 season, the Braves could be ready for another step forward in 2017.
Grade: B+
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: C Welington Castillo, OF Seth Smith, SP/RP Logan Verrett, 1B Jesus Montero, SP Tomo Ohka, RF Mark Trumbo, (re-signed), RP Logan Ondrusek (re-signed)
Notable Prospect Additions: OF Anthony Santander (15), OF Aneury Tavarez (29)
Notable Losses: C Matt Wieters, DH Pedro Alvarez, SP Yovani Gallardo, UT Steve Pearce, OF Michael Bourn, OF Nolan Reimold, RP Brian Duensing, RP Tommy Hunter, RP Vance Worley
Offseason Review
It appears the Baltimore Orioles knew what they were doing all along with their patient approach to negotiating a new deal for slugger Mark Trumbo.
MLB Trade Rumors predicted a four-year, $60 million deal for the AL home run leader at the start of the offseason, but the Orioles were unwilling to go that high and wound up bringing him back on a three-year, $37.5 million pact.
Welington Castillo was also a nice addition on a one-year, $6 million deal that includes a mutual option for 2018. He's just keeping the catcher position warm for Chance Sisco, but having him on board means they won't need to rush their prized prospect.
There are still holes to fill, though.
The team still need a right-handed hitting outfielder or two to platoon with Hyun Soo Kim (0-for-17 vs. LHP) and newcomer Seth Smith (.202 BA, .594 OPS career vs. LHP). And no, Joey Rickard is not the answer.
Completely ignoring the starting rotation—aside from the addition by subtraction that was moving Yovani Gallardo—also looks like a mistake, especially for a team pushing to win now.
"The Orioles remain focused on adding another pitcher. Jason Hammel’s name came up, but that was before they signed Trumbo to a three-year, $37.5 million contract that pays him $11 million in 2017. They figure to take a less-expensive route to improving their pitching depth," wrote Roch Kubatko of MASN.
Grade: C+
.jpg?w=256 "MLB Farm System Rankings")
Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Chris Sale, RP Tyler Thornburg, 1B Mitch Moreland, SP Kyle Kendrick, IF Matt Dominguez, OF Junior Lake, OF Steve Selsky, IF Josh Rutledge (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: DH David Ortiz, 2B Yoan Moncada, SP Michael Kopech, OF Luis Alexander Basabe, SP Clay Buchholz, RP Brad Ziegler, RP Koji Uehara, RP Junichi Tazawa, C Ryan Hanigan, IF Aaron Hill
Offseason Review
The Boston Red Sox could have sat on their hands this offseason and they still might have been the favorites in the AL East.
Instead, they pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster deals in recent memory to add Chris Sale to an already terrific starting rotation.
Sorting out the No. 4 and 5 starter spots between Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez will be one of the biggest storylines of the spring, but it's a problem every team in the league would love to have.
The bullpen still looks a bit thin, but the addition of Tyler Thornburg can't be overstated.
While the 28-year-old didn't get much national love in Milwaukee, he's a better setup option than anyone the team trotted out last season ahead of closer Craig Kimbrel.
No one is foolish enough to think that Mitch Moreland is going to replace David Ortiz.
However, signing him to play first base means that Hanley Ramirez can shift into the DH role and that improved overall defense does help close the value gap between Moreland and Ortiz a bit further.
An insurance policy for Pablo Sandoval at third base looks like the biggest missing piece, though the versatile Brock Holt is capable of stepping into a regular role at the hot corner if needed.
Grade: A
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: RP Wade Davis, OF Jon Jay, SP Brett Anderson, RP Koji Uehara, RP Brian Duensing, UT Jemile Weeks, SP Casey Kelly, RP Dylan Floro, RP David Rollins, RP Fernando Rodriguez, RP Caleb Smith (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: CF Dexter Fowler, RP Aroldis Chapman, SP Jason Hammel, OF Jorge Soler, C David Ross, UT Chris Coghlan, RP Travis Wood, RP Trevor Cahill, RP Joe Smith, RP Spencer Patton
Offseason Review
The Chicago Cubs have done well to replace some significant talent that was lost to free agency as they gear up for a title defense.
The departure of Dexter Fowler hurts more than anything, as he was the clear catalyst of the offense as an on-base machine atop the lineup.
Albert Almora Jr. and newcomer Jon Jay will replace him in center field. That platoon should prove to be an upgrade defensively, albeit with considerably less impact offensively.
That missing offense could easily be replaced by a full season of Kyle Schwarber, though, and it appears he'll get the first crack at hitting leadoff, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.
Flipping Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals for Wade Davis was a win-win deal for both sides, and signing Koji Uehara gives the Cubs some insurance in the closer's role if the forearm issues that plagued Davis last season return.
Brett Anderson is the biggest wild card on a one-year, $3.5 million deal that is brimming with incentives.
Ideally, he would win the No. 5 starter job and hold it down all season, allowing the Cubs to use Mike Montgomery as the primary left-hander out of the bullpen.
A more realistic expectation might be 15 to 20 solid starts, with Montgomery seeing time in a starter's role as well. And even if that's the case, he'd still be well worth the money.
Grade: A
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Derek Holland, C Geovany Soto, IF Everth Cabrera, OF Willy Garcia, OF Cody Asche, OF Peter Bourjos, OF Rymer Liriano, RP Giovanni Soto, RP Cory Luebke, RP Anthony Swarzak
Notable Prospect Additions: 2B Yoan Moncada (1), SP Lucas Giolito (2), SP Michael Kopech (3), SP Reynaldo Lopez (4), OF Luis Alexander Basabe (9), SP Dane Dunning (10), RP Dylan Covey (28)
Notable Losses: SP Chris Sale, RF Adam Eaton, CF Austin Jackson, 1B Justin Morneau, C Alex Avila, RP Matt Albers, RP Daniel Webb, SP Anthony Ranaudo
Offseason Review
The Chicago White Sox struck gold during the winter meetings, setting into motion a long overdue rebuild and landing a king's ransom in prospect talent for Chris Sale and Adam Eaton.
Their radio silence in the weeks since the meetings ended is somewhat confusing, though.
While there's no reason to trade Jose Quintana for anything less than max value at this point, the team should be a little more receptive to the idea of moving guys like David Robertson, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie.
Perhaps the market for those players simply hasn't developed. They can't stop selling now, though, and those players should carry some value.
As for addition to the roster, signing Derek Holland as a bounce-back candidate to fill the now vacant rotation spot was a nice low-risk, high-reward move.
Geovany Soto, Cody Asche, Peter Bourjos and Everth Cabrera will all have a realistic shot at breaking camp with the team as non-roster invitees. That's exactly the type of signings the team should be making.
Grade: A+
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Scott Feldman, RP Drew Storen, UT Arismendy Alcantara, RP Louis Coleman, OF Gabriel Guerrero, C Stuart Turner (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Luis Castillo (8), RP Austin Brice (23), OF Isaiah White (30)
Notable Losses: SP Dan Straily, SP Alfredo Simon, RP Ross Ohlendorf, RP Keyvius Sampson, SP John Lamb, SP Josh Smith
Offseason Review
The Cincinnati Reds were the last team to sign someone to a major league deal this winter, breaking the seal when they added Drew Storen on a one-year, $3 million deal.
Raisel Iglesias will likely open the year in the closer's role, but if Storen can return to the 29-save form he showed in 2015, it would allow the Reds to use Iglesias in a multi-inning role where he could potentially be even more valuable.
The other MLB-level signing has been veteran Scott Feldman on a one-year, $2.3 million deal.
Prior to serving in a swingman role last season, the 33-year-old posted consecutive years with 180-plus innings and an ERA below 4.00. If he can hold down a rotation spot all season he'll be one of the biggest bargains of the winter.
That signing came after a rotation spot opened up following the trade of right-hander Dan Straily.
On the surface, the Reds' decision to trade a starter who is controllable through the 2020 season and coming off a year in which he went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 191.1 innings might seem counterproductive for a rebuilding team.
However, he's already 28 years old and looks like a significant regression candidate after posting a 4.88 FIP and benefiting from a .239 BABIP. The Reds got him for nothing after claiming him off waivers last offseason, so flipping him for a terrific pitching prospect in Luis Castillo is a huge win.
Failing to unload at least one of Brandon Phillips or Zack Cozart to open up a spot for Jose Peraza is the only thing that keeps the Reds from getting an "A+" in what has been an otherwise terrific low-key offseason for a rebuilding team.
Grade: A
Cleveland Indians
8 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: 1B Edwin Encarnacion, OF Austin Jackson, 1B/OF Chris Colabello, C Erik Kratz, 1B/3B Richie Shaffer, RP Nick Goody, RP Steve Delabar, SP Tim Cooney, RP Hoby Milner (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: 1B Mike Napoli, OF Rajai Davis, RP Jeff Manship, OF Coco Crisp, OF Marlon Byrd, 1B Jesus Aguilar
Offseason Review
The Cleveland Indians were already going to be a significantly improved team from the one we saw last October.
Keep in mind, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar—two of the team's best starters—were both non-factors in October. The same goes for All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley and former Silver Slugger-winning catcher Yan Gomes.
Simply bringing back veteran Mike Napoli to address the first base situation would have been more than enough to make them favorites in the AL Central and one of the top contenders for the AL pennant once again.
Instead, the normally frugal front office shelled out a franchise-record three-year, $60 million deal to sign slugger Edwin Encarnacion.
"As we headed into the offseason, we didn't expect to have these types of resources," general manager Mike Chernoff told reporters. "Ownership has always stepped up in situations when it seems like the right investment to make. At the trade deadline, we didn't expect to be able to acquire Andrew Miller, and we were able to do that. We've always had faith that ownership would be willing to support us in the right moment. This is one of those moments."
Austin Jackson and Chris Colabello are the only other notable additions and both should have a chance to win a bench spot as non-roster invitees.
Grade: A+
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: 1B/OF Ian Desmond, RP Greg Holland, RP Mike Dunn, UT Alexi Amarista, OF Chris Denorfia, IF Daniel Castro, RP C.C. Lee
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: RP Boone Logan, C Nick Hundley, SP Jorge De La Rosa, 1B Mark Reynolds, UT Daniel Descalso, OF Ryan Raburn, SP Eddie Butler
Offseason Review
The Colorado Rockies' decision to sign Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70 million deal to play first base is still hands down the most puzzling move of the offseason.
Desmond slumped to a .237/.283/.347 line in the second half last season and any value he might have added defensively with his newfound ability to play the outfield is mitigated by a move to first base.
Brandon Moss recently signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Kansas City Royals.
If the Rockies were set on adding a first baseman who could also play the outfield, why not a move like that to save their limited financial resources to continue addressing the need for pitching?
Mike Dunn and Greg Holland have been added to what was the league's worst relief corps a year ago. Holland has a chance to be a huge addition if he returns to his pre-injury form after missing last season following Tommy John surgery.
"When we figured out there was some sort of equal interest in the opportunity with us and some sort of equal viewpoint on what the future holds this organization—the near future and hopefully beyond—I think it became clear, without speaking for Greg, that this was potentially a really good match," GM Jeff Bridich told reporters.
The Holland signing is the only thing keeping the Rockies from earning an "F" here. That's how bad the Desmond signing looks.
Grade: D
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: C Alex Avila, OF Mikie Mahtook, IF Omar Infante, IF Brendan Ryan, RP Edward Mujica, RP A.J. Achter, RP William Cuevas, RP Daniel Stumpf (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Victor Alcantara (23)
Notable Losses: OF Cameron Maybin, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Erick Aybar, IF Casey McGehee
Offseason Review
So much for that busy offseason many were predicting from the Detroit Tigers.
Early word around the water cooler was that they might be open for business on the trade market this winter, leading to all sorts of fun speculation about guys like Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera potentially getting dealt.
Outfielder Cameron Maybin wound up being the first Tigers player traded, as he was shipped to the Los Angeles Angels for pitching prospect Victor Alcantara way back on Nov. 3.
Turns out, he might be the only Tigers player traded.
Since then, the biggest move of the winter has been a reunion with veteran catcher Alex Avila on a one-year, $2 million deal.
Can this Tigers team really contend with the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central?
If not, why not kick off the rebuilding process now rather than treading water and hovering around the .500 mark for another season?
Grade: F
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: DH Carlos Beltran, C Brian McCann, RF Josh Reddick, SP Charlie Morton, OF Nori Aoki, IF Reid Brignac, RP Ashur Tolliver, RP C.J. Riefenhauser
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Cionel Perez (15)
Notable Losses: C Jason Castro, 3B Luis Valbuena, OF Colby Rasmus, SP Doug Fister, RP Pat Neshek, SP Albert Abreu, SP Jorge Guzman, IF Nolan Fontana
Offseason Review
The Houston Astros' pursuit of a front-line starting pitcher has been one of the biggest storylines of the post-winter meetings offseason.
They were connected to Jose Quintana (CWS), Chris Archer (TB) and Sonny Gray (OAK) earlier this month, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, but to this point have been unwilling to part with the prospect talent necessary to land one of those arms.
Right-hander Francis Martes—who was recently ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the league by MLB.com—appears to be the sticking point in negotiations, as David Laurila of FanGraphs made it clear the team has no interest in parting with him.
The need for a top-tier starter remains if this team hopes to be a serious title contender, but it's still been a successful offseason.
Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Josh Reddick will join an offense that already featured the dynamic trio of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer, giving the team an offense that potentially stacks up to any in baseball.
Charlie Morton was also a nice under-the-radar addition to the back of the rotation. Assuming he's fully recovered from the hamstring surgery that ended his 2016, he has No. 3 starter upside.
Grade: B+
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: 1B/OF Brandon Moss, OF Jorge Soler, SP Nathan Karns, RP Chris Withrow, RP Bobby Parnell, RP Al Alburquerque, RP Brandon League, C Drew Butera (re-signed)
Notable Prospect Additions: 1B/OF Peter O'Brien (24)
Notable Losses: RP Wade Davis, DH Kendrys Morales, OF Jarrod Dyson, SP Edinson Volquez, SP Kris Medlen, RP Luke Hochevar, RP Brooks Pounders, C Tony Cruz
Offseason Review
The Kansas City Royals appear to be taking a cautiously optimistic approach to 2017.
With Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar all staring down free agency next offseason, change is undoubtedly coming to the core that made back-to-back World Series trips.
Wade Davis was the first key piece shipped out in a trade, as he was sent to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for the high-upside, low-cost bat of Jorge Soler.
More trades figure to come this summer if the team falls out of contention early, but the hope is for one more run at contention.
With the payroll already stretched thin, they've not been able to do much on the free-agent market this offseason, though they did add Brandon Moss on a two-year, $12 million deal, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, to replace some of the production lost with the departure of Kendrys Morales.
They also locked up starter Danny Duffy with a five-year, $65 million extension.
Flipping speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson to the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Nathan Karns also gives them another rotation candidate and one with team control through 2020.
Given their financial restrictions and rapidly closing window of contention, the Royals have done as well as anyone could have hoped this winter.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: 2B Danny Espinosa, OF Cameron Maybin, 1B Luis Valbuena, OF Ben Revere, SP Jesse Chavez, C Martin Maldonado, RP Andrew Bailey (re-signed), RP Kirby Yates, SP John Lamb, IF Nolan Fontana, OF Ryan LaMarre
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Vicente Campos (9), RP Brooks Pounders (13), RP Abel De Los Santos (24)
Notable Losses: SP Jered Weaver, SP C.J. Wilson, SP Jhoulys Chacin, C Jett Bandy, IF Gregorio Petit, SP Tim Lincecum, RP Blake Parker, RP Ashur Tolliver, SP Victor Alcantara, SP Kyle McGowin, RP Austin Adams
Offseason Review
Danny Espinosa, Cameron Maybin, Luis Valbuena and Ben Revere.
While it might not the most exciting group of offseason additions, they fill some rather glaring areas of need for the Los Angeles Angels.
Espinosa will be a huge upgrade over the handful of replacement-level options that manned second base last year, while left field was an absolute black hole from a production standpoint (.204 BA, .584 OPS) and will welcome a platoon of Maybin and Revere with open arms.
Meanwhile, Valbuena will see the majority of the playing time at first base.
"Luis is a guy that we gravitated to since the start of the winter, and he brings flexibility in his ability to move around the diamond," GM Billy Eppler told Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. "He'll be in that lineup very regularly, and I would say pretty much the entire time against a right-handed pitcher."
Swingman Jesse Chavez is also a nice addition to the pitching staff and could easily find his way into the rotation.
The catcher position is the biggest question mark, as a pair of career backups in Carlos Perez and Martin Maldonado are currently the top options.
The bullpen could also use another setup option or two and more starting pitching depth couldn't hurt given the injuries woes their staff has dealt with in recent years.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: RP Kenley Jansen (re-signed), 3B Justin Turner (re-signed), SP Rich Hill (re-signed), 2B Logan Forsythe, 1B/OF Darin Ruf, RP Vidal Nuno, C Bobby Wilson, OF Brett Eibner, OF Tyler Holt, UT Darnell Sweeney, RP Brandon Morrow, RP Steven Geltz
Notable Prospect Additions: 2B Jose Miguel Fernandez (N/R)
Notable Losses: SP Jose De Leon, RF Josh Reddick, IF/OF Howie Kendrick, 2B Chase Utley, RP Joe Blanton, C Carlos Ruiz, SP Brett Anderson, RP J.P. Howell, SP/RP Jesse Chavez, IF Micah Johnson, RP Carlos Frias
Offseason Review
After focusing their early attention on re-upping with the trio of Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner and Rich Hill, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally made a significant addition when they acquired Logan Forsythe from the Tampa Bay Rays.
It came at a significant cost, as pitching prospect Jose De Leon—the No. 33 prospect in the league, per MLB.com—went the other way in the deal.
However, Forsythe fills a glaring hole at second base and gives the team a sorely needed right-handed bat that hits left-handed pitching well.
The Dodgers hit an MLB-worst .214/.291/.333 against southpaws last year, while Forsythe had a .775 OPS against lefties. He's also a steal at $15.5 million total over the next two years.
Bringing back their own key free agents and shoring up second base makes it a successful offseason for the Dodgers, but there's still work to be done.
The relief corps stands to lean heavily on Pedro Baez as the only proven setup option ahead of Jansen in the closer's role. It's relatively slim pickings at this point on the free-agent market, but there are still some useful arms. A reunion with Joe Blanton remains a possibility.
Grade: A-
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Dan Straily, RP Brad Ziegler, RP Junichi Tazawa, SP Edinson Volquez, SP Jeff Locke, C A.J. Ellis, RP Severino Gonzalez, RP Dustin McGowan (re-signed), SP/RP Kyle Lobstein, C Ramon Cabrera, OF Matt den Dekker, RP Javy Guerra
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: RP Mike Dunn, SP Andrew Cashner, C Jeff Mathis, 1B/3B Chris Johnson, OF Jeff Francoeur, RP Fernando Rodney, SP Luis Castillo, RP Austin Brice
Offseason Review
The Miami Marlins took an interesting approach to addressing their pitching staff, opting to focus on building up the bullpen as opposed to overpaying for starting pitching help.
While they whiffed on top target Kenley Jansen, adding Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa to a bullpen that already featured the terrific trio of David Phelps, Kyle Barraclough and A.J. Ramos should give them one of the best relief corps in baseball.
Dan Straily, Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke wound up being the arms they added to fill out the rotation. While all three offer some level of upside, they all come with clear risk as well.
Straily paired a 3.76 ERA with a 4.88 FIP last year, but he'd be a useful arm with plenty of team control if he can land somewhere in the middle.
Volquez was 26-16 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.27 WHIP combined in 2014 and 2015 before his ERA spiked to 5.37 last year. He's topped 170 innings in each of the past five seasons, though, and his 4.57 FIP last year means there's some positive regression to come.
Locke has struggled to find any level of consistency since a terrific first half in 2013 earned him a spot on the NL All-Star team. He was worth the flier on a one-year, $3.03 million deal, though.
For better or worse, the Marlins pitching staff appears to be set. If nothing else, they get points for thinking outside the box with their offseason approach.
Grade: B
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: 1B Eric Thames, 3B Travis Shaw, RP Neftali Feliz, C Jett Bandy, RP Tommy Milone, RP Joba Chamberlain, IF Eric Sogard, IF Ivan De Jesus Jr., RP Ryan Webb
Notable Prospect Additions: SS Mauricio Dubon (9)
Notable Losses: RP Tyler Thornburg, 1B Chris Carter, C Martin Maldonado, RP Blaine Boyer, RP Chris Capuano
Offseason Review
No team was better positioned to take a chance on someone like Eric Thames than the Milwaukee Brewers.
After non-tendering Chris Carter and his 41-homer bat, the team was in search of a cheaper power source to man first base.
Thames has been an absolute beast the past three seasons playing in the KBO, posting a 1.171 OPS and slugging 124 home runs for the NC Dinos.
On a three-year, $16 million deal, he could be an absolute steal or a modest misstep. For a rebuilding team like the Brewers, the potential far outweighs the risk.
Joining him on the infield will be Travis Shaw, who was acquired along with standout infield prospect Mauricio Dubon from the Boston Red Sox for setup man Tyler Thornburg.
While the 26-year-old had an up-and-down first season as an everyday player, he finished with a .726 OPS, 34 doubles, 16 home runs and 71 RBI en route to a 2.2 WAR. There's still some clear upside here and he's controllable through the 2021 season.
Neftali Feliz should get the first chance at winning the vacated closer's job, while veterans Tommy Milone and Joba Chamberlain figure to join him in the bullpen.
A smart trade, a good low-risk, high-reward signing and a handful of inexpensive additions to the relief corps. Well done.
Grade: A
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: C Jason Castro, 1B Ben Paulsen, OF J.B. Shuck, C Chris Gimenez, SP Ryan Vogelsong, SP Nick Tepesch, RP Justin Haley (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: C Kurt Suzuki, 3B Trevor Plouffe, OF Adam Brett Walker
Offseason Review
The league's new fascination with pitch-framing metrics and the impact that skill can have on a pitching staff made Jason Castro a rich man.
Despite a .210/.307/.377 line last season, Castro landed a three-year, $24.5 million deal from the Minnesota Twins after once again ranking as one of the league's best pitch framers, per StatCorner.
"The whole idea of signing Jason Castro, a lot of it was measured on the impact of catching on a staff," manager Paul Molitor told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. "As we've learned more about how to quantify that, it's probably been a little bit of an undervalued position for guys that handle some of those types of things better than others. We thought that was a big piece in trying to at least start off a way of trying to figure out a way to pitch better."
The Twins pitching staff ranked 29th in the league last year with a 5.08 ERA, so Castro can only help.
That's more or less been the extent of the Twins' offseason activity to this point, aside from the decision to non-tender Trevor Plouffe.
Ben Paulsen and J.B. Shuck will have a chance to win bench jobs as non-roster invitees, while Rule 5 selection Justin Haley could break camp in the bullpen.
Grade: C+
New York Mets
18 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: LF Yoenis Cespedes (re-signed), 2B Neil Walker (re-signed), SP Adam Wilk, RP Ben Rowen
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: SP Bartolo Colon, RP Jerry Blevins, RP Fernando Salas, UT Kelly Johnson, 1B James Loney, OF Alejandro De Aza, SP Jon Niese, SP/RP Logan Verrett
Offseason Review
It's clear the New York Mets are a better team with Yoenis Cespedes anchoring the lineup.
They were nothing short of offensively inept prior to acquiring him in 2015 and hit the skids again last season when he missed time with a hand injury and quad strain.
That made the decision to re-sign him to a massive four-year, $110 million extension a relatively easy one for the organization.
However, aside from that signing—and Neil Walker's decision to accept his qualifying offer—the Mets have been asleep at the wheel this winter.
Most notably, they've been unable to find a taker for Jay Bruce to unclog the outfield logjam and they've failed to replace Jerry Blevins or make any significant additions to a relief corps that will likely be without Jeurys Familia for at least a month, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News.
Heck, they haven't even been adding minor league depth.
Starter Adam Wilk and Ben Rowen are literally the only two newcomers to the entire organization.
Re-signing Cespedes was important, but it appears they're banking on a healthier starting rotation being enough for them to legitimately contend.
Grade: C-
New York Yankees
19 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: RP Aroldis Chapman, DH Matt Holliday, IF Ruben Tejada, 1B Ji-Man Choi
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Albert Abreu (10)
Notable Losses: C Brian McCann, 1B Mark Teixeira, RP Nick Goody, SP Nathan Eovaldi, DH Billy Butler, IF/OF Dustin Ackley, RP Jacob Lindgren
Offseason Review
The New York Yankees' move to re-sign closer Aroldis Chapman has been one of the most polarizing moves of the offseason.
For those that think the Yankees can contend in 2017, bringing back the flame-throwing reliever to anchor the bullpen and help support a somewhat shaky starting rotation was a must.
For those who don't think they can contend and are focused on the team's rebuilding efforts and future spending power, the decision to shell out a five-year, $86 million deal—a record for a reliever—went against the current direction of the organization.
At any rate, he's back and he'll join Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances to form a new Big Three closing out games in the Bronx.
Signing Matt Holliday to a one-year, $13 million deal seemed to be more in line with what most expected the team to be doing this winter—adding short-term assets that won't be a drag on the payroll when it comes time to spend again.
The only other notable move of the offseason has been flipping Brian McCann to the Houston Astros. That moved cleared the way for Gary Sanchez behind the plate, freed up some money and netted the team a quality pitching prospect in Albert Abreu.
Opting against adding a starting pitcher means the team will be relying on two of Chad Green, Luis Severino, Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell in the rotation, which is risky, to say the least.
Grade: B
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: OF Matt Joyce, 3B Trevor Plouffe, CF Rajai Davis, RP Santiago Casilla, UT Adam Rosales, 1B/OF Chris Parmelee, OF Alejandro De Aza, OF Jaff Decker, SP Josh Smith
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Norge Ruiz (12), SP Paul Blackburn (19)
Notable Losses: IF/OF Danny Valencia, RP Ross Detwiler, OF Sam Fuld, OF Brett Eibner, SP Dillon Overton
Offseason Review
The Oakland Athletics have been unusually spendy this offseason, at least by their standards.
Matt Joyce, Trevor Plouffe, Rajai Davis and Santiago Casilla cost the team a combined $33.25 million in free agency, though they all filled rather glaring holes on the roster.
Center field was the biggest area of need. Davis could prove to be a bargain on a one-year, $6 million deal if he duplicates his production from a year ago when he tallied 37 extra-base hits and 43 stolen bases.
Casilla could get a shot at the closer's role after Ryan Madson blew seven saves last year, and he sounds open to whatever role the team sees fit.
"The most important thing is working as a team and having the opportunity to win games," Casilla told Jane Lee of MLB.com. "That's always been my mentality. Regardless of how I'm used, in my mind I'm just always trying to win games."
Simply put, the A's added some quality veteran talent on short-term deals to fill out the roster.
Nothing they did this winter really alters their long-term outlook in any way. They don't look like short-term contenders, so it's been about as neutral as an offseason can get.
Grade: C
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Jeremy Hellickson (re-signed), OF Michael Saunders, IF/OF Howie Kendrick, SP Clay Buchholz, RP Joaquin Benoit, RP Pat Neshek, IF Andres Blanco (re-signed), C Ryan Hanigan, C Bryan Holaday, OF Daniel Nava, IF Pedro Florimon, RP Sean Burnett, RP Cesar Ramos
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: SP Charlie Morton, RP David Hernandez, 1B/OF Darin Ruf, SP Matt Harrison, 1B Ryan Howard, C A.J. Ellis, OF Peter Bourjos, OF Cody Asche, RP Elvis Araujo, SP David Buchanan
Offseason Review
The Philadelphia Phillies offseason began with the surprise decision from Jeremy Hellickson to accept his qualifying offer.
Given the contract signed by Ivan Nova (three years, $26 million) and the fact that Jason Hammel is still unsigned, taking that one-year, $17.2 million deal is looking more and more like the right decision on his part.
While that means the Phillies won't be picking up any draft-pick compensation, they'll welcome back Hellickson with open arms as the veteran leader of a young, up-and-coming pitching staff.
Sticking with the veteran trend, Joaquin Benoit and Pat Neshek were added to a relatively inexperienced bullpen. Benoit will have a chance to compete for the closer's job this spring.
Clay Buchholz was a nice buy-low candidate after a strong finish to the 2016 season and fits the team's strategy from a year ago when it added Hellickson and Charlie Morton in hopes of finding some cheap innings and potential trade candidates.
Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders will join Odubel Herrea in the outfield and should help add some punch to an offense that averaged an MLB-low 3.77 runs per game last year.
The Phillies are coming down the homestretch of what has been a lengthy rebuild. This could be the last relatively quiet offseason before the spending really starts next winter.
Grade: B
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Ivan Nova (re-signed), RP Daniel Hudson, RP Lisalverto Bonilla, RP Nefi Ogando, RP Tyler Webb (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: UT Sean Rodriguez, OF Matt Joyce, RP Neftali Feliz, SP Jeff Locke, SP Ryan Vogelsong, C Eric Fryer, OF Willy Garcia
Offseason Review
Failing to trade Andrew McCutchen during the winter meetings left the Pittsburgh Pirates in something of an offseason limbo.
Would they continue trying to trade a few veteran pieces to shed salary, or would they change course and look to add a player or two in hopes of making a swift return to contention?
It wound up being the latter.
Ivan Nova was re-signed on a three-year, $26 million deal to bring a veteran presence to a starting rotation that will be leaning heavily on inexperienced young arms.
Initial reports had Nova seeking a five-year, $70 million deal, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, so the team has to be pleased with what it ended up costing to bring him back.
Also joining the pitching staff is right-hander Daniel Hudson.
He was one of the most sought-after relief arms on the market and he'll replace Neftali Feliz as the primary right-handed setup man. If Tony Watson struggles or winds up traded, he's the next man up to close games.
Will that be enough for the Pirates to get back on track after a disappointing 2016?
Given their financial limitations, it's probably the best they could have done.
Grade: B+
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SP Trevor Cahill, SP Jhoulys Chacin, SP Clayton Richard (re-signed), SP Zach Lee, SP Tyrell Jenkins, RP Craig Stammen, C Hector Sanchez (re-signed), OF Rafael Ortega
Notable Prospect Additions: SS Allen Cordoba (21), RP Miguel Diaz (22), C Luis Torrens (23)
Notable Losses: SP Tyson Ross, C Derek Norris, UT Adam Rosales, OF Jon Jay, IF Jose Pirela, UT Alexi Amarista, OF Oswaldo Arcia, SP Edwin Jackson, SP Erik Johnson, RP Jon Edwards, RP Brandon Morrow
Offseason Review
Just more than $5 million.
That's how much the San Diego Padres spent to fill not one, but three spots in their starting rotation for the upcoming season.
This is the definition of a rebuilding team, folks.
Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin and Trevor Cahill each signed matching one-year, $1.75 million deals and will join some combination of Luis Perdomo, Christian Friedrich and Paul Clemens on the starting staff.
The team will also enter camp with three Rule 5 players after trading for the first two picks in the draft.
Right-hander Miguel Diaz probably has the best chance of breaking camp with the team, but don't be surprised if all three get a long look.
Flipping Derek Norris was a nice move to save a few bucks and clear a path for Austin Hedges to take over as the primary catcher.
The decision to non-tender Tyson Ross still doesn't sit quite right.
It wasn't worth the $9 million or so it would have cost for his final year of arbitration in hopes he'd bounce back and net some quality prospect talent at the deadline? Seems like a chance worth taking, especially for a team with next to nothing in the way of payroll on the books for 2017.
Grade: C
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: RP Mark Melancon, C Nick Hundley, C Tim Federowicz, C Josmil Pinto, 1B/OF Mike Morse, IF Jimmy Rollins, OF Justin Ruggiano, OF Orlando Calixte, SP Michael Roth, RP Bryan Morris, RP Jose Dominguez, RP Neil Ramirez
Notable Prospect Additions: IF Jae-gyun Hwang (N/R)
Notable Losses: OF Angel Pagan, RP Sergio Romo, RP Santiago Casilla, RP Javier Lopez, SP Chris Heston, SP Jake Peavy, IF Gordon Beckham
Offseason Review
Signing a proven closer was priority No. 1 for the San Francisco Giants this offseason and they did just that when they inked Mark Melancon to a four-year, $62 million deal.
That more or less maxed them out from a payroll standpoint.
"The Mark Melancon signing pretty much ended any talk of the Giants adding another player with a big contract," wrote John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Now it's about whether they have the in-house talent to make another title push.
"I don’t think there’s anything more to ask of ownership," GM Bobby Evans told Shea. "It’s more what I can do with what we have."
The front office hasn't completely checked out for the winter just because the team was up against a payroll crunch, though.
Nick Hundley was signed to a one-year, $2 million deal to serve as the backup catcher, while they've also assembled perhaps the most impressive collection of non-roster invitees in the league.
Jimmy Rollins, Michael Morse and Justin Ruggiano headline the position players, while Bryan Morris, Neil Ramirez and Jose Dominguez will all get a long look for the final bullpen spot.
KBO standout Jae-gyun Hwang, 29, will also be vying for a bench job on a minor league deal after hitting .330/.391/.558 with 26 home runs and 104 RBI last season with the Lotte Giants.
Grade: A
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: SS Jean Segura, IF/OF Danny Valencia, OF Jarrod Dyson, SP Drew Smyly, SP Yovani Gallardo, C Carlos Ruiz, C Tuffy Gosewisch, RP Marc Rzepczynski, RP Casey Fien, RP Shae Simmons, SP Chris Heston, RP Zac Curtis, RP Ryan Weber, OF Taylor Motter
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Max Povse (9), SP Dillon Overton (10), SP Rob Whalen (13), OF Mitch Haniger (14), RP James Pazos (27)
Notable Losses: SP Taijuan Walker, SS Ketel Marte, 1B Adam Lind, OF Seth Smith, OF Nori Aoki, RP Vidal Nuno, RP Tom Wilhelmsen, OF Stefen Romero, SP Zach Lee, RP Arquimedes Caminero, RP David Rollins, SP Luiz Gohara, SP Paul Blackburn, OF Alex Jackson, SP Ryan Yarbrough
Offseason Review
The Seattle Mariners currently have 17 newcomers on the 40-man roster, including 10 among the projected Opening Day roster, per RosterResource.
There's been no rest for GM Jerry Dipoto in his second year at the helm, as he looks to lead the team to its first postseason appearance since 2001.
"This was a team that was built to win, and win now," Dipoto told reporters. "But we're not stripping the organization in the effort to win now as the only option. This is what we intend to be a sustainable product to win year in and year out."
Jean Segura and Jarrod Dyson will give the team an exciting new one-two punch atop the lineup, as that speedy duo will set the table for a trio of 30-homer sluggers in Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager.
Meanwhile, Drew Smyly and Yovani Gallardo join the starting rotation as they look to replace Taijuan Walker, who was shipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks to land Segura.
A return to elite form by Felix Hernandez could make a bigger impact than anything on the starting rotation. The potential is there from both Gallardo and Smyly to be far better than they showed in 2016.
Danny Valencia gives the team a right-handed bat to platoon with Dan Vogelbach at first base, while Mitch Haniger joins Vogelbach as a rookie projected to break camp with a starting gig.
There might not be any huge additions on the roster aside from Segura, but props to Dipoto for not resting on his laurels after the team finished just three games out of a playoff spot last season.
Grade: A
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: CF Dexter Fowler, RP Brett Cecil, C Eric Fryer, OF Todd Cunningham, RP Jordan Schafer, RP Zach Phillips
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Chris Ellis (23), SP John Gant (26), SP Kendry Flores (29)
Notable Losses: OF Matt Holliday, SP Jaime Garcia, 1B/OF Brandon Moss, RP Jordan Walden, RP Seth Maness, RP Jerome Williams, C Brayan Pena, OF Jeremy Hazelbaker, SP Tim Cooney, RP Dean Kiekhefer
Offseason Review
The St. Louis Cardinals picked the perfect player to spend big on when they gave Dexter Fowler a five-year, $82.5 million deal.
He fills the team's biggest need in center field. Slotting him in the leadoff spot in the lineup will allow Matt Carpenter to move down to a run-production spot in the middle of the lineup.
"You obviously have a great presence at the top of the lineup," GM John Mozeliak told reporters. "The athleticism, the excitement of bringing in a player that has all the physical attributes—but also those others, the ones that are behind the scenes that we put a lot of faith into."
The only other glaring need on the roster was finding a left-handed reliever to serve in a setup role.
With Zach Duke lost for the year to Tommy John surgery and Kevin Siegrist boasting reverse platoon splits, Cecil landed a four-year, $30.5 million to set the market for what has been a lucrative offseason for southpaw relievers.
Trading Jaime Garcia was the other big move.
It brought a pair of decent pitching prospects in Chris Ellis and John Gant, saved some money and brought a bit of clarity to what is still a crowded starting pitching situation.
Coming to terms on an extension with Carlos Martinez would have been nice. There's still time for that, but overall it's been a successful offseason for the Cards.
Grade: A
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: C Wilson Ramos, LF Colby Rasmus, RP Shawn Tolleson, OF Mallex Smith, OF Jason Coats, OF Shane Peterson, RP Kevin Gadea (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: SP Jose De Leon (2), SP Ryan Yarbrough (17)
Notable Losses: 2B Logan Forsythe, SP Drew Smyly, 1B Logan Morrison, OF Mikie Mahtook, RP Dylan Floro, SS Alexei Ramirez, RP Kevin Jepsen, RP Steven Geltz, 1B/OF Richie Shaffer, OF Taylor Motter
Offseason Review
The Tampa Bay Rays cashed in two more trade chips this offseason when they traded left-hander Drew Smyly to the Seattle Mariners and second baseman Logan Forsythe to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Smyly deal brought a package of young players built around speedy outfielder Mallex Smith, while Forsythe was a one-for-one trade for top pitching prospect Jose De Leon.
"We are very excited to add Jose De Leon to the Rays organization. He's a talented starting pitching prospect who can soon become a key member of our Major League rotation," GM Erik Neander told reporters.
A rotation of Chris Archer, Blake Snell, Jake Odorizzi and De Leon looks awfully strong going forward.
Meanwhile, the team has also landed three of the more intriguing buy-low candidates on the free-agent market in Wilson Ramos (two years, $12.5 million), Colby Rasmus (one year, $5 million) and Shawn Tolleson (one year, $1 million).
Ramos would have netted a huge payday if not for a torn ACL suffered in September, while Rasmus received a qualifying offer last offseason after a .789 OPS, 25-homer season and Tolleson is just a year removed from a 35-save season and 10th-place finish in AL Cy Young voting.
This is how you do it, small-market teams.
Grade: A+
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: CF Carlos Gomez (re-signed), SP Tyson Ross, SP Andrew Cashner, 1B James Loney, IF Will Middlebrooks, OF Travis Snider, OF Jared Hoying (re-signed), SP Dillon Gee, SP Allen Webster, SP Tyler Wagner, SP Adrian Sampson, RP Brady Dragmire, RP Wesley Wright, RP Mike Hauschild (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: IF Luis Yander La O (N/R)
Notable Losses: CF Ian Desmond, DH Carlos Beltran, 1B Mitch Moreland, SP Derek Holland, SP Colby Lewis
Offseason Review
The Texas Rangers might have more work left to do than any other contender.
That is unless they're content opening the season with some combination of Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar and Ryan Rua manning the first base and DH spots.
With Carlos Beltran and Mitch Moreland both departing in free agency, the team has two significant bats to replace in the lineup. While Profar and Gallo both have top prospect pedigree, they've yet to prove themselves at the MLB level.
Perhaps they view minor league free-agent signing James Loney as a potential stopgap.
The 32-year-old hit .265/.307/.397 with 26 extra-base hits in 366 plate appearances for the New York Mets last season, but counting on him as anything more than organizational depth would be unwise.
Carlos Gomez was re-signed to man center field after an impressive two-month showing last year, while Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and Dillon Gee have been added to bolster the starting rotation.
Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish rival any one-two combination in the league and Martin Perez is a solid back-end starter, but the rotation still looks like a question mark. A return to form from Ross would go a long way.
It definitely hasn't been the most aggressive offseason approach for a team that looks to be a notch below the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians among AL contenders.
What's more, the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros have both improved significantly this offseason, closing the gap in the AL West in the process.
Grade: C
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: RF Jose Bautista (re-signed), DH Kendrys Morales, UT Steve Pearce, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C Juan Graterol, IF Gregorio Petit, SP Brett Oberholtzer, SP T.J. House, RP Leonel Campos, RP Dominic Leone, RP Jeff Beliveau, RP Glenn Sparkman (Rule 5)
Notable Prospect Additions: IF Lourdes Gurriel (N/R)
Notable Losses: 1B Edwin Encarnacion, LF Michael Saunders, SP R.A. Dickey, RP Joaquin Benoit, RP Brett Cecil, SP Scott Feldman, SP Gavin Floyd, 1B/OF Chris Colabello, C Dioner Navarro
Offseason Review
The Toronto Blue Jays will be relying even more on their starting rotation in the season to come.
Swapping out Edwin Encarnacion for Kendrys Morales ended up being a $27 million net gain in terms of payroll hit, but it's undoubtedly a downgrade from a production standpoint.
Bringing back Jose Bautista helps lessen the blow a bit and the under-the-radar addition of Steve Pearce will help provide some versatility and a right-handed hitting platoon partner for Justin Smoak at first base.
Have they done enough to keep pace in the AL East, though?
The bullpen looks like the biggest question mark following the departures of Joaquin Benoit and Brett Cecil, as no significant additions have been made so far this offseason to counter those losses.
The starting rotation had a built-in replacement for free agent R.A. Dickey thanks to the deadline trade for Francisco Liriano, but depth could be a factor there as well if someone were to miss time with an injury.
The Blue Jays should still be able to make plenty of noise in the AL East thanks to their terrific rotation and an offense that will still be well above average.
At the same time, it's impossible to say they've gotten better this winter.
Grade: C-
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Notable MLB Additions: CF Adam Eaton, C Derek Norris, IF Stephen Drew (re-signed), OF Chris Heisey (re-signed), IF Emmanuel Burriss, IF Grant Green, SP Vance Worley, SP Jacob Turner, RP Austin Adams, RP Jimmy Cordero, RP Tim Collins, RP Neal Cotts
Notable Prospect Additions: None
Notable Losses: RP Mark Melancon, C Wilson Ramos, IF Danny Espinosa, OF Ben Revere, SP Mat Latos, RP Matt Belisle, RP Marc Rzepczynski, RP Sean Burnett, RP Yusmeiro Petit, SP Lucas Giolito, SP Reynaldo Lopez, SP Dane Dunning
Offseason Review
It's awfully hard to look past the damage acquiring Adam Eaton did to the Washington Nationals' farm system, but there's no question he makes them a better team in 2017.
And for a team looking to win now before potentially losing Bryce Harper in free agency, improving in the short term makes sense.
That begs the question, why have they done nothing to address the bullpen?
With Mark Melancon walking in free agency and no significant late-inning arms added in free agency, Shawn Kelley currently projects to step into the closer's role.
Kelley has the stuff to close and he was terrific last season in a setup role (67 G, 13 HLD, 2.64 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 12.4 K/9).
He has just 11 career saves to his credit, though, and counting on an unproven arm in the ninth is always risky.
To summarize: Love Eaton as a player, hate what they gave up to get him, puzzled by the fact that it wasn't a precursor to more moves this winter.
The Nationals are good, but are they good enough?
Grade: D
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=480 "MLB Farm System Rankings")
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
