American League West Review: December 15, 2022
Time to catch up on what each AL West club has done this winter.
This winter hasn’t gone as most would have expected, but most of it is good for the Seattle Mariners, considering how things could have transpired, particularly in Houston… so far.
Houston Astros
In: 1B Jose Abreu
Out: RHP Justin Verlander (NYM), UT Aledmys Diaz (OAK), C Christian Vazquez (MIN)
FAs: OF Michael Brantley, 1B Yuli Gurriel, LHP Will Smith
Projected 40-man Payroll: $182.65M
Losing Verlander is a big blow, but not unexpected. The Astros’ bullpen remains in tact, and their lineup got better with the addition of Abreu (essentially replacing Gurriel, who struggled big-time in 2022). But they still need more offense from the catcher spot and in the outfield, where they are linked to Brantley, Andrew Benintendi, Michael Conforto, Bryan Reynolds, Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar, and others.
I wonder if the Astros would give Gary Sanchez a one-year deal. In that ballpark, his pull power would play very well, even if he’s a 40-grade catcher and mostly a DH. Tucker Barnhart also should be on their radar.
PODCAST: A 3-Team Deal for Bryan Reynolds
Seattle Mariners
In: OF Teoscar Hernandez, 2B Kolten Wong, RHP Trevor Gott, OF/C Cooper Hummel, RHP Chris Clarke
Out: LHP Matthew Boyd, OF Mitch Haniger, 1B Carlos Santana, RHP Erik Swanson, OF Kyle Lewis, OF Jesse Winker, UT Abraham Toro
FAs: C Luis Torrens, C Curt Casali, 2B Adam Frazier
Projected 40-man Payroll: $177.63M
Seattle still has offensive needs — in a perfect world it’s free agent Michael Conforto or a trade for Bryan Reynolds, plus either an infield bat capable of playing some 3B, or an OF capable of playing either 3B, 1B or both.
But the Mariners’ bullpen also is short at least one arm — I don’t buy the idea they can handle it all in-house — and an upgrade of the No. 5 spot in the rotation could add value they’re still missing in the lineup (Nathan Eovaldi, Cal Quantrill, Jordan Lyles, Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal, Mitch Keller, JT Brubaker).
Los Angeles Angels
In: RHP Carlos Estevez, RHP Chris Devenski, RF Hunter Renfroe, 3B Gio Urshela, LHP Tyler Anderson
Out: RHP Elvis Peguero, RHP Jason Junk, RHP Alejandro Hidalgo
FAs: RHP Michael Lorenzen, RHP Archie Bradley, C Kurt Suzuki
Projected 40-man Payroll: $197.96M
The Angels’rotation actually pitched well in 2022, finishing the year ranked No. 6 in baseball in xFIP, and Anderson adds more depth behind Shoehi Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, and Jose Suarez, and stop sleeping on Reid Detmers, who posted a 3.79 FIP and league average xFIP in 25 starts and threw strikes all year.
Anaheim lacks impact after Ohtani and in the bullpen, but the winter is young.
Texas Rangers
In: RHP Jacob deGrom, LHP Andrew Heaney, RHP Jake Odorizzi
Out: LHP Kolby Allard, 2B Andy Ibanez, 2B Nick Solak
FAs: OF Kole Calhoun, C Matt Moore
Projected 40-man Payroll: $204.2M
Signing deGrom is obviously huge and if he gives them even 25 start in 2023 t’s going to make the Rangers a pest. But to compete they will need more from their rotation as a whole. Right-hander Dane Dunning has some upside left to fill and both Jon Gray and Martin Perez are back, but as of right now Texas lacks depth, and the bullpen is an arm or two short, too.
Also, Nathaniel Lowe, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, andJonah Heim headline what should be a good lineup, but they ranked No. 12 in runs scored, and No. 19 in wRC+ a year ago.
Oakland Athletics
In: OF Brent Rooker, 2B Jace Peterson, UT Aledmys Diaz, OF Esteury Diaz, LHP Kyle Muller, C Manny Pina
Out: C Sean Murphy
FAs: OF Chad Pinder, C Stephen Vogt (retired)
The one sure thing in this division used to be the A’s surprising and winning more than anyone expected. Those days are gone.
