One Piece for MLB Fringe Contenders
The regular season was supposed to have already started, but since it hasn’t, teams around Major League Baseball have a little more time to get deals done. In looking at MLB’s fringe contenders (teams who didn’t make the playoffs in 2019 and figure to contend for playoff spots in 2020), it’s clear most of them still need to make at least one move to become legitimate contenders. Here is the one addition each team still needs to make before Opening Day, whenever that ends up being.
New York Mets sign OF Yasiel Puig.This is among the easiest moves on this list because the only asset it involves is money. New York doesn’t have to give up anything outside of what they’re willing to pay him. Puig would add a lot of pop to an already solid Mets lineup in need of a little more depth. Yes, the loss of Noah Syndergaard to Tommy John surgery hurts the team’s playoff chances, but with Puig in the lineup, they stand a fighting chance in an ultra competitive NL East.
Philadelphia Phillies trade for SP Matthew Boyd.With Aaron Nola coming into his own as the ace of Philly’s staff, the starting rotation is rounding into form. However, Jake Arrieta’s health is declining and Zach Eflin has proven to be inconsistent. Add Boyd to the mix with Nola and newly acquired Zach Wheeler and the Phillies give themselves a realistic chance of reaching the postseason with a bona fide top 3-4 starters.
Cincinnati Reds trade for SP Robbie Ray.Cincinnati, on paper at least, is one of the league’s most improved teams this offseason. They added OF Nick Castellanos and IF Mike Moustakas to a lineup that was already peaking by the end of last season. It’s reasonable to expect Trevor Bauer to have a bounce-back season in the rotation as well. If the Reds were able to add a pitcher or Ray’s caliber to the back-end of the rotation, it’s tough to imagine them not winning the NL Central. Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Bauer, Ray and Anthony DeSclafani/Wade Miley is a hell of a starting staff.
Chicago Cubs trade for 2B Whit Merrifield.The Royals are in free fall and would love to move Merrifield for a king’s ransom, but they haven’t had any takers yet. And if this offseason was any indication, Kansas City isn’t going to move their star infielder unless they get an offer that blows them away. The Cubs don’t have a ton in the way of minor league assets, but if they were able to package one blue-chip prospect with a couple mid-level prospects, that might be enough to get it done. At this point, it doesn’t seem like the Theo Epstein brain trust is inclined to go all in on 2020, but if they do, Merrifield is the obvious addition. He plays the team’s biggest positional need in one of the team’s last two years with their core offensive nucleus in place.
Chicago White Sox trade for SP Caleb Smith.Along with the Reds, the White Sox were the most active team in the league this offseason. They bolstered their lineup by signing C Yasmani Grandal, DH Edwin Encarnacion and OF Nomar Mazara. Add those three to a really exciting young lineup and there’s little doubt Chicago will be able to score runs in bunches this year. But will they be able to prevent them from being scored against them? They also added Dallas Keuchel to the rotation this offseason, but his ceiling is as a No. 2 starter nowadays. Gio Gonzalez shouldn’t be depended upon in a serious role, though right now he’s their No. 3 starter. The real wild card is rookie pitcher Dylan Cease who will get his first real test. If Chicago really feels like accelerating their contention window, they’d make a competitive offer to the Marlins for promising starter Caleb Smith. Slotting him in as the team’s No. 2 or No. 3 starter would give them a fighting chance of knocking off the Twins in the AL Central.
Los Angeles Angels trade for SP Zack Greinke.There is no indication that the Astros are intent on trading Greinke, especially since ace Gerrit Cole just walked over to the Yankees in free agency and especially since the Angels are a division rival. However, if they want to get an infusion of young pitching talent still a few years away from the majors to bolster an aging rotation, they may consider it. Houston is one of the top contenders in the American League and may feel they can replace Greinke with other options while still planning for the future. Meanwhile, the Angels desperately need an ace. Greinke isn’t quite at that level consistently anymore, but adding him to the rotation in Anaheim would at the very least make Mike Trout and Co. a wild card contender.
Texas Rangers trade for OF Charlie Blackmon.Even though the AL West is going to be tough to win with the Astros, Athletics and improved Angels lurking, the Rangers are opening up a new stadium and appear to be close to or in win-now mode. If the front office wants to vault themselves into legitimate contention, they will part with significant young assets to bring Blackmon to Arlington. He won’t be cheap and he shouldn’t be. He’s been one of the best hitters in the National League for years. If he’s wearing a Rangers jersey by Opening Day, expect the AL West to be a bloodbath in 2020.