In this article, I will be exploring the overarching storyline and personal opinions for each MLB team this 2020-21 MLB offseason.*
*The player to watch for each team can be both a player previously on the team or a speculative acquisition
This is also going to be a brutal offseason for middle of the pack free agents as teams are actively looking to cut payroll due to COVID.
AL East
Rays: Time to spend?
Thanks to otherworldly player development, the Rays were able to make the 2020 World Series despite having the sixth lowest payroll in the league. This puts them in a tremendous spot for this offseason, but they need to start spending money to bring in high tier free agents and/or trade some of their hoarded prospects for superstars. However, their history of exchanging soon to be paid players for controllable players makes this an unlikely proposition. It’s likely to be another winter of under the radar trades for the Rays that somehow turn out strongly in their favor.
Player to Watch: SP Charlie Morton
Yankees: What to do at shortstop?
The Yankees are not afraid to spend, and this offseason should be no different for them. DJ LeMahieu is likely gone (even after being extended the qualifying offer), and Gleyber Torres remaining at second leaves a hole at SS. The 2022 shortstop class features the likes of Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez, and Trevor Story, and it seems likely that one of the five will end up in the Bronx. Still, it is a possibility the Yankees make a run for a SS this season in the hopes of raising their chances of winning now, and so a trade for one of the five aforementioned SSs (likely Lindor or Story) or signing one of the slightly worse currently available ones (Didi Gregorius reunion, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons) is something to look out for.
Player to Watch: SS Francisco Lindor
Blue Jays: How to build off of a successful 2020?
Toronto is in a pretty enviable spot, as a lot of their everyday players remaining in the pre-arbitration stage means they have a pretty decent amount of available payroll. They looked pretty lifeless in the postseason but this can be alleviated if they make a splash this offseason. Their current 2021 outlook seems to be about a .500 team, but if they are able to land a superstar or two, this could definitely change for the better.
Player to Watch: OF George Springer
Orioles: Keep the rebuild going
The Orioles actually weren’t completely horrendous this past season and may have found a few possible building blocks (Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle) which bodes well for their rebuild. However, they are still very much in the rebuilding stage and should continue to do rebuilding things this offseason. This hopefully includes one year contracts to veterans with the hope to flip them for prospects at the 2021 trade deadline.
Player to Watch: SS Jose Iglesias
Red Sox: Time to overhaul the pitching staff
Just two years removed from a championship, the Red Sox are now in the cellar. Their core of position players isn’t bad at all but their pitching staff is inadequate, to say the least. Due to the nature of their market, they may still look to spend big this offseason to try to make a run at the 2021 playoffs, but this will have to begin with a complete rehaul of the pitching staff, especially the starting rotation.
Players to Watch: Any available SP
AL Central
Twins: Does this core have what it takes?
It was yet another disappointing postseason for Minnesota, extending their playoff loss streak to a record 18 (!!) games. They could lose a pretty substantial amount of value this offseason (Nelson Cruz, Jake Odorizzi, Trevor May, Rich Hill) which is anything but helpful. Though the current core should still be good enough to make the postseason, the potential departures of the players mentioned above in tandem with their postseason woes places a huge question on their championship capabilities. They also don’t seem like a real landing spot for top free agents, so it’s going to be a complicated offseason for the Twins front office.
Player to Watch: DH Nelson Cruz
White Sox: Rotation: Help Needed
One of the most exciting up and coming teams, the White Sox are in a strong spot this offseason. They already did some spending last offseason, a trend that is likely to continue. This is a very possible landing spot for Trevor Bauer but I think it’s more likely they target the next tier of starting pitchers like James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and Kevin Gausman.
Players to Watch: SPs Marcus Stroman/James Paxton
Indians: Lindor?
Francisco Lindor is definitely getting traded this winter, with his free agency looming and the Indians front office already telling fans to “Enjoy him while he’s here.” Most of their offseason should thus revolve around trying to find the best package for Frankie as the team slowly says goodbye to their 2016 pennant winning core.
Player to Watch: SS Francisco Lindor
Royals: Try to hit the lottery
As is my advice for most rebuilding teams, Kansas City should look to sign veterans to one year deals with the intention to flip them for prospects at the deadline. There are a lot of possible names to do this with, especially in the starting pitching market, and should be the only thing the Royals do this offseason as they develop their players. Also, flipping Brad Keller while he is at peak value makes a lot of sense.
Players to Watch: Veterans coming off bad years
Tigers: Does anyone want Matt Boyd or Daniel Norris?
Detroit is in the midst of a complete rebuild, and will continue to do so this winter. They do have some intriguing trade pieces and it makes sense if they decide to flip them this offseason. Boyd is coming off a nightmare year but still has a decent resume and Norris has what it takes to be a four or five in most rotations. If they do trade either of these two, they should look to receive position playing prospects more so than pitching prospects in return.
Players to Watch: SPs Matt Boyd/Daniel Norris
AL West
Athletics: Extension Time?
The A’s refused to offer qualifying offers to both Marcus Semien and Liam Hendriks, but I’d like to believe they will look to retain at least Semien. If they don’t, it really seems like they just don’t want to win a World Series. Regardless of those two, I think the team should definitely begin to explore extensions for Matt Chapman and Matt Olson as their arbitration years begin. Oakland is not in a bad spot this winter, but if they refuse to spend, things are only going to go downhill.
Player to Watch: SS Marcus Semien
Astros: The Carlos Correa Extension
In the Yankees portion I mentioned the extraordinary 2022 shortstop free agency class, which includes Carlos Correa. Out of the five mentioned, I would bet on Correa being the most likely to stay put. I hope Houston is smart and puts all its eggs in one basket e to hash out an extension for him this offseason. Also, George Springer seems as good as gone.
Player to Watch: SS Carlos Correa
Angels: Bauer or no?
The Angels pitching staff really isn’t as bad as some people make it out to be, but it does still need some help. The question for whoever the new GM is whether this means giving it all to Trevor Bauer or signing a few lesser starters like Stroman, Paxton, Odorizzi, Tanaka, Gausman and pairing them with some reliever signings like Trevor Rosenthal, Mark Melancon and Liam Hendriks, to name a few.
Players to Watch: Starting pitching market
Mariners: What to do with Mitch Haniger
Seattle has set a pretty distinct timeline that should see them contending in 3-4 years, but unfortunately, Mitch Haniger just doesn’t fit into this timeline. Haniger suffered a gruesome groin injury in 2019 and then decimated his back in 2020, causing him to miss the entire season. Regardless, his past suggests he is a very strong everyday corner outfielder and Seattle should look to trade him for prospects/players that fit their timeline better. Another trade with the Padres makes sense in this scenario.
Player to Watch: OF Mitch Haniger
Rangers: Exploring possible Lance Lynn and Joey Gallo trades
The Rangers clearly tried to contend in 2020, but thanks to injuries and nonexistent offensive production, they fell flat on their face. Texas is in a really tough spot right now, and needs to actively look to flip Lance Lynn and Joey Gallo this offseason. Realistically, the Lynn trade should’ve happened during the season, but it is still a prime time to find a deal and maximize his value. Gallo, on the other hand, has all the tools to be a MVP but has kind of struggled to put it all together. Still, his 5-tool ability means that there’s a pretty decent haul waiting for Texas if they’re willing to part with him.
Player to Watch: OF Joey Gallo
NL East
Braves: Who can be trusted in the rotation? and Marcell Ozuna
Fresh off blowing a 3-1 lead, the Braves are in for a pretty complex offseason. They will hopefully get Mike Soroka back at some point next year, who will pair with Max Fried to bolster their starting rotation. The rest of the staff, however, is a big question mark as Ian Anderson has an extremely small sample size and Kyle Wright, Bryse Wilson, Touki Toussaint, and Sean Newcomb are just raw talent at this current juncture. Therefore, they need to look to sign and/or trade for some vets to sure up their rotation. Furthermore, they’re going to need to pay Marcell Ozuna if they intend to keep him which may be tough with him coming off a career year.
Player to Watch: OF/DH Marcell Ozuna
Marlins: Make a push or let things happen?
In what was anticipated to be a rebuilding year, the Marlins somehow found themselves as one of the last eight teams standing. The question now for Derek Jeter Inc. is whether they should try to build off of this success by bringing in vets or if they should let things play out and wait at least another year before they make a real push. My bet is that they will continue to let things play out -- especially considering Jeter’s cheap nature -- and give themselves some time to see which young players are legit.
Player to Watch: OF Starling Marte
Phillies: Commit to Realmuto or no?
JT Realmuto is debatably the most valuable free agent in this upcoming pool, and it’s likely that the star catcher will demand 150 + million dollars in a long term deal. The Phillies already have some large financial commitments, though Jake Arrieta being off the books will alleviate some of their financial concerns. Will Philly look to pay big for JT, or will they look to retain Didi Gregorius and look to upgrade elsewhere? The question will inevitably be a difficult one to answer for the Phillies’ new front office as they head into a complex offseason.
Player to Watch: C JT Realmuto
Mets: Get Ready for Madness in Queens
Now owned by Steve Cohen, the Mets are perfectly capable of spending big for free agents. The question is whether these big time free agents are willing to go to a historically misled organization like the Mets. The Mets have already been linked to JT Realmuto, George Springer, and pretty much every other big name in the pool. Furthermore, the Mets have some big decisions to make regarding Michael Conforto, Noah Syndergaard, Seth Lugo, Edwin Diaz, and Brandon Nimmo, all core pieces set to hit free agency either next year or the year after. This could potentially be a preparational offseason for the Mets as they set ambitious goals for the 2022 free agency.
Player to Watch: SP Noah Syndergaard
Nationals: What’s the direction?
It was a pretty disappointing season for the 2019 champs, but it was somewhat expected following Anthony Rendon’s departure and a slew of early season injuries. It’s early, but Stephen Strasburg’s big contract looks bad in recent light and both Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin aren’t getting any younger. Outside of Juan Soto and Trea Turner, the offense doesn’t have much going for it and Turner is set to hit the market in 2023. Will the Nats look to flip any of Corbin, Scherzer, or Turner to begin a rebuild or will they take one more shot at another title while they still have their core largely intact? They also need to be actively exploring a Juan Soto extension, as they can’t afford to lose him like they did Bryce Harper and Rendon.
Player to Watch: OF George Springer
NL Central
Cubs: Kris Bryant Dilemma
Ever since winning the 2016 MVP, Kris Bryant has been on the steady decline and hit a career low while playing through injury this past campaign. The three time all-star hits free agency in 2022 and with an already overloaded payroll in tandem with Javy Baez’s contract to focus on, KB might be the odd one out. It’s also possible that the Cubs prefer Bryant to Baez, but it’s likely they’ll have to choose one to keep and look to flip the other while they still can.
Player to Watch: OF/3B Kris Bryant
Cardinals: It’s time to let go
This might be the offseason that St. Louis finally understands that their core surrounding Yadi Molina, Adam Wainwright, and Matt Carpenter is not going to be enough. Molina and Waino are both free agents, and at 38 and 39 years old respectively, the Cardinals need to start looking elsewhere. The team also surprisingly declined Kolten Wong’s team option, and it doesn’t seem likely he returns. As a whole, the Cardinals aren’t in a great spot and will need to look to slowly say goodbye to the group that brought them great success throughout the 2010s.
Player to Watch: C Yadier Molina
Reds: What happens if Bauer leaves?
The Reds are in an odd spot this offseason as they come off their best season since 2013. They already have a lot of money tied up and have to somehow convince Trevor Bauer to come back. Will they be willing to appease Bauer’s ~30 million dollar asking price, or will they look to let him go and focus on other horizons? Either way, it is tough to predict what the Reds’ future will look like.
Player to Watch: SP Trevor Bauer
Brewers: Ew
Milwaukee is in a less than favorable spot right now because they are just the epitome of average. Their offense is literally only Christian Yelich and when he doesn’t perform up to his MVP level, like this past year, there is no one else to step up. They had some exciting developments on the pitching staff, but it still isn’t much more than a borderline top 10 unit. A Josh Hader trade makes sense, but it also feels like you may be selling low on him. Things are rather bleak for David Stearns right now.
Player to Watch: RP Josh Hader
Pirates: Keep the tank going
Pittsburgh is probably going to be the worst team in the league again next year. Thankfully, they don’t have much financial obligations, which means they can look to extend the decent players they do have. It could also be a busy offseason for them as they look to flip some of said decent players, such as Josh Bell, Jameson Taillon, Joe Musgrove, Adam Frazier, Kyle Crick, Richard Rodriguez, and Trevor Williams.
Player to Watch: SP Joe Musgrove
NL West
Dodgers: Afford to pay Bauer or begin extension talk?
The 2020 champs are obviously in a very desirable position right now, as they will likely enter the season as the heavy favorites to repeat. However, they still do have some pretty immense decisions to make this offseason. Principal amongst these decisions is choosing between Trevor Bauer or extending Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, and Walker Buehler as priority #1.
Player to Watch: SS Corey Seager
Padres: Surrounding the young core
The Padres and White Sox are essentially in the same spot right now. Both have extremely exciting young cores but kind of lack the experience to make a deep run. This is why now is the time for AJ Preller to open up the check book. George Springer makes a ton of sense for them but so do Trevor Bauer, Michael Brantley, Marcell Ozuna and Liam Hendriks. San Diego should just be looking to bring in experience and veteran talent as they position themselves to begin a possible dynasty.
Player to Watch: OF George Springer
Giants: False Hope
Losing their last three regular season games caused the Giants to fall out of the playoffs, but it was still a really surprising season for San Francisco. The difficult truth for this team, though, is that they don’t have the talent to replicate their 2020 results, much less make a real run in the playoffs. Their five highest paid players are all 33 years old plus and their farm system is painfully average. In retrospect, the 2020 season was more of a mirage and Giants fans should expect a pretty long tank.
Player to Watch: C Buster Posey
Rockies: Blow it up please
It’s time for the Rockies to realize that they aren’t going anywhere. They’ve tried for years to build a contender around Nolan Arenado but it just hasn’t happened. Whether it’s trading Arenado himself or selling high on German Marquez and Trevor Story, something big needs to happen in Colorado this offseason.
Player to Watch: SS Trevor Story
Diamondbacks: Nowhere to go but up
It was a pretty rough 2020 for the D-Backs who had some decent expectations coming in. They don’t necessarily have a lot of money tied up, but a lot of their core is 30+. They’ll probably look to make one last push at a postseason run, but it’s extremely doubtful that this will happen.
Player to Watch: SP Madison Bumgarner