Texas Rangers
Everything went right for the Texas Rangers in 2023 en route to the franchise’s first world series championship. The same could not be said in their attempt to repeat. There were too many injuries and players who didn’t repeat their heroics.
The Rangers fell from second in the American League in home runs to ninth. They set out to correct that and so far this off season they have been successful.
Nathaniel Lowe who has been a steady hitter but who’s home run total has exceeded eighteen just once was eventually traded to Washington. That was after his replacement had already been acquired.
The Rangers traded for Jake Burger, sending three minor leaguers to Miami, Max Acosta, Brayan Mendoza and Echedry Vargas. Burger coming off seasons of thirty-four and twenty-nine homers.
They also signed free agent Joc Pederson after his career best .908 OPS and twenty-three homers in just 367 at bats.
New York Yankees
It’s hard to believe that a team that shed one of baseball’s best hitters in Juan Soto came away in better shape after his departure but the Yanks used their money well. They traded well too. The money went to free agent lefthander Max Fried.
A lot of money and plenty of term for Fried with an eight-year, $218 million contract. He’ll fit in nicely at Yankee Stadium between ace Gerrit Cole and another lefty in Carlos Rodon.
The Yanks got one of baseball’s best closers from Milwaukee. Devin Williams arrives to finish off Yankee wins, with Caleb Durbin and Nestor Cortes going to the Brewers.
Cody Bellinger was brought in from the Cubs to play center field and Paul Goldschmidt signed away from St Louis to play first base.
Athletics/Angels
The Athletics improved from fifty to sixty-nine wins in a final season in Oakland. That with a total team payroll of less than Shohei Ohtani will make per season. The Athletics did not have a single above average starting pitcher but a strong bullpen.
The A’s signed ex Met Luis Severino to a surprising two years plus an option worth as much as $67 million. Then they traded for Jeffrey Springs from Tampa. They should top the rotation next season.
The latest A’s news, the five-year, $60 million extension for budding super star Brent Rooker also shows the future in Vegas will include the kind of spending that didn’t happen in Oakland.
The Angels meanwhile started the off season by trading for slugger Jorge Soler and also came away with a surprise free agent pitcher of their own in Yusei Kikuchi – three years and $63 million.
The Angels have also been augmenting with fringe free agents here and there. Travis d’Arnaud, Kevin Newman and Kyle Hendricks. Plus a fingers crossed trade for former top Phillies prospect Scott Kingery.
There’s still time of course for these teams and others to join the fray. Should the Red Sox let’s say get themselves a free agent like Alex Bregman to go along with the trade for starter Garrett Crochet, they would certainly join this list.
