Hall of Fame Rogers Hornsby once delivered what might be the ultimate off-season baseball quote, saying “People ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do: I look out the window and wait for spring.”
We feel you, Rajah. In modern times (Hornsby played from 1915 to 1937 and hit .358), the offseason usually brings some distraction via free agency, trades and other moves. But things have been slow lately. So we stare at our computer screens and wait for the fire to burn again.
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With that in mind, here are 10 predictions for the remainder of this cold baseball winter. Some may differ from some of our previous predictions – hey, the offseason evolves as it goes on, depending on which players sign where.
Five of the top 10 players on MLB Trade Rumors’ full Top 50 Free Agents list are still there, and 10 of the top 30 are still there. A team or two could look very different by the time spring camps open.
So even if you’re unhappy with your favorite team’s offseason (you know who you are), you still have plenty of time to enjoy it this winter.
Eternal tuck(uh)
Yes, Kyle Tucker gets his long-term contract and it’s with the Blue Jays. Why not? They’ve already had a huge winter and another mega move could put them in a Dodgers-style stratosphere. In all the chatter about Tucker, the Dishes and the Dodgers presented themselves as teams looking to give him a shorter pact. Toronto is believed to be interested in a longer project. That’s the difference.
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Back to Belli
We admit it, staring between the Yankees And Cody Bellinger (And Scott Boras) is quite amusing. But this signing still seems inevitable, even as the Yankees look at the other remaining big free agents. Bellinger fits right in with the Bronx, thanks to his left-handed swing, versatility and much-needed contact skills for the club.
Met life
So many problems online during the Mets winter, huh? It’s not over yet and, at least at the upper end of the market rotation, waiting and doing a shorter-term deal works. Good morning, Framber Valdez! Since 2022, only Logan Webb has thrown more innings than Valdez and the Mets certainly need reliable length given how unreliable their rotation was last season. Valdez, 32, gets tons of ground balls, which pairs well with David Stearns“Race prevention saying.
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez (59) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers in game 1 of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina – Imagn Images
Speaking of race prevention…
Mets also sign free agent outfielder Harrison Bader, which certainly fits. He’s a spectacular defender and it’s the Met’s winter, well, you know. Bader can play center field while the Mets see if they have potential Carson Benge is truly ready to take on a major league role. If Benge gets a job, Bader could play left field, be a defensive replacement and a right bench hit. He had career highs in home runs and OPS last season.
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Bo knows Los Angeles
The Dodgers are two-time defending champions and have already addressed a weakness by adding Edwin Diaz. They only got a .649 OPS from their second basemen last season, so they’re signing Bo Bichette to correct another fault. This puts Bichette in a position that suits him better and adds a nifty contact stick to their lineup. This could be a short-term deal that Bichette, who turns 28 in March, might consider because it would put him back on the market while he’s still in his prime. Three peats, what do you think?
Exchange meeting
The Yankees have some intriguing potential weapons. But it’s unlikely they all become big league stars. SO Brian Cashman and his front office is looking to use a few of them to move into the trade market and acquire lefties MacKenzie Gore, who will be 27 years old in February, from the Nationals and infielder Nico Hoerner Cub Scouts. Gore offers high-end rotation depth and a talented arm that they could develop further. Hoerner, 28, would offer high-end versatility, on-base skills and speed.
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Rotating lions
Wait, all our predictions don’t come true? Eh. In this case, we offer this contingency to the Yankees: If they deem the potential price too high for Gore, they turn to a cash-only deal and sign either Justin Verlander Or Max Scherzer to provide the rotation insurance they need with both Gerrit Cole And Carlos Rodon start the season on the shelves. Fun to think of one of two future Hall of Famers donning pinstripes on one last adventure in October.
Giant addition
I can’t stress this enough: If you’re in a division with the Dodgers, you need to stock up. So the Giants, who have already done some pitching work this winter, add another arm by signing Ranger Suarez. He enters their rotation mix behind Webb and Robbie Ray. For what it’s worth, Suárez had a playoff win against the Dodgers last October and has a 3.64 ERA against them.
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Get in touch
Maybe we’re just trying to make this one exist, but there you have it: the Yankees sign Luis Arraez, the bat-to-ball Jedi. We know contact is his only skill and he’s not a good defender, he doesn’t have power, yeah, yeah. He’s a left-hander too. So there are some rough edges, in terms of roster construction. But after the baseball world saw the Blue Jays set a postseason hitting record last October, it might be worth adding a little touch to the home run-happy Yankees. Arráez owns three batting titles and has led his league in hits twice, including last season.
Bass fishing
You still hold grudges because Chris BassittWhat’s the Mets’ bad outing in Game 3 of the 2022 Wild Card Series against the Padres? Get over it. He can help the Mets now and exudes a toughness that, frankly, the current group could use. Bassitt pitched brilliantly from the bullpen for Toronto last October (1.04 ERA in seven games) and provided reliable innings as a starter in three years there. Teams love versatility! The Mets therefore signed him as a hybrid pitcher.
