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Arizona Diamondbacks
We mentioned the deal that sent Goldschmidt from the desert to St. Louis. In return, the Arizona Diamondbacks netted a package headlined by starting pitcher Luke Weaver and catcher Carson Kelly, both of whom should contribute in 2019.
So what now? The D-backs are sitting on other trade pieces, including left-hander Robbie Ray, outfielder David Peralta and third baseman Jake Lamb. They probably can’t unload right-hander Zack Greinke without eating a large portion of the $104.5 million he’s owed through 2021. Still, it can’t hurt to try, right?
That is, unless the Diamondbacks are going for it. But if they are, why trade Goldschmidt without at least making overtures about an extension and waiting to see if they’re contending at the July 31 trade deadline?
For now, the Snakes appear to be caught between contention, a retool and a rebuild…and that’s no place to be.
Grade: D-
Colorado Rockies
After making a second straight wild-card appearance in 2018 and advancing to the NLDS, the Colorado Rockies have been too timid this offseason.
Yeah, they replaced free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu with veteran Daniel Murphy (two years, $24 million), who might enjoy an offensive resurgence at Coors Field.
They also bid adieu to reliever Ottavino, who signed with the New York Yankees, and desperately need an upgrade behind the plate after their catchers slashed an anemic .206/.307/.349 last season.
The Rockies play in a relatively soft division. If they want to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers, however, they need to do more than this.
Grade: D
Los Angeles Dodgers
Speaking of the Dodgers, they kicked off the winter by signing ace Clayton Kershaw to a three-year, $93 million extension and neutralizing an opt-out clause that could have made him a free agent.
Say all you want about Kershaw’s rocky playoff history and recent injury issues. He’s a ludicrously decorated franchise icon who posted a 2.73 ERA in 2018.
If that was L.A.’s opening act, however, it needed more fireworks. So far, the team’s subsequent moves have been about shedding salary (the deal that sent Puig, Kemp and Wood to Cincinnati) and adding minor pieces (the trade that brought back catcher and old friend Russell Martin from the Toronto Blue Jays).
After losing two straight World Series, the Dodgers need to push all their chips in. It could mean signing Harper. It could mean shipping out top prospects and more for an ace such as Kluber, to whom they’ve been connected, per Morosi.
No matter what, it’s all-or-nothing time in SoCal.
Grade: D
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres have a loaded farm system and are ready to push their rebuild forward…but probably not this year.
After unwisely splurging on a nine-figure deal for first baseman Eric Hosmer last winter, the Friars have stuck to secondary additions such as second baseman Ian Kinsler (two years, $8 million) and a bet on right-hander and former rising star Garrett Richards (two years, $15 million), who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and likely won’t pitch until 2020.
Credit San Diego for hanging on to its cache of budding prospects and avoiding more ill-advised long-term contracts.
Grade: C+
San Francisco Giants
It’s unclear what the San Francisco Giants are doing under new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. They’re not officially rebuilding as long as Bumgarner remains in their employ in his eminently affordable ($12 million) contract year.
They’re also not retooling as long as they leave gaping holes in the outfield and their biggest offseason “splash” is the one-year, $7 million deal they gave left-hander Derek Holland (with a team option for 2020).
To be fair, Zaidi is in a tough spot. The Giants employ multiple veterans (Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, etc.) who played key roles in the team’s recent, even-year championship troika. They’re also signed, to varying degrees, to prohibitively expensive pacts. Trading them would be difficult from a PR perspective and from a business perspective.
The Giants have had one of the quietest, most perplexing winters of any club…and we must grade accordingly.
Grade: D-
All statistics and contract information courtesy of Baseball Reference unless other noted or linked.
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