The Weekly Rundown: 1/1/23 - 1/7/23
All of the top stories in baseball from the first week of 2023.
Good morning, folks. How’s 2023 treating you? Have you nailed down your New Year’s resolutions? Have you already slacked on some of them? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
But one goal I would love to accomplish this year is 150 subscribers to The Ledge. I’m not sure if that’s selling myself short or setting the bar too high, but at least it’s a specific goal and we’ll see what happens from there.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably subscribed already and I can’t thank you enough. If you’d like to continue helping me reach my goal, remember you can gift a subscription (free or paid) to a friend. It’s all about spreading the word.
And if somehow you stumbled across this page and haven’t subscribed yet, you can do so below.
OK, enough of the self-promotion. It’s Weekly Rundown time. Make yourself a coffee, sit back, and catch up on the top stories in baseball from the first week of 2023.
11 for 11
The Red Sox will build their franchise around Rafael Devers. They finally smartened up and paid their star third baseman, signing him to an 11-year contract extension worth $331 million.
I wrote more in-depth about the deal here. But long story short, the Red Sox really had no choice. It was either A. Alienate your entire fanbase by losing Devers AND Xander Bogaerts in a span of two years, or B. Suck it up and pay a perennial All-Star what he’s worth. As much as it pains this ownership group for some strange reason, they chose option B.
It also shows just how much Devers loves playing in Boston. He absolutely could have waited until next offseason to earn an even more lucrative contract in free agency. This deal was the sixth-largest in MLB history, but contract values are only going up. He could have signed next year with a contender that isn’t afraid to spend. Instead, he stuck with an organization coming off a last-place finish with no clear sense of direction.
Bye Bye Bauer
Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers decided to part ways with embattled pitcher Trevor Bauer on Friday. Bauer was designated for assignment as the team decided keeping him on the roster was not worth the headache. If you aren’t up to date on the whole Bauer saga, you can click here for a full explanation.
The Dodgers will eat more than $20 million as a result of releasing Bauer. Considering the PR nightmare that would have come with employing him, along with the potential for unrest in the clubhouse, it’s probably worth the price.
However, Bauer’s statement released shortly after his DFA suggests the Dodgers wanted him to pitch for them in 2023.
Now we wait to see whether any of the other 29 MLB clubs are willing to sign a star player with so much baggage. I don’t expect it to happen, at least not this year. Teams will wait until the story has cooled off to the point where the narrative turns from “get this scumbag out of the league!” to “everyone deserves a second chance.”
I understand why many never want to see Bauer on the mound again. If he never pitches another game, I won’t lose sleep over it. But just be cognizant of the fact the league still employed alleged domestic abusers Marcell Ozuna, Aroldis Chapman, Roberto Osuna, Odubel Herrera, Jose Reyes, Domingo German, and Addison Russell among many others in the wake of their transgressions. That doesn’t make it right, I just don’t recall them getting the same treatment Bauer is getting right now. In fact, most of them returned or signed immediately after serving their suspensions.
This will be an interesting story to monitor over the next few months. I have a feeling Bauer will be a popular topic in these rundowns this year.
Miley to Milwaukee
It’s no Party In The USA, but Wade Miley in Milwaukee has the potential to be a hit.
The left-hander signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Brewers on Wednesday. It’s a familiar destination as he made 16 starts for Milwaukee in 2018.
Miley, 36, has been plagued by injuries in two of the last three seasons. When he’s been healthy, he’s been effective. The former All-Star posted a 3.16 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in nine games for the Chicago Cubs last year and was outstanding in 2021 with the Cincinnati Reds, amassing a 3.37 ERA and 28 starts.
The Climb to the top of the National League Central standings will be tough this year for the Brew Crew, but Miley can help them get there if he avoids the injuries that have hit him like a Wrecking Ball as of late.
New Home for Hosmer
OK, let me start by saying the fact Wade Miley and Eric Hosmer made the cut and aren’t in the “Rapid Fire” section says all you need to know about how quiet this past week was in MLB. It’s that time of the year.
Anyway, Hosmer signed a one-year deal with the Cubs after being released by the Red Sox. Chicago will only have to pay him the minimum $720,000 salary as he still has three years and $39 million left on his San Diego Padres contract. The Padres are on the hook for all of that money, so this was a risk-free move by the Cubs to get a veteran presence in the clubhouse.
Hosmer will serve as Chicago’s first baseman/designated hitter. He hit .272 with eight homers and 44 RBI in 90 games for San Diego last season. The 2015 World Series champion is on the tail end of his career, but he’s a solid one-year pickup as the Cubs wait on their prospects to develop.
So Long, Soto
The Philadelphia Phillies made an effort to further improve their bullpen on Saturday, acquiring Gregory Soto in a deal with the Detroit Tigers. They also added utility man Kody Clemens (yes, he’s Roger Clemens’ son) while sending utility man Nick Maton, outfielder Matt Vierling, and catcher Donny Sands to the Motor City.
Soto is a two-time All-Star reliever who can throw over 100 mph with ease. He saved 30 games for the Tigers last season and blew only three while posting a 3.28 ERA. He’s under team control through 2026.
Clemens was a third-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. His 2022 rookie season was a wake-up call as he hit just .145 in 56 games. He’ll hope a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered.
Maton and Vierling both contributed during the Phillies’ deep 2022 postseason run. Sands was the No. 21 ranked prospect in Philadelphia’s farm system.
Rapid Fire
Veteran outfielder Jake Marisnick signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox. The former Astro doesn’t offer much value at the plate but can still serve as a fourth outfielder for a team that needed OF depth.
Former New York Mets first baseman Dom Smith is staying in the National League East and heading to the Washington Nationals on a one-year deal. He should be the Nats’ everyday first baseman, giving him a fresh start and a chance to return to 2020 form.
Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. has been cleared to resume baseball activities and is expected to be ready for spring training. He has undergone two wrist surgeries and a shoulder procedure over the last year. In August, he was slapped with an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. He won’t be eligible to return until April 20. I’m pretty surprised there hasn’t been more trade buzz surrounding Tatis, especially following the addition of Bogaerts.
Another Padres note: they’ve signed ex-White Sox outfielder Adam Engel and former top Rays pitching prospect Brent Honeywell. Engel is an outstanding fielder who can’t hit. Honeywell hasn’t been able to find any sort of consistency at the major league level due to injuries. The upside is there though, so not a bad move for San Diego considering the low cost of $725,000.
Zach Davies is staying with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a one-year, $5 million contract. He went 2-5 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 27 starts last year.
The Seattle Mariners wrapped up the week by signing outfielder AJ Pollock to a one-year, $7 million deal. Pollock, 35, had a down 2022 with the White Sox but can still mash left-handed pitching. He joins a Seattle outfield that also features Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez and added ex-Blue Jays standout Teoscar Hernandez, who was acquired via trade this offseason.
The Rumor Mill
It’s bizarre to me that veteran right-hander Michael Wacha still hasn’t been signed despite his strong 2022 season with the Red Sox. The Minnesota Twins reportedly have expressed interest recently, but it’s unclear whether they remain in the mix. I’d expect him to sign somewhere soon.
Still no resolution for the Carlos Correa-Mets standoff. It’s actually starting to look like the deal is going to fall through entirely as the Mets reportedly are “very frustrated” with the ongoing discussions and are “considering walking away.” Meanwhile, Correa’s camp has resumed talking to other teams. As I mentioned last week, don’t be surprised if the Twins swoop in and re-sign him.
The Rangers, Yankees, Mariners, Dodgers, and Marlins are teams to watch in the Bryan Reynolds sweepstakes, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports one team executive called the Pittsburgh Pirates’ requests in exchange for Reynolds “unrealistic asks.” Nonetheless, Reynolds’ trade request remains and it’s a situation worth keeping tabs on heading into Opening Day.
That’s all we’ve got for this week. Thanks for reading and subscribing! We’ll pick it up next week hopefully with more fireworks.