The Weekly Rundown: 1/21/23 - 1/27/23
2024 Hall of Fame selections, Rhys Hoskins to Milwaukee, and more.
Good morning and happy Sunday!
Yet again, we’re left waiting impatiently for the top free agents remaining (Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman) to sign. It’s been eerily quiet on the rumor front for those guys.
Still, we had a fair amount of free-agency action over the last week. Most of it came via the relief pitching market. With just over two weeks until spring training is in full swing, my guess is the market is finally about to heat up. Of course, that could just be wishful thinking.
Grab a coffee and let’s jump into the top stories in baseball from the last week.
Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024
The 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees were announced on Jan. 23. I don’t have a vote, but I wrote earlier this month about which players I’d vote for if I did.
Three players were inducted: Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer, and Todd Helton. I had all three on my “ballot.” They’re each undoubtedly deserving. I’m not upset about any of the selections, I have a problem with who didn’t get selected.
Gary Sheffield belongs in Cooperstown. You can argue all day about PED allegations, but a Baseball Hall of Fame — which is just a baseball museum at the end of the day — that doesn’t include Sheffield in it cannot be taken seriously. He struck fear in opposing teams and their fans every time he stepped to the plate. All it takes is one trip to his Baseball Reference page and a quick glance at his numbers to say, “Yep, that’s a Hall of Famer.” It shouldn’t get any more complicated than that.
This was Sheffield’s final year on the ballot. Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez still have a shot, though they’ll almost certainly have the same fate. Another travesty. How can you tell the story of baseball in the ‘90s and 2000s without Manny and A-Rod? You can’t. Again, call them cheaters if you want. That’s fair. But they were simply a product of the era they played in — an era they dominated.
I also had Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltran, and Andruw Jones on my list of players who deserve induction. Wagner just missed the cut and should get in next year. Beltran and Jones were outstanding players who should be in. The Beltran-2017 Astros connection hurts his cause, and Jones’ falloff after age 30 is a reasonable argument against him.
Anyway, that sums up my thoughts on this year’s Hall of Fame class. Congrats to Beltre, Helton, and Mauer. Check out Beltre' and Helton’s awesome reactions to their Cooperstown calls below.
Hoskins Joins the Brew Crew
Former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins will begin a new chapter in Milwaukee. He signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Brewers that includes a player option after 2024.
Hoskins missed the entire 2023 campaign after tearing his ACL in spring training. The 30-year-old hit .246 with 30 homers and 79 RBIs for Philly in 2022.
If Hoskins can pick up where he left off pre-injury, he’ll provide a major boost to a Brewers lineup that was in the bottom half of the league in runs scored last season. He’s been a shoo-in for 27-plus homers a year. Despite his defensive shortcomings, he’s a significant upgrade at first base for Milwaukee.
With Hoskins out of the picture, the Phillies will move Bryce Harper to first base.
Reliever Market Is Moving
Relief pitchers have been flying off the board since the top two bullpen arms — Josh Hader and Robert Stephenson — joined the Astros and Angels last week, respectively.
We’ll start with Aroldis Chapman. The hard-throwing veteran closer is heading to the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year, $10.5 million deal. He struck out 103 hitters in 58.1 innings and posted a 3.09 ERA last season with the World Series champion Texas Rangers. It was a bounce-back year for the 35-year-old after being left off the New York Yankees’ 2022 playoff roster.
The Rangers replaced Chapman in the bullpen with fellow veteran David Robertson. The 38-year-old is heading to Arlington on a one-year contract worth roughly $11.5 million. Last season with the New York Mets and Miami Marlins, he amassed a 3.03 ERA in 62 appearances. He was exceptional in Queens but struggled mightily in Miami post-trade deadline.
Veteran southpaw Matt Moore returned to the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year, $9 million contract. The 34-year-old was exceptional last season, posting a 2.66 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP through 44 innings with the Angels before ending his season with the Marlins and Guardians.
Right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino is back with the Mets on a one-year, $4.5 million deal. He posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 66 games with New York last season.
The Chicago Cubs signed right-hander Hector Neris, the top reliever remaining in free agency after the Hader and Stephenson deals, to a one-year contract worth $9 million. The 34-year-old is coming off his best season, notching. a 1.71 ERA over 68.1 innings with the Astros.
Rapid Fire
Former Red Sox infielder Christian Arroyo signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers that includes an invite to spring training.
Collin McHugh announced his retirement after 11 MLB seasons. The righty reliever played six years with the Houston Astros (including 2017 World Series championship), two with the New York Mets, two with the Atlanta Braves, one with the Tampa Bay Rays, and one with the Colorado Rockies.
Veteran outfielder/first baseman Joey Gallo signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Washington Nationals.
Veteran left-hander James Paxton is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a one-year, $11 million contract.
Outfielder Joc Pederson is staying in the NL West after signing a one-year, $9.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Adam Frazier, one of the top second basemen on the free-agent market, signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million with the Kansas City Royals.
Outfielder Travis Jankowski is re-signing with the Rangers on a one-year, $1.7 million contract.
The Rumor Mill
The Cubs, Red Sox, and Mets are among the teams interested in reliever Ryne Stanek, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
The Yankees have expressed interest in relievers Ryan Brasier and Phil Maton, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
The Phillies are also interested in Maton as well as right-hander Jakob Junis, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Orioles are interested in right-hander Michael Lorenzen, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
Veteran first baseman Joey Votto is drawing interest from the Angels, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
Thanks for reading! Catch you next Sunday.