The Weekly Rundown: 12/24/23 - 12/30/23
Red Sox finally wake up, Andrelton Simmons calls it a career, and more.
Good morning and happy New Year’s Eve!
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Now let’s jump into the final rundown of the year.
Red Sox Wake Up
The Boston Red Sox have rightfully been the subject of criticism this offseason. Since chairman Tom Werner promised the club would go “full throttle” to improve the roster — particularly the starting rotation — they’ve stuck to minor transactions that haven’t moved the needle for frustrated fans who have grown tired of the reluctance to spend. Despite the switch from Chaim Bloom to Craig Breslow, it’s been more of the same for Boston.
On Friday, progress was made. The Red Sox signed right-hander Lucas Giolito to a two-year contract worth $38.5 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2024 season.
To put it plainly, Giolito has been awful the last two seasons. The 30-year-old posted a 4.90 ERA with the Chicago White Sox in 2022 and followed that up with a 4.88 ERA between the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Cleveland Guardians in 2023. He let up a league-leading 41 homers last season.
This is a reclamation project for Craig Breslow and new pitching coach Andrew Bailey. If they can get Giolito to regain his 2019-21 form, this move will be looked back at as a massive win. With Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Aaron Nola, and Sonny Gray off the board, Giolito was among the top options remaining on the market.
Breslow and Co. followed the Giolito move by parting ways with veteran southpaw Chris Sale. They traded the seven-time All-Star to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for 23-year-old middle infielder/outfielder Vaughn Grissom.
Grissom was a top prospect in the Braves system but was blocked at shortstop (Orlando Arcia) and second base (Ozzie Albies). That made him expendable as they focused on bolstering their pitching staff. Their trash could be the Red Sox’s treasure.
Last year at Triple-A, Grissom slashed an impressive .330/.419/.501 with eight homers and 61 RBIs. In 64 big-league games, he has compiled a .287/.339/.407 slash line with five homers and 27 RBIs.
Grissom is a candidate to take over as the Red Sox’ starting second baseman with Trevor Story sticking at shortstop. Part of his appeal is his versatility as he can also help in the outfield when needed. His defense has been shaky at shortstop during his brief stint in the big leagues, but he’s been much more stable at second base. That’s good news for a Red Sox club that’s coming off a disastrous defensive season up the middle.
Blue Jays, White Sox Make Moves
The Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox made a pair of signings in free agency over the last week.
Veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier returned to Toronto on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million. The 33-year-old is coming off a rock-solid 2023 season in which he earned his fourth Gold Glove award while slashing .265/.322/.419.
The Blue Jays also bolstered their infield by signing utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year, $15 million deal. Kiner-Falefa, who spent the last two seasons with the New York Yankees, doesn’t offer much upside offensively but brings much-needed defensive versatility to Toronto.
The White Sox found their Yasmani Grandal replacement behind the plate, signing veteran catcher Martin Maldonado to a one-year contract worth $4 million. The 37-year-old has never been a threat offensively but has been valuable as a clubhouse leader and an outstanding defensive backstop. His game-calling and management of the Houston Astros' pitching staff is considered a major reason for the club’s success in recent years.
Also headed to the South Side is right-hander Chris Flexen, who joined on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million. The 29-year-old is coming off a terrible year split between Seattle and Colorado, but if he can regain his 2021 and 2022 form, he could prove to be a steal for Chicago at that price tag.
Mitch To The Mariners
The Mariners landed the top catcher on the free-agent market, signing World Series champion Mitch Garver to a two-year deal worth $24 million.
Garver, soon to be 33 years old, will likely serve as Seattle’s primary designated hitter while backing up “Big Dumper” Cal Raleigh at catcher. As long as he stays healthy, he should bring a much-needed boost to the Mariners lineup. He slashed .270/.370/.500 with 19 homers in just 87 games last season. He missed about two months due to a sprained left knee.
Among the heroes of the Texas Rangers during their 2023 World Series run, Garver posted a .751 OPS in 60 postseason plate appearances and contributed the go-ahead seventh-inning single in Game 5 against Arizona. That experience should benefit a Seattle club that has been unable to make a deep playoff run in the last two decades.
Andrelton Simmons Hangs ‘Em 'Up
Andrelton Simmons announced his retirement after 11 MLB seasons: five with the Los Angeles Angels, four with the Braves, one with the Minnesota Twins, and one with the Chicago Cubs
Simmons, 34, will be remembered for his exceptional defense at shortstop. The four-time Gold Glover finishes his career with 201 defensive runs saved, the most of any shortstop in MLB history. His best offensive season came with the Angels in 2017 when he hit .278 with 14 homers and 69 RBIs.
Rapid Fire
The New York Yankees traded outfielder Estevan Florial to the Guardians for right-hander Cody Morris.
The Angels signed former Guardians right-hander Zach Plesac.
The Cincinnati Reds signed righty Frankie Montas to a one-year deal worth somewhere between $15 million and $16 million.
The Rumor Mill
The Blue Jays have “taken the lead” in the Yariel Rodriguez sweepstakes, per ESPN’s Enrique Rojas. The 27-year-old right-hander spent six years pitching as a starter in his native Cuba before joining the Nippon Professional Baseball League ahead of the 2020 season. He became a reliever in Japan and posted a sparkling 1.15 ERA in 2022.
The New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels "are eyeing" veteran DH J.D. Martinez, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
The Red Sox have expressed interest in outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, infielder Amed Rosario, and righty reliever Robert Stephenson, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.
Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!