With less than a month to go before pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training, it seems like the perfect time to look back at the offseason and break down what happened. The last time we saw real, live MLB action, the Chicago Cubs were breaking the curse of the Billy Goat and finally claiming their first World Series title in more than a century. They have a young core that should be positioned for success for many years, but as is often the case with World Series winners, they lose a lot of talent in the MLB offseason.
While a lot can change via trades and with some big name free agents still available on the market we have a pretty good handle on which teams are the biggest winners from this offseason and the Cubs were one of them. Here is a look at the biggest MLB offseason winners.
Chicago Cubs
The reigning World Series champions added to arguably the deepest roster in the majors with the additions of Wade Davis as their closer and Koji Uehara as a veteran reliever. Remember, the Cubs needed a solution at closer after they decided to let Aroldis Chapman walk via free agency. He was a stud for them down the stretch of the season and was a key cog in the bullpen in the playoffs, but the Cubs elected not to overpay him, which is why he signed with the New York Yankees.
That meant that the bullpen became the biggest question mark for Chicago but Theo Epstein and his staff wasted little time shoring it up with two of the biggest names available. Davis and Uehara should solidify the bullpen while Epstein reportedly continues to look for another left-handed option. The Cubs are loaded with young stars. A deep rotation will be the key to their success too, so after shoring up their bullpen, they should be considered the obvious favorites to contend for another World Series crown in 2017.
Cleveland Indians
The defending American League champions landed one of the best bats on the open market in Edwin Encarnacion, who they signed to a three-year, $60 million deal that includes a $25 million club option and a $5 million buyout for 2020. It’s the richest contract in franchise history but it seems like a bargain for a star that just hit 42 home runs with 127 RBI last season and has ranked among the top power hitters in the MLB over the past few seasons. Remember that the Indians had the pitching to go the distance but their hitting was hit or miss in the playoffs. Their bullpen was stifling opponents but their bats were not consistent enough to succeed. This is the type of move that could alleviate those concerns.
On top of that, the fact that Cleveland stole Encarnacion away from the team they beat in last year’s ALCS makes it even more appealing as the Toronto Blue Jays lost a couple of star players this offseason. With Encarnacion in the fold, the Indians are ready to contend for a World Series title once again in 2017.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox opened the offseason with a splash when they won the Chris Sale sweepstakes and landed the best pitcher available on the trade market. Boston is in a win-now mode so the decision to trade top prospect Yoan Moncada for Sale made sense. The Red Sox also attempted to shore up their infield depth with the addition of Mitch Moreland and then their bullpen with reliever Tyler Thornburg added to the mix. Boston could still use some infield help but solidifying one of the best starting rotations in the majors significantly improves their World Series stock.
Houston Astros
Houston was another American League team that made some significant splashes with the additions of Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann. The Astros already had one of the most intriguing offenses in the majors on paper so the addition of two more quality veteran bats should really help. Houston must still address its bullpen depth but they have a loaded lineup and a starting rotation that is expected to improve so they definitely deserve a spot on this list among the biggest offseason winners.
The MLB season is still a couple of months away, but if you’re looking at some early lines and futures, click here to bet on MLB (or any other sports) at BetDSI!
