As the vacations started to hit excessive gear over the weekend, Main League Baseball groups additionally acquired into the purchasing spirit as nicely.
In all, there have been (thus far) 5 huge MLB strikes over the weekend, with a flurry of offers involving first basemen taking the highlight. However which of them had been the most effective and worst of the group? Let’s dive into the rating, going from 5 (OK) to at least one (superior).
5. Cleveland Guardians signal Carlos Santana
The 38-year-old returns to Cleveland on what’s reported to be a one-year, $12M deal after successful a Gold Glove and hitting 23 residence runs for the Minnesota Twins final season. After spending 10 seasons in Cleveland, the reunion is bittersweet as Santana’s return is a results of the Guardians buying and selling away Josh Naylor (extra about that in a second).
Santana has hit 20 or extra homers in every of the final two seasons, and the Guardians are hoping the ability continues with Santana turning 39 on April 8.
4. New York Yankees signal Paul Goldschmidt
One other veteran first baseman reportedly inking a one-year deal, Goldschmidt shall be beneath stress to carry out within the Bronx. Nevertheless, there are optimistic indicators that he can affect an space of want for the Yankees after their first basemen slashed a mixed .216/.284/.335 final season.
The 37-year-old Goldschmidt posted only a 98 OPS+ final season, however there are indicators of hope in case you’re a Yankees fan. His second-half manufacturing of .271/.319/.480 was higher than what the St. Louis Cardinals noticed from him earlier than the All-Star break. Plus, he posted a .774 OPS away from Busch Stadium whereas solely having a .654 OPS beneath the Gateway Arch.
3. Philadelphia Phillies commerce for Jesus Luzardo
Dave Dombrowski, Philadelphia’s president of baseball operations, stated earlier within the week that he hoped he may discover a back-end starter to spice up the Phillies rotation. He did simply that on Sunday by making an in-division commerce with the Miami Marlins.
Whereas Philadelphia had to surrender two top-25 prospects to make the deal occur, the left-handed Luzardo has the potential to make the Phillies rotation aggressive with some other workforce’s starters.
If Luzardo can keep wholesome (and that is been an enormous if all through his profession), this commerce may pay huge dividends for the Phillies in what shall be a brutal Nationwide League East in 2025.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks commerce for Josh Naylor
After lacking out on reunions with Christian Walker and Goldschmidt, the Diamondbacks are pinning their first-base hopes on Naylor, who’s coming off a career-best 12 months with 31 homers and 108 RBI.
The 27-year-old Naylor is ready to turn into a free agent after this offseason, so the Diamondbacks may use this season as a bridge at first base or, in the event that they like what they see from Naylor, signal him to a contract to maintain him within the desert. Both manner, Arizona’s lineup for 2025 acquired an enormous enhance with this commerce.
1. Houston Astros signal Christian Walker
Arguably the prize of the first-base free-agent market, Walker heading to south Texas continues what appears to be an enormous shift within the Houston lineup in comparison with earlier years. With Isaac Paredes (acquired within the commerce that despatched Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs) now anticipated to man third base, Houston’s infield shall be among the many extra attention-grabbing groupings to observe in 2025.
A 3-time Gold Glove winner, Walker provides rapid pop at first base, a place that was missing final season as Astros first basemen mixed for minus-3.0 Wins Above Common, rating Houston twenty eighth out of MLB’s 30 groups.
