The offseason officially started for the New York Yankees Tuesday night after they lost the American League Wild Card Game to the Houston Astros, but most of the league already had its eyes firmly set on the rebuilding winter months.
A number of teams narrowly missed the postseason this year, while others are still a couple of pieces away from becoming legitimate contenders. The free agents and trade candidates are out there this offseason, and it will be up to the various front offices to push the right buttons before Opening Day 2016.
Naturally, there are a number of rumors already circulating around the league. Here is an early look at a few of them.
Miami Marlins Looking for Pitching Help
The Miami Marlins need pitching depth heading into the 2016 season, especially since ace Jose Fernandez could find himself on something of an innings limit after an injury-plagued campaign.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald suggested the team has its eyes on two talented options: “The Marlins like impending free agents Johnny Cueto (Kansas City) and Mike Leake (San Francisco), but they would be too expensive unless Jeffrey Loria is willing to spend a ton. Numerous cheaper options will be discussed.”
Loria, the team’s owner, may not want to commit tons of cash to Cueto or Leake, but the Marlins finished a disappointing 18th in the league in starting pitcher ERA at 4.25. That mark was well behind their division rivals in the New York Mets (fourth) and Washington Nationals (seventh), and it is difficult to envision Miami competing next year without another arm or two.
Cueto or Leake would be an ideal fit alongside Fernandez.
Leake pitched a complete-game shutout in his final start of the season for the San Francisco Giants and finished with a solid 3.70 ERA in 2015. Leake is one of the most durable pitchers on the market and has started at least 30 contests in each of the last four years, which would be critical as Fernandez attempts to stay healthy next season.
As for Cueto, he struggled some for the Kansas City Royals with a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts, but he was still one of the best pitchers in the major leagues in 2014 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds with a 2.25 ERA, sparkling 0.96 WHIP and 242 strikeouts.
It would cost Miami some money, but a one-two punch of Fernandez and Cueto or even Leake would be difficult to beat.
Carlos Ruiz Could be Done in Philadelphia
No team in baseball lost more games than the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015, which dropped 99 contests and appear far from contention heading into the offseason. The team is in the midst of the early stages of a rebuild, and that could mean the end of Carlos Ruiz in the City of Brotherly Love since the catcher will be 37 years old in 2016.
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com suggested as much:
The Phils will continue to make Ruiz available for a trade, but would probably have to pick up a huge portion of his remaining $9 million to find a taker. The team honored Ruiz with a classy tribute for catching four no-hitters in his career before Sunday’s season finale. Frankly, it felt like a sendoff for a beloved former champion.
Philadelphia recently shipped away Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Jonathan Papelbon, and Ruiz won’t be a part of the team’s core the next time it is competitive. He only hit .211 with two home runs and 22 RBI this season and posted a minus-0.8 wins above replacement mark in 86 games, per ESPN.com.
Ruiz is a former All-Star and was a critical member of some of the best Phillies teams in franchise history, including the 2008 version that won the World Series and the 2009 version that won the National League pennant. He will always be a memorable figure in Philadelphia baseball history, but he will likely lace it up for another team in 2016.
Oakland Athletics Could Bring Back Scott Kazmir
The Phillies aren’t the only team in rebuilding mode heading into the offseason. The Oakland Athletics finished in last place in the American League West with a 68-94 record, which was the franchise’s worst mark in 18 years.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted pitching help could be on the way: “The A’s are likely to add an experienced starter on a one- or two-year deal, as they often do. One name potentially in the mix: Scott Kazmir, who was traded to Houston in July and who has struggled with the Astros.”
Oakland finished ninth in baseball with a 3.91 ERA from its starting pitchers, but the team ERA as a whole was 29th in the league after the All-Star break. One clear reason was the loss of Kazmir, who posted a 2.38 ERA in 18 starts for Oakland this season.
The fact that he struggled in Houston with a 4.17 ERA in 13 starts could bring down the salary demands from the southpaw, which may work in Oakland’s favor.
Executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane recognized the team’s need for more pitching as well, per Slusser: “The first half of the season, we had the best starting pitching in the game, then we started having injuries and it changed. I like that group, but we have to have some depth.”
A team that finished in the top 10 in starter’s ERA should not end the year with 94 losses. Kazmir appeared comfortable in Oakland (he also notched 32 starts for the team in 2014 with a 3.55 ERA) and could revitalize the pitching staff in 2016 as the team attempts a quick rebuild following a disastrous 2015 campaign.
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