Each MLB Team’s 23-24 Offseason Report Card Grade
Each MLB Team’s 23-24 Offseason Report Card Grade0 of 6
Yoshinobu YamamotoMasterpress/Getty Images
Excluding the two-game series the Dodgers and Padres will play in South Korea next Wednesday and Thursday, only two weeks remain until Opening Day (March 28) for the 2024 Major League Baseball season.
That means it’s time to put a bow on the offseason and fully turn the page to predictions for the regular season.
(You hear that, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery? Pick a team already, would ya?)
One final order of business, though: Offseason report card grades.
Everyone knows the Dodgers passed with flying colors, spending well over a billion bucks to make sure they entered the season as the World Series favorite.
But how did everyone else fare on the tried and true A-F scale?
In addition to the Dodgers, seven teams received an A- or better for what they accomplished this winter.
The A’s were not one of those A’s, though. In fact, Oakland is one of five teams that failed miserably.
Teams have been broken up by division and presented in alphabetical order within each division.
American League East1 of 6
Corbin BurnesDaniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baltimore Orioles
Key Additions: Corbin Burnes, Craig Kimbrel
Key Departures: Félix Bautista*, Kyle Gibson, Adam Frazier
Grade: A-
The O’s didn’t actually lose Bautista, but they went into the offseason knowing they would need to try to replace him for a year while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
And in signing Kimbrel, they did about the best they could hope for on that front, knowing that getting Josh Hader was never in the cards.
But where they really upgraded was trading for Burnes to take Gibson’s spot in the rotation, going from an innings eater to a legitimate ace. With him, they feel like a more serious World Series threat.
Boston Red Sox
Key Additions: Lucas Giolito, Vaughn Grissom, Tyler O’Neill
Key Departures: Chris Sale, Justin Turner, Alex Verdugo, James Paxton, Adam Duvall, John Schreiber
Grade: F
Even before finding out that Giolito might miss the entire season with an elbow injury, this was a brutal offseason.
They knew damn well that starting pitching was their glaring weakness, and their grand solution was to trade their oft-injured ace for an unproven middle infielder while replacing Sale with a pitcher coming off back-to-back barely sub-5.00 ERA campaigns—all while refusing to sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery.
The Red Sox are still considered the favorites for Montgomery, which would be a great big, last-minute splash. But even that would only bring them from an F up to maybe a C, as we went into the offseason rather assuming they would land one of the several marquee starters available.
New York Yankees
Key Additions: Juan Soto, Marcus Stroman, Trent Grisham, Alex Verdugo, Caleb Ferguson
Key Departures: Michael King, Wandy Peralta, Randy Vásquez, Jhony Brito, Kyle Higashioka, Harrison Bader, Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Grade: B+
Pretty hard to argue with adding Soto and Stroman, even if the Yankees did go into the offseason talking like they were going to burn everything to the ground except for Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole.
They gave up quite a bit to get Soto, but the pitching staff is still in good shape, even without King, Brito, etc.
Well, at least it seemed to be in good shape until Cole’s recent elbow injury, and until both Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodón looked awful in spring training after their mutually brutal 2023 campaigns.
At this point, Stroman might be the Opening Day starter, and who knows where they go from there. But, hey, Soto will at least be a big help on offense.
Tampa Bay Rays
Key Additions: Ryan Pepiot, Jonny DeLuca, Jose Caballero, Phil Maton, Amed Rosario, Richie Palacios
Key Departures: Tyler Glasnow, Manuel Margot, Robert Stephenson, Luke Raley
Grade: B+
Considering everyone under the sun knew Tampa Bay was going to be trying to trade away Glasnow’s $25 million salary, the Rays had a pretty solid offseason.
Getting Pepiot and DeLuca in exchange for Glasnow and Margot is probably a small step backward for 2024, but a huge step forward from a long-term perspective.
And bringing in both Caballero and Rosario to help address the shortstop situation was a pair of good calls.
Toronto Blue Jays
Key Additions: Justin Turner, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Joey Votto, Yariel Rodriguez
Key Departures: Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt, Jordan Hicks
Grade: D+
Let’s ignore the “Shohei Ohtani is on a plane to Toronto!!!” saga and just focus on what actually happened, which was replacing one of the better third basemen in baseball (Chapman) and one of its top sluggers from last season (Belt) with a 39-year-old corner infielder (Turner), a light-hitting utilityman (IKF) and a minor league contract for 40-year-old Votto.
Even without factoring in losing Hicks from the bullpen, that’s a pretty big “oof,” eh? The Jays should still be solid in 2024, but they could have done much more.
American League Central2 of 6
Hunter RenfroeChristian Petersen/Getty Images
Chicago White Sox
Key Additions: Drew Thorpe, Jairo Iriarte, Samuel Zavala, Steven Wilson, John Brebbia, Martin Maldonado, Michael Soroka, Erick Fedde, Nicky Lopez, Paul DeJong
Key Departures: Dylan Cease, Mike Clevinger, Gregory Santos, Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal, Aaron Bummer
Grade: B+
Well this one changed considerably in the past 24 hours, didn’t it?
Prior to trading Dylan Cease to the Padres for a nice stockpile of prospects, we were prepared to give the White Sox a C- for their offseason full of half-measures.
But credit where it’s due: They have now smartly, fully embraced the rebuild, which should help expedite what will still be a rough multi-year process.
Now we wait to see if Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jiménez are next on the trade block.
Cleveland Guardians
Key Additions: Scott Barlow
Key Departures: Cal Quantrill, Enyel De Los Santos
Grade: F
It’s one thing to sit back and do nothing if you’re coming off a successful season. But after finishing 10 games below .500, Cleveland made two relatively minor trades on November 17 and pretty much called it a winter.
There were some other minor acquisitions, like bringing back both Austin Hedges and Carlos Carrasco, but they are basically just running it back again with the same roster, hoping for more out of youngsters Bo Naylor and Brayan Rocchio.
It might work, or they might regret sitting on their hands for the past five months.
Detroit Tigers
Key Additions: Mark Canha, Jack Flaherty, Kenta Maeda, Shelby Miller, Andrew Chafin
Key Departures: Eduardo Rodriguez, Spencer Turnbull
Grade: B-
Detroit made some nice pickups, but it sure felt like it could have done more, right?
Between the Miguel Cabrera and Eduardo Rodriguez contracts coming off the books, they were positioned to potentially make a big splash. But unless you count signing Colt Keith to a long-term extension before he played a game in the majors, they didn’t spend like they could/should have.
If Flaherty bounces back, though, they could battle for the AL Central title.
Kansas City Royals
Key Additions: Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Hunter Renfroe, Chris Stratton, Will Smith, Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson, John Schreiber
Key Departures: Zack Greinke, Edward Olivares
Grade: A+
Whether it will actually be enough for the Royals to climb all the way out of the 106-loss hole they were in last season remains to be seen, but they put in some serious work this winter, adding two starting pitchers among the eight total new players who should all be a factor this season.
If Lugo and Wacha both pitch like they did last season in San Diego while Cole Ragans picks back up where he left off and Alec Marsh recovers from a rough rookie season, they will be in business.
Minnesota Twins
Key Additions: Justin Topa, Anthony DeSclafani, Manuel Margot, Carlos Santana
Key Departures: Sonny Gray, Jorge Polanco, Michael A. Taylor, Donovan Solano, Emilio Pagan, Kenta Maeda, Joey Gallo, Tyler Mahle, Dylan Floro
Grade: D-
Though I’m sympathetic to the plight of the Twins in that they spent most of the offseason unsure about their finances in regard to the Bally Sports RSN fiasco, it doesn’t change the fact that Minnesota lost way more talent than it gained this offseason.
Trading for Margot in late February spared the Twins from a failing grade, but only barely.
American League West3 of 6
Josh HaderRich Storry/Getty Images
Houston Astros
Key Additions: Josh Hader, Victor Caratini
Key Departures: Hector Neris, Phil Maton, Martin Maldonado, Ryne Stanek, Michael Brantley
Grade: B+
Did the Astros need Hader when they already have Ryan Pressly? Not really. But they definitely needed some relief help after losing all of Neris, Maton and Stanek, and they got by far the best reliever available.
Would have liked to see them grab at least one more middle reliever, though, especially after learning that Kendall Graveman will miss the entire season. Though, they can use José Urquidy and J.P. France as long relievers if and when the starting rotation gets to full strength, so maybe it’ll be fine.
Los Angeles Angels
Key Additions: Robert Stephenson, Matt Moore, Luis Garcia, Jose Cisnero, Adam Cimber, Aaron Hicks
Key Departures: Shohei Ohtani
Grade: F-
The Angels lost a two-time AL MVP; an incredible designated hitter who hit .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs over the past three seasons. And in his stead, they signed…five relief pitchers and Aaron Hicks? Alright then.
They could still salvage a non-failing grade by signing Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, but there’s no good reason at this point to assume this consistently sub-.500 club will be any better than usual.
Oakland Athletics
Key Additions: Ross Stripling, Alex Wood, Scott Alexander
Key Departures: Trevor Gott
Grade: F
Why? What is the point in committing nearly $18 million to one season of Stripling and Wood—pitchers in their mid-30s who are never going to be a part of the long term plan that the A’s are theoretically rebuilding toward? I guess if they pitch well, you can at least trade them for something. But investing nearly 40 percent of your 2024 payroll in “maybe we can trade them for prospects” is bizarre.
Seattle Mariners
Key Additions: Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, Gregory Santos, Luke Raley, Jackson Kowar, Ryne Stanek, Luis Urias
Key Departures: Robbie Ray, Jose Caballero, Eugenio Suárez, Teoscar Hernández, Jarred Kelenic, Justin Topa, Tom Murphy
Grade: C+
The M’s certainly had one of the busiest offseasons, but are they any better equipped to contend in the AL West?
They had 14 players worth at least 1.2 bWAR last season and lost six of them. But if Garver and Haniger can stay even remotely healthy for a change, they probably at least broke even for the winter.
Trading for Polanco was huge, and the acquisitions of Santos and Stanek should help beef up the bullpen.
Texas Rangers
Key Additions: Tyler Mahle, Kirby Yates, David Robertson
Key Departures: Mitch Garver, Jordan Montgomery, Robbie Grossman, Aroldis Chapman, Will Smith, Chris Stratton, Martin Perez
Grade: D
Given the bullpen issues Texas had for most of last season, the Yates and Robertson acquisitions were a must. But it doesn’t even make up for the three relievers they lost.
And signing a starter pitcher coming back from Tommy John surgery? When you already knew Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer were injured? What are we doing here, reigning champs?
National League East4 of 6
Chris SaleDavid J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Atlanta Braves
Key Additions: Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer, Jarred Kelenic
Key Departures: Kirby Yates, Eddie Rosario, Kevin Pillar, Vaughn Grissom
Grade: A+
Atlanta did a lot of wheeling and dealing, but in the end, it retained its 14 most valuable players from last season while adding a quartet of guys who could make a massive positive impact.
But of course they did, because GM Alex Anthopoulos is a wizard who just keeps making this team stronger.
We’ll see if the Kelenic moves works out, but if he plays well and Sale stays reasonably healthy, mercy.
Miami Marlins
Key Additions: Tim Anderson
Key Departures: Jorge Soler, Garrett Hampson, Matt Moore, Sandy Alcantara*
Grade: F
As with Felix Bautista for the Orioles, the Marlins didn’t actually lose Alcantara, but they found out in October that he would be out for the 2024 campaign, thus entering the offseason knowing they would need some sort of one-year band-aid solution.
But aside from letting A.J. Puk try to convert from a closer to a starter and hoping Max Meyer amounts to something this season, they didn’t do anything about it.
Nor did they do anything to address Soler’s departure, meaning that a team that was already lacking for slugging could really be up a creek without a paddle in that department.
But, hey, they took a $5 million flyer on Anderson bouncing back. Neat. Way to build on last year’s surprise postseason appearance.
New York Mets
Key Additions: Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor, Sean Manaea, Shintaro Fujinami
Key Departures: N/A
Grade: B
The Mets did lose a lot compared to what they had on Opening Day last year, but they traded pretty much all of it away midseason, meaning all they really did was add over the winter.
Notably, though, they whiffed on the big add, with the Dodgers winning the bidding war for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They weren’t all that serious about trying to sign Shohei Ohtani, but the Mets definitely wanted Yamamoto, and it has to sting that what they ended up with instead was a bunch of one-year flyers.
Still, they’re in a kind of good place, with enough talent to either potentially contend this season or have one hell of a fire sale in a few months.
Philadelphia Phillies
Key Additions: Whit Merrifield
Key Departures: Craig Kimbrel, Rhys Hoskins, Michael Lorenzen
Grade: A-
It doesn’t go down as an addition, but re-signing Aaron Nola was Philly’s big offseason move. They also later extended Zack Wheeler, ensuring they’ll have those co-aces together for another four years.
And those key departures? Kind of whatever. Lorenzen made one magical start after they acquired him midseason, Hoskins missed all of last season, and Phillies fans probably showed up to help Kimbrel pack for his move to Baltimore.
What they gained in the versatile Merrifield is arguably more value than what they actually lost from last year’s roster.
Washington Nationals
Key Additions: Joey Gallo, Nick Senzel, Dylan Floro, Eddie Rosario, Jesse Winker
Key Departures: Dominic Smith
Grade: D
Did you know that if you just took what the Nationals are spending this season on Patrick Corbin ($35.4 million), Stephen Strasburg ($35 million) and Max Scherzer ($15 million deferred), it would be the 27th-highest payroll in the majors, ahead of what the Reds, Guardians, Pirates or A’s are paying their entire roster?
Speaking as a Nationals fan, every single day is the “This is fine” dog surrounded by flames meme.
So, did they do anything noteworthy this offseason? Not really. Just a bunch of one-year flyers on guys who they’re hoping they can trade for prospects, Ã la Jeimer Candelario this past season.
But what were they supposed to do?
National League Central5 of 6
Jeimer CandelarioChris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Chicago Cubs
Key Additions: Shota Imanaga, Hector Neris, Michael Busch
Key Departures: Marcus Stroman, Jeimer Candelario
Grade: B
Considering he was a free agent for months, Bellinger feels like both a departure and an addition. But bringing him back was massive, if only because it’s looking this spring like Pete Crow-Armstrong is still nowhere close to ready for the everyday center field gig.
Swapping out Stroman for Imanaga might be a wash, and they didn’t even have Candelario long enough for that to feel like a full departure.
The big key here is going to be Busch. He struggled in an 81-PA sample size with the Dodgers last season, but he clubbed 59 home runs in the minors over the past two years and has been regarded as a top 100 prospect for several years now. If he is able to lock down one of the corner-infield gigs, that’s huge.
Cincinnati Reds
Key Additions: Jeimer Candelario, Frankie Montas, Nick Martinez, Emilio Pagan, Brent Suter
Key Departures: Joey Votto
Grade: A-
The Candelario signing was a little puzzling at the time, given Cincinnati’s glut of infield talent, but it ended up being key with Noelvi Marté getting slapped with an 80-game PEDs suspension earlier this week.
But the bigger pickups were Montas and Martinez, given the sad state of Cincinnati’s pitching staff in 2023.
If Montas can rebound to what he was with Oakland from 2018-22, that would be nothing short of massive. Martinez will probably bounce between spot starts and long-relief appearances, but gracious has he ever been good in spring training, logging nine scoreless innings of two-hit ball with 13 strikeouts in his two starts. Might have to pull at that thread to see if he can be a main cog in the rotation.
Milwaukee Brewers
Key Additions: Rhys Hoskins, Jake Junis, Gary Sanchez, Jake Bauers, D.L. Hall, Joey Ortiz
Key Departures: Corbin Burnes, Mark Canha, Victor Caratini, Carlos Santana, Rowdy Tellez, Andrew Chafin, Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor
Grade: C
It’s still not entirely clear whether the Brewers envision themselves as a contender in 2024, in part because beyond Freddy Peralta and Wade Miley (if the latter is even available at the start of the season, having not yet pitched in spring training), it’s not entirely clear who their starting pitchers will be.
Credit for landing Hoskins, though. That’s a good gamble that could pay off, whether it’s in the form of him leading a postseason-bound lineup or fetching a pretty penny at the trade deadline.
(If you want to include the long-term extension given to Jackson Chourio, feel free to bump Milwaukee up to a B.)
Pittsburgh Pirates
Key Additions: Aroldis Chapman, Martin Perez, Rowdy Tellez, Yasmani Grandal, Marco Gonzales, Edward Olivares
Key Departures: N/A
Grade: B-
Why exactly they wanted Chapman when they already have a great closer in David Bednar and don’t have much of a chance of reaching the postseason is baffling. But, man, look at Pittsburgh spending money!
Spending $10.5 million for a free agent was extremely out of character for this franchise. That paired with the previous long-term extensions for Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds just might suggest something of a fundamental change in the way the Pirates approach payroll.
The overall collection of acquisitions here is moderately intriguing. All six have had their moments in the majors (some for much longer than others), and we shall see how it all comes together.
St. Louis Cardinals
Key Additions: Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, Nick Robertson, Keynan Middleton, Brandon Crawford
Key Departures: Tyler O’Neill, Andrew Knizner
Grade: B+
Though he’s currently dealing with a hamstring injury, Gray was the major acquisition here. Fresh off a near-Cy Young campaign in Minnesota, the Cardinals brought him in (and Gibson and Lynn) pretty early in the offseason, not messing around in making sure they did something to improve what was a woeful rotation last season.
Was it enough, though? Because if they get the 2023 versions (or worse) of Lynn and Gibson, it could be another long season in the shadow of the Gateway Arch.
National League West6 of 6
Shohei OhtaniDavid Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images
Arizona Diamondbacks
Key Additions: Eduardo Rodriguez, Eugenio Suárez, Joc Pederson, Randal Grichuk
Key Departures: Evan Longoria, Tommy Pham
Grade: A-
The Snakes had one heck of an offseason.
Adding Rodriguez to an already strong rotation anchored by Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen was big. So was re-signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. And replacing Longoria with Suárez. Getting Pederson and Grichuk for outfield depth was just icing on the cake.
It’s surprising they didn’t do anything about the bullpen, though. Kevin Ginkel was absurdly dominant in the postseason, but relief pitching was a concern all last year. It can’t just be Ginkel and Paul Sewald every night.
Colorado Rockies
Key Additions: Cal Quantrill, Dakota Hudson
Key Departures: Brent Suter
Grade: C-
It was a pretty quiet offseason in the mountains, but the Rockies did add a pair of starting pitchers in their eternal quest to find someone who can keep the ball from flying out of Coors Field.
It’s not much, but what else were they supposed to do in advance of what might be another 100-plus loss season? At least they didn’t saddle themselves with another $182 million as they try to figure out what’s next.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Key Additions: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández, James Paxton
Key Departures: J.D. Martinez, Shelby Miller, Lance Lynn, Ryan Pepiot, Jonny DeLuca, Michael Busch
Grade: A+
You’re sick of hearing about it. We’re sick of writing about it. But the Dodgers won the offseason. Full stop.
Save for Martinez, basically everyone of real importance is back, and they merely added to their already solid nucleus maybe the three best players who were available this offseason in Ohtani, Yamamoto and Glasnow.
Hernández was also a major pickup, and don’t forget they get Gavin Lux back after he missed all of last year with a torn ACL.
San Diego Padres
Key Additions: Dylan Cease, Michael King, Randy Vásquez, Jhony Brito, Enyel De Los Santos, Wandy Peralta, Yuki Matsui
Key Departures: Juan Soto, Blake Snell, Josh Hader, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Nick Martinez, Trent Grisham, Scott Barlow, Luis Garcia, Jairo Iriarte, Samuel Zavala, Steven Wilson
Grade: A
The Padres made it clear before the offseason began that their goal was to shed salary, and mission accomplished. They’re down about $90 million from where they finished last season.
And all they had to do was part with one of the best hitters, one of the best starters and one of the best closers in the majors.
Given all they gave up, though, they’re…kind of in great shape?
Even before the Wednesday trade to acquire Cease, it looked like they could be “someone emerges as a solid No. 3 starter” away from contending this season. And rather than pinning those hopes on one of the arm they got in the Soto deal, they went out and got another ace-level starter and now look legitimately formidable.
Still some serious question marks in the outside, but if rookie Jackson Merrill can adequately hold down the fort in left field, watch out for the Padres.
San Francisco Giants
Key Additions: Matt Chapman, Jung-Hoo Lee, Jorge Soler, Jordan Hicks, Tom Murphy, Robbie Ray
Key Departures: Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, Joc Pederson, Alex Wood, Jake Junis, John Brebbia, J.D. Davis, Brandon Crawford, Mitch Haniger, Anthony DeSclafani
Grade: B+
A little over a month ago, the Giants wouldn’t have gotten a great grade. But the late-in-the-offseason additions of Chapman and Soler have really changed the scope of what this team could be in 2024.
Between those two and the early signing of Lee, it seems they heard the complaints last season about the lack of star power in the lineup. If Marco Luciano pans out at shortstop, the G-Men should have one heck of a primary starting nine.
They sure did lose a lot of pitching, though. Trading for Ray should help in the second half of the year, but there’s a lot of pressure on Hicks to make a successful transition from closer to starter.
All along, this is where we’ve felt Blake Snell should sign. Maybe that could still happen.
