The ideal free agent for every team

The General Manager Meetings came and went, and in these first weeks of free agency we have seen pitchers like Venezuela’s Eduardo Rodríguez, Justin Verlander, Noah Syndergaard and Andrew Heaney land new deals.

The 30-year-olds are going to invest money in the coming weeks and months trying to fill different gaps in their rosters, but each one has a need that stands out from the rest. This list is not intended to be a prediction of what will happen this winter, but rather an opportunity to play at finding team-free agent unions.

We only have two rules:

1. Each player has to come from another team.

2. Each player can be on this list only once. Otherwise, Puerto Rican Carlos Correa and Robbie Ray would be linked with a good number of teams here.

East Division
Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman, RHP
Re-signing Ray should be the Blue Jays’ first priority, but if the left-hander ends up at another club, Toronto should look for another front-line starter to join Puerto Rican Jose Berríos at the front of the rotation. Gausman, who first went to the All-Star Game in 2021, is coming off a couple of great seasons. And since he already accepted the qualifying offer last winter, whoever signs him will not lose draft spots.

Orioles: Chris Owings, IF / OF
The Orioles have brought in a group of veteran infielders via free agency in recent years, including Jose Iglesias, Freddy Galvis, and Maikel Franco. Baltimore will be looking for infield, catching and pitching help this winter. Owings, who can play all three infield positions and three outfield positions, would be a perfect fit.

Rays: Corey Kluber, RHP
The Rays sought out Kluber last offseason before he signed with the Yankees. Tampa Bay needs starters and Kluber will again be a potential target. He pitched well when healthy in 2021 (3.83 ERA in 16 starts), though he only pitched 80 innings after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2020.

Red Sox: Marcus Semien, SS / 2B
The Red Sox have Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers guarding the left side of the infield, but Semien proved to be a solid bartender in 2021 for Toronto, so he could easily fit in there in Boston. Semien would further bolster an impressive lineup, and at age 31, he wouldn’t require as many years of contract as other shortstop free agents.

Yankees: Corey Seager, SS
General manager Brian Cashman has said multiple times that he hopes to find a shortstop this winter, and Seager and Correa would apparently be at the top of the Yankees’ wish list. Seager’s left bat would seem to be a better fit in New York’s high-right lineup.

Central Division
Guardians: Jorge Soler, OF
Cleveland urgently needs power in the outfield, so the Cuban, the MVP of the 2021 World Series, would be a great fit. The Guardians know Soler well from his days with the Royals, and while he’s not the best patrol car available on the market, he could fit into the club’s budget.

Royals: Ryan Tepera, RHP
The Royals will try to bolster their reliever corps, looking for options like Tepera, Collin McHugh and Yimi Garcia. Tepera is coming off the best year of his career, with a 2.79 ERA in 65 games for the Cubs and White Sox.

Tigers: Carlos Correa, SS
After giving very positive signals in 2021, the Tigers appear ready to take the next step in 2022. Adding a top talent like Correa would help a lot, and manager AJ Hinch knows him very well from his days in Houston. although it will probably take an offer of around US $ 340 million to sign it.

Twins: Danny Duffy, LZ
The Twins need pitching, but they don’t seem willing to bid for the best arms on the market. Duffy pitched just 61 innings in 2021 due to injuries, but Minnesota has seen what the southpaw can do in the middle of the rotation during his years with Kansas City.

White Sox: Joc Pederson, OF
The White Sox could deal with Andrew Vaughn and / or Gavin Sheets in right field, but adding a solid bat like Pederson would give manager Tony La Russa more options. Pederson’s last big year was 2019, but he had some great moments this October with the Braves and would bring a lot of postseason experience.

West Division
Angels: Carlos Rodón, LZ
Despite signing Syndergaard for a year and $ 21 million, the Angels are still trying to recruit starter. Rodón had the year the White Sox had been waiting for since joining MLB in 2015. So while signing him wouldn’t come cheap, the 28-year-old is expected to be more approachable than others like Ray, Gausman or Marcus Stroman.

Astros: Starling Marte, OF
After retaining Verlander, Houston will likely look for a center fielder, a position from which they received little in 2021. Marte is the best option among free agents, and at age 33, he could sign a three- or four-year contract. years.

Athletics: Mark Melancon, RHP
Melancon led the majors with 39 saves, but he will turn 37 before Opening Day, so he will surely have to settle for a one-year deal. The A’s are rebuilding, but someone will have to close the games for them. If Melancon – or a pitcher like Brad Hand or Alex Colomé – can shine in the first half, Oakland could have a valuable trade piece in their hands.

Sailors: Trevor Story, SS
General manager Jerry Dipoto has said JP Crawford will be the club’s shortstop in 2022, but that doesn’t mean Seattle isn’t looking for one of the best shortstop on the market. Story could play second, third, or possibly center field.

Rangers: Chris Taylor, IF / OF
The Rangers are planning to spend money this winter and Taylor would be a great fit for a team with several holes to fill. Taylor’s versatility – he can basically play anywhere – is the perfect weapon for a manager, and Texas manager Chris Woodward knows Taylor well from their days together at the Dodgers.

East Division
Braves: Michael Conforto, OF
Outfielders Adam Duvall, Pederson, Eddie Rosario and Soler did a fantastic job in Atlanta after reaching the middle of the season. Now everyone except Duvall are free agents, so the Braves need outfield help again. Conforto had a disappointing 2021, but the Braves know how good he was in his solid years with the Mets. He is an excellent candidate to rebound in 2021.

Marlins: Nick Castellanos, OF
Miami needs an impact bat to improve its lineup, so what better player than Castellanos, who grew up in South Florida and would solve a club need in the outfield. Other potential targets with Venezuelan Avisaíl García and Rosario, but Castellanos is the one who would be a better fit.

Mets: Anthony DeSclafani, RHP
After watching Syndergaard go to the Angels and also having Stroman in free agency, the Mets have several holes in their rotation. DeSclafani, who grew up in New Jersey, had a terrific year for the Giants in 2021 and should be one of the most sought after arms these months.

Nationals: Eduardo Escobar, INF
The Nationals could decide to spend big and look for Kris Bryant, but Venezuelan Escobar has had a production similar to that of the former MVP of the LN and will surely cost much less. Escobar’s primary position is third base, where the Nationals had a .682 OPS in 2021, 12th on the Old Circuit. He could also play the other three positions in the infield, giving manager Dave Martinez several options.

Phillies: Raisel Iglesias, RHP
Philadelphia has been trying to fix its bullpen problems for years, a trend that will continue this winter. Along with Kenley Jansen, Cuban Iglesias is one of the two best closers on the free market, after saving 34 games with a 2.57 ERA for the Angels in 2021 with a strikeout rate of 13.2 per nine innings, the best of his career. career.

Brewers: Mark Canha, OF
Canha has been a consistent producer for Oakland in recent years, but unlike some of the best free agents, the 32-year veteran would fit into the Brewers’ limited budget.

Cardinals: Steven Matz, LZ
Starting pitching is the Cardinals’ number one need. While they may not pay for top-tier free agents like Max Scherzer, Ray or Gausman, there is a lot of talent available. Matz rebounded from a 2020 to oblivion with a 14-7 record and a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts for the Blue Jays and could now land the multi-year deal he tried to find last year.

Cubs: Yusei Kikuchi, LZ
Kikuchi decided to exit the final year of his contract, for $ 13 million, with the Mariners after the team decided not to exercise a club option for four seasons and $ 66 million. The 30-year-old left-hander posted a 4.41 ERA with 163 strikeouts in 157 innings, ranking in the top half of his league in strikeout percentage, rate of swings to ball pitches and percentage of missed swings.

Pirates: Mike Foltynewicz, RHP
Foltynewicz has been in a tailspin since going to the All-Star Game in 2018. He pitched 28 games (24 starts) in 2021 for the Rangers and posted a 5.44 ERA. But he’s only 30 years old, so the Pirates could bet on him to build their rotation even after agreeing with Colombian left-hander José Quintana.

Reds: Brad Boxberger, RHP
Boxberger is coming off his best season since 2015, when he went to the All-Star Game, posting a 3.34 ERA for the Brewers in 71 games, a career high. The Reds used a committee closer plan this season and could do it again in 2022. Adding a proven veteran would give manager David Bell another good option.

West Division
D-backs: Ian Kennedy, RHP
Kennedy, well known in Arizona, saved 26 games with a 3.20 ERA for Rangers and Phillies in 2021, proving that at age 37 he can still pay off by closing games.

Dodgers: Kris Bryant, 3B / OF
Bringing back Scherzer and / or Seager seems like the Dodgers’ top priority, but adding another bat is another Los Angeles job this offseason. Bryant can play third base or the outfield. Assuming the universal designated hitter arrives in 2022, Justin Turner could leave third free base if the Dodgers sign Bryant.

Giants: Max Scherzer, RHP
The Giants tried to get the star right in a mid-year trade. Given the current situation in their rotation – Logan Webb is the only one of their five starters from 2021 with a contract for next year – it wouldn’t be a surprise if they went for Scherzer. Taking it from the Dodgers would be a bonus for San Francisco.

Parents: Marcus Stroman, RHP
The Padres acquired Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove last offseason, but they didn’t make the postseason, so they’ll probably go back to looking for starters. Stroman is coming off three solid seasons in a row, with a 3.21 ERA since the 2019 season began. And whoever signs it will not have to hand over a draft pick, as he was not eligible to receive the qualifying offer this year after accepting one last year. .

Rockies: Kyle Schwarber, LF
Schwarber had the best season of his career in 2021, hitting 32 home runs with a .928 OPS – a career high – for the Nationals and Red Sox. He can cover one of the outfields for Colorado, although the possible arrival of the BD to NL in 2022 would give the Rockies more options with the slugger.