7 grizzled free agents we’d like to see get one more shot
Now that Carlos Correa is lastly signed, all the most important free brokers are off the market. The huge names are gone, the budgets are set, the holes are largely crammed. But there are nonetheless guys on the market, guys you realize, whom now we have been looking forward to years and who stay unsigned. They’re at that doubtlessly perilous spot of being a veteran, late within the course of, however they haven’t discovered a chair to take a seat in but. And they’re operating out of time.
The baseball world could be worse with out these guys as lively gamers — we’ve adopted them their entire careers, and we’re not able to say goodbye but. And I’d argue they’ve nonetheless received some recreation, too, with one thing to supply a crew. Here’s a take a look at unsigned veterans we’re hoping get one other shot.
Jesús Aguilar, 1B
For some time there, Aguilar was probably the greatest tales in baseball, a man claimed off waivers by the Brewers who caught fireplace for a terrific crew that was brief solely within the energy division, one thing Aguilar supplied. He made the All-Star crew in 2018, participated within the Home Run Derby and even obtained MVP votes — he received the Luis Aparicio Award for finest Venezuelan participant and homered in that nice NL Championship Series in opposition to the Dodgers that 12 months, too.
Aguilar took a step again in 2019, however was an above-average hitter (117 OPS+ within the shortened ’20 season, 111 in ’21) earlier than it fell aside for him in Miami and Baltimore final 12 months. But this was a serious energy bat from 2017-21, and he’s nonetheless solely 32. Aguilar positive appears price a flier for somebody in want of some pop.
Didi Gregorius, SS
In retrospect, Gregorius was a perfect check run for the Anthony Rizzo and Matt Carpenter expertise at Yankee Stadium: Find a left-handed hitter who isn’t essentially identified for energy, however who can poke it over that shut wall with consistency. It hasn’t actually labored for Didi both earlier than or after his time in The Bronx — aside from an excellent run in the course of the truncated season in 2020 — although he was riddled with unhealthy luck in Philadelphia, from accidents to visa points to pseudo-gout.
Gregorius can have the chance to indicate off what he has left within the 2023 World Baseball Classic: He’ll be taking part in for the Dutch crew, alongside one other participant on this record, really.
Andrelton Simmons, SS
Every 12 months Simmons has been a fair satisfactory hitter — and, to be truthful, it has been a couple of years — he has been an MVP candidate (enjoyable truth: on the 2017 Angels, a crew that featured prime Mike Trout, Simmons led the crew in WAR, per Baseball Reference).
His defensive abilities haven’t actually slipped a lot, even because the bat has devolved to the purpose that you just may need to pinch-hit for him recurrently. But protection continues to be vastly essential, and could also be much more so with the brand new limitations on defensive shifts. Every crew feels extra comfy with Simmons hoovering up balls at brief. Someone will discover a place for him — simply don’t let him bat in an enormous spot.
Mike Moustakas, INF
It looks like Moustakas has been round our complete lives, doesn’t it? Famously chosen second general within the 2007 (!) Draft, he was one of many linchpins of these Royals prospects who would in the end come collectively to guide that crew to back-to-back World Series appearances, and that ’15 win.
Because Moustakas was so younger when he was drafted, you may not notice he’s nonetheless solely 34 years previous. He was an All-Star as just lately as 2019 — that’s what impressed the Reds to signal him to that ill-fated contract within the first place — however accidents have wiped him out the final two years. There’s nonetheless pop in that bat, although, there must be. And c’mon: “Moose” is such an incredible phrase to yell at ballparks.
Tommy Pham, OF
Pham is a kind of huge personalities, a kind of rusty nails who at all times speaks his thoughts, that baseball could be poorer with out. He got here up within the Cardinals group, however he didn’t get a name up till he was 26. Pham was actually implausible in 2017, with a .931 OPS in 128 video games, however the Cardinals traded him to Tampa Bay on the Deadline in ’18. He was stable for the Rays, however, as has tended to be the case in his profession, Pham stored touring from metropolis to metropolis: To San Diego, then Cincinnati, then Boston.
Last season was the worst 12 months of his profession, and he’ll someway be 35 on Opening Day, however the man nonetheless will get on base and might hit the ball with authority. Someone’s going to signal Pham and be very pleasantly stunned … earlier than he strikes on to a different crew shortly thereafter, as common.
Stephen Piscotty, OF
The Cardinals traded Pham’s former outfield mate Piscotty to Oakland earlier than the 2018 season partially so the Northern California native may very well be nearer to his mom, who was dying from ALS. Piscotty was an unbelievable story on the sphere that 12 months as nicely, placing collectively a 124 OPS+ for a 97-win crew.
Injuries have wrecked him since then, however this man was getting Rookie of the Year votes simply seven years in the past and seemed like somebody the A’s have been going to construct round pretty just lately. He’s the form of man you root for, and he’s nonetheless solely 32.
Justin Upton, OF
How completely different would the previous couple of years of Angels historical past have been if Upton have been wholesome and the participant they thought they have been getting once they signed him to that huge contract? Upton was one of the constant hitters in baseball from 2008-17, and he was solely 29 when he got here to Anaheim. But accidents stopped him from ever being the 1-2 punch with Trout he was purported to be, and Upton seemed largely cooked throughout a brief spell with Seattle final 12 months.
This was a titanic expertise, although, each arising within the Minors and through a decade within the Majors, and also you’d hope there’s possibly one final run for him in there, for somebody. Upton was the No. 1 general choose in 2005. We’ve been speaking about him for almost 20 years. I’m not prepared for him to go away. Are you?
