With spring training camps set to open up next week, teams around the league are putting the final touches on their rosters while free agents have a little more sense of urgency to find their next home.
This last week has seen a plethora of signings and a couple of trades ahead of teams hitting the road for either Arizona or Florida. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable deals over the last week.
3-Team Trade Nets Benintendi For Royals
In a rare three-team trade, the Kansas City Royals picked up a big piece for their outfield as they acquired Andrew Benintendi from the Boston Red Sox. The New York Mets acquired outfield prospect Khalil Lee, while the Red Sox got outfielder Franchy Cordero, Josh Winckowski, and a few players to be named later.
The headliner in this deal is obviously Benintendi. Last year was a dismal year for the outfielder as he hit just .103/.314/.128 with no home runs, one run batted in, and four runs scored in 39 at-bats.
Despite the lackluster year, it was just 2019 when the now 26-year-old hit .266/.343/.431 with 13 home runs. The Royals are hoping that a change of scenery will do the lefty hitter some good and that he can help to bring Kansas City back to relevance after a rough season last year.
For the Red Sox, the only return with big-league experience is Franchy Cordero. Last season, in 38 at-bats with Kansas City, he hit .211/.286/.447 with 2 home runs in 38 at-bats. While he doesn’t have an extremely strong track record, he is only 26, and the Red Sox will hope he can be a serviceable piece on their roster.
The bigger gain for the Red Sox may be both Josh Winckowski and the players to be named later as they will add depth to a struggling farm system.
The Mets essentially trade Winckowski, who they received in the Steven Matz trade, for Khalil Lee. Lee was in the Royals’ top-10 in prospects and is an outfielder that is deemed not to be too far from the majors.
Currently, of the three, the Mets have the best odds at winning the World Series. They are +1000 to win while the Red Sox (+5000) and the Royals (+11000) trail significantly further behind.
Cardinals Bring Yadi Back Into The Fold
The St. Louis Cardinals are bringing back an iconic part of their franchise after agreeing to a one-year, $9 million deal with catcher Yadier Molina. Since breaking into the majors back in 2004, Molina has played exclusively with the Cardinals.
At 38, Molina may not be the player that he once was, but he is still a consistent performer both on offense and defense. Last season, in 145 at-bats, Molina hit .262/.303/.359 with 4 home runs, 16 runs batted in, and 12 runs scored.
With St. Louis resigning both Molina and Adam Wainwright, as well as the blockbuster deal for Nolan Arenado, they are probably done with major moves. In a N.L. Central division that has done very little, though, they clearly are the favorites heading into the season (+105 to win Central).
The Cardinals currently have the fifth-best odds to win the National League at +1200. They are +2400 to win the World Series.
Dodgers Officially Ink Bauer
After agreeing to a deal last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced their signing of Trevor Bauer on Thursday. Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million deal with the Dodgers that includes a couple opt-outs.
Last season, Bauer was phenomenal with the Cincinnati Reds. While he went just 5-4, he had a 1.73 ERA, 0.795 WHIP, and struck out 100 in 73 innings pitched.
Bauer now fits into a top three that also includes Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler. It is no wonder why they are the favorites to win both the National League (+170) and the World Series (+350).
