Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we had some fun and picked NFL QBs to be baseball players. This week we're going to tackle our favorite offseason moves.
What was your favorite move(s) of the offseason?
R.J. Anderson: For me, it's easier to answer this question if I break it down into a few categories. To wit: my favorite trade was the Braves' side of the Sean Murphy deal. I love Murphy and he came cheaper than I expected. My favorite marquee free-agent signing was Carlos Rodón -- just because I appreciate his story, and how he bet on himself (and won). Lastly, my favorite hipster free-agent signing was the Angels inking Carlos Estévez, who I believe will benefit from getting away from Coors Field and reprogramming his pitch selection.
Matt Snyder: Carlos Correa. All of it. It was fun to see the Giants making such a huge splash when we know the Dodgers are going to be good again while also being pushed by the Padres. Then when it fell apart and Steve Cohen and the Mets swooped in, that was amazing theater. Having that deal fall apart only to see Correa end up back with the Twins (not even close to a large market!) was, again, so much fun. The Twins don't have a complete roster, but Correa is a foundational piece and they have enough talent to make a run at the AL Central title. As well, with Correa on board, they felt like there was enough offense to deal Luis Arraez for a possible frontline pitcher in Pablo Lopez.
Dayn Perry: I love the Xander Bogaerts signing by the Padres. Yes, Bogaerts is a nifty addition for a contender, but mostly it's the ongoing commitment by the Padres to putting the best possible team on the field. It's also an ongoing source of annoyance to other small-market owners who choose not to compete, and they badly need to be made uncomfortable. More broadly, is this the move that finally nudged the Padres ahead of the Dodgers? It's possible.
Mike Axisa: William Contreras. The Brewers managed to get Contreras and two depth arms (Joel Payamps and Justin Yeager) for Esteury Ruiz and only Esteury Ruiz. Ruiz is a good but not a great prospect, and turning him into a 25-year-old catcher with five years of control and above-average offense is a great move for Milwaukee. I know Contreras doesn't rate well defensively, but the Brewers have had success helping bat-first catchers improve their glovework (Omar Narváez, most notably), and the offensive bar for catchers is on the floor these days. Even with some regression from 2022, Contreras figures to be one of the best hitters at the position.
The Twins getting Carlos Correa on that contract was a coup. He's signed through age 33, not age 40 like just about all the other offseason's top free agents, and if Correa stays healthy and productive, the Twins can keep him around longer than that thanks to four club options that decrease in salary each year. I loved the Astros getting José Abreu as well. He's a really tough at-bat and a legit middle-of-the-order thumper, and a big upgrade over what Houston got from Yuli Gurriel at first base last season. Also, the Tyler Anderson deal looks like a bargain given the signings that came after it. Good work by the Angels jumping on Anderson early.
