theScore’s Josh Goldberg got into the holiday spirit to hand out one ideal gift for each of the 30 MLB clubs heading into 2023. Let’s reach into our bag of goodies and see what each team can expect to find under their tree.
Arizona Diamondbacks
🎁 Some recognition for Christian Walker: Nobody talks about Walker as one of the better all-around first basemen in MLB. The 31-year-old put together a career offensive season in 2022 and has been one of the better defensive options at the position for several seasons. His under-the-radar standing is likely in part due to playing in Arizona, but fresh off winning his first Gold Glove, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Walker emerges as an All-Star in 2023.
Atlanta Braves
🎁 The real Ronald Acuna Jr. to stand up: The Braves took home another NL East title in 2022 but did so without the usual level of performance from star outfielder Acuna. He posted a career-worst 114 wRC+ and .764 OPS as he struggled to return to form following a serious knee injury in 2021. Atlanta had enough talent to still be dominant despite Acuna’s relative struggles last season. But with the moves the Mets and Phillies made this offseason, Braves manager Brian Snitker will need Acuna to return to form if the team is to remain on top of the heap in its ultra-competitive division.
Baltimore Orioles
🎁 An ace to lead the rotation: The Orioles enter the 2023 season with a lot of momentum after a surprising 83-79 record last season. The lineup is loaded with young talent, and the rotation has a few nice pieces as well. The one thing missing is a proven stud to lead that rotation into the future. Maybe young right-hander Grayson Rodriguez morphs into that type of pitcher before too long, but general manager Mike Elias could really provide a jolt if he finds a way to acquire an impact starting pitcher.
Boston Red Sox
🎁 Increased payroll: The Red Sox need to start acting like the Red Sox again. The club failed to keep homegrown stars in the fold over the past few years and is currently sitting outside the top 10 in payroll commitments. Fans are becoming increasingly annoyed with the way Chaim Bloom has operated since he took over control of baseball operations ahead of the 2020 season. It’s well past time for the Red Sox to exercise some financial might and be more aggressive in returning the roster to consistent playoff and World Series-contender status.
Chicago White Sox
🎁 Healthy, productive seasons from Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert: The White Sox enter 2023 with a new manager and without Jose Abreu anchoring their lineup for the first time in nearly a decade. Despite the upheaval, they still boast more than enough talent to be competitive in the gettable American League Central. For Chicago to avoid another disappointing campaign, Robert and Jimenez must find a way to stay healthy and productive. The two sluggers combined for just 186 games in 2022.
Chicago Cubs
🎁 Majestic Cody Bellinger home runs: It’s been well-documented how difficult the last two years have been for Bellinger on the field. The 2019 NL MVP has been one of the worst offensive players in MLB during that span and was non-tendered by the Dodgers as a result. The Cubs decided to bet on a resurgent season when they inked Bellinger to a one-year, $17.5-million deal. The move carries risk and downside, but it could also be a very good opportunity for Bellinger to get his career back on track. If he can find his stroke at the plate once again, it’ll be fun to see him launch balls into the jet stream on a hot summer day at Wrigley Field.
Cleveland Guardians
🎁 More home runs: The Guardians finished the 2022 campaign 29th in MLB with just 127 long balls. Cleveland added some pop this offseason, agreeing to deals with first baseman Josh Bell and slugging catcher Mike Zunino. Those moves should help boost the Guardians’ power production in 2023.
Cincinnati Reds
🎁 One more great Joey Votto season: Votto is one of baseball’s truly unique personalities. The veteran first baseman is no stranger to appearing in viral moments that are equal parts hilarious and heartwarming. Even as he recovered from a shoulder injury last season, Votto showcased his quick wit with a number of great appearances as an analyst during games in the Reds’ broadcast booth. He’ll likely have no shortage of options available whenever he decides to hang it up. However, Reds fans deserve at least one more season to appreciate what one of the franchise’s best players has been able to accomplish on the field. Coming off rotator cuff surgery at the age of 39, the deck might be stacked against a Votto rebound. Hopefully, he can find a little more juice from the fountain of youth.
Colorado Rockies
🎁 A realistic plan from ownership: Rockies fans deserve better. The club has aimlessly tried to be competitive with odd forays into free agency, like handing Kris Bryant a shocking mega contract last year. Colorado is so far from contention, and it remains almost impossible to see a pathway for it to apply pressure on the likes of the Dodgers and Padres. Ownership needs to be practical about how to get the club on a consistent path to success. Avoiding moves like handing 37-year-old closer Daniel Bard a two-year extension would be a good place to start.
Detroit Tigers
🎁 A Javier Baez rebound: Baez’s first season in the Motor City was an unequivocal disaster. He was a below-league-average hitter with a 90 wRC+ and posted the second-lowest slugging percentage of his career. The Tigers were hoping Baez would lead them back to sustained success when they handed him a six-year, $140-million contract. Baez holds an opt-out clause following the 2023 campaign, but it’s hard to imagine him exercising it unless he puts together a monstrous rebound season.
Houston Astros
🎁 Another World Series title: The Astros are the gold standard in MLB right now. Houston made a staggering six consecutive ALCS appearances and is showing no signs of slowing down. Despite losing Justin Verlander to the Mets in free agency, the Astros are still loaded in the rotation and added Jose Abreu to give their lineup another potent offensive option. The defending champions will enter the 2023 campaign as one of the strong favorites to win it all yet again.
Kansas City Royals
🎁 One more ride for Zack Greinke: It feels fitting for Greinke’s MLB journey to conclude in the same place it began. The Royals are still building to become a consistent club, and Greinke can provide a young rotation with some veteran leadership as he did in 2022 when he posted a 3.68 ERA and 1.9 fWAR in 26 starts. Greinke is one of baseball’s most unique characters, and it’d be neat to see him get one last go in Kansas City.
Los Angeles Angels
🎁 A postseason berth: The Angels are clearly throwing caution to the wind and trying to do everything possible to emerge as a viable team in Shohei Ohtani’s final year before free agency. Los Angeles has been aggressive in improving the roster already this offseason as it aims for a first playoff appearance since 2014. Angels fans – and baseball fans in general – deserve the opportunity to see Ohtani and Mike Trout showcase their skills on baseball’s biggest stage in October.
Los Angeles Dodgers
🎁 Shohei Ohtani: After the madness that was the winter meetings and the number of lucrative, long-term contracts handed out, Ohtani’s representatives must be seeing nothing but dollar signs in their future. Ohtani’s free agency next year could be something on a scale we’ve never seen before. The Dodgers have been rather quiet thus far, with many believing it’s all to save flexibility for a run at the two-way phenom. We already know Ohtani likes California, so a short drive from Orange County to Chavez Ravine wouldn’t be too arduous, despite L.A.’s notorious traffic. Whether they jump early if Ohtani becomes available at the trade deadline or save their efforts for the offseason, it’s hard not to see the Dodgers as one of the front-runners in the race to employ Ohtani this time next year.
Miami Marlins
🎁 A competent offense: The Marlins have reigning NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara leading one of baseball’s best and brightest young rotations. The issue for the fish is a glaring lack of prolific offensive players. The return of Jazz Chisholm Jr. after an injury-riddled 2022 will help, but this still profiles as a below-average offensive club. Until Marlins general manager Kim Ng has the resources at her disposal to really add to the payroll, it’s hard to see a realistic way for Miami to address those offensive deficiencies. It’s disheartening because there are pieces in place for this to be a really fun and exciting team capable of making life not so fun for the likes of the Braves, Mets, and Phillies.
Milwaukee Brewers
🎁 A time machine: If the Brewers could find a way to go back to Aug. 1, 2022, and undo the Josh Hader to San Diego trade, maybe things wouldn’t feel so tenuous around the franchise. That shocking deal seems to have set off a chain reaction of negative events that resulted in the Brewers missing the playoffs and David Stearns stepping down as president of baseball operations. Milwaukee has also had a strange offseason, as it appears more focused on shedding payroll commitments than trying to improve the roster.
Minnesota Twins
🎁 At least 100 games from Byron Buxton: When he’s on the field, Buxton has an argument for being baseball’s most electrifying player. He hit 28 home runs in just 92 games last season, amassing 4.0 fWAR. The issue, as always, is Buxton’s inability to stay healthy and on the field. The 29-year-old appeared in 100 or more games in a season just once in his career. If Buxton can find a way to evade the injury bug, it would go a long way to helping Minnesota rebound from a disappointing finish to the 2022 season.
New York Yankees
🎁 A World Series appearance: It’s been well-documented that the Yankees haven’t won an American League pennant since 2009. New York has been eliminated in the League Championship Series on five occasions since its last Fall Classic appearance. With Aaron Judge back in the fold, the Yankees will need to find a way to overcome their nemesis in Houston to snap the franchise’s third-longest World Series appearance drought.
New York Mets
🎁 An October showdown with the Yankees: The Mets captivated baseball with an unparalleled spending spree this offseason. Owner Steve Cohen has made it clear he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goal of winning the franchise’s first championship since 1986. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is excited for the two New York teams to duke it out. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Mets have taken the town by storm and are outshining the Yankees. A Subway Series for the first time since 2000 for all the marbles would be a true treat for any baseball fan.
Oakland Athletics
🎁 An identity: Who or what exactly are the Oakland Athletics? The A’s had a nice run of success, making the playoffs six times with seven winning seasons from 2012 to 2021. Despite that, the front office is in the middle of another teardown, with the likes of Marcus Semien, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Sean Manaea, and Sean Murphy all departing the franchise over the past few seasons. Perhaps some clarity with their future home will lead to a defined approach, but until then, it’ll likely be a rough ride for fans of the franchise.
Philadelphia Phillies
🎁 Bryce Harper’s reconstructed elbow: Harper authored a magnificent postseason run despite playing through an injury that later required Tommy John surgery. He’s expected to miss the majority of the first half of the 2023 season. Whenever he’s able to return to the lineup and the outfield, it’s exciting to wonder what he can do closer to full health. If Harper can perform closer to the form he showcased during his 2021 MVP campaign, the Phillies will be a minefield for any pitcher to attack with the addition of Trea Turner to complement Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, and others.
Pittsburgh Pirates
🎁 A full-fledged Oneil Cruz breakout: The electric young shortstop showed flashes during his rookie season in 2022. Cruz finished the campaign strong, posting an .897 OPS with six home runs and 18 RBIs across 25 September games. It’ll likely be another long summer down by the Allegheny River at PNC Park, but if Cruz can put it together, he’ll provide Pirates fans with some exciting fireworks to take in at one of baseball’s most picturesque ballparks.
San Diego Padres
🎁 A fulfilling ‘Last Dance’: The Padres enter 2023 with high expectations after slaying the Dodgers during their run to the NLCS. Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to return to full health and will hope to form baseball’s best trio of stars with Juan Soto and Manny Machado. Despite all of their star power, this could be the last run for this particular group of players. Machado can opt out of his contract, while Josh Hader, Blake Snell, and a handful of others will hit free agency at the conclusion of the season. Padres general manager A.J. Preller maintained his aggressiveness over the past few seasons, but the pressure will be ratcheted up to another level this campaign with so much uncertainty looming.
San Francisco Giants
🎁 At long last, a superstar: The Giants have tried and failed to land their next franchise stalwart a number of times over the past few years. From Giancarlo Stanton to Bryce Harper to Aaron Judge, and most recently (and notoriously) Carlos Correa. San Francisco has money to spend but just hasn’t found a way – for a number of reasons – to close the deal and secure a star to help lead them into the future. Until Farhan Zaidi lands a premier talent to build around, the Giants will continue to trudge along in no man’s land.
Seattle Mariners
🎁A home playoff win: After snapping baseball’s longest postseason drought, the Mariners stunned the Blue Jays in the wild-card series before they were swept by the eventual World Series champion Astros. Mariners fans had just one taste of postseason baseball in 2022 – a marathon 18-inning loss in Game 3 against Houston. The club appears poised to start stacking postseason appearances with a great core on both sides of the ball. A win in October in front of their adoring faithful is next on the list as they try and progress on an upward trajectory.
St. Louis Cardinals
🎁 Success in October: The Cardinals continue to be the hallmark of consistency but will be looking to put three straight early postseason exits in their rearview mirror. The franchise qualified for the NLCS just once since 2014 and hasn’t reached the World Series since 2013. October baseball can always be a bit of a crapshoot, but it’s how Cardinals fans judge a successful season each year.
Tampa Bay Rays
🎁 A new era for spending money: The Rays made some franchise history when they signed right-hander Zach Eflin to a three-year, $40-million contract. It marked the largest free-agent agreement in Tampa Bay’s history. The Rays are never going to operate like the Yankees or Dodgers, but perhaps the Eflin move and signing Wander Franco to a long-term extension are signs that the Rays have more financial wiggle room to continue improving the roster.
Texas Rangers
🎁 Good health for Jacob deGrom: For the second consecutive offseason, the Rangers made an eye-popping splash, handing deGrom a massive five-year, $185-million contract. It’s never a bad idea to add one of – if not the – best starting pitchers in the game to your rotation. However, it’s a huge investment for a 34-year-old hurler who made just 26 starts over the last two seasons. Rangers general manager Chris Young’s wish list for 2023 will likely include deGrom making at least 25 starts for the club next season.
Toronto Blue Jays
🎁 The return of 2021 Vladimir Guerrero Jr: The Blue Jays star didn’t have a bad season in 2022, but it was a bit of a letdown after his tremendous 2021 campaign. Toronto dealt his good friend Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle, and a return to the transcendent form Guerrero showcased in 2021 would go a long way to mitigating some of the sting from that departure.
Washington Nationals
🎁 A trade for Patrick Corbin: The Nationals are smack in the middle of a franchise rebuild. Outside of Stephen Strasburg’s contract, the remaining two years on Corbin’s deal are general manager Mike Rizzo’s biggest commitment. It won’t be easy, but if Corbin can at least be a league-average starting pitcher, perhaps a team will look at him as a possible trade candidate.
