The past 365 days were quite eventful in the baseball world, with a myriad of storylines, drama, and change. Let’s look back at the 10 biggest stories in baseball from 2022.
Honorable mention: Pham slaps Joc
Let’s call this one the weirdest of 2022. Before the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants met on May 27, then-Reds outfielder Tommy Pham slapped Giants slugger Joc Pederson over a dispute in their fantasy football league. The ripple effects of the “controversy” spread across MLB and roped in other stars, including league commissioner Mike Trout, and of course, led to plenty of jokes on social media. Pham eventually received a three-game suspension for his actions. This may not be the biggest baseball story of the year, but it sure was one of the strangest sagas in recent memory.
10. Moreno selling Angels after latest lost season
Shohei Ohtani was otherworldly, Mike Trout was Mike Trout, and the Angels once again squandered their generational superstars with a lost 2022 season. A franchise-record 14-game losing streak in early June not only sealed the Halos’ fate, but it cost manager Joe Maddon his job. Things hit rock bottom on June 27 when Los Angeles intentionally threw at Seattle’s Jesse Winker, triggering a nasty brawl. Longtime owner Arte Moreno is now trying to sell the team, putting everything – including, potentially, Ohtani’s future with the club – up in the air. The Angels’ inability to take advantage of Trout and Ohtani continued to confound the baseball world this year, and they’ll continue to be a story for all the wrong reasons as Ohtani moves closer to free agency.
9. Freeman’s free agency
When Freddie Freeman squeezed the final out of the 2021 World Series, it seemed unthinkable that he’d wear a different uniform. But then free agency happened. Freeman’s foray into the open market was filled with drama as he and the Braves – a team he never wanted to leave – drifted further and further apart until Atlanta traded for Matt Olson, a deal that general manager Alex Anthopoulos called the “hardest” of his career. Freeman ultimately signed with the Dodgers and had his usual MVP-caliber season, while his first game back in Atlanta created a moving emotional scene for all parties involved.
8. Verlander’s comeback season
Nobody knew what to expect from Verlander in his return from Tommy John surgery. Incredibly, the 39-year-old emerged from a nearly two-year layoff looking like his old self, authoring one of the most outstanding comeback campaigns in history. Verlander cruised to his third AL Cy Young win after leading the majors in both ERA (1.75) and WHIP (0.83), and he became the first pitcher to win a Cy Young after not throwing an inning in the previous season. Then he cashed in, signing a two-year, $86.6-million contract with the Mets. Verlander’s return ensured that the third act of his future Hall of Fame career will be unforgettable.
7. 111-win Dodgers fall short
For six months, the Los Angeles Dodgers were a juggernaut. Freeman’s addition made an already dangerous lineup even more potent, and the pitching staff continued to hum along and shut down opponents with ease. Dave Roberts’ club won 111 games, the most by a National League team in 113 years, and were expected to romp through the playoffs. But the Dodgers again fell short when it counted, allowing the rival Padres to send them home in the NLDS. For L.A., 2022 marked the latest disappointment in a run that’s yielded only one World Series title despite nearly a decade of dominance.
6. Pujols’ last hurrah
Albert Pujols’ career appeared headed for an inglorious finish when the Angels released him last May. Even his return to St. Louis looked like more of a token send-off from the franchise he’s most associated with. But Pujols proved he had one more epic season left in him after all, turning back the clock with an incredible final showing for the Cardinals. Working primarily as a lefty-mashing DH, Pujols produced his best individual campaign in a decade, putting up an .895 OPS and 24 home runs. Commissioner Rob Manfred named him an honorary All-Star, and he stunned everyone by winning a round in the Home Run Derby. Most importantly, a second-half surge propelled him into the 700-home run club, a milestone that seemed out of reach when 2022 began. It ended up being the perfect send-off for perhaps the greatest hitter of his generation.
5. Mets’ unprecedented spending spree
Steve Cohen’s original spending spree as Mets owner last winter helped take the club back to the playoffs in 2022. But Cohen wasn’t nearly satisfied with 100 wins and a wild-card berth – this winter, he’s gone on a historic spending spree that’s made George Steinbrenner look like a penny-pincher. The billionaire’s spent over $800 million on free agents this winter, luring the likes of Justin Verlander and Japanese star Kodai Senga, among others, to Flushing while re-signing hometown stars Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo to monster deals. Cohen saved his most shocking splash for last, nabbing Carlos Correa after his agreement with the Giants fell through. However, the Mets are now also having issues with the shortstop’s physical.
Whether Correa’s there or not, the 2023 Mets will be the most expensive team in MLB history, and expectations for this star-studded squad are now through the roof. Win or lose, this Mets team is already shaping up to be one of the biggest storylines to follow in 2023.
4. Padres go all the way in, reach NLCS without Tatis
A.J. Preller’s latest splash rocked the baseball world midseason. After pulling off a stunning trade for star closer Josh Hader, Preller and the Padres went all in, adding Juan Soto and Josh Bell to an already lethal lineup. The plans nearly went awry when Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended for a positive drug test, but the teammates he left behind fought through it and made 2022 a season to remember in San Diego. The Padres made the playoffs as a wild card, beat the Mets in a wild-card series, and then slayed the dragon that was the Dodgers to reach their first NLCS since 1998. They failed to win the pennant, but in many ways, 2022 was still the year of the Padres.
3. Rule changes continue baseball’s evolution
Baseball began to look very different this year. For starters, the PitchCom system was legalized, allowing for electronic communication between pitchers and catchers in an attempt to cut down on sign-stealing, and most batteries embraced it with open arms. The universal designated hitter also became a permanent addition, a change that was long overdue at this point. And MLB expanded the postseason to 12 teams with a best-of-three wild-card round. The new format was an immediate hit, producing plenty of drama and a miracle run to the pennant for the No. 6 seed Philadelphia Phillies.
But these changes were only the beginning. Next year, MLB will introduce such radical changes as a pitch clock, limited pickoff attempts, bigger bases, and shift bans designed to increase balls in play. In 2023, baseball will continue its evolution.
2. Lockout nearly halts season
The baseball world ground to a halt for 99 days last winter. MLB and the players’ association dug in their heels and engaged in the sport’s first work stoppage since the 1994 strike. Negotiations were tense and difficult. The league even canceled a week’s worth of games after a deal wasn’t reached before their deadline, leading to fears that the season itself was in jeopardy. The sides eventually found common ground on a five-year agreement that narrowly salvaged a 162-game season and set all the radical changes in motion.
1. Judge’s magical season
Every Judge at-bat was a must-watch in 2022. The Yankees superstar turned in one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history, hitting an American League-record 62 home runs while narrowly missing out on the Triple Crown. Then after a lengthy tour of free agency, he re-signed with the Yankees on a nine-year, $360-million contract and was named their captain, securing his legacy with MLB’s most iconic franchise. It truly was the year of the Judge.
