The Unkown of the MLB Offseason
By Brooke Brottman
No matter how many MLB games end up being played in 2020, baseball is looking at an uncertain offseason this winter. Teams have lost tons of money because of the COVID-19 pandemic and those losses will be passed down to the players through free agency and arbitration. This offseason will be an interesting one, with a few big name free agents on the market, some high-level stars on the trading block, and all 30 teams dealing with the financial deficit of fanless games during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fireworks are set off at Truist Park after the Braves win as the cardboard fan cutouts watch on. (Photo courtesy of Curtis Compton)
Teams understand that they lost money this year, but do not know what they will make next year. Teams are still uncertain if fans will be allowed in the ballparks at the start of the 2021 season. Also, teams do not know what free agency and trades are going to look like, because 30 teams are in a similar spot when it comes to payroll and salary. Teams still do know what the schedule will look like, the roster size, and if the National League will have a Designated Hitter or not. The point is that there’s so much uncertainty, which means teams need to be really systematic in trying to properly forecast the range of possible outcomes. This offseason, teams will need to be more versatile, adjustable, and effective than in past offseasons.
For MLB teams that didn't go far into the postseason, and those that didn't get there at all, there's only so much time to spend on reflection before starting to identify what they need to get done during the offseason. Whether it's re-signing a key free agent, addressing a key weakness, or investigating a big trade that could turn around their franchise. This offseason will be of uncertainty for all 30 teams, but more importantly for the players who will be free agents this offseason and only coming off of 60 regular season game stats compared to 162.
Some notable free agents from the American League include:
American League East
DJ LeMahieu, INF, New York Yankees
Masahiro Tanaka, RHP, New York Yankees
James Paxton, LHP, New York Yankees
Taijuan Walker, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
Robbie Ray, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays
American League Central
Alex Colome, RHP, Chicago White Sox
Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Nelson Cruz, DH, Minnesota Twins
American League West
George Springer, OF, Houston Astros
Michael Brantley, OF, Houston Astros
Marcus Semien, INF, Oakland A’s
Liam Hendricks, RHP, Oakland A’s
Mike Minor, LHP, Oakland A’s
Tommy La Stella, INF, Oakland A’s
Andrelton Simmons, INF, Los Angeles Angels
Some notable free agents from the National League Include:
National League East
J.T. Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies
Didi Gregorius, INF, Philadelphia Phillies
Marcell Ozuna, OF, Atlanta Braves
Shane Greene, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Marcus Stroman, RHP, New York Mets
National League Central
Trevor Bauer, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
Jose Quintana, RHP, Chicago Cubs
National League West
Blake Treinan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Joc Pederson, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Turner, INF, Los Angeles Dodgers
When you think of the offseason, you think of the biggest names on the move and the largest deals paid out, but there's obviously a lot more that goes into it. Many franchises have already undergone substantial layoffs, with more still expected this winter. This offseason promises another collision between the game’s economic needs and the pandemic. After the experience of the 2020 season, the 2021 season can’t be underestimated.
Brooke is a sports writer for La Tonique.
