MLB Power Rankings: Biggest 2022-23 free-agent miss for all 30 MLB teams
By Kevin Henry
After a wild MLB offseason so far, what are the biggest misses by each MLB team in free agency?
Regrets? Sure, every MLB team will have a few this offseason when it comes to free agency, from those who spend in historic fashion (we’re looking at you, Steve Cohen) to those who keeps their checkbooks closed way more often than not (we’re looking at you, John Fisher).
In this article, we’ll take a look at the biggest free agent misses by each team this offseason. Some of the names associated with each team were linked to them in rumors, and some were just based on pure need by the team. Our only caveat in this article was that each team could have only one player as a regret, and no player would be repeated on the list.
We will do our MLB power rankings by division, with the misses ranked in the order of ones that could come back to haunt the team the most in 2023.
MLB power rankings: American League East biggest free agent mistakes
Boston Red Sox — Xander Bogaerts
Sure, losing one of the faces of the franchise hurt, but that pain was multiplied when Trevor Story recently underwent elbow surgery that will cost him the start of the season. The Red Sox now seem to be scrambling to find a replacement at shortstop when the team had one of the best in the business already in-house all along. Ouch.
New York Yankees — Andrew Benintendi
The Yankees are looking for outfield help, and keeping Benintendi after trading for him last season could have made a lot of sense. While injuries kept him from making a huge impact in New York in 2022 (33 games after coming over in the trade from Kansas City), 2023 could have provided a fresh start and given the Yankees another All-Star option in the lineup.
Baltimore Orioles — Eric Hosmer
The Orioles were reportedly in on Hosmer until he finally signed a deal with the Chicago Cubs. After trading Trey Mancini last season to Houston, Baltimore could have used a veteran bat and defensive presence at first base like Hosmer as the franchise hopes to make a playoff run in 2023.
Tampa Bay Rays —Christian Vázquez
Catcher is an area where Tampa Bay could have used an upgrade this offseason, and rumors had the Rays linked to the 32-year-old Vázquez until he inked a deal with the Minnesota Twins. In what will be a very competitive AL East, this miss could be a difference-maker in the standings.
Toronto Blue Jays —Kodai Senga
The Blue Jays are anxious to wipe the disappointment of 2022 away and have been very active this offseason with trades (including a big one with Arizona for Daulton Varsho) and signings (including Chris Bassitt, who pitched last season with the New York Mets). Taking Bassitt’s place in New York? Kodai Senga, a pitcher the Jays were reportedly chasing. Will the Jays regret signing Bassitt over Senga? Time will tell.