MLB Power Rankings: 1 offseason decision every team will regret
By Tim Boyle
15. Boston Red Sox will regret signing Kenley Jansen
Kenley Jansen might not be bad for the Boston Red Sox. It’s still one of those moves where a Band-Aid is placed on a larger wound. The Red Sox do not have the makings of a competitive team. The division they play in is as tough as ever. Boston will need to exceed expectations and keep their players off the IL. Jansen feels wasted on a team not good enough to win a World Series. He’d be a better fit as a setup man somewhere else.
14, Arizona Diamondbacks will regret adding free-agent scraps
The Arizona Diamondbacks had a good, not great offseason. Bringing in Andrew Chafin was a nice pickup. Evan Longoria can teach the kids a few things. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. should be a nice player. The Diamondbacks are still far away from seriously competing. It wouldn’t have hurt them to sign one of the bigger free-agent stars this offseason. Getting a head start on assembling a World Series roster is something they will regret, especially when they come up just shy of a playoff spot this year.
13. Miami Marlins will regret not adding a better first baseman
The Miami Marlins have time to upgrade at first base. For now, their biggest regret is not adding a better first baseman. Miami has loaded up on pitchers while ignoring other needs. Garrett Cooper remains their projected starting first baseman. He’s an underwhelming choice in an offseason when they could have taken a more serious look at much better players.
12. San Diego Padres will regret not adding one more big bullpen arm
The San Diego Padres are relying heavily on Josh Hader performing well this year. They were incredibly active in both retaining players and bringing in new talent. Most notably, Xander Bogaerts is the new shortstop. San Diego has terrific depth, but the bullpen remains questionable. It’s reasonable to look at their relief pitching options and see them absent of one more very good arm.
11. St. Louis Cardinals will regret not adding a star starting pitcher
For a team with a lot of guys who underperformed last year, the St. Louis Cardinals sure did accomplish a lot. The National League Central was all theirs for the final two months. Have they gotten too relaxed this offseason? A rotation with older arms and players like Steven Matz in the back has the capability of self-destructing. The Cardinals may be waiting to unload their plethora of young talent for whatever becomes their biggest trade deadline need. It already looks like it will be a starting pitcher.