Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Several high-profile MLB free agents are already disappointing their new teams in the first two months of the season.
- Veteran pitchers and key position players have struggled with poor performance and injuries, frustrating fan bases.
- The next month will test whether these underachievers can rebound or if teams will consider major roster adjustments.
Dylan Cease has proven to be a game-changer for the Blue Jays, Ryan O'Hearn is elevating the Pirates' improved offense to levels unforeseen, and I don't know where the Phillies would be without Kyle Schwarber. These MLB free agent signings are paying massive dividends in the first two months of the season.
What about the other sign of the coin, though? As good as the good signings have been, there are a ton of free agents that are already frustrating their fan bases. Let's dive into that list.
LHP Framber Valdez, Detroit Tigers
- Contract: 3 years, $115 million
The Detroit Tigers signed Framber Valdez to a short-term, high-AAV deal, hoping he'd boost their World Series odds in what figures to be Tarik Skubal's last season in Detroit. The deal made sense at the time, given Valdez's success in Houston, and Tigers fans were excited that the organization had finally made a major expenditure. It goes without saying that things haven't gone to plan thus far, though.
Valdez has a 4.58 ERA in 10 starts and 55 innings pitched, and somehow, things feel even bleaker than the ERA would indicate. The southpaw has a career-low 18.3 percent strikeout rate, and his ground-ball profile has proven to be a bad fit with a shaky Tigers defense.
What's worse is that Valdez was suspended for intentionally hitting Trevor Story with a pitch, further proving that personality concerns revolving around the southpaw were justified. He hasn't pitched well and got himself suspended (with Skubal out, mind you) in a season that's already been incredibly frustrating for Detroit. Yeah, Tigers fans aren't thrilled, here.
1B/DH Jorge Polanco, New York Mets
- Contract: 2 years, $40 million
Jorge Polanco was always going to have work to do when it came to winning the approval of the New York Mets' fan base because he was essentially replacing Pete Alonso, the franchise's all-time home run leader, at first base. Unfortunately, Polanco hasn't done much of anything to get Mets fans excited about the new look.
It isn't all his fault, as Polanco hurt his Achilles tendon almost immediately and later suffered a wrist injury as well, but when he's been healthy enough to play, he hasn't done much at all, hitting .179 with one home run in 14 games played.
Mets fans are frustrated with just about everyone, including fellow free agent addition, Bo Bichette, but Bichette has been playing better of late, while Polanco remains on the IL with no timetable for a return. Whenever he's ready to return, Mets fans might be just fine with Mark Vientos at first base, as crazy as that sounds.
RHP Phil Maton, Chicago Cubs
- Contract: 2 years, $14.5 million
Chicago Cubs fans watched Phil Maton pitch extremely well for the St. Louis Cardinals for much of last season, so they had reason to believe he'd be an important piece in their bullpen for the next couple of seasons. That, obviously, has not happened.
Not only did Maton miss a couple of weeks with a knee injury, but he has made 15 appearances for the Cubs and has pitched to an 8.75 ERA. He's allowed 13 runs on 16 hits in 13.1 innings of work, and despite primarily working in a set-up role, the Cubs are just 7-8 in the games he's pitched in.
Maton had been a reliable late-game reliever for several years on several different teams, but that hasn't been the case in Chicago. Knowing the cost it took for the Cubs to sign him and the fact that Maton just pitched well for the Cardinals a year ago, Cubs fans have lost patience with this right-hander.
RHP Chris Bassitt, Baltimore Orioles
- Contract:1 year, $18.5 million
Baltimore Orioles fans were pleasantly surprised when the team signed Chris Bassitt to a one-year deal. No, Bassitt wasn't the ace Orioles fans had initially wanted, but he was a reliable veteran who could give their rotation much-needed stability. He's done the opposite of that in hindsight.
Bassitt has a 5.44 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) and 43 innings. His 14.9 percent strikeout rate is a career low, and his 9.4 percent walk rate is his highest since 2016, a season in which he threw just 28 innings. He's looked like a shell of himself, and that's come at the worst time given virtually every pitcher Baltimore has turned to has struggled.
Making matters worse, one of Bassitt's best outings of the season came when he pitched six innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever. Perhaps more of that can get Orioles fans more on his side, but for now, O's fans aren't very excited on days he's set to take the mound.
OF Trent Grisham, New York Yankees
- Contract: 1 year, $22.025 million
The reaction was very mixed when the New York Yankees extended Trent Grisham the qualifying offer, an offer that he accepted. Grisham was coming off a monster year, but some Yankees fans feared that he'd be a one-hit wonder and wanted a change, especially after he struggled in the playoffs. Well, Grisham returned, and the pessimistic fans have been proven right thus far.
Grisham is slashing .169/.301/.338 with six home runs and 27 RBI on the year. Yes, he's gotten pretty unlucky considering some of his metrics under the hood, but at the end of the day, he has an 85 wRC+, a mark over 40 points lower than last season and a mark lower than struggling hitters like Gunnar Henderson, Willy Adames and even Rafael Devers.
Grisham won a lot of fans over last season, but he's quickly losing those fans with how this season has gone thus far. His luck is bound to turn around somewhat, but he better hope that comes quickly before he wears out his welcome even more.
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