A popular question MLB fans always want to know the answer to is: Who won the offseason? Coming up with an answer in the moment based on the names on paper isn't too difficult, but games are played on the field for a reason.
I mean, most thought the Los Angeles Dodgers won the offseason by a wide margin, and for good reason. However, Tanner Scott has not been his usual self, Michael Conforto has really struggled and both Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are currently hurt. Teoscar Hernandez has played well, and Hyeseong Kim has provided a spark, but for the most part, the Dodgers have been led by players who were already on their roster.
L.A. doesn't look like an offseason winner in hindsight, but it feels like these five teams really struck gold this past offseason.
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5) Several offseason additions have led the Tigers to great success
When the offseason wrapped up, Detroit Tigers fans weren't thrilled with what Scott Harris had done. Sure, he made some nice moves on the margins, but he failed to recruit a big fish, mainly Alex Bregman, to town. Well, even without Bregman or a different marquee signing, the Tigers have the best record in the American League. Tarik Skubal doing Tarik Skubal things has helped, as has the emergence of Spencer Torkelson, but Detroit's offseason additions have helped immensely.
Gleyber Torres' right-handed bat has added some much-needed balance to the lineup, and his .770 OPS leads all qualified AL second basemen. It wouldn't be surprising to see him start the All-Star Game for the Junior Circuit. And as impactful as he's been, the pitching additions might've proven to be even more so.
The Tigers brought Jack Flaherty back, and after a bit of an uneven start, he has a 3.41 ERA in 13 outings. Tommy Kahnle has a 1.24 ERA in 28 appearances out of the bullpen. He has nine holds and eight saves, and the Tigers are 24-4 in games he's appeared in. He's been nothing short of awesome.
The Tigers failed to sign a star, but most of the moves they made have paid off and then some.
4) Juan Soto isn't the only Mets offseason win
Juan Soto got off to a sluggish start after signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets, but he's turned it on lately and now has an .854 OPS, good for the fifth-best mark among all NL outfielders. Soto has proven to be an incredibly valuable addition, as he was always going to be, but he has been far from the only one.
Pete Alonso was with the Mets for his entire career, but New York eventually re-signed him in the offseason and he's had the best season of his career thus far. He's led the Mets' offense all year, even when stars like Soto have struggled at times.
Outside of Soto and Alonso, pitching additions that were criticized, like Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning, have thrived in New York's rotation. They have the best rotation ERA in the Majors thanks largely to shrewd under-the-radar signings from David Stearns. When Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, another pair of offseason additions, return from the IL, their offseason has the potential to look even better.
3) The Yankees are doing just fine without Juan Soto
When Soto signed with the Mets, it felt as if the New York Yankees had little to no shot of salvaging their offseason, especially after Gerrit Cole went down with his season-ending injury. Well, based on how they've played so far this year, their offseason couldn't have gone much better.
Making Max Fried the marquee addition, especially after losing Soto's bat, was a questionable decision, but it's proven to be the right call. If he isn't the AL Cy Young favorite, he's certainly in the discussion. First base was a major weakness for the Yankees last season, but Paul Goldschmidt might start the All-Star Game at the position for the AL.
Even Cody Bellinger, who has struggled with his bat at times, has proved invaluable with his defense. His ability to play center field regularly, moving Aaron Judge back to right, hasn't been discussed enough as a reason why Judge has been so dominant offensively. Yeah, the Yankees are doing just fine in their post-Soto breakup.
2) Where would the Red Sox be without their offseason additions?
The Boston Red Sox entered the season with lofty expectations because they made two of the biggest moves of the winter. The team has underperformed in a big way, going 34-36 overall, but that's not because of their offseason additions.
The Garrett Crochet trade and extension was a bit of a risk, but he's right with Fried in the AL Cy Young race. The rest of Boston's rotation has been a nightmare, making Crochet's addition that much more important. Bregman has missed time due to injury, but when healthy, he was playing like the best third baseman in the sport. Those two big names have played as advertised and then some.
Even smaller additions like Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Narvaez have been awesome. Chapman has been Boston's closer all year, and Narvaez has been hitting in the middle of the team's order for a prolonged period with Bregman out. The returning players, though, are a big reason why the team has struggled.
1) Kyle Tucker has led perhaps the best offense in MLB
What's there to say about Kyle Tucker that hasn't already been said? Sure, the Chicago Cubs gave up a lot to acquire him, especially given his expiring contract, but he's had an awesome year, and his impact has been felt up and down the lineup. Last season, it felt like the Cubs had several good, but not great, hitters. Tucker himself has been a great hitter, but his presence has elevated others around him as well.
As great as he's been, Chicago wouldn't be No. 1 on this list if he was the only addition. Carson Kelly was signed to primarily be a backup, but even while he's cooled off after his absurd start, he's been one of the best catchers in the National League all year long.
On the pitching side, Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea have been rotation stabilizers the Cubs have needed amid injuries to Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele and Javier Assad. Ryan Pressly has underwhelmed, but Caleb Thielbar and Brad Keller have been instrumental to the bullpen staying afloat.