Post Lockout: National League West Transactions
The Wild Wild West will be home to star-studded players who will dazzle under the bright lights of the West Coast. The battle in the National League West for the top spot in the division will be a shoot-out throughout the season. The off-season generated so many questions which will be answered in the incoming months. What will the Giants do coming off the most winningest season in franchise history? Can the Dodgers win the World Series with one of the greatest offenses in baseball history? How will the Padres respond after a disappointing 2021 season? Will the Rockies and Diamondbacks shake up the division in any way?
Good news for you: we have the next 181 calendar days of regular season baseball to find out.
San Francisco giants
Key Subtractions:
Buster Posey (retirement)
Kris Bryant signs with Rockies. (7 years, $182 million)
Donovan Solano signs with Reds. (1 year, $4.5 million)
Kevin Gausman signs with Blue Jays (5 years, $110 million)
Key Additions:
Signs Carlos Rodon, SP ( 2 years, $44million)
Signs Joc Pederson, LF (1 year, $6 million)
Signs Matthew Boyd, SP (1 year, $5.2 million)
Although the Giants did not make blockbuster moves to enhance the offense like other teams this off-season, the Giants made key under the radar moves. The Giants bolstered their rotation with a huge move to lock up Carlos Rodon for the next two years while signing Detroit Tigers ace, Matthew Boyd who has shown great promise. As San Francisco adds Joc Pederson’s lefty bat to the lineup the Giants will need more bats to step up offensively and keep up in the division. The Giants bullpen was one of the best in baseball last season ranking second in opponents average (.218) and first in bullpen ERA ( 2.99). Not many changes occurred for the Giants bullpen during the off-season as San Francisco hopes to get the same productivity in 2022.
Los Angeles dodgers
Key Subtractions:
Max Scherzer signs with Mets. (3 years, $130 million)
Corey Seager signs with Rangers. (10 years, $325 million)
Kenley Jansen signs with Braves. ( 1 year, $16 million)
Corey Knebel signs with Phillies. ( 1 year, $10 million)
AJ Pollock via trade to White Sox.
Key Additions:
Freddie Freeman, 1B (6 years, $162 million)
Daniel Hudson, RHP (1 year, $7 million)
Danny Duffy, LHP (1 year, $3 million)
Craig Kimbrel, RHP via trade from White Sox
One of the biggest signings of the off-season belonged to the Dodgers locking up Freddie Freeman for the next six seasons. Freeman adds even another tier of greatness to the Dodger offense now regarded as the best in history. The projected lineup for the Dodgers has a combined 19 All-Star appearances and three MVP winners. The loss of Scherzer and Jansen would leave a hole for any team, but of course for the Dodgers the pitching staff is still strong with incredible depth. The addition of veteran relievers in Hudson, Kimbrel, and Duffy will edge out the bullpen, a bullpen who will be figuring who can fill the closer role after Jansen’s departure. The Dodgers are THE team to beat not only in the NL West but in all of baseball.
San Diego Padres
Key Subtractions:
Tommy Pham signs with Reds. (1 year, $7.5 million)
Mark Melancon signs with Diamondbacks. (2 years, $14 million)
Daniel Hudson signs with Dodgers. ( 1 year $7 million)
Adam Frazier via trade to the Mariners.
Justin Lange. (2020 first round pick) traded to the Yankees
Key Additions:
Luke Voit, 1B via trade from Yankees
Nick Martinez, RHP (4 years, $25.5 million)
Luis Garcia, RHP ( 2 years, $7 million)
A quiet off-season for the Padres only saw them in the bidding war for Freddie Freeman who would sign with the division rival Dodgers. Biggest acquisition of the season is the power bat of Luke Voit who will add great balance to the Padres lineup. The lineup will take all the help it can get after the news Fernando Tatis Jr. will miss the first three months of the season. The rotation is stellar with the bullpen being the only questionable aspect of the team. Closing out close games will be crucial for San Diego.
COLORADO ROCKIES
Key Subtractions:
Trevor Story signs with Red Sox. (6 years, $140 million)
Jon Gray signs with Rangers. (4 years, $56 million)
Raimel Tapia to Blue Jays via trade. (signs 1 year, $3.95 million)
Key Additions:
Kris Bryant, 3B (7 years, $182 million)
Randal Grichuk, OF via trade
José Iglesias, SS (signs 1 year, $5 million)
Alex Colomè, RHP (1 year, $4.1 million)
In one of the more bizarre off-season signings, the Rockies acquired the biggest 3B free agent as Kris Bryant will be in the mile-high city for the foreseeable future. The Rockies offense is very solid with Blackmon, Bryant, Cron, Rodgers, and Grichuk. However, the Colorado pitching staff is problematic ranking as sixth worst in team ERA and fifth worst in reliever ERA. The Rockies pitching can be the only thing getting in the way for a cinderella wildcard team.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Key Subtractions:
Tyler Clippard signs with Nationals. (Minor League Contract)
Kole Calhoun signs with Rangers. ( 1 year, $5.2 million)
Key Additions:
Mark Melancon, RHP (2 years, $14 million)
Zach Davies, SP (1 year, $4.5 million)
Ian Kennedy, RHP (1 year, 4.75 million)
Jordan Luplow, OF/1B via trade from Rays.
The Diamondbacks made solid moves in the off-season. Making efforts to improve the pitching staff the biggest move for Arizona saw the acquisition of veteran reliever Mark Melancon. The lineup still includes solid bats with Walker, Peralta, and star OF Ketel Marte. On paper, the Arizona rotation has some eye-popping names with great potential including Bumgarner, Davies, Weaver, and Gallen who has also shown promise. If the rotation can deliver look out for the D-Backs. Biggest question for Arizona will be the bullpen as besides Melancon the team will need quality innings from other pitchers. Arizona ranked third worst in bullpen ERA and second worst in team ERA.
