With the Houston Astros winning the World Series, Major League Baseball’s offseason is officially underway. In a matter of days, players will become free agents and decisions will be made on many players’ futures. That will begin an intriguing set of storylines, with several franchises looking at potentially franchise-altering decisions over the next few months.
Here’s a look at 15 intriguing storylines to watch during the MLB offseason.
1) Manny Machado’s future with the Orioles
The Orioles have an enormous decision to make this winter — one that could determine how things go for the franchise for the next five years or more. Manny Machado’s free agency looms large after the 2018 season, and it’s up to Baltimore to determine how feasible it would be for the team to push for contention next season.
If the Orioles don’t see themselves as legitimate contenders, the temptation will be there to trade Machado for a huge haul, given the likelihood that they won’t be able to afford keeping the third baseman long-term. It doesn’t sound like the Orioles are planning to do this, but it’s a situation well worth watching.
2) The breakup of the Royals?
The Royals will have been dreading this offseason for years. Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar — four huge pieces of the team’s rise to World Series champions — are all set to become free agents. The Royals, who have never had an exceptionally high payroll, are going to have a hard time retaining one of them at most. There is a very real chance that Kansas City won’t be able to retain any of them depending on how the market shakes out.
The Royals went 80-82 in 2017, and with the core of the team likely on the way out, it may be a while before they’re in the hunt again.
3) Nationals at a crossroads
2018 is more or less it for this iteration of the Washington Nationals. Bryce Harper will be a free agent after the season, and the odds that the Nationals can retain him appear to be long. Key players such as Anthony Rendon will only get more expensive, and highly-paid stars like Max Scherzer aren’t getting any younger. There is a very real case to be made that it’s now or never for the Nationals. First-year manager Dave Martinez undoubtedly has the toughest job of any of the league’s new managers; there’s little margin for error in 2018.
4) Another Marlins firesale could be looming
Any burst of optimism that came with Derek Jeter taking control of the Miami Marlins evaporated quickly amid reports that he was looking to slash the team’s already traditionally low payroll. If this plan comes to fruition, the consequences will be wide-ranging.
Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich are among the leading candidates to be relocated in such a scenario. No one would be more on the chopping block than Giancarlo Stanton, who seems increasingly likely to be moved this winter. If he were to be traded, that would likely mark the biggest trade of the winter. The Marlins look like they’ll be as active as anyone this winter — just on the selling side.
5) How aggressive will the Red Sox be?
The Boston Red Sox have not won a playoff series since the 2013 World Series, and that may have been a lesser factor in John Farrell’s firing. With a new manager in place in Alex Cora, the focus will turn to how the Red Sox should move forward.
The team’s high-priced pitching staff was good, but not as good as it could be, and the offense did not deliver much power after the loss of David Ortiz. Ortiz was always going to be irreplaceable, but the Red Sox will probably be in the market for a power bat. They were sorely lacking in one last year, and they could make an aggressive play for someone like J.D. Martinez.
6) Yankees on the verge of a fascinating new era
The firing of Joe Girardi severs one of the few prominent remaining links to the last Yankee World Series win in 2009, as only Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia (a free agent) still remain from that triumph. Girardi’s exit well and truly opens up a new era for this young team, and it will be interesting to see who the next manager will be. Once that’s settled, the Yankees will have a lot to deal with.
Masahiro Tanaka may opt out of his contract, and they’ll have to find the right mix of veterans to complement talented young players in Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Greg Bird. This team was extremely close to a World Series appearance this year. A few savvy moves and the right managerial hire could get them right back there.
7) The starting pitching market will be huge
Any team looking for a frontline starting pitcher this winter will be in luck. Yu Darvish is poised to hit the market, as is Jake Arrieta. Masahiro Tanaka’s postseason may have been good enough that he can justify opting out as well. In terms of lesser starters, Lance Lynn is poised to become a free agent as well. There’s going to be a major feeding frenzy for these players, as starting pitching is always in short supply, even for big contenders. Don’t be surprised to see teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Cubs active in this market.
