A lot of attention is paid to all of the big signings and trades made during Hot Stove season, but the moves that aren’t made can be equally important.
Last offseason, the Astros didn’t bring in an outside replacement after losing Carlos Correa to the Twins in free agency, opting instead to give rookie Jeremy Peña the opportunity to seize the starting shortstop job. Peña went on to produce 4.8 wins above replacement in the regular season, then earned both the ALCS and World Series MVP Awards as the Astros won it all.
Similarly, the spotlight is now on these eight players heading into 2023, given the holes that weren’t addressed by their clubs before all of the elite free agents came off the board. Although the trade market could still shake up the landscape, these eight are currently positioned to be pivotal players for teams with serious postseason aspirations in 2023.
