- This week’s MLB Power Rankings takes a look at the biggest free agent need for each non-playoff team. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
This week’s MLB Power Rankings takes a look at the biggest free agent need for the 18 teams that failed to make the 2022 MLB playoffs.
Twelve teams entered the MLB playoffs. Now only eight remain. This week’s MLB Power Rankings will look at the biggest need for each of those 18 non-playoff clubs and how they can join the club next fall.
Not every MLB team needs to be as aggressive in free agency as others. There are certain clubs that should be building more from within. However, even if a 2023 championship isn’t reasonable, there are free agents to sign.
Based on how effective filling these free agent needs can be for these clubs and where it can lead, this is what every non-playoff team requires the most.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals need veteran innings eaters
The Washington Nationals have no real business spending freely in free agency this offseason. They’re rebuilding and have yet to get to the stage where free agent signings are anything more than warm bodies.
This still shouldn’t prevent them from adding at least some innings eaters to the roster. The Nationals had a league-worst -12.2 WAR from their starting pitchers. To show off how bad that is, the Detroit Tigers were the second worst and theirs was “only” at -5.9. There will be a spot for a veteran or two on this roster to eat up lots of innings. Bring a fork.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Oakland Athletics need any hitter willing to sign with them
Offense was a major problem for the 2022 Oakland Athletics. Their hitters had the league’s worst WAR at -16.9. It was a much closer distance between them and the runner-ups but the fact remains: Oakland doesn’t have any offense.
There is no one position Oakland should target most in free agency. In fact, we should expect them to be relatively quiet. This is the kind of organization that has reached a point in its history where signing only the worst players available is likely. So, anyone hoping to get a major league contract and earn less than a million bucks might be able to find their home with the Athletics next year.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels need one-year free agents they can flip at the deadline
Do the Los Angeles Angels go for it again next year? It doesn’t seem likely. Unless they can sign Shohei Ohtani to extension, they’re going to be digging themselves a little bit deeper. Instead, the goal should be to only touch on free agents they can easily flip at the trade deadline.
The Angels do have some promising young players. However, spending big in free agency should not be a goal of theirs between now and Opening Day. The only player they should be focused on paying is Ohtani. And if they’re not willing to do that, it’s those one-year contracts on players they can flip at the trade deadline that should become the priority. Would Noah Syndergaard like to come back from about $20 million less?