1 holiday 🎁 for each MLB team
Most teams seem to be leaving their holiday shopping to the very last minute, but let's make sure their fans get something this winter. Here, we pick one gift for each club.
Arizona Diamondbacks
🎁 More trades with the Marlins: The Diamondbacks acquired Zac Gallen from the Marlins roughly 18 months ago. Since then, the right-hander has bloomed into an ace and one of the lone bright spots on the team. If Caleb Smith - who was also traded by Miami to Arizona - can follow a similar trajectory, the Diamondbacks are going to want to establish a more formal partnership.
Atlanta Braves
🎁 For the Dodgers not to be a dynasty: The last time the Braves looked poised to become a dynasty, the Yankees were going through their most recent golden age. Now, it feels like Atlanta is on the cusp of becoming a perennial contender and possible superteam, just in time for the Dodgers to win three titles in five years. In two of the past three seasons, L.A. has ousted the Braves. It's simple: slay the champs.
Baltimore Orioles
🎁 Under slot signings to pan out: The Orioles blew up draft night 2020 after taking Heston Kjerstad second overall instead of Asa Lacy, Austin Martin, or any of the bigger name prospects. Drafting Kjerstad was part of a plan to spend big later in the draft but it didn't seem to work out that way. Now, the O's have to hope the Arkansas outfielder isn't the next Mickey Moniak.
Boston Red Sox
🎁 The good players to be good again: The Red Sox were terrible in 2020, but betting on them to suck in 2021 seems foolhardy. The team is still growing back into a contender, but the returns of Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez to the rotation could be huge; if J.D. Martinez and Andrew Benintendi can recapture their form it'll be a step in the right direction.
Chicago White Sox
🎁 Tony La Russa to adapt: Let's call it what it is, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf went regressive with the hiring of 76-year-old Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa. This is an ascendant team with the makings of being a legitimate World Series contender as early as next year. If the old school La Russa doesn't mesh well with the boisterous Tim Anderson, this might be short-lived. If La Russa can adjust to the modern game and his message resonates, then he might need to have his plaque amended with a fourth championship.
Chicago Cubs
🎁 Pull a Yankees: The Cubs need to take a page out of the New York playbook that partially got Chicago in this mess. The Yankees got Gleyber Torres from the Cubs for Aroldis Chapman and then signed Chapman the following winter. So, wait for the trade deadline this season, deal Kris Bryant and Javy Baez to the highest bidder, reload the farm system, and then use the boatloads of money to sign Bryant and Baez back.
Cleveland Indians
🎁 A team name: Cleveland made headlines earlier this month when the team was reportedly going to ditch the "Indians" name immediately. That report proved to be premature, as the owner came out the next day and said they're going to use the moniker for one more season despite acknowledging the name "is no longer acceptable." Apparently the Washington Football Team model is not on the table either so, please, for everyone's sake, just pick a new name.
Cincinnati Reds
🎁 A way to keep the band together: It feels like every single good player on the Reds has been mentioned in trade rumors in an effort to shed payroll. The team is so desperate they're even open to moving Luis Castillo, who is just entering his arbitration years and will likely make less than $6 million next campaign. Last offseason's investments were supposed to open a window of contention, and fans deserve at least one more year to see if Castillo, Sonny Gray, Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos, Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez, and Co. can make it happen.
Colorado Rockies
🎁 Complementary pieces for Arenado, Story: The Rockies seem destined to repeat history: extend your franchise player, fail to win, trade disgruntled superstar in order to pay ascendant future franchise player. What if the club found complementary pieces for Arenado while extending Trevor Story, though? Maybe it's too little too late for Colorado - a once elite farm system has churned out a staggering amount of busts with Eddie Butler, Jeff Hoffman, and Forrest Wall. But giving up on arguably the best left-side infield in all of baseball seems worse.
Detroit Tigers
🎁 A fast forward button: Yeah, it's fun to watch players develop - but it'd be more fun to already have Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene up with the big club making an offensive impact with aces Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal on the mound.
Houston Astros
🎁 The real Altuve and Correa to please stand up: We're one year removed from the sign-stealing scandal, so it's time Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa recapture their excellence. To their credit, the pair of stars turned it on for the postseason.
Kansas City Royals
🎁 2018 Adalberto Mondesi: Mondesi has one of the most electric set of tools in the game with elite speed, a great glove, and respectable power. The 25-year-old should be a superstar but, instead, he's struggling with contact and has been a below average hitter the past two seasons.
Los Angeles Angels
🎁 Pitching, for the seventh year in a row: Please, give Mike Trout and Co. what they want and so desperately need this year. Please. Trevor Bauer? Yu Darvish? Sonny Gray? All of the above? It doesn't matter. Just, please.
Los Angeles Dodgers
🎁 A parade: The Dodgers broke a 32-year championship drought and it's time to celebrate! The problem is, celebrations are illegal right now. There are many more important reasons to root for a swift end to the ongoing pandemic, but L.A. residents would benefit from a parade once COVID is eradicated.
Miami Marlins
🎁 Fans to rally behind them: Since their sale to a group led by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter, the Marlins have done their best to become a likeable team. Building an exciting, young contender should earn them some good fortune and, hopefully, investment in the on-field product will follow.
Milwaukee Brewers
🎁 A better supporting cast for Yelich: To be blunt, stop being cute. Yelich accepted a team-friendly seven-year, $188.5-million extension likely with the assumption he'd be surrounded by other strong role players. Lorenzo Cain opting out last year didn't help, but neither did relying on Daniel Vogelbach, Jedd Gyorko, Logan Morrison, Ben Gamel, and Eric Sogard.
Minnesota Twins
🎁 A playoff win: 18 straight postseason losses spanning 17 seasons and seven different playoff berths is an incredible drought. Without drawing the Yankees as an opponent this past year, the Twins seemed poised to snap it. Ultimately, the streak was prolonged against the sub-.500 Astros. If they make it to the postseason this year, let's just get one win.
New York Yankees
🎁 Coal: You know what? Tough. If the Yankees of old went 11 years without so much as a World Series appearance, they immediately flexed their payroll and signed three of the top four free agents to megadeals. Instead, they're talking about budgets and not being able to re-sign DJ LeMahieu? No. Be the Evil Empire everyone loves to loathe or get coal.
New York Mets
🎁 Immediate culture change: The sale of the franchise to Steve Cohen is likely seen by most Mets fans as an early gift. However, it's not like his appointment immediately solves everything. Let's wave a wand and erase all the bad vibes the Wilpons left behind this holiday season.
Oakland Athletics
🎁 A shortstop: Replacing Marcus Semien is the most crucial bit of winter business Oakland needs to take care of. Whether that's Ha-Seong Kim, or Didi Gregorius, or maybe even settling for Andrelton Simmons, it has to be better than opening next year with Chad Pinder.
Philadelphia Phillies
🎁 J.T. Realmuto: It won't solve everything, but bringing back the All-Star catcher will solve a lot of things. The Phillies now have the executive to build a winner with Dave Dombrowski. Let him spend on Realmuto, retain the best catcher in the game, make Bryce Harper happy, and then deal with the bullpen.
Pittsburgh Pirates
🎁 Proof of life: The Pirates are terrible and have no real reason to believe they won't be terrible in the near future. The return of Jameson Taillon is a fun storyline for 2021, but this is essentially Ke'Bryan Hayes' team now and the front office should ship out anyone and everyone in order to build long term around the slugging third baseman.
San Diego Padres
🎁 Another blockbuster: What's more fun than prospects? Pennants. And, in order to contend for one in the same division as the Dodgers, the Padres are going to have to add. It's time to trade some of that notable pitching depth for a bona fide ace. It's not like it would cost both MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino - it might not even cost either, with Ryan Weathers and Cole Wilcox being viable trade pieces.
San Francisco Giants
🎁 An initial investment: The Giants are closer to contention than many realize, and with the slow market this winter, a big-market team like San Fran should take advantage. The Giants have approximately $23 million committed for 2022 and $5 million the following year. One big signing and a Mike Yastrzemski extension would be a great step forward.
Seattle Mariners
🎁 The next gen outfield to arrive: As soon as Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic join Kyle Lewis in the outfield, the Mariners become appointment viewing. It won't immediately make them a contender, but let's make baseball in Seattle fun again.
St. Louis Cardinals
🎁 A clear plan: The Cardinals are in the midst of what might be a transformative winter, as Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright could play somewhere other than St. Louis for the first time in their careers. The problem is, the front office seems resigned to let this happen without addressing any notable holes. Andrew Knizner behind the dish and a rotation that relies on Austin Gomber every fifth day does not seem ideal in a winnable NL Central.
Tampa Bay Rays
🎁 A new computer: We knew the Rays were ruthless in both managerial strategy and finances but we had no idea they would remove an ace from a must-win game, immediately dangle him in trade rumors, and reject an affordable team option for Charlie Morton. In fact, the Braves wound up signing Morton to the exact same deal because it was so reasonable. The algorithm is broken.
Texas Rangers
🎁 Commit to a full teardown: It seems like newly appointed general manager Chris Young has already started after sending Lance Lynn away and making some low-key swaps. There are so many holes on this team, though, and it all has to go - and that likely includes prolific slugger Joey Gallo.
Toronto Blue Jays
🎁 Reciprocated interest: Look, the Jays have been apparently interested in pretty much everyone. And yet, somehow, pen has not been put to paper. Let's get one of those players to reciprocate and maybe that starts a free-agent landslide.
Washington Nationals
🎁 The big three to be healthy: If Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin can be healthy for a full season together again - in Mad Max's last year under contract - there's no reason this team can't contend for another title.