Ranking The Biggest Additions of MLB Offseason 2022

OnlineSportsBetting
By , Updated on: Apr 14, 2021 12:00 AM
Ranking The Biggest Additions of MLB Offseason 2022

Baseball fans, be they lovers of the game and/or avid bettors, might wonder why we're ranking the biggest additions of the MLB offseason now. After all, hasn't the 2021 MLB season already started? What's the point of looking back?

Here's a little secret: Looking back can help you look forward. And for anyone interested in taking stock of the teams most likely to win the American League and National League pennants, as well as contend for and ultimately take home the World Series, reassessing the offseason's most important moves is an intensely valuable exercise.

Speaking of which, here's a look at the current World Series odds for every MLB team, courtesy of BetOnline:

TeamBovada
Los Angeles Dodgers+480
Toronto Blue Jays+850
Chicago White Sox+950
Houston Astros+1000
Atlanta Braves+1200
Milwaukee Brewers+1200
New York Yankees+1300
New York Mets+1500
San Diego Padres+1600
Tampa Bay Rays+1600
Los Angeles Angels+2500
San Francisco Giants+2500
Boston Red Sox+2500
Philadelphia Phillies+2500
St. Louis Cardinals+3000
Seattle Mariners+3000
Minnesota Twins+4500
Detroit Tigers+5500
Miami Marlins+8000
Cleveland Guardians+9000
Texas Rangers+9500
Kansas City Royals+10000
Cincinnati Reds+13000
Chicago Cubs+13000
Washington Nationals+15000
Colorado Rockies+20000
Oakland Athletics+25000
Arizona Diamondbacks+25000
Pittsburgh Pirates+50000
Baltimore Orioles+50000

Sure, there is utility in looking at such transactions in real-time, the moment they happen. But verdicts are then rendered without the luxury of sample sizes. We can now look at MLB games already played to see how things are going, thus allowing us to provide more accurate and definitive analysis.

Ranking MLB's Biggest Offseason Moves

Our review of MLB's offseason most important additions will isolate the 10 moves we deem most impactful. This criterion is open for interpretation, but we're predominantly making selections based on how much every player will help their team both this season and beyond.

10. Liam Hendriks to the Chicago White Sox

It may not seem this way right now, because Liam Hendriks has struggled during his first few appearances for the Chicago White Sox, but this was an incredibly savvy move by the Sox.

Chicago badly needed to stabilize its bullpen. While powerhouses were busy fawning over starting pitchers and position players, they swooped in and picked up the best reliever on the free-agent market.

liam hendriks

9. Corey Kluber to the New York Yankees

Widely considered the most underrated pitcher on the open market, Corey Kluber brings a dynamic right-hander to the New York Yankees rotation. Injuries have limited him the past two seasons, but he's an astoundingly high-upside play when looking at his pitching metrics prior to the 2019 season.

8. Kirby Yates to the Toronto Blue Jays

Kudos to the Toronto Blue Jays for prying Kirby Yates away from the San Diego Padres. Many other teams were afraid to sign him on the heels of elbow surgery. But Toronto needed another dependable arm in their bullpen, and Yates is one year removed from notching an ERA of 1.19 and MLB-leading 41 saves.

7. Charlie Morton to the Atlanta Braves

More than anything, the Atlanta Braves needed to bring in some battle-tested playoff experience this past offseason. They did just that by adding Charlie Morton, a right-hander who is already paying dividends in the rotation with an ERA just under 3.25. 

Sure, the New York Mets may have won all the headlines in the NL East. But the Braves, a powerhouse in their own right, aren't going down without a fight.

6. Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres

Though they profiled as the second-best team in baseball last season by many metrics, the San Diego Padres still seemed to lack a certain punch in their pitching staff. And, well, they got it by trading for Yu Darvish, a crafty right-hander who has battled injuries in the past but still has plenty left in the tank at age 34.

5. George Springer to the Toronto Blue Jays

What a flex by the Toronto Blue Jays to poach superstar right fielder George Springer from the Houston Astros. Adding his bat to the fold gives them legitimate mystique in the American League race.

Like many other players who switched teams, Springer is struggling to start the year. But his batting average will catch up to his previous normal, and it's worth remembering he finished in the top 15 of MVP voting last year.

george springer

4. Trevor Bauer to the Los Angeles Dodgers

There's no way the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers acquired reigning NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, right? 

They did. And it feels unfair because it is unfair. The flame-throwing right-hander is working off a season in which he posted an ERA of just 1.73.

Bauer could technically rank higher on this list, but last season's performance was a pretty big anomaly for him, and the Dodgers forked over nine figures to get him on a three-year deal.

3. Blake Snell to the San Diego Padres

Prior to the offseason, the Padres' pitching staff was really good, verging on scary. Now, following the additions of both Darvish and Blake Snell, they're outright terrifying.

Good thing, too. The injury to young superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. was a monster blow to their offense. Snell, a southpaw on the right side of 29, is already helping them navigate his absence by adding bankable stinginess to the pitching staff. 

2. Nolan Arenado to the St. Louis Cardinals

It's hard to tell what was more surprising: that the Colorado Rockies actually traded star third baseman Nolan Arenado, or that they accepted so little to move him.

Either way, it's a huge win for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Arenado is already batting .300 in his first season with St. Louis and is once again showcasing his trademark, medium-oomph power. He's on pace to clear 30 homers this year.

1. Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets

If the New York Mets' early activity under team governor Steve Cohen is any indication of how they'll function moving forward, lookout. They not only traded for star shortstop Francisco Lindor, but they also gave the 27-year-old a whopping 10-year, $341 million extension.

Make no mistake, Lindor is worth it. He's off to a rocky start this season, but he's an iron man who knows how to get on base, and he drastically improves New York's infield defense.

Check out this list of the best online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your MLB betting odds:

  • EXCLUSIVE BONUS
    Bovada
    4.2/5
    50% bonus up to $250
    Copy Promocode BTCSWB750
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • BetOnline
    3.9/5
    50% bonus up to $1000
    Copy Promocode BET1000
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • EXCLUSIVE BONUS
    BetUS
    4.1/5
    125% up to $2,500
    Copy Promocode Join125
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • Xbet
    50% up to $500
    Copy Promocode XBWELCOME50
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • BetNow
    4.1/5
    100% up to $1,000
    Copy Promocode BN150
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • MyBookie
    100% bonus up to $1000
    Copy Promocode MB100
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • Bookmaker
    100% up to $400
    No Code Needed
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • Sportsbetting
    3.6/5
    50% up to $1000
    No Code Needed
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • EveryGame
    3.8/5
    $500 Sign Up Bonus
    Copy Promocode WELCOME500
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

  • BetNow
    4.3/5
    100% up to $450
    No Code Needed
    Play Now

    T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly

Meet the author

OnlineSportsBetting

The team at OnlineSportsBetting is made up of professionals from a number of fields, including journalism, math, sports, and more. What really brings them together is a passion for the sports betting landscape and its ever-changing strategies.

Online Sports Betting may receive compensation if you sign up through our links. Rest assured, we avoid biases and provide honest opinions on sportsbooks. Read our affiliate disclosure here.