5 former MLB All-Stars who could use a change of scenery
#2: Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are definitely in a rebuilding phase right now as they traded away Nolan Arenado last offseason and just let Trevor Story just walk for nothing this offseason. The only real piece left on the position player side is Mr. Charlie Blackmon.
Looking at Blackmon’s statistics over the past two seasons, there really has not been much going on for him at the plate. We already knew he really just wasn’t a good defender, but now his offensive production has fallen below league average. In 2021, he had a .761 OPS which was above the league average of .728. However, looking at a park adjusting stats, he only had a 94 WRC+, six points below the league average and matching up other players like David Peralta and Miguel Cabrera.
Looking deeper into Blackmon’s stats though, you can see his expected batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average, being 22 points higher, 46 points higher, and 28 points higher, all of which would put him around an .820 OPS and most likely a higher WRC+ along with it. Along with that production is that Blackmon has maintained his strong discipline having a strong strikeout, whiff and chase rates, as well as still being above average at drawing walks.
The Rockies do not really have a need for Blackmon outside of being a veteran presence in the clubhouse, so they could trade him away to get off the money they owe him for the next two seasons. For other teams, there still looks to be a productive hitter in there and while he is most likely suited for a role as a DH, playing in an outfield not as big as Coors could help his defense.
A few options I have are the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Guardians.
This pairs the Padres with a potential taker for Wil Myers. Myers only has a team option for the 2023 season which would save Colorado a good chunk of change in comparison to Blackmon’s player option, which he will most likely pick up for $18 million. I think the level of production would be similar between the two for the Padres, but Blackmon’s more contact-based approach at the plate could be more beneficial matching up with the other players in the lineup while still being a disciplined hitter.
The Phillies are in desperate need of outfield help. Blackmon is not exactly who you want in that role because of the defense, but he could be an average defender in left field based on his metrics the past two seasons. They could also use this an a move to get off of Didi Gregorius for this season to help with salary. If they miss on some bigger free agents, then Blackmon is a good backup option.
Cleveland has needed solid outfielders for like half a decade now and Blackmon has been very solid in the past and even has higher levels to which he could return. The Guardians have one of the lowest salaries in the league to take on Blackmon’s salary. If they are looking to remain playoff contenders with prospects like Nolan Jones, Tyler Freeman, and potentially more guys to match up with a solid rotation, then a solid veteran that gives them more hitting like Chuck Nazty could really help this team.
The wild option here is St. Louis. I think the fit here is strong if the National League adopts the designated hitter, which seems likely. The Cardinals are well set up in the outfield, but they could use a solid left-handed bat slotting in as the consistent DH. This could be a spot where the Cards move Paul DeJong to save them some money and Colorado takes a shot at another former All-Star. The Cards also have Nolan Gorman coming up soon who could take the DH role instead.