MLB offseason: 7 bold predictions for what is to come in 2023

2. Josh Bell will sign with the Astros

Houston needs to find an answer at first base with Yuli Gurriel and Trey Mancini no longer on the roster, and Josh Bell fits a need for the defending World Champions at the plate and in the field.

A switch hitter, Bell and the Astros were linked together several times during last season’s trade deadline, but he and Juan Soto were eventually sent from Washington to San Diego. The Astros won’t let Bell get away this offseason, and will bring the 30-year-old Texas native back to the Lone Star State to boost their lineup.

Don’t let Bell’s .192/.316/.271 slash line in San Diego after the trade fool you. He can provide plenty of pop for the Astros and fit in nicely in the middle of the lineup.

3. Willson Contreras will sign with the Cardinals

The former backstop for the Cubs will head to Chicago’s arch-rival and fill a need for the Cardinals at catcher.

With Yadier Molina retiring, St. Louis needs to find a face for the future behind the plate and that will happen with the 30-year-old Contreras becoming a Cardinal for the rest of his career.

St. Louis bowing out of the postseason early again in 2022 is putting pressure on the Cardinals to find a way to ensure they can not only repeat as division champions, but also be a force once meaningful October baseball arrives. Contreras adds to an already stacked St. Louis lineup and will be a drastic improvement over the OPS+ of 53 that Molina put together in 2022.

4. The Red Sox lose Xander Bogaerts and sign Brandon Drury

Boston’s relationship with Bogaerts is officially severed as he signs a deal with the San Francisco Giants this offseason. That move means that Trevor Story moves over to shortstop (where he earned All-Star honors with the Colorado Rockies) and the Red Sox fill his former position at second base by signing Brandon Drury to a three-year deal.

The second base market is very light this offseason, so Drury will be in demand. Boston will need a second baseman with the coming infield moves, and will likely jump on Drury as soon as they see that Bogaerts won’t be returning.

San Francisco makes a splash at shortstop and sets the stage for the future after Brandon Crawford’s contract runs out at the end of this season.

5. Aaron Judge stays in New York

While many signs point to Judge heading west to join the Giants, the Yankees will figure out a way to keep the face of the franchise in the Bronx for years to come.

After a disappointing end to the 2022 campaign, New York needs to find something to show it is serious about not only winning in 2023, but also finally getting back to the World Series. Losing Judge not only weakens the lineup, but also is a black eye publicly. New York won’t let that happen, finding a way to sign him to a deal that locks him up for years to come.

Turning 31 near the start of next season, Judge and the Yankees will work on a contract with shorter length and higher average annual value.

6. Baltimore signs Jacob deGrom

The Orioles had a magical 2022 and look poised to once again make some noise in 2023. Payroll is minimal heading into next season (under $10 million on the books right now), so there is plenty of room for Baltimore to make a splash. That includes signing deGrom to a big deal that could shake up how the AL East looks at the Orioles heading into the campaign.

With Baltimore declining the option for Jordan Lyles in 2023, adding a veteran pitcher at the front of the rotation makes sense. A team that has been linked to Carlos Correa (more about that below) many times could certainly use a big name as proof it isn’t going to just stand pat in a stacked division. If the Orioles are going to get to the postseason in 2023, it could well be on the arm of deGrom.

7. Kodai Senga lands with the Dodgers

As deGrom stays on the East Coast, the Dodgers will look outside the U.S. to boost their rotation in 2023. There will be plenty of competition to land Senga, who has become one of the most-talented pitchers in Nippon Professional Baseball and has posted as an international free agent. Some of that competition for the Dodgers will come from within the National League West, with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants already on the list of teams that are expressing interest in inking him to a deal.

With Clayton Kershaw’s ability to work deep into multiple games questionable, Walker Buehler out after Tommy John surgery, and Tyler Anderson exploring free agency as well, Los Angeles will need to find some answers for the rotation. The 30-year-old Senga could provide those answers, and Los Angeles would be a natural landing point for a Japanese superstar looking to prove himself in MLB (just ask Shohei Ohtani).