What is going on in the MLB offseason?

With the MLB offseason almost over and with PA sports betting hotting up, it is time to take a closer look at the best deals of the period. Who can say they have come out of the offseason as a winner, and who can feel as though they have been weakened during the last month?

White Sox look to rebuild

The White Sox have suffered from a lack of quality rotation options over the last few seasons. This is something that has been apparent for a while, but it looks as though management has finally taken notice. They have started to enhance their roster by signing Dallas Keuchel to a three-year deal. After posting a 72-89 season last time out, the White Sox will be eager to see significant improvements on that record to try and compete this season. The signing of Keuchel will add a number of benefits to their battle to achieve this goal.

Firstly, Keuchel will offer some experience to what is overall a young squad. He brings experience not just in terms of his age but also in terms of playing postseason games. He has three consecutive postseason years under his belt, which will add to what the rest of the White Sox can offer. He also has a 3.75 ERA from last season, which will add to the rotation of White Sox pitchers. His addition is the first part of a rebuilding process for the White Sox, so it’s hoped that he will have a big impact right away.

The White Sox have followed this up with the signing of Grandal. This is a huge signing for the team, especially with Grandal's reputation as one of the best catchers in all of MLB. He said himself that he believes that the up-and-coming pitchers the White Sox have in their ranks will be highly productive for him in years to come. That was part of the reason that he agreed to come to the White Sox, so that he could help to improve them over their careers. Add to this the fact that Grandal has just posted the best season of his life and this is a definite good addition to the roster that the White Sox have made. It also means that their rebuilding process is well underway.

The Diamondbacks bring in Bumgarner

The signing of Bumgarner is a big deal for the Diamondbacks. At the start of the offseason, this was not a deal that even they themselves expected to make. However, when he decided to go into free agency, it got the management talking and thinking. They decided to sanction the move and bring in a highly experienced player who has an undoubted level of ability. The addition of a highly successful player to the Diamondbacks roster ended up being one that they just could not turn down.

Bumgarner has regularly hit more than 200 innings during his career, and his 3.9 ERA makes him a highly effective player. He has also hit over 200 strikeouts, making him a big impact pitcher. This is just what the Diamondbacks need right now, especially with Robbie Ray coming towards the end of his time with the Diamondbacks. Whether Bumgarner can jump in and make an instant impact still remains to be seen.

Yankees sign Gerrit Cole

This has to be the biggest signing of the offseason. The decision to offer him a nine-year deal is a record for the Yankees and will see Cole remain with the New York outfit until he is 38. He is without a doubt the most desired player on the free agent market, and the Yankees have pulled off a coup by bringing him in. It means that the Astros will be without arguably the best pitcher in the league, and the Yankees have improved the quality of their roster immeasurably.

It has been over 10 years since the Yankees won a world series, and they will be hoping that Cole will help them to get close to it this season. He will be added to a range of young talent that the Yankees have holding the bat, meaning that they will be going into the season with the belief that they can challenge this season. It will be the first time in a long time that the Yankees will have that kind of belief, but Gerrit Cole is just that good – he could transform their side.

What is going on in the MLB offseason? to MLB Baseball Blog

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