by 
Wade Miley, the poster boy for crafty lefties, is returning to the Brewers, the team he pitched for in 2018.
Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports
The baseball year has gotten off to a rather quiet start, at least compared to the frenetic pace of free agency last month.
As of this morning, the two most notable acquisitions this week in the NL Central: children has agreed to a one-year, $720,000 deal with first baseman Eric Hosmer, and Brewers and left-hander Wade Miley have agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract that includes a mutual option for 2024. Both deals are pending.
None of these moves should affect the division race dramatically. The Cardinals, which finished seven games ahead of second-place Milwaukee and 19 up on Chicago, still looks like the best team in the Central. That said, both Hosmer and Miley are smart signings for their new teams.
The Cubs have had an interesting offseason with most of their moves coming at low costs with relatively low risk and the potential for a huge, if unlikely, payoff. Center fielder Cody Bellinger (one year, $17.5 million with a mutual option) is a 27-year-old former MVP. Sure, his production at the plate has cratered over the past three years, but he’s still an elite defender who runs the bases well and hits for power. Catcher Tucker Barnhart (two years, $6.5 million) is a two-time Gold Glove winner. Right-hander Jameson Taillon (four years, $68 million) is a reliable starting pitcher whose 100 ERA+ indicates he has been exactly league average in each of the last two seasons. Shortstop Dansby Swanson (seven years, $177 million) is more expensive than Bellinger, Barnhart, Taillion and Hosmer, but he also has the highest floor at a premium position — and he’s far more affordable than the other three top shortstops who were available this offseason. Chicago is strong up the middle defensively, and that’s incredibly important for a team with a rotation that makes contact.
Hosmer, 33, is another low-risk diet supplement. He’s been an above-average hitter in seven of the last eight seasons, and even in 2019, his down year (94 OPS+), he hit .265 with 22 home runs and 99 RBI in 160 games. The Cubs are happy to take that from Hosmer in ’23, especially because they’re paying him only the league minimum; the Padreswho changed him to Red Sox last August, owes him nearly $13 million in each of the next three seasons.
Let’s be clear, it would be shocking to see Hosmer hit 20 home runs this season. He hit 12 over 151 games in 2021 and eight over 104 last year. Still, he was an above-average hitter in each of those years, and the Cubs desperately needed a league-average bat at first base. Last season, their first basemen combined for a 69 OPS+, meaning they were 31% worse than the league average first baseman. Hosmer represents a big improvement, and at the same price they would be paying an unproven rookie. Not bad.
Meanwhile, Miley, 36, will slide in nicely as the Brewers’ fifth starter behind a most formidable 1-4 of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Eric Lauer and Freddy Peralta. Miley was injured most of last season, but he was pretty good when he was on the field (3.16 ERA in nine games). He is the poster boy for the proverbial crafty lefties, with a six-pitch mix that keeps batters off balance and induces soft contact.
It’s worth noting that Miley turned his career around back in 2018, when he pitched for Milwaukee on a one-year deal. This reunion is a good fit for both him and the Brewers.
The Dodgers have until the end of today to decide whether to reinstate Trevor Bauer to their 40-man roster or release him. Two weeks ago, an arbitrator reduced Bauer’s 324-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policies to 194 games, time Bauer has already served.
Check back with SI.com/mlb later today or tonight for updates.
Do you have questions or comments for our team? Send a message to [email protected]
1. THE OPENER
Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers hit .295 with 27 home runs and 88 RBI last season.
Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports
“In a vacuum, Rafael Devers’ 11-year, $331 million extension with the Red Sox is a smart move to retain one of the smartest third basemen in the game.
“But in context? It feels like something bigger. The Devers extension seems almost essential: a move by the Red Sox to show they have a sense of competitive direction right now and will still pay what it takes to keep one of their young stars, despite recent evidence to the contrary .”
This is how Emma Baccellieri begins her column from yesterday about the biggest deal of the week. The expansion has no impact on Boston’s Opening Day roster, but it does improve the organization’s chances of winning in future years.
Extension of Rafael Devers gives the scoreless Red Sox a direction of Emma Baccellieri
After a few years of frustrating cost-cutting and hesitant spending, Boston finally has a way forward.
2. ICYMI
Let’s keep you updated on some of our best stories from the past week:
Six Questions That Will Determine Billy Wagner’s Hall of Fame Fate by Tom Verducci
He is a borderline candidate for the most difficult position to evaluate. Let’s take a look at his Cooperstown case.
Scott Rolen is making Hall of Fame history out of Tom Verducci
His Cooperstown case comes down to the subtle brilliance with which he played the game.
Francisco Rodríguez and the Curious Hall of Fame Case for Closers by Nick Selbe
K-Rod was one of the most dominant relievers of his era – and he has almost no chance of making it to Cooperstown.
15 MLB Predictions to Call in 2023 by Tom Verducci
The rule changes will bring joy to baseball in the new year.
3. WORTH NOTE from Nick Selbe
Angels fans’ ears certainly perked up Thursday when Warriors owner Joe Lacob said he was looking at buying Southern California’s “other” baseball team. For a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in 13 years, the thought of changing ownership to the man responsible for funding the Warriors’ NBA dynasty must feel like winning the lottery. There is obviously a long way to go before this becomes a reality, as Lacob is one of six parties reportedly interested in making a bid for the Angels. But it’s hard to imagine a better outcome for the Halos than getting an owner who helped transform one of basketball’s most dysfunctional organizations into a modern juggernaut. Could Lacob be the West Coast’s version of Steve Cohen? Unlikely, given the latter has a net worth more than 10 times that of the former, per Forbes. But having money hasn’t been the Angels’ problem for the past decade-plus: spending it wisely has been the problem, and few sports managers have shown a more astute eye than Lacob this century.
4. TRIVIA from Matt Martell
Previous questions: Five active pitchers have won multiple Cy Young awards. Who are they?
Answers: Justin Verlander (3), Max Scherzer (3), Clayton Kershaw (3), Jacob deGrom (2) and Corey Kluber (2)
Questions: Rafael Devers is second in the majors with 1,078 total bases over the past four seasons. Who is No. 1?
5. THE CLOSER from Emma Baccellieri
A few weeks ago I wrote about how free agency moved much faster this year than it has in the past. It was mid-December, and at that point almost all (13) of the top 15 free agents were off the board. Now? Almost the entire top 50 is gone. If you count Carlos Correa signed — which is a big “if,” but just for convenience — 43 of the top 50 are now under contract. (The biggest name left is… Jurickson Profar.) And I like it! A faster offseason – more in line with what we see in the NBA – is more exciting, less frustrating and puts the league in a much better position heading into spring training. Do you have a few weeks’ notice of where the pitcher and catcher will actually go before they have to report? Yes please. I hope the trend continues.
That’s all from us today. We’ll be back in your inbox next week. In the meantime, please share this newsletter with friends and family and ask them to sign up at SI.com/newsletters. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at [email protected]
