Faces in new places for the 2024 MLB season

This list really could not start anywhere else, could it? Shohei Ohtani is inarguably the greatest player our sport has ever seen, and his changing teams--particularly to join the best team in the National League, dramatically swings the balance of power in the entire league. Ohtani has hit 34 or more homers and driven in 95 or more runs in three consecutive seasons while also incredibly being an ace-caliber starting pitcher. He won't be able to pitch in '24 after undergoing elbow surgery, but he is unquestionably the most dynamic offensive force in the sport and the moment he signed with the Dodgers, they became the hands-down favorite to win the World Series. 

Speaking of elite offensive talents, let's talk about new Yankees slugger Juan Soto. The 25-year-old has been one of the game's best players since the first time he stepped foot on a big league field in 2018, and it's certainly unconventional that a player of his ilk is already on his third club. Last season in San Diego, Soto turned in one of the best campaigns of his career, slashing .275/.410/.519 with 35 homers, 109 RBI, and 32 doubles. He racked up 295 total bases, equaled his career high with 12 stolen bases, and in an era where strikeouts are higher than ever, Soto has never finished with an OBP under .400. The Yankees sent the Padres five players to secure his services in 2024--though it's unclear if he'll be in the Bronx beyond this season as he's set to hit free agency after the year. 

Righty Corbin Burnes spent the first six years of his career in Milwaukee and, for many of them, was one of the National League's best starting pitchers. He was an all-star in each of the last three seasons, is the owner of a lifetime 3.26 ERA in 709.1 Major League innings, and he even led the NL in strikeouts in '22. Unfortunately, a tumultuous arbitration hearing prior to last season soured his relationship with the Brewers, and with only one season left of team control it was not a surprise the club decided to trade him this winter. For a Baltimore team that won an American League-high 101 games in 2023, the impact of his arrival cannot be understated. After their phenomenal regular season the O's were disappointingly swept away by the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. Burnes immediately slots atop their rotation and gives Baltimore a battle-tested ace to take the ball in the biggest of moments. 

While Burnes brings one of the American League's best teams a dramatic improvement at the beginning of games, another AL powerhouse looked to add the same type of impact arm at the end of them. Hard-throwing lefty Josh Hader has been one of baseball's premier closers for a half dozen years now, and the Astros were ecstatic to add him to their relief corps earlier this winter. With the Padres in '23 Hader was electric, converting 33 saves and pitching to a miniscule 1.28 ERA in 61 contests. He struck out an eye-opening 85 hitters in 56.1 innings while holding opponents to just a .163 batting average. Houston made a significant investment by giving him a five-year $95 million free-agent contract, and they believe his arrival will help get them back to the Fall Classic. 

First baseman Rhys Hoskins' final season in Philadelphia certainly did not go the way he imagined. The veteran suffered a torn left ACL late in spring training that frustratingly prevented him from playing at all in 2023. He would likely have preferred to remain in Philly, but unfortunately he became a victim of circumstance. Bryce Harper's injured elbow has kept him out of the outfield for over a year now, and the Phillies have decided to make him a full time first baseman to limit the stress on his arm. That left Hoskins without a position to play, and propelled him onto the free-agent market as one of the most desirable right-handed bats. The 30-year-old blasted 27 or more homers for the Phillies in four different seasons, and desperately in need of both a first baseman and right-handed pop, the Brewers were elated to feed two birds with one scone by adding him to their line-up.  

Veteran lefty Chris Sale is a seven-time all-star and a World Series winner, but recently, he's endured several frustrating seasons in a row. A myriad of injuries have limited Sale to only 31 Major League outings since the end of 2019, and when he's been on the mound he's not come close to matching the production he delivered in 2018 and earlier. At 34-years-old it's fair to wonder if he'll ever be able to stay healthy and regain the form that landed him in the top five of the Cy Young voting six different times. The Braves were willing to gamble on his upside this winter, however, as they sent promising young infielder Vaughn Grissom to Boston to add Sale to the mix. In Atlanta, he won't be expected to be the ace, and the Braves would be ecstatic if he can just stay healthy and provide a steady and reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter. 

New York native Marcus Stroman turned in arguably the best season of his career in 2021 with the Mets, and after a pair of productive campaigns with the Cubs he had to be excited to come back home and join the Yankees as a free-agent. In Chicago last season the righty went 10-9 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, while representing the team in the all-star game. Stroman brings immense passion and personality in addition his contributions on the mound, and on paper he and the Yankees seem like a terrific fit. 

Tyler Glasnow spent the last five and a half seasons in Tampa, and really for his entire tenure there he was the best starting pitcher the Rays had. In 71 starts for Tampa Bay, the righty delivered a 3.20 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP, while striking out 526 hitters in 388.1 innings. Injuries have admittedly always been a concern for the veteran, and the 21 starts he made a year ago were shockingly his new career high. When healthy, though, it's hard to argue that he's not among the upper-echelon starters in the game, and the opportunity to trade for him this winter was too much for the already-loaded Dodgers to pass up. 

Sticking with the Dodgers, heading into 2024 is there a more universally disdained organization in baseball? Los Angeles has become the West Coast version of the George Steinbrenner-led Yankees, and the amount of all-star talent they added to their roster this winter is mind-boggling. Right-handed slugger Teoscar Hernandez is already the third Dodger on this list--and that's not even counting Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto. In Seattle a year ago Hernandez was excellent, slashing .258/.305/.435 with 26 long balls, 93 RBI, and 29 doubles. He'll bring LA, yet another proven run producer, to help lengthen an already dominant offensive attack dramatically. 

Veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez has been a productive Major Leaguer for more than a decade, and it came as somewhat of a surprise when the Mariners traded him to Arizona earlier this winter. Suarez is not a high-average hitter, but he brings significant right-handed power and a strong glove at a premium position. In Seattle in '23, he hit 22 homers and drove in 96 runs, while also contributing 29 doubles and playing in every single one of the Mariners games. He did strike out an American League high 214 times which perhaps factored into the M's decision to deal him, but the defending NL champion Diamondbacks were more than happy to bring him aboard. 

Craig Kimbrel is going to be remembered as one of the most dominant closers in baseball history when his career is over, and at age 35 and heading into his 15th big league season, he remains in high demand. Kimbrel has already pitched for seven different Major League teams, and after inking him to a free-agent pact in early December, the Orioles are excited to be his 8th. With the Phillies a year ago, the Huntsville, AL native nailed down 23 saves while pitching to a 3.26 ERA in 71 appearances. He's struck out well over a batter/inning in every one of his professional seasons, and his lifetime .166 batting average against is certainly attention-grabbing. On a personal legacy note, Kimbrel enters this season 8th on the all-time saves list, and with another strong season he'll likely ascend all the way to 4th. 

Right-handed swinging Mitch Garver is one of--if not the--most dangerous offensive catcher in baseball, and the Mariners were absolutely ecstatic to add his bat to their line-up this winter. Injuries have consistently derailed Garver in the past--including last year--but the Mariners have a plan to keep him healthy. Seattle already has Cal Raleigh who crushed 30 home runs in 2023, and rather than ask Garver to be their everyday catcher, they envision utilizing him as their DH often, while rotating he and Raleigh behind the plate. How it all plays out remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. When Garver is healthy he's a problem for opposing pitchers. With the Rangers last season he slashed .270/.370/.500 and crushed 19 long balls and drove in 50 runs in only 87 games. Projecting those numbers over the course of a full season is scary, and that's exactly what the M's hope to see in 2024. 

Veteran Justin Turner will enter the 2024 season at 39 years old, and he still remains one of the more productive right-handed hitters in our game. After a stellar nine-year stint with the Dodgers, Turner joined the Red Sox last season, where he enjoyed a tremendously productive campaign. In 146 games with Boston, he slashed .276/.345/.455 with 23 homers, 96 RBI, and 31 doubles. He set new career highs with both 154 hits and 254 total bases, and emphatically proved he still has plenty left in the tank. The Blue Jays took notice, and after an aggressive courtship were thrilled to bring him north of the border. Turner no longer plays much third base, but as an everyday DH he should bring immense value to Toronto's line-up. 

Right-hander Lucas Giolito was already entering 2024 in desperate need of a rebound campaign, hoping that a fresh start in a new place would help that come to fruition. With the White Sox, Giolito was one of the American League's best starters from '19-'21, consistently piling up both innings and strikeouts and blossoming into one of the most exciting young hurlers in the sport. Since then, though, the train has gone off the tracks. Giolito pitched to a troubling 4.90 ERA in 2022 and followed it up with a 4.88 mark last season--in a year that saw him get traded twice. Home runs, in particular, have become a tremendous problem for the veteran, as he served up an astronomical 41 long balls a year ago. Now, an injury to his UCL will cost him his entire 2024 season and likely a good chunk of his 2025 campaign as well. The Red Sox took a big gamble this winter by giving him a two-year deal worth almost $20 million annually, but now it already seems unlikely that their faith will pay any actual dividends. 

Left-handed swinging outfielder Joc Pederson has been an exciting and productive Major League hitter for more than a decade, and after signing a free-agent contract with the Diamondbacks in late January, he'll join his third NL West club. With the Giants in '23 the veteran swung the bat well, slashing .235/.348/.416 with 15 home runs, 51 RBI, 14 doubles, three triples in 121 games. He was even better than that the year before when he represented San Francisco in the all-star game, and he'll bring passion and energy to a Diamondbacks team that's hungry to make another deep postseason run. 

Needing to replace the offense Pederson took with him to the desert, just before Valentine's Day, the Giants brought in veteran right-handed slugger Jorge Soler to boost both their outfield and DH production. It's a move that could pay off significantly, as when he's right, the 32-year-old has as much raw power as any hitter in the game. In Miami a year ago, Soler slashed .250/.341/.512 with 36 home runs and 24 doubles in just over 500 at-bats. 

Veteran righty Sonny Gray was an incredibly successful starting pitcher for both the Athletics and the Reds--as well as a disappointing one in the Bronx--prior to landing in Minnesota in 2022. It's fair to say, though, that the two seasons he just gave the Twins may well have been the best two year stretch of his career. In 32 starts in '23, the 34-year-old delivered a 2.79 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP, while holding opponents to a .226 batting average and striking out 183 hitters in 184 innings. He was selected to represent the Twins in the Midsummer Classic, and last October gave Minnesota two strong postseason starts. He was able to parlay that success into a lucrative three-year free-agent agreement with St. Louis, and he'll look to hit the ground running with his new team in 2024.

Shreveport, LA native Seth Lugo spent most of his career in the New York Mets bullpen as one of the premier set up men in the National League, but he consistently harbored hopes of getting a chance to pitch in the rotation. He was given occasional starting opportunities in New York, but nothing legitimate, so as a free agent following the 2022 season, he jumped at the Padres one-year offer to join the team as a starter. And to his credit, he excelled in his preferred role. In 26 starts the righty worked to the tune of a 3.57 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP, while striking out 140 hitters in 146.1 innings. It was cool to see him parlay that success into a nice three-year $45 million free-agent contract with the Royals, and he'll enter 2024 as potentially his new team's top starter.  

Right-hander Luis Severino flashed periods of brilliance during his nine seasons with the Yankees, but constant injuries were unfortunately the underlying theme of his Bronx tenure. Severino represented the Yankees in a pair of all-star games, but only twice gave them more than 30 starts in a season. He was frankly awful a year ago, pitching to a 6.65 ERA in 19 outings, though he was consistently slowed by a lat injury. In desperate need of improved starting pitching, the Mets signed the veteran as a free agent this winter, and while they harbor no illusions about him magically reverting back into an all-star caliber starter, the club is cautiously optimistic he can be a serviceable middle-of-the-rotation arm.  

Left-hander, Aroldis Chapman is certainly one of the most high-profile relief pitchers in recent memory. The hard-throwing veteran enters 2024 with 321 lifetime saves, has been selected to appear in seven all-star games, and is the proud owner of two World Series rings. In 61 games split between Kansas City and Texas a season ago, he pitched to a 3.09 ERA in 58.1 innings, while striking out 103 hitters. Even with some struggles down the stretch, it was surprising he wasn't able to land a free-agent deal to be the top relief arm in a Major League team's bullpen. The Pirates' David Bednar is currently one of the league's best closers, and you'd have to believe Pittsburgh's thinking here is hoping Chapman has a dominant first half and can be flipped to a contender at the trade deadline. 

An underrated trade that occurred this winter was the one that sent veteran switch-hitting second baseman Jorge Polanco from the Minnesota Twins to the Seattle Mariners. The 30-year-old has dealt with some injuries in each of the past two seasons, but in 2021, when he last played a full complement of games, Polanco was simply spectacular. That season, he slashed .269/.323/.503 with 33 homers, 98 RBI, and 35 doubles while qualifying for his first all-star game. Polanco has a strong glove at an important position, and he's a player that should make an immediate impact in Seattle. 

Southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez has been a steady and reliable starting pitcher in this league for a long time, and in Detroit in 2023 he quietly turned in the best season of his career. In 26 starts, he pitched to a 3.30 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP, while earning 13 victories, holding opponents to just a .227 batting average, and striking out 143 hitters in 152.2 innings. The 30-year-old was among the most desirable free-agent starting pitchers available this winter, and the defending National League champion Diamondbacks were happy to bring him in with a four-year $80 million contract. 

Replacing Rodriguez in the Tigers' rotation is right-hander Jack Flaherty, who is one of the more interesting names on this list. The 28-year-old looked like one of the sport's rising stars not all that long ago, as early in his career with the Cardinals he was one of the National League's most reliable starting pitchers. He unfortunately suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder late in 2021 that cut that season short and dramatically derailed the following campaign as well. Flaherty was able to stay healthy for the most part last season. However, he was not nearly as effective as he'd been in the past. In 29 outings, he pitched to a 4.99 ERA in 144.1 innings, and at the trade deadline, the Cardinals said an emotional goodbye to their 2014 first-round pick when they dealt him to Baltimore. This winter Flaherty was looking for a fresh start with a new team and he feels he found that in Detroit. He's an easy guy to root for, and hopefully he can get his career back on track in 2024 and beyond. 

Switch-hitting first baseman Carlos Santana has already played for six Major League teams in his 14-year career, and when he takes the field for the Twins on opening day he'll officially add a 7th. In each of his prior stops, the veteran has been a productive and important offensive player, as evidenced by his lifetime .242/.356/.432 lifetime slash line to go along with 301 home runs and 1,011 RBI. Splitting last season between Pittsburgh and Milwaukee, Santana crushed 23 homers, drove in 86 runs, and added 33 doubles, and the Twins are certainly anticipating similar production in 2024. 

Finishing out our list of faces in new places is first baseman Rowdy Tellez, who stayed in the National League Central as he moved from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh. After crushing 35 home runs and notching 89 RBI for the Brewers in '22, last season was not nearly as kind to the big left-handed slugger. A forearm injury limited him to only 106 games, in which he slashed just .215/.291/.376 with 13 homers and 47 RBI. That led Milwaukee to seek an upgrade--which they believe they've found with the earlier mentioned Rhys Hoskins. As for Tellez' fit in Pittsburgh, you'd have to imagine this could be a similar situation to the one I mentioned in regards to Aroldis Chapman. With the Pirates unlikely to seriously contend in their division, Tellez is certainly a candidate to have a good first half and then get moved at the trade deadline.