One upgrade that every MLB team still needs to make

The Bombers feel they've already positioned themselves as the favorites in the American League thanks to their free agent addition of ace starter Gerrit Cole, and they very well may be right. In a lot of ways New York is loaded on paper, but the one area the Yankees could stand to upgrade is left field. With starting center fielder Aaron Hicks not due back until after the All-Star break following October Tommy John surgery, Brett Gardner is going to have to begin the season in center. That leaves left field to the likes of Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier. While the duo could very well form a serviceable platoon, it wouldn't be stunning if the Yankees brought another outfielder into the mix.

Options: Bigger names like Marcell Ozuna and Alex Gordon are still available on the free agent market, but so is Cameron Maybin, who played well for the Yankees a season ago. Veteran Curtis Granderson may decide to retire, but he could be a potential short-term option as well. 

Boston suffered through a disappointing 2019 that only grew more frustrating after the season ended. While their archrivals in the Bronx were busy positioning themselves to make a run for a championship, the Red Sox were busy exploring ways to slash payroll to get under the luxury tax. While a trade involving a high-profile Boston star like Mookie Betts or David Price has not come to pass, new GM Chaim Bloom has not done all that much to give them more help in the increasingly likely event they stay. The weakest part of the Red Sox projected opening day roster is hands down their bench, where Marco Hernandez, Tzu-Wei Lin, Kevin Plawecki and Rule 5 addition Jonathan Arauz create a far from imposing quartet. 

Options: An experienced free agent outfielder like Hunter Pence or Curtis Granderson would seemingly fit well in Boston. Both would bring veteran leadership to the clubhouse and at this point in their careers, they could be amenable to a bench role. On the infield, somebody like Adeiny Hechavarria would be a nice glove addition. 

The Rays are the innovators behind the current opener trend that's become more widespread over the past couple of years. Tampa Bay is confident in its top three starting pitchers, Blake Snell, Charlie Morton and Tyler Glasnow, but after that the Rays like to mix and match their pitching. To that end, they could stand to add one more reliever to help navigate the middle innings and get the ball to late-inning righties Nick Anderson and Emilio Pagan.

Options: A free agent flier on somebody like Pedro Strop, Arodys Vizcaino, Anthony Swarzak or Josh Tomlin would be a reasonable addition. But the Rays have always liked to get creative in their efforts to improve. Trading for Pittsburgh's Keone Kela would represent a high-upside addition, but it's far to wonder if the Pirates would even consider doing business with Tampa after the Rays fleeced them in the Chris Archer trade a couple of summers ago. Detroit's Joe Jimenez and Baltimore's Mychal Givens would fall into the same category, though those clubs may prefer to hold their assets until the trade deadline.

Toronto looks like a team on the rise in the American League. The Blue Jays boast an enviable young core with the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and they invested heavily in the rotation this winter by bringing in Hyun-Jin Ryu and Tanner Roark. Their bullpen though leaves quite a bit to be desired. Ken Giles is a good closer and one the Blue Jays trust at the end of games, but they don't have much in the way of quality setup men. Toronto needs to decide if it thinks it can seriously compete for a playoff spot this season or if it is a year away, because if the Blue Jays want to go for it this year, there are bullpen upgrades available. 

Options: Experienced arms with closing experience like Pedro Strop, Fernando Rodney and Addison Reed are all available on the free agent market, and all would fit in tremendously north of the border.

The Orioles are going to have a hard time competing in a difficult division for a long time, but that doesn't mean they have to be absolute punching bags. If they're going to be at least a little competitive though, they're going to have to seriously upgrade their starting rotation. After trading Dylan Bundy to the Angels, Baltimore's starting five is beyond thin, and the team desperately needs a reliable innings eater. Behind John Means and Alex Cobb, the Orioles are prepared to enter the season with Asher Wojciechowski, Kohl Stewart and Rule 5 addition Brandon Bailey in the rotation, and none of them are all that inspiring.

Options: Baltimore is not going to attract high-impact talent right now, but a veteran free-agent like Clayton Richard could help bring stability to a starting five that needs it.

The South Siders appear primed to potentially end their 12-year playoff drought in 2020, a welcome development for fans who have frustratingly found their team playing second fiddle to the Cubs in recent history. This winter has been a resounding success for the White Sox, who added high-profile offensive players Edwin Encarnacion, Nomar Mazara and Yasmani Grandal as well as starting pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez in about a month's time. But the one place Chicago remains short is depth in the outfield. Super prospect Luis Robert is going to take over the center field job from day one in spring training, and Mazara will play right. Young slugger Eloy Jimenez brings power in left field, but behind the top three, Chicago has little protection. Adam Engel is a defensively gifted fourth outfielder but not somebody a contending club is going to be eager to give regular at-bats to for any amount of time.

Options: Luckily for the White Sox there are still several worthwhile outfield bench pieces available on the free agent market, and Cameron Maybin, Rajai Davis, Domingo Santana, Lonnie Chisenhall and Billy Hamilton all make sense for them.

While the White Sox are a team on the rise, their rivals in Cleveland appear headed in the other direction. The Indians have had a somewhat mercurial offseason that has already seen them trade ace righty Corey Kluber to Texas, and there have been new rumors involving potential trades involving superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor seemingly daily. In the short term though, what Cleveland needs imminently to remain competitive in the AL Central is help in the bullpen. Behind closer Brad Hand, this relief corps lacks reliable arms with a track record.

Options: The Indians are in an unenviable position in that they're far from the only team in need of bullpen upgrades, and the demand is going to exceed the supply. Unlike some clubs, Cleveland is not at a place as an organization where it's going to be willing to trade prospects for a significant upgrade like Baltimore's Mychal Givens. Instead look for this team to turn to the free agent market in an attempt to lure to Ohio someone like Brad Boxberger, Greg Holland, Luke Gregerson or a similar veteran in search of a bounce back.

Like the Indians the Tigers seriously need bullpen help, as while Joe Jimenez is a legitimate enough closer, it's far from a guarantee he isn't traded to a contender willing to blow Detroit away with an offer. And behind him, Detroit will have trouble fielding a full relief corps worth of major league-caliber pitchers. The Tigers finished with the worst record in the sport last season and will have absolutely no interest in trading away any young assets for a short-term solution. They're also going to have difficulty convincing free agents to sign with them, particularly veterans who want to pitch for a contender. Instead, look for them to try to land low-risk guys with big league experience who could have enough potential to pitch themselves into summer trade chips.

Options: Addison Reed, Derek Law, Tommy Hunter

Kansas City moved its best player, Whit Merrifield, to center field full time to accommodate youngster Nicky Lopez, and despite the rookie failing to impress in '19, the Royals are going to continue with that arrangement moving forward. In 379 at-bats last year, Lopez managed only 26 extra-base hits, good for a measly .325 slugging percentage. You would think it would be easy enough for the Royals to just slide Merrifield back to the infield if he struggles again, but they'd prefer not to move him around unless necessary. If they are not going to consider changing Merrifield's position though, they're going to need more depth at position No. 4. Behind Lopez, the only player with big league experience at the position on Kansas City's projected opening day roster is Matt Reynolds, and his resume is far from imposing.

Options: The best second base options still available on the free agent market are Scooter Gennett and Joe Panik.

The Twins managed to run away with the AL Central last season before frustratingly getting bounced from the postseason quickly courtesy of the Yankees. Entering 2020 they remain easily the most impressive club in their division on paper, but if enough things break right for the White Sox, that could change in a hurry. The biggest weakness the Twins have is, hands down, in their rotation, where after Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi and Homer Bailey, there is a lot to be desired. They were unsurprisingly linked to big name free agents Dallas Keuchel, Zack Wheeler and Madison Bumgarner but unfortunately failed to land any of those targets. Youngsters Randy Dobnak and Devin Smeltzer currently project as their fourth and fifth starters, and the duo has made only 11 big league starts combined. The free agent market has been drained of impact starting pitching, but expect Minnesota to continue turning over every leaf in search of help.

Options: The remaining free agent starters with the most potential upside are well past his prime Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker, who has missed most of the past two seasons with injury. On the trade market they could check into someone like Arizona's Robbie Ray, as the Diamondbacks were clearly willing to deal him last winter and may still consider it in the right deal. Or maybe place a call to Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen to see if he'd consider trading Steven Matz in the aftermath of New York's free agent additions of Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha.

The Rangers are desperate for impact offense, and while to a certain extent it doesn't matter where it comes from, the position that could most easily be upgraded is without question third base. Gritty Nick Solak managed to impress in a short cup of coffee as a rookie a year ago, but he should hardly prohibit Texas from big game hunting. We already know the Rangers attempted to lure Lone Star State native Anthony Rendon home before he chose the Angels instead, but there is one other All-Star third baseman still available. Josh Donaldson signed a one-year, prove-it deal with Atlanta last winter, hoping to reestablish his own value after a pair of injury plagued campaigns, and his plan worked swimmingly. After a dominant year in the National League, Donaldson is in search of a payday, and this match makes so much sense on paper. Unfortunately there hasn't been much in the way of substantiated rumors connecting the two parties, but the longer he remains unsigned, the potential is there.

Options: Donaldson is the most obvious potential free agent target, even with fellow right-handed hitter Todd Frazier already on board. Frazier is versatile enough to play some first base and could transition into a right-handed bench bat with Donaldson in the fold.

With the addition of third baseman Anthony Rendon, and the returns of Justin Upton and Shohei Ohtani, the Angels feel they have finally given Mike Trout the offensive help he needs to transform this lineup into one of the best in the game. Unfortunately, the Angels still are not going to work themselves back into postseason competition without significant rotation upgrades. Last season's flier on Matt Harvey was a disaster from start to finish, but it hasn't prevented Los Angeles from continuing to search for lightning in a bottle. Last month the Angels traded for Baltimore's Dylan Bundy and signed former Brave Julio Teheran as a free agent, hoping a change of scenery will do both of them well. It could, but this team still lacks a legitimate No. 1 who you'd like to have the ball in a big game. That type of pitcher isn't going to be acquired now, but the Angels are certainly open to any and all possibilities.

Options: At this point in the offseason, the best the Angels can hope for is a quantity over quality approach. If they bring in enough pitchers similar to Teheran and Bundy, some are bound to work out. Look for them to investigate free agents Andrew Cashner, Felix Hernandez, Taijuan Walker, Jeremy Hellickson and Edinson Volquez, potentially among others.

Sean Murphy has been one of the Athletics top prospects for several years, and in 2020 we're finally going to find out if he's the real deal. In just 53 at-bats late last season, the 25-year-old turned in an .899 OPS, and the A's are confident he can be their long-term catcher of the future. With so much faith in an unproven backstop though, it would certainly behoove the Athletics to have a veteran backup. At the moment the top two options behind Murphy are unknowns Austin Allen, Carlos Perez and Jonah Heim.

Options: Veteran catchers Matt Wieters and Rene Rivera are both available on the free agent market, and the A's should absolutely be considering a run at both of them.

The Astros have ruled the Junior Circuit for several years, but that may not be the case in 2020. The firing of general manager Jeff Lunhow and manager A.J Hinch means entire new leadership. In addition, losing Gerrit Cole to the Yankees in free agency dramatically shifted the balance of power in the American League, and while it didn't hurt at nearly the same level, Houston is going to feel the departure of Wade Miley too. Lance McCullers will be back after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, but Jose Urquidy and Brad Peacock don't represent the most reliable fourth and fifth starters in the world. The Astros are not eager to relinquish their status as championship contenders, so look for them to attempt some sort of addition either now, at the trade deadline in July or both.

Options: If Houston is going to make an upgrade now, it's going to have to be one of the free agent pitchers the other rotation-needy teams are all competing for: Felix Hernandez, Taijuan Walker and maybe to a lesser extent Clayton Richard. A trade for someone like Detroit's Matthew Boyd was possible, but at this point in the winter it's unlikely, especially as the team looks to fill the positions of GM and manager.

Seattle acquired J.P. Crawford from Philadelphia in a December 2018 trade, and while the youngster was a highly thought of prospect with the Phillies, to date he's been somewhat of a bust in two different cities. Unfortunately for the Mariners, as their roster is currently constructed they don't have anything in the way of an upgrade or even someone capable of competing for the job in spring training. Utility man Dylan Moore is Crawford's backup at the moment, but he's assuredly not going to steal the job.

Options: The Mariners are not going to be able to find a legitimate everyday shortstop to displace Crawford a month before spring training. That's just not going to happen. But it would be nice if they could at least bring in a capable veteran to push him in camp. The best options to fall into that category are Jordy Mercer and J.T. Riddle.

The defending champs have been one of the most active teams in the game this winter, particularly over the past few weeks. Washington keeps adding quality veterans and appears poised to make a push for another deep October run. There will, however, be one noticeable absence when the Nats open camp next month. The face of their franchise, third baseman Anthony Rendon, signed a massive free agent agreement with the Angels at the winter meetings, and his offense and presence will be difficult to replace. This club has enough depth to start the season as is, but it's no secret that Washington is open to adding a bat.

Options: The Nats reportedly have an offer out to power hitting third baseman Josh Donaldson, and the veteran is likely the only player who would represent a worthy upgrade for them. Other third basemen, like Jung Ho Kang, are available, but Kang, for example, would not push the needle enough. If Donaldson signs elsewhere look for Washington to start Asdrubal Cabrera at the hot corner.

The Josh Donaldson sweepstakes is made incredibly more interesting by his two most logical suitors residing in the same division. As mentioned above, the Nationals would love to add him to their lineup to replace Anthony Rendon, but a side benefit would be to weaken Atlanta. Last winter Donaldson signed a high-value, one-year contract with the Braves, and he absolutely thrived in his first season in the National League. The Braves are trying hard to convince him to re-up with them, and with the situation likely coming to a head in the near future we should soon have clarity.

Options: Atlanta's situation is more straightforward than that of most teams. The Braves are eager to retain Donaldson, but in the event he doesn't decide to come back, they'll start young Austin Riley at third base. There isn't a backup avenue they'll be willing to pursue.

Miami would like to think it's trending in the right direction, but in all likelihood the Marlins are still several years away from competing in their division. They would, however, absolutely love to add relief pitchers, particularly veterans who could turn in excellent first halves and become trade chips. With Jose Urena and Ryne Stanek the only two bullpen arms they feel like they can reasonably count on, the Marlins would like to sign multiple free agents in the next couple of weeks.

Options: The bullpen arms still available on the free agent market are there for a reason. You may be able to find a high-upside guy at this point in the offseason, but he's still available because of a couple of red flags, be it recent injuries or poor performances. That's exactly who the Marlins will be pursuing. Look for them to entertain the likes of Brandon Kintzler, Cody Allen, Pedro Strop, Arodys Vizcaino, Luke Gregerson, etc.

The Mets filled their biggest need of the winter by adding Dellin Betances to the back of their bullpen, but there is one area they would still like to address. For much of the past few seasons New York has been giving starts in center field to the likes of Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo, two capable outfielders, but two guys who are better suited for the corners. Sure, they could go into 2020 with Nimmo again in center and J.D. Davis playing left, but having a legitimate defender at a premium position would go a long way toward helping their pitching staff.

Options: The player who makes the most sense for the Mets is one who's been linked to them for much of the winter: Pittsburgh's Starling Marte. The career-long Pirate would bring a dynamic two-way player to Queens, allowing Nimmo to slide to left full time and push Davis into a utility job. It would improve the Mets depth considerably, and we know the two sides have exchanged trade proposals. This looks like something that could inevitably happen. A fall-back option for New York could be free agent Kevin Pillar, but with defensive backup Jake Marisnick already in the fold, that possibility seems unlikely. Although starter Marcus Stroman would be supportive of the move.

Philadelphia has the same need as the Mets, with Adam Haseley currently situated atop its depth chart at position No. 8. The 23-year-old showed some potential as a rookie a year ago but he didn't do much damage, slugging sub .400. The Phillies thought they had center field locked down long term with Odubel Herrera, but his status is completely up in the air following a domestic violence incident last summer. They would on the surface seem to make a lot of sense for Starling Marte as well, but recent reports indicate they intend to give Haseley a legitimate chance to take regular AB's, and rather than looking to replace him, they instead are in search of a right-handed platoon partner.

Options: If a right-handed-hitting, part-time center fielder is what the Phillies desire, Kevin Pillar and Juan Lagares both stick out on the free agent market. If Philadelphia chooses to instead try to make a trade to address this hole, keep an eye on someone like Phillip Ervin from the Reds or Michael Taylor from Washington.

Saying the Cardinals need catching sounds a bit silly at first, as the ageless Yadier Molina continues to show no signs of slowing down. He is, however, 37 years old, and the Cardinals just do not have enough behind him. Young Andrew Knizner is currently No. 2 on their depth chart, and he has only 53 big league at-bats to his name. He may well end up being a serviceable player for the Redbirds down the line, but the team would most certainly feel more comfortable having a veteran with a track record behind Molina.

Options: Last season the Cardinals utilized switch-hitter Matt Wieters as Molina's backup, and while he hit only .214, he did capably fill the role St. Louis brought him in for. Wieters remains available right now, but it's unclear how interested the Cardinals are in a reunion. Instead, someone like Nick Hundley or Russell Martin could make sense here.

The Reds keep inching closer to being serious contenders in the NL Central, and they don't have many positions they could reasonably upgrade in January. Their starting rotation of Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo, Wade Miley and Anthony DeSclafani make up the best fivesome they've brought to camp in years. Behind those guys, however, the Reds have next to no depth in the event somebody gets hurt. Tyler Mahle, Tony Santillan and Tejay Antone lead their AAA rotation, and it would greatly behoove Cincinnati to bring in a battle-tested veteran as a metaphorical insurance policy.

Options: Since they aren't looking for somebody they can promise a regular starting gig to, the Reds are going to have to shop the bargain bin, and they should still be able to find some names of interest there. Guys like Wade LeBlanc or maybe even Shelby Miller could fit the bill.

When the Cubs brought All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel on board midseason last year, they thought it would put their bullpen over the top. Instead it created a weakness. Kimbrel struggled mightily, working to an ERA over 6.00. Steve Cishek was probably Chicago's best relief pitcher a year ago, but with him crossing town to join the White Sox and Pedro Strop likely to depart as a free agent as well, the Cubs suddenly have a relief crisis on their hands.

Options: Chicago fancies itself as a contenders, so shopping in the retread bullpen free agent market is not likely to be the first choice. With a difference maker unlikely to be found there, look for Theo Epstein and Co. to try to get creative with a trade. With that in mind, Baltimore's Mychal Givens or Detroit's Joe Jimenez stand out as the best possible fits in an ideal scenario for the Cubs.

The Pirates opened last season with Francisco Cervelli and Elias Diaz as their top two options behind the plate, but both of those guys are now calling other cities home. In their absence, Pittsburgh is prepared to turn to Jacob Stallings and Luke Maile as their catching duo in 2020. Neither of those guys has a full season as a big league starter on their resume, however, and it would appear to benefit the Pirates if they could add someone with a bit more pedigree before spring training opens. (They recently added depth to the position, signing veteran John Ryan Murphy to a minor league contract.)

Options: The best veteran catchers still available on the free agent market are Nick Hundley and Matt Wieters, and while both of them are a little beyond their primes, both would look great in black and yellow nonetheless.

The Brewers have had the same weakness seemingly forever, and the lack of a legitimate frontline starting pitcher has played the predominant role in their inability to get over the top in recent years. This is a good team with a dynamic core, and it should have accomplished more than it has in recent years. Entering 2020, Brandon Woodruff and Adrian Houser project as the Brewers' top two starting pitchers, and they'll do well for themselves if they can find a more legitimate ace.

Options: The type of pitcher the Brewers need is not going to be readily available right now. They had interest in all of Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler and Corey Kluber before all of those guys changed teams elsewhere. The most high-upside free agent starting pitcher left on the market is probably Clayton Richard, and he's not going to excite the fan base all that much. On the trade market, expect Milwaukee to show interest in Robbie Ray, Chris Archer, Matthew Boyd and any other starter with any type of track record who may become available.

The back of the Padres bullpen is actually extremely strong, with closer Kirby Yates and set-up man Drew Pomeranz potentially able to shorten the game to seven innings. Beyond that though, the belly of the Friars relief corps could use some reinforcements. Craig Stammen pitched pretty well last season but Matt Strahm did not. While inexperienced Andres Munoz showed potential in a small sample size, it's clear another arm would help quite a bit and there should be more than a few on the free agent market to pique San Diego's interest.

Options: San Diego sticks out as a home for a high-upside reliever, given its status as a potential team on the rise in the very near future. The better relief pitchers still available, like Pedro Strop, Fernando Rodney and Addison Reed, should find the situation appealing. And the weather in SoCal doesn't hurt either.

Sounds kind of strange to call a starting rotation that houses Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler a potential weakness, but that's, believe it or not, the case in Los Angeles. The Dodgers continue to win the West year in and year out but frustratingly have been unable to seal the deal with a World Series title. And the back of the rotation, consisting of Julio Urias, Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood, may not be enough to inspire significant confidence that 2020 is the year the tide turns. Sure, super prospect Dustin May got some big league experience last year and will assuredly hold a rotation spot sometime early in the season, but this club is going to significantly miss Hyun-Jin Ryu, maybe more than it even realizes. L.A. was involved on virtually every big name starting pitcher this winter but came away empty and now may have to wait for the trade deadline to make its move.

Options: The ship has sailed on the Dodgers signing a high-caliber pitcher like Gerrit Cole, Madison Bumgarner or Zack Wheeler or trade for one like Corey Kluber at this point in the offseason. But some options remain. Longtime Mariner Felix Hernandez has struggled in recent seasons, but perhaps a change of scenery to a really good team will help revitalize him. He's available on the free agent market and may prefer to stay out west. The Diamondbacks are not going to trade Robbie Ray right now, particularly to a division rival, but an interesting trade idea for Los Angeles would be placing a call to the Mets. New York watched Zack Wheeler leave as a free agent but quickly signed Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello, promising both a rotation spot. The pair joins Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Marcus Stroman in a pretty good rotation, but simple math would tell you there are six guys for five spots. Perhaps New York would be willing to deal Matz or Stroman in the right trade.

The Rockies are in a similar boat as the Dodgers in that they need help in the rotation. The difference is that they don't have a Kershaw or Buehler leading the charge. This starting five is littered with uncertainty with Jon Gray the only one they reasonably know what to expect from. German Marquez and Kyle Freeland could both seriously use a rebound, while Jeff Hoffman and Antonio Senzatela both pitched to an ERA north of six in 2019. It's difficult to attract free agent pitchers to the high altitude in Denver, and trades are usually the most effective way for the Rockies to acquire mound talent. Colorado has been rumored to be open to listening on superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado, and if they actually were to move him, the level of pitching talent they could bring back would be significant. Otherwise, the drop-off in return would be significant.

Options: The best and most likely trade target for Colorado is, in all probability, Detroit's Matthew Boyd. The lefty was terrific early last season before fading down the stretch, but he has several years of control left on his contract, making him a valuable commodity. Detroit will likely trade him at some point between now and the trade deadline, but it's unclear if the Rockies would be able to come up with the high bid.

Arizona made a big splash when it signed Madison Bumgarner away from the Giants, but the D-backs still have holes, particularly in the bullpen and especially from the left side. Andrew Chafin is a serviceable, left-handed setup man and one the Diamondbacks can have faith in. But Kyle Crockett is the only other southpaw with a remote chance of making the opening day roster, and he hasn't worked to an ERA under 5.00 since 2015. The D-backs may well head into the season with Chafin as the only lefty in the 'pen, but they would do well for themselves to bring another left-hander to camp.

Options: There are some intriguing left-handed relievers still to be had in free agency, headlined by Jerry Blevins, Xavier Cedeno, Luis Avilan and Mike Dunn.

The once formidable Giants find themselves in a rebuilding phase and a shell of the team that not long ago was winning three championships in five years. San Francisco lacks depth at multiple positions, but where this team is most weak on paper is second base. Young Mauricio Dubon is penciled in as the opening day starter at the moment, with Donovan Solano a potential option behind him. 

Options: The best free agent second basemen available right now are two names familiar to Giants fans: Joe Panik and Scooter Gennett. Brian Dozier is another veteran who could likely be had for cheap. While the above trio all come with reasonable track records, it's possible the Giants prefer to see what they have in Dubon and will instead go that route.