As the offseason unfolds, teams are gearing up to fill up the holes remaining in their roster. This year's list of superstar free agents has led to plenty of teams being linked to the handful of stars up for grabs. MLB insider Joel Sherman believes it is quite possible that most of these teams might end up with nothing to show for their efforts.
Sherman was asked on the NY Post about the teams he believed will be a hit and miss this offseason. He said many clubs are vying for only a few available free market agents, causing a kind of deadlock at this point.
"My prediction is pain. Because I can’t remember when so many teams were vying for so few stars. That not only elevates prices but also fans’ expectations.
"It feels outsized how many fan bases are expecting Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and/or Juan Soto this offseason. So without a time-share system to allow them to play for various clubs, there is going to be fury when this game of musical chairs stops and a team is standing at a podium not offering a superstar or a strong consolation prize such as Cody Bellinger or Blake Snell," Sherman said.
Teams that are expected to miss out in the MLB offseason
Joel Sherman lists the San Francisco Giants as the ones potentially missing out on the most this current winter. A number of factors tie into that. The Giants have had disasppointing seasons after their 107-win season in 2021.
They ended the last season with a 79-83 record. There has been a change in the manager's seat, with ex-Padres manager Bob Melvin replacing Gabe Kepler. Also, a tough right field wall at the Oracle Ballpark might discourage record-setting hitters Shohei Ohtani.
The next team listed was the Chicago Cubs who are looking to make a comeback after missing out on the playoffs by the barest of margins. They have a new manager in Craig Counsell, but a number of star players like Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman have become free agents. Only time will tell if they can replace these important faces in their roster.
The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox also feature in the list. The Yankees are looking to recover from a disappointing campaign that saw them miss out on the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox finished last in the AL East. Their strategy under new Head of Baseball Operations, Craig Breslow, remains to be seen.