AL All Acquired 2021-22
The MLB lockout brought offseason business to a grinding halt on December 1st 2021. But luckily for us Hot Stove enthusiasts, general managers around the league made no attempt to gently pump the brakes heading into that deadline, squeezing in almost a full offseason’s worth of transactions into a little under a month. Here we’ll take a look at the top players who will be suiting up with new teams, just as soon as a federal mediator says it’s OK for the league and the players’ union to start negotiating again.
The Rangers made the biggest splash, both in terms of awarding the largest individual contract, and signing the player with the most 2021 fantasy points to change teams. The latter honor goes to Virgo middle infielder Marcus Semien (2,558 / 15.8), who bolstered his value on a one-year deal with the Blue Jays after a subpar pandemic-shortened season with the A’s. While $175 million seems like a lot of money, that pales in comparison to the $325 million Texas gave to former Dodgers (and current Taurus) shortstop Corey Seager over a 10-year term… and neither player has an opt-out clause. Eat your heart out, 2001 A-Rod! Sticking with the Earth Sign theme, the only significant catcher acquired by an American League team was Capricorn Tucker Barnhart, who was traded from Cincinnati to Detroit in the very first deal of the offseason.
Speaking of Detroit, the Tigers gave Javier Baez the third-largest contract of the offseason at six years and $140 million. If we were plugging Baez into an All-Acquired lineup, the versatile Sagittarian would handily shift to third base, where he has over 100 career appearances. There has been considerably less action on the AL outfield market, and all of it has involved Positive Polarity signs. Libra right fielder Kole Calhoun signed a free agent deal to join Seager and Semien in Texas. Aries defensive whiz Jackie Bradley Jr. was re-acquired by the Red Sox, his original team. That leaves left field to another pair of Sagittarius utility players: Adam Frazier (traded from the Padres to the Mariners) and Tyler Wade (signed as a free agent with the Angels). First base is open for now, with the best option to slide Aquarian Rougned Odor (signed by the Orioles) over from his customary second base.
Before you think the only marquee additions to AL teams were infielders, consider that the fifth and sixth-largest contracts of the offseason so far were awarded to new AL pitchers. Libra lefty Robbie Ray took home the Cy Young Award while pitching for the Blue Jays, but he’ll find a new home with the Mariners, to the tune of $115 million over five years. Toronto wasted no time in signing Ray’s replacement, inking Capricorn Kevin Gausman the very next day – for $5 million less over the same five-year term. Next in the rotation, in terms of 2021 fantasy points, is veteran Pisces lefty Rich Hill, who will be returning to Boston, where he revitalized his career in 2015 at the age of 35.
The Red Sox added two more Water Sign players to their rotation, signing Cancer Crab Michael Wacha away from the division rival Rays, and taking a chance on Scorpio James Paxton after a season limited to a single start with the Mariners. Speaking of Scorpio, Texas also got into the pitching market, signing Jon Gray away from the Rockies, who missed an opportunity to bring back a pitcher who could thrive at altitude. Sticking with the same sign, the Twins signed Dylan Bundy away from the Angels, but he’s unlikely to make the All-Acquired starting rotation. That honor would likely come down to a battle between two Arieses: Eduardo Escobar (signed by the Tigers) and Corey Kluber (signed by the Rays), with Libra Jorday Lyles (Orioles) waiting in the wings as first alternate.
Moving to the bullpen, the White Sox signed 2021’s most successful AL All-Acquired reliever so far, although Sagittarian Kendall Graveman only projects to fill the number three setup spot, behind Liam Hendriks (AQU) and Craig Kimbrel (GEM). Gemini Hector Neris, the only other 1,000+ point reliever acquired by an AL team, went to Houston to fill Graveman’s spot. Leo Yimi Garcia, who was also acquired by the Astros during 2021, will help solidify Toronto’s bullpen. Capricorn Michael Lorenzen has spent the last several seasons as a reliever, but the Angels acquired him with an eye towards shifting him back to the starting rotation. On the left-handed side, Aaron Loup will join Lorenzzen in Anaheim, while Tampa Bay picked up yet another former Astro, Cancer Crab Brooks Raley.
Rather than try to jam everyone into this post, I’ll cover players acquired by National League teams next week. In the meantime, my reverse-chronological trip through FABL history continues next time with 1982!