In the first week of 2023, there have been seven intriguing transactions (four free agent signings and three trades). Let’s take a look.
Eric Hosmer
The first baseman from South Miami, Florida signed a one-year deal worth $720,000 with the Chicago Cubs on January 4. He is joining his fourth Major League Baseball team following seven seasons with the Kansas City Royals (2011 to 2017), five seasons with the San Diego Padres (2018 to 2022), and one season with the Boston Red Sox (2022).
Last season, Hosmer batted .268 with eight home runs and 44 runs batted in with the Padres and Red Sox. In 104 games, 419 plate appearances, and 380 at bats, he scored 38 runs, and had 102 hits, 19 doubles, 37 walks, 145 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .334, and a slugging percentage of .382. While with the Royals, Hosmer won a World Series in 2015 and was an All-Star in 2016. During his All-Star season, Hosmer batted .266 with 25 home runs and 104 runs batted in. Also with the Royals, he won four gold glove awards (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017), and one Silver Slugger award (2017, when he batted .318 with 25 home runs and 94 runs batted in).
Wade Miley
The starting pitcher from Hammond, Louisiana signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million with the Milwaukee Brewers on January 4. Miley is returning to the Brewers after playing there in 2018. He pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2011 to 2014), Boston Red Sox (2015), Seattle Mariners (2016), Baltimore Orioles (2016 and 2017), Houston Astros (2019), Cincinnati Reds (2020 and 2021), and Chicago Cubs (2022).
Last season in Chicago, he pitched nine games and 37 innings with a record of two wins and two losses and an earned run average of 3.16. Miley gave up 31 hits, 13 earned runs, and 14 walks, to go along with 28 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.22. In 2012, Miley was an All-Star with the Diamondbacks. He had a record of 16 wins and 11 losses with an earned run average of 3.33.
Erich Uelmen
The reliever from Las Vegas, Nevada was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies on January 4 for cash considerations. In 27 innings pitched and 25 games played with the Cubs in 2022, he had a record of two wins, one loss, one save, three holds, and an earned run average of 4.67. Uelmen also gave up 25 hits, 14 earned runs and 12 walks, to go along with 21 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.37. Uelmen’s save came in a 6-5 Cubs win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 23. Uelmen’s wins came on August 17 in a 3-2 Cubs win over the Washington Nationals and on August 20 in a 6-5 Cubs win over the Brewers.
Adam Engel
The centerfielder from Cincinnati, Ohio signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on January 6. Engel played his first six MLB seasons with the Chicago White Sox. In 2022, he batted .224 with two home runs and 17 runs batted in. During 119 games, 260 plate appearances and 245 at bats in 2022, Engel scored 32 runs and had 55 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, 12 stolen bases, 11 walks, 76 total bases, and had an on base percentage of .269, and a slugging percentage of .310. Engel’s triple came in a 13-0 White Sox win over the Detroit Tigers on June 15.
Trade between the Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers
On January 7, the Detroit Tigers traded relief pitcher Gregory Soto of Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic to the Philadelphia Phillies with infielder Kody Clemens of Hornell, Texas for catcher Donny Sands of Tucson, Arizona, and outfielders Nick Maton of Chatham, Illinois, and Matt Vierling of St. Louis, Missouri.
Soto has spent the last four seasons with the Tigers. An All-Star in 2021 and 2022, Soto was selected to the All-Star Game in 2022 despite the fact he had a record of two wins and 11 losses. In 64 games and 60 1/3 innings pitched in 2022, he gave up 49 hits, 22 earned runs, and 34 walks, to go along with 30 saves, 60 strikeouts, two holds, and a WHIP of 1.38.
Maton spent the last two seasons with the Phillies. In 2022, he batted .250 with five home runs and 17 runs batted in. During 34 games, 72 at bats and 85 plate appearances, Maton scored 13 runs, and had 18 hits, two doubles, one triple, 10 walks, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .341, and a slugging percentage of .514. Maton’s triple came in a 10-0 Phillies win over the Los Angeles Angels on June 3.
Vierling also spent the last two seasons with the Phillies. He batted .250 with five home runs and 17 runs batted in. During 117 games, 357 plate appearances and 325 at bats, Vierling scored 41 runs and had 80 hits, 12 doubles, two triples, seven stolen bases, 23 walks, 114 total bases, six sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .297 and a slugging percentage of .351.
A.J. Pollock
On January 8, the Seattle Mariners signed centerfielder A.J. Pollock of Hebron, Connecticut to a one-year deal worth $7 million. The Mariners become the fourth team he has played for following the Arizona Diamondbacks (2012 to 2018), three seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2019 to 2021), and one season with the Chicago White Sox (2022).
Last season in Chicago, Pollock batted .245 with 14 home runs and 56 runs batted in. During 138 games, 527 plate appearances and 489 at bats, he scored 61 runs and had 120 hits, 26 doubles, one triple, three stolen bases, and four sacrifice flies, to go along with an on base percentage of .292 and a slugging percentage of .389. Pollock was an All-Star with the Diamondbacks in 2015 (.315, 20 HR, 76 RBIs) and won a World Series with the Dodgers in 2020.
Justin Topa
On January 7, the Mariners traded pitching prospect Joseph Hernandez to the Milwaukee Brewers for relief pitcher Justin Topa of Binghamton, New York. Topa has spent the last three seasons with the Brewers. During 2022, he had a record of zero wins and zero losses with an earned run average of 4.91. In seven games and 7 1/3 innings pitched, Topa gave up nine hits, four earned runs and four walks, to go along with four strikeouts, one hold, and a WHIP of 1.77. Topa’s hold came in a 8-4 Brewers win over the St. Louis Cardinals on September 13.
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