With less than 100 days until the 2023 MLB season begins, these former All-Stars are still looking for a chance to extend their careers.
Nathan Eovaldi - RHP
Nathan Eovaldi is a free agent.
(Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today)
Eovaldi finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2021, before regressing to a 3.87 ERA and 4.30 ERA in 20 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 2022. He's hurt by a lengthy injury history and the fact that he's saddled with a qualifying offer. Earlier this month, WEEI's Rob Bradford wrote that "all indications are that they don't view Eovaldi as a top priority," referring to the Red Sox, who are looking to add starting pitching. At this point, it feels like the 32-year-old should have accepted the $19.65 million qualifying offer.
Jean Segura - 2B
Jean Segura is a free agent.
(Bill Streicher/USA Today)
Though he hoped to remain with the Phillies, Segura's tenure with the defending National League Champions is likely over now that they've signed Trea Turner, opening the door for Bryson Stott to shift to second base. Still, Segura has excellent bat-to-ball skills and an incredibly strong arm at second base. At the outset of the offseason, we predicted that he would sign a two-year/$24 million deal to join the Chicago White Sox, and that still makes quite a bit of sense.
Aroldis Chapman - Reliever
Aroldis Chapman is a free agent.
(Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
Chapman posted a 4.46 ERA and 4.57 FIP in 43 games this past season, and was left off the New York Yankees playoff roster after missing a workout. The seven-time All-Star did still average 97.5 mph on his fastball this past season, so someone is going to take a chance on him. But this free-agent stint has no doubt been humbling for the 34-year-old, who was once one of the most imposing relievers that the sport has ever seen.
Craig Kimbrel - Reliever
Craig Kimbrel is a free agent.
(Harry How/Getty Images)
Kimbrel is one of the greatest closers in MLB history, but struggled relative to the high standards he has set for himself, posting a 3.75 ERA and 3.23 FIP in 63 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. But Kimbrel is seventh in MLB history with 394 saves, so someone will give him a chance to open the season as their closer, probably a team hoping to flip him at the trade deadline.
Brandon Belt - 1B
Brandon Belt is a free agent.
(Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Belt has played in just 175 games over the past two seasons, but homered 29 times and posted a .975 OPS in 325 at-bats for the San Francisco Giants in 2021. He could potentially be this offseason's Matt Carpenter, a player who leaves the only team that he's ever played for but becomes a valuable contributor for another contending team.
Michael Wacha - RHP
Michael Wacha is a free agent.
(Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
The one-year/$7 million deal that the Red Sox signed Wacha to last winter proved to be one of the best investments of the offseason. In 23 starts in 2022, Wacha went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 4.14 FIP. Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported earlier this month that the Baltimore Orioles had interest in Wacha.
Elvis Andrus - SS
Elvis Andrus is a free agent.
(Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
The two-time All-Star posted a .707 OPS in 2022, a season that he split between the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox. Now that the quartet of Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson have all signed, Andrus' market should begin to take form. The Atlanta Braves could be an intriguing landing spot.
Zack Greinke - RHP
Zack Greinke is a free agent.
(Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Greinke returned to the Kansas City Royals last offseason, the team he spent the first seven years of his career with. The former AL Cy Young Award winner remains an effective starter -- he posted a 3.68 ERA and 4.03 FIP across 137 innings in 2022 -- even if he's no longer an ace. It would make sense for his 20th season to come in Kansas City.
Andrew McCutchen
Andrew McCutchen is a free agent.
(Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today)
The former NL MVP is a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after homering 17 times, driving in 69 runs and posting a .700 OPS for the Milwaukee Brewers this past season. ESPN's Buster Olney reported earlier this month that both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays had interest in the five-time All-Star.
Johnny Cueto - RHP
Johnny Cueto is a free agent.
(David Banks/USA Today)
Cueto was actually excellent for the White Sox in 2022, going 8-10 with a 3.35 ERA and 3.79 FIP across 158 1/3 innings pitched. He should get a Major League deal this winter. Audacy MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported earlier this week that the San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins have interest in Cueto, who will turn 37 in February.
Corey Kluber - RHP
Corey Kluber is a free agent.
(Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Kluber is no longer the pitcher that won two AL Cy Young Awards, but he posted a 4.34 ERA, 3.57 FIP and 3.0 WAR over 164 innings for the Rays in 2022. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that the Chicago Cubs had interest in Kluber in early December.
Gary Sánchez - C
Gary Sanchez is a free agent.
(David Berding/Getty Images)
A two-time All-Star with the Yankees, Sánchez slashed .205/.282/.377 with 16 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .659 OPS in an underwhelming 2022 for the Minnesota Twins. As he enters his age-30 season, Sánchez is likely looking at a one-year deal to re-establish his value.
Matt Moore - Reliever
Matt Moore is a free agent.
(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Moore struggled as a starter for the Phillies in 2021, but revived his career as a reliever for the Texas Rangers in 2022. In 63 games, Moore posted a 1.95 ERA and 2.98 FIP. While he was effective against both righties and lefties in 2022, right-handers actually struggled more against him, hitting just .165.
Evan Longoria - 3B
Evan Longoria is a free agent.
(Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The greatest player in Rays history is a free agent after spending the last five seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Longoria has posted a .799 OPS over the past two seasons, but that's come in just 170 games. The Arizona Diamondbacks were said to be interested in the three-time All-Star earlier this month.
Michael Fulmer - Reliever
Michael Fulmer is a free agent.
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Fulmer was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Minnesota Twins in early August, posting a 3.39 ERA and and 3.57 FIP in 67 games this past season. The former AL Rookie of the Year Award winner will turn 30 in March.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
