Remaining MLB free agents who can fill the role.

Remaining MLB free agents who can fill the role.

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A team’s success depends a lot on its best players, but stars can’t do it all. Through a 162-match season, even the most dominant clubs need contributions from players on the margins of their rosters.

While the free agent market is no longer teeming with studs, there are still plenty of useful players who can fill specific roles in 2023. Below we have identified seven of them and will benefit from their services. Here are some teams you might get.

Perez, a two-time Gold Glove winner with the Guardians, has missed a significant amount of time over the past two years due to injuries. The 34-year-old had played just his 21 games for the Pirates in 2022 before undergoing season-ending left hamstring surgery, but according to FanGraphs, he saved three defensive runs, Recorded 3.2 Defensive WAR. Perez, still a good pitch framer, borderline in 2022 he posted a strike rate of 49.4% on his pitches. This would have made him the 11th highest ranked player in MLB had he had a good enough chance to qualify. Perez doesn’t contribute much on the offensive side, but his glovework and veteran knowledge make him valuable in a backup role, either as a tutor to young catchers or as a complement to the bat-first starter.

Best Fit: Cardinals, Giants, Rockies, Nationals, Royals, White Sox

Bradley continued to struggle at bat in 2022, appearing in 131 games for the Red Sox and Blue Jays, posting .566 OPS, but his defense remained elite. Although he’s not particularly fast, Bradley’s instincts are top-notch and he can make great jumps with the ball. I recorded 7 outs that surpassed. He has 4 in right field and 3 in center. Bradley is also strong with his arms, and his arm strength last season ranked him in the 92nd percentile. As far as limiting his exposure on the offense, Bradley can be a useful fourth outfielder and late-game defensive replacement.

Best Fit: Phillies, Rockies, Royals, Giants, Orioles, Angels, Pirates

After beginning his professional career as a pitcher in the Cardinals system and reinventing himself as an outfielder during a brief stint with an independent franchise, Peralta has a solid .281/.339/.457 slash over nine MLB seasons. (111 OPS+) has been compiled. Much of his success has come against right-handed pitching, for which he has made significant .294/.350/.486 against right-handed pitchers in his career. is reduced to His OPS against right-handers last season was .778, putting him 20% better than the big league average in these matchups and good for a club that needs extra punches from the left side of the plate. .

Best Fit: Rangers, Angels, Orioles, Rays, Rockies, Dodgers, Marlins

Iglesias hit three homers in Colorado’s spooky home game a year ago, but he’s hit double figures only once in his career, hitting 11 for the Reds in 2019. 292 average in his 2022 as well. This is the same mark he recorded with five teams in over 440 games dating back to early 2019. Your roster that puts the ball in play, hits all the fields, and is a competent defender at shortstop or second base.

Best Fit: Angels, Braves, D-backs, White Sox, Pirates

Chad Pinder is also an option here, but he’s not a strong defender anywhere in the diamond, hitting 86 OPS+ last season. Harrison, on the other hand, had his OAA numbers positive at both second base (3) and third base (1), and was near league average (94 OPS+) in 2022 at-bats. He can play short in a pinch.

Best fit: White Sox, Nationals, Phillies, Pirates

819 OPS in 674 games with the Twins in the 2015-21 season, Sano played only 20 games last year, batting 60-5 (.083) and was out most of the year with a left knee problem. missed the Injuries have been a problem for Sano throughout his career, as have his strikeouts. However, with his powerful swing and patient eye, he has proven to be a productive regular who can slug against both left and right handers when healthy. A reunion with Minnesota might make sense after the team traded Luis Alaez, who was expected to be the starting first baseman in 2023.

Best Fit: Twins, Rays, Rangers, Orioles

Veteran reliever with closing experience — Will Smith

There are other compelling relief options in the free agency market, including Andrew Chafin, Michael Fulmer and Matt Moore, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than Smith at this point. The left-handed pitcher has 91 career saves and will be able to hit his biggest moments as he pitches scoreless with six saves in 11 innings until the Braves clinch the World Series title in 2021. showed. , but he did much better after joining the Astros at the trade deadline, where he’s seen teams ranging from contenders to rebuilding clubs that could overthrow him at the trade deadline. Fits

Best Fit: Rangers, Angels, Yankees, Tigers, Marlins, Orioles, Nationals, Dodgers

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