The Los Angeles Angels struck first out of the gate with the biggest two free agent signings of December. While the Angels aren’t a World Series favorite by any means just yet, there is no doubt they have taken the necessary steps towards becoming a contender in the American League. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs also made significant offseason moves with their December additions. With plenty of big names still available, this is likely only the beginning of the offseason free agent frenzy. Here is a look at the biggest MLB free agent impact moves so far this winter.
Shohei Ohtani To The Angels
The Angels made the biggest free agent splash of the winter so far when they signed Japanese two-way star Shohei Otani. The 23-year-old turned down interest from several big league clubs in order to sign with Los Angeles. Ohtani, who has turned a lot of heads with his rare pitching ability as well as his power hitting, has made it clear he intends to pitch and hit once he arrives in the majors. Ohtani will look to become the first two-way player in the majors in decades. The Angels are coming off back-to-back losing seasons and haven’t won a playoff game since 2009. The addition of Ohtani could help Los Angeles in the long term. However, news broke last week that Ohtani is dealing with an elbow injury that could delay his arrival in the majors. It will be very interesting to see how soon Ohtani arrives to the Angels. He will likely have a major impact as soon as he is ready to play.
Zack Cozart To The Angels
In addition to Ohtani, Los Angeles also signed the veteran shortstop Cozart to a three-year deal. Cozart will switch to third base and join an intriguing core that already features Mike Trout, Andrelton Simmons, Ian Kinsler and Albert Pujols. Cozart was a first-time All-Star in 2017 when he hit .297 with 24 home runs and 63 RBI, which were both career-high marks. After another losing season, management went all-in to build a contender around Trout. If the Angels additions pan out, it could go a long way towards them making a return to the playoffs in 2018. After a busy start to the winter, Los Angeles might not be that far away from contending for a World Series at +2500 to win it all this upcoming season.
Carlos Santana To The Phillies
The Phillies took another step in their rebuild when they signed Santana to a three-year, $60 million deal. The veteran first basemen is coming off a season in which he hit .259 with 23 home runs and 79 RBI. Santana should benefit from the move to Citizens Bank Park for home games. Philadelphia is hoping he can improve his home run production while continuing to hit for a decent average. The Phillies are coming off a brutal 66-96 season but they have a substantial amount of young talent and are clearly willing to invest in veteran talent. It will be interesting to see how Santana fares as Philadelphia attempts to take a step forward in 2018. However, the Phillies are still at least two years away from being considered a serious World Series contender.
Brandon Morrow To The Cubs
The Cubs saw first-hand how good Morrow could be when he performed at a high level against them in last year’s NLCS. So it wasn’t a surprise when they signed him to a two-year deal worth $21 million. Chicago hasn’t signed closer Wade Davis, so there is a real chance that Morrow could end up closing games for the Cubs in 2018. Morrow produced a 2.06 ERA with two saves in 45 appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Chicago is currently listed at +1200 odds to win the World Series in 2018, but it’s still early and those numbers will definitely be adjusted as they continue to add this offseason. It will be very interesting to see where the Cubs end up in the futures odds as other teams around the majors continue to add in what should be another busy baseball offseason.
Odds To Win 2018 World Series
Arizona Diamondbacks +2000
Atlanta Braves +10000
Baltimore Orioles +7500
Boston Red Sox +1000
Chicago Cubs +1000
Chicago White Sox +8000
Cincinnati Reds +10000
Cleveland Indians +650
Colorado Rockies +3000
Detroit Tigers +50000
Houston Astros +600
Kansas City Royals +12500
Los Angeles Angels +3000
Los Angeles Dodgers +500
Miami Marlins +75000
Milwaukee Brewers +3500
Minnesota Twins +6500
New York Mets +2500
New York Yankees +400
Oakland Athletics +12500
Philadelphia Phillies +10000
Pittsburgh Pirates +8000
San Diego Padres +12500
San Francisco Giants +4000
Seattle Mariners +3000
St Louis Cardinals +2500
Tampa Bay Rays +6500
Texas Rangers +5000
Toronto Blue Jays +3500
Washington Nationals +650
The 2017 MLB season has come to a conclusion as the Houston Astros were crowned champions. The 2018 World Series futures are already posted, so if you’re looking at betting lines, click here to bet on MLB (or any other sports) at BetDSI!
