We are now officially in the home stretch of the 2023 season. The postseason landscape is becoming much clearer. Certain teams have already punched their ticket to October, while others are watching their postseason hopes come to an end.
For the teams that don't make it to the postseason, there is going to be a lot of work that needs to be done when the World Series comes to an end and the offseason rolls around.
Some of that work may come in free agency. Some of it could happen on the trade market as well. Certain teams that were expected to reach the postseason and ultimately didn't are likely going to be extra motivated to ensure that a season like this doesn't happen again, understanding that they fell far short of expectations.
MLB Rumors: Expect these 3 teams to be most active
The offseason should be very compelling for a number of teams, but it will be interesting to see what teams who fell short may do to improve their chances at contention in 2024.
2023 will soon be over. In just a few weeks, only 12 teams will be remaining, and they'll battle it out for a chance to claim a World Series title this October.
For the rest of Major League Baseball, the focus will be on 2024 and beyond.
Three teams in particular that were expected to be contenders fell short this season and are already eliminated from playoff contention with just under two weeks left in the season. We will examine these three teams, what went wrong for them, and how they can improve for 2024.
MLB Rumors: Chicago White Sox have a lot of work to do
The White Sox have been a trainwreck this season. On paper, they had a good roster that featured Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, Keynan Middleton, Jake Burger, Andrew Vaughn, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, and Luis Robert Jr.
However, things fell apart quickly, and several familiar faces were traded away at the deadline. Middleton, Gioltio, Burger, and Lynn were gone by August 1. Middleton then revealed a shocking truth, that the White Sox clubhouse lacked accountability and leadership.
They've already fired former General Manager Rick Hahn and President Ken Williams. Chris Getz has taken over as the team's GM. The White Sox will have several holes to fill on their roster and in their front office, and they'll likely do everything in their power to prevent a repeat of this season.
MLB Rumors: Los Angeles Angels will be active
The Angels are another interesting case. A lot of focus was on them due to Shohei Ohtani being in the final year of his contract.
The Angels were in postseason contention at the time of the deadline and added some key pieces, but things began to go south shortly thereafter, and now it is almost certain that Ohtani, who recently underwent Tommy John surgery, will walk in free agency. Robert Murray thinks the odds of an Ohtani return as low:
"Not only did it signal that the Angels were done in 2023, it perhaps signaled the end to Ohtani's tenure in Anaheim. He's made it clear that he wants to compete in the postseason. He has not done so in six seasons in Anaheim despite being the best player in baseball. The Angels did everything they could to keep Ohtani. In the end, however, this was increasingly likely to be his last season in Anaheim."
But considering that they tried to make one last run with Ohtani, it's obvious that they had goals of winning. Rumors of a potential Mike Trout trade are circulating now, and in order for Trout to win in Anaheim, the Angels will have to spend some money and build around him if they plan on contending.
MLB Rumors: St. Louis Cardinals will add pitching
The Cardinals were eliminated on September 19 with a 7-3 loss to the Brewers. Before the season began, they were heavily favored to win the NL Central.
However, they started off 10-24 and never recovered. The pitching is what failed the Cardinals in 2023, as it was an area that wasn't addressed this past offseason. St. Louis has a wish list which is headlined by starting pitching, specifically Aaron Nola. FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray noted this in a recent column:
"Leading into the regular season, Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies were engaged in contract extension talks. Ultimately, no deal was ever close to being consummated, and the right-hander went into a contract year with no long-term deal in place. It was a risk by Nola, of course. But it was also a risk for the Phillies, who risked Nola further establishing himself as a premier right-hander, and further bolstering his value ahead of free agency...If the Cardinals are to land a higher-end starting pitcher in free agency, a name that makes a LOT of sense for them is Jordan Montgomery. A reunion between the two sides is one to watch."
They'll need to load up on pitching if they want to contend again in 2024. Fortunately, the free agent market will be full of solid options such as Aaron Nola, Blake Snell, Sonny Gray, and others.
