Coming off a disastrous 2021 season, Jose Quintana signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Pirates in the offseason, then spent 2022 proving he could still pitch in the majors.
And not just pitch, but thrive in the majors. He had a 2.93 ERA — the best of his career — in 32 starts with the Pirates and Cardinals. And then, on baseball’s big stage, Quintana proved that his 2022 success wasn’t just a regular-season mirage. The Cardinals gave him the Game 1 start in the Wild Card Series vs. the Phillies and he was brilliant, allowing just two hits and one walk in 5 1/3 shutout innings.
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I think it’s fair to say that Quintana, a free agent after the World Series ends, won’t have to settle with a bare-bones deal with a non-contender this offseason. Every club with October aspirations is looking for playoff-tested starters, and Quintana now fits. He won’t be the only soon-to-be-free-agent to help his cause in the offseason, though. It happens every year, so let’s take a look at 10 players who could boost their earning potential in the Division Series and beyond.
Oh, and before we get going: You won’t find Aaron Judge or other established stars such as Trea Turner or Dansby Swanson on this list. We’re looking at guys who would gain a massive benefit from “2022 postseason hero” tagged to their free-agent resumes.
Tyler Anderson, Dodgers
Why he’s here: Anderson will get plenty of offers after his breakthrough 2022 season with the Dodgers, no doubt about that. In his Age 32 season, an opportunity opened up in the Dodgers’ rotation in April and Anderson grabbed it and never let go, posting a 2.57 ERA in 178 2/3 innings. He made 12 starts with at least six innings and one or zero earned runs allowed. Much like Quintana, he’d be a good rotation addition for any club, but add a couple of dominant playoff starts to the resume and that changes the equation.
Josh Bell, Padres
Why he’s here: Bell was outstanding with the Nationals in 2022, posting an .877 OPS with 14 home runs in 103 games, but not so outstanding after he was traded to the Padres, posting a .587 OPS with three home runs in 53 games. Is he a starting first baseman for a contending team? That’s a position where consistency is a requirement. His postseason started well, with a home run off Max Scherzer in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.
Adam Frazier, Mariners
Why he’s here: It wasn’t long ago that Adam Frazier was battling for a batting title; he was hitting .324 for the Pirates in 2021 when the Padres came calling, acquiring him before the trade deadline in an effort to add consistency to the offense. That didn’t work, as Frazier hit .267 with an 87 OPS+ and was traded to Seattle. He struggled for the Mariners, too, batting just .238 with an 80 OPS+ in 156 games for his new team. His free-agent value has dropped to the point where finding a potential starting job at second base will be tough. You know what helps boost value, though? Frazier went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and his double in the ninth chased home the go-ahead run in Seattle’s epic 10-9 victory. More of that on the big stage and his options should open up.
Luke Maile, Guardians
Why he’s here: Look, the goal for this piece was to use at least one player from each team. Cleveland had just three impending free agents: Maile, Bryan Shaw and Austin Hedges. Well, Shaw was DFA’d at the end of the season and Hedges is what he is — good catcher, weak hitter (.185 average, 57 OPS+ in 421 games since 2018) — and no October moments will change that. So it’s Maile, the backup catcher who walked in his only plate appearance vs. the Rays. It’s not like he’ll be in line for a starting job anywhere in 2023 in his Age 32 season, but a couple of key hits in big moments and strong defensive play if he gets the chance could change which teams are interested, and that matters to Maile. And the fact that the Guardians only had three free agents is a reason to think they’ll be October regulars for a while.
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Andrew Benintendi, Yankees
Why he’s here: For a guy like Benintendi, the goal is proving he deserves a spot in a contender’s outfield next year. He lost his spot in the Boston outfield in 2020, was solid in K.C. — the career-best .387 on-base percentage with the Royals in 2022 before the trade to New York was eye-opening — but then just “meh” with the Yankees. Guys without a lot of power or speed (he had five homers and eight stolen bases in 126 games) don’t find guarantees and big money with contenders if they don’t at least get on base at a high clip — his 2021 OBP was .324 and it was .331 with the Yankees — or produce in the playoffs. Benintendi’s first trip back to the postseason since 2018 could make a big impact on where he lands this offseason.
Zach Elfin, Phillies
Why he’s here: He’s in an interesting spot. This spring, Eflin and the Phillies agreed to a deal with a mutual option for 2023, at $15 million. It’s quite a jump up from the $5.7 million he made this year. He started 2022 in the rotation, posting a 4.37 ERA in 13 starts through the end of June, when he landed on the IL. When he came back, he was in the bullpen, where he gave up just one run in 7 2/3 innings, and he closed both wins in St. Louis. So where does that leave him for 2023? Both sides would like to see Eflin stay in Philly, but at $15 million? The postseason could have some bearing on that, and it’s started well for the big right-hander.
Aledmys Diaz, Astros
Why he’s here: Diaz is the kind of play-anywhere piece that’s important for contenders to have, as a fill-in for long stretches at any of the infield positions, and he’s started games in the corner outfield spots, too. But a big postseason would help boost his value. Even with his big showing in the 2021 ALCS (5-for-12), Diaz still has just a .598 OPS in 35 postseason plate appearances.
Joey Gallo, Dodgers
Why he’s here: Remember when the Yankees cut ties with Gallo, traded him to Los Angeles and then he hit three homers and had a 1.042 OPS in his first nine games with the Dodgers? Since then, he has a .138 average and .580 OPS, which is worse than what he did in New York this year (.159, .621). Gallo’s a two-time All-Star, but probably needs a decent postseason just to get teams to return calls from his agent in the offseason.
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Jameson Taillon, Yankees
Why he’s here: Taillon revived his injury-marred career in his two years with the Yankees, proving himself to be a reliable rotation pitcher with a 4.08 ERA in 61 starts. Not to be a broken record, but a few shutdown October starts would open eyes and loosen pocketbooks.
Jake Odorizzi, Braves
Why he’s here: Hey, it’s tough to find loose ends with the Braves. Dansby Swanson and Kenley Jansen are FAs, but October performances probably won’t boost their standings. Adam Duvall is hurt and not playing, and same thing with Luke Jackson. So we come to Odorizzi, who has a player option for 2023 that he’s almost certainly going to exercise, at $12.5 million with a $6.25 million buyout (he hit contract escalators to jump up those numbers). So why is he here? Well, the question is this: How does he fit in Atlanta in 2023? Truth is, he probably doesn’t, so any chance to shine in the postseason (probably only if Spencer Strider doesn’t come back or someone else gets hurt) might convince another team to trade for Odorizzi this offseason, should the Braves decide $6.25 million is too much to pay as a buyout.
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