As Spring Training rapidly approaches, teams across Major League Baseball will quickly look to fill holes in their lineups and rotations before the start of the season. Some great options are still available in free agency, but vibes mean everything in sports. While a player might look like they fit a team on paper, the overall production from them ultimately depends on how they handle the pressure from their respective cities and fanbases. Here are some of the biggest free agents left on the market and where I feel they fit best.
Cody Bellinger – best fit = Chicago Cubs
After less-than-perfect final seasons with the Dodgers and a shoulder injury that completely changed the course of his career, Cody Bellinger seemed to fit right into life in Chicago during the 2023 season. Looking back to 2019, when the MVP race between him and Christian Yelich was at its peak (a much simpler time), it would have been wild to imagine a time when Cody Bellinger was anything less than a superstar in MLB. Bellinger revamped himself in Chicago, hitting more home runs than his previous three seasons. It is valid to wonder if Bellinger could continue this in a new location, which is why he would fit best back in the Cubs lineup.
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Jordan Montgomery – best fit = New York Yankees
Whenever a player joins the Yankees, baseball fans wonder whether or not they can handle the pressure of New York. During Jordan Montgomery’s original tenure with the Yankees before he was traded to the Cardinals in 2022, he pitched to a league-average ERA each season and was a strong fit in a rotation. Montgomery massively improved over his last season, winning the World Series in 2023 with the Rangers. While both teams have since moved on, it is easy to see that a reunion could be in the books this year, with the Yankees needing to add pitchers to their rotation after losing Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the Dodgers.
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Matt Chapman – San Francisco Giants
While the last few off-seasons have not been anything short of dramatic for the Giants, this off-season needs to be short and sweet. It might take a miracle for them to win the NL West after the addition of Shohei Ohtani to the already stellar Dodgers lineup, but the Giants need a third baseman. Matt Chapman has been a household name since his days in Oakland and would give the Giants a chance to at least be competitive in the National League playoff race. As a California native and a former member of the Oakland Athletics, Chapman is used to the area and would fit right in as a member of the Giants.
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Blake Snell – Baltimore Orioles
Blake Snell might be best known for being taken out in the fifth inning after dealing in a World Series game, but he is an incredible pitcher who has won a Cy Young award for both teams he has played for. The Baltimore Orioles are a young, fun team but inexperienced in playoff atmospheres. Snell would be a great addition because he not only fits the team’s vibes, but he also has experience in big moments and pitched in the AL East for years. Adding Blake Snell to the Baltimore team only adds a veteran presence to a very young team and, in the long run, might make them a World Series favorite.
Photo Credit: Kevin Sousa / USA Today Sports
Edited by: Sarah Muñoz