Re-Grading the Biggest 2021-22 MLB Offseason Moves

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Kris Bryant’s Deal with the Colorado Rockies: 7 years, $182 million

2022 Stats: 17 G, 73 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, .270 AVG, .342 OBP, .333 SLG, minus-0.2 rWAR

You’re forgiven if you had forgotten that Bryant was even on the Rockies. He’s barely been seen over the last two months, having played in only two games since April 25 because of two stints on the injured list with a bad back.

As for what the 2016 NL MVP has done for the Rockies when healthy…well, it was nothing special. Only four of his 17 hits this season have been for extra bases.

The early returns can’t be what the Rockies were hoping for from the largest free-agent signing in their history. And while the 30-year-old Bryant does still have six-and-a-half seasons to redeem his deal, it doesn’t bode well that this partnership has so quickly gone from looking like a bad idea to an even worse idea.

Grade: F

The Toronto Blue Jays’ Trade for Matt Chapman: INF Kevin Smith, LHPs Zach Logue and Kirby Snead, RHP Gunnar Hogland to the Oakland Athletics

2022 Stats: 64 G, 253 PA, 9 HR, 0 SB, .214 AVG, .300 OBP, .384 SLG, 1.2 rWAR

Chapman has been more or less as advertised in the field at third base, thus far accounting for four defensive runs saved. The Blue Jays got zero DRS from the position in 2021, so the 29-year-old’s arrival has been a net positive for them in at least one aspect.

Offensively, on the other hand, he isn’t quite replicating the 45 home runs that Marcus Semien blasted for Toronto last season. There’s perhaps some bad luck at play in this arena, but it’s also a variation on a theme for Chapman. He’s been struggling to produce ever since he developed that hip injury in 2020, hitting just .215/.305./.419 over the last three seasons.

Like with Atlanta’s trade for Matt Olson, none of the players Toronto gave up for Chapman have hit any kind of stride in Oakland. Hoglund is probably the Athletics’ best hope for a star, but he first has to finish his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Grade for Toronto: C

Grade for Oakland: F

The New York Yankees’ Trade for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt: C Gary Sanchez and 3B Gio Urshela to the Minnesota Twins

2022 Stats: 52 G, 220 PA, 6 HR, 1 SB, .233 AVG, .327 OBP, .386 SLG, 1.6 rWAR

There was a lot going on in this trade, but Donaldson was the clear headliner for the Yankees. And the 2015 AL MVP has thus far been solid for them, particularly while racking up seven defensive runs saved in only 286.1 innings at the hot corner.

Whether the Yankees have gotten the better end of this trade is nonetheless debatable. Kiner-Falefa has exactly 0 DRS to his credit, and he and Donaldson have been no better offensively than Sanchez and Urshela. The latter duo has a combined 102 wRC+, compared to a 96 wRC+ for the former.

There are also the stories that the numbers can’t tell. For the Twins, there’s a good one about how the Donaldson trade opened up payroll space for Carlos Correa. For the Yankees, there’s the less good one about Donaldson’s confrontation with Tim Anderson.

Grade for New York: C

Grade for Minnesota: B