It looks like players wishing to earn big bucks in free agency during this MLB offseason will be disappointed. There is currently a standoff between front offices and free agents, as teams have been less willing to hand out big contracts than ever due to the number of high-level players who will be on the market next year. Despite this many teams have gotten established players through trades and the occasional free agent signing to try and improve its team.

One team that has had an especially loud offseason is the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels started the offseason by extending slugging outfielder Justin Upton whom they acquired the 2017 trade deadline to a five-year extension for $106 million. Their next major move came in the form of Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani, who they signed as a free agent back in December. “I was very impressed by the Angels winning the Ohtani sweepstakes, because very few experts predicted that happening,” commented Sophomore Jake McDonald. Ohtani is arguably the most-hyped Japanese prospect in the sports’ history, who will not only pitch but serve as the team’s designated hitter. But General Manager Billy Eppler did not stop there; within a week of grabbing Ohtani, he managed to sign third baseman Zack Cozart third and traded for Ian Kinsler to shore up the team’s hole at second base. Not only do these moves put pressure on other teams competing for the AL wildcard next year, but they also give the Angels an opportunity to pounce if the Astros somehow fall apart after their World Series victory last year. According to News 12 sports reporter Kevin Dexter, “The Angels made arguably the best move of the offseason signing Japanese standout Shohei Ohtani. I’m curious to see how effective he will both pitching and playing as a DH a few days a week, but if he is as good as advertised – look out. On top of that, adding Justin Upton and Zack Cozart were solid moves as well. Those two players solidify a dangerous middle of the order for the Angels , which already features two-time AL MVP Mike Trout. The Angels have certainly put themselves in the conversation of best teams in the AL heading into 2018.”

While the Angels have already made some big moves this offseason, they aren’t the only team looking to make a splash. Coming off a season in which they were one game away from a World Series berth, the New York Yankees made a huge move by acquiring former Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton in a trade with the Miami franchise. However, critics have complained that the Yankees clearly got the better end of the deal because the Marlins, who have been looking to dump their big-money players such as Stanton, are under the new ownership of Derek Jeter, who played for the Yankees for nearly two decades. With the addition of Stanton to a lineup that already includes the 6’8” hit-or-miss Aaron Judge, coupled with the resigning of fromer-Yankee C.C Sabathia, the Yankees look primed to challenge the Boston Red Sox for the A.L East crown in 2018. The Red Sox have long looked at outfielder J.D. Martinez as their counter to the Stanton trade, but he and his agent Scott Boras seem unlikely to deviate to far from his original asking price. If that is true, the Red Sox may be in big trouble, as they don’t seem to have much of a backup plan. Despite this, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston believes that “In the end, the Red Sox will sign J.D. Martinez. It’s the overwhelmingly obvious move. It’s painfully obvious,” (Yahoo Sports).

One team that looks to go from worst to first is the San Francisco Giants. The Giants, who won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014, had an abysmal record last season, going 64-98 and tying with the Detroit Tigers for the worst record in the MLB. Despite the popular opinion around baseball that they should go into a full-on rebuild, the Giants decided to trade for veterans Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, along with signing Austin Jackson to man centerfield. McDonald had this to say about the Giants additions, “I think the Giants did the wrong thing in acquiring Longoria, who is well past his prime, and Andrew McCutchen, whose contract is about to expire.” The Giants did their best to fill up their holes, but many question if it’s enough. Dexter says no, stating that “The Giants were in need of a big shakeup after a disappointing 2017, and I don’t think they’ve done enough yet. Adding Andrew McCutchen was a big time move, but he is past his prime, and they need a few more pieces to really improve upon the 64 wins they had a year ago. If they don’t add anything else, I think they are destined to be a losing team once again.” While things might not look great down in San Francisco, the Giants did manage to stay below the MLB’s luxury tax, which would have cost the organization nearly $50 million.

Once the stalemate between top free agents and MLB front offices ends, this offseason could turn from uneventful to full of action. As it stands now, however, many teams will have to wait until next offseason to fulfil their plans for the future.