March is the month that officially starts spring training in Major League Baseball. There are also some Venezuelan players in free agency, including David Peralta, who could be a valuable asset for any team.
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Peralta, who will turn 37 in August, had a tough year in 2023, batting .259 with seven home runs, 55 RBIs, 47 runs scored, and a .657 OPS. His OPS+ of 81 was the worst in 10 MLB seasons. He underwent surgery in late October to repair a flexor tendon in his arm, which he had been dealing with since the All-Star break, resulting in a significant decline in his performance during the second half of the season.
It is expected that he will be ready to resume baseball activities in March, during spring training. If he can regain his health and form quickly, he could be a valuable asset for any team in need of a left fielder.
Eduardo Escobar working for another opportunity
Another player hoping for another chance is Eduardo Escobar. After a disappointing 2023 season with the Mets and the Angels, he has been preparing intensely for the upcoming season, aiming to catch the attention of a team.
He aims to replicate his performance from 2019, the best season of his career, where he led all of baseball in triples (10) and drove in 118 runs in 158 games with the Arizona Rattlers, resulting in an OPS of .831. Despite this, Escobar still believes he has more to offer in the MLB, mainly due to his versatility. The key will be to improve his offensive numbers.
Andrus making the most of the second half
Meanwhile, Elvis Andrus, now the player with the most seasons in the Majors following Miguel Cabrera’s retirement, had a lackluster year offensively. However, his numbers in the second half of the season showed promise, batting .305 with 14 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 26 RBIs, 22 runs scored, a .328 OBP, and a .801 OPS in 49 games.
On the other hand, Manny Piña has had a rough couple of years, appearing in only nine games with Atlanta in 2022 (5) and Oakland in 2023 (4). He has been most effective behind the plate, but in 418 at-bats, he had a decent OPS of .722 for a catcher of his size. Therefore, he could play a supporting role as a budget-friendly catcher for a team in need.