Detroit Tigers: AL Central offseason roundup: November

Minnesota Twins (78-84 in 2022)

Speaking of disappointing seasons, the Twins and the next team we'll talk about may have had the two most disappointing seasons in the entire league. They shocked the baseball world when they signed Carlos Correa to a three-year deal after the lockout ended. The catch? There were opt-outs after every season. Shockingly enough, he exercised that opt-out, so he's currently a free agent.

The Twins had a good team on paper. Stars like Correa and Byron Buxton headlined the lineup, and a solid pitching staff led by Sonny Gray and rookie Joe Ryan made them a tough foe. But things went south quickly for this team.

All season long we talked about how much the Tigers season was derailed by injuries. Don't tell that to the Twins. They lost over 10 WAR due to players being on the IL. They were fifth in the league in games missed by players on the IL. They had 11 players on the IL at one point.

Still, the team was good enough to where they should have made the playoffs, especially since they play in this division. They'll surely look to be better in 2023.

They've had a relatively quiet offseason so far. They made a minor trade, acquiring infielder Kyle Farmer from the Reds on Nov. 19 and also traded 3B Gio Urshela to the Angels. Urshela was on of their better hitters with a 121 OPS+ last season, so that's an interesting move. But that's pretty much been it so far.

They are rumored to be looking for a catcher, in addition to trying to re-sign Correa. GM Thad Levine has shown to be creative in the past. It'll be interesting to see what he's got up his sleeve this time around.

Chicago White Sox (81-81 in 2022)

It's really tough to choose which team had a more disappointing 2022 season, but it just might be the White Sox. After winning the division in 2021, many people predicted them to repeat and possibly make a run at the World Series. It's safe to say things didn't go as planned for the ChiSox.

They also spent a lot of time on the IL, with C Yasmani Grandal, SS Tim Anderson, and OF Eloy Jimenez among the players that had their seasons cut short due to injuries. Combine that with a manager that probably should have been in a retirement home instead of being in a major league dugout, and you have the recipe for a disappointing season.

It wasn't all bad. Dylan Cease had a breakout season, finishing with a 2.20 ERA while striking out 11.1 batters per nine innings. But this White Sox team woefully underachieved this season.

Tony La Russa stepped down due to health concerns at the end of the season, so the White Sox had to find a new manager for the second time in three years. They ended up landing former Royals' bench coach Pedro Grifol. Whether that proves to be the right move, we'll find out in time.

There hasn't been much in terms of roster churn yet for the Sox. They non-tendered OFs Adam Engel and Mark Payton, as well as INF Danny Mendick. They will be looking to add an outfielder and a second baseman this offseason. However, it sounds like they'll be doing this via trade as opposed to free agency as owner Jerry Reinsdorf is seeking to limit the team's payroll. They'll also look to replace longtime 1B/DH Jose Abreu, who has signed with the Houston Astros.

They signed SP Mike Clevinger to a one-year, $12 million deal on Nov. 27. That's an interesting signing considering what we just established: the White Sox aren't looking to add to their payroll. Don't be shocked if they trade someone like SP Lance Lynn as they try to get that number down.

Cleveland Guardians (92-70 in 2022)

Cleveland did virtually nothing last offseason, won the AL Central, and was one win away from advancing to the ALCS. What a weird year.

To be fair, Cleveland's pitching staff did it again, carrying them to success. Shane Bieber was outstanding once again despite a dip in velocity, Triston McKenzie had a breakout season, and their bullpen was stellar, led by hard-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase.

Jose Ramirez unsurprisingly led the offense, but Andres Gimenez had a breakout season at second base, earning an All-Star selection and the AL Gold Glove award at the position.

This was a team that was built around contact. They put the ball in play. It didn't matter how hard it was hit, they were simply focused on putting the bat on the ball. To their credit, it worked for the most part.

Cleveland has had a pretty quiet offseason so far. Terry Francona will be back in 2023 to manage the team. Their non-tenders were former Detroit Tigers' OF turned LHP Anthony Gose and C Luke Maile. If I had to guess, they probably won't do much again this winter. But you never know.