According to one website, the Houston Astros are the most improved club at this crucial position. In terms of free agency, the Houston Astros haven’t taken many actions this offseason. However, MLB.com thinks the Astros have advanced further than any other baseball team in one particular area.

Based on transactions done this offseason, the website just created a list of the clubs that are the most improved at each position. It contrasted its 2024 estimates with FanGraphs’ 2023 positional leaderboards for wins above replacement (WAR) to ascertain the improvement. The Astros improved significantly in one position: catcher.

By simply moving on from Martín Maldonado and installing Yainer Diaz as the team’s everyday catcher, the Astros went from being ranked No. 25 in WAR at the position to a projected No. 9.

Maldonado’s tenure with the Astros was successful. He spent six seasons with the Astros (2018-23) and in each season the Astros went to, at minimum, the NL Championship Series. They also reached the World Series in 2019, 2021 and 2022, with the Astros winning the title in 2022.

Maldonado’s defense and pitching staff management skills were his strongest suit. However, his bat was a weakness. He never batted higher than.212 in his final five seasons with the Astros, and his average over those five seasons was.191. The Chicago White Sox signed Maldonado.

The Astros had already decided that Diaz would start before Maldonado signed his contract. He is a significant improvement at the plate even though he is not yet Maldonado’s defensive equal. He batted.282 in 104 games as a rookie in 2023, with 23 home runs and 60 RBI. In the end, he received the fifth-place vote for American League Rookie of the Year.

Furthermore, he received a $333,108 bonus from the pre-arbitration bonus pool, which is allocated to pre-arb players who surpass their current salary through a WAR calculation, as well as bonuses for winning specific league-wide honors. The Astros signed Victor Caratini to support him. In 2024, their combined presence should help the Astros score more runs while Diaz keeps improving behind the dish.

Read more on sportupdares.co.uk