Top 10 MLB Offseason Acquisitions Making an Impact in 2024

Shota Imanaga

Former Club: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
Current Club: Chicago Cubs
2024 Stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 9 Ks

Acquired via: Signed 4-Year $53 Million

Over the past few seasons, several Japanese standouts have come stateside and made a lasting impression. However, Shota Imanaga's MLB debut may take the cake. The southpaw punched out nine in 6.0 shutout innings, taking the victory against the Colorado Rockies. 

Imanaga effectively navigated the Rockies' lineup, giving up just two hits at Wrigley Field. But it's his analytics that paints the more telling picture. Imanaga induced a 47.7% chase percentage and 36.4% whiff rate, using his four-pitch mix to keep batters guessing. 

Jesse Winker

Former Club: Milwaukee Brewers
Current Club: Washington Nationals
2024 Stats: 1.116 OPS, 2 Home Runs, 2 RBI, 1 Run

Acquired via: Signed Minor League Deal

Deployed sparingly, Jesse Winker has only accumulated 11 at-bats early in 2024. Still, he's made each one count, totaling five hits, a double, and a homer while accounting for three runs. 

Short on offers, Winker was relegated to signing a minor league deal with the lowly Washington Nationals this past offseason. Nevertheless, the former All-Star had his contract selected after a productive Spring Training, carrying that momentum early into the regular season. 

J.D. Davis

Former Club: San Francisco Giants
Current Club: Oakland Athletics
2024 Stats: 1.122 OPS, 2 Home Runs, 2 RBI, 4 Runs

Acquired via: Signed 1-Year $2.5 Million

J.D Davis didn't have to travel far to find a new home, venturing across the Bay Bridge from the San Francisco Giants to the Oakland Athletics. Davis has been one of the few bright spots in what will otherwise be a challenging year. 

Davis has been a solid complementary producer throughout his career; however, he will be the primary contributor for the A's. His two RBI and four runs have accounted for six of the team's 15 runs this season. Although he might not want to play too well or risk getting sent down to Triple-A, like his teammate Esteury Ruiz.

Michael A. Taylor

Former Club: Minnesota Twins
Current Club: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 Stats: 1.064 OPS, 4 RBI, 6 Runs, 1 SB

Acquired via: Signed 1-year $4 Million

A late offseason signing, Michael Taylor didn't land with the Pittsburgh Pirates until a couple of weeks ahead of Opening Day. The Pirates are likely glad they inked the former Gold Glove winner, as he's been a fundamental part of the team's early season success. 

The Pirates are one of three teams that remain undefeated in 2024, totaling 39 runs in five games with a +18 run differential. Taylor has cemented himself as a regular in that lineup, accounting for four RBI and six runs from the bottom of the order. 

Justin Turner

Former Club: Boston Red Sox
Current Club: Toronto Blue Jays
2024 Stats: 1.1.35 OPS, 1 Home Run, 4 RBI, 4 Runs

Acquired via: Signed 1-Year $13 Million

At this rate, Justin Turner will be playing into his 50s. The 39-year-old landed with the Toronto Blue Jays in January and is making an immediate impact with his new squad. 

Arguably, no team has had a more disappointing start to the season than the Blue Jays, though it's no fault of Turner's. Through six games, the wily veteran is slugging .700, with five of his seven hits going for extra bases. Still, Toronto will need a more cohesive effort to compete as +380 longshots in the AL East.

Tyler O'Neill

Former Club: St. Louis Cardinals
Current Club: Boston Red Sox
2024 Stats: 1.145 OPS, 2 Home Runs, 2 RBI, 6 Runs

Acquired via: Trade

The Boston Red Sox have finally unlocked the potential the St. Louis Cardinals never could. After acquiring Tyler O'Neill via trade this past offseason, the outfielder has made a lasting impression with the Fenway Faithful. 

It didn't take long for O'Neill to find his groove in Beantown. The two-time Gold Glove winner went yard in the season opener, becoming the first player in MLB history to homer in five straight Opening Day contests. He's maintained that elite play through the first week of the season, compiling a sterling 1.145 OPS with two RBI and six runs scored.

Tyler Glasnow

Former Club: Tampa Bay Rays
Current Club: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 Stats: 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 8 Ks

Acquired via: Trade

Players can never get too comfortable playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, and Tyler Glasnow found that out the hard way. The hard-throwing righty was jettisoned to the Los Angeles Dodgers, immediately upgrading LA's already promising outlook for the season. 

Glasnow used Spring Training to establish himself as the staff ace. More importantly, he's parlayed that into regular season success and validated the Dodgers position atop the World Series futures board. The 30-year-old has allowed three earned runs across 11.0 innings pitched for a 2.45 ERA. As expected, baserunners have been few and far between, with Glasnow allowing just four hits and five walks over that stretch. 

Heading into the season's second week, the Dodgers' World Series price is +330 and dropping.

Juan Soto

Former Club: San Diego Padres
Current Club: New York Yankees
2024 Stats: 1.101 OPS, 1 Home Run, 4 RBI, 2 Runs

Acquired via: Trade

The prize acquisition from this past offseason, Juan Soto, has transformed the New York Yankees into +175 frontrunners in the AL East. Technically acquired via trade, Soto avoided arbitration with his new squad by signing a one-year $31-million pact with the Bronx Bombers. 

Still unable to experience Yankee Stadium's hitter-friendly dimensions, Soto is showing he was worth every bit of the investment. The outfielder has driven in four while coming around to score twice without showcasing his power. Just two of his ten hits have gone for extra bases, but as soon as he figures out his power swing, there will be no containing Soto or the Yankees.

Corbin Burnes

Former Club: Milwaukee Brewers 
Current Club: Baltimore Orioles
2024 Stats: 1.50 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 11 Ks

Acquired via: Trade

No disrespect to DL Hall or Joey Ortiz, but this one could go down as one of the most lopsided trades in MLB history. Corbin Burnes validated the offseason hype in his first start with the Baltimore Orioles, making the Milwaukee Brewers immediately regret the trade. 

Burnes dazzled in his only start of the season, allowing just one hit (a home run) in 6.0 innings pitched. More impressively, the former Cy Young winner struck out 11 batters for an MLB-leading 16.5 K/9 rate. We wouldn't be surprised if he maintained this standard throughout the year.

Shota Imanaga

Former Club: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
Current Club: Chicago Cubs
2024 Stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 9 Ks

Acquired via: Signed 4-Year $53 Million

Over the past few seasons, several Japanese standouts have come stateside and made a lasting impression. However, Shota Imanaga's MLB debut may take the cake. The southpaw punched out nine in 6.0 shutout innings, taking the victory against the Colorado Rockies. 

Imanaga effectively navigated the Rockies' lineup, giving up just two hits at Wrigley Field. But it's his analytics that paints the more telling picture. Imanaga induced a 47.7% chase percentage and 36.4% whiff rate, using his four-pitch mix to keep batters guessing.