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1 player each NL team should sign

Rob Tringali / Major League Baseball / Getty

Every team enters the offseason with its own unique needs to fill, yet only some will be able to accomplish their winter goals. Let's delegate on behalf of each and find a player - with no overlap - who should be signed in the National League.

Yesterday, we looked at 1 player each AL team should sign.

Arizona Diamondbacks, Scooter Gennett: The Diamondbacks are potentially on the cusp of being a wild-card contender after finishing with 85 wins last season. However, they're likely not at the point of investing heavily in their core of Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar. Signing Gennett would allow the organization to continue to straddle that line. The 29-year-old is one year removed from being one of the best second basemen in the league but is coming off a dismal campaign, which means he likely wants to regain some of his value and can be had on the cheap. That affords Arizona two favorable options: it is competitive with a healthy and resurgent Gennett, or it's lousy and the front office can maybe flip the infielder at the deadline. Either way, the acquisition cost - and subsequent risk - should be low.

Atlanta Braves, Madison Bumgarner: The veteran left-hander is exactly what the Braves' young rotation needs. Bumgarner could slot in as the No. 2 behind NL Rookie of the Year finalist Mike Soroka and ahead of hard-throwing righty Mike Foltynewicz. Atlanta is reportedly making the four-time All-Star a priority in free agency, which makes sense for all parties involved. The team needs to replace starters Dallas Keuchel and Julio Teheran, while Bumgarner would be closer to his hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, with Georgia's capital just 257 miles away. The former World Series MVP and three-time champion could also bring a ton of experience to a club that has lost in the NLDS the last two seasons.

Chicago Cubs, Dellin Betances: The Cubs are prioritizing the bullpen this offseason and Betances could pay huge dividends if he's able to stay healthy. The big righty has been one of the top relief arms in the majors during his eight seasons, as he posted a 2.36 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 14.6 K/9 for the New York Yankees. The Cubs should be able to afford the 31-year-old, who won't be expensive as he tries to rebuild his value after an injury-plagued season in which he made just one appearance. Chicago's bullpen ranked 20th in WAR last season and three of its top relievers - Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, and Brandon Kintzler - are free agents.

Cincinnati Reds, Marcell Ozuna: The Reds fell short last year after throwing money around during the winter in an attempt to build a contender. They don't necessarily need a transformative offseason, but one big addition like Ozuna would give the lineup another premium bat. The outfielder could come at a bit of a bargain, too, after a relatively disappointing 2019 campaign. The Reds may conceivably be the best team in the NL Central if the 29-year-old outfielder can recapture his 2017 form.

Colorado Rockies, Eric Thames: This might be a stingy offseason for the Rockies, who just retained superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado on a multi-year extension and finished one game above last place in the division. The team could use an inexpensive slugger, though, and Thames fits that description. However, his addition would likely move Daniel Murphy back to second base and Ryan McMahon into a full-time outfield spot.

Los Angeles Dodgers, Will Harris: The Dodgers are likely looking at a minor tweak if they continue to refuse to use their truly excessive ability to spend. The biggest focus should be the bullpen, and their attention should turn to Harris with Will Smith already off the board. The 35-year-old ranks 20th among qualified relievers in FIP over the last three seasons, one spot behind Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen.

Miami Marlins, Yasiel Puig: Who better than Puig to inject some life into the Marlins after another forgettable campaign in South Beach. Miami's projected outfielders hit just 17 home runs combined last season. Puig, meanwhile, has crushed 20-plus homers in three straight campaigns, including 24 in 2019. The Marlins might be able to get him at a discounted price, as some teams could be scared off by his past antics, but the talent is undeniable.

Milwaukee Brewers, Didi Gregorius: The Brewers have given Orlando Arcia plenty of chances to succeed as their starting shortstop, but it's time to hand over the reins to someone else. Gregorius is a perfect fit. The 29-year-old would give Milwaukee another capable middle-of-the-order bat and, if he's signed to a multi-year deal, provide them with a stopgap until top prospect Brice Turang is ready. Gregorius didn't have his most productive season in 2019 but hit 88 homers and drove in 304 runs over the past four years and has mostly been a positive defender, according to FanGraphs' Ultimate Zone Rating.

New York Mets, Daniel Hudson: From getting the final out in the 2019 World Series to potentially earning a nice payday in free agency, Hudson is likely enjoying life right now. The Mets were rumored to be interested in the right-hander last offseason and could definitely use his services next year. New York's bullpen put up a 4.99 ERA, which was the third-worst mark in the NL. The 32-year-old reliever accrued a 2.47 ERA in 73 innings between the Washington Nationals - for whom he emerged as the closer - and Toronto Blue Jays this past campaign. He would be a good backup option in Queens if Edwin Diaz struggles again.

Philadelphia Phillies, Josh Donaldson: Landing Donaldson would represent a massive upgrade for the Phillies at the hot corner. The four players Philadelphia used at third base last season accrued a combined 3.8 WAR. Maikel Franco saw the most action with 99 starts and posted a .705 OPS in 123 contests. Scott Kingery, the projected 2020 starter, finished with a respectable .258/.315/.474 slash line with 19 home runs. Donaldson, meanwhile, was worth 4.9 WAR and launched 37 long balls. He was also named a Gold Glove finalist. The Phillies would have one of the best lineups in baseball if they add the three-time All-Star's bat to an order already featuring Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, and Andrew McCutchen.

Pittsburgh Pirates, Travis d'Arnaud: The Pirates aren't known for breaking the bank in free agency and, even with new management in place, it's unlikely that changes this year. Pittsburgh should, though, be able to afford d'Arnaud, who is worthy of a major-league deal after having a career year in 2019. The backstop hit .263/.323/.459 with 16 homers in 92 games for the Tampa Bay Rays after 11 forgettable appearances with the Mets and Dodgers. The Pirates could also use a more polished starting catcher than Jacob Stallings or Elias Diaz, and d'Arnaud is a natural fit who would work within the team's budgetary restrictions.

San Diego Padres, Stephen Strasburg: The Padres reportedly felt they were priced out of the Strasburg sweepstakes earlier this winter. However, that could be offseason posturing in an attempt to bring the right-hander's asking price down. San Diego's young core is seemingly a bona fide ace away from taking the next step forward. Strasburg, 31, is the right player to lead a rotation comprised of Chris Paddack, Joey Lucchesi, and Dinelson Lamet while MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino continue to develop in the minors.

San Francisco Giants, Collin McHugh: The Giants should go big-game hunting this offseason after benefiting from favorable positions in three straight drafts. However, McHugh would be an interesting consolation prize if they aren't able to land Gerrit Cole or one of the other big arms. McHugh was an absolute weapon out of the Astros' bullpen in 2018, but injuries to Houston's rotation this past season forced the club to once again turn to the righty as a starter, which didn't go particularly well. Perhaps McHugh can be this year's Drew Pomeranz for the Giants and net them a good group of prospects by proving to be an elite multi-inning reliever.

St. Louis Cardinals, Mike Moustakas: One of the biggest problem areas for the Cardinals last season was third base. Moustakas could solve that issue, and adding the slugger would pry him away from the Brewers. Moustakas was an All-Star for Milwaukee in 2019, blasting 35 homers and 30 doubles to drive in 87 runs while posting a career-high .845 OPS. He'd also be an upgrade over Matt Carpenter, who batted just .226 last year, and give St. Louis a serious threat in its order to pair with slugger Paul Goldschmidt.

Washington Nationals, Yasmani Grandal: The defending World Series champions need to make a big move to potentially replace Anthony Rendon and Strasburg, and signing Grandal would certainly qualify as one. The 31-year-old had an excellent season both at the dish and behind the plate for the Brewers last year, leading NL catchers in home runs, on-base percentage, and walks. He's also one of the league's best pitch framers and finished second among catchers in FanGraphs' defensive rating last season. Incumbent backstop Kurt Suzuki is coming off a nice campaign with an .809 OPS in 85 games. However, he's entering his age-36 season and has one year remaining on his contract.

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