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As the World Series moves to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1945, the emphasis at the venerable National League ballpark is on the change of rules that does not allow for a designated hitter.

In most years, this is something that tends to hurt the American League representative, because that league has used the DH to bat for the pitcher since the 1973 season.

The National League never followed suit, and the leagues have competed under two sets of rules for 43-plus years.

The Cubs have gotten excellent production and a huge psychological lift from the return of Kyle Schwarber (torn knee ligaments), who manned the DH role in the first two games in Cleveland. Schwarber narrowly missed a home run in Game 1 when his deep drive to right field went off the top of the wall for a double, and he delivered two RBI singles in the Cubs’ Game 2 victory.

Shortly after that game ended, questions abounded on whether Schwarber would be able to play the field when the series moved to Chicago. Those questions were answered Thursday with a resounding no.

“Kyle has not been medically cleared to play the field, so he will not be in the lineup the next three games,” team president Theo Epstein told the media (h/t Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com). “But we do look forward to him impacting the game as a pinch hitter for us, and certainly should the series return to Cleveland, he’ll be eligible to continue as a designated hitter.”

Game 3 will be played Friday night at 8:08 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox.

While Schwarber won’t be in the starting lineup, the Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound against Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin.

On the basis of the way those two have pitched this year, Hendricks would appear to have the advantage. He is a legitimate Cy Young Award candidate as he finished the regular season with a 16-8 record and a superb 2.13 earned run average along with a 0.979 WHIP.

Hendricks was on the mound for the Cubs in their pennant-clinching victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. Hendricks pitched 7.1 shutout innings as he allowed just two hits and struck out six. He did not give up a single base on balls.

Tomlin was 13-9 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.190 WHIP during the regular season. He has pitched quite well in the postseason with a 2-0 record, a 2.53 ERA and a 0.938 WHIP.

Even if both pitchers are on top of their games, this could be a high-scoring game. The weather is likely to have an impact, because this late-October game is expected to start with temperatures at 63 degrees, according to Weather.com. Additionally, the winds will be blowing out to centerfield. 

When the wind is blowing in at Wrigley, low-scoring games are the rule. When the wind is blowing out, routine fly balls can turn into long home runs.

Prediction: Indians win 8-6

Look for the excitement level to be off the charts at Wrigley Field, and for the two teams to play an exciting back-and-forth game.

The Indians ultimately come out ahead because their bullpen comes through and the Chicago relief pitchers weaken.

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All the betting trends seemed to be on the side of the Cleveland Indians after they won Game 1 of the World Series in a 6-0 rout Tuesday.

But the Chicago Cubs returned the favor in Game 2 with a 5-1 victory. They find themselves as large -200 favorites Friday (wager $200 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark in Game 3 at Wrigley Field, in part because they have the best home pitcher in baseball taking the mound for them.

Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks (game log) not only had the lowest ERA in MLB overall this year at 2.13, but he was also unreal at home with a 9-2 mark and 1.32 ERA in 15 games. Last season, he was 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 15 games at Wrigley Field, showing what a big difference a year can make.

In fact, the emergence of Hendricks, improvement of Jon Lester and addition of John Lackey alongside Game 2 winner Jake Arrieta made the team’s four-man starting rotation the best in the big leagues.

Cleveland is not so lucky, as it depends more on an outstanding bullpen and ace Corey Kluber, who shut down the Cubs in Game 1 and is scheduled to start again on short rest Saturday in Game 4 at Wrigley.

In Game 3, the Indians will be sending Josh Tomlin (game log) to the hill following two solid postseason outings against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Tomlin went 2-0 in those games with a 2.53 ERA, allowing three runs and seven hits in 10.2 innings with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

During the regular season, Tomlin was 8-4 in 15 road starts with a 4.31 ERA, and opposing batters hit .257 against him.

Tomlin will not have to worry about facing Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber, who was not medically cleared to play in the outfield after going 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI as the designated hitter in the first two games at Cleveland.

The Indians have won six of their last seven games at National League ballparks in interleague play after dropping eight of 11. The over has gone 9-5-1 in their past 15 interleague road games, and the under has cashed in the first two games of the World Series.

Chicago heads into Game 3 as the -225 favorite on the updated World Series odds.

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The 2016 World Series became all knotted up Wednesday, as the Chicago Cubs were able to steal a road win over the Cleveland Indians.

After Cleveland shut out Chicago 6-0 in Game 1, the Cubs returned the favor in Game 2 with a 5-1 win behind stout performances from Jake Arrieta and Kyle Schwarber. Now the series shifts for a three-game set in Chicago, as the Cubs have a chance to grab a lead at home.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the television and live-stream schedule for Game 3, in addition to a preview of the critical showdown.

Game 3 Preview

Not only was Game 2 important for the Cubs in terms of tying the series, but it also put the team in position to take advantage of a nice pitching matchup on Friday with a series lead on the line.

Chicago will trot out Kyle Hendricks, who became one of the best pitchers in baseball this season in a loaded Cubs rotation. The 26-year-old led the majors with a 2.13 ERA, and he has been excellent this postseason with just three earned runs allowed in 16.1 innings.

Hendricks was much better at home this season than on the road. He went 9-2 with a sparkling 1.32 ERA at Wrigley Field compared to a 7-6 mark on the road, which was the best in baseball, per CSN Chicago’s Christopher Kamka:

However, we don’t know how Hendricks will handle Cleveland’s lineup, since he has practically no experience against the current roster. He has faced only Marlon Byrd and Coco Crisp, and since Byrd has not been a playoff contributor, the only relevant comparison is with Crisp, who is 0-for-3 against Hendricks.

The Cy Young candidate should have plenty of confidence, as he proved he can win on the big stage in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. With a trip to the World Series on the line, Hendricks was sensational with two hits and no runs allowed in 7.1 innings. That garnered praise from his potential MVP teammate, per ESPN.com’s Bradford Doolittle.

“That’s the best pitching performance I’ve seen,” Kris Bryant said after Game 6. “Just throwing exactly where he wants to. Soft contact. He’s certainly the unsung hero of this team.”

Cleveland will counter with Josh Tomlin, who was solid this season with a 13-9 record and 4.40 ERA.

With Danny Salazar just coming back from injury and Carlos Carrasco out, Tomlin was thrust into the playoff rotation and has responded well. Though he has only 10.2 innings pitched in two starts, he is 2-0 with a stout 2.53 ERA with only three walks allowed. 

Indians manager Terry Francona seems to have plenty of trust in Tomlin, as the 32-year-old is expected to receive multiple starts in this series, per Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller:

Both of those starts will come at Wrigley Field, and as opposed to Hendricks, Tomlin actually performed better on the road this season than in Cleveland. He went 8-4 with a 4.31 ERA on the road compared to 5-5 with a 4.50 ERA at home.

Tomlin also has little experience against this current Cubs roster, having faced only Miguel Montero, David Ross and Ben Zobrist. In 19 career at-bats, Zobrist has just two hits off Tomlin.

It looks like the difference in Game 3 will be which team can get runners in scoring position. On the season, Hendricks was excellent in this situation, surrendering just a .178 opposing batting average in 33.2 innings pitched. On the other hand, Tomlin struggled with a .287 opposing average in 29.2 innings. He also allowed 49 earned runs to Hendricks’ 29.

Through two games this series, Chicago has been able to get in this position more often than Cleveland has, but the Cubs are converting at a less efficient rate. They are 4-for-23 combined with runners in scoring position, while the Indians are 2-for-13.

Given that the Cubs are generating more baserunners in scoring position, they should feel good going up against Tomlin. There will also be a ton of energy in Wrigley Field, as Chicago is playing its first World Series game in the stadium since 1945.

This should give Chicago an edge in Game 3, especially if Hendricks continues to pitch well. Cleveland could have a chance to hold off the home team if it can get a lead after about five innings of work from Tomlin, but that may be a lot to ask for.

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.

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MLB‘s offseason represents an opportunity for every team to start fresh.

Bloated contracts and payroll limitations often hinder franchises from living out fantasies of total transformations. Others are hamstrung by fear of the status quo.

The key is winning the offseason without being the team obsessed with winning the offseason. Last year, that dubious honor went to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who went backward in an eager attempt to contend.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox orchestrated playoff bids with major free-agent signings. None of them needed a complete overhaul, but the upgrades went a long way.

Some organizations need a minor tweak via a signing or trade. Others call for more intense makeovers. No squad will burn the entire roster to the ground; a few noteworthy maneuvers mark major change in the grand scheme of things.

Due to shedding salary or storing an overlooked bounty of talent, these teams have the opportunity to contend after missing the playoffs in 2016. Some are close. Others will need everything to fall in line with brilliant front-office planning and a sprinkle of luck.

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The Chicago Cubs were flat as could be in Game 1 of the World Series, but the National League champions struck back with a statement in Game 2, tying up the Fall Classic with a convincing 5-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

And now that both sides have a victory under their belt, the scene will shift to Wrigley Field as the Cubs seek to protect home field and inch closer to their first world championship since 1908. 

But before breaking down how viable a Cubs lead will be with Game 3 on Friday fast approaching, here’s a rundown of when and where you can catch all of the action. 

Preview and Prediction

Fresh off a postseason pitching performance for the ages, Kyle Hendricks will return to the mound Friday night and try to replicate the effort that allowed the Cubs to clinch the pennant in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

In the win, Hendricks tossed 7.1 innings of two-hit ball to give the Cubs all the cushion they needed to set up a showdown with the Indians. 

And if his performance during the playoffs has been any indication, he’ll keep things rolling along Friday night. 

The MLB ERA leader has made three home starts in the 2016 playoffs, allowing a meager nine hits and three earned runs in 16.1 innings en route to posting a 1.65 ERA.

Cleveland will counter with Josh Tomlin, who is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA to this point in the postseason. And considering it’s been 13 days since he last pitched, the righty should have plenty of juice at his disposal against Chicago’s power-packed lineup. 

Based on Tomlin’s approach against the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, MLB.com’s Mike Petriello noted the 32-year-old will likely lean on his curveball to keep the Cubs off balance. 

“The only two times in Tomlin’s career that he’s thrown the curve more than 30 percent of the time came in his two 2016 postseason starts—his two most recent starts—against powerful Boston and Toronto lineups,” Petriello wrote. 

Furthermore, Petriello emphasized just how much Chicago struggled against breaking pitches this year: “The Cubs have just a .201 average (the eighth-lowest) on curves, and if you’re now rightfully thinking that you only worry about exit velocity and average when contact is made, well, Chicago had a 32.1 percent contact rate when swinging at curves—which is the lowest in the majors.”

Those numbers should scare Chicago, but if manager Joe Maddon’s club employs the same disciplined strategy against Tomlin that allowed the Cubs to solve Clayton Kershaw in Game 6 of the NLCS, the NL champs could be in good shape. 

Factor in that the Cubs will have a raucous home crowd behind them, and they should be feeling good about their chances of taking a 2-1 series lead. 

“They’re probably just as excited if not more excited than we are to see that game played there,” Ben Zobrist said of the Wrigley faithful, according to the New York Times‘ James Wagner. “It’s been a long time, and they’ve been waiting patiently. They deserve to have these games played there at a Wrigley.”

Prediction: Cubs defeat Indians 4-2 in Game 3.

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Though the World Series is knotted at one game apiece, the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians didn’t play either game close.

Game 1 went to the Indians by a score of 6-0, while the Cubs took Game 2 5-1.

Regardless, both games underscored the ways each team could win the requisite three games moving forward and netted us some keys for Friday night’s Game 3.

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It only feels right that the 2016 World Series is already a back-and-forth affair, considering the history hanging in the balance.

The Cleveland Indians struck first in Game 1 behind a gem from Corey Kluber and dominant bullpen pitching from Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. The Chicago Cubs bounced back in Game 2 after Jake Arrieta took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

Now Cleveland is three wins away from winning its first title since 1948, while the Cubs are three wins away from shedding their “Lovable Losers” moniker and capturing their first championship since 1908.

With that in mind, here is a look at the remaining games, as well as predictions for each team. The schedule is courtesy of MLB.com, and ticket information can be found at ScoreBig.com.

Remaining World Series Schedule

Breakdown and Prediction

The first thing that jumps out about the pitching matchups is the fact Cleveland will be using a starter on short rest every game after Friday’s contest.

Indians manager Terry Francona talked about using that strategy, per the Associated Press (via USA Today): “We tried to look at our team and how we best set up, and what’s in our best interest to win four games before the Cubs do, and that’s how we came to this conclusion.”

There is a reason the Indians are predicted to win Game 4 in Wrigley Field—Kluber. He already left the Chicago hitters helpless in Game 1 with six shutout innings, and he preserved his freshness for Saturday by throwing only 88 pitches in the process.

The Indians have the perfect combination of six innings from Kluber, two innings from Miller and a save from Allen when their ace starts the game. That will show up once again in Game 4.

Kluber has been essentially unhittable in the postseason with a sparkling 0.74 ERA in four starts. The the Cubs will want to do everything in their power to prevent a Game 7 in Cleveland with the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner on the hill.

However, Cleveland’s advantage in the starting-pitching matchups begins and ends with Kluber.

Josh Tomlin finished with a pedestrian 4.40 ERA this season, although he has been impressive in the playoffs with just three earned runs allowed in 10.2 innings of work. That formidable stretch will end against a powerful Chicago lineup that has 28 combined runs in its last five games, which includes a shutout loss in the contest against Kluber.

Trevor Bauer is the other Cleveland starter, and Chicago already knocked him around once with six hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. He limited the damage to two earned runs, but that is not a strong enough performance when squaring off with the Cubs rotation.

That Chicago starting staff as a whole finished with the best ERA in baseball by a wide margin this year. Its 2.96 ERA was well ahead of the second-place Washington Nationals, who checked in at 3.60.

Fred Huebner of ESPN 1000 in Chicago thinks the rotation will prove to be the difference moving forward in this World Series:

Kyle Hendricks is next on the docket for Chicago. His confidence should be at an all-time high after he threw 7.1 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. He outdueled the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and proved his overwhelming effectiveness at Wrigley Field once again.

According to ESPN.com, Hendricks finished with a 1.32 ERA and .201 batting average against in 95.1 innings in the Windy City this season.

Jon Lester is another Cy Young Award candidate alongside Hendricks, and he won’t match up against Kluber this time after he allowed three earned runs in 5.2 innings in Game 1.

Despite the lackluster outing, it is wise to trust the southpaw’s track record. He has a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 20 postseason appearances for Chicago and the Boston Red Sox. Lester also is a battled-tested veteran who has delivered on some of the biggest stages of his career. He sports a head-turning 1.35 ERA and 0.938 WHIP in four World Series starts, per Baseball Reference.

The Cubs will move from two Cy Young candidates to the 2015 National League Cy Young winner when Arrieta takes the ball again in Game 6. He already proved he can baffle the Cleveland lineup with Wednesday’s performance when he allowed just one earned run and two hits in 5.2 innings.

John Lackey squaring off with Kluber in Game 4 is not an ideal matchup for Chicago (even if Lackey has a 3.26 ERA in 25 career postseason appearances), but the team’s overall depth in the starting rotation is one reason it won an MLB-best 103 games this year.

It is also the reason the Cubs will lift the World Series trophy after six games in this series.

Prediction: Cubs in six

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The Chicago Cubs bounced back from an abysmal Game 1 performance to beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 on Wednesday, leveling the 2016 World Series 1-1 as it heads to Wrigley Field.

Earning a road win is critical for both teams, as each was among the best in the majors while playing at home. Cleveland was tied for the top home record in the American League with the Texas Rangers at 53-28, while the Cubs led MLB at 57-24. Chicago did its part in stealing a road victory, so now the Indians will have to do the same to stay alive in the Fall Classic.

With two games in the books, let’s take a look at the updated television and live-stream schedules for the rest of the 2016 World Series.

After Cleveland took the series opener with great pitching and timely hitting, the roles seemed to reverse Wednesday night. 

Jake Arrieta nearly matched Corey Kluber’s performance in the previous game, with the Chicago starter going 5.2 innings while allowing only two hits and one run. Kluber may have been slightly better in Game 1, going 6.0 innings with four hits and no runs allowed, but Arrieta got off to a historic start, per SportsCenter:

The Cubs’ bats also woke up. After going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in Game 1 to Cleveland’s 2-for-9, Chicago went 3-for-12 Wednesday to the Indians’ 0-for-4. This resulted in RBI from four different Cubs in the win.

Another major reason why this series is tied is the re-emergence of Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber.

After missing practically the entire regular season with a knee injury, Schwarber battled back in his rehabilitation to make a surprising appearance on Chicago’s World Series roster, and the team’s faith in the 23-year-old is paying off. Through two games, Schwarber is 3-for-7 with two RBI and a pair of walks, generating two runs in Wednesday’s win.

His teammate Kris Bryant, who could be the National League MVP this season, raved about Schwarber’s play so far, per CSN Chicago’s Cubs Talk:

However, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, it’s possible Schwarber could be back in the outfield sooner rather than later. Schwarber has only been cleared thus far to hit and run the bases but not to play the outfield. He has already served as the designated hitter through two games, but the team wants to be cautious about rushing him back into the outfield just six months removed from serious knee surgery. 

Rosenthal reported that Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein will consult team doctors Friday, but Epstein said Schwarber will get a chance to impact the game in some capacity during the three-game stretch at Wrigley Field.

“He’s got tremendous strength and flexibility in the knee, as demonstrated by what he’s done out there,” Epstein said. “We’ll see. If he does end up playing out there, we’ll make sure he’s smart about it. If he doesn’t, we’ll put him in a big spot (as a pinch hitter) to take one of the most important at-bats of the game.”

Having Schwarber in the lineup is critical to helping a Cubs offense that has failed to establish any consistency this postseason. He’s been the best hitter for the team through two games this series, and one has to believe Chicago will do everything it can to get him on the field at Wrigley without jeopardizing his future.

For Cleveland, a young star of its own is making some big noise this postseason.

Francisco Lindor continues to be the team’s best position player, making an impact at the plate, on the basepaths and in the field. He is hitting 3-for-7 in this series with a double, walk and stolen base, which continues his terrific overall 2016 playoff numbers of a .342 average with four RBI.

The 22-year-old credited his teammates for his success when speaking before Game 2, per Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes:

I think it has to do with my teammates. Michael Brantley, Mike Napoli, Jason Kipnis, Roberto Perez and Jose Ramirez—all of them. 

We’ve kept that same mentality in the clubhouse, in the dugout and on the field since day one. I’m just trying to do the exact same thing since day one, just somehow get on base. Just find a good pitch to hit and get on base. If I don’t get on base, I just try to find a way to help the team win that day.

Cleveland will need Lindor to pace the offense in Game 3, as the Indians have a difficult matchup.

Kyle Hendricks, who led the majors with a 2.13 ERA in the regular season, will take the hill against Josh Tomlin, which seems to favor the Cubs on paper. Tomlin was a decent 13-9 this season with a 4.40 ERA, and he has been good this postseason with wins in both of his starts for 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings.

However, Hendricks has been excellent all year. He went 16-8 in the regular season, and through three postseason starts, the 26-year-old has allowed just three runs in 16.1 innings.

Chicago seems to have the edge in pitching in Game 3, but Cleveland has proved people wrong all season as it sits in this position despite dealing with a slew of injuries. Thus, it looks like this could be a close, exciting contest in Wrigley’s first World Series game since 1945.

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We’ve already spent a good deal of time looking at the upcoming free-agent market, breaking down the top players available and searching for potential fits on a team-by-team basis.

However, this year’s trade market could prove to be just as interesting.

With such a limited pool of starting pitchers available, contending teams are expected to push hard for controllable young arms, and that could mean plenty of prospects and MLB-level players alike changing hands this offseason.

With that in mind, what follows is a look at the most likely player to be traded from each MLB team this offseason.

The selections were made based on a combination of rumors, team needs, projected arbitration figures and team outlook for the 2016 season and beyond.

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While the baseball world has focused its attention on the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians in the World Series, the offseason is approaching fast, which means trade talk is already beginning to heat up.

The rest of Major League Baseball’s 28 teams yearn to be in the position the Cubs and Indians are currently, and trading is a big reason why Chicago and Cleveland have developed into the two best teams in the sport.

With the winter frenzy of player movement on the horizon, here is a look at some of the biggest names rumored to be available via trade this offseason.

Wade Davis

Kansas City Royals righty Wade Davis has developed into one of the league’s best closers, but with KC needing to make improvements elsewhere to return to the playoffs, he could potentially be on the move.

According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, the Royals have received a great deal of interest in Davis, and they have made him available if the right offer comes their way.

Heyman added Kansas City wants to cut payroll, and dealing Davis would be a good way to do so since his 2017 club option is worth $10 million, according to Spotrac.

Davis racked up 27 saves in 30 chances last season to go along with a 1.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.

While his numbers were fantastic, they actually represented a significant drop-off from the previous two years.

Davis only closed for a portion of 2014 and 2015, but in those seasons combined he went 17-3 with 17 saves, a 0.97 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

He also posted four saves and didn’t allow a single run in eight appearances during last year’s playoffs, as he was a driving force behind the Royals winning the World Series.

With the Indians making a deep run due largely to the arms of relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen, Davis is the type of player who could take a team to the next level and push them into World Series contention.

Because of that, the Royals would be wise to put a high price tag on Davis, as a team in desperate need of bullpen help may very well be willing to meet it.

Brian McCann

Following one of the worst seasons of his impressive MLB career, New York Yankees catcher Brian McCann is a player the Bronx Bombers would likely prefer to move on from.

The seven-time All-Star spent his first nine seasons with the Atlanta Braves, and a reunion is possible, as Heyman reported the two sides had discussions during the season, which could resume once the offseason hits.

Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Braves are very much in the market for a backstop, but a high asking price could prevent them from bringing McCann back into the fold. He reported the Yanks want either 25-year-old pitcher Mike Foltynewicz or 25-year-old outfielder Ender Inciarte in exchange for McCann.

That seems like a lot for Atlanta to give up on the surface, especially since McCann is set to make $17 million in each of the next two seasons, according to Spotrac.

Although McCann posted his best batting average during his three years with the Yankees last season at .242, his 20 home runs and 58 RBI were a steep decline from the 26 homers and 94 RBI he put up in 2015.

The biggest reason for New York to make a move is the emergence of Gary Sanchez, who hit .299 with 20 home runs and 42 RBI in just 53 games for the Yankees last season.

It will likely be difficult for McCann to get consistent playing time with the Yankees, and while he would be a good asset for a Braves team with plenty of young pitchers, it wouldn’t be wise to give up too much for a player New York may desperately want to trade.

Foltynewicz and Inciarte both have star potential and could blossom in the Bronx for a Yanks team that is suddenly stacked with young talent.

Eating a large portion of McCann’s salary could be such a deal more appealing for the Braves, but New York may need to lower its asking price to make it a reality.

Zack Cozart

After nearly acquiring him during the 2016 season, the Seattle Mariners are reportedly still interested in making a deal for Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart.

According to Bob Dutton of the News Tribune, a trade between the two sides was close, and talks are expected to resume during the offseason.

Cozart enjoyed a solid campaign that saw him hit .252 with a career-high 16 home runs, as well as 50 RBI and 67 runs scored.

The 31-year-old veteran bounced back nicely from a couple down years, as inconsistency and injuries prevented him from contributing at the level he displayed in 2012 and 2013.

On top of Cozart‘s strong bat, he is also a plus-fielder, as evidenced by his career Defensive Runs Saved Above Average mark of 54, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Cozart would be a good fit for the M’s, as they didn’t receive much offensive production from the shortstop position in 2016.

Regular starter Ketel Marte hit .259 with just one home run and 33 RBI most often as a bottom-of-the-order guy, while Cozart is capable of contributing higher in the lineup.

The Mariners stayed in the playoff race until the latter stages of the 2016 season, and while Cozart may not put them over the top on his own, he would fill a huge position of weakness and at least help Seattle come one stop closer to ending its postseason drought.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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