In the final week of the 2024 MLB season, it's easy to play the "what if" game now that the majority of the season is in the rearview and most fan bases have dealt with some level of disappointment. Whether it's a key injury, an offseason move that backfired, an underperforming star or a move that wasn't made, the dreaded "what if" can come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Every team has at least one thing to look back on and wonder what could have been if things had played out differently.
What if the Jordan Montgomery/Eduardo Rodríguez money had been spent elsewhere? After a surprise postseason run in which their lack of starting pitching depth led them to use an opener in Game 4 of the World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks set to work bolstering their starting staff. They signed veteran lefties Eduardo Rodríguez (4/$80 million) and Jordan Montgomery (1/$25 million) to join Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt in what had the potential to be one of the best rotations in baseball. Instead, both newcomers have struggled mightily: Imagine if that money had been spent on some of the other available arms like Sonny Gray, Jack Flaherty, Seth Lugo or Sean Manaea.
What if Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider had stayed healthy? Not many teams can stand losing their best offensive player and best pitcher and still contend for a postseason spot, so the fact that the Atlanta Braves are still in the thick of the wild-card race is a testament to the overall tal.