One of the best things about baseball is that it’s always just one chapter in a larger story. One season is a smaller bit of a whole career, with ebbs and flows and highs and lows. And if you’re a fan of a particular team, that story is ongoing and endless. The players, the managers, the owners, they may all change, but you’ll still be there. It’s your story as much as anyone’s.
And each one of these players are part of the larger team’s narrative, making memories and etching their place in each franchise’s history. So today we take a look at the active player on each team who is highest on his particular team’s all-time wins above replacement leaderboard (according to Baseball Reference). We can argue about WAR all we want, but it’s a good rough estimate of each team’s top players’ all-around contributions. And these players are etching their names in the history books; they’re writing their own history with their teams right now.
To be clear, by the way: This is WAR compiled with these teams, not in total. Albert Pujols is fourth on the all-time Cardinals list, but, as you may have heard, he plays for the Angels, not the Cardinals.
Blue Jays: Cavan Biggio, 2B (4.9 WAR)
94th all-time in Blue Jays history
Next up: Tom Underwood, 5.0
The Blue Jays are so young that Biggio, amazingly, leads them in career WAR. Which Jay catches him over the next decade? Do any of them?
Orioles: Chris Davis, 1B (11.5 WAR)
94th all time in Orioles history
Next up: Gregg Olsen, 11.6
Davis has had an excellent career, but he’s not likely to move up much further on this list.
Rays: Kevin Kiermaier, CF (27.4 WAR)
4th all time in Rays history
Next up: Ben Zobrist, 35.3
The eight years he has played with the Rays is almost like playing 20 years with any other team, isn’t it?
Red Sox: Xander Bogaerts, SS (23.0 WAR)
44th in Red Sox history
Next up: Jason Varitek, 24.2
Mookie Betts, for those keeping score at home, is 14th all time. (Dustin Pedroia is 10th.)
Yankees: Brett Gardner, OF (43.0 WAR)
24th all time in Yankees history
Next up: Mel Stottlemyre, 43.1
A 3-WAR season for Gardner, who just re-signed with the Yankees, would push him past Thurman Munson and Tony Lazzeri.
Cleveland: José Ramírez, 3B (28.1 WAR)
36th in Cleveland history
Next up: Bobby Avila, 28.4
Ramírez was only half a win behind Francisco Lindor and he just passed Albert Belle.
Royals: Salvador Perez, C (24.2 WAR)
15th in Royals history
Next up: Lorenzo Cain, 24.4
Perez missed all of 2019 but may have had his best hitting season in 2020. He’s a free agent after this year, but can you imagine the Royals without him?
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera, DH (51.3 WAR)
12th in Tigers history
Next up: Norm Cash, 51.7
Cabrera remains signed through 2023, and potentially 2025, so he’s going to have plenty of time to keep adding to this total.
Twins: Max Kepler, RF (12.5 WAR)
80th in Twins history
Next up: Scott Erickson, 12.7
Kepler is just about to pass Walter Johnson … as a hitter. (Johnson had a 12.7 WAR at the plate over 20 years with the Senators.)
White Sox: José Abreu, 1B (24.0 WAR)
31st in White Sox history
Next up: Harold Baines, 24.7
The reigning MVP has put together quite a White Sox career so far, though it still wouldn’t be surprising to see some of these young players pass him at some point.
Angels: Mike Trout, CF (74.5 WAR)
No. 1 in Angels history
Next up: None
Trout passed Chuck Finley for first in Angels history at the end of the 2017 season.
Astros: José Altuve, 2B (36.5 WAR)
8th in Astros history
Next up: Jim Wynn, 41.5
Last year was rough for Altuve, but he’s still only 30 years old. We surely haven’t heard the last of him yet.
Athletics: Matt Chapman, 3B (21.0 WAR)
47th in A’s history
Next up: Marcus Semien, 21.0
He remains as much of a constant as the A’s have had since the Barry Zito/Tim Hudson days.
Mariners: Kyle Seager, 3B (33.4 WAR)
8th in Mariners history
Next up: Jamie Moyer, 34.2
He might not be a Mariner for much longer, but if he leaves, he…
Read More: Each team’s active WAR leader