The biggest offseason needs for all 30 MLB teams

Arizona’s roster is in great shape entering the offseason, though they could have a giant void to fill with power as Christian Walker and Joc Pederson are free agents. Pavin Smith’s late-season surge puts him in the conversation for one of the spots, but the team could aim higher. The bullpen continues to improve, though they’re set to lose depth with Paul Sewald’s free agency.

The Braves are due some better injury luck next season, and have some intriguing young pitching to replace the possible losses of Max Fried and Charlie Morton. It’s unclear when Spencer Strider will return in 2025 following elbow surgery, but the team will likely bring in some talent to fill the void behind Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwellenbach until he’s ready. The bullpen is also set to take a hit, with A.J. Minter a pending free agent.

The O’s could take some massive offseason losses, led by free agents Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes, but the core remains to keep the team competitive for years to come. Santander’s production won’t be easy to replace, though it could be a group effort from the team’s young group of talented hitters like Heston Kjerstad, Jackson Holliday, and Coby Mayo. The 2025 roster improved with the addition of Zach Eflin at the trade deadline, while Cody Povich could also be a big part of the team’s plans. Still, losing Burnes won’t be easy, and the bullpen needs more depth, even with the pending return of Felix Bautista from injury.

Despite missing the playoffs, the 2024 season was one of significant progress for the Red Sox at all levels. They have a glut of talent to work from in trades, with multiple interesting middle infielders and outfielders. The biggest concern is the pitching staff, with the pending losses of Nick Pivetta, Kenley Jansen, Luis Garcia, and Chris Martin. The team is hopeful that Lucas Giolito can help when he returns from elbow surgery, but there isn’t much help in the upper minors to fix the team’s pitching depth issues.

The Cubs youth movement continues, with top prospects like Matt Shaw, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballesteros, and Cade Horton looking to make a splash next season after Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered this year. That youth and several long-term contracts leave the Cubs roster in a good place despite the likely departure of Cody Bellinger, but they could always use more pitching. The depth of the starting rotation and bullpen was tested throughout the season, and the team is set to lose Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly.

Where do we start for arguably the worst team in baseball history? The White Sox remain in the third stage of a rebuild, and they are unlikely to see any relief anytime soon. They do have some building blocks on the roster like Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas, and could move players getting closer to free agency such as Luis Robert and Garrett Crochet. Top prospects Noah Schultz and Colson Montgomery could crack the Opening Day roster, but the team needs much more to compete.

Cincinnati had a sorely disappointing 2024 due in large part to injuries, including Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and TJ Friedl. The young core doesn't need a rehaul, but does need some supplementation after the outfield disappointed and the pitching staff lacked depth. Adding Rhett Lowder to Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott creates an imposing rotation, but a veteran add or two would be helpful. The regression of Alexis Diaz and the rest of the bullpen is also a concern.

The Guardians maneuvered through injuries with ease en route to an AL Central title, with the help of an elite bullpen and reliable bats like Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor. There's reason for more optimism with the lineup as Kyle Manzardo, Chase DeLauter, and first overall draft choice Travis Bazzana add more punch. However, it's a lot to ask for the rotation to continue holding up with smoke and mirrors behind Tanner Bibee, particularly with the recent regression of Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen. The lack of production at shortstop also remains a concern, even as there's much to like from Brayan Rocchio's defense.

Colorado's refusal to commit to a full rebuild hurts them in the end, though the offseason needs remain clear. The team has the core of their lineup after strong 2024 seasons from Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, and Michael Toglia, while they still have high hopes for Nolan Jones, Jordan Beck, and Hunter Goodman. Even with the return of German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela from arm injuries, the pitching staff is a mess complicated by the difficulty to attract pitching to Coors Field.

The Tigers made things interesting in the AL Wild Card race in spite of selling at the trade deadline, which speaks to the spark of their young pitchers and the dominance of Tarik Skubal. The lineup is mostly set following the promotions of Dillon Dingler, Spencer Torkelson, Jace Jung, and Trey Sweeney. A powerful veteran DH option would be welcome, but the bigger need is in the pitching staff. Kenta Maeda's breakdown and the trade of Jack Flaherty has left the starting staff in need of surefire innings, while the bullpen struggled to find reliable end-game pitchers.

The Astros overcame a slow start and injury to Kyle Tucker to win the AL West again, but next season could be tougher. Alex Bregman heads to free agency, and the team didn't find a very productive first base option after releasing Jose Abreu. The starting rotation has seen Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti emerge but has issues on the backend with Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander headed toward free agency.

The Royals hit on most of their moves last offseason, but they can't bet on career years from all of the players who delivered in 2024. The offense needs help after the struggles of Maikel Garcia and the outfielders, while the bullpen was grasping at straws for much of the year before acquiring Lucas Erceg at the trade deadline.

Same old story for the Angels, who didn't have enough pitching and saw stars Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon spend more time injured than on the field in 2024. Trout's openness to move to an outfield corner or DH is probably for the best, but Mickey Moniak doesn't look like a great fallback option in center field. The pitching staff saw some progress from the likes of Jose Soriano and Ben Joyce, but could probably use a handful of new faces.

The Dodgers roster didn't come together like expected due to injuries, but they still have flexibility heading into the offseason. The addition of Tommy Edman allows to team to find either a shortstop or center fielder, with the veteran playing the other spot. The starting rotation could be set to lose Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Jack Flaherty, though they're set to gain Shohei Ohtani's pitching. Still, the injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto should give the team pause, and the addition of a surefire closer wouldn't hurt.

The Marlins saw huge regression after making the playoffs in 2023, with multiple key pitchers sidelined. The team has ample rotation depth heading into next season, led by the return of Sandy Alcantara, but the bullpen is in shambles. The lineup has some building blocks like Xavier Edwards, Connor Norby, Jake Burger, and Jesus Sanchez, plus top prospects Agustin Ramirez and Deyvison De Los Santos a step away, but need more proven power to make a splash.

The surprising Brewers will take a hit in the offseason if they're unable to re-sign shortstop Willy Adames, though Joey Ortiz is a viable replacement. Of course, that would create a void at the hot corner that the team would probably prefer to fill outside the organization. Brandon Woodruff is set to return from shoulder surgery next season, but additional rotation depth behind him, Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, and Aaron Civale could be needed to complete 162 games.

The fruits of the Twins farm system have paid off lately, but there's some work needed from outside the organization. The pending free agencies of Max Kepler and Manuel Margot create clear needs in the outfield, while it remains to be seen if Jose Miranda and Alex Kirilloff can hold down the fort at first base with Carlos Santana set to hit the open market.

Mets owner Steve Cohen could be in spend mode again, given the ample needs of the Mets roster. Among the notable possible free agents on the roster are Pete Alonso, Harrison Bader, J.D. Martinez, Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana. The farm system could replace some of those names, but the loss of Christian Scott for 2025 was a huge setback.

At the center of the Yankees offseason situation is the status of pending free agent Juan Soto, who is set for a mega deal. The team also must address the possible losses of free agents Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres. The failure to address closer came back to bite the team late in the year with Clay Holmes' struggles.

The core of the A's roster is starting to take shape, with big years from the likes of Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, J.J. Bleday, and Shea Langeliers, along with steady progress from Tyler Soderstrom, Zack Gelof, and Jacob Wilson. The team probably doesn't have its long-term third baseman in-house, and the pitcher staff needs more firepower despite good years from J.P. Sears, Mitch Spence, and Mason Miller.

The Phillies roster is in great shape heading into 2025, but there are some remaining concerns. The outfield depth appears shaky even after acquiring Austin Hays, as the bats of Johan Rojas and Nick Castellanos haven't held up well this season. The backend of the bullpen will also have huge holes to fill, with Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman becoming free agents.

The Pirates are one of the league's worst offensive teams, and trying to improve at the margins isn't fixing their ailments. They need a better first base option than Rowdy Tellez, and a big bopper at DH would also be helpful if they don't bring back Andrew McCutchen. The pen can expect a bounce-back season from closer David Bednar but will have to replace Aroldis Chapman.

The high-stakes Padres will look to revamp their lineup in the offseason, with the possibility of losing Kyle Higashioka, Ha-Seong Kim, Jurickson Profar, and Luis Arraez. Fixing nearly half the lineup won't be easy, but front office head A.J. Preller has shown a willingness to think outside the box. The foundation remains in a good place with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jackson Merrill.

The Giants had another disappointing season after their aggressive offseason signings failed to deliver, and they have some definite areas to address. Shortstop looks in a better place after Tyler Fitzgerald's breakout, but second base is up in the air with Thairo Estrada's struggles. There's a hole at DH after the team traded Jorge Soler, and the rotation could be on shaky ground pending the option decisions of Blake Snell and Robbie Ray.

The Mariners made an effort to improve their offense in the offseason, but are facing the same old story. They haven't hit enough to complement their dominant pitching staff, particularly on the infield. Top prospect Tyler Locklear could fill the void at first base next season, but that plan isn't set in stone. Jorge Polanco and Josh Rojas disappointed as regulars, and are likely to be replaced. The in-season additions of Victor Robles and Randy Arozarena shored up the outfield alongside Julio Rodriguez and Luke Raley.

The Cardinals continued to rely on patchwork with the hope that their stars would shine in 2024, but Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and company failed to deliver. Goldschmidt's free agency and the trade of Tommy Edman create holes in the lineup, though the bigger concern is the pitching staff. St. Louis has several top pitching prospects set to help in 2025, but the pitching depth is lacking behind Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Erick Fedde, and Andre Pallante. The bullpen is also set to lose key setup man Andrew Kittredge.

The Rays opted to be sellers at the trade deadline. It was a controversial move, but puts them in better shape to reboot in 2025. The pending return of Shane McClanahan shores up the pitching staff, while the lineup has a busy of intriguing options. The offense at catcher could use a boost from Ben Rortvedt, and neither Jose Caballero nor Taylor Walls have held up well at shortstop.

The Rangers regression after winning the 2023 World Series was in large part due to injuries, and there aren't any major holes in the lineup heading into next season if Corey Seager and Evan Carter return healthy. The pitching is another story, with the possible losses of Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney, Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and Jose Leclerc.

Another disappointing season brings a highly important offseason, with stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette heading into their walk years. The team does have their next batch of intriguing youngsters set to contribute led by Orelvis Martinez, Joey Loperfido, Spencer Horwitz, Will Wagner, and Addison Barger. Third base is unsettled among that group, and the pitching staff needs more depth after losing Yusei Kikuchi and Jordan Romano's injury.

The Nats are developing a nice foundation after the arrivals of James Wood and Dylan Crews this season, but could still use additional power. A third outfielder to complement that young duo would help. The pitching saw promising seasons from MacKenzie Gore, DJ Herz, and Jake Irvin, but could use an innings eater or two. The bullpen is also lacking depth.