Each MLB team’s most important offseason decision

After an incredible season, which included the highest-rated World Series in seven years, the MLB offseason is expected to be a huge driver in baseball conversation. What is each team's most important decision as they figure out how to compete in 2025 and beyond?

New York Mets v New York Yankees / Jim McIsaac/GettyImages

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Colorado Rockies - Cut down on strikeouts

It’s well known that balls tend to fly when they are hit at Coors Field. The Colorado Rockies home park is still by far the most susceptible to home runs according to Statcast's Park Factor. The numbers back up the argument that home runs are easier to come by with the elevation in Denver impacting baseballs and the impact of exit velocity. It should be a reason hitters move to Colorado and pitchers avoid playing there.

However, the Rockies were 15th in home runs hit last season. They only hit 179, two ahead of the San Francisco Giants, home to one of the pitcher-friendliest ballparks in baseball. One of the main reasons for the discrepancy between home run propensity and ability to get them over the fence comes down to strikeouts.

It seems simple, but an inability to put the bat on the ball makes it impossible to send it over the fence. If the batters aren’t giving the ball a chance to get into the air, it will never go over the fence. Easy, right?

The Rockies led the National League in strikeouts, going down 1,617 times. Both Ryan McMahon and Ezequiel Tovar were top six in MLB in strikeouts, with Tovar going down 200 times on the season in just 655 at bats. Five players had at least 130 strikeouts at the plate. The Rockies have to prioritize players with a better eye.

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