While the World Series has yet to begin, the offseason has already begun for 28 of the 30 MLB teams, meaning the clubs are already trying to figure out what they'd like to do this offseason. It's hard for every team to earn an A+ grade for the offseason, but teams will at least earn passing grades if they can address the biggest needs on their roster.
Below is one priority each of the 30 teams should focus on this offseason.
Arizona Diamondbacks: First baseman
You could say the Arizona Diamodbacks' biggest need is pitching of any kind and I wouldn't argue with you, but not only are Corbin Burnes and Justin Martinez expected to be back, but first base was an insane black hole for the 2026 D-Backs. Whether they turned to Ildemaro Vargas, Pavin Smith or Tim Tawa, the results were putrid, as their league-worst 76 wRC+ among first basemen would suggest. That was 11 points lower than the second-worst team, by the way.
The D-Backs have a strong lineup core led by Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo, but it's really hard to score enough runs when first base, a premium power position, is such an offensive liability.
Athletics: Pitching, pitching and more pitching
When healthy, this Athletics offense is loaded. Nick Kurtz is an MVP-caliber hitter, Shea Langeliers is one of the best catchers on the planet, Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom are rock-solid run producers, Jacob Wilson is a contact-hitting machine, and even guys like Henry Bolte and Zach Gelof have a lot of upside. Who is their best pitcher, though, Luis Severino? J.T. Ginn? Gage Jump?
Whoever your pick is, it's just not good enough. Yes, they have top prospect Jamie Arnold in the minors, and there's a good chance he'll pitch next season, but their rotation, even with Arnold, is likely to be one of the league's worst, and the bullpen is even worse. It's hard to convince pitchers to come to the Athletics when they play home games at a minor league park, but the team has to do something to address this pitching staff. The lineup is too good to be let down.
Atlanta Braves: Durable innings eater
To their credit, the Atlanta Braves got far more out of their pitching staff than anyone could've expected, given the fact that Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach combined to make eight starts (all eight came from Strider), but how likely is this to occur again? The Braves did not have a single pitcher make 30 starts this season. That feels like a recipe for disaster in most years.
Chris Sale continues to get better with age, but even he has durability concerns. It's hard to expect Sale to make 30 starts in 2027, and I don't know if the Braves can realistically rely on Strider and Schwellenbach to make any. Yes, their lineup could use a boost, but it's hard to envision the Braves repeating as NL East champions without making a major addition to their rotation. This doesn't mean Tarik Skubal, but they need someone to lean on every fifth day not named Chris Sale.
Baltimore Orioles: Frontline starter
Corbin Burnes gave the Baltimore Orioles ace production in 2024 and the O's, for whatever reason, have made no effort to acquire an ace since. Trevor Rogers was their closest thing to an ace, and he's a free agent. Kyle Bradish is probably their best starter under contract right now, and he can be really good when he's on, but he's far too inconsistent to be relied upon as a frontline guy.
The Orioles need to improve the front of this rotation. Having a staff include the likes of Bradish, Shane Baz and Brandon Young is fine, as long as there is an ace pitching for them every fifth day. They don't have that right now. Will Mike Elias be willing to splurge for one?
Boston Red Sox: Power
The Boston Red Sox's pitching is rock-solid, but they ranked 23rd in runs scored, 26th in home runs and 18th in OPS. No matter how you slice it, this offense was not good enough. There's every reason to believe this lineup will be better in 2027 with a healthy Roman Anthony, a healthy Curtis Mead and an acclimated Adley Rutschman, but the power is lacking.
Boston did not have a single 30-home-run hitter in 2026, and who on their roster would you expect to hit 30 home runs in 2027? Whether you want to hear this or not, home runs are needed to win in the playoffs. Stringing hits together against elite pitching is just too difficult. Getting another power bat to hit alongside the likes of Anthony, Rutschman and Willson Contreras would make Boston much scarier.
Chicago Cubs: Frontline starter
The Chicago Cubs having Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit free agency at the same time is pretty nerve-wracking from a lineup perspective, but there's enough that remains internally to think that they should score enough (even if bringing back Suzuki should be a priority). Can they prevent enough runs from scoring, though?
Getting Justin Steele and (eventually) Cade Horton back will help, as would getting fully healthy seasons from Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown, but are any of these pitchers aces? Who do the Cubs have to go toe-to-toe with a guy like Jacob Misiorowski, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Chris Sale and Zack Wheeler in the postseason? Jed Hoyer needs to find a way to get that guy.
Chicago White Sox: Reliable starting pitchers
Chicago White Sox starting pitchers ranked 26th in ERA and dead last in innings pitched in the 2026 regular season. We saw just how unreliable this rotation was in the postseason when manager Will Venable elected to use an opener in most of their games. The only semi-reliable starting pitching option the White Sox felt comfortable leaning on to an extent was Sean Burke, and even he didn't complete six innings in any of his three appearances.
The White Sox made it to Game 5 of the ALDS in spite of this, but it also became apparent that their bullpen, which had been terrific for much of the regular season and postseason, simply ran out of gas by the end. Having starting pitchers who can alleviate some of the pressure off the bullpen would be a nice development for a White Sox team that should be taking winning seriously now.
Cincinnati Reds: Big bat(s)
The Cincinnati Reds got a 30-30 season from Elly De La Cruz, a (likely) Rookie of the Year season out of Sal Stewart, who hit 32 home runs and drove in 112 runs, played half their games at the notoriously hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark and still scored the fewest runs scored in the National League. That goes to show you just how bad their lineup was beyond the dynamic duo of De La Cruz and Stewart, and with Eugenio Suarez and Tyler Stephenson ticketed for free agency, they have even more work to do.
In an ideal world, the Reds will acquire multiple big bats this offseason, but we know all about their reluctance to spend big money. Given that, can the Reds add a single big bat? That'd go such a long way towards getting this team back to the postseason.
Cleveland Guardians: Power
The Cleveland Guardians deserve credit for getting to the ALCS, but it's hard to ignore the fact that they won the AL Central (and earned a first-round bye) with only 85 wins in the regular season. It's also hard to ignore the fact that they ranked 24th in the majors in runs scored, 27th in home runs and 26th in OPS. An uncharacteristic down year from Jose Ramirez played a role, and this Guardians lineup is admittedly deeper now than it has been in past years, but doesn't a team that was clearly flawed in the regular season need more?
The lack of power, in particular, sticks out. Again, a healthy Jose Ramirez would've changed things, but Angel Martinez, an individual who hasn't started a single ALCS game, led the team with 18 home runs in the regular season. That just isn't good enough. If the Guardians don't add to their lineup, it'll be difficult for them to win another division title, even in a weak AL Central.
Colorado Rockies: Sell high on Hunter Goodman
Colorado Rockies fans don't want to hear this, as Hunter Goodman is coming off a 41-home-run season and is under contract through 2029, but now feels like the best time to sell high. Goodman is a good hitter, but making contact has been a serious issue, and his defense behind the plate is very subpar. Goodman is a good player who likely has great value on the trade market.
The odds of the Rockies being ready to win while Goodman is still under club control are probably slim to none, so why not trade him now, especially when free agency lacks potent position players? If the Rockies can acquire multiple needle-moving pieces for Goodman, it'd behoove them to do so, as painful as it might be for a fan base that deserves better.
Detroit Tigers: Bullpen
Is it crazy to say that the Detroit Tigers might've won the AL Central had their bullpen lived up to its end of the bargain? Maybe, but the fact that I'm even wondering this shows how subpar the bullpen was in Detroit, and with Kenley Jansen likely ticketed for free agency, the 'pen could be even worse if improvements aren't made.
I understand that the Tigers need improvements in several areas, but their lineup and rotation have young building blocks I can reasonably expect to take major steps forward. The bullpen lacks that, so without upgrades, it'll be hard to envision the Tigers closing down enough games to be relevant in 2027.
Houston Astros: Clear infield logjam
The Houston Astros entered the 2026 season with a clear infield logjam. Carlos Correa's early-season-ending injury solved that, but Correa will be back in 2027, meaning that once again, the Astros have five infielders (Correa, Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, Christian Walker) for four spots. The DH spot does exist, but should be occupied by Yordan Alvarez on most nights. A trade involving one of these infielders to fill another need makes the most sense.
Altuve and Correa aren't going anywhere, but arguments for moving any other infielder can be heard. Walker is likely the one Houston would want to move, but he's also the least valuable. Paredes is the likeliest to go, but he's also the most versatile of the bunch. Pena is the best infielder on the roster, but he's also on an expiring contract and is unlikely to sign an extension, so might Houston try to get what it can for a player likely to be in another uniform in 2028 anyway? There's precedent for this, as they traded Kyle Tucker away in his final season of club control. Regardless of who is dealt, trading an infielder for an outfielder or a starting pitcher would be ideal.
Kansas City Royals: Outfield
The Kansas City Royals have an emerging position player core consisting of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Carter Jensen, Maikel Garcia and Jac Caglianone, but they still finished in last place in the AL Central with a 69-93 record. Caglianone came into his own in the second half, but even with his strong finish, Royals outfielders ranked 23rd in the majors with a 93 wRC+. The Isaac Collins trade was a major bust, and Lane Thomas, who had provided a first-half spark, was traded away at the deadline.
The Royals can rely on Caglianone in right field, but left field and center field should be treated as vacant right now. The Royals should be eager to try to win while they have Witt playing MVP-caliber baseball, and improving their outfield is an easy first step to take.
Los Angeles Angels: Third base
While there isn't much for Los Angeles Angels fans to cheer about nowadays, Anthony Rendon's contract expiring certainly is cause for celebration. Now, the Angels did defer the final year of his deal, so they're technically still paying him for a few more years, but Rendon is no longer taking up a spot in the organization. Perhaps now with Rendon out of the way, the Angels can finally find their solution at third base.
Seven different players made at least one appearance at the hot corner for the Angels this season, but none of them did much of anything at the position. There admittedly isn't much third base talent available in free agency, but John Mozeliak ought to get creative to fix this issue that has plagued the Angels, really since Rendon put pen to paper on his contract.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Clear a spot for Josue De Paula
There admittedly isn't much that the Los Angeles Dodgers can do other than hope for better years from their core position players, but one thing they can and really must do is clear room for Josue De Paula. DH is probably De Paula's best position, but with Shohei Ohtani taking up that spot for the long-term future (and rightfully so), the Dodgers need to find room for their 21-year-old phenom in the corner outfield.
Many Dodgers fans would probably love for the team to trade Kyle Tucker away after his wildly disappointing debut season in L.A., but given his contract, the odds of that happening are slim to none. That leaves Teoscar Hernandez as the player likeliest to get dealt, or at least placed in a short-side platoon role, with De Paula playing most of the time against right-handed pitching. The Dodgers need a shake-up after their three-peat attempt busted, and De Paula can provide that.
Miami Marlins: Power
The Miami Marlins are a better team than they're given credit for. Their rotation, led by the dynamic duo of Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez, is quite good when healthy. Their lineup, thanks largely by the dynamic middle infield combination of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards, has some intriguing pieces. What this team lacks, though, is a thumper to hit in the middle of the order and launch home runs.
Heriberto Hernandez broke out with 25 home runs this past season, and Kyle Stowers has a lot of power, but are those guys really good enough to be the premier sluggers on a contending team? If the Marlins can add a big bopper (which would require them to spend more money than they're likely willing to), they can be taken seriously.
Milwaukee Brewers: Power
A big reason why the Milwaukee Brewers got past the Dodgers in the NLCS is that they did not play typical "Brewer Ball." Not only did they strike out 12 more times than the Dodgers in the NLCS, but they also out-homered L.A. 7-1. Putting the ball into play isn't a bad thing, obviously, but stringing hits together against elite competition is incredibly difficult. Postseason games and series are won with the long ball.
It was so refreshing to see the Brewers hit for power because they hit just 154 home runs in the regular season, the fewest in the National League. Their leader in that category, Jake Bauers, is set to hit free agency after the year. For Milwaukee to get back to the World Series, they'll need to make sure they can hit for power.
Minnesota Twins: Big bat
The Minnesota Twins are in a better spot than you might think. Their lineup, centered around Byron Buxton and a slew of emerging young players (Luke Keaschall, Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Brooks Lee, Emmanuel Rodriguez, etc.), has a lot of upside. They're very reliant on Buxton staying healthy and young players taking a major step up, though.
When looking at their lineup, it's impossible to miss the glaring hole left by Ryan Jeffers, who was their best hitter not named Byron Buxton when healthy this season. The Twins don't necessarily have to re-sign Jeffers, but getting a big bat to lean on should be a priority for Minnesota.
New York Mets: Frontline starter
The New York Mets had a year to forget, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. They have the makings of a strong position player core led by Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, and their rotation has a ton of young talent led by Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton. The problem is that their rotation lacks an established ace.
This fact is why they attempted to add one by trading for Freddy Peralta, but that deal flopped spectacularly. McLean might be that one day, and he had a very impressive rookie year, but he isn't an ace yet. If the Mets can sign Tarik Skubal or find a way to add a different high-end starter, they could very easily find themselves in the postseason hunt.
New York Yankees: Potent right-handed bat
Once again, the New York Yankees were eliminated in the postseason because they could not hit enough. They totaled five runs on 12 hits in three ALDS games, and Ben Rice was the only player to show much of a pulse. Missing Aaron Judge hurt them, obviously, but even with Judge, this Yankees team feels like it's one big right-handed bat short.
The Yankees are stacked with lefties like Rice, Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr. and Spencer Jones, but who is their best right-handed hitter not named Aaron Judge? George Lombard Jr.? That isn't good enough, and makes the Yankees far too easy to pitch to. Adding a big right-handed bat would help balance and lengthen the lineup, making a Yankees team with an elite pitching staff much more difficult to overtake in October.
Philadelphia Phillies: Potent right-handed bat
The Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in a similar spot to the Yankees. They've consistently made the playoffs on the back of an elite rotation, but have repeatedly fallen short thanks to their lineup's inability to score runs. They scored just nine runs (an average of three per game) in three Wild Card series games, which just isn't enough to win you a series most of the time.
They, too, would benefit from adding another right-handed bat. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper remain elite and guys like Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott have shown some upside (although are maddeningly inconsistent), but all of them are left-handed. Alec Bohm, their best run-producing right-handed bat from 2026 (which was an issue), is a free agent. Trea Turner is probably their best right-handed hitter now, and he's heavily regressed. If the Phillies want to seriously compete, they're going to need to add to their lineup in a huge way, and the best way for them to do that would be by adding a big right-handed option.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Re-sign Brandon Lowe
The Brandon Lowe trade that brought the second baseman to Pittsburgh might've been the best move any team made in the 2025 offseason. The Pirates were in dire need of a slugger and Lowe slugged, launching 35 home runs and driving in 96 runs (all while playing a fantastic second base). He was the best hitter in a lineup that finished sixth in the majors in runs scored and in OPS.
Bringing him back is a no-brainer if the Pirates are serious. Yes, it'd be costly, and yes, it might not age well (Lowe is 32 years old), but the Pirates need to win now. It's been over a decade since Pittsburgh last made it to the playoffs, and the Pirates haven't won a playoff series (excluding their one-game Wild Card win in 2013) since 1979. They finally have a core capable of making it to the postseason, but it's hard to envision that result if they let their best hitter walk. It's time for Bob Nutting to pay up.
San Diego Padres: Starting pitching
The San Diego Padres desperately needed starting pitching at the trade deadline, and to his credit, A.J. Preller got two of the best ones on the market: Robbie Ray and Casey Mize. Unfortunately, neither Ray nor Mize pitched particularly well, and both of them are headed to free agency. The same can almost certainly be said for Michael King, who has a player option that he's likely to reject, and it's no sure thing that Nick Pivetta will be back either, as he, too, can test free agency.
The Padres' rotation is now headlined by Joe Musgrove, who has not pitched in a regular season game since 2024, and Randy Vasquez, who is a back-end starter at best. That, obviously, is not good enough for a team trying to compete.
San Francisco Giants: Starting pitching
The San Francisco Giants have a ton of needs, which is understandable coming off a 65-97 season, but none feel bigger than their rotation. Yes, Logan Webb is still in town, and Landen Roupp had a solid year, but who else can you really trust? Adrian Houser pitched his way out of the rotation (although he did look much better in the bullpen). Matt Wilkinson completed five innings just twice in eight big-league starts. There just isn't any sort of reliability beyond Webb and Roupp.
Whether the Giants can actually get that remains to be seen. Will they be willing to splurge on another impactful free agent given all the money they already have on their books? Will they really be willing to trade prospect capital for starting pitching given how poorly this past season went? It should be interesting to follow.
Seattle Mariners: Potent right-handed bat
The Seattle Mariners' 2026 season was one to forget, and now, they're at risk of losing Randy Arozarena, their only position player who met expectations, to free agency. This is a big deal not only because Arozarena is a great player, but also because their projected lineup without him, according to FanGraphs, features seven left-handed hitters, one right-handed hitter and one switch hitter. In other words, it's Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, and a whole bunch of lefties.
Hitting left-handed pitching was already an issue for the Mariners with Arozarena, which is why they traded for Taylor Ward at the deadline (that did not go well and he, too, is a free agent). If the Mariners want something to change in 2027, bringing Arozarena back would help, and so would adding another big right-handed bat. Whether ownership would allow this massive expenditure remains to be seen.
St. Louis Cardinals: Bullpen
The St. Louis Cardinals exceeded expectations in 2026 and if their young players continue to develop, it wouldn't be surprising to see them take a step forward in 2027. That's contingent on Chaim Bloom meaningfully adding to this bullpen, though. Bloom mostly ignored the bullpen last offseason, which made sense in a rebuilding winter, but the Cardinals should be taking winning seriously now.
Riley O'Brien was an All-Star, but he clearly ran out of gas down the stretch, to the point where I'm not sure the Cardinals should hand him the closer role. Other than O'Brien, who else do you even sort of trust in that bullpen? If they don't fix that issue, it'll be hard for the Cardinals to take the step they're capable of taking.
Tampa Bay Rays: Lineup depth
The Tampa Bay Rays deserve immense credit for getting this far with a lineup that I still frankly don't really trust. The reason why I don't trust it has to do with their lack of depth. Junior Caminero is an MVP-caliber hitter, and guys like Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda are really good, but who else is there? Liam Hicks added a bit more depth, but Chandler Simpson, a player with as many home runs at the MLB level as I have, has hit in the middle of the Rays' lineup for much of the year.
Don't get me wrong, Simpson is a good player, but he probably shouldn't be hitting in the middle of a lineup on a contending team. Guys like Taylor Walls and Jonny DeLuca can really defend at premium positions up the middle, but their inability to hit results in a lineup that's too top-heavy for my liking. If the Rays can fix that, they'll be even scarier in 2027.
Texas Rangers: Durable, reliable hitter
On paper, the Texas Rangers should be a good offensive team with guys like Wyatt Langford, Corey Seager, Brandon Nimmo and Josh Jung anchoring their lineup. Even Ezequiel Duran had a really good year in 2026. Unfortunately, they were just 25th in runs scored and missed the playoffs despite playing in a putrid AL West, and the availability of their stars is a big reason why.
Langford, Seager and Jung each appeared in 110 games or fewer for Texas. It's really hard to win games if your best players don't play. Adding a consistent bat to the fold would really help a Rangers team that can still have some success in 2027 with better injury luck.
Toronto Blue Jays: Middle-of-the-order bat
Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Toronto Blue Jays finished dead last in the majors in runs scored and home runs, and second-to-last in OPS. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. having the worst year of his career played a role, but what really stood out about this offense was its lack of power. Kazuma Okamoto led the team with 33 home runs and 92 RBI. Nobody else hit more than 15 home runs and drove in more than 59 runs.
A better year from Guerrero would help a ton, but the Jays need more than just him and Okamoto. Getting a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat feels like an absolute must for Ross Atkins to will this team back to contention.
Washington Nationals: Complete bullpen revamp
The Washington Nationals had a legitimate shot at being the National League's version of the White Sox. They led the majors in runs scored for much of the year (finished third) thanks to an emerging young core, and got breakout years out of Cade Cavalli and Andrew Alvarez. If it weren't for a historically bad bullpen, the Nationals might've made the playoffs. I mean, they blew a MLB record 42 saves, 11 more than the Tigers who blew the second-most.
That's an unfathomable number, to say the least. Assuming the Nationals hold onto James Wood and CJ Abrams, they have a good amount of talent on their roster with the ability to hang around the postseason race with a competent bullpen. A complete revamp is probably too much to ask for, but the Nationals should add several proven big-league relievers to their 'pen if they're serious about competing in 2027.
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