The MLB offseason has gotten off to a fast start, with guys like Dylan Cease, Sonny Gray and Devin Williams already changing teams. With the Winter Meetings just a couple of days away, things will only move even faster, as each of the 30 lead executives and every top agent will all be in Orlando talking through every kind of transaction you can think of. With moves expected to come at a rapid pace, here's what each of the 30 fan bases should be on the lookout for.
What to watch at the Winter Meetings
- AL East priorities
- AL Central priorities
- AL West priorities
- NL East priorities
- NL Central priorities
- NL West priorities
AL East priorities
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles made the first big move of the offseason, trading Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward. Trading four years of a promising pitcher for one year of Taylor Ward is undoubtedly risky, but the Orioles want to win now. Or so we think.
Will we see that in the Winter Meetings? The Orioles needed a frontline starter before trading Rodriguez, and now their rotation need is even clearer. Will Mike Elias make the uncharacteristic move of signing a high-end free agent starter like Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez? Do the Orioles have enough ammo to trade for an ace? The Orioles say they want to win now, but we have to see Elias and ownership put their money where their mouths are.
Boston Red Sox
Just how aggressive will the Boston Red Sox be this offseason? We've seen Craig Breslow make a couple of big trades, landing Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, but it'd be misleading to suggest he's accomplished either of the team's two biggest offseason goals. Gray is still effective and Oviedo is an underrated addition, but neither of those guys profiles as an ideal No. 2 starter on a World Series contender. Do the Red Sox have another big starting pitching move in them?
Beyond that, what's the deal with the lineup? Boston's need for power is glaringly obvious, so do we see them make a push for Pete Alonso and/or Kyle Schwarber? Signing one of those two bats while re-signing Alex Bregman would be the dream scenario, but will Boston do that and add their ideal No. 2 starter? They can, but is ownership willing to spend more than anticipated? Reports suggest no, but perhaps their Winter Meetings activity changes that reality.
New York Yankees
I hate to harp too much on money, but the New York Yankees are another team to look at in that area. We all know the Yankees have money to spend, but how willing is ownership to spend it? Recent reports suggest that the Yankees are actually trying to lower payroll. If so, this could be a nightmare of an offseason.
Lowering payroll means not only will the Yankees lose out on Kyle Tucker, but they'll almost certainly let guys like Cody Bellinger and Tatsuya Imai sign elsewhere. Yankees fans were worried they'd just be running it back, but now, there's reason to believe the team will not be as talented in 2026 as it was in 2025. A big splash at the Winter Meetings would change everything, but for now, vibes are at an all-time low in the Bronx.
Tampa Bay Rays
What exactly is the Tampa Bay Rays' plan for 2026? We know that this small-market team won't be in on any of the high-end free agents, but the Rays can still find ways to be competitive. The Rays can also look to take a step back in 2026 and take advantage of other desperate teams trying to win in 2026.
Veterans like Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz are prime trade candidates. The Rays could even make a bigger move by trading Drew Rasmussen. MLB fans will be wondering what direction the Rays are going in. If they intend to compete, Lowe and Diaz probably aren't going anywhere. If they're fine taking a step back, the trade block becomes that much more desirable.
Toronto Blue Jays
Not even a month after losing Game 7 of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays gave Dylan Cease the richest deal a pitcher has ever received in their franchise's history. Soon after, they added even more depth to their rotation by signing Cody Ponce. The scariest thing for American League foes is that the Jays don't seem like they're close to stopping.
It was reported by FanSided's Robert Murray that Kyle Tucker visited the Jays' spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida on Wednesday. With that in mind, all eyes will be on whether the Jays can seal the deal with the best free agent available. Getting the best free agent and arguably the best starting pitcher free agent in the same offseason after making it to within two outs of a World Series title isn't too shabby.
AL Central priorities
Chicago White Sox
Will the Chicago White Sox finally give up on Luis Robert Jr.? They've held onto him for dear life through the past couple of trade deadlines despite his struggles and the team's lackluster records, and there's a chance they could do that again this winter.
I'd argue that the White Sox should just take what they can get this winter for Robert, thinking he desperately needs a fresh start. It's entirely possible that GM Chris Getz disagrees, though, and banks on Robert bouncing back in the first half of 2026. With a weak outfield market in mind, Robert would be one of the most desirable options out there if made available. It'll be interesting to see what the White Sox do with one of their few somewhat desirable trade chips.
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians made Steven Kwan available at the 2025 trade deadline, but wound up holding onto him and making an unlikely run to the postseason. What's the plan now? Do the Guardians hold onto Kwan, thinking they can get back to the postseason in 2026, or do they trade him, trying to maximize their return, now that he's a free agent after 2027?
This can really go either way. I'm sure the Guardians would be more than fine holding onto Kwan, an All-Star-caliber outfielder, but if there's a big return out there, they'd probably take that and run. Kwan would arguably be the second-best outfielder available after Kyle Tucker, and he'd only cost a fraction of what Tucker will make as a free agent. If they decide to trade him, the Guardians can get a ton in return.
Detroit Tigers
All eyes are on Tarik Skubal. Sure, we've all seen the reports that say the Detroit Tigers intend on keeping the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner, but there's a reason the Tigers haven't said outright that Skubal isn't going anywhere, like the Pittsburgh Pirates did with Paul Skenes. If there's a godfather offer out there, Detroit will have to consider it, knowing Skubal is set to hit free agency after the 2026 campaign.
Whether Tigers fans like it or not, the Winter Meetings figure to be dominated by Skubal trade talks until he's either dealt, or the Tigers make it abundantly clear that he is not available.
Kansas City Royals
Upgrading the lineup around Bobby Witt Jr., particularly in the outfield, is the Kansas City Royals' No. 1 priority. Doing so in free agency would be ideal, as it would require nothing more than money, but given the unlikelihood that the Royals would spend on an outfielder like Tucker or Bellinger, and the lack of high-end alternatives, if they make a major outfield addition, it'd come via trade.
Do the Royals have the desperation to trade one of their young starters to fill their outfield needs? Getting a young, controllable outfielder would be great, but less so if it means trading Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic or Noah Cameron. It'll be interesting to see if they're comfortable parting with a key piece of their rotation for an outfielder or if they'll just run out an underwhelming lineup for a second straight year. Neither option feels ideal, if we're being honest.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins orchestrated one of the biggest trade deadline sell-offs in recent history, so fans are wondering what's next. Do the Twins decide to change course and attempt to compete in a fairly winnable AL Central, or do they continue tearing things down by trading one or more of Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez or Byron Buxton?
Reports suggest the former, but don't be surprised to see it be the latter. There's a good chance the Twins will get overwhelmed in an offer for any of those three players, and they should not hesitate to deal them for the right return. It'd be surprising at this point if there was any Twins talk that didn't involve either Ryan, Lopez or Buxton in the Winter Meetings.
AL West priorities
Athletics
Do the Athletics have more money to spend? Last offseason, the A's shocked the baseball world by signing Luis Severino and trading for Jeffrey Springs. As we came to find out, the primary reason that the A's added payroll last winter was to avoid an MLBPA grievance. Would they be willing to continue adding to this team without the threat of a grievance looming?
The A's have a strong position player core, led by rookies Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson and veteran Brent Rooker, but their pitching could use a lot of work. Adding pitching could make this team a sneaky Wild Card contender. Is John Fisher willing to open up the checkbook again? We all know the answer is likely no, but Winter Meetings chatter should revolve around that.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are in a tough spot. They missed the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade in 2025, and appear likely to lose Framber Valdez to free agency. They have an infield logjam, a need for more left-handed bats, a need for at least one outfielder, and a need to revamp most of their rotation following Hunter Brown. It's a large to-do list that the Astros will look to accomplish without spending much money and without having much prospect capital to offer in trades.
In other words, Dana Brown will have to prioritize and hope to check one or two of these things off his list at the Winter Meetings. What will Brown prioritize? How much money can he spend? How much prospect capital does he have that other teams are interested in? These are storylines fans will look to follow during the Winter Meetings.
Los Angeles Angels
The report that the Los Angeles Angels are discussing a contract buyout with Anthony Rendon was one of the few in recent years that Angels fans were happy with. The Rendon signing was an unmitigated disaster, so the official end of his tenure will be a day Angels fans celebrate. A contract buyout could mean that the Angels have more money to spend now than they otherwise would've.
Does that mean the Angels will open up the checkbook for another mega-signing? Will the Angels make a bunch of smaller signings? Will Arte Moreno just pocket the money? Who knows. It's never easy to predict what the Angels will do. It'd be nice to see the Angels try to win, but it'd also be nice to see them spend their money wisely.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners made it as far as they've ever gone this past season, and re-signed a key member of their postseason run, Josh Naylor, but fans are wondering what's next. Just how much do the Mariners have to spend? Will they run it back by re-signing Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco? Will they make one bigger signing? Will they focus on adding an arm to the back end of their bullpen? Will they be willing to trade from their loaded farm system to try and win now?
Everyone knows the Mariners will be postseason contenders, but it'll be interesting to see how big of an offseason Seattle will have. The Naylor signing was a good one, but there's a lot more work to be done.
Texas Rangers
Trading Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo might hurt in 2029 and 2030, but for now, the Texas Rangers got a younger and better hitter while also shedding some payroll for the short-term. Since the Rangers were able to save a little bit of money in the short-term and clearly intend on winning now, do they have enough money to make a meaningful addition in an area of need, like their rotation, bullpen or behind the plate?
That's where the focus will lie. Nimmo improves their offense, but he alone won't magically turn the Rangers into a playoff team. It'll be interesting to see what the Rangers will do.
NL East priorities
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves re-signed Raisel Iglesias and upgraded a spot on their roster by trading Nick Allen for Mauricio Dubon, but there's a lot more work to be done. All Braves fans are wondering how aggressive Alex Anthopoulos will be following a disastrous 2025 campaign.
Will he think that the roster is mostly fine as is, or will major changes be made? The Braves could use a shortstop, a lot more bullpen help, and even a starter. Checking all those boxes could get the Braves back into World Series contention. They should have money to spend to check most of those, but it's on Anthopoulos to get the job done. Braves fans will have to see it to believe it after how poorly the 2025 campaign went.
Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins fans would like to see Peter Bendix pick a direction. After going 79-83 and being one of MLB's biggest pleasant surprises, the Marlins can either attempt to make a playoff push or sell high on some of their assets. There's a good chance that if they were to decide to trade Sandy Alcantara this winter, they'd get a hefty return. The same can be said about Edward Cabrera.
Arguments can be made for either direction. The Marlins won't spend on any big free agents, but there are plenty of under-the-radar targets for them to choose from, and they can be active on the trade market as well. Marlins fans have every reason to trust Bendix after how well the team played in 2025, and having him pick a direction would only add to their trust.
New York Mets
All eyes are on the New York Mets as they attempt to put the nightmarish 2025 collapse behind them. They've already begun making changes, trading Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien and bolstering the back-end of their bullpen with Devin Williams, but there's more work to be done.
What Mets fans are wondering is whether David Stearns will be willing to go out of his comfort zone. This could mean giving an extra year on a contract to Pete Alonso or Edwin Diaz, or going out of his way to sign a frontline starter like Framber Valdez. Those moves might not age well, but they would put New York in a prime position to compete for a World Series title in 2026.
Philadelphia Phillies
The last thing Philadelphia Phillies fans want to see is for their team to run it back after another frustrating postseason defeat, yet running it back (without Ranger Suarez) feels like the most likely outcome. Kyle Schwarber is the team's top priority, as he should be, but beyond that, the Phillies haven't been linked much to high-end free agents or trade targets.
At a certain point, Dave Dombrowski has to realize that the core that's in place just isn't working. Phillies fans hope that happens at the Winter Meetings, whether it's through a big trade or free agency signing.
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals shook things up, hiring Paul Toboni and Blake Butera as their president of baseball operations and manager, respectively. Will they continue to make changes with their active roster? It's unlikely that they'll add a big-name free agent (even if they probably should), but they could look to sell high on one or both of C.J. Abrams or MacKenzie Gore.
Trading one of those players would signal that this team isn't ready to compete anytime soon, and that'd be a hard pill to swallow, but doing so now, when they're still a couple of years away from free agency, would allow the Nationals to bring in a huge return. Both Gore and Abrams have been in trade rumors this offseason, so it'll be interesting to see if either or both of them get dealt at the Winter Meetings.
NL Central priorities
Chicago Cubs
It became apparent even before the season ended that the Chicago Cubs will not be re-signing Kyle Tucker. If, indeed, that's the case, what's the plan for Chicago? Is their plan just to run things back without their best player? Will they add a much-needed ace to their rotation?
It's hard to get a read on what the Cubs will do. They should be willing to throw a lot of money at a high-end free agent starter, like Framber Valdez or Tatsuya Imai, but that isn't typically how Jed Hoyer operates. They could look to make a big trade to address the rotation, but will they want to trade more prospects one year after trading for Tucker? Adding a frontline starter feels like a must if the Cubs want to get back to the postseason. Adding an ace might be the only way the Cubs organization can avoid fans melting down, especially if they don't make a real attempt at re-signing Tucker.
Cincinnati Reds
Just how realistic is a Kyle Schwarber pursuit? Schwarber fits everything the Cincinnati Reds need, from his power to his leadership to the fact that he's a hometown kid. With that being said, he's a 32-year-old DH who will cost a boatload of money. The Reds will appeal to Schwarber, but at the end of the day, money talks. Can the Reds outbid big market giants like the Phillies, Red Sox and Mets? I'm not so sure.
Reds fans can dream, though. Schwarber will be at the center of attention for many fan bases at the Winter Meetings, and the Reds are no exception. Bringing him in would make the Reds sneaky contenders.
Milwaukee Brewers
Will the Milwaukee Brewers keep or trade Freddy Peralta? Keeping him would be what makes the fan base happiest, as Peralta is their ace and they'd have a better chance of winning it all in 2026 with him than without him, but his contract status cannot be ignored. Peralta is set to hit free agency after the 2026 campaign, and it's almost certain that the small-market Brewers will not pay what it'd take to keep him in town long-term.
Keeping him would give the Brewers the best chance to win now, but trading him might give them the best chance to win in 2027 and beyond. If the Brewers get an offer that's too good to pass on, don't be surprised to see them pull the trigger, as they've done with guys like Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader and Devin Williams. If Tarik Skubal stays in Detroit, Peralta might be the best pitcher available on the trade market this winter, only adding to Milwaukee's potential return.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates' need for offense cannot be overstated. The Jhostynxon Garcia trade should help, but he cannot be their best addition. What Pirates fans are wondering is will Bob Nutting be willing to spend on real upgrades this offseason.
Nutting is one of, if not the cheapest owner in the sport, so Pirates fans will have to see it to believe it. With that being said, they've been linked to far more free agents than ever before this offseason, and there's a clear consensus that they appear ready to spend some money. How much money and on which players, though, remains to be seen. Pirates fans aren't asking for Kyle Schwarber; they just want something. Let's see if Nutting comes through, or if this is another underwhelming Winter Meetings in the Steel City.
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals traded Sonny Gray away, making it even clearer that they're entering a rebuild. All Cardinals fans can wonder is, who's next? Nolan Arenado is as good as gone, and there's probably a good chance Willson Contreras is gone too, but will Chaim Bloom be willing to trade one of their cost-controlled players for prospects?
Whether that's Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar or Alec Burleson, the Cardinals have several intriguing cost-controlled contributors to dangle. It'll be interesting to see just how much of this team Bloom wants to gut in his first offseason of control. Their Winter Meetings activity should give fans good insight there.
NL West priorities
Arizona Diamondbacks
All eyes in the desert are on Ketel Marte. Will the Arizona Diamondbacks elect to keep or trade him? There are justifications for both decisions. Keeping him would give them the best chance to win now and in the near future. Trading him would allow the Diamondbacks to sell ridiculously high on the game's best second baseman and potentially fill multiple holes on their roster.
It feels like their offseason hinges on what they decide to do with Marte. If they keep him, they'll make more of a concerted effort to try and win in 2026, but even then, it's unclear how much money they have to spend to bolster a beleaguered pitching staff. If they trade him, others might follow. The Diamondbacks are a sneaky team to follow in the Winter Meetings.
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies hired Paul DePodesta to run their baseball operations, so who knows what fans should expect. Realistically, Colorado should just focus on developing the talent they have and make some cheap veteran additions on the margins.
It's entirely possible we see DePodesta ponder a trade for one of the team's best players, though, like Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle or Ezequiel Tovar. This wouldn't be a popular decision, but it'd allow the Rockies to add much-needed prospect capital. Regardless, the Rockies are a ways away from contending, and this year's winter meetings won't change that reality.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles, and seemingly have every opportunity to win a third. The two biggest weaknesses they have, their outfield and bullpen, can be addressed rather easily by signing Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, the two best free agents at their positions.
If the Dodgers want to sign one or both of those players, they will. They have virtually unlimited money, and have always been determined to add. If they'd rather do damage on the trade market, they have one of the league's best farm systems to deal from. The Dodgers will be favorites to three-peat regardless, so it'll be interesting to see how they decide to attack this offseason.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are going to have to add to their rotation to be competitive in 2026, yet it appears as if the team doesn't have much money to spend. Sure, A.J. Preller could do what he does best and make some trades, but their farm system is as weak as it's been in years. How exactly are the Padres going to add to their rotation without much money or prospect capital?
San Diego has already seen Dylan Cease walk, and barring a surprise with Michael King, he'll land elsewhere, too. Padres fans hope to see their team shop in the expensive aisle, but it's more likely they'll have to bank on some more Nick Pivetta types of resurgences in 2026.
San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants fans were eager to see how Buster Posey would respond following a brutal 2025 campaign. Sure, they had brought in Willy Adames and Rafael Devers within the last calendar year, but Giants fans hoped that the front office would keep its foot on the gas and add more star power to their roster, either in the lineup or rotation. Early indications suggest that isn't going to happen, as the Giants are reportedly unlikely to pay what it'd take to sign Tatsuya Imai.
This is bad news, no matter how you spin it. This not only means Imai is unlikely to end up in San Francisco, but the Giants won't be adding a big bat like Tucker or Bellinger either. In a division that features the Dodgers, it's hard to envision the Giants being all that threatening if they're unwilling to spend much money. It's looking like Giants fans will have to do some research on under-the-radar additions they'd like the team to pursue in the Winter Meetings, which is not what this fan base expected a month or two ago.
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