20. Texas Rangers
Biggest offseason move so far: Acquiring OF Brandon Nimmo from the Mets
The Nimmo trade filled one hole while opening up another at second base, and there's still woefully little pitching depth both in the rotation (lord help this team if either Jacob deGrom or Nathan Eovaldi get hurt again) and in the bullpen. It wouldn't surprise me if the offense took a step forward, but that might not be enough barring a major splash or two.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates
Biggest offseason move so far: Acquiring INF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery from the Rays in a three-team deal
I can't help but feel like we all might be getting a little ahead of ourselves with the idea of the Pirates as Wild Card contenders. They did great work in the Lowe deal, and signing Ryan O'Hearn was encouraging. But this offense is still below-average, and the rotation is high on potential but short on proven production behind Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller. I can absolutely see an 85-win team here, but I can also see something worse.
18. San Francisco Giants
Biggest offseason move so far: Signing RHP Adrian Houser
Is it time to have a conversation about Buster Posey as a lead executive? All he's done so far this winter is hand Houser way too much money, and while the foundation is here for a playoff run, it's hard to see them making serious noise without at least one more bat — and one more reliable starter behind Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landon Roupp. It's hard to see this team being bad, but I'm also struggling to see the ceiling.
17. Cincinnati Reds
Biggest offseason move so far: Re-signing RHP Emilio Pagan
There might not be a more frustrating team to root for right now than the Reds. Cincy has a loaded starting rotation, a budding star at short in Elly De La Cruz and a solid farm system, and yet they refuse to actually invest around what should be a promising core. The starting pitching should once again be dynamite, but unless Nick Krall adds some pop to this lineup, last season's 83-win Wild Card exit feels like the best-case scenario.
16. Kansas City Royals
Biggest offseason move so far: Acquiring OF Isaac Collins from the Brewers
Kansas City finally did something to rectify their league-worst outfield situation, acquiring Collins from Milwaukee for a reasonable price. But it'll take much more than that to get Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia the help they need. Getting Cole Ragans back healthy will do wonders for a solid rotation, but the Royals need another bat or two to truly enter the contender conversation.