Whereas there’s nonetheless loads to be decided with respect to the new range season, the calendar will quickly flip to a brand new yr, and with it, Spring Coaching will likely be in sight.
As rosters take form and the MLB panorama turns into clearer, what questions does every group face earlier than heading to Arizona or Florida to open camp?
Here is a have a look at the largest query for every membership earlier than Spring Coaching:
Blue Jays: Will they pivot… once more?Will the Blue Jays swing huge on Cody Bellinger, goal a shock title on the commerce market or run it again with a group of mid-range signings? Earlier than we get into something particular, we nonetheless must see through which broad, philosophical route the Blue Jays need to transfer their franchise.
A yr in the past, that shift was clear. They moved out bats for pitching and protection, buying and selling Teoscar Hernández for Erik Swanson and later dealing Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for Daulton Varsho. They took a special highway to the identical place, although, and must strive one other path. Does this entrance workplace suppose one other important shift is required? We’re about to seek out out. — Keegan Matheson
Orioles: How will they improve their rotation?Normal supervisor Mike Elias has repeatedly made it recognized he’d like so as to add a big-league-caliber beginning pitcher to improve Baltimore’s rotation for the 2024 season. However nothing has materialized to date this offseason, whereas free-agent pitchers proceed to come back off the board.
The marketplace for starters has been a bit dear, as fairly a couple of groups have been giving out profitable offers. Due to that, it nonetheless appears extra possible the Orioles purchase a brand new rotation piece in a commerce. They’ve a glut of gifted position-player prospects of their stacked farm system to make use of as commerce chips, and starters corresponding to White Sox right-hander Dylan Stop and Brewers righty Corbin Burnes proceed to be concerned in rumors. — Jake Rill
Rays: What’s the standing of Wander Franco?For essentially the most half, the Rays’ roster seems to be in fairly fine condition. Ryan Pepiot can take Tyler Glasnow’s spot within the rotation, and Jonny DeLuca might fill Manuel Margot’s function within the outfield. There’s room so as to add pitching depth and a catcher to work alongside René Pinto, positive, and maybe make a couple of extra offers on the position-player facet to make room for his or her glut of younger infielders.
However the greatest query is one the group itself can’t reply: What’s the standing of Franco, who spent the ultimate weeks of the season on administrative go away and stays underneath investigation by MLB and authorities within the Dominican Republic? There have been no substantive updates since August, apart from the procedural transfer of returning the All-Star shortstop to the 40-man roster. — Adam Berry
Purple Sox: Who will they add to the rotation?The Purple Sox entered the offseason with plenty of wants, primarily: beginning pitching, a powerful defensive second baseman and a right-handed bat. They checked off the latter by buying Tyler O’Neill from the Cardinals, although they may arguably add another influence hitter.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow harassed on the Winter Conferences that beginning pitching was Boston’s greatest precedence. Boston has been linked to prime free brokers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, and the membership reportedly has curiosity in Lucas Giolito and Japanese lefty Shōta Imanaga. — Molly Burkhardt
Yankees: How will they improve their pitching?Even whereas Yanks executives felt good about their probabilities of touchdown Yamamoto, they had been contemplating Plan B — reunions with Jordan Montgomery or Frankie Montas, a commerce for the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, or constructing an excellent bullpen with Jordan Hicks. Shōta Imanaga is one other interesting choice. The Yankees’ workers had a strong 3.97 ERA final season, however it was a less-impressive 4.20 with out Gerrit Cole’s contributions. Cole is coming off a Cy Younger Award-winning season, however Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodón had injury-marred campaigns. — Bryan Hoch
Guardians: Will they commerce Shane Bieber?The Guardians added free-agent catcher Austin Hedges for his protection and management, free-agent righty Ben Energetic so as to add to their beginning depth and traded for righty Scott Barlow to assist on the again finish of the bullpen. However nothing has been performed to externally enhance this offseason so far, apart from including a 20-year-old nook infielder, Deyvison De Los Santos — who hasn’t performed above Double-A — within the Rule 5 Draft. Cleveland nonetheless wants assist offensively and Bieber — though his commerce worth isn’t what it was once — could be the best choice to amass that assist. — Mandy Bell
Royals: Can they add extra?The Royals have already performed a ton of labor to enhance, including six free brokers earlier than Christmas. But it surely’s going to take loads to show round a group that received simply 56 video games final season. They’re nonetheless counting on inner enchancment and well being on either side of the ball to be higher in 2024.
There are nonetheless in all probability some holes within the bullpen — the Royals have mentioned they’ll give Will Smith the chance to shut video games, in addition to Chris Stratton — but when they will add another dependable piece, it might assist mitigate well being, workload and different adversity bullpens face all through the season.
Offensively, the Royals like what they’ve acquired with their infield starters and outfield combine, however the place participant depth on their 40-man roster is pretty skinny. Kansas Metropolis would possibly look so as to add a lefty bench piece who can complement Garrett Hampson and play a number of positions. — Anne Rogers
Tigers: Add another bat or belief within the children?President of baseball operations Scott Harris has been constant on holding alternatives open for younger hitters to crack the roster, specifically slugging infielder Colt Keith at second base. But when a probably helpful veteran infielder falls via the cracks and turns into accessible on a short-term deal, might Harris flip opportunistic and use the addition to push Keith and/or third baseman Matt Vierling, and possibly enhance depth consequently? — Jason Beck
Twins: Will they discover a worthwhile deal involving Jorge Polanco and/or Max Kepler?The reply to that query will possible set the tone for Minnesota’s offseason strikes. With out as a lot spending freedom because the Twins have loved in some offseasons previous, any transactions to maneuver the needle — significantly on the pitching facet — will possible have to come back by way of commerce, with their two greatest candidates being their two longest-tenured gamers.
Kepler is an elite defensive proper fielder coming off a resurgent 2023 season, whereas Polanco has had latest harm considerations however has in any other case been a high quality top-of-the-lineup switch-hitter with two years of group management remaining. — Do-Hyoung Park
White Sox: The place will Dylan Stop pitch at the beginning of the ’24 season?Enterprise ought to decide up as soon as larger title pitching free brokers come off the board, and common supervisor Chris Getz might have his alternative of expertise returns from a couple of totally different suitors to theoretically strengthen his group within the current and sooner or later.
It’s unlikely the White Sox can overplay their facet on this scenario as a result of in the event that they don’t get completely what they need, they will maintain on to Stop, who options two extra years of contractual management on the prime of the White Sox rotation. Stop has fanned at the very least 214 batters in every of his final three seasons and confirmed his sturdiness by making 97 begins in whole with a 3.54 ERA in that timeframe. — Scott Merkin
Angels: How a lot are they prepared to spend after dropping Ohtani?The Angels are roughly $70 million underneath the primary Aggressive Stability Tax (CBT) threshold, so that they have cash to spend even when they don’t go above that mark like they did on the Commerce Deadline. They might use a bat-first participant to assist exchange Shohei Ohtani’s manufacturing at designated hitter and one other utility-type participant might make some sense. Including a top-tier beginning pitcher could be best and there’s no such factor as having too many arms within the bullpen. — Rhett Bollinger
Astros: Can they add to the bullpen?Astros common supervisor Dana Brown mentioned earlier this month that the membership will flip to inner candidates to fill among the holes created following the departure of veteran relievers Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek, who’re free brokers. These three mixed to throw 185 innings final season, which was about one-third of Houston’s bullpen workload.
There’s nonetheless an opportunity Houston might add a high-leverage reliever, so who’s going to be establishing Ryan Pressly, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Kendall Graveman? Regardless, a number of pitchers already on the roster might want to step up. — Brian McTaggart
Athletics: Who will likely be within the combine to shut video games?Trevor Could’s retirement this offseason leaves a gap for the nearer function that, at this level, doesn’t seem to have a transparent favourite. In the course of the Winter Conferences, common supervisor David Forst indicated that Mason Miller – Oakland’s prime pitching prospect — is more likely to pitch out of the bullpen this season and might be a candidate to shut video games.
Proper-handers Lucas Erceg and newly-signed Trevor Gott additionally determine to be prospects, although neither has intensive expertise as a more in-depth. The A’s might additionally nonetheless be exploring the commerce and free-agent markets for a closer-type reliever. — Martín Gallegos
Mariners: What does the unfinished lineup appear to be?The Mariners have taken a subtract-then-add method with their position-player personnel this offseason, releasing up greater than $30 million in payroll by buying and selling well-known gamers Jarred Kelenic, Eugenio Suárez, Marco Gonzales and Evan White.
Whereas president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto indicated on the Winter Conferences that they’re transitioning to the “addition” section, they’ve but to refill the holes they’ve created. They nonetheless have at the very least one huge transfer in them, if no more, however for a entrance workplace that sometimes augments early every offseason, this one has moved uncharacteristically slowly. — Daniel Kramer
Rangers: How will the rotation — as at the moment constructed — maintain up within the first half?The Rangers have theoretically already received the 2024 Commerce Deadline with three beginning pitchers — Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tyler Mahle — all coming back from harm within the second half. However the rotation within the first half of the season is trying mighty skinny.
The Rangers’ Opening Day rotation now strains up with Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Grey, Dane Dunning, Andrew Heaney and Cody Bradford, with prospects Owen White (two huge league appearances in 2023), Zak Kent and Cole Winn all ready within the wings. It’s a effective rotation, but when any of the highest 5 arms get hit with a considerable harm, it might trigger bother for the Rangers early on. — Kennedi Landry
Braves: Do they should add a beginning pitcher?Including a difference-maker like Aaron Nola or Sonny Grey would have given the Braves a confirmed starter who might add important worth in October over the following few years. There are different potential frontline starters like Blake Snell on the free agent market. But when the fee doesn’t match projected worth, Alex Anthopoulos has confirmed he received’t spend simply to spend.
Anthopoulos gained some insurance coverage with Reynaldo López, who might be used as a starter or reliever. AJ Smith-Shawver, Darius Vines and Allan Winans present additional depth to a rotation that begins with two Cy Younger Award candidates in Max Fried and Spencer Strider. Getting the correct starter would possibly assist. However that is additionally a possible want that might be addressed once more earlier than the Commerce Deadline. — Mark Bowman
Marlins: Who would be the beginning shortstop?On the Winter Conferences, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix mentioned there wasn’t a clear-cut on a regular basis shortstop already on the roster. If no addition is made both by way of free company or commerce, supervisor Skip Schumaker figures Jon Berti will get the majority of the reps on the place. Not solely did Berti begin each video games of the 2023 NL Wild Card Sequence, however he additionally has a confirmed monitor report in comparison with kids Vidal Bruján, Xavier Edwards and Jacob Amaya (Miami’s No. 5 prospect). — Christina De Nicola
Mets: How will the entrance workplace create sufficient rotation depth?The group made an early acquisition when it agreed to phrases with Luis Severino in late November, then one other when it traded for Adrian Houser simply earlier than Christmas. Each of these pitchers have battled important accidents just lately, as has incumbent starter José Quintana. And David Peterson — a constant supply of innings over the previous two years — will possible miss months of the season recovering from a torn hip labrum. The extent to which the Mets complement that group will go a good distance towards figuring out each their ceiling and their ground. — Anthony DiComo
Nationals: Who will assist fill the primary base and designated hitter roles?The plan is for Joey Meneses, final season’s designated hitter, to spend time at first base. That leaves a necessity for one more participant (or gamers) to cowl innings at first and DH. Internally, the Nationals might tab outfielder Stone Garrett within the designated hitter spot as he returns from a damaged left leg. The correct-handed hitter took practically as many at-bats in opposition to right-handers (112 ABs, .277 batting common, two house runs) and southpaws (122 ABs, .262 batting common, seven homers) final season. Anticipate Washington to proceed exploring the free-agent market, coveting lefty hitters who can present energy. — Jessica Camerato
Phillies: What else?The Phillies aren’t completed constructing their 2024 roster, however what is going to these additions appear to be? They’ve mentioned for greater than a month that they are going to be extra complementary in nature. In fact, the Phillies took a run at free-agent right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, however he was the one participant they appeared prepared to blow previous the following luxurious tax threshold for. It appears extra possible at this level that the Phillies search for one other outfielder and one other bullpen arm. — Todd Zolecki
Brewers: Which route are they going?On one hand, the Brewers invoice themselves as contenders, saying the goal is to mount a profitable protection of their NL Central title. Alternatively, they signaled a willingness to go younger after they signed prime prospect Jackson Chourio to a record-setting contract that paved his approach to the Opening Day roster, and so they parted with two of their longest-tenured gamers in Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor by way of a commerce with the Mets. Perhaps the Brewers can do each — reducing payroll and persevering with to win. Perhaps they’ll take a step again in 2024. — Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: Have they got sufficient pitching to be critical contenders once more?Positive, the Cardinals upgraded their pitching with the additions of Sonny Grey, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to hitch Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz within the rotation, however have they got sufficient firepower to be legit World Sequence contenders? President of baseball operations John Mozeliak thinks so, however it looks as if he would possibly nonetheless have one other play to fortify the rotation or enhance the bullpen.
The Playing cards by no means critically entered the chase for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and missed out on a commerce for Tyler Glasnow, per Glasnow on the Foul Territory podcast. Can they swing a deal for Dylan Stop, Shane Bieber or Alek Manoah? — John Denton
Cubs: Who will play heart area?The simple reply right here could be Cody Bellinger, who was one among baseball’s finest comeback tales in 2023. The problem, after all, is that Bellinger is arguably the highest free-agent place participant accessible now that celebrity Shohei Ohtani is off the board. Bellinger is understandably looking for a hefty payday.
If Bellinger shouldn’t be re-signed by the Cubs, then the North Siders have a puzzle to unravel in heart area. Chicago has heart fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong — MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Cubs prospect and the No. 12 prospect in baseball — however the membership additionally doesn’t need to rush him earlier than he’s deemed prepared. Mike Tauchman provides an skilled in-house choice, and the Cubs might discover different short-term alternate options on the open market. — Jordan Bastian
Pirates: How does the beginning rotation line up?Even with the items falling into place after the commerce for Marco Gonzales and the reported settlement reached with Martín Pérez, which has not been confirmed by the membership, there are nonetheless two rotation spots up for grabs behind these two and Mitch Keller. When requested on Wednesday about which areas he nonetheless sees for potential additions, common supervisor Ben Cherington’s first response was nonetheless the rotation. However might younger inner choices like Quinn Priester or Jared Jones make their case in Spring Coaching? — Jake Crouse
Reds: Can they decide up an skilled beginning pitcher?The Reds have a number of younger and thrilling beginning pitchers to contend for rotation spots. However these pitchers even have plenty of query marks after Cincinnati starters handled accidents whereas posting the third-worst ERA in MLB final season.
Having a confirmed beginning pitcher who might present at the very least 175 innings and make 30 begins would possible make Cincinnati the favourite amongst NL Central contenders. — Mark Sheldon
D-backs: Will they add a DH?The D-backs have performed an excellent job of filling in areas they recognized as wants to date this offseason, however one query stays: Will they discover themselves a chosen hitter? Over the past three seasons, Arizona has been content material to rotate gamers via the DH spot, utilizing it as a method of giving some gamers a partial break day, however even with the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the D-backs are nonetheless within the hunt for one more bat that may be plugged in because the on a regular basis DH. — Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: Who else will be a part of the rotation?With Los Angeles once more having struck gold, reportedly fortifying the rotation with phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto along with the commerce for Tyler Glasnow, this might be a moot level. However with Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin Could all recovering from surgical procedure and the prospects who debuted final season seeing combined outcomes, it by no means hurts to select up depth. The Dodgers have made a veritable hurricane in free company; might the commerce market — possibly even one other prime arm like Corbin Burnes or Dylan Stop — be subsequent? — Sonja Chen
Giants: Which different influence gamers can they land this offseason?The Giants confirmed they may efficiently woo a prime free agent by signing KBO star Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal, however they’ll must proceed beefing up their roster to maintain tempo within the aggressive NL West. They could not land Shohei Ohtani, watching him be a part of the rival Dodgers, and likewise got here up quick within the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes, however they may nonetheless pivot to different free brokers corresponding to Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Shōta Imanaga, Matt Chapman or Rhys Hoskins. — Maria Guardado
Padres: Have they got sufficient pitching? And if not, the place do they discover it?There are different holes on this roster, significantly within the outfield. However the sheer variety of innings — high quality innings — that have to be changed is very large. The Juan Soto commerce helped this trigger in a giant method (albeit at an awfully steep value). The Padres landed 4 younger pitchers, all of whom ought to contribute in 2024.
In the meantime, the Yuki Matsui signing ought to assist handle some leverage reduction innings. However there’s nonetheless work to be performed — some undoubtedly by way of free company, however common supervisor A.J. Preller has discovered front-line pitching on the commerce entrance earlier than. — AJ Cassavell
Rockies: How will they add expertise to the rotation?Because the calendar yr wound down, the Rockies had been kicking the tires with groups in hopes of buying and selling for a confirmed beginning pitcher. With Germán Márquez out till the second half and Antonio Senzatela unsure to return in 2024 (each underwent Tommy John surgical procedures), recently-acquired right-hander Cal Quantrill and lefties Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber are the one veterans. Righties Peter Lambert, Ryan Feltner and Noah Davis have a complete of 69 begins between them. The Rockies additionally determine to signal veterans underneath Minor League offers to create depth and competitors. — Thomas Harding
