The past two weeks have seen a lot of baseball action: The Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker, the Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger, the Mets dealt Freddy Peralta and signed Bo Bichette, the Red Sox signed Ranger Suárez, the Rangers traded MacKenzie Gore, and the Giants added Harrison Bader.
While that move puts a bow on the offseason for some of those teams, others are still working to finalize their 2026 rosters.
“I think teams like Baltimore, Tampa, Pittsburgh and the Athletics still want to start a run,” the American League official said. “Some of the bats that are still there are interesting, [Eugenio] Suárez again [Luis] Arraez, especially. I don’t know who is on top of them, but I have to think they will get somewhere.”
Here’s a look at eight teams (listed alphabetically) that still have some work to do as we quickly approach the start of Spring Training.
The Athletics had a relatively quiet offseason, trading infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and signing righty shortstop Mark Leiter Jr. But the rotation lacks experience behind Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs, creating a dire need for at least one other player. The A’s are unlikely to sign any of the top hitters still on the market, but veterans like Jose Quintana, Zack Littell or Jordan Montgomery could make sense.
The Braves had a busy offseason, signing hitting coach Robert Suarez, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, and Ha-Seong Kim (who will miss several months following hand surgery) and Jorge Mateo. Atlanta also re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias and relievers Tyler Kinley and Joel Payamps, while trading for reliever Mauricio Dubón (Kim’s replacement). But the Braves remain in the market for a starting pitcher, with options including Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen if one is willing to take a short-term deal. Chris Bassitt is also a possibility.
The Brewers made their expected trade for Freddy Peralta, sending the ace (and Tobias Myers) to the Mets for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, the latter of whom is expected to compete for a spot in the rotation. But with very little experience behind Brandon Woodruff in that rotation, Milwaukee could look to add a veteran arm before the season. A reunion with Jose Quintana is always a possibility, though there are a handful of free agents who could fit the bill.
San Francisco added Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to their roster this winter, then brought in Harrison Bader to fill his outfield spot — but the feeling among rival managers is that Buster Posey has one more trick up his sleeve. “I could see the Giants surprising people and making a big move,” the NL official said. Three quarters of the infield is lined up with Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, but second base remains a need, which could be filled by trading Brendan Donovan or Nico Hoerner. The Giants could benefit from adding more pitching, too, either through the rotation or the bullpen — or ideally both.
The Mariners jumped into the market to re-sign first baseman Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million deal, but Seattle lost Jorge Polanco to the Mets and has yet to replace a starter. With young infielders Colt Emerson, Cole Young and Ben Williamson close to making an everyday impact, Seattle would like to fill Polanco’s spot with a short-term commitment; trading Brendan Donovan (who has been under club control for two seasons and offers positional flexibility) would accomplish that goal.
Baltimore made our list of winningest teams in the offseason thanks to the additions of Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Shane Baz and Ryan Helsley, but the Orioles still have a hole in their rotation that needs to be addressed. Framber Valdez makes a lot of sense, because the starting staff doesn’t have a horse that can eat innings, although Zac Gallen could also be strong. If the Orioles can add a top starter between now and Opening Day, that could make them a tough contender in a crowded American League East.
The Phillies quickly did their hard work, re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million deal and later bringing back JT Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal. They lost Ranger Suárez in free agency, and while the plan is for top prospect Andrew Painter to eventually fill that spot, Philadelphia may be looking to add starting depth, possibly in the form of a swing man who can move to the bullpen when Painter is ready. The Phillies could use a right-handed hitter like Miguel Andujar or Randal Grichuk.
The Red Sox have been active this offseason, adding Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray and Wilson Contreras, but the loss of Alex Bregman has created a huge hole in the infield. Marcelo Mayer can play second or third base, giving the Red Sox more options. Could Eugenio Suárez be the solution at third, adding a powerful bat to the lineup? Or maybe trading Isaac Paredes or Brendan Donovan is the preferred option? Either way, Boston is still in need of a starting quarterback and it looks like they’ll be adding one soon.
