The last two weeks were very active in baseball: the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker, the Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger, the Mets traded for the Dominican Freddy Peralta and signed Bo Bichette, the Red Sox signed the Venezuelan Ranger Suárez, the Rangers acquired MacKenzie Gore in a trade and the Giants added Harrison Bader.
While those moves closed out the winter for some of those teams, others are still working to put the finishing touches on their rosters for 2026.
“I think teams like Baltimore, Tampa, Pittsburgh and the A’s are still looking for starters,” one American League executive said. “Some of the bats that are still available are interesting, particularly [Eugenio] Suarez and [Luis] Arraez. “I don’t know who’s going to sign them, but I have to think they’ll end up somewhere.”
Here’s a look at eight teams (listed alphabetically) that still have work to do as we quickly approach the start of spring training.
The A’s have had a relatively low-key offseason. They traded for infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and signed right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr., but the rotation lacks experience behind Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs, making it clear they need at least one more starter. The A’s are unlikely to sign any of the top pitchers still on the market, but veterans like Colombian José Quintana, Zack Littell or Jordan Montgomery could be a good fit.
The Braves have had a busy offseason: they signed Venezuelan reliever Robert Suárez, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and shortstops Ha-Seong Kim (who will now miss several months after hand surgery) and Dominican Jorge Mateo. Atlanta also re-signed Cuban closer Raisel Iglesias and relievers Tyler Kinley and Joel Payamps, in addition to acquiring Honduran utility man Mauricio Dubón via trade, who replaces Kim.
However, the Braves are still in the market for a starter. Among the options are the Dominican Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, as long as one is willing to accept a short-term contract. Chris Bassitt could also be an alternative.
The Brewers completed the long-awaited trade for Dominican Freddy Peralta, sending the ace (along with Tobias Myers) to the Mets in exchange for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. The latter 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 pitcher before the start of the season. A reunion with José Quintana is always a possibility, although there are several free agents who could be a good fit.
San Francisco added Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to its rotation this winter, and then added Harrison Bader to fill the outfield vacancy, but the feeling among rival executives is that Buster Posey still has an ace up his sleeve. “I could see the Giants surprising everyone with a big move,” said one National League executive. Three-quarters of the infield is already defined with Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers and Willy Adames, but second base remains a need, which could be resolved with a trade for Brendan Donovan or Nico Hoerner. The Giants would also benefit from adding more pitching, either in the rotation or the bullpen, or ideally both.
The Mariners moved quickly to re-sign first baseman Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million contract, but Seattle lost Jorge Polanco to the Mets and has yet to replace the infielder. With youngsters Colt Emerson, Cole Young and Ben Williamson close to making an everyday impact, Seattle would like to fill Polanco’s position with a short-term contract; a trade for Brendan Donovan (who is under club control for two seasons and offers defensive versatility) would accomplish that goal.
Baltimore appears on our list of teams that won the offseason thanks to the additions of Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Shane Baz and Ryan Helsley, but the Orioles still have a hole at the top of their rotation that should be addressed. Framber Valdez makes the most sense, as the starting staff lacks a pitcher capable of going many innings effectively, although Zac Gallen could also be a great fit. If the Orioles can add a top starter between now and Opening Day, they would become a serious contender in the competitive American League East.
The Phillies did the heavy lifting early, re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million deal, and later re-signing JT Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal. They lost Ranger Suarez in free agency, and while the plan is for top prospect Andrew Painter to end up filling that spot, Philadelphia could look to add depth to the rotation, possibly with a pitcher capable of moving into the bullpen when Painter is ready. The Phillies could also use a right-handed outfielder, such as Miguel Andujar or Randal Grichuk.
The Red Sox have been active this winter, adding Sonny Gray and Venezuelans Ranger Suárez and Willson Contreras, but the departure of Alex Bregman left a huge void in the infield. Mexican Marcelo Mayer is capable of playing both second and third base, giving the Red Sox some options. Could Venezuelan Eugenio Suárez be the solution at third base, bringing a power bat to the lineup? Or perhaps a trade for the Mexican Isaac Paredes or Brendan Donovan is the preferred route? Either way, Boston still needs a starting infielder and seems likely to add one soon.
