MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Entering 2024-25 Free Agency
The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions after knocking off the New York Yankees in five games, delivering on the lofty expectations that came with an offseason spending spree north of $1 billion and the high-profile addition of Shohei Ohtani.
The focus now shifts to the offseason, which means it's time for an updated version of our MLB power rankings to set the stage for what's to come this winter.
For our first offseason reshuffling of these rankings, teams are ranked based on their 2025 outlook. That includes how complete the roster is heading into free agency, how active the club is expected to be in the coming months and the overall direction the franchise is headed.
We'll put together fresh versions of these power rankings throughout the offseason, with clubs shifting according to their wheelings and dealings.
For now, this serves as a baseline for those future editions of our leaguewide rankings.
30. Chicago White Sox
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 28
2024 Finish: 41-121, Fifth in AL Central
Key Free Agents: SP Chris Flexen, 3B Yoán Moncada (club option)
Outlook: Fresh off the worst season in modern MLB history, the White Sox will be looking to move what's left of the viable trade chips on their roster. Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Vaughn should all hold some level of interest, and they will be bargain hunting in free agency to fill out the roster in hopes of finding more potential trade fodder.
29. Colorado Rockies
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 29
2024 Finish: 61-101, Fifth in NL West
Key Free Agents: SP Dakota Hudson, OF Jake Cave
Outlook: The Rockies are reportedly planning to cut payroll coming off a 101-loss season, with second baseman Brendan Rodgers and starting pitchers Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber among their potential trade candidates. They have some solid young offensive building blocks in Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle, but the pitching staff remains a dumpster fire.
28. Miami Marlins
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 23
2024 Finish: 62-100, Fifth in NL East
Key Free Agents: None
Outlook: The Marlins sold aggressively at the 2024 trade deadline, and there is no reason to think that won't continue this winter. Starting pitchers Sandy Alcántara and Jesús Luzardo both need to prove they are healthy, but if a team is willing to roll the dice, they could be moved this offseason.
27. Los Angeles Angels
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 26
2024 Finish: 63-99, Fifth in AL West
Key Free Agents: RP Hunter Strickland, RP Matt Moore, OF Kevin Pillar
Outlook: The Angels have become a directionless franchise hamstrung by Mike Trout's contract and unable to build a winning roster around him. Young players such as Zach Neto, Logan O'Hoppe, Nolan Schanuel, Jack Kochanowicz and Ben Joyce give them something to build around, while veterans Tyler Anderson, Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo are potential offseason trade chips.
26. Oakland Athletics
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 30
2024 Finish: 69-93, Fourth in AL West
Key Free Agents: SP Ross Stripling, RP T.J. McFarland, IF Abraham Toro
Outlook: The Athletics improved by 19 wins over their 2023 finish, and the offensive core of Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday and Zack Gelof gives them the potential for an above-average offense. The question now is whether they can piece together a passable pitching staff to take the next step toward relevance. The post-Oakland era officially begins in 2025.
25. Washington Nationals
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 27
2024 Finish: 71-91, Fourth in NL East
Key Free Agents: SP Trevor Williams, SP Patrick Corbin, RP Jacob Barnes, 1B Joey Gallo (mutual option)
Outlook: The Nationals were one of the most improved teams in baseball, even if they were a distant fourth in the NL East standings. The middle infield tandem of Luis García Jr. and CJ Abrams was a bright spot, while young outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews flashed their star potential. Finding a workhorse veteran to anchor the starting rotation could go a long way in shoring up the pitching staff.
24. St. Louis Cardinals
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 14
2024 Finish: 83-79, Second in NL Central
Key Free Agents: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, RP Andrew Kittredge, SP Lance Lynn (club option), SP Kyle Gibson (club option)
Outlook: The Cardinals reportedly plan to part ways with Paul Goldschmidt this offseason, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic, and they could take further steps toward shedding payroll and retooling the roster. Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Ryan Helsley are all potential trade chips if they decide to prioritize getting younger, while it remains to be seen if they will exercise club options on veteran Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson.
23. Pittsburgh Pirates
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 25
2024 Finish: 76-86, Fifth in NL Central
Key Free Agents: DH Andrew McCutchen, RP Aroldis Chapman, RP Jalen Beeks, C Yasmani Grandal, SP Marco Gonzales (club option)
Outlook: The arrival of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones atop the Pittsburgh rotation has given Pirates fans plenty of reason for excitement. The front office now has a bona fide strength to build around in the form of a starting rotation that also features Mitch Keller, Bailey Falter and potentially rising prospect Bubba Chandler. They need another proven run producer to take some pressure off Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, and they have a clear void to fill at first base.
22. Tampa Bay Rays
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 8
2024 Finish: 80-82, Fourth in AL East
Key Free Agents: None
Outlook: A year after winning 99 games and the AL East title, the Rays took a major step backward and opted to shed salary at the trade deadline, moving Randy Arozarena, Zach Eflin, Isaac Paredes, Aaron Civale, Jason Adam and others. The sell-off could continue this winter, with Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe and Pete Fairbanks among the logical trade candidates as they look to get younger and cheaper.
21. Toronto Blue Jays
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 13
2024 Finish: 74-88, Fifth in AL East
Key Free Agents: RP Ryan Yarbrough
Outlook: The Blue Jays stopped short of a full-blown fire sale at the trade deadline, settling for moving all their expiring contracts and a few controllable relievers. With bounce-back seasons from Bo Bichette and George Springer along with a few outside additions, they could be right back in the thick of things. But they could also decide to continue selling, especially if there is no movement toward an extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will be a free agent after the 2025 season.
20. Cincinnati Reds
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 18
2024 Finish: 77-85, Fourth in NL Central
Key Free Agents: RP Buck Farmer, RP Justin Wilson, SP/RP Nick Martinez (player option), RP Brent Suter (club option)
Outlook: The Reds have the potential to take a major step forward with better health from the starting rotation and the return of infielder Matt McLain, who missed the entire 2024 season after a dynamic debut the previous year. Finding another middle-of-the-order bat and bolstering the bullpen in support of a promising young rotation could vault them into contention in the NL Central.
19. Texas Rangers
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 6
2024 Finish: 78-84, Third in AL West
Key Free Agents: RP Kirby Yates, SP Andrew Heaney, SP Max Scherzer, RP Jose Leclerc, C Carson Kelly, SP Nathan Eovaldi (player option), RP David Robertson (mutual option)
Outlook: The Rangers are reportedly focused on dipping below the luxury-tax threshold this winter, which could mean more subtracting than adding when all is said and done, although they do have significant money coming off the books by way of their own free agents. A healthy Jacob deGrom and a full season of Kumar Rocker could provide a major in-house boost to the rotation, though the bullpen will need to be rebuilt.
18. San Francisco Giants
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 17
2024 Finish: 80-82, Fourth in NL West
Key Free Agents: OF Michael Conforto, OF Mark Canha, SP Blake Snell (player option), IF Wilmer Flores (player/club option)
Outlook: Will new president of baseball operations Buster Posey have better luck luring elite free-agent talent to San Francisco? The Giants have spent the past several offseasons whiffing on their top targets, settling for lesser talent and trapped around the .500 mark. Locking up Matt Chapman was a good first step, though they will likely lose Blake Snell in free agency, as he is a lock to opt out of his deal.
17. Minnesota Twins
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 9
2024 Finish: 82-80, Fourth in AL Central
Key Free Agents: 1B Carlos Santana, OF Max Kepler, RP Caleb Thielbar, RP Trevor Richards, RP Steven Okert, IF Kyle Farmer (mutual option)
Outlook: Who would have guessed an 82-80 record would only be good for fourth place in the AL Central standings when the season began? The Twins are a flawed team that is too reliant on oft-injured stars Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis offensively and not quite good enough on the mound to pick up the slack. Still, there is plenty of talent on the roster, and they could be right back on top of the division standings next year with a few quality additions and some better health.
16. Boston Red Sox
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 22
2024 Finish: 81-81, Third in AL East
Key Free Agents: OF Tyler O'Neill, SP Nick Pivetta, RP Kenley Jansen, RP Chris Martin, C Danny Jansen, RP Luis García, OF Rob Refsnyder (club option)
Outlook: The Red Sox need to improve on the mound to keep pace in the AL East. While Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford have shown potential, that trio is not going to win a best-of-five playoff series. Finding a true ace to anchor the staff needs to be atop Boston's offseason shopping list, while healthy seasons from Triston Casas and Trevor Story could have a major impact on an already solid offense.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 7
2024 Finish: 89-73, Third in NL West
Key Free Agents: 1B Christian Walker, RP Paul Sewald, RP Dylan Floro, 1B Josh Bell, 3B Eugenio Suárez (club option), DH Joc Pederson (mutual option), OF Randal Grichuk (mutual option)
Outlook: Corner infielders Christian Walker and Eugenio Suárez combined for 56 home runs, 196 RBI and 5.7 WAR, so either re-signing them or adequately replacing them will be one of the keys of the offseason for the D-backs. Suárez has a $15 million club option that will be one of the more interesting early offseason decisions. Aside from that, the bullpen needs to be the biggest focal point of their offseason shopping.
14. Kansas City Royals
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 24
2024 Finish: 86-76, Second in AL Central
Key Free Agents: IF Paul DeJong, SP Michael Lorenzen, 1B Yuli Gurriel, OF Tommy Pham, UT Garrett Hampson, SP Michael Wacha (player option), OF Hunter Renfroe (player option), IF Adam Frazier (mutual option)
Outlook: The Royals struck gold with their offseason addition of Seth Lugo, and to a slightly lesser extent Michael Wacha, turning the starting rotation into a legitimate strength that was able to carry a middle-of-the-pack offense to the postseason. Now they need to find someone who can provide consistent support to Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino offensively, as there were too many dead spots in the lineup.
13. Detroit Tigers
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 21
2024 Finish: 86-76, Third in AL Central
Key Free Agents: None
Outlook: The Tigers went 31-14 over their final 45 games to surge into a wild-card spot, then swept the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Series before taking the Cleveland Guardians to five games in the ALDS. It was lightning in a bottle to a point, but there is some real talent on the roster, including AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal, All-Star outfielder Riley Greene and breakout star Parker Meadows. The mix-and-match pitching staff approach worked in October, but it's not sustainable over a full season, so they will need to bolster the rotation behind Skubal this offseason.
12. Chicago Cubs
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 12
2024 Finish: 83-79, Third in NL Central
Key Free Agents: SP Kyle Hendricks, RP Jorge López, OF Cody Bellinger (player option)
Outlook: The Cubs have money to spend and a glaring need for a face of the franchise player, so don't be surprised if they are serious players for Juan Soto while also kicking the tires on some of the other top names on the market. Cody Bellinger could do them a real favor by opting out of the final two years and $50 million of his contract, but he will likely be back without a clear defensive home after rookies Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong performed well at his primary positions.
11. Seattle Mariners
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 11
2024 Finish: 85-77, Second in AL West
Key Free Agents: DH Justin Turner, RP Yimi García, 2B Jorge Polanco (club option)
Outlook: The Mariners' starting rotation provided a MLB-best 3.38 ERA, but they failed to make the playoffs due to their lack of consistent offensive production. The entire rotation returns intact, and they will also benefit from a full season of deadline pickup Randy Arozarena, but they need to find a legitimate middle-of-the-order run producer to avoid another letdown. Young superstar Julio Rodríguez also needs to find more consistency, as he is capable of carrying the team when he's swinging it well.
10. Milwaukee Brewers
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 20
2024 Finish: 93-69, First in NL Central
Key Free Agents: SS Willy Adames, SP/RP Joe Ross, 1B Rhys Hoskins (player option), SP Frankie Montas (mutual option), SP Wade Miley (mutual option)
Outlook: A year after trading away Corbin Burnes, the Brewers are expected to let Willy Adames walk in free agency, while All-Star closer Devin Williams is also a candidate to be moved. Despite their tight-fisted approach to building a roster, they continue to be the team to beat in the NL Central. The job that guys like Tobias Myers and Colin Rea did in the starting rotation speaks to their ability to squeeze the most out of otherwise overlooked talent.
9. Atlanta Braves
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 2
2024 Finish: 89-73, Second in NL East
Key Free Agents: SP Max Fried, SP Charlie Morton, RP A.J. Minter, RP Jesse Chavez, IF Gio Urshela, IF Whit Merrifield, C Travis d'Arnaud (club option), RP Luke Jackson (club option)
Outlook: The Braves have a lot of work to do on the pitching side of things with Max Fried and Charlie Morton headed for free agency and Spencer Strider unlikely to be ready for Opening Day as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Atlanta's roster is too talented to expect them to fall off entirely, but this might be the least complete team of anyone inside the top 10 of these rankings heading into the offseason.
8. Houston Astros
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 4
2024 Finish: 88-73, First in AL West
Key Free Agents: 3B Alex Bregman, SP Justin Verlander, SP Yusei Kikuchi, OF Jason Heyward, RP Héctor Neris, RP Caleb Ferguson
Outlook: The Astros have a big decision to make on Alex Bregman this offseason. Whether or not they bring him back could directly impact their ability to sign one or both of Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez before they reach free agency following the 2025 season. It feels like the organization is at a crossroads of sorts, and an aging roster could use an infusion of young talent. The emergence of Hunter Brown and Yainer Diaz is a step in that direction.
7. Cleveland Guardians
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 19
2024 Finish: 92-69, First in AL Central
Key Free Agents: SP Shane Bieber, SP Matthew Boyd, SP Alex Cobb, RP Scott Barlow, SP Carlos Carrasco
Outlook: It's wild that a 92-win team was forced to use Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb—two pitchers who made a combined 11 starts for them during the regular season—to start games in the postseason. Shoring up the starting rotation behind Tanner Bibee will be Cleveland's No. 1 priority this winter, though a healthy Gavin Williams is capable of being a second frontline starter with continued development.
6. Baltimore Orioles
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 5
2024 Finish: 91-71, Second in AL East
Key Free Agents: SP Corbin Burnes, OF Anthony Santander, SP John Means, C James McCann, OF Austin Slater, DH Eloy Jiménez (club option), 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn (club option), RP Seranthony Domínguez (club option)
Outlook: The Orioles plugged the most glaring hole on the roster last offseason when they landed Corbin Burnes in a blockbuster trade. Now he is a free agent, and they will either need to re-sign him or find a suitable replacement. They were willing to listen to offers for Ryan Mountcastle and Cedric Mullins at the trade deadline, and with Coby Mayo and Heston Kjerstad looking for everyday roles in the lineup, they could revisit those talks as a means of upgrading the pitching staff on the trade market.
5. New York Mets
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 15
2024 Finish: 89-73, Third in NL East
Key Free Agents: 1B Pete Alonso, SP Luis Severino, SP José Quintana, DH J.D. Martinez, OF Jesse Winker, OF Harrison Hader, 2B Jose Iglesias, RP Ryne Stanek, RP Adam Ottavino, SP/RP Adrian Houser, SP Sean Manaea (player option), RP Phil Maton (club option)
Outlook: It's going to be a busy offseason for Steve Cohen and the Mets front office, starting with whether they re-sign Pete Alonso. That might hinge on whether they are able to reel in Juan Soto in free agency, though Cohen could opt to go all-in following the team's playoff success and bring back Alonso regardless. The starting rotation will also need to be a focal point with only Kodai Senga and David Peterson locked into spots on the 2025 staff. Their offensive core and spending power give them World Series upside.
4. San Diego Padres
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 16
2024 Finish: 93-69, Second in NL West
Key Free Agents: OF Jurickson Profar, RP Tanner Scott, C Kyle Higashioka, IF Donovan Solano, SP Martín Pérez, C Elias Díaz, SS Ha-Seong Kim (mutual option)
Outlook: It's going to cost more than a one-year, $1 million deal to bring back Jurickson Profar this time around after he posted a 134 OPS+ with 24 home runs, 85 RBI and 3.6 WAR in 2024. He stands as the biggest potential loss for a Padres team with a roster that might be good enough to contend for a playoff spot without any outside additions. Catcher is also a need, and re-signing Kyle Higashioka could be the answer.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 3
2024 Finish: 95-67, First in NL East
Key Free Agents: RP Jeff Hoffman, RP Carlos Estévez, SP Spencer Turnbull
Outlook: The Phillies are set to potentially lose All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman and prized trade deadline pickup Carlos Estévez, which creates a major void in what was a vastly improved relief corps. This is quickly becoming an old roster, and while most of their stars are still in their respective primes, the window is starting to close on winning a title with this group. That should add a sense of urgency to the complementary moves they need to make this offseason.
2. New York Yankees
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 10
2024 Finish: 94-68, First in AL East
Key Free Agents: OF Juan Soto, 2B Gleyber Torres, RP Clay Holmes, RP Tommy Kahnle, RP Tim Hill, OF Alex Verdugo, RP Jonathan Loáisiga, 1B Anthony Rizzo (club option), SP Gerrit Cole (opt out)
Outlook: The Yankees went from missing the playoffs to leading the AL with 94 wins and reaching the World Series, yet the season ended on a sour note as they were overmatched by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their over-reliance on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto to shoulder the offensive load will make re-signing Soto a top priority this winter, even if his price tag climbs north of $500 million. They also face a big decision on ace Gerrit Cole, who can opt out of his contract but can also have the opt-out voided by adding an extra year to the back end of his deal. It's going to be a busy winter, and they will likely need to get creative on how they fill out the roster if they do re-up with Soto.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
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2024 Opening Day Rank: 1
2024 Finish: 98-64, First in NL West
Key Free Agents: OF Teoscar Hernández, SP Jack Flaherty, SP Walker Buehler, RP Blake Treinen, IF/OF Enrique Hernández, RP Daniel Hudson, RP Joe Kelly, SP Clayton Kershaw (player option), C Austin Barnes (club option)
Outlook: The Dodgers only had two pitchers reach 100 innings this season, and they both spent the entire postseason on the sidelines with injuries, yet they were still able to maneuver their way to a World Series title. The stacked offense bolstered by the addition of Shohei Ohtani played a major part, but the bullpen also deserves major kudos for propping up the revolving door of a rotation. The offseason focus will be on sorting out next year's pitching staff, but they may also need to find a way to replace the 33 home runs and 92 RBI that Teoscar Hernández provided in the middle of the lineup. Even with significant talent set to depart, the Dodgers remain the team to beat in 2025.
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