MLB Power Rankings: How Max Scherzer to Nationals Shakes Up the League
The big move we've all been waiting for finally came Sunday night, as the Washington Nationals signed the market's top free agent in right-hander Max Scherzer.
The 2013 American League Cy Young winner agreed to terms on a seven-year, $210 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Half of the money is deferred, meaning he will make $15 million annually for the next 14 years.
So, how does that move shake up the balance of power around the league? An updated version of our MLB power rankings seems to be in order to find out.
As with all offseason power rankings, these are not necessarily meant to be a prediction for the year ahead. Instead, they are a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they currently have if the season were to start today. Just something worth keeping in mind when considering where your favorite team falls in the following rankings.
30. Colorado Rockies
1 of 30
Outlook
The Colorado Rockies have yet to make a significant addition of any sort this offseason, and after a 66-96 showing in 2014, staying the course is not exactly a recipe for success.
Signing Nick Hundley and Daniel Descalso improves their bench depth, and reliever Jairo Diaz has some nice upside after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for Josh Rutledge, but it's hard to get excited about their prospects for the upcoming season.
A handful of hitters have popped up in trade rumors, as the team continues to look for ways to improve its starting rotation. The most recent is 2014 All-Star Charlie Blackmon, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, but time will tell if anything actually gets done before spring training begins.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Charlie Blackmon
3B Nolan Arenado
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Justin Morneau
RF Corey Dickerson
C Wilin Rosario
2B DJ LeMahieu
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Jorge De La Rosa
SP Jordan Lyles
SP Tyler Matzek
SP Jhoulys Chacin
SP Eddie Butler
SU Rex Brothers
SU Adam Ottavino
CL LaTroy Hawkins
29. Philadelphia Phillies
2 of 30
Outlook
The top priority for the Philadelphia Phillies between now and the start of the season appears to be finding a way to unload first baseman Ryan Howard.
"I told him that in our situation it would probably bode better for the organization not with him but without him," general manager Ruben Amaro said of Howard on 97.5 The Fanatic (h/t Ryan Lawrence of Philly.com).
However, moving a player with $60 million left on his contract who has had a minus-1.5 WAR over the past three seasons is easier said than done, and the Phillies may well be stuck with the former star.
Beyond that, the Cole Hamels trade market will continue to be the big story, though no deal appears to be close at this point. At any rate, signing veteran Aaron Harang to a one-year, $5 million deal looks like a smart, low-cost move.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Ben Revere
RF Grady Sizemore
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
LF Domonic Brown
C Carlos Ruiz
3B Cody Asche
SS Freddy Galvis
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Cole Hamels
SP Cliff Lee
SP Aaron Harang
SP Jerome Williams
SP David Buchanan
SU Jake Diekman
SU Ken Giles
CL Jonathan Papelbon
28. Minnesota Twins
3 of 30
Outlook
After four straight seasons with at least 90 losses, the Minnesota Twins may finally be headed for the light at the end of the tunnel in what has been a lengthy rebuilding process.
Last season saw a wave of young talent reach the majors, and the best is yet to come, as top prospects Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios could all make their debuts at some point during the upcoming season.
However, for the time being, the Twins still look like the worst team in the AL Central.
Adding Ervin Santana should help a starting rotation that has ranked dead last in combined ERA the past two seasons, and Torii Hunter brings a needed veteran presence and steady production, but they have not improved enough yet to be considered anything but an also-ran.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Danny Santana
2B Brian Dozier
1B Joe Mauer
DH Kennys Vargas
RF Torii Hunter
3B Trevor Plouffe
LF Oswaldo Arcia
C Kurt Suzuki
SS Eduardo Escobar
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Phil Hughes
SP Ervin Santana
SP Ricky Nolasco
SP Kyle Gibson
SP Tommy Milone
SU Tim Stauffer
SU Casey Fien
CL Glen Perkins
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27. Atlanta Braves
4 of 30
Outlook
With the trade of Evan Gattis to the Houston Astros last week, the Atlanta Braves' offseason roster purge has likely come to an end. They've added a good deal of young talent to the minor league system, but they've also set themselves up for a huge step backward in 2015.
Freddie Freeman is already a superstar at this point in his young career, but one man does not an offense make, and he could have very little in the support in the lineup next season.
The left field job is wide open, with Joey Terdoslavich, Zoilo Almonte, Todd Cunningham and Jose Constanza making up the unimpressive field of in-house candidates. There is also no one around to push B.J. Upton for playing time in center field, so he'll be an everyday player for better or worse once again in 2015.
The trio of Julio Teheran, Shelby Miller and Alex Wood atop the rotation is solid, and Craig Kimbrel will again be one of the game's best in the ninth inning, but this is not a good Braves team by any stretch of the imagination.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
RF Nick Markakis
2B Alberto Callaspo
1B Freddie Freeman
3B Chris Johnson
LF Joey Terdoslavich
SS Andrelton Simmons
CF B.J. Upton
C Christian Bethancourt
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Julio Teheran
SP Alex Wood
SP Shelby Miller
SP Mike Minor
SP David Hale
SU James Russell
SU Jason Grilli
CL Craig Kimbrel
26. Tampa Bay Rays
5 of 30
Outlook
The Tampa Bay Rays undoubtedly have one of the best starting rotations in the American League, even without David Price, but it's hard to see them being anything other than one of the worst offensive teams in baseball.
After ranking as the lowest-scoring team in the AL last year at 3.78 runs per game, the Rays traded out Ben Zobrist, Wil Myers, Matt Joyce and Ryan Hanigan this offseason for Steven Souza, Asdrubal Cabrera and Rene Rivera. Not exactly an upgrade as far as 2015 is concerned.
The Rays' pitching will keep them competitive, but young bats like Souza and Nick Franklin are going to have to step up big if this team is going to have any chance of contending for a playoff spot.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Desmond Jennings
RF Kevin Kiermaier
3B Evan Longoria
1B James Loney
LF Steven Souza
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
DH David DeJesus
C Rene Rivera
2B Nick Franklin
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Alex Cobb
SP Drew Smyly
SP Chris Archer
SP Jake Odorizzi
SP Alex Colome
SU Grant Balfour
SU Brad Boxberger
CL Kevin Jepsen
25. Arizona Diamondbacks
6 of 30
Outlook
The Arizona Diamondbacks are headed in the right direction, and it's no coincidence that there has been a good deal of roster turnover in the club's first offseason with Tony LaRussa and Dave Stewart calling the shots in the front office.
If Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas winds up being as good as advertised, and the incumbent duo of Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo can stay healthy, the D-backs could wind up having one of the better middle-of-the-order trios in baseball.
The catcher position is a glaring weakness, and it's hard to imagine them actually going into the season with Tuffy Gosewisch (.553 OPS in 129 AB in 2014) as the primary guy, so expect a move to be made there.
Beyond that, sorting out the starting rotation is the biggest item on the Diamondbacks' to-do list. They could have as many as 11 guys in the running for five spots, and that doesn't include Patrick Corbin, who should return at some point during the first half of the season.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF A.J. Pollock
LF David Peralta
1B Paul Goldschmidt
RF Mark Trumbo
3B Yasmany Tomas
2B Aaron Hill
SS Chris Owings
C Tuffy Gosewisch
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Josh Collmenter
SP Jeremy Hellickson
SP Trevor Cahill
SP Allen Webster
SP Rubby De La Rosa
SU Oliver Perez
SU Brad Ziegler
CL Addison Reed
24. Houston Astros
7 of 30
Outlook
For the first time in years, there are some legitimate expectations surrounding the Houston Astros for the upcoming season.
"The Astros, in my opinion, are going to have a winning record this year," GM John Luhnow told Chris Russo on MLB Network's High Heat (via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). "I'll go on record as saying that. I believe this is a winning team, and I think this is the beginning of many years of winning teams."
The back end of the starting rotation looks like the one thing that could stand in the way of that, though adding someone like Kyle Kendrick or Ryan Vogelsong is still a possibility, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Beyond that, the bullpen is undoubtedly improved, and the offense should benefit not only from the additions of Evan Gattis and Jed Lowrie, but from full seasons of George Springer and Jon Singleton after they both showed flashes during their rookie campaigns.
A winning season is by no means out of the question, and that would mean a 12-win improvement over last year and a 31-win improvement over two years ago.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
2B Jose Altuve
3B Luis Valbuena
RF George Springer
DH Chris Carter
LF Evan Gattis
C Jason Castro
SS Jed Lowrie
1B Jon Singleton
CF Jake Marisnick
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Dallas Keuchel
SP Collin McHugh
SP Scott Feldman
SP Brett Oberholtzer
SP Dan Straily
SU Pat Neshek
SU Luke Gregerson
CL Chad Qualls
23. Texas Rangers
8 of 30
Outlook
It had been a relatively quiet offseason for the Texas Rangers until Monday, when they landed right-hander Yovani Gallardo in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for three prospects, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
That gives the team a much-needed third quality starter behind Yu Darvish and Derek Holland, and that addition coupled with a return to health from Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo gives the team a real chance of bouncing back and returning to contention.
The outfield market has more or less run dry at this point, so it appears the team is set to go with some combination of Jake Smolinski, Michael Choice and non-roster invitee Kyle Blanks in left field.
That leaves finding another bullpen arm, preferably a left-handed one, as the Rangers' biggest remaining area of need.
This team is still a ways from the talent level they had when they made back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, but they are an awful lot better than their 95 losses from a year ago suggest.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
RF Shin-Soo Choo
SS Elvis Andrus
1B Prince Fielder
3B Adrian Beltre
CF Leonys Martin
DH Mitch Moreland
LF Jake Smolinski
C Robinson Chirinos
2B Rougned Odor
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Yu Darvish
SP Derek Holland
SP Yovani Gallardo
SP Colby Lewis
SP Ross Detwiler
SU Kyuji Fujikawa
SU Shawn Tolleson
CL Neftali Feliz
22. Cincinnati Reds
9 of 30
Outlook
Losing at least two of the four starting pitchers headed for free agency was an inevitability for the Cincinnati Reds, and they did well to turn Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon into a pair of high-ceiling pitching prospects in Anthony DeSclafani and Jonathon Crawford, among other young talent.
The big question now is whether the team will be able to lock up ace Johnny Cueto long term. He has given the team until the start of the regular season to negotiate an extension, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Offensively, the Reds look set, with Marlon Byrd filling what was a glaring hole in left field, but the bullpen could still use another arm or two, as they have yet to make a significant addition to a group that ranked 26th in the league last year with a 4.11 ERA.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Billy Hamilton
3B Todd Frazier
1B Joey Votto
C Devin Mesoraco
RF Jay Bruce
2B Brandon Phillips
LF Marlon Byrd
SS Zack Cozart
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Johnny Cueto
SP Homer Bailey
SP Mike Leake
SP Tony Cingrani
SP Anthony DeSclafani
SU Manny Parra
SU Sam LeCure
CL Aroldis Chapman
21. New York Yankees
10 of 30
Outlook
Barring any crazy developments over the next few weeks, the New York Yankees roster looks to be more or less set for the 2015 season.
It was a far cry from the offseason spending spree we witnessed last winter, when the team threw down roughly a half-billion dollars on a handful of front-line free agents, but there have been a bevy of moves nonetheless.
The Yankees haven't gotten any younger, and health will continue to be a concern for this group. As a result, their depth will likely be tested, and that is one area in which they appear to be lacking, at least on the starting-pitching side of things.
Even with the departure of David Robertson, the bullpen could be one of the best in baseball. Andrew Miller, David Carpenter, Chase Shreve and Justin Wilson were all added to the mix, joining 2014 All-Star Dellin Betances, who will be sliding into the closer's role.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
LF Brett Gardner
3B Chase Headley
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
1B Mark Teixeira
C Brian McCann
RF Carlos Beltran
DH Garrett Jones
2B Stephen Drew
SS Didi Gregorius
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Masahiro Tanaka
SP Michael Pineda
SP CC Sabathia
SP Nathan Eovaldi
SP Chris Capuano
SU Adam Warren
SU Andrew Miller
CL Dellin Betances
20. Cleveland Indians
11 of 30
Outlook
Unless they make a surprise run at James Shields, which is highly unlikely, it does not appear as though the Cleveland Indians will be adding a proven No. 2 starter to the mix this offseason.
As a result, it will be up to someone from the talented but inconsistent trio of Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer to step up and help reigning Cy Young winner Corey Kluber lead the rotation in 2015.
Speaking of Kluber, extending him is still a possibility this offseason, though talks on that subject have yet to begin, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The team would also still like to move veteran Nick Swisher and some of the $30 million he is owed over the next two years, but there has been little interest in him on the trade market, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
This team has outplayed expectations the past two years, so it can't be completely overlooked, but it looks like a fringe wild-card contender at this point.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Michael Bourn
2B Jason Kipnis
LF Michael Brantley
1B Carlos Santana
RF Brandon Moss
C Yan Gomes
DH Nick Swisher
SS Jose Ramirez
3B Lonnie Chisenhall
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Corey Kluber
SP Carlos Carrasco
SP Danny Salazar
SP Trevor Bauer
SP Gavin Floyd
SU Scott Atchison
SU Bryan Shaw
CL Cody Allen
19. New York Mets
12 of 30
Outlook
An improvement over last season's 79-83 showing is a fair expectation for the New York Mets, but just how much they improve remains to be seen, as there are still question marks.
Shortstop has been the most talked-about position this offseason, more for what the team hasn't done, as the Mets appear content to open the year with Wilmer Flores manning the position.
That hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning, though, and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports thinks the team should go all-in for Washington Nationals All-Star Ian Desmond. That would likely mean parting with Noah Syndergaard, and that's not something the team has been willing to do to this point.
The health of Michael Cuddyer, whether or not David Wright can bounce back to stardom and the leadoff spot, where Juan Lagares looks like the front-runner for the job despite his .302 career on-base percentage, are all questions on the offensive side of things.
Their pitching figures to be a strength, though, both from a talent and depth standpoint. Dillon Gee will likely be moved before the start of spring training, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Juan Lagares
2B Daniel Murphy
3B David Wright
1B Lucas Duda
RF Michael Cuddyer
LF Curtis Granderson
C Travis d'Arnaud
SS Wilmer Flores
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Matt Harvey
SP Jon Niese
SP Jacob deGrom
SP Zack Wheeler
SP Bartolo Colon
SU Josh Edgin
SU Jeurys Familia
CL Jenrry Mejia
18. Oakland Athletics
13 of 30
Outlook
Just how much roster turnover have the Oakland Athletics seen over the past year?
Only 12 players remain from the 2014 Opening Day roster, and just 13 are still around from the roster for the AL Wild Card Round Game, as GM Billy Beane has once again set to work on a complete roster overhaul.
The offense could go in a lot of different directions, as the A's are relying heavily on guys like Ike Davis and Brett Lawrie to play up to their potential and Billy Butler to rebound to his All-Star form. Ben Zobrist is a great addition, though, as the A's will value his versatility over perhaps any other team.
The bullpen is strong once again, with Tyler Clippard replacing the departed Luke Gregerson in the eighth inning, but the rotation could be an issue.
Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir are a solid one-two punch, but the A's other three starters are all probably best suited as No. 5 guys. Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin should both be back at some point, though relying on them to shoulder the load is a risky proposition as they both return from Tommy John surgery.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Coco Crisp
2B Ben Zobrist
RF Josh Reddick
DH Billy Butler
1B Ike Davis
3B Brett Lawrie
C Stephen Vogt
SS Marcus Semien
LF Sam Fuld
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Sonny Gray
SP Scott Kazmir
SP Jesse Chavez
SP Drew Pomeranz
SP Jesse Hahn
SU Ryan Cook
SU Tyler Clippard
CL Sean Doolittle
17. San Diego Padres
14 of 30
Outlook
It's hard not to be optimistic about the San Diego Padres' chances of contending during the upcoming season, as they have undergone a drastic overhaul on the offensive side of things—and done it without sacrificing much from what was one of the best pitching staffs in baseball last year.
The only significant losses from a group that ranked fourth in the league with a 3.27 ERA last season are Jesse Hahn, Eric Stults and Tim Stauffer. If reclamation project Brandon Morrow works out as the No. 5 starter, the Padres have a chance to again have one of the game's top staffs.
The offense will undoubtedly be improved, as even without all of the additions they have made it's hard to imagine them being much worse than last year.
Will it be good enough for the Padres to legitimately contend for the NL West title, though? That remains to be seen.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
3B Yangervis Solarte
CF Wil Myers
RF Matt Kemp
LF Justin Upton
1B Yonder Alonso
2B Jedd Gyorko
C Derek Norris
SS Alexi Amarista
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Tyson Ross
SP Andrew Cashner
SP Ian Kennedy
SP Robbie Erlin
SP Brandon Morrow
SU Dale Thayer
SU Kevin Quackenbush
CL Joaquin Benoit
16. Milwaukee Brewers
15 of 30
Outlook
Trading Yovani Gallardo may appear to be a blow to the Milwaukee Brewers postseason hopes on the surface, but they got a solid return for the upcoming free agent, and they have some good young pitching depth ready to step up in his absence.
Top prospect Jimmy Nelson will be the leading candidate to take over the vacant rotation spot, and he was dominant in Triple-A last season, going 10-2 with a 1.46 ERA and 0.919 WHIP in 111 innings of work.
With Kyle Lohse also headed for free agency next offseason, the team will be counting on the young trio of Wily Peralta, Mike Fiers and Nelson to step up and take control of the starting rotation during the upcoming season.
Offensively, the team looks set, assuming that some combination of Jonathan Lucroy and waiver pickup Luis Jimenez will make up the right-handed side of the first base platoon with Adam Lind.
The bullpen could still use another arm or two, specifically a left-handed one, but there should be plenty of low-cost options as the offseason wraps up, and re-signing Francisco Rodriguez is still a possibility. Hard-throwing Corey Knebel, who was acquired in the Gallardo trade, could make an impact.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Carlos Gomez
2B Scooter Gennett
C Jonathan Lucroy
3B Aramis Ramirez
1B Adam Lind
RF Ryan Braun
LF Khris Davis
SS Jean Segura
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Matt Garza
SP Kyle Lohse
SP Wily Peralta
SP Mike Fiers
SP Jimmy Nelson
SU Will Smith
SU Jim Henderson
CL Jonathan Broxton
15. San Francisco Giants
16 of 30
Outlook
With the signing of Nori Aoki to a one-year, $5.5 million deal, a fairly uneventful offseason for the San Francisco Giants has likely come to a close, unless they change course and decide to make a run at signing James Shields.
It's hard to view the trade-off of Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse for Casey McGehee and Aoki as anything but a step backward for the offense, though a full season of Joe Panik and a healthy Angel Pagan could help bridge the gap.
However, the starting rotation is the biggest concern, and the Giants would do well to add some depth to the mix before the offseason is over.
Matt Cain will need to bounce back strong from elbow surgery to be the No. 2 guy, as Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy are both better suited as back-of-the-rotation arms at this point in their careers and Tim Lincecum has not been a plus starter for the better part of three years now.
Also, it's an odd-numbered year, so for all intents and purposes, the Giants have already been eliminated from the playoff picture before Opening Day even rolls around.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Angel Pagan
LF Nori Aoki
C Buster Posey
1B Brandon Belt
RF Hunter Pence
2B Joe Panik
3B Casey McGehee
SS Brandon Crawford
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Madison Bumgarner
SP Tim Hudson
SP Matt Cain
SP Jake Peavy
SP Tim Lincecum
SU Sergio Romo
SU Jeremy Affeldt
CL Santiago Casilla
14. Kansas City Royals
17 of 30
Outlook
Defense, speed and relief pitching should once again be significant areas of strength for the Kansas City Royals, but will that be enough for them to make another run at the postseason?
There are no glaring holes on the roster at this point, as a trio of veterans in Alex Rios, Kendrys Morales and Edinson Volquez were signed to address the team's departing free agents.
Replacing James Shields with Edinson Volquez means the team will be counting on Yordano Ventura to continue his rise to stardom and emerge as the ace of the staff, and that's something he's more than capable of doing.
One thing worth keeping an eye on is the Royals' starting pitching depth, as things are fairly thin beyond their projected five-man rotation, and they could really run into some problems if the injury bug strikes.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
SS Alcides Escobar
LF Alex Gordon
CF Lorenzo Cain
1B Eric Hosmer
C Salvador Perez
DH Kendrys Morales
RF Alex Rios
3B Mike Moustakas
2B Omar Infante
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Yordano Ventura
SP Jason Vargas
SP Jeremy Guthrie
SP Edinson Volquez
SP Danny Duffy
SU Kelvin Herrera
SU Wade Davis
CL Greg Holland
13. Boston Red Sox
18 of 30
Outlook
It appears as though the Boston Red Sox are content to open the season with their current crop of starting pitchers, meaning they will be counting on someone from the trio of Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Clay Buchholz to emerge as the ace of the staff.
Offensively, they still have an abundance of outfielders, with Shane Victorino, Allen Craig, Daniel Nava and Jackie Bradley all in the mix for roster spots alongside projected starters Hanley Ramirez, Rusney Castillo and Mookie Betts.
Expect one or more guys from that group to be moved before the season starts. Nava is out of options, so he'll be gone unless he can beat someone out for a bench job.
The big challenge for the Red Sox will be how to incorporate their young pitching into the mix while still contending for a division title and playoff spot. It's not a bad problem to have, and former pitching coach-turned-manager John Farrell is probably as well equipped as anyone to make it work.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
RF Mookie Betts
2B Dustin Pedroia
DH David Ortiz
LF Hanley Ramirez
3B Pablo Sandoval
1B Mike Napoli
SS Xander Bogaerts
CF Rusney Castillo
C Christian Vazquez
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Rick Porcello
SP Wade Miley
SP Clay Buchholz
SP Justin Masterson
SP Joe Kelly
SU Edward Mujica
SU Junichi Tazawa
CL Koji Uehara
12. Baltimore Orioles
19 of 30
Outlook
The Baltimore Orioles have lost more talent than they've added this offseason, with Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis and Andrew Miller departing in free agency, among others. However, the returns of Manny Machado and Matt Wieters can't be overstated, and those two guys will make a bigger impact than anyone the Orioles could have added in free agency this winter.
Signing Colby Rasmus to play right field is still a possibility, and that would mean Steve Pearce slides into first base and Chris Davis sees the bulk of the designated hitter duties.
Pitching-wise, the Orioles look solid top to bottom once again, and another step forward from Kevin Gausman could mean even better numbers from a rotation that surprised a lot of people and ranked fifth in the AL last year with a 3.61 ERA.
The Orioles won the AL East title by 12 games in 2014, and while that's not going to happen this time around after the additions the Red Sox and Blue Jays have made, they should be in the hunt once again.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
LF Alejandro De Aza
3B Manny Machado
CF Adam Jones
DH Chris Davis
RF Steve Pearce
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
1B Christian Walker
2B Jonathan Schoop
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Chris Tillman
SP Wei-Yin Chen
SP Bud Norris
SP Miguel Gonzalez
SP Kevin Gausman
SU Brian Matusz
SU Darren O'Day
CL Zach Britton
11. Chicago Cubs
20 of 30
Outlook
The Chicago Cubs are likely done adding pieces this offseason after acquiring center fielder Dexter Fowler in a trade with the Houston Astros, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. However, their roster is anything but set, as they will have decisions to make on both sides of the ball this spring.
The starting rotation looks to be set, assuming Travis Wood gets the fifth spot, but that leaves Edwin Jackson, Jacob Turner, Tsuyoshi Wada and Felix Doubront all competing for bullpen jobs.
The team is also without a proven left-handed reliever after non-tendering Wesley Wright. That job could wind up going to Doubront, Wada, Zac Rosscup or someone not currently on the roster.
The team will need to decide on a short-term answer at third base until Kris Bryant is promoted now that Luis Valbuena is gone, and Arismendy Alcantara, Mike Olt and Tommy La Stella all options. They will also need to sort out the batting order, and whether or not Fowler will hit leadoff or that job will remain with Chris Coghlan.
News came during the Cubs Convention over the weekend that the bleacher renovations going on at Wrigley Field won't be ready by Opening Day, but that will do little to quell the excitement surrounding this team when the season kicks off.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
LF Chris Coghlan
CF Dexter Fowler
1B Anthony Rizzo
SS Starlin Castro
RF Jorge Soler
C Miguel Montero
2B Javier Baez
3B Arismendy Alcantara
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Jon Lester
SP Jake Arrieta
SP Travis Wood
SP Kyle Hendricks
SP Jason Hammel
SU Neil Ramirez
SU Pedro Strop
CL Hector Rondon
10. Pittsburgh Pirates
21 of 30
Outlook
It's been a busy offseason for a Pittsburgh Pirates team that is usually fairly quiet, and while the loss of Russell Martin is going to be felt, the Pirates have a real chance at making it three straight postseason appearances in 2015.
Re-signing Francisco Liriano and bringing back A.J. Burnett leaves the rotation looking strong once again, and prospects Nick Kingham and Adrian Sampson provide some depth and upside should someone struggle.
It will be interesting to see how the pitching staff responds to losing Martin, and Francisco Cervelli will certainly be an X-factor for them this coming season.
All eyes will be on Korean import Jung-ho Kang during spring training as he looks to be the first position player to make the jump from the KBO to MLB.
His ridiculous 2014 numbers won't translate (1.198 OPS, 40 HR), but he'll have every chance to unseat Jordy Mercer at shortstop, and at the very least he'll be asked to make an impact as a super-utility guy after signing a four-year, $11 million deal.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
3B Josh Harrison
RF Gregory Polanco
CF Andrew McCutchen
2B Neil Walker
LF Starling Marte
1B Pedro Alvarez
SS Jordy Mercer
C Francisco Cervelli
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Francisco Liriano
SP Gerrit Cole
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Jeff Locke
SP Vance Worley
SU Jared Hughes
SU Tony Watson
CL Mark Melancon
9. Chicago White Sox
22 of 30
Outlook
Outside of maybe the San Diego Padres, no team has added more talent this offseason than the Chicago White Sox, and they now look like legitimate contenders in the AL Central.
The trio of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and newcomer Jeff Samardzija gives the team one of the best starting pitching trios in all of baseball, but the improved bullpen could wind up making the biggest difference.
After ranking 28th in the league with a 4.38 ERA and converting just 36 of 57 save chances last year, the team added David Robertson, Zach Duke and Dan Jennings to the mix, and that alone should mean at least a handful more wins.
There are questions offensively, but adding Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche to the core trio of Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia means the White Sox should score plenty of runs.
The Detroit Tigers are still the team to beat in the AL Central, but the White Sox have the talent to give them a run for their money.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Adam Eaton
LF Melky Cabrera
1B Jose Abreu
DH Adam LaRoche
RF Avisail Garcia
SS Alexei Ramirez
3B Conor Gillaspie
C Tyler Flowers
2B Carlos Sanchez
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Chris Sale
SP Jeff Samardzija
SP Jose Quintana
SP Hector Noesi
SP John Danks
SU Zach Duke
SU Zach Putnam
CL David Robertson
8. Toronto Blue Jays
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Outlook
If not for glaring holes at second base and in the bullpen, the Toronto Blue Jays would be challenging for a top-five spot in these rankings.
Chances are the team will ride some combination of Ryan Goins, Steve Tolleson and Maicer Izturis until newly acquired prospect Devon Travis is ready to take over as the everyday second baseman, but there is still time to address the bullpen.
As things currently stand, Brett Cecil and top prospect Aaron Sanchez appear to be the leading candidates to close games following the departure of Casey Janssen in free agency.
That would make fellow prospect Daniel Norris the favorite for the final rotation slot, though ideally the team would sign a bullpen arm or two and let the two youngsters battle it out for the fifth starter spot rather than relying on both of them in key roles.
Barring injury, this team is going to score a ton of runs, and it has plenty of pitching talent on the roster. It's just a matter of sorting out who fills what role and guys like Drew Hutchison and Marcus Stroman pitching up to their potential.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
SS Jose Reyes
C Russell Martin
RF Jose Bautista
1B Edwin Encarnacion
3B Josh Donaldson
DH Dioner Navarro
LF Michael Saunders
2B Ryan Goins
CF Dalton Pompey
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Mark Buehrle
SP R.A. Dickey
SP Marcus Stroman
SP Drew Hutchison
SP Daniel Norris
SU Steve Delabar
SU Brett Cecil
CL Aaron Sanchez
7. Detroit Tigers
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Outlook
The Detroit Tigers are working on a streak of four straight AL Central division titles, and while they have to be considered the favorites once again heading into 2015, the talent gap between them and the rest of the division has closed significantly.
Trading out Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello for Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene is a huge step backward for the Tigers rotation, and there's not much in the way of starting pitching depth beyond Kyle Lobstein.
That said, David Price, Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander are still capable of being really good, and Greene showed enough last season to think he could fill the No. 4 starter job.
Offensively, the Tigers are stacked following the addition of Yoenis Cespedes, and the defense should benefit greatly from the addition of Anthony Gose and the return of Jose Iglesias.
The bullpen is different with the additions of Tom Gorzelanny, Alex Wilson and Joel Hanrahan, though not necessarily any better. The Tigers appear to be counting heavily on a full season of Joakim Soria and a healthy Bruce Rondon to turn things around.
For all the questions, this still looks like one of the best teams in the American League.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
2B Ian Kinsler
CF Anthony Gose
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
RF J.D. Martinez
LF Yoenis Cespedes
3B Nick Castellanos
C Alex Avila
SS Jose Iglesias
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP David Price
SP Anibal Sanchez
SP Justin Verlander
SP Alfredo Simon
SP Shane Greene
SU Al Alburquerque
SU Joakim Soria
CL Joe Nathan
6. Miami Marlins
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Outlook
The Miami Marlins showed they were serious about building a long-term winner when they shelled out a record $325 million deal to lock up Giancarlo Stanton, and they've set to work improving the roster around him in the months since.
Dee Gordon, Martin Prado and Michael Morse join an offense that already featured arguably the best outfield in baseball, with Stanton joined by a pair of budding stars in Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.
The Marlins were the worst offensive team in baseball as recently as 2013, when they averaged just 3.17 runs per game, but they have a chance to be one of the best in the NL this coming season.
The team still needs to decide what to do with Dan Haren, and whether or not he's going to pitch for it. If the Marlins do wind up dealing him or he retires, the No. 5 starter job will be up for grabs until Jose Fernandez returns from Tommy John rehab.
They are also lacking in outfield depth and have reportedly shown interest in Ichiro Suzuki to fill that need, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.
Something else worth keeping an eye on is the team's level of interest in James Shields, as it was tied to him by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports back in November. Watching the division-rival Nationals sign Max Scherzer could be the kind of thing that renews that interest.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
2B Dee Gordon
LF Christian Yelich
RF Giancarlo Stanton
1B Michael Morse
CF Marcell Ozuna
3B Martin Prado
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
SS Adeiny Hechavarria
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Henderson Alvarez
SP Mat Latos
SP Jarred Cosart
SP Tom Koehler
SP Dan Haren
SU Mike Dunn
SU A.J. Ramos
CL Steve Cishek
5. Seattle Mariners
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Outlook
After finishing one game out of the postseason picture last year, the Seattle Mariners have made some significant additions this offseason, and at least on paper, they look to have the talent to get over the hump and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
Nelson Cruz gives them the right-handed power bat they were hoping Corey Hart could be last season, while the platoon of Seth Smith and Justin Ruggiano shores up what had been a revolving door in right field the past few seasons.
What was the best bullpen in baseball last year (2.59 ERA) returns intact, minus only Joe Beimel, and Rule 5 pick David Rollins looks like the leading candidate to take his spot as the second lefty out of the pen.
There are questions in the starting rotation, as Hisashi Iwakuma struggled mightily down the stretch last year (7.88 ERA in last seven starts), and the duo of James Paxton and Taijuan Walker is still relatively inexperienced, though supremely talented.
A handful of things are going to have to break right for the Mariners to play up to their potential, but the pieces are there for this team to snap its playoff drought.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Austin Jackson
RF Seth Smith
2B Robinson Cano
DH Nelson Cruz
3B Kyle Seager
1B Logan Morrison
C Mike Zunino
LF Dustin Ackley
SS Brad Miller
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Felix Hernandez
SP Hisashi Iwakuma
SP James Paxton
SP Taijuan Walker
SP J.A. Happ
SU Danny Farquhar
SU Yoervis Medina
CL Fernando Rodney
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
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Outlook
It's impossible to say at this point whether the Los Angeles Dodgers are a better team after a wave of offseason moves, but they are undoubtedly a different team—and after a pair of disappointing exits from the postseason, something needed to be done to shake up the roster.
Losing Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez and Dee Gordon from last year's offense is significant, but the new double-play combination of Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins should be one of the most productive in the league, and moving Kemp opens things up for uber-prospect Joc Pederson.
The starting rotation has a chance to be the best in baseball, even with the Nationals adding Max Scherzer, but that will depend on the health of Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson. Both guys are capable of pitching like front-line arms, but they also have lengthy injury histories and are far from a sure thing.
The bullpen has been tweaked, though the Dodgers are still lacking a dominant setup arm to bridge the gap to closer Kenley Jansen. Hard-throwing Pedro Baez has a chance to be that guy, or else it will be veteran Joel Peralta, who has plenty of experience in the role.
The Dodgers are the most talented team in the NL West and rank right alongside the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals as the NL favorites here a month from the start of spring training.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
SS Jimmy Rollins
LF Carl Crawford
RF Yasiel Puig
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Howie Kendrick
C Yasmani Grandal
CF Joc Pederson
3B Juan Uribe
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Clayton Kershaw
SP Zack Greinke
SP Hyun-Jin Ryu
SP Brandon McCarthy
SP Brett Anderson
SU Joel Peralta
SU J.P. Howell
CL Kenley Jansen
3. Los Angeles Angels
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Outlook
The playing field in the American League has been significantly leveled this offseason, but the Los Angeles Angels still look like the most talented team after winning an MLB-best 98 games on their way to the AL West title last season.
Losing Howie Kendrick will hurt, but a healthy season from Josh Hamilton and the addition of Matt Joyce should help offset his departed production. And Josh Rutledge has some offensive potential himself as the leading candidate to take over the second base job.
Starting pitching depth was the Angels' top priority heading into the offseason, and they landed one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the game in the Kendrick trade in Andrew Heaney.
They also picked up prospect Nick Tropeano and reliever Cesar Ramos, who is capable of starting, so they should be able to hold down the fort until Garrett Richards returns from knee surgery.
The bullpen rounded into form last season after Huston Street was acquired, and it no longer looks like the weakness it had been for the past few seasons. The Angels could still use a proven lefty for the late innings, though.
Considering their talent level and complete roster top to bottom, the Angels have to be considered the favorites in the American League as things currently stand.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
RF Kole Calhoun
DH Matt Joyce
CF Mike Trout
1B Albert Pujols
LF Josh Hamilton
3B David Freese
SS Erick Aybar
2B Josh Rutledge
C Chris Iannetta
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Jered Weaver
SP Matt Shoemaker
SP Hector Santiago
SP C.J. Wilson
SP Andrew Heaney
SU Fernando Salas
SU Joe Smith
CL Huston Street
2. St. Louis Cardinals
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Outlook
Those St. Louis Cardinals fans holding out hope that the team would make a surprise run at hometown native Max Scherzer were no doubt disappointed by the news that he had not only signed elsewhere, but that he would be coming to the National League.
As far as the Cardinals roster goes, the team could still use another starting pitcher, though a low-cost arm to provide some insurance for Carlos Martinez looks like the most likely target at this point.
Locking up Lance Lynn with a three-year, $22 million deal, effectively buying out his arbitration years, looks like yet another team-friendly move. With Adam Wainwright undergoing minor elbow surgery this offseason and Michael Wacha coming off an injury-plagued 2014, Lynn has become that much more important.
With the roster more or less set, the focus for the remainder of the offseason will be on trying to lock up Jason Heyward long-term, after he was acquired from the Atlanta Braves earlier this offseason.
The 25-year-old is open to a long-term deal, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He won't come cheap, considering his age and overall value (6.3 WAR in 2014), but after giving up Shelby Miller to acquire him, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals letting him walk in free agency next winter.
Provided the pitching is healthy, this looks like a better all-around Cardinals team than the one that reached the National League Championship Series last season, and that puts St. Louis among the favorites heading into 2015.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
3B Matt Carpenter
RF Jason Heyward
LF Matt Holliday
1B Matt Adams
C Yadier Molina
SS Jhonny Peralta
CF Jon Jay
2B Kolten Wong
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Adam Wainwright
SP Lance Lynn
SP John Lackey
SP Michael Wacha
SP Carlos Martinez
SU Matt Belisle
SU Jordan Walden
CL Trevor Rosenthal
1. Washington Nationals
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Outlook
For the time being at least, the Max Scherzer signing puts the Washington Nationals in the top spot in these rankings and gives the team a rotation that can rival any in recent memory.
However, it remains to be seen if the Nationals are finished dealing. The Scherzer signing could be a precursor to trading upcoming free agent Jordan Zimmermann, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
It was also reported that the team would consider moving Stephen Strasburg if it did not get an acceptable offer for Zimmermann, per Morosi.
Then again, this is a franchise that has never been to the World Series and has an 89-year-old owner in Ted Lerner, so maybe, just maybe, this is a case of a team going all-in to make a run at a title.
Zimmermann is not the only Nationals player with free agency looming, as Doug Fister, Ian Desmond and Denard Span are also set to hit the open market next year. So this could be the Nationals' last chance to win it all with this current core group of players.
The talent is certainly there for this team to be hoisting the trophy when the 2015 season comes to a close, and if the Nationals enter the season with their rotation as it currently stands, they have to be considered the favorite to do just that.
Projected 2015 Lineup (as of Jan. 18)
CF Denard Span
3B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
1B Ryan Zimmerman
SS Ian Desmond
C Wilson Ramos
2B Yunel Escobar
LF Nate McLouth
Pitcher
Projected 2015 Rotation (as of Jan. 18)
SP Max Scherzer
SP Jordan Zimmermann
SP Stephen Strasburg
SP Doug Fister
SP Gio Gonzalez
SU Matt Thornton
SU Aaron Barrett
CL Drew Storen
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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