A Wish List for Every MLB Team to Improve Before 2026 Spring Training
Spring training is getting closer every day, and there's not a whole lot left on MLB's trade and free-agent markets. Clearly, the offseason has reached its "finishing touches" phase.
So, let's devise a wish list of ways every team can still improve before camp opens up.
This is mostly about additions that still need to be made, whether we're talking specific positions or more general weaknesses. Contenders could also benefit from clarity on high-profile uncertainties, and maybe even a contract extension or two.
Since not every team is all-in for 2026, this is also about potential subtractions that could bring back prospects and/or payroll relief.
We'll go division by division, starting in the American League East and ending in the National League West.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles have already had an excellent offseason, highlighted by a $155 million deal for Pete Alonso. Yet their rotation and bullpen would each benefit from more, with Framber Valdez standing out as a compelling possibility for the former.
As for a Henderson extension, Orioles fans have been wanting one of those for a while. And right now may be the club's last best chance to get something done, as the superstar shortstop will only be two years from free agency after 2026.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have also had a strong offseason, particularly with their additions to their pitching staff. Yet the loss of Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs still stings, and Willson Contreras alone can't soothe the pain. A deal with Eugenio Suárez or a trade for Isaac Paredes would do the trick.
The Red Sox are otherwise looking for catching depth, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive. And while they don't have to move an outfielder, they have four players for three spots and Jarren Duran sure looks like a trade candidate.
New York Yankees
Cody Bellinger would have been at the top of this list as recently as Wednesday afternoon, but he and the Yankees finally got back together on a five-year, $162.5 million contract. Which is good for them, because they would have been facing slim pickings if another team had signed him.
After missing out on Milwaukee ace Freddy Peralta, the Yankees should consider alternative aces like Sandy Alcantara or even Tarik Skubal. And with someone as shaky as Camilo Doval positioned to be Aaron Boone's No. 2 option, the bullpen is an underrated concern in its own right.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have already remade a good chunk of their major league roster, yet catcher remains a point of concern. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the team is now looking to the trade market after whiffing on J.T. Realmuto.
Fretting about the Rays having enough pitching is perhaps wasted breath, but one just doesn't feel good about them committing to Shane McClanahan and Steven Matz as starters. The former hasn't pitched since 2023, while the latter hasn't been an effective starter since 2021.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into their roster, yet they're currently reeling from a failed bid on Tucker and Bichette's swift departure to the Mets. If they can't live with that, getting involved on Brendan Donovan could make sense.
The reigning AL champs are otherwise set, though they could use another reliever. Even after adding Tyler Rogers on a $36 million deal, their bullpen feels a man short.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox checked a huge box when they finally offloaded Luis Robert Jr. on Tuesday. Also jettisoning Benintendi will be much harder, though they don't need to do so to create space for, say, Michael Conforto after adding LaMonte Wade Jr. as a reclamation project on Thursday.
What would really be interesting is if the White Sox threw their starving fans a bone by extending one of the young guys. Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery are candidates after their strong rookie seasons in 2025.
Cleveland Guardians
Speaking of starving fans, the Guardians have done nothing to fortify their position as defending AL Central champions. And this is even though they would seem to have room to sink tens of millions into their 2026 payroll.
It seems a little late for the Guardians to totally salvage their offseason, but the bat should certainly take precedent. Harrison Bader makes a lot of sense for them, as do lower-rent options like Miguel Andujar and Austin Hays.
Detroit Tigers
Skubal's name has had trade rumors swirling around it all winter, and whether or not the Tigers follow through will shape the whole tone of their 2026 season. Suffice it to say that if they do move him, it had better be for a generational return.
As things stand, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner needs support in Detroit's rotation. Per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt are on the club's radar as potential signees.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals aren't one of the big winners of the winter, but they've done some low-key solid moves to get deeper, particularly on offense and in their bullpen. Isaac Collins got NL Rookie of the Year votes in 2025, and they were able to get him from Milwaukee in a trade for a lefty reliever.
With Rosenthal reporting that Kansas City is likely out on Jarren Duran and Brendan Donovan, another bat could be hard to get. But there are always bullpen options out there, and they would make sense for a Shelby Miller or a Ryan Brasier.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins never seemed likely to load up this winter, so it was actually a pleasant surprise when they sunk $16 million into Victor Caratini and Taylor Rogers in the last few days. Even after the latter's arrival, though, another reliever would be nice.
Though the Twins have publicly refuted the idea of trading Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan or Pablo López, now's the time to keep an ear out for Godfather offers. All it takes is one desperate team to completely change a calculus like theirs.
American League West
3 of 6
Athletics
The A's had a fun offense even before they added Jeff McNeil in a trade. But their pitching truly is a threat to place among MLB's worst, so something needs to be done about that. Just saying: going for broke on Framber Valdez or Zac Gallen could be worth it.
A Kurtz extension is more of a long shot, but perhaps not too long for the A's. They've done extensions with Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom, so the reigning AL Rookie of the Year should be next.
Houston Astros
It doesn't seem like the Astros want to trade Paredes, but it's also hard to see how he's going to get at-bats while he's looking up at Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve and Christian Walker. Potentially, he could be the centerpiece in a trade that brings back an outfielder.
The rotation is solid on paper, granted, but that's assuming Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. have anything left to offer. To this end, 2022 was a long time ago.
Los Angeles Angels
Unless Josh Lowe really is the guy, the Angels legitimately don't have an everyday center fielder on their roster. That'll be a hard problem to solve, unless maybe they can entice the Red Sox on Jarren Duran—probably not, but no harm in trying.
The Neto extension idea comes from the reality that the Angels need to commit to something after years of spinning their wheels. He's the quietest 5-WAR player in baseball, and he'll only turn 25 on January 31.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have yet to respond since they were caught flat-footed when Jorge Polanco defected to the Mets. A trade for Brendan Donovan makes too much sense, though reuniting with Eugenio Suárez for a third time is a solid Plan B.
Seattle's bullpen has five really good options in it, but it gets a little thin after those guys. At the least, an upside play the likes of which Jerry Dipoto is known for should be in the cards.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers scored a major win on Thursday when they suddenly acquired MacKenzie Gore from the Washington Nationals. With Jon Heyman of the New York Post having tied Texas to Miguel Andujar, it would seem that a right-handed hitter is next in line.
An extension for Langford is an idea the Rangers need to start taking seriously. He was one of few bright spots on the 2025 roster, and he's surely the future of the team with Corey Seager creeping deeper into his 30s.
National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves
The Braves have rightfully shaken things up after back-to-back years of diminishing returns, but rumors of them scoring a top-flight starter have yet to lead to anything. After Freddy Peralta landed with a division rival, they simply can't let that slide.
Atlanta really doesn't need anything else, though Ha-Seong Kim's fluke hand injury ought to have them hoping for no more bad news. Especially after the last two years, the last thing this franchise needs is further injury trouble.
Miami Marlins
With Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers having both been traded, it seems doubtful that the Marlins will also move Alcantara. But since he's never far from trade rumors, let's go with a "never say never" approach until they explicitly say he's staying.
Meanwhile, Pete Fairbanks alone doesn't seem like enough for a relief corps that ranked 26th in fWAR last year. And after hitting only 154 home runs in 2025, they should be a sneaky fit for Eugenio Suárez after his 49-homer campaign.
New York Mets
In a span of less than a week, the Mets have completely changed the narrative of their offseason. As he's now without a clear position, Baty is the big loser in all this. He should either be traded or committed to a new spot, such as left field.
As to Peralta, that he's only signed through this season is the downside of the blockbuster trade that landed him in New York on Wednesday. An extension would merely be the latest flex by Steve Cohen.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies seem pretty distraught about losing Bo Bichette to the Mets, and the only plausible Plan B now is a deal with Suárez. Doing so would make Alec Bohm a trade candidate alongside Castellanos, who has worn out his welcome.
For its part, the Phillies' rotation has a few too many question marks for comfort. They should add at least one solid arm, and it would be cool if they were the team to bring back Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer for one last ride.
Washington Nationals
The rebuilding is ongoing in Washington, and MacKenzie Gore became the latest trade casualty in Thursday's deal with Texas. Abrams is the best trade chip they have left, though his bat and glove might scare contenders in equal measure.
Regardless, the Nats should be on the prowl for a low-risk signing that could turn into a trade chip. Marcell Ozuna or Rhys Hoskins seem like possibilities.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs
Shaw was out of a starting job as soon as the Cubs signed Alex Bregman, so they need to trade him or commit to him as a super-utility type. The alternative is opening up second base for him by trading Hoerner, though that is harder to imagine.
The Cubs seem set otherwise, but they're another team reportedly in on Miguel Andujar. It's an odd fit, but perhaps the thinking is that he's a better bench option than Justin Dean.
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds' effort to bring Kyle Schwarber home may have been a one-off, but they should be shooting for old friend Eugenio Suárez if they aren't already. And even with three new additions, the bullpen still looks undermanned.
With De La Cruz having turned down a record offer from the Reds last spring, it seems unlikely that the Reds will be able to lock up their star shortstop. But after 2025 humbled him a bit, the time is now to try to rekindle talks.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers began their offseason with concerns about their payroll, and the trade of Freddy Peralta to the Mets eased those a bit. That might be their cue to add some power, with Eugenio Suárez looming as a dream addition on paper.
Milwaukee always finds ways to prevent runs, but the bullpen is looking a bit thin. There are guys out there who might benefit from their magic touch, including Michael Kopech and Paul Sewald.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have thankfully flipped their switch from "Not Trying" to "Trying," but they still need more pop after hitting an MLB-low 117 home runs in 2025. Suárez is an obvious fit, and could be within their price range.
Strengthening the depth behind Skenes wouldn't hurt, and an extension for him is this franchise's ultimate buried treasure. They should try to make it happen, even if it only means buying out his arbitration years through 2029.
St. Louis Cardinals
With Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras having left town, Donovan is the last of the Cardinals' major trade chips who's still around. The Mariners and Red Sox both make sense for him, and each has loads of talent to offer.
Romero and Nootbaar are also on the trading block, and Chaim Bloom is also talking about adding a right-handed-hitting outfielder. If one of those doesn't come in a trade, former Cardinal Harrison Bader is notably still looking for work.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have added Nolan Arenado, Merrill Kelly and Michael Soroka this winter. Perhaps most importantly, they toyed with but didn't follow through on trading Ketel Marte.
That makes them all-in on contending, so more support for one of the worst bullpens of 2025 is a must. So is another right-handed bat, for which Paul Goldschmidt is certainly the nostalgic favorite.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies project to be by far the worst team in MLB this year, so even another starter and a power bat are only going to make so much of a difference. Hence the miracle that they should be hoping for.
In all seriousness, they just plain need potential trade chips. Free-agent pitchers should want no part of that, but veteran hitters like Marcell Ozuna, Rhys Hoskins and Mitch Garver might listen if they call.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers don't need to do anything else after scoring Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, but they could really put their foot on the gas if they added another ace. To this end, wouldn't it be like them if they traded for Tarik Skubal?
Otherwise, it's a little disconcerting that Díaz is the only new addition to the Dodgers' bullpen. That implies they're trusting Tanner Scott and others to bounce back in 2026, which is taking a lot on faith.
San Diego Padres
The Padres were able to keep Michael King, but Dylan Cease is gone and Yu Darvish won't pitch next year. They need to consider all their rotation options, including Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen if they're willing to sign short-term deals.
Jake Cronenworth has no business playing first base, so a reunion with Luis Arraez should still be on the table. And with Robert Suarez in Atlanta, the least the Padres can do is add an upside play (i.e., Michael Kopech) off the open market.
San Francisco Giants
The keystone is the one position on the infield where the Giants aren't set. To this end, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that they're in on Nico Hoerner and Brendan Donovan on the trade market.
Another option for the open job in right field would be a good idea, even if it's only someone like Mike Tauchman. And with only one new addition to the bullpen so far, another should be in the offing.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
