Previewing Every MLB Team's Biggest Offseason Decision
The stretch run is here for the 2015 MLB season and the playoffs are fast approaching, but it's never too early to start looking ahead to the offseason.
Whether a team is gearing up for a run at a World Series title or still in the early stages of rebuilding, all 30 clubs are faced with at least a few big decisions over the course of the offseason.
The following is an early look at what figures to be each team's biggest offseason decision, and those decisions were broken into the following six categories:
- Franchise Direction: Is a team rebuilding, retooling or spending big for a serious run at contention? This is a question a few teams need to answer before proceeding with their offseason.
- Front-Office Move: There are currently five teams without a general manager for the 2016 season. That takes the cake as the biggest offseason decision for each of those teams, as the next GM will play a huge role in shaping the future of the club.
- Free-Agency Focus: For some teams, there is one clear area to focus on in the offseason, whether it's bolstering the offense, adding a front-line starter or improving the bullpen. Deciding how to spend and who to add will be their biggest decision.
- Internal Free Agent: Big free-agent signings are nice, but often times the biggest decision a team has to make is whether or not to re-sign one of its own free agents before they hit the open market and wind up elsewhere.
- Extension Candidate: More and more teams are locking up their young talent ahead of their first year of arbitration eligibility. There will be free-agent additions and trades, but for some teams, locking up guys they already control will be the biggest decision of the winter.
- Trade Candidate: It's hard to get a gauge on the offseason trade market here in September, but there are at least a few big names that figure to be on the move.
So with that established, here is a look at the biggest offseason decision for all 30 teams.
Baltimore Orioles
1 of 30
Franchise Direction: Push to Contend or Start to Rebuild?
After hanging around the fringe of contention of much of the year, the Baltimore Orioles have gone 5-15 in their last 20 games and effectively fallen out of the playoff picture in the process.
That leaves them at something of a crossroads.
After squeezing all they could out of a mediocre rotation the past few years, it has been abundantly clear this year that they simply did not have the horse to be a legitimate contender.
Key players such as Chris Davis, Wei-Yin Chen, Darren O'Day, Steve Pearce and Matt Wieters are all set to hit free agency, but is it really worth shelling out the money to retain someone like Davis if the team doesn't address the pitching staff?
Chances are they won't spend the money on Davis and a front-line arm, and adding a mid-level starter or two simply won't be enough.
The hope was that the homegrown duo of Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy could be the answer at the front of the rotation, but that is looking less and less likely and certainly not something the team can count on for 2016.
So is it time to rebuild, or is the team still capable of making some legitimate noise with the current core?
Boston Red Sox
2 of 30
Front-Office Move: Find a New General Manager
One of five teams looking for a new general manager, the Boston Red Sox job may be the toughest one to inherit.
While they have money on their side and a good baseball mind in Dave Dombrowski, who was recently hired as president of baseball operations, there is a lot of work to be done.
That starts with undoing the damage of last season, namely finding a way to rid themselves of the ill-advised contracts given to Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval.
Rather than investing in the clear need that was the starting rotation, the team instead opted to try to put together a juggernaut offense to back a rotation of No. 3 starter types.
Not surprisingly, that strategy failed, and two of the biggest underachievers have been the aforementioned Ramirez and Sandoval.
There is a ton of young talent in the organization, both in the majors and on the cusp, but this team will have to address the rotation in order to win.
All of that begins with selecting the next general manager.
New York Yankees
3 of 30
Free-Agency Focus: Time to Spend Big on a Starting Pitcher Again?
In recent years, the New York Yankees have handed down some of the biggest contracts ever given to starting pitchers:
- CC Sabathia: seven years, $161 million
- Masahiro Tanaka: seven years, $155 million
- CC Sabathia: five years, $122 million
- Mike Mussina: six years, $88.5 million
- A.J. Burnett: five years, $82.5 million
They've also taken on high-priced arms at the back of contracts signed with other teams such as Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown.
After a relatively quiet offseason last year, it may once again be time for front-office officials to open their wallets and spend big on another arm to bolster the staff.
The trio of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Nathan Eovaldi has potential, and rookie Luis Severino has lived up to the hype so far, but another proven stud to slot at the front of the rotation could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
There will potentially be three such arms available in David Price, Johnny Cueto and Jordan Zimmermann. Scott Kazmir and Jeff Samardzija are also worth mentioning.
.png?w=256)
Tampa Bay Rays
4 of 30
Free-Agency Focus: Upgrading the Offense on a Budget
While some teams are able to take chances and spend money somewhat recklessly during the offseason, the Tampa Bay Rays don't have that luxury.
Instead, they have to find the best way to allocate their limited funds, and this winter the focus will undoubtedly be on improving the offense.
While they have done a nice job scouring the bargain bin for guys such as Grady Sizemore and Daniel Nava this season, they simply don't have anyone who scares opposing hitters outside of Evan Longoria.
Despite injuries, the pitching staff has been terrific once again led by breakout star Chris Archer, and deciding how to best invest what money they do have on bats will be by far their biggest decision this offseason.
Toronto Blue Jays
5 of 30
Internal Free Agent: SP David Price
The Toronto Blue Jays would love nothing more than to lock up David Price long term, but there are other factors to consider before throwing down a $200 million-plus offer for the big left-hander.
A quick look at the payroll breakdown shows that both Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are both set to reach free agency after next season, while AL MVP candidate Josh Donaldson is also a candidate for a massive extension.
Improved pitching has been the difference-maker this year, but this is still a Blue Jays team built around their offense, and even if they let Encarnacion walk, it's hard to imagine they won't retain a fan favorite and the face of the franchise in Bautista.
The rotation will need to be addressed one way or another, even with Marcus Stroman back healthy, but the team may decide it's better suited going after a second-tier arm as opposed to breaking the bank trying to keep Price.
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Internal Free Agent: SP Jeff Samardzija
Immediately after acquiring Jeff Samardzija during the winter meetings last year, the Chicago White Sox opened extension talks with the big right-hander, but a new deal never materialized before the season started.
He looked like a prime candidate to be moved at the deadline, but a surprise seven-game winning streak by the team down the stretch in July convinced it to hang onto its top trade chip for a potential second-half push.
That push toward contention obviously didn't materialize and now Samardzija looks like a prime candidate to receive a qualifying offer and hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career.
While the future looks bright for the lefty trio of Chris Sale, Carlos Rodon and Jose Quintana, there is still a clear need for a right-handed starter to break that up and add some balance.
After a subpar season, Samardzija could be looking at something in line with the four-year, $75 million deal James Shields signed last season, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
At that price, the White Sox have to at least consider bringing him back.
Cleveland Indians
7 of 30
Trade Candidate: 1B Carlos Santana
After a disappointing .231/.365/.427 line last season, it has been more of the same from Cleveland Indians first baseman Carlos Santana here in 2015.
In fact, his power numbers have fallen off even further, as he's hit just 15 home runs after tying a career-high 27 a year ago and his OPS has dipped to a career-worst .742 as a result.
That was enough for Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer to suggest the team consider moving him this winter.
"Santana is 29. He should be in his prime, not a decline. But this has been a miserable season, highlighted by his inability to adjust to all the soft stuff. His defense is worse. He's batting .221 with runners in scoring position. It's just discouraging," wrote Pluto.
Prospect Bobby Bradley looks like the long-term answer at first base after a huge season, but he's still just 19 and at least a couple years away, so the team would need a stopgap.
With an $8.45 million salary for next year and a $12 million option for 2017, moving Santana would free up a decent chunk of change for the team to address other areas of need.
Detroit Tigers
8 of 30
Franchise Direction: Will Al Avila Rebuild or Retool?
New GM Al Avila has inherited an interesting team in the Detroit Tigers.
After trading the likes of David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria—and in the wake of a rough season from a win-loss standpoint—it might appear on the surface that the Tigers are a clear candidate to start rebuilding.
However, with considerable money owed to Miguel Cabrera ($176 million over six years), Justin Verlander ($112 million over four years), Victor Martinez ($54 million over three years), Anibal Sanchez ($33.6 million over two years) and Ian Kinsler ($25 million over two years), that may be a tough pill to swallow.
Avila will also have an interesting decision to make regarding his son, catcher Alex Avila, who is set to reach free agency for the first time.
The younger Avila has hit just .176/.315/.255 this year, and rookie James McCann has shown enough to think he can be the catcher of the present and future.
It will be an interesting first offseason in charge for Al Avila.
Kansas City Royals
9 of 30
Internal Free Agent: LF Alex Gordon
After looking like a flop early on in his career, Alex Gordon made the move from third base to left field and did a career 180 in the process.
Since the start of 2011, he's compiled a 26.8 WAR, good for seventh among all position players during that span.
He may not put up gaudy offensive numbers, but he gets on base at a solid clip, has decent pop and he's been the best defensive left fielder in baseball for several years now.
The 31-year-old has a $12.5 million player option for the 2016 season that he will almost certainly decline in favor of pursuing more stability with a multiyear deal.
With Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and others also without long-term deals at the moment, the Royals likely won't be able to keep everyone.
So it becomes a question of how much they're willing to commit to Gordon, knowing other in-house pieces will need their attention in the near future as well.
Minnesota Twins
10 of 30
Free-Agency Focus: Another Big Starting Pitcher Signing?
The past two offseasons have seen the Minnesota Twins sign a starting pitcher to a team-record contract in free agency.
First it was Ricky Nolasco on a four-year, $49 million deal.
He's gone 11-13 with a 5.40 ERA in 34 combined starts over his first two years with the team.
Then it was Ervin Santana on a four-year, $55 million deal.
After serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs before ever throwing a pitch, he's gone 4-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 12 starts.
So will the Twins be willing to dip into the free-agent pool once again in their ongoing effort to field a viable five-man rotation?
Kyle Gibson and Tommy Milone have been solid this year, and top prospect Jose Berrios should be along at some point in 2016, but this team is still lacking a front-line arm.
With plenty of young position-player talent, pitching will be the place to invest if the Twins decide to spend again this winter.
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Extension Candidate: SP Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel is set to become arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason, and he could do it with an AL Cy Young Award added to his resume.
Rather than taking it year to year, the Houston Astros could opt to extend the left-hander now, and the ball appears to already be rolling on that front.
According to Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle, the two sides have already begun discussing a long-term deal, and Keuchel appears to be open to the idea.
"This is all I’ve known, and it’s where I want to be. I know we’re in a great position for the next probably five, 10 years, and that’s what it’s all about, it’s all about winning. Me personally, it’s not about the dollar amount. It’s about winning, because it doesn’t last forever. I know that. So at the end of the day, I just want to win. I want one of those rings.
With that being said, it’s got to be something that’s fair and that’s right for both parties. I’m not trying to break the bank. I’m just out here to have fun and pitch and do the best I can.
"
As a pitcher who doesn't rely on velocity to get hitters out and who has a clean delivery, Keuchel seems like as safe a bet as any pitcher to invest in long term from a health standpoint.
The five-year, $38.5 million deal signed by Corey Kluber, who has a very comparable track record, could be a good starting point in negotiations.
Los Angeles Angels
12 of 30
Front-Office Move: Finding a New General Manager
The good news for whoever steps in as the Los Angeles Angels' next GM is that you have Mike Trout in the mix through at least the 2020 season.
That bad news, however, is that you also have a 35-year-old Albert Pujols owed an outrageous $165 million over the next six years thanks to the back-loaded deal he signed.
With one of the worst farm systems in baseball and a core that has underperformed as a whole outside of Trout, the long-term outlook of this team is far from bright.
Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney and Kole Calhoun are solid controllable pieces, but this team has to start adding young talent or it will risk finding itself in a Phillies-type situation a few years down the road.
There will be holes to fill at catcher, third base and in the rotation this offseason, among other areas of need, but the focus of the new GM has to be on the bigger picture and setting the team up for some sort of future before it winds up wasting Trout in his prime.
Oakland Athletics
13 of 30
Free-Agency Focus: Finding a Veteran Presence for the Rotation
General manager Billy Beane has shown in recent years that he likes to have a veteran arm as part of his otherwise young starting rotation, and it's one area he's willing to actually commit some money to in free agency.
Prior to the 2012 season, he signed Bartolo Colon to a one-year, $2 million deal and brought him back the following year on a one-year, $3 million deal.
After he joined the New York Mets, the team brought in Scott Kazmir on a two-year, $22 million deal after his surprise comeback with the Cleveland Indians.
The A's won't break the bank for one of the market's front-line starters, but a veteran such as Mark Buehrle or a bounce-back candidate in Doug Fister could fill the veteran void.
Seattle Mariners
14 of 30
Front-Office Move: Finding a New General Manager
The Seattle Mariners hired Jack Zduriencik as the team's GM of prior to the 2009 season, and while he assembled a team that many thought would be able to contend here in 2015, it was his head that wound up rolling as a result of their disappointing performance.
Among the more notable moves of his time at the helm was the massive 10-year, $240 million deal given to Robinson Cano and the seven-year, $175 million extension to homegrown ace Felix Hernandez.
Consistent offensive production remains the big question mark for this team, as even with the addition of Nelson Cruz, the M's have been a below-average group at the plate.
However, with young pieces in place (Kyle Seager, Ketel Marte, Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, among others), there is plenty to like about the present and future of this team.
A fresh set of eyes could be exactly what the Mariners need, and coming in on the downswing of lofty expectations should help take some of the pressure off the new GM in his first year.
Texas Rangers
15 of 30
Internal Free Agent: SP Yovani Gallardo
Heading into the season, the trio of Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Yovani Gallardo had the potential to be one of the best in all of baseball.
Flash forward, and Darvish has missed the entire season while Holland is just now getting healthy for the stretch run.
Meanwhile, Gallardo has quietly put together the best season of his career at 12-9 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.345 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 165.0 innings of work.
That addition of Cole Hamels gives the Rangers another legitimate ace to pair with a healthy Darvish next season and could be reason enough for the team to let Gallardo walk.
On the other hand, the decision to trade for Hamels in the first place represented an all-in move to win now by the Rangers, so why wouldn't they at least entertain the idea of bringing back Gallardo as well?
Atlanta Braves
16 of 30
Extension Candidate: SP Shelby Miller
The Atlanta Braves are in full-blown rebuilding mode at this point, and as a result, locking up the few core pieces they do have in place figures to be a priority.
Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons and Julio Teheran already signed long-term deals under the old front-office regime, leaving Shelby Miller as the most likely candidate for an extension.
Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Jason Heyward, Miller has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise trying season in Atlanta.
The 24-year-old is just 5-13 on the year and has not won a game since May 17, but that's through no fault of his own, as he currently ranks sixth in the NL in ERA (2.86) and 11th in pitcher's WAR (3.3), according to FanGraphs.
That begs the question whether Miller, who has a 3.46 ERA during his current 20-start winless streak, wants to commit to playing with the Braves long term.
He'll he arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and is currently under team control through the 2018 season.
Miami Marlins
17 of 30
Extension Candidates: 2B Dee Gordon and SS Adeiny Hechavarria
After handing out a record extension to Giancarlo Stanton last winter and also locking up left fielder Christian Yelich, the Miami Marlins will likely try to extend more of their core pieces this winter.
While Jose Fernandez is certainly an important part of the team's future, an extension with him at this point seems unlikely.
According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the team's two biggest extension priorities this offseason will be the middle infield tandem of Dee Gordon and Adeiny Hechavarria.
Gordon has proved his 2014 breakout performance was no fluke, as he's hitting .328 while leading the National League in hits (172) and raising his OPS 60 points (.704 to .764) over a year ago.
The 27-year-old is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and is likely due a significant chunk of change regardless.
Meanwhile, Hechavarria took a big step forward offensively last season, and he has continued that here in 2015, as he's hitting .281/.315/.374 with 28 extra-base hits and 48 RBI.
That a comes as gravy when you take into account his defense at shortstop, as he ranks among the leaders in defensive runs saved (10, fourth) and UZR/150 (15.9, third) at the position, according to FanGraphs.
New York Mets
18 of 30
Internal Free Agent: LF Yoenis Cespedes
It originally looked like the New York Mets would be unable to re-sign Yoenis Cespedes even if they wanted to.
The Cuban defector who is still on his original contract had a clause that required him to be released five days after the World Series following his fourth season in the league.
Under the current rules, no player who is released during the offseason can re-sign with the team that released him until May 15.
However, that clause has been modified, and the Mets will now be able to negotiate with him like everyone else, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
The Mets have Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo ready to step into key roles in the outfield, but given the impact Cespedes has made, it's hard to imagine the Mets not making every effort to retain him.
Since he was acquired on July 31, the Mets have gone 25-11 and averaged 6.14 runs per game.
Cespedes is hitting .312/.357/.675 with nine doubles, 14 home runs and 36 RBI in 36 games with the team, and his asking price is no doubt sky-rocketing in the process.
Philadelphia Phillies
19 of 30
Front-Office Move: Finding a New General Manager
The Philadelphia Phillies finally began a long overdue rebuild this season, and the man who is at least partially to blame for the hole the franchise dug itself into in Ruben Amaro is now officially out as GM.
New team president Andy MacPhail had the following to say in a press release on Thursday, via MLBTradeRumors:
"Ruben has had a direct impact on some of the best years in the team’s history. He helped to create some great memories for Phillies fans with his accomplishments, but in order to return to a top-contending club, we believe this is the right thing to do as we continue the rebuilding process.
"
In his defense, Amaro did finally pull the trigger on a number of deals this season with Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Jonathan Papelbon, Marlon Byrd and Antonio Bastardo all traded since the start of last season.
The farm system has been restocked as a result, but the team is still somewhat lacking in franchise cornerstones to build around.
Aaron Nola, Maikel Franco and J.P. Crawford give the Phillies a good starting point, and the duo of Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro, who were acquired in the Hamels trade, also have a chance to be core pieces.
At this point, given their payroll flexibility, prospect depth and lowered expectations, the Phillies job is definitely an attractive one to step into right now.
Washington Nationals
20 of 30
Internal Free Agent: SP Jordan Zimmermann
While fellow free agents Doug Fister, Ian Desmond and Denard Span all look like safe bets to be playing elsewhere in 2016, the Washington Nationals have a tough decision to make on Jordan Zimmermann.
For all the hype Stephen Strasburg has received, there is little question Zimmermann has been the team's best pitcher the past three years.
From 2012 to 2014, he went 45-22 with a 2.96 ERA, 1.109 WHIP and averaged 203 inning of work per season.
With a ton of money already committed to Max Scherzer and young arms such as Joe Ross, Lucas Giolito, A.J. Cole and Reynaldo Lopez representing the future, the team may be hesitant to throw down another $100 million-plus to retain Zimmermann.
He also already has a Tommy John surgery on his resume, and while he's been healthy the past three-plus seasons, that's still something worth taking into account when it comes to signing a pitcher in his 30s to a long-term deal.
It will be an interesting offseason for the Nationals, to say the least, as this really was their year to make a serious run.
Chicago Cubs
21 of 30
Free-Agency Focus: Another Front-line Starter?
The Chicago Cubs went into the offseason last year with a clear No. 1 target in Jon Lester, and they got their guy with a six-year, $155 million deal.
A possible extension for Jake Arrieta will certainly be one of the biggest talking points of the offseason, but in terms of the biggest decision, it will undoubtedly be whether to spend big again on a front-line starting pitcher.
While Lester and Arrieta give the team a strong one-two punch, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks behind them have been inconsistent, and the No. 5 starter job has been a revolving door.
Signing another elite arm such as David Price, Zack Greinke or Jordan Zimmermann would allow the Cubs to slide Hendricks and Hammel to the No. 4 and No. 5 spots, respectively, where they line up much better.
It would provide further support for an offense that should only get better as the young talent matures and could move the Cubs over the top in their push for a title.
Cincinnati Reds
22 of 30
Trade Candidate: RP Aroldis Chapman
Aroldis Chapman is one of the most dominant arms in the game today, there's no doubt about that, but with the Cincinnati Reds likely headed for a rebuilding season in 2016, he's really more of a luxury than a necessity.
The 27-year-old is making $8.05 million this season, and that will likely climb north of $10 million in his final year of arbitration this winter.
Spending $10 million on a closer when you're not expected to have many leads to protect doesn't make much sense.
The Reds fielded calls on Chapman at the deadline, but their asking price was said to be unreasonable, and they wound up holding onto him despite his value perhaps being at its peak.
"The Reds have only a year and half remaining before Chapman can become a free agent, and thanks to bloated mega-deals already on their ugly books in baseball's smallest market, they would seem to have almost no chance to keep Chapman past 2016," wrote Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "So why not trade him now, while the value is at an all-time high?"
More than a few teams would benefit from adding Chapman to the ninth inning, so expect plenty of interest if the Reds do get serious about dealing him this winter.
Milwaukee Brewers
23 of 30
Front-Office Move: Finding a New General Manager
With Doug Melvin announcing in mid-August that he would step down as GM of the Milwaukee Brewers at the end of the season, they can be added to the list of teams searching for new leadership in the front office.
The Brewers are an interesting team to inherit, as they have already begun the transition from contender to rebuilding squad, but there is still work to be done.
The farm system is thin behind shortstop prospect Orlando Arcia, though outfielders Brett Phillips and Domingo Santana were acquired in the Carlos Gomez-Mike Fiers trade, and both have a chance to be everyday big league players.
Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun probably aren't going anywhere, but there's really not much else in the way of veteran building blocks.
The pitching outlook is considerably brighter, as the trio of Taylor Jungmann, Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson has a chance to lead the way, and prospects Devin Williams and Jorge Lopez have both had impressive seasons in the minors.
It could take a few years, especially in the stacked NL Central, but the Brewers are a nice fixer-upper for the next GM, albeit one with some budgetary constraints.
Pittsburgh Pirates
24 of 30
Extension Candidate: SP Gerrit Cole
The Pittsburgh Pirates managed to sign Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte to team-friendly extensions before they reached arbitration, and they could do the same with ace Gerrit Cole this coming winter.
After showing flashes during his first two seasons in the league, Cole has officially taken the leap this season and joined the ranks of the game's elite starters.
The burly 25-year-old is currently 16-8 with a 2.54 ERA, 1.118 WHIP and 175 strikeouts in 180.2 innings, as he has a chance to finish in the top five in NL Cy Young voting.
Jeff Todd of MLBTradeRumors.com recently wrote about Cole as a potential extension candidate, pointing to the deals given to Madison Bumgarner (five years, $35 million) and Julio Teheran (six years, $32.4 million) as possible comparisons based on similar service time and performance.
Top prospect Tyler Glasnow figures to join the Pittsburgh rotation at some point next season, and a healthy Jameson Taillon still has front-line potential. However, Cole is the ace of this team going forward, and locking him up now would be a big for the franchise.
St. Louis Cardinals
25 of 30
Internal Free Agent: RF Jason Heyward
When the St. Louis Cardinals decided to trade Shelby Miller and his five remaining years of team control for Jason Heyward last winter, the only way they were going to be able to get comparable value on their end was if they could find a way to extend Heyward.
The emergence of Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty has at least given the team a contingency plan if he does wind up walking, but as one of the best young players in the game, the Cardinals would no doubt love to have Heyward back in the mix for 2016 and beyond.
At 26 years old, Heyward is the rare free agent you can sign to a six- or seven-year deal without having to worry about a steep decline at the back end of the contract, and that makes him incredibly valuable.
He has not developed into the offensive force many predicted he would become, but he is having a great second half (.313/.388/.464), and with his mix of power, speed and plus-plus defense, he's still supremely valuable.
It will no doubt cost well north of $100 million, and just how high the Cardinals are willing to go to keep Heyward around will be their biggest decision of the offseason.
Arizona Diamondbacks
26 of 30
Extension Candidate: CF A.J. Pollock
A.J. Pollock has been one of the biggest breakout stars of 2015, giving the Arizona Diamondbacks another legitimate offensive building block alongside Paul Goldschmidt.
The 27-year-old is hitting .314/.364/.490 with 32 doubles, 16 home runs, 63 RBI and 33 stolen bases for a 5.9 WAR that ranks eighth among NL position players.
With arbitration waiting for the first time this winter, he's an obvious extension candidate, and both sides appear to be interested in working out a deal.
"He's a big, big piece of what we're trying to do," general manager Dave Stewart told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Pollock seems to be interested in discussing a long-term deal as well, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
"I love being a part of this team and love the people in the organization. I feel like I've been here for a while. I was drafted by them. It's obviously different people but some are still with the team. I like my teammates. I like the coaches. The front office has been awesome. If they talk to me, I'll obviously talk to them back.
"
The Diamondbacks are a team on the rise, and Pollock is a big piece of the long-term puzzle.
Colorado Rockies
27 of 30
Trade Candidate: RF Carlos Gonzalez
After finally pulling the trigger on trading Troy Tulowitzki, could outfielder Carlos Gonzalez be the next big name on the move for the Colorado Rockies?
The 29-year-old has certainly boosted his stock after a pair of injury-plagued seasons, and he's been particularly good in the second half.
Since the All-Star break, CarGo is hitting .294/.355/.729 with 23 home runs and 51 RBI in 49 games, and he has already set a new career high with 36 home runs on the year.
As a result, the $37 million he is owed over the next two years has become a chip in the Rockies favor as opposed to a hurdle in potential trade negotiations.
With Nolan Arenado stepping into the role of offensive star and other talent up and down the lineup, the need for viable starting pitching remains, and if CarGo can bring a good return of arms, it would be hard to say no.
Los Angeles Dodgers
28 of 30
Internal Free Agent: SP Zack Greinke
This is why you put an opt-out clause in your contract, folks.
The idea of leaving $77 million over three years on the table may seem absurd, but with Zack Greinke putting together a brilliant season this year, the decision to exercise his opt-out and search for another long-term deal is a no-brainer.
As the likely NL Cy Young winner, Greinke has gone 16-3 with a 1.68 ERA, 0.856 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 192.2 innings.
After watching a 30-year-old Max Scherzer sign a seven-year, $210 million deal last offseason, the 31-year-old Greinke should at least be able to land something in the six-year, $180 million range.
The big question now is whether that massive contract will come from the Los Angeles Dodgers or if they will instead opt to pursue someone such as David Price or Johnny Cueto and let Greinke sign elsewhere.
San Diego Padres
29 of 30
Franchise Direction: Aggressive Buyers or a Step Backward?
It didn't work out as hoped, but props to A.J. Preller for his aggressive approach last offseason in an effort to put a winner on the field in San Diego.
Now the question becomes, does the team continue to aggressively push toward building a winner, or do the Padres take a step back and do some damage control?
The farm system took a major hit with all of the offseason trades, and the decision to stand pat at the deadline in hopes of a late-season push did nothing to improve that situation.
Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy both look like candidates for a qualifying offer, while Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross and James Shields could all wind up as potential trade chips if the team does decide to try to restock the farm.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Padres could look to re-sign both Upton and Kennedy and to add a shortstop and center fielder to shore up the lineup.
Whatever route they wind up going, it will be interesting to see what the next step is for Preller and the Padres.
San Francisco Giants
30 of 30
Free Agency Focus: Reworking the Starting Rotation
The San Francisco Giants know they have Madison Bumgarner through the 2019 season, but beyond that, their starting rotation is one big question mark.
Tim Lincecum is a free agent at season's end, and Tim Hudson is headed for retirement. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy will be in the final year of his deal, and Matt Cain still needs to prove he's the elite pitcher he was pre-injury before he can be counted on for anything.
Chris Heston has been a pleasant surprise this season, and his recent struggles could simply be a matter of tiring in his first big league season. But either way, he's better suited as a middle-of-the-rotation arm.
Top prospect Tyler Beede should be ready to make an impact at some point next season, and he has front-line potential, but there will need to be additions made regardless.
Re-signing Mike Leake is one possibility, and it's not out of the question to think the Giants could go after one of the market's elite arms after they made a run at Jon Lester last winter.
One way or another, though, the team has some big decisions to make about the starting rotation.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
.png?w=480)
