MLB Power Rankings: How 2016 Winter Meetings Changed Balance of Power

The winter meetings always provide a good deal of excitement around the MLB community, and this year has been no different, with several major transactions occurring.

This will be the first time we've updated our power rankings since the conclusion of the regular season, so here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Offseason rankings are not meant to be a prediction for the year ahead. Instead, they are a look at how teams would stack up with the rosters they have if the season started today.

• These rankings will be updated several more times between now and the start of the 2017 campaign, so if your favorite club is lower than you'd like, there's still time.

• A perfect example of this is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a number of holes to fill and rank low as a result. They'll climb as the offseason progresses and they fill said holes.

Included for each team is a look at notable offseason additions, a breakdown of the club's offseason activities, remaining needs and a preliminary 25-man roster.

Note: Players listed in bold on projected rosters indicate newcomers. Players listed in italics among notable additions indicate they are not on the 40-man roster. An (R) next to a player indicates that his rookie status is intact.

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Miguel Diaz (Rule 5), C Luis Torrens (Rule 5), IF Allen Cordoba (Rule 5)

Offseason Overview

The biggest news out of San Diego Padres camp this offseason was the decision to non-tender Tyson Ross—the team's Opening Day starter last season and a hot commodity on the trade block not long ago.

In 2014 and 2015, Ross went a combined 23-26 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 407 strikeouts in 391.2 innings, earning a spot on the National League All-Star team in '14.

The 29-year-old made just one start this past season, though, before a shoulder injury that eventually forced him to undergo thoracic outlet surgery.

His departure leaves the club with an unproven starting rotation. Former Rule 5 pick Luis Perdomo and 2016 scrapheap signing Christian Friedrich front the unit, so expect at least a few low-cost additions to the staff.

Meanwhile, San Diego shipped catcher Derek Norris to the Washington Nationals to clear a path for Austin Hedges, and the Padres could also look to deal from their abundance of middle-infield talent, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

                   

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
LF Travis Jankowski	LHP Christian Friedrich
CF Manuel Margot (R)	RHP Luis Perdomo
1B Wil Myers	RHP Paul Clemens
3B Yangervis Solarte	RHP Jarred Cosart
RF Hunter Renfroe (R)	RHP Dinelson Lamet (R)
2B Ryan Schimpf	Bullpen
C Austin Hedges	RHP Miguel Diaz (R)
SS Luis Sardinas	LHP Keith Hessler
Bench	RHP Phil Maton (R)
C Luis Torrens (R)	RHP Kevin Quackenbush
C/OF Christian Bethancourt	LHP Ryan Buchter
1B/OF Alex Dickerson	LHP Brad Hand
IF Cory Spangenberg	RHP Brandon Maurer
OF Jabari Blash

Notable Offseason Arrivals

C Jason Castro, RP Justin Haley (Rule 5), 1B Ben Paulsen

Offseason Overview

The Minnesota Twins have already filled their most glaring roster hole, signing pitch-framing extraordinaire Jason Castro to a three-year, $24.5 million deal to replace Kurt Suzuki.

What will they do the rest of the winter?

While the front office has given no indication it'll sell, after a 103-loss season, it's not out of the question to think the team could shop veteran pieces.

"The Twins, though, continue to listen in on [Brian] Dozier and have other trade pieces such as right-hander Ervin Santana, reliever Brandon Kintzler and first baseman Kennys Vargas. But nothing is imminent," wrote Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

Either way, it looks like it will be at least a couple of years before the Twinkies are relevant in the American League Central again.

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Brian Dozier	RHP Ervin Santana
SS Jorge Polanco	RHP Kyle Gibson
1B Joe Mauer	LHP Hector Santiago
3B Miguel Sano	RHP Phil Hughes
RF Max Kepler	RHP Jose Berrios
DH Kennys Vargas	Bullpen
C Jason Castro	RHP Justin Haley (R)
LF Eddie Rosario	LHP Ryan O'Rourke
CF Byron Buxton	RHP Michael Tonkin
Bench	LHP Taylor Rogers
C John Ryan Murphy	RHP Ryan Pressly
IF Eduardo Escobar	RHP Trevor May
IF/OF Danny Santana	RHP Brandon Kintzler
OF Robbie Grossman

Notable Offseason Additions

OF Matt Joyce, OF Jaff Decker, C Ryan Lavarnway, 1B/OF Chris Parmelee

Offseason Overview

Predicting what Billy Beane and Co. will do to shake up the Oakland Athletics roster during any given offseason is next to impossible.

That said, addressing the glaring hole in center field would appear to be the No. 1 priority. As it stands, a platoon of Brett Eibner and Jake Smolinski appears to be the best in-house option.

As for what they've done, signing outfielder Matt Joyce to a two-year, $11 million deal ranks as the only significant move. That's a nice raise for the veteran after he settled for a minor league deal and an invite to spring training from the Pittsburgh Pirates last winter.

With a career .185/.265/.310 slash line against left-handed pitching, Joyce is strictly a platoon player, and he thrived in that role in Pittsburgh with an .866 OPS and 13 home runs in 293 plate appearances.

The rumor mill will spit out Sonny Gray's name at least a few more times this offseason, but expect him to stay put after hurting his stock with a poor 2016 campaign.

              

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Joey Wendle (R)	RHP Sonny Gray
C Stephen Vogt	RHP Kendall Graveman
3B Ryon Healy	LHP Sean Manaea
LF Khris Davis	RHP Jharel Cotton (R)
RF Matt Joyce	RHP Frankie Montas (R)
SS Marcus Semien	Bullpen
1B Yonder Alonso	RHP Andrew Triggs
DH Jed Lowrie	LHP Daniel Coulombe
CF Brett Eibner	RHP Liam Hendriks
Bench	RHP John Axford
C Bruce Maxwell	RHP Ryan Dull
1B/OF Mark Canha	RHP Ryan Madson
IF Chad Pinder (R)	LHP Sean Doolittle
OF Jake Smolinski

Notable Offseason Additions

1B Eric Thames, 3B Travis Shaw, RP Blake Parker, RP Steve Geltz

Offseason Overview

The Milwaukee Brewers moved one of their most valuable remaining trade chips during the winter meetings, sending standout setup man Tyler Thornburg and his three remaining years of team control to the Boston Red Sox.

That landed them a new third baseman in Travis Shaw and a pair of solid prospects in a move that also cemented Jonathan Villar as the starting second baseman and pushed Scooter Gennett to the bench.

Eric Thames returns to the states after three huge seasons in Korea. The KBO MVP in 2015, Thames posted a 1.101 OPS with 40 home runs and 118 RBI this past season and represents an intriguing lottery ticket on a three-year, $16 million deal.

Trading Ryan Braun is still a possibility if the club can find the right return package, but one of the top priorities this spring will be sorting out a starting rotation that figures to have as many as 10 viable options fighting for spots.

                    

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Jonathan Villar	RHP Junior Guerra
CF Keon Broxton	RHP Jimmy Nelson
LF Ryan Braun	RHP Matt Garza
1B Eric Thames	RHP Zach Davies
3B Travis Shaw	RHP Chase Anderson
RF Domingo Santana	Bullpen
SS Orlando Arcia	RHP Wily Peralta
C Andrew Susac	RHP Rob Scahill
Bench	RHP Michael Blazek
C Martin Maldonado	RHP Jacob Barnes
IF Scooter Gennett	RHP Jhan Martinez
IF Yadiel Rivera	RHP Carlos Torres
IF/OF Hernan Perez	RHP Corey Knebel
OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Notable Offseason Additions

3B Yoan Moncada, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez, OF Rymer Liriano, RP Giovanni Soto, RP Dylan Covey (Rule 5), RHP Michael Kopech, RHP Dane Dunning, OF Luis Alexander Basabe

Offseason Overview

The rebuild has officially begun, folks.

In a span of roughly 30 hours, the Chicago White Sox shipped out ace Chris Sale and standout right fielder Adam Eaton, bringing back a bevy of prospects.

Infielder Yoan Moncada (No. 1 MLB prospect, per MLB.com), right-hander Lucas Giolito (No. 3), right-hander Michael Kopech (No. 30) and right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (No. 38) all rank as top-50 prospects in the league and now occupy the top four spots in the White Sox system.

They're not finished, either.

Jose Quintana, Todd Frazier and David Robertson all look like obvious trade candidates who could bring more high-end prospects, and guys like Jose Abreu and Nate Jones could also fetch hefty returns, depending on how aggressive the front office gets.

The next couple of seasons could be ugly at the MLB level, but the White Sox finally have a clear direction, and they're one of the big winners of this year's winter meetings.

                       

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
SS Tim Anderson	LHP Jose Quintana
2B Brett Lawrie	RHP James Shields
LF Melky Cabrera	LHP Carlos Rodon
1B Jose Abreu	RHP Miguel Gonzalez
3B Todd Frazier	RHP Reynaldo Lopez (R)
RF Avisail Garcia	Bullpen
DH Matt Davidson	RHP Dylan Covey (R)
CF Charlie Tilson (R)	LHP Matt Purke
C Omar Narvaez (R)	RHP Jake Petricka
Bench	RHP Zach Putnam
C Kevan Smith (R)	LHP Dan Jennings
IF Carlos Sanchez	RHP Nate Jones
IF/OF Leury Garcia	RHP David Robertson
IF/OF Tyler Saladino

Notable Offseason Additions

IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara, C Juan Graterol

Offseason Overview

The Cincinnati Reds' middle infield could have a different look by the time Opening Day rolls around, as the team is working to move second baseman Brandon Phillips and shortstop Zack Cozart, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Trading both would open the door for Dilson Herrera and Jose Peraza to take over as the new middle-infield tandem, and both players have chances to be big parts of the team's rebuilding efforts.

One way or another, Peraza will see regular playing time in 2017, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 22-year-old hit .324/.352/.411 with 13 extra-base hits and 21 steals over 256 plate appearances last season.

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported at the end of November that the Reds were willing to listen to offers for anyone on the roster, with speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton and controllable starters Dan Straily and Anthony DeSclafani among the most value trade chips. They'd have to be blown away to move any of them, though.

            

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
LF Jose Peraza	RHP Dan Straily
SS Zack Cozart	RHP Anthony DeSclafani
1B Joey Votto	LHP Brandon Finnegan
RF Adam Duvall	RHP Homer Bailey
2B Brandon Phillips	RHP Tim Adleman
C Devin Mesoraco	Bullpen
3B Eugenio Suarez	RHP Alejandro Chacin (R)
CF Billy Hamilton	LHP Nick Routt (R)
Bench	RHP Jumbo Diaz
C Tucker Barnhart	RHP Blake Wood
IF/OF Arismendy Alcantara	LHP Tony Cingrani
IF/OF Tony Renda	RHP Michael Lorenzen
OF Scott Schebler	RHP Raisel Iglesias
OF Steve Selsky

Notable Offseason Additions

2B/OF Howie Kendrick, RP Joaquin Benoit, RP Pat Neshek, RP David Rollins

Offseason Overview

The Philadelphia Phillies' offseason began with the surprising return of starter Jeremy Hellickson, who accepted his qualifying offer and will once again front an otherwise young starting rotation on a one-year, $17.2 million deal.

As for newcomers, Howie Kendrick arrived in Philly in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers to shore up one of the outfield spots, and the club bolstered its bullpen with Pat Neshek and Joaquin Benoit.

Benoit will compete with Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez for the closer's job this spring, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly.

A trade of either Cesar Hernandez or Freddy Galvis to clear a path for top prospect J.P. Crawford remains a possibility, and the team could make a play for a power bat to slot in the middle of the lineup, depending on how the market unfolds.

The Phillies have plenty of money to spend, per CSN Philly's Corey Seidman.

               

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Cesar Hernandez	RHP Jeremy Hellickson
LF Howie Kendrick	RHP Jerad Eickhoff
CF Odubel Herrera	RHP Aaron Nola
3B Maikel Franco	RHP Vincent Velasquez
1B Tommy Joseph	RHP Alec Asher
C Cameron Rupp	Bullpen
SS Freddy Galvis	LHP Adam Morgan
RF Aaron Altherr	RHP Edubray Ramos
Bench	LHP Joely Rodriguez
C Jorge Alfaro (R)	RHP Pat Neshek
1B Brock Stassi	RHP Hector Neris
IF Jesmuel Valentin (R)	RHP Jeanmar Gomez
OF Tyler Goeddel	RHP Joaquin Benoit
OF Roman Quinn (R)

Notable Offseason Additions

SP Bartolo Colon, SP Jaime Garcia, SP R.A. Dickey, IF/OF Sean Rodriguez, C Tuffy Gosewisch, RP Jacob Lindgren, RP Luke Jackson, RP Armando Rivero (Rule 5), OF Alex Jackson, RP Jordan Walden

Offseason Overview

The Atlanta Braves wasted little time adding a veteran presence to their starting rotation, significantly increasing the average age of their 25-man roster by signing Bartolo Colon (43) and R.A. Dickey (42) to one-year deals.

Adding those two—along with bounce-back candidate Jaime Garcia in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals—means the Braves won't be forced to lean as heavily on their young arms, which will allow guys like Matt Wisler (24), Aaron Blair (24) and Tyrell Jenkins (24) further time to develop.

It appears the team is content going with some combination of Tyler Flowers, Anthony Recker and waiver claim Tuffy Gosewisch behind the plate, though the Braves could still make a play for someone like Matt Wieters, Welington Castillo or Kurt Suzuki if the price is right.

Patience will be the key for this team, as it has a loaded farm system, but the bulk of the high-end talent is still in the lower levels of the minors. That'll be a tough task, especially as it's opening a new stadium, but it's for the best.

         

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Ender Inciarte	RHP Julio Teheran
SS Dansby Swanson (R)	RHP Bartolo Colon
1B Freddie Freeman	LHP Jaime Garcia
LF Matt Kemp	RHP R.A. Dickey
RF Nick Markakis	RHP Mike Foltynewicz
3B Adonis Garcia	Bullpen
C Tyler Flowers	RHP Josh Collmenter
2B Jace Peterson	RHP Armando Rivero (R)
Bench	RHP Jose Ramirez
C Tuffy Gosewisch	LHP Ian Krol
C Anthony Recker	RHP Mauricio Cabrera
IF/OF Chase d'Arnaud	RHP Arodys Vizcaino
IF/OF Sean Rodriguez	RHP Jim Johnson
OF Mallex Smith

Notable Offseason Additions

OF Cameron Maybin, SP Jesse Chavez, OF Ryan LaMarre, RP Kirby Yates, IF Nolan Fontana, RP Brooks Pounders, RP Justin Miller

Offseason Overview

The Los Angeles Angels will need to do a little better than Cameron Maybin and Jesse Chavez as the marquee additions of the offseason if they hope to climb back into contention in the AL West.

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register broke down the team's search for an upgrade at second base, naming Cesar Hernandez from the Philadelphia Phillies as perhaps the best fit while also pointing to Chase Utley and Stephen Drew as free-agent options.

Along with upgrading the keystone, adding more offensive balance should also be a priority for the Angels, as right fielder Kole Calhoun is the only left-handed bat in the starting lineup.

Earlier this offseason, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports suggested that the team could shop Matt Shoemaker and Tyler Skaggs in an effort to capitalize on the starting pitching market by upgrading another area of need. It remains to be seen if that's something the club has considered, though.

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
3B Yunel Escobar	RHP Garrett Richards
RF Kole Calhoun	RHP Matt Shoemaker
CF Mike Trout	LHP Tyler Skaggs
DH Albert Pujols	RHP Ricky Nolasco
1B C.J. Cron	RHP Jesse Chavez
LF Cameron Maybin	Bullpen
SS Andrelton Simmons	RHP J.C. Ramirez
C Jett Bandy	RHP Deolis Guerra
2B Cliff Pennington	RHP Mike Morin
Bench	LHP Jose Alvarez
C Carlos Perez	RHP Andrew Bailey
IF Kaleb Cowart	RHP Cam Bedrosian
IF/OF Jefry Marte	RHP Huston Street
OF Shane Robinson

Notable Offseason Additions

SP Edinson Volquez, SP Jeff Locke, C A.J. Ellis, RP Elvis Araujo, OF Matt den Dekker, SP/RP Kyle Lobstein, C Carlos Paulino, RP Caleb Thielbar

Offseason Overview

The Miami Marlins upgraded their starting rotation for a combined $25 million with the signings of Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke—a pair of former Pittsburgh Pirates starters who will reunite with pitching guru Jim Benedict.

Those are not season-changing additions, though, and the focus is still on adding to what is already a strong bullpen in an effort to shorten games.

Kenley Jansen has been the team's No. 1 target all offseason, and the Marlins have made a huge five-year offer in excess of $80 million, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

Don't underestimate the impact that veteran catcher A.J. Ellis could have on the pitching staff. Manager Don Mattingly saw his work firsthand in Los Angeles and knows the benefits he can bring.

         

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Dee Gordon	LHP Wei-Yin Chen
3B Martin Prado	RHP Edinson Volquez
LF Christian Yelich	LHP Adam Conley
RF Giancarlo Stanton	RHP Tom Koehler
CF Marcell Ozuna	LHP Jeff Locke
1B Justin Bour	Bullpen
C J.T. Realmuto	RHP Jose Urena
SS Adeiny Hechavarria	RHP Dustin McGowan
Bench	LHP Hunter Cervenka
C A.J. Ellis	RHP Brian Ellington
IF Miguel Rojas	RHP David Phelps
IF/OF Derek Dietrich	RHP Kyle Barraclough
OF Destin Hood (R)	RHP A.J. Ramos
OF Ichiro Suzuki

Notable Offseason Additions

C Wilson Ramos, RP Kevin Gadea (Rule 5)

Offseason Overview

The Tampa Bay Rays have finally made a legitimate upgrade at catcher...he's just broken at the moment.

They inked Wilson Ramos to a two-year, $12.5 million deal that has a chance to be a major bargain, assuming he returns to his pre-injury form.

Ramos suffered a torn ACL in September, and the injury is expected to sideline him until at least June, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Chances are the Rays won't make any other "splashy" signings this offseason, so the attention will now turn to a pitching staff full of potential trade candidates.

According to Topkin, the team is more likely to move Drew Smyly and Alex Cobb than it is Chris Archer or Jake Odorizzi, due to the exorbitant asking price attached to the latter two.

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Logan Forsythe	RHP Chris Archer
CF Kevin Kiermaier	RHP Jake Odorizzi
3B Evan Longoria	LHP Drew Smyly
1B Brad Miller	RHP Alex Cobb
SS Matt Duffy	LHP Blake Snell
LF Corey Dickerson	Bullpen
RF Steven Souza	RHP Matt Andriese
DH Nick Franklin	RHP Erasmo Ramirez
C Curt Casali	LHP Enny Romero
Bench	RHP Danny Farquhar
C Luke Maile	LHP Xavier Cedeno
IF Tim Beckham	RHP Brad Boxberger
IF/OF Patrick Leonard	RHP Alex Colome
OF Mikie Mahtook

*Wilson Ramos is expected to begin the season on the DL as he recovers from knee surgery.

Notable Offseason Additions

OF Jorge Soler

Offseason Overview

The Kansas City Royals made it clear early in the offseason that trimming payroll would be a necessity this winter, according to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star.

With a number of arbitration-eligible players due substantial raises and the back-loaded contracts of both Alex Gordon and Ian Kennedy, that means moving veteran talent.

Closer Wade Davis and his $10 million salary was first out the door, as the Royals sent him to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Jorge Soler, who brings four years of cheap team control and a ton of offensive upside.

And that might be just the first blow to the World Series core.

"The Royals may not be done, either. Outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson are drawing interest. Mike Moustakas could be traded. Perhaps others, too," wrote Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
SS Alcides Escobar	LHP Danny Duffy
3B Mike Moustakas	RHP Ian Kennedy
RF Lorenzo Cain	RHP Yordano Ventura
1B Eric Hosmer	LHP Jason Vargas
C Salvador Perez	LHP Mike Minor
LF Alex Gordon	Bullpen
DH Jorge Soler	RHP Chris Young
CF Jarrod Dyson	LHP Brian Flynn
2B Raul Mondesi	LHP Scott Alexander
Bench	RHP Kevin McCarthy (R)
C Drew Butera	LHP Matt Strahm (R)
IF Christian Colon	RHP Joakim Soria
IF Cheslor Cuthbert	RHP Kelvin Herrera
OF Paulo Orlando

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Lisalverto Bonilla, RP Tyler Webb (Rule 5), RP Dan Runzler, RP Jason Stoffel

Offseason Overview

On the heels of a disappointing 78-83 finish, the Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in a transition period.

The big story so far this offseason has been the team's shopping the face of the franchise, Andrew McCutchen, who is coming off the worst campaign of his career.

According to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball, a deal with the Washington Nationals was close, but they opted for Adam Eaton instead, and now it looks increasingly likely that McCutchen will be back in the fold for 2017.

Then there's the starting rotation, which has gotten younger over the past year and will be leaning heavily on an inexperienced group behind ace Gerrit Cole.

The club has checked in on names like Doug Fister and Jorge De La Rosa, per Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review; Derek Holland, per TR Sullivan of MLB.com; and perhaps the biggest reclamation project of all, Tyson Ross, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Expect at least one lottery ticket signing of that sort to bolster the staff on the cheap.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Josh Harrison	RHP Gerrit Cole
RF Gregory Polanco	RHP Jameson Taillon
CF Andrew McCutchen	RHP Chad Kuhl
LF Starling Marte	RHP Drew Hutchison
3B Jung Ho Kang	RHP Tyler Glasnow (R)
1B Josh Bell (R)	Bullpen
C Francisco Cervelli	RHP Juan Nicasio
SS Jordy Mercer	LHP Wade LeBlanc
Bench	RHP A.J. Schugel
C Chris Stewart	LHP Antonio Bastardo
1B John Jaso	RHP Jared Hughes
1B/3B David Freese	LHP Felipe Rivero
IF Alen Hanson (R)	LHP Tony Watson
IF/OF Adam Frazier

Notable Offseason Additions

SP Taijuan Walker, SS Ketel Marte, RP Fernando Rodney, C Jeff Mathis, OF Jeremy Hazelbaker, RP Tyler Jones (Rule 5)

Offseason Overview

The Arizona Diamondbacks pulled off the first big trade of the offseason when they sold high on Jean Segura and shipped him to the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Taijuan Walker and shortstop Ketel Marte.

That was followed by the somewhat surprising decision to non-tender catcher Welington Castillo, who posted a .745 OPS with 24 doubles, 14 home runs and 68 RBI en route to a 2.4 WAR but graded out as a below-average pitch-framer.

The team signed veteran Jeff Mathis (a stellar pitch-framer) shortly thereafter to a two-year, $4 million deal, and it appears he'll split time with the versatile Chris Herrmann behind the dish.

The team also signed Fernando Rodney to step into the closer's role, per Today's Knuckleball's Jon Heyman. Arizona may not be finished adding to the bullpen, as it was looking to acquire "multiple relievers" this offseason, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF A.J. Pollock	RHP Zack Greinke
2B Chris Owings	LHP Robbie Ross
1B Paul Goldschmidt	RHP Taijuan Walker
RF David Peralta	RHP Shelby Miller
LF Yasmany Tomas	LHP Patrick Corbin
3B Jake Lamb	Bullpen
C Chris Herrmann	RHP Tyler Jones (R)
SS Ketel Marte	LHP Jared Miller (R)
Bench	RHP Enrique Burgos
C Jeff Mathis	LHP Andrew Chafin
IF Nick Ahmed	RHP Randall Delgado
IF/OF Brandon Drury	RHP Jake Barrett
IF/OF Phil Gosselin	RHP Fernando Rodney
OF Jeremy Hazelbaker

Notable Offseason Additions

1B/OF Ian Desmond, IF Daniel Castro

Offseason Overview

Can the Colorado Rockies make the jump from pesky offensive-minded squad to legitimate contender this season? At least one national reporter thinks so.

"I think the Rockies are the best came-out-of-nowhere playoff bet this year. Great bats, underappreciated young arms, excellent farm system," Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweeted.

For the first time in years, the starting rotation shows legitimate promise, fronted by a budding star in Jon Gray. The bullpen still needs work, though, after finishing last in the majors with a 5.13 ERA in 2016.

Then there's that offense, which added another big piece to the puzzle Wednesday when Ian Desmond signed a five-year, $70 million deal, per ESPN.com's Jim Bowden. He profiles as the team's starting first baseman, though signing him speculatively allows more freedom to shop Charlie Blackmon for pitching help.

More offensive thunder might be coming, too, as the club remains interested in slugger Mark Trumbo even after signing Desmond, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Charlie Blackmon	RHP Jon Gray
2B DJ LeMahieu	RHP Chad Bettis
3B Nolan Arenado	LHP Tyler Anderson
RF Carlos Gonzalez	RHP Tyler Chatwood
1B Ian Desmond	RHP Jeff Hoffman (R)
LF David Dahl	Bullpen
SS Trevor Story	RHP Jordan Lyles
C Tony Wolters	RHP Chad Qualls
Bench	LHP Chris Rusin
C Tom Murphy (R)	RHP Carlos Estevez
1B/OF Gerardo Parra	RHP Jason Motte
IF Cristhian Adames	LHP Jake McGee
IF Pat Valaika (R)	RHP Adam Ottavino
OF Raimel Tapia (R)

Notable Offseason Additions

SP/RP Logan Verrett, OF Adam Brett Walker, OF Aneury Tavarez (Rule 5), RP Jed Bradley, OF Logan Schafer

Offseason Overview

The Baltimore Orioles continue to be patient in their search for a starting catcher and corner outfield help, while a reunion with slugger Mark Trumbo remains a possibility.

Manager Buck Showalter identified catchers Welington Castillo and Nick Hundley and outfielders Michael Saunders and Michael Bourn as four players the team has some level of interest in on the free-agent market, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.

As for Trumbo, the latest report from Buster Olney of ESPN had the Orioles comfortable with a four-year deal in the $52-$55 million range, with Trumbo countering with $75-$80 million and a full no-trade clause.

The O's will continue to get calls on relievers Zach Britton and Brad Brach with everyone looking for quality bullpen arms, though it would take a significant haul to pry either All-Star loose.

       

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Adam Jones	RHP Chris Tillman
LF Hyun Soo Kim	RHP Kevin Gausman
3B Manny Machado	RHP Dylan Bundy
1B Chris Davis	RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
DH Trey Mancini	RHP Yovani Gallardo
2B Jonathan Schoop	Bullpen
SS J.J. Hardy	LHP Wade Miley
RF Joey Rickard	RHP Logan Verrett
C Caleb Joseph	LHP Donnie Hart
Bench	RHP Mychal Givens
C Francisco Pena	RHP Darren O'Day
1B/OF Christian Walker	RHP Brad Brach
IF/OF Ryan Flaherty	LHP Zach Britton
OF Dariel Alvarez

Notable Offseason Additions

SP/RP Victor Alcantara, RP Daniel Stumpf (Rule 5), RP William Cuevas

Offseason Overview

It sounded like the Detroit Tigers were open for business on the trade market when the offseason started, but they've changed their tune.

"The Tigers' asking prices for their most coveted players are so high at this point that some interested teams wonder if Detroit will be able to find suitable deals for players besides J.D. Martinez," Buster Olney of ESPN wrote.

According to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com, lefty reliever Justin Wilson generated plenty of interest this week and could be dealt. That blockbuster deal for someone like Miguel Cabrera or Justin Verlander is looking less and less likely, though.

As for potential additions, bringing a veteran aboard to compete for the starting center field job makes sense for Detroit, and a reunion with Austin Jackson could be a nice low-cost solution.

At any rate, this team looks to be in that dreaded gray area between contending and rebuilding.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Ian Kinsler	RHP Justin Verlander
RF J.D. Martinez	RHP Michael Fulmer
1B Miguel Cabrera	RHP Jordan Zimmermann
DH Victor Martinez	RHP Anibal Sanchez
LF Justin Upton	LHP Daniel Norris
3B Nick Castellanos	Bullpen
C James McCann	RHP Mike Pelfrey
CF Tyler Collins	LHP Daniel Stumpf (R)
SS Jose Iglesias	RHP Mark Lowe
Bench	RHP Bruce Rondon
C John Hicks	LHP Justin Wilson
IF/OF Andrew Romine	RHP Alex Wilson
OF Anthony Gose	RHP Francisco Rodriguez
OF Steven Moya

Notable Offseason Additions

1B/OF Darin Ruf, RP Vidal Nuno, UT Darnell Sweeney

Offseason Overview

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to kick the tires on options to man both second and third base, though reunions with free agents Chase Utley and Justin Turner still rank as the most likely solutions.

Then there's the bullpen, a group that led the majors with a 3.35 ERA last season but leaned heavily on Kenley Jansen and Joe Blanton in the process—two players the team stands to lose in free agency.

The latest report from Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times suggests the Dodgers might not be willing to match the $80 million-plus offer the Marlins have made to Jansen, leaving them looking elsewhere for a closer.

Alex Colome (TB) and David Robertson (CWS) are two possible trade options, while free agents like Brad Ziegler, Neftali Feliz, Sergio Romo and Koji Uehara offer closer's experience but come with question marks.

The Dodgers still have a lot of work to do.

     

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
LF Andrew Toles	LHP Clayton Kershaw
RF Yasiel Puig	LHP Rich Hill
SS Corey Seager	RHP Kenta Maeda
1B Adrian Gonzalez	LHP Scott Kazmir
C Yasmani Grandal	LHP Julio Urias
CF Joc Pederson	Bullpen
3B Rob Segedin (R)	RHP Brandon McCarthy
2B Kike Hernandez	LHP Alex Wood
Bench	LHP Luis Avilan
OF Trayce Thompson	RHP Chris Hatcher
1B/OF Darin Ruf	LHP Grant Dayton
IF Charlie Culberson	RHP Josh Fields
OF Andre Ethier	RHP Pedro Baez

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Aroldis Chapman, OF Matt Holliday, SP Albert Abreu, SP Zack Littell

Offseason Overview

The New York Yankees got their guy late Wednesday night, bringing back flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman on a five-year, $86 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

With the bulk of their attention focused on the closer market to this point in the offseason, they can turn their sights to the rest of the roster.

It doesn't sound like their offseason plans involve adding another starting pitcher, though.

"I don't anticipate it,'" GM Brian Cashman told reporters of adding a starter. "It's a tough market, and the price tags are extremely high. We could play on a lot of things because we have a lot of prospects people desire and we desire them, too. I would say it's less likely for us to acquire a starter."

Adding another corner outfielder would make sense to allow prospect Aaron Judge further time to develop in the minors. At the same time, the team is entertaining offers for Brett Gardner, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
LF Brett Gardner	RHP Masahiro Tanaka
CF Jacoby Ellsbury	LHP CC Sabathia
C Gary Sanchez	RHP Michael Pineda
DH Matt Holliday	RHP Bryan Mitchell
1B Greg Bird	RHP Luis Severino
2B Starlin Castro	Bullpen
SS Didi Gregorius	RHP Chad Green
3B Chase Headley	LHP Nick Goody
RF Aaron Hicks	RHP Adam Warren
Bench	LHP Tommy Layne
C Austin Romine	RHP Tyler Clippard
1B/OF Tyler Austin (R)	RHP Dellin Betances
IF Ronald Torreyes	LHP Aroldis Chapman
OF Mason Williams

Notable Offseason Additions

SS Jean Segura, C Carlos Ruiz, IF/OF Danny Valencia, RP Marc Rzepczynski, RP Casey Fien, OF Mitch Haniger, OF Taylor Motter, SP Chris Heston, SP Rob Whalen, RP Zac Curtis, RP James Pazos, SP Christian Bergman, RP Micah Owings

Offseason Overview

It's been another offseason of wheeling and dealing from Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto.

The trade that sent Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for infielder Jean Segura was the big one. While Segura was the marquee name heading to Seattle in that deal, he may not be the only impact pickup.

"(Mitch) Haniger could end up being the most important player in that trade," one opposing scout told Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. "There's some potential."

Assuming no more outfield additions arrive—which is a big assumption when you're talking about Dipoto—Haniger could have a shot at winning the starting left field job this spring.

As for remaining needs, the team is looking to add another starter after dealing Walker, according to Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
SS Jean Segura	RHP Felix Hernandez
RF Seth Smith	RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
2B Robinson Cano	LHP James Paxton
DH Nelson Cruz	RHP Nathan Karns
3B Kyle Seager	LHP Ariel Miranda
C Mike Zunino	Bullpen
1B Dan Vogelbach (R)	RHP Tony Zych
LF Mitch Haniger (R)	RHP Arquimedes Caminero
CF Leonys Martin	RHP Evan Scribner
Bench	RHP Casey Fien
C Carlos Ruiz	LHP Marc Rzepczynski
IF/OF Shawn O'Malley	RHP Nick Vincent
IF/OF Danny Valencia	RHP Edwin Diaz
OF Ben Gamel

Notable Offseason Additions

SP Andrew Cashner, SP/RP Tyler Wagner, SP Tyrell Jenkins, RP Brady Dragmire, RP Mike Hauschild (Rule 5), 3B Will Middlebrooks, OF Cesar Puello, SP Allen Webster

Offseason Overview

The Texas Rangers added the No. 3 starter they needed in Andrew Cashner and addressed the center field situation by re-signing Carlos Gomez to a one-year, $11.5 million deal.

According to TR Sullivan of MLB.com, president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said adding another "big-ticket" free agent is unlikely, but the team could still look to make further additions.

An added outfielder would allow Shin-Soo Choo to move into the DH role full-time, which would also make the offense less reliant on strikeout machine Joey Gallo.

On the other end of that, signing a power bat to take over DH responsibilities or to serve as the everyday first baseman is also a possibility following the departures of Carlos Beltran and Mitch Moreland.

There's always room for more pitching help, too, as Cashner is far from a sure thing and the organization is lacking in viable starting pitching depth.

          

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Carlos Gomez	LHP Cole Hamels
RF Shin-Soo Choo	RHP Yu Darvish
3B Adrian Beltre	RHP Andrew Cashner
2B Rougned Odor	LHP Martin Perez
C Jonathan Lucroy	RHP A.J. Griffin
LF Nomar Mazara	Bullpen
SS Elvis Andrus	LHP Alex Claudio
DH Joey Gallo	RHP Tony Barnette
1B Jurickson Profar	RHP Keone Kela
Bench	RHP Matt Bush
C Robinson Chirinos	LHP Jake Diekman
IF Hanser Alberto	RHP Jeremy Jeffress
IF/OF Ryan Rua	RHP Sam Dyson
OF Delino DeShields Jr.

Notable Offseason Additions

DH Kendrys Morales, IF/OF Steve Pearce, IF Lourdes Gurriel, RP Leonel Campos, RP Dominic Leone, RP Glenn Sparkman (Rule 5), SP/RP Brett Oberholtzer, C Michael Ohlman

Offseason Overview

The Toronto Blue Jays still have work to do in rebuilding a lineup that has been among the most feared in baseball for the past several seasons.

Kendrys Morales signed a three-year, $33 million deal to help replace some of the run production lost with the likely departures of Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista.

It's not out of the question that one of those players could still return to Toronto, as the market has been slow to develop for both guys. Counting on that would be unwise, though.

The versatile Steve Pearce was a nice under-the-radar pickup who can platoon with Justin Smoak at first base and play both corner outfield spots.

That said, the team still needs at least one more outfielder and a backup catcher. Another bullpen arm or two wouldn't hurt, either, specifically from the left side after losing Brett Cecil.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Devon Travis	RHP Aaron Sanchez
LF Steve Pearce	LHP J.A. Happ
3B Josh Donaldson	RHP Marco Estrada
DH Kendrys Morales	RHP Marcus Stroman
SS Troy Tulowitzki	LHP Francisco Liriano
1B Justin Smoak	Bullpen
C Russell Martin	RHP Mike Bolsinger
CF Kevin Pillar	RHP Glenn Sparkman (R)
RF Ezequiel Carrera	RHP Ryan Tepera
Bench	LHP Aaron Loup
C A.J. Jimenez (R)	RHP Joe Biagini
IF Ryan Goins	RHP Jason Grilli
IF/OF Darwin Barney	RHP Roberto Osuna
OF Melvin Upton Jr.

Notable Offseason Additions

None

Offseason Overview

The New York Mets have been working hard to move one of Jay Bruce or Curtis Granderson since re-signing Yoenis Cespedes, with Granderson drawing more trade interest, according to Marc Carig of Newsday.

With Juan Lagares, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo also in the mix for playing time in the outfield, breaking up that logjam becomes an obvious priority, but the team won't just dump either of those veterans for a minimal return.

On the flip side, the Mets are still looking to add more bullpen help and are targeting left-handed relievers, according to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball.

A reunion with Jerry Blevins would make a lot of sense, with Mike Dunn, Boone Logan and J.P. Howell representing the other top free-agent options.

     

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Curtis Granderson	RHP Noah Syndergaard
SS Asdrubal Cabrera	RHP Jacob deGrom
LF Yoenis Cespedes	RHP Matt Harvey
RF Jay Bruce	LHP Steven Matz
2B Neil Walker	RHP Zack Wheeler
3B David Wright	Bullpen
1B Lucas Duda	RHP Seth Lugo
C Travis d'Arnaud	LHP Josh Edgin
Bench	RHP Erik Goeddel
C Rene Rivera	LHP Josh Smoker (R)
IF Wilmer Flores	RHP Hansel Robles
IF Jose Reyes	RHP Addison Reed
OF Michael Conforto	RHP Jeurys Familia
OF Juan Lagares

Notable Offseason Additions

CF Dexter Fowler, RP Brett Cecil, SP John Gant, OF Todd Cunningham, SP Chris Ellis, SP Kendry Flores, RP Zach Phillips, IF Wilfredo Tovar

Offseason Overview

After being tied to several different names throughout the offseason the St. Louis Cardinals finally found their center fielder.

Free agent Dexter Fowler has agreed to a five-year deal worth at least $16 million per year, pending a physical, according to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball.

The Cardinals watched Jason Heyward and John Lackey depart to join the rival Chicago Cubs last offseason, so this serves as a bit of payback while also addressing the team's biggest need.

Meanwhile, even after trading Jaime Garcia, the team still stands to have seven pitchers vying for a rotation spot—eight if Trevor Rosenthal is stretched out—so big decisions await on the pitching side of things.

Speculatively speaking, Michael Wacha looks like the perfect candidate to step into an Andrew Miller-type role in the bullpen. He could ditch his mediocre cutter and go back to being the fastball-changeup pitcher he was when he first broke into the league, and the move might help keep him healthy.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Dexter Fowler	RHP Carlos Martinez
SS Aledmys Diaz	RHP Adam Wainwright
1B Matt Carpenter	RHP Lance Lynn
RF Stephen Piscotty	RHP Mike Leake
LF Randal Grichuk	RHP Alex Reyes (R)
C Yadier Molina	Bullpen
3B Jhonny Peralta	RHP Michael Wacha
2B Kolten Wong	RHP Miguel Socolovich
Bench	RHP Jonathan Broxton
C Carson Kelly (R)	LHP Brett Cecil
1B Matt Adams	RHP Trevor Rosenthal
IF Greg Garcia	LHP Kevin Siegrist
IF Jedd Gyorko	RHP Seung Hwan Oh
OF Tommy Pham

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Mark Melancon, IF Orlando Calixte, RP Jose Dominguez, RP Bryan Morris, IF Ramiro Pena, RP Neil Ramirez, RP Michael Roth

Offseason Overview

The San Francisco Giants landed the dominant bullpen arm they desperately needed, signing Mark Melancon to a four-year, $62 million deal.

That might be it for significant offseason additions.

"I don't think there's anything more to ask of ownership," GM Bobby Evans told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle when asked about adding other big pieces. "It's more what I can do with what we have."

That likely means the vacant left field spot will be an open competition this spring between Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson.

Moving Eduardo Nunez to the outfield and giving Conor Gillaspie regular playing time at third base is also a speculative option, though they've given no indication they'll consider such a move.

     

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF Denard Span	LHP Madison Bumgarner
2B Joe Panik	RHP Johnny Cueto
C Buster Posey	RHP Jeff Samardzija
RF Hunter Pence	LHP Matt Moore
1B Brandon Belt	RHP Matt Cain
SS Brandon Crawford	Bullpen
3B Eduardo Nunez	RHP Cory Gearrin
LF Jarrett Parker	RHP George Kontos
Bench	LHP Steven Okert
C Trevor Brown	RHP Hunter Strickland
1B/3B Conor Gillaspie	LHP Will Smith
IF Ehire Adrianza	RHP Derek Law
OF Gorkys Hernandez	RHP Mark Melancon
OF Mac Williamson

Notable Offseason Additions

DH Carlos Beltran, C Brian McCann, OF Josh Reddick, SP Charlie Morton, OF Nori Aoki, RP Ashur Tolliver, RHP C.J. Riefenhauser

Offseason Overview

The Houston Astros were quiet at the winter meetings, but they were the busiest team in baseball in the days and weeks leading up to them.

They added both Carlos Beltran and Josh Reddick in free agency, and they acquired Brian McCann in a trade with the New York Yankees, leaving the Astros with a lineup that rivals any.

Now the focus turns to the starting rotation.

With Dallas Keuchel regressing from his 2015 Cy Young form and Lance McCullers battling injury, the staff is lacking a bona fide ace, and with plenty of prospect talent at its disposal, Houston could look to make a big move on the trade market.

Buster Olney of ESPN reported that the team is more likely to pursue a trade for a starter than to sign anyone from the remaining free-agent crop. This is one case where a front-line starter could be the missing piece.

      

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
CF George Springer	LHP Dallas Keuchel
2B Jose Altuve	RHP Lance McCullers
SS Carlos Correa	RHP Collin McHugh
DH Carlos Beltran	RHP Mike Fiers
C Brian McCann	RHP Charlie Morton
3B Alex Bregman	Bullpen
RF Josh Reddick	RHP Chris Devenski
1B Yulieski Gurriel (R)	RHP Brad Peacock
LF Nori Aoki	RHP Michael Feliz
Bench	LHP Tony Sipp
C Evan Gattis	RHP Luke Gregerson
1B/OF Preston Tucker	RHP Will Harris
IF/OF Marwin Gonzalez	RHP Ken Giles
OF Jake Marisnick

Notable Offseason Additions

CF Adam Eaton, C Derek Norris, RP Jimmy Cordero

Offseason Overview

Well...the Washington Nationals got their center fielder.

In easily the most shocking move of the winter meetings, the Nats shipped pitching prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Adam Eaton.

Eaton was a 6.2 WAR player last season thanks in large part to his stellar defense, and he's controllable for the next five years at the laughably reasonable sum of $38.4 million.

Still, we're talking about a trade package that most would have expected to land a Chris Sale, not a second-tier outfielder few consider to be a true impact player.

Then again, Max Scherzer is at his peak, and nothing is guaranteed with Bryce Harper beyond the 2018 season, so if ever there was a time to go all-in, it's right now.

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
SS Trea Turner	RHP Max Scherzer
CF Adam Eaton	RHP Stephen Strasburg
2B Daniel Murphy	RHP Tanner Roark
RF Bryce Harper	LHP Gio Gonzalez
3B Anthony Rendon	RHP Joe Ross
LF Jayson Werth	Bullpen
1B Ryan Zimmerman	LHP Matt Grace
C Derek Norris	RHP Rafael Martin
Bench	LHP Oliver Perez
C Jose Lobaton	RHP Trevor Gott
1B/OF Clint Robinson	LHP Sammy Solis
IF Danny Espinosa	RHP Blake Treinen
OF Chris Heisey	RHP Shawn Kelley
OF Michael Taylor

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Edwin Escobar, SP Tim Cooney, RP Hoby Milner (Rule 5), C Erik Kratz

Offseason Overview

Aside from losing Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis in free agency, the Cleveland Indians return essentially the same roster that captured the AL pennant.

The focus right now is on finding that right-handed power hitter to anchor the middle of the lineup.

Re-signing Napoli remains a real possibility, while the team has also talked to Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Mark Trumbo, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

That said, the return of a healthy Michael Brantley would be a bigger addition to the roster than anyone the team acquires this offseason, and a bounce-back season from Yan Gomes would go a long way as well.

This is a talented team with the pitching to make another run to the World Series, even if no significant additions are made the rest of the offseason.

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
1B Carlos Santana	RHP Corey Kluber
2B Jason Kipnis	RHP Carlos Carrasco
SS Francisco Lindor	RHP Danny Salazar
DH Michael Brantley	RHP Trevor Bauer
3B Jose Ramirez	RHP Josh Tomlin
RF Lonnie Chisenhall	Bullpen
C Yan Gomes	RHP Mike Clevinger
CF Tyler Naquin	LHP Edwin Escobar
LF Abraham Almonte	RHP Zach McAllister
Bench	RHP Dan Otero
C Roberto Perez	RHP Bryan Shaw
1B Jesus Aguilar	LHP Andrew Miller
IF Michael Martinez	RHP Cody Allen
OF Brandon Guyer

Notable Offseason Additions

SP Chris Sale, RP Tyler Thornburg, 1B Mitch Moreland, IF Josh Rutledge (Rule 5), RP Edgar Olmos

Offseason Overview

After a quiet offseason leading up to the winter meetings, the Boston Red Sox landed the big one.

It cost arguably the game's top prospect in Yoan Moncada—along with high-ceiling starter Michael Kopech and two other prospects—but Chris Sale is heading to Boston, where he'll join David Price and Rick Porcello atop the rotation.

That wasn't the only significant addition made this week, either.

Boston acquired setup man Tyler Thornburg from the Milwaukee Brewers after he quietly ranked as one of the best relievers in baseball last season. The 28-year-old posted a 2.15 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 12.1 K/9 over 67 appearances and has three years of team control remaining.

The Red Sox also signed Mitch Moreland to a one-year deal to serve as the primary first baseman, allowing Hanley Ramirez to slide into the vacant DH spot.

The biggest question now: How confident are Red Sox fans in Pablo Sandoval as the everyday third baseman now that Travis Shaw and Moncada have both been dealt?

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
2B Dustin Pedroia	LHP Chris Sale
SS Xander Bogaerts	LHP David Price
RF Mookie Betts	RHP Rick Porcello
DH Hanley Ramirez	LHP Drew Pomeranz
1B Mitch Moreland	RHP Clay Buchholz
3B Pablo Sandoval	Bullpen
LF Andrew Benintendi (R)	RHP Steven Wright
CF Jackie Bradley Jr.	LHP Fernando Abad
C Sandy Leon	RHP Joe Kelly
Bench	LHP Robbie Ross Jr.
C Christian Vazquez	RHP Matt Barnes
IF Josh Rutledge	RHP Tyler Thornburg
IF/OF Brock Holt	RHP Craig Kimbrel
OF Chris Young

Notable Offseason Additions

RP Wade Davis, OF Jon Jay, RP Koji Uehara, RP Brian Duensing, RP Caleb Smith (Rule 5)

Offseason Overview

For a team that looked as well-positioned for success in 2017 as any in baseball, it's been a busy offseason for the Chicago Cubs already.

They signed Jon Jay to a one-year, $8 million deal, presumably to platoon with Albert Almora Jr. in center field with Dexter Fowler headed for a well-earned payday elsewhere in free agency.

The team also picked up lefty reliever Brian Duensing on a one-year, $2 million deal, though the search for quality bullpen arms figures to continue, and it's unlikely he'll open the season as the team's top southpaw option.

Then came the winter meetings.

With Jorge Soler viewed as an expandable piece in a crowded outfield, the team flipped him to the Kansas City Royals for Wade Davis.

Davis dealt with some arm issues last season, and he's in the final year of his current contract, but we're still talking about a pitcher who has posted a 1.18 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 11.5 K/9 in 185 appearances over the past three seasons.

The Cubs will continue to tinker and make small additions, particularly on the pitching side of things, but they seem set to defend their title.

 

Projected Opening Day Roster (as of Dec. 7)

Starting Lineup	Starting Rotation
RF Ben Zobrist	LHP Jon Lester
3B Kris Bryant	RHP Jake Arrieta
1B Anthony Rizzo	RHP Kyle Hendricks
LF Kyle Schwarber	RHP John Lackey
SS Addison Russell	LHP Mike Montgomery
2B Javier Baez	Bullpen
CF Jason Heyward	RHP Justin Grimm
C Willson Contreras	LHP Brian Duensing
Bench	RHP Carl Edwards Jr.
C Miguel Montero	RHP Pedro Strop
IF Tommy La Stella	RHP Koji Uehara
OF Albert Almora Jr.	RHP Hector Rondon
OF Jon Jay	RHP Wade Davis
OF Matt Szczur

 

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Projected salaries courtesy of MLBTradeRumors.com. Contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.