MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stack Up After 2020 Winter Meetings

The largely uneventful winter meetings included one major trade and a handful of notable free-agent signings, but enough happened to warrant an updated version of our MLB power rankings.

In truth, a lot has happened since these rankings were last published Oct. 28, including club and player option decisions, qualifying offers, a wave of non-tenders and several free-agency deals.

As is the case with all offseason power rankings, this update took into account items such as how complete rosters are, how active each club is expected to be in the coming months and the direction of the franchises.

These rankings will be updated throughout the offseason, so if you believe your favorite team was slotted too low, there's plenty of time for that to change before Opening Day.

Nos. 30-26

Associated Press

Don't expect another Madison Bumgarner-type splash by the D-backs this offseason.

30. Pittsburgh Pirates

Aside from a handful of procedural moves—most notably declining a club option on Chris Archer and designating Trevor Williams for assignment—it's been a quiet offseason. Expect that to continue, as it will be tough to attract free agents to the smoldering pile of rubble that is the Pirates organization.

29. Texas Rangers

The Rangers have already moved their biggest trade chip in veteran starter Lance Lynn, and they will spend the rest of the offseason looking for ways to offload high-priced veteran pieces such as Elvis Andrus and Rougned Odor. After a push to contend last offseason, they've done a 180.

28. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles non-tendered Hanser Alberto and traded Jose Iglesias to the Los Angeles Angels, so they will be shopping for low-cost middle infield talent. The decision to release Renato Nunez after he posted a 121 OPS+ with a team-high 12 home runs also was a bit of a surprise, though his middling on-base percentage and poor defense cut into his value.

27. Colorado Rockies

When is the last time the Rockies have had a clear plan in place? This front office seems content to trot out the same flawed roster year in and year out, hoping the stars will align and the pitching staff will hold up. The decision to non-tender David Dahl was a shock, and they also cut ties with catcher Tony Wolters, which means they'll need to find a replacement backstop at the very least.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks were one of the most aggressive teams in baseball last offseason, signing Madison Bumgarner and trading for Starling Marte among several other win-now moves. After a disappointing 25-35 finish, expect a more calculated approach. A lack of obvious trade chips could mean they're content to stand pat and hope for in-house improvement.

No. 25-21

Associated Press

Carlos Santana is one of a few quality additions the Royals have already made this offseason.

25. Detroit Tigers

New manager A.J. Hinch inherited a team on the rise. Youngsters Casey Mize, Willi Castro, Tarik Skubal and Isaac Paredes gained valuable experience in 2020, and there is more prospect talent on the way, led by right-hander Matt Manning. The Tigers are still a few years from making a serious push, so more bargain shopping on the fringes of the free-agent market can be expected this offseason.

24. Seattle Mariners

The Mariners have as bright a future as any team, but they are likely still a year from being a major player on the free-agent market. A healthy Mitch Haniger would be a welcome in-house addition, and there are plenty more high-ceiling prospects set to join Kyle Lewis as cornerstone pieces. As for this winter, the focal point figures to be rebuilding the bullpen.

23. Kansas City Royals

Earlier this offseason, Royals general manager Dayton Moore told reporters: "We'll make moves this offseason. And we're going to be better, a better baseball team, once we report to spring training." He then signed left-hander Mike Minor (2/$18M), first baseman Carlos Santana (2/$17.5M) and center fielder Michael Taylor (1/$1.8M), three players who could easily outperform those salaries and improve the team's outlook.

22. Boston Red Sox

Until the Red Sox do something to better their roster, it's hard not to lump them in at the bottom of the barrel. The bullpen needs multiple arms, there's a hole to fill at second base, center field will be a question mark until Jackie Bradley Jr. is re-signed or replaced, and the starting rotation is full of question marks. They appear more likely to battle for fourth place in the division than a playoff berth.

21. Cincinnati Reds

What exactly is the Reds' plan? They non-tendered Archie Bradley and traded Raisel Iglesias, creating a gaping hole at the back of the bullpen that will grow even wider if Michael Lorenzen moves into the rotation as expected. They are also reportedly shopping Sonny Gray, even with National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer likely to depart via free agency. After being one of the most aggressive buyers on the market last offseason, they seem to have drastically changed course.

Nos. 20-16

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Sixto Sanchez is a budding superstar for the Marlins.

20. San Francisco Giants

The Giants have been linked to free-agent slugger Marcell Ozuna and have kicked the tires on a number of unspecified players from the large pool of non-tendered talent. One of their targets was reliever Matt Wisler, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract after logging a 1.07 ERA and 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 18 appearances with the Minnesota Twins. Expect more additions in the days and weeks to come.

19. Philadelphia Phillies

With Zack Wheeler and Jean Segura having been mentioned in trade talks, it appears the Phillies are trying to clear payroll. That could stem from 2020 financial losses, or it could be a means of redirecting money to try to re-sign J.T. Realmuto and fill holes in the starting rotation and bullpen. It might seem counterproductive to trade Wheeler and then target starting pitching help, but his $22.5 million salary for 2021 makes him the second-highest paid player on the team.

18. Los Angeles Angels

While they remain on the hunt for an ever elusive starting pitching upgrade, the Angels have had a productive early offseason. They acquired shortstop Jose Iglesias to replace Andrelton Simmons and closer Raisel Iglesias to help shore up a relief corps that ranked 21st in the majors with a 4.63 ERA. It will be hard to move them any higher until they address the rotation, but they're off to a nice start.

17. Miami Marlins

The trio of Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez and Sixto Sanchez is the kind of young pitching core that you can build a World Series contender around, but the Marlins have a lot of work to do. The offense needs more punch, the rotation would benefit from a veteran presence, and the bullpen requires multiple arms with closer Brandon Kintzler and several others in free agency.

16. Milwaukee Brewers

Lorenzo Cain's return and bounce-back seasons by Christian Yelich and Keston Hiura could make the Brewers vastly improved even if they don't make any outside additions. That said, shoring up the corner infield spots has to be a top priority. Maybe Carlos Santana's two-year, $17.5 million deal with the Royals will kick the front office into gear as a thin first base market starts to dwindle.

Nos. 15-11

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Will we finally see the Kris Bryant blockbuster this offseason?

15. Oakland Athletics

With Marcus Semien, Liam Hendriks, Robbie Grossman, Tommy La Stella, Mike Fiers, Joakim Soria and Yusmeiro Petit on the open market, the Athletics have key pieces to replace. That will be easier said than done since they operate on a tight budget, but the front office has consistently shown an ability to do more with less than almost any team in baseball.

14. Washington Nationals

The Nationals began the offseason by declining options on Anibal Sanchez ($12M), Adam Eaton ($10.5M), Howie Kendrick ($6.5M) and Eric Thames ($4M), saving a combined $26.3 million after buyouts. They could use that money to add another impact bat after the offense struggled in 2020, while a back-of-the-rotation starter and a few bullpen arms are also on the list.

13. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have seemingly been linked to every notable free agent and trade target, so it's not out of the question they could push toward a spot in the top 10 with a flurry of activity. For now, their only notable move was to buy low on Robbie Ray with a one-year, $8 million deal. They need to do more to bolster the pitching staff.

12. Chicago Cubs

Most expected a shakeup of some sort on the North Side, but few expected Theo Epstein to step down as president of baseball operations. Jed Hoyer is now in the driver's seat in the front office, and one of his first major decisions was to non-tender slugger Kyle Schwarber as well as fellow outfielder Albert Almora Jr. That left Jason Heyward and Ian Happ as the only outfielders on the 40-man roster, so finding a left fielder joined shoring up the starting rotation on the to-do list. Will we finally see the blockbuster Kris Bryant trade?

11. St. Louis Cardinals

If the Cardinals re-sign veterans Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright, the front office will be unlikely to also upgrade a lackluster offense. They will be a tough team to nail down until those dominoes fall. Perhaps Dylan Carlson, who showed signs of breaking out down the stretch in 2020, can provide enough of an in-house boost to improve their outlook. Regardless, in a wide-open National League Central, they look like contenders.

Nos. 10-6

Associated Press

Will Masahiro Tanaka be back with the Yankees?

10. Cleveland Indians

Buster Olney of ESPN reported Wednesday the Indians are "prepared to listen, aggressively," to offers for star shortstop Francisco Lindor. Replacing him won't be easy, but a starting rotation of Shane Bieber, Carlos Carrasco, Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale and Triston McKenzie will still give them a great chance to contend. Until Lindor is moved and we know what the return package looks like, the No. 10 spot seems perfect.

9. Houston Astros

The Astros leaned heavily on the young trio of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy in the starting rotation last season, and with Justin Verlander recovering from Tommy John surgery, they will be counted on to eat up innings once again. Losing outfielders George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick via free agency would make addressing the offense a far more pressing need than tinkering with the rotation, but attracting free-agent talent could be tough with the sign-stealing scandal still hanging over the organization.

8. New York Mets

The Mets are the sleeping giant of the offseason, poised to spend big and scoop up a number of the top names on the market. That's enough to vault them into the top 10 in these rankings when many teams are trimming payroll or, at the very least, pinching pennies. Free agents George Springer and James McCann could be signed by the end of this sentence.

7. Minnesota Twins

With Eddie Rosario non-tendered and Nelson Cruz a free agent, the vaunted Twins offense could have a different look next season. There's still a good chance Cruz will return, but the Rosario move opened the door for prospect Alex Kirilloff. The bigger question is how they will address the starting rotation behind the trio of Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios and Michael Pineda. The rapid arrival of the Chicago White Sox as title contenders could change how they approach the next few seasons.

6. New York Yankees

First things first: The Yankees need to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, or it's going to be difficult to walk away from this offseason as an improved team. With a thin starting pitching market, how will they bolster the rotation behind Gerrit Cole? There's also the big question of whether they trust Gary Sanchez to be the starting catcher. There's a lot to do before they can be considered part of the top tier of World Series contenders.

Nos. 5-1

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Lance Lynn could be the missing piece for the White Sox.

5. San Diego Padres

With Mike Clevinger out after Tommy John surgery and Garrett Richards in free agency, the Padres have at least one hole to fill in the starting rotation. Dinelson Lamet, Chris Paddack and Zach Davies will fill three spots, while Joey Lucchesi, Luis Patino, Adrian Morejon and top prospect MacKenzie Gore are also in the mix. Beyond that and adding a bullpen arm or two, they look ready to build on their 2020 success.

4. Tampa Bay Rays

Charlie Morton is now with the Atlanta Braves, and Blake Snell is reportedly on the trade block because of financial losses, so the Rays rotation could have a significantly different look in 2021. That said, no team does a better job drafting and developing pitching talent, and Josh Fleming, Shane McClanahan and Joe Ryan could be ready to take on large roles. With a stacked farm system and a good young offensive core, they aren't going anywhere.

3. Atlanta Braves

The Braves moved quickly to shore up their starting rotation, signing veterans Charlie Morton (1/$15M) and Drew Smyly (1/$11M) to join the trio of Max Fried, Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright while Mike Soroka continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury. The free agencies of Marcell Ozuna and Nick Markakis, along with the decision to non-tender Adam Duvall, left a question mark in left field. That could open the door for Cristian Pache or Drew Waters to step into an MLB role.

2. Chicago White Sox

Finding a reliable third starter to join Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel atop the rotation was priority No. 1 for the White Sox, and they did it in a big way with the addition of Lance Lynn. They also reportedly brought back Adam Eaton on a one-year deal, and he should have no problem replacing Nomar Mazara in right field. There's still an opening at designated hitter if they want to add another power bat, or they could leave that spot open for Jose Abreu once top prospect Andrew Vaughn arrives. They were already a contender, and the Lynn trade pushed them to the front of the American League.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

If the season started today, the Dodgers would again be the favorites to win the World Series. If Justin Turner does not re-sign, third base will need to be addressed; the bullpen needs a few quality arms; and losing Enrique Hernandez via free agency would limit their versatility. But any moves they make will only serve to widen the gap between them and the field. This team is stacked.

Complete Rankings

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Here are the full rankings following the winter meetings. Keep in mind: There is still a lot of offseason to go before teams report to spring training, and this list will likely change a good deal.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. San Diego Padres
6. New York Yankees
7. Minnesota Twins
8. New York Mets
9. Houston Astros
10. Cleveland Indians
11. St. Louis Cardinals
12. Chicago Cubs
13. Toronto Blue Jays
14. Washington Nationals
15. Oakland Athletics
16. Milwaukee Brewers
17. Miami Marlins
18. Los Angeles Angels
19. Philadelphia Phillies
20. San Francisco Giants
21. Cincinnati Reds
22. Boston Red Sox
23. Kansas City Royals
24. Seattle Mariners
25. Detroit Tigers
26. Arizona Diamondbacks
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Baltimore Orioles
29. Texas Rangers
30. Pittsburgh Pirates

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.