We’re nonetheless over a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring coaching, and the 2025 season received’t start till the Dodgers and Cubs play in Tokyo on March 18 (and the remainder of baseball will get underway on March 27). So, whereas there may be nonetheless tons of time for golf equipment to maintain shoring up their rosters, let’s take a look at how all 30 groups have to this point tried to repair their largest weak factors from final season. Baseball Reference’s position-by-position bWAR rating identifies how every staff fared at each place in 2024, so let’s begin by specializing in the American League’s 15 golf equipment…
Angels (Second base, -0.9 bWAR): This was the least manufacturing any staff acquired from the second base place in 2024, as 9 totally different gamers noticed motion on the Los Angeles keystone with little success. The Angels made a push to signal Gleyber Torres earlier than he joined the Tigers, and the membership added to its infield combine by buying Kevin Newman and Scott Kingery. This extra depth may permit the Halos to simply set up super-utilityman Luis Rengifo because the common starter at second base, however they may wish to maintain bouncing Rengifo across the infield to fill different holes. Shortstop Zach Neto’s shoulder surgical procedure may maintain him from making the Opening Day lineup, whereas Anthony Rendon’s lack of outcomes has left the Halos in search of third base assist.
Astros (First base, -1.0 bWAR): Jose Abreu’s continued struggles led the Astros to launch him earlier than even the halfway level of the three-year, $58.5M deal he signed within the 2022-23 offseason, and whereas Jon Singleton had a 105 wRC+ in 405 plate appearances, Singleton additionally completed the yr with replacement-level manufacturing. Houston responded to its obtrusive first base drawback in an enormous method, inking Christian Walker to a three-year, $60M contract. Walker and Isaac Paredes now look to be the Astros’ new nook infield mixture, with Paredes stepping in at third base within the probably occasion that Alex Bregman indicators elsewhere.
Athletics (Third base, -0.6 bWAR): The problems on the scorching nook narrowly edged out first base (-0.5 bWAR) because the Athletics’ largest drawback place, and the A’s are hoping Tyler Soderstrom’s continued improvement may help shore issues up at first base. As for the opposite nook infield slot, Gio Urshela was signed to a one-year, $2.15M so as to add at the least a little bit of veteran stability at third base. Darell Hernaiz additionally figures to get some at-bats at third base if and when Urshela spells Soderstrom in opposition to some left-handed pitchers.
Blue Jays (Bullpen, -3.9 bWAR): This was far and away the bottom bWAR for any staff at any single place, which isn’t too shocking given how accidents and ineffectiveness torpedoed the Blue Jays’ bullpen final yr. Toronto began the overhaul from the highest down, non-tendering former nearer Jordan Romano after he missed a lot of the 2024 season as a result of elbow issues. Outdated pal Yimi Garcia was re-signed to a two-year, $15M contract, and Nick Sandlin
was acquired from the Guardians as maybe the neglected a part of the Andres Gimenez commerce, however the Jays determine so as to add at the least a pair extra relievers earlier than Opening Day rolls round.
Guardians (Catcher, 0.2 bWAR): Bo Naylor hit solely .201/.264/.350 in 389 plate appearances throughout his first full Main League season, although his glovework was glorious. Defensive specialist Austin Hedges was re-signed to once more act as Naylor’s backup, so if nothing else, Cleveland may properly have the perfect defensive catching tandem in baseball. The Guardians are certainly hoping for Naylor to contribute much more on the plate now that he has extra expertise in opposition to massive league pitchers, they usually’ll want the youthful Naylor brother to select up a few of the total offensive slack now that massive brother Josh Naylor has been traded.
Mariners (First base, 1.1 bWAR): Luke Raley and commerce deadline pickup Justin Turner helped stabilize the primary base place later within the season, and the left-handed hitting Raley, particularly, did sufficient to have earned himself at the least a platoon function on the 2025 staff. Re-signing Turner continues to be a risk if the Mariners wished to easily run it again, and another first basemen linked to Seattle this winter — Carlos Santana, Paul Goldschmidt, Christian Walker, Josh Naylor — landed elsewhere. Rumors persist that Triston Casas may find yourself in Seattle if the Mariners and Crimson Sox can lastly line up on a pitching-for-hitting commerce, however for now, Raley seems to be the highest possibility. If one other first baseman is certainly introduced in, Raley might additionally get some at-bats on the DH spot, because the M’s solely bought 1.3 bWAR from their designated hitter group in 2025.
Orioles (Bullpen, 1.8 bWAR): Shedding Felix Bautista to Tommy John rehab for the season understandably took a chunk out of the Orioles’ aid corps, and Bautista’s anticipated return will alone assist bolster the pen. Aside from signing Matt Bowman to a minors deal, the O’s haven’t gone a lot else to handle their bullpen and subtracted from final yr’s group when Jacob Webb was non-tendered and Baltimore declined its $4M membership possibility on Danny Coulombe. Nevertheless, it seems to be like Albert Suarez could possibly be returning to the aid ranks now that Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano have been signed to hitch the rotation. (We’re dishonest the submit’s premise a bit with this entry, because the Orioles’ 1.4 bWAR for pinch-hitters is technically their lowest of the positions listed by Baseball Reference. Nevertheless, since that 1.4 quantity is without doubt one of the higher totals of any pinch-hitting group in baseball, the bullpen can extra precisely be described because the weakest of the 2 positions.)
Rangers (Catcher, -0.1 bWAR): Jonah Heim was an enormous a part of Texas’ 2023 championship staff, however he had a tough season in 2024. The Rangers are primarily relying on Heim to bounce again, however since he performed in 279 regular-season and postseason video games during the last two seasons, the addition of Kyle Higashioka ought to permit Heim to get extra relaxation. Higashioka signed a two-year deal value $13.5M in assured cash, which signifies that he and Heim will in all probability break up the taking part in time in one thing nearer to a timeshare moderately than Higashioka performing strictly as a backup. So as to add much more depth behind the plate, Texas additionally signed former two-time Gold Glover Tucker Barnhart to a minor league contract.
Rays (Catcher, 0.2 bWAR): Dying, taxes, and the Rays looking for an on a regular basis catcher….some issues by no means change. Tampa Bay was aggressive in attempting to acquire a one-year repair by signing Danny Jansen to a deal value $8.5M in assured cash within the hopes that Jansen might rebound from a tough 2024 marketing campaign. Jansen typically posted sturdy numbers for the Blue Jays when he was capable of keep away from the injured listing, however it appeared just like the accidents caught as much as him final yr, significantly after he suffered a fracture in his wrist throughout spring coaching. The Rays will fortunately welcome Jansen getting again to something near his previous type, and Ben Rortvedt (final yr’s most common backstop) stays on the roster because the backup.
Crimson Sox (First base, -0.1 bWAR): The aforementioned Triston Casas performed in solely 63 video games final season as a result of torn cartilage in his ribcage, and whereas he hit properly over his 236 PA as a primary baseman, it wasn’t sufficient to tug Boston’s first base corps over the replacement-level threshold. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been insistent that the Sox aren’t trying to transfer Casas and that Rafael Devers will stay at third base moderately than shifted over to first base (maybe to make room for a 3rd base improve like Alex Bregman). For the second, the primary base spot seems to be stable sufficient simply by dint of Casas having a wholesome and productive 2025 marketing campaign, however issues could possibly be shaken up shortly if a commerce does certainly occur.
Royals (Left area, -0.7 bWAR): The Royals additionally acquired -0.1 bWAR from the precise area place, and solely three groups bought much less from their outfielders than Kansas Metropolis’s collective 1.0 outfield bWAR in 2024. Former high prospect and incumbent left fielder MJ Melendez has but to interrupt out after three MLB seasons, plus veteran Hunter Renfroe is again in proper area after exercising his $7.5M participant possibility for the 2025 season. It wouldn’t be a shock if both is moved to bench responsibility now for the reason that nook outfield is a pure spot for the Royals to add an enormous hitter. Some left-field assist may come from an uncommon supply, as each new acquisitions Jonathan India and Michael Massey are keen to maneuver from second base to left area if it’ll assist the staff (and garner them extra common taking part in time). Keep tuned to this case, as now that Okay.C. is firmly again in playoff competition, the Royals ought to be extra aggressive in shoring up the lineup to attempt to make a deeper October run.
Tigers (Shortstop, -0.3 bWAR): No staff bought much less from the shortstop place than the Tigers, as Javier Baez endured a brutal season earlier than present process hip surgical procedure in August. With three years and $73M nonetheless remaining on Baez’s contract, Detroit can solely hope that improved well being for Baez can salvage what has been a bust of a signing over the primary three seasons of that deal, however the Tigers have already eyed methods to cut back Baez’s taking part in time. Trey Sweeney may properly find yourself getting nearly all of shortstop time in 2025, however Ha-Seong Kim can also be on Detroit’s radar as a attainable shortstop candidate.
Twins (Second base, -0.1 bWAR): There’s loads of fluidity round Minnesota’s infield, as any of Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Edouard Julien, or utilityman Willi Castro could possibly be slotted in at second base subsequent season, relying on how the Twins may tackle first base now that Carlos Santana has signed with Cleveland. A wholesome breakout yr from Lewis or Lee at any place could be an enormous assist for a Twins membership in a payroll crunch, because it doesn’t seem like Minnesota may have a lot of something to spend on new upgrades.
White Sox (Catcher, -1.8 bWAR): Korey Lee, Martin Maldonado, and Chuckie Robinson mixed to offer Chicago the least manufacturing of any catching corps in baseball. Matt Thaiss was acquired from the Cubs to pair with Lee because the catching tandem for now, however highly-touted prospects Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel ought to each make their massive league debuts sooner or later in 2025. It is not going to shock you to study {that a} 121-loss staff had loads of weak hyperlinks, because the White Sox bought unfavorable bWAR totals from the DH, left area, proper area, second base, and third base positions. To present you an concept of how little the Sox bought from their place gamers in 2024, think about that the Marlins’ 2.1 bWAR from non-pitchers ranked Miami twenty ninth of 30 groups. The Sox had been thirtieth, with a surprising -6.7 bWAR.
Yankees (First base, -0.1 bWAR): After Anthony Rizzo’s membership possibility was declined, the Yankees checked in a number of first base candidates and technically got here away with two, as Cody Bellinger was first acquired in a commerce with the Cubs. Signing Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5M deal will now push Bellinger into outfield responsibility, and the Yankees are hoping {that a} change of surroundings permits each former NL MVPs to rediscover a few of their previous type. Specializing in Goldschmidt, the 37-year-old was hampered by a really tough first half that resulted within the worst total season of his 14-year profession, however his stronger second half and total spectacular hard-contact numbers trace that Goldschmidt has extra to supply. New York doesn’t even want prime Goldschmidt, as even getting a repeat of his stable 2023 numbers (122 wRC+ over 687 PA with the Cardinals) could be a considerable improve.
