No, this wasn’t the offseason that the Guardians found their offensive answers, but the team focused on clearing space for the next wave of talent to get to the big league stage. Hedges was secured to help a young Bo Naylor transition into an everyday catching role. Carrasco can provide veteran leadership for a young rotation. Barlow can bring experience to a growing bullpen. And now, it’s time for the prospects who have been talked about for the last few seasons to prove they can earn their spots.

Can they score enough runs? The offense has been the Guardians’ biggest hurdle over the last few seasons, and they didn’t do much over the winter to assure that won’t be the case in 2024. Maybe No. 2 prospect Kyle Manzardo can get to the Majors and help in the middle of the order? Maybe Josh Naylor and José Ramírez can have stellar seasons? But Cleveland will need a lot of things to go in their favor to have this offense be a big threat this season.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz spoke of how he didn’t like the fit of this team back at the General Managers Meetings in November, and supported that thought with a plethora of offseason moves, including the trade that sent 2022 AL Cy Young Award runner-up Dylan Cease to San Diego. His goal was to get the White Sox better defensively, to play faster and to add more dynamic players.

The starting rotation is in flux following the trade of Cease and the move of right-hander Michael Kopech into the bullpen. How will Chicago fill those vacancies? Will the Sox dip into the free agent market, perhaps to re-sign Mike Clevinger after he turned in a solid campaign for them in 2023?

President of baseball operations Scott Harris wanted to strike a balance in adding veteran presence while keeping spots open for prospects to not just make the roster, but fill key roles. While Maeda and Flaherty fill rotation spots, the rotation still leans on homegrown arms Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning and a healthy Casey Mize.

Can a young lineup step up and support a promising pitching staff? Canha fills a veteran hole left by Miggy’s retirement, but the offense is centered around Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter. A rebound year from Javier Báez would help, but so would a big rookie season from Colt Keith and an in-season call-up for Jace Jung.

How about a little bit of everything? The Royals addressed their rotation, bullpen and lineup by adding veteran players throughout their roster. It was needed, given that last year’s 106 losses matched a franchise record. The pitching was an especially key focus, adding effective strike-throwers to go along with their veteran status. On paper, the Royals certainly look improved, but still a lot rests on the homegrown players the club sees as its core. Now, they have to go prove it.

How can this team take a step forward? We were asking this last year, but it’s perhaps even more imperative the Royals step out of their rebuild this season. The many additions could likely help, but just as important are the young players the Royals are building around. Seeing Bobby Witt Jr. build off his historic season (and contract) while watching MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia, Cole Ragans and Brady Singer all improve would make this year a success.

Getting healthy. Amid uncertainty regarding the club’s television deal and financials, the Twins were mostly quiet, relying on improved health and performance from their cornerstone trio -- Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis -- along with full seasons from the likes of reliever Brock Stewart and starter Chris Paddack to fill many of their gaps.

As is always the question entering the season: Is this the year when Buxton’s body can hold up? It’s one thing for him to proclaim with confidence that he’ll be back in center field; it’s quite another for him to show that he can stick in the outfield grass with consistency, especially considering his history.

With three key relievers who accounted for one-third of the bullpen’s innings last year hitting free agency, and Graveman undergoing season-ending surgery, bolstering the bullpen was the top focus. The signing of Hader fortifies the back end, though there’s not the proven depth they had last year. Also, with Yainer Diaz taking over as starting catcher, the team needed a backup and signed Caratini for that role.

Is Jake Meyers up to the job? The Astros have struggled to find a consistent presence in center field since George Springer left in free agency, and this year they’re going to see what Meyers can do as the starter out of the gate. Meyers is a great defensive outfielder, but has yet to put it all together at the plate.

The Angels lost two-way superstar Ohtani to the Dodgers via free agency and focused on improving their bullpen. They signed Stephenson to a three-year deal, while also signing Moore, Luis García, Adam Cimber, José Cisnero, Zach Plesac and Adam Kolarek to one-year deals.

The Angels struggled to compete with Ohtani on their roster and now they have the unenviable task of trying to replace his production. They still have fellow superstar Mike Trout and a young core of position players that includes Logan O'Hoppe, Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel. But it remains to be seen if the Angels will be competitive this season, as they have yet to make a splash to try to replace Ohtani.

The A’s sought to add some experience to their starting rotation, and did so by adding a pair of veterans in Wood and Stripling. With a vacancy at closer, the signing of Gott gives them a late-inning option who could be in that mix, and Alexander gives them a needed veteran lefty in the bullpen. Toro and Andujar will be competing for Opening Day roster spots this spring, as will Spence, a Rule 5 Draft pick, on the pitching side.

Who is the fifth starter? Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, Wood and Stripling are all viewed as rotation locks. The fifth and final member is a decision that will likely come down to Spring Training performance, with several options in play, such as Spence, Joe Boyle, Luis Medina, Joey Estes, Freddy Tarnok and Adrián Martínez.

In the words of president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners wanted to “reimagine” their lineup, and given some unexpected financial constraints related to their regional sports network package, they needed to subtract before they could add. Out are a throng of well-known players, and in are some formidable reinforcements, albeit each carrying notable health history.

Will the new-look lineup work? This could be a storyline that defines Seattle’s season -- either as a fulfillment of adding the proper pieces to find more consistency at the plate, or as another shortcoming that holds the club back. The Mariners ranked above-average in numerous offensive categories last year, but they also had the Majors’ second-highest strikeout rate and admittedly struggled in high-leverage moments. Beyond the personnel changes, they’ve added new offensive-minded coaches to address in-game approach changes.

The Rangers added a trio of pitchers -- one starter and two relievers -- this offseason, opting to internally fill the DH hole left by Garver. Both Robertson and Yates have the potential to pitch high-leverage innings alongside José Leclerc, and while Mahle won’t return from Tommy John surgery until the second half of the season, they all provide additional depth to an injury-prone rotation down the stretch.

How will the rotation depth hold up? Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and the newly signed Mahle are all sidelined until the summer with varying injuries, so the rotation is five deep with Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning and presumably second-year pitcher Cody Bradford to start the season. With little experienced Minor League depth behind them, the Rangers seem to be betting on a good bit of fortune on the health side to bridge the gap to the second half of the season.

The desire to fill the pitching staff with power arms led the Braves to re-sign both Pierce Johnson and Joe Jiménez before acquiring López and Bummer. López will likely begin the season in the rotation, but he could be a high-leverage option if he returns to a relief role. The acquisition of Kelenic came via the Braves’ willingness to take on bad contracts and ultimately pay about $17 million for the high-upside former top prospect.

What do the Braves have beyond Max Fried and Spencer Strider in the rotation? If Charlie Morton duplicates last year’s success and Sale ends his injury woes, this starting staff will be more than capable of supporting what should again be one of the game’s most potent offenses.

After hiring Peter Bendix to be the organization’s president of baseball operations, Miami has prioritized bolstering various departments, including those in scouting and player development. Bendix has brought in Gabe Kapler, Rachel Balkovec, Frankie Piliere and Vinesh Kanthan, among others, to join the front office.

Can the Marlins run it back to prove 2023 wasn’t a fluke? It won’t be easy with ace Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery rehab) and All-Star slugger Soler (went to Giants in free agency) not around in ‘24, though a bounce-back season from Anderson would certainly help.

The Phillies had two main goals this offseason: Re-sign Aaron Nola, and sign Zack Wheeler to a contract extension. They accomplished both. They also hoped to add depth to the bench, which they did with Merrifield.

Do the Phillies finally take that next step and win a World Series? They're running it back with the same group as last year, but they think it's good enough.

The Nationals addressed their wish list of a lefty bat by signing Gallo, who also brings defensive versatility. The team also filled the vacant starting role at third base with Senzel. Washington showed its focus on the future by inviting its top prospects to Major League camp.

Who will debut in 2024? The Nationals will not rush their young talents for the sake of it, but will top prospects like outfielders Dylan Crews (No. 7 overall) and James Wood (No. 14 overall) be ready for the Majors this season?

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer felt last season’s team left too many wins on the table. That played a role in the stunning offseason addition of manager Craig Counsell, who has built a strong reputation for getting the most out of his rosters. Chicago also needed to fortify the rotation (Imanaga) and bullpen (Neris), and added another Top 100 prospect talent in Busch.

The Cubs addressed some key areas, but are essentially bringing back the same group that ended '23 just short of the playoffs. The question hovering the Cubs now is whether Counsell can get more out of a roster that will be increasingly relying on internal improvements and help from one of baseball's top farm systems.

After Cincinnati finished near the bottom of the Majors in rotation ERA and near the top in bullpen innings, president of baseball operations Nick Krall prioritized pitching depth by adding a starter in Montas, relievers in Pagán and Suter and a swingman who can do both in Martinez. The veteran additions are expected to fortify the staff and pick up innings.

Will the rotation be enough to help reach the postseason? Despite the additions, the Reds will still have several young starters and at least nine pitchers competing for five spots. Their big three in Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft and Nick Lodolo had injury-filled 2023 seasons. Andrew Abbott, Brandon Williamson and prospects Connor Phillips and Lyon Richardson will also be in the mix.

It was a transitional winter for the Brewers, who began the offseason by watching longtime manager Craig Counsell leave to manage the Cubs. They promoted bench coach Pat Murphy to replace Counsell, then moved on from a linchpin of the Counsell era and locked up the guy they believe is their franchise player of the future. Out is Burnes, who was traded to the Orioles. In is top prospect Jackson Chourio, signed to a record extension that could keep baseball’s No. 2 overall prospect in Milwaukee through 2033. The Brewers then brought in some veteran thump (Hoskins, Sánchez) via free agency, proving this is more of a retool than a rebuild. Just as all looked set for Opening Day, however, elite closer Devin Williams was diagnosed with stress fractures in his back, meaning he’ll likely miss three months.

With the departure of Burnes and right-hander Brandon Woodruff expected to miss the entire season following shoulder surgery, what has been a strength in recent years for Milwaukee -- the starting rotation -- will have its challenges. While the lineup was bolstered with some power that could help compensate, the Brewers were dealt a major blow with news that Williams will likely miss most, if not all, of the first half of the regular season. Will Milwaukee have enough to contend in the NL Central given the weakened state of its pitching staff?

The Pirates sought pitching depth -- especially in the rotation -- and found it by acquiring Gonzales and Pérez, plus lengthening their high-leverage options in the bullpen with Chapman’s one-year deal. They’re still looking at last-minute options in this department, and it’s possible they could add another outfielder as well.

Will the starting rotation they have constructed be deep enough to compete for the division title? Chapman lengthens the bullpen so that starters may not be asked to preserve leads beyond the fifth, but the No. 4 and No. 5 starting spots are open competitions unless the club can find a good fit still on the market.

Pitching, pitching, and more pitching. It failed the Cardinals in 2023, as the team’s arms allowed the seventh-most runs and recorded the second-fewest strikeouts in the Majors. St. Louis set out to overhaul that group this offseason -- particularly the rotation -- striking early to sign veteran free agents Gray, Gibson and Lynn to hopefully provide solid innings.

Did they do enough to fortify in that area? Gray is the youngest of the team’s three new starters, at age 34, and FanGraphs still projects the rotation as just the 19th-best in MLB.

D-backs GM Mike Hazen wanted to add depth to the starting rotation, as well as more thump to the lineup. In methodical fashion, he did just that. Rodriguez was one of the best starters on the market, and his addition gives Arizona three proven veterans at the head of the rotation. In addition to adding Suárez, who fills a hole at third base, and Pederson, who will provide pop against right-handers in the DH role, the team re-signed outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who was a big part of their lineup in 2023.

Can the D-backs build off of last season’s magical run to the World Series? Last year, they were able to sneak up on teams and did not have the weight of expectations. This year, that is no longer the case.

Acquiring Quantrill from the Guardians and signing Hudson after some good times and some injured times with the Cardinals shored up the rotation.

Did younger starters who were forced into action last year learn enough to be competitive when called upon in 2024?

The primary focus was completing a decade-long pursuit of Ohtani and finally getting him to wear a Dodgers uniform. That goal was accomplished early in free agency. After that, it was all about shoring up a starting rotation that limped to the finish line last season, playing a big role in their early exit against the D-backs in the National League Division Series. The Dodgers were aggressive and landed Yamamoto, Glasnow and Paxton for the rotation.

How will Yamamoto adjust to the Majors? Despite not throwing a pitch in the Majors, Yamamoto became the richest pitcher in history after signing a 12-year, $325 million deal this winter. The Japanese phenom has all the tools to be successful, but he’ll have to prove it against the best hitters in the world. How effective he is during his rookie season will be important for the Dodgers in 2024.

When the Padres traded Soto to the Yankees in December, they altered their timeline in a big way. They landed pitching pieces that could help them well into the future, and they gained significant payroll flexibility. They also undeniably compromised their 2024 roster. Now the Padres will do their best to thread the needle -- contending in ‘24, while building for success beyond that with a revamped farm. A surprising move to acquire Cease from the White Sox could certainly help in that endeavor.

In the Soto trade, the Padres also sent Grisham to New York, along with Soto, leaving their outfield particularly barren. Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and José Azocar are the only outfielders on the current 40-man roster, with starting spots open in center and left field. While the Cease addition certainly helps fortify a starting rotation that saw Snell depart in free agency, outfield depth is a big question mark for San Diego.

The Giants went into the offseason looking to improve their athleticism and defense, which they addressed by signing Lee and Chapman. They were unable to fill their superstar void after losing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the rival Dodgers, but their lineup should receive a major boost from the addition of everyday players like Lee, Chapman and Soler.

How will the starting rotation hold up in the first half? Logan Webb will return to anchor the starting staff, but the Giants will be relying heavily on a converted reliever (Hicks) and three relatively unproven arms (Kyle Harrison, Keaton Winn and Tristan Beck) to cover a ton of innings until Alex Cobb (left hip surgery) and Ray (Tommy John surgery) are ready to return to action.