Each team's top storyline entering Spring Training

After a long and busy offseason, in a matter of days, all 30 clubs will have their full Spring Training squads on hand and the official push to Opening Day will begin.

With all that in mind, it's a good time to take stock of where everyone stands. To warm us up for the weeks ahead, here's one key Spring Training storyline for all 30 clubs.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: José Berríos and the crowded rotation
Berríos ended last season on the IL for the first time in his MLB career and was “not happy” with being left off the postseason rosters, GM Ross Atkins said, so there’s a human element to this, too. The baseball side of this is a stacked rotation already featuring Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage and Cody Ponce. These things have a way of working themselves out naturally, but if the Blue Jays still have six healthy starters by the end of camp, Berríos could be in an awkward spot. How the Blue Jays manage five spots for six projected starters is their biggest internal decision over the next six weeks.

Orioles: The arrival of the Polar Bear
The O’s made their largest offseason splash of the Mike Elias era in mid-December, when they signed slugging first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal. He is now the star player at the center of a mostly young core, a group that should benefit from Alonso’s presence. How will Alonso look in an Orioles uniform? How will Baltimore’s lineup look with him at the heart of it? How will the 31-year-old emerge as a leader in the clubhouse? All eyes will be on the Polar Bear this spring.

Rays: A rare camp with competition
The Rays usually enter Spring Training with their roster mostly set, with a few exceptions and room to improvise if needed. This spring could be different. They have more outfielders and relievers than one roster can hold. Assuming Shane McClanahan is ready, there’s still a spot in the rotation to claim. Top prospects Carson Williams and Jacob Melton have a shot to show they’re ready for regular roles. They’ve talked all offseason about making their roster more “functional” as they get closer to Opening Day. The countdown is on.

Red Sox: How will the OF logjam be handled?
The Sox have four starting-caliber outfielders in Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu. Either manager Alex Cora will get creative and find a way to keep everyone satisfied with their at-bats, or chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will trade one of his outfielders as part of a package that could bolster another part of the club, such as offensive production in the infield. If all four outfielders stay, the DH slot can be used to rotate players in and out. But where does that leave Masataka Yoshida, who has two years left on his contract?

Yankees: Much is the same. So what will be different?
The Yankees believed their 2025 roster was ready to win a championship – so much so that they’re running most of the same group back for another shot. Consider this: they led the Majors with 849 runs scored and have three-time MVP Aaron Judge still in his prime. Gerrit Cole will return in May or June, they’ll get a full year of Cam Schlittler, and the bullpen was remodeled at the Trade Deadline last July.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Guardians: How will the position-player mix shake out?
The Guardians will hold plenty of competition this spring in their position-player group. More than a dozen hitters have a reasonable pathway to securing a roster spot, at varying levels. There is a long list of up-and-comers who will get an extended look during camp, including Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus -- all of whom made their MLB debut in 2025. The outfield, in particular, is unsettled -- outside of Steven Kwan in left field.

Royals: What does the lineup look like around the core?
We know Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia will hit somewhere between 1-4 or 2-5. Where Isaac Collins hits remains to be seen. The rest of the lineup will include some combination of second baseman Jonathan India, catcher/DH Carter Jensen and outfielders Kyle Isbel, Lane Thomas and Jac Caglianone. Nick Loftin, Tyler Tolbert, John Rave, Drew Waters and more are all competing for bench spots. How the Royals maximize their roster for better offense in 2026 will be a focus all spring.

Tigers: Does McGonigle make a push for Opening Day roster?
Assuming Tarik Skubal is not a Spring Training trade candidate and opens his contract year in Detroit, the biggest question in Tigertown becomes when Kevin McGonigle might join him. MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 overall prospect is a non-roster invite to big league camp and has yet to play above Double-A, but his combination of impact hitting, strong fundamentals and intense work ethic give him a chance to win over Tigers staff, especially if he shows he can handle shortstop. He could be a Rookie of the Year candidate.

Twins: Who pitches where?
The front of the rotation is set with Pablo López, Joe Ryan and presumably Bailey Ober. After that, somewhere between five and eight pitchers will be vying for spots – Simeon Woods Richardson, Taj Bradley, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, Mick Abel and perhaps prospects Kendry Rojas, Marco Raya and Andrew Morris. Some will start. Some will go to Triple-A. Some will pitch in relief. Sorting it all out is the biggest story of camp.

White Sox: The next wave of prospects
Outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Sam Antonacci and left-handed hurlers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith don’t figure to break camp with the team, but they certainly will get serious looks during Spring Training. It’s important next-step development years for Schultz and Smith, as potential top-of-the-rotation hurlers while the switch-hitting Montgomery and Antonacci could force the issue sooner than later coming off strong ‘25 campaigns. All four should help the big league squad in 2026.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels: Will the risks pan out for the Angels?
The Angels had an interesting offseason, highlighted by hiring manager Kurt Suzuki despite him having no prior professional coaching or managing experience, and then went on to acquire a slew of players with upside but plenty of risk. Right-handers Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah were brought in to fortify the rotation, but neither pitched in the Majors last year due to injury, while they’re also counting on bounce-back campaigns from outfielder Josh Lowe, utilityman Vaughn Grissom and relievers Kirby Yates and Jordan Romano. It’s a roster with a lot of ifs, including whether Mike Trout can return to his previous superstar form after a down year by his standards in ‘25.

Astros: Who fills out the rotation?
The Astros’ emphasis in the winter was adding pitching after a 2025 season that decimated their rotation, including three starters having Tommy John surgery. The club added starters Nate Pearson, Ryan Weiss, Mike Burrows and Japanese star Tatsuya Imai, who will slot into the rotation behind ace Hunter Brown. Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti, both of whom were injured most of last year, and veteran Lance McCullers Jr. will be among those counted on to fill innings in Houston’s rotation this year.

Athletics: How does the rotation round out?
Acquiring another experienced starter was a goal for the A’s this offseason, yet they’ll enter spring with the same group of starting pitchers from last year. Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Luis Morales and Jacob Lopez are likely locks. J.T. Ginn comes into camp viewed as the frontrunner for the fifth spot in the rotation, though the A’s could still look to add via trade or free agency over the next month.

Mariners: No. 1 prospect Colt Emerson
It's not often that a prospect headlines a team with World Series aspirations, but that's just how bullish the club is on Emerson, who has as much upside as any homegrown position player since Julio Rodríguez played his way onto the Opening Day roster in 2022. Emerson, who's just 20 years old, will be given that same opportunity, but there’s also less pressure on him to perform right away after the club’s splashy trade for Brendan Donovan, who will be used primarily at second and third base, the positions that Emerson has the cleanest path to play.

Rangers: The Skip Schumaker era
The Rangers don’t have many position battles, though second base and the final spot of the rotation will be worked out in camp. Truly, all eyes will be on Schumaker and the new look Texas Rangers all around. Texas will be without cornerstones players from 2023 like Marcus Semien and Adolis García, but Brandon Nimmo, Danny Jansen, MacKenzie Gore and a slew of bullpen arms give the new coaching staff a lot to play around with as the Rangers push to return to the postseason.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Are they healthy?
Can Ronald Acuña Jr. regain some his 2023 NL MVP form now that he has a second surgically repaired knee? Can Reynaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes be relied upon as starting pitchers? Is this the year Austin Riley finally stays healthy enough to add yet another 30-homer season to his resume? Can Chris Sale avoid the freak injury that denied him a chance at a second straight Cy Young Award? Will Spencer Strider return to form another year removed from elbow surgery? The potential for significant success is present, as long as most of these questions are answered affirmatively.

Marlins: How will the rotation shape up?
The Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers trades opened up two rotation spots for Miami, who still have Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez. Max Meyer and Braxton Garrett will be returning from surgery, so spring will be their first game action. Rounding out the depth are Janson Junk, Bradley Blalock, Adam Mazur and Ryan Gusto. Top prospects and non-roster invitees Thomas White and Robby Snelling can use camp as a stepping stone in their development.

Mets: Will Carson Benge make the team?
The Mets left a spot wide open for Benge, their No. 2 prospect, to begin the year starting in left field. But Benge has played just 24 career games above Double-A and mostly struggled in them. The Mets also have alternatives in Tyrone Taylor, an excellent defensive outfielder, as well as converted third baseman Brett Baty and free-agent addition MJ Melendez. While president of baseball operations David Stearns has made it clear that he’d like to give young players real opportunities, Benge is going to have to earn this one.

Nationals: A new chapter in Nats baseball
The Nationals are entering their first season with a new front office and coaching staff. They have the youngest president of baseball operations (Paul Toboni, 35), general manager (Anirudh Kilambi, 31) and manager (Blake Butera, 33) of any team in the Major Leagues. The Nats head into camp having made two major moves this offseason: trading ace MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers in exchange for five prospects, and acquiring top catching prospect Harry Ford from the Mariners for reliever Jose A. Ferrer.

Phillies: Will the prospects seize their opportunities?
The Phillies are going to give Justin Crawford (MLB Pipeline’s No. 53 overall prospect) every opportunity to secure the starting job in center field. They’re confident that he’s more than ready for the big leagues after a strong 2025 season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and the outfield – with newcomer Adolis García in right and Brandon Marsh in left – could certainly use a boost. Meanwhile, Andrew Painter (No. 28 prospect) will look to pitch his way into the Opening Day rotation – especially if Zack Wheeler isn’t ready to start the season – after an up-and-down 2025 season in the Minors.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Sorting through the deep but unproven pitching
Even after trading Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee officials believe that run prevention will remain a strength. It starts with a healthy Brandon Woodruff, the only pitcher on the roster with a season of 25-plus big league starts on his resume. After that the Brewers have a long list of promising but unproven starters: Fireballer Jacob Misiorowski, a rejuvenated Quinn Priester and other top prospects including Robert Gasser, Logan Henderson and newly-acquired Brandon Sproat. Who cracks the opening rotation? Who winds up in the bullpen? Do they have enough to defend the NL Central crown?

Cardinals: Is JJ Wetherholt ready for his closeup?
Even if St. Louis hadn’t traded Brendan Donovan, there might still have been a shot for Wetherholt to make the club out of Spring Training. Now, with Donovan in Seattle and second base wide open, there is little doubt that MLB’s No. 5 prospect will open the year in the big leagues. He might even bat leadoff, which would be appropriate for someone who could be the face of this new era of Cardinals baseball.

Cubs: All eyes on Alex Bregman
After falling short in their pursuit of Bregman prior to last season, the Cubs got their man this winter with a five-year, $175 million contract. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has admired Bregman from afar for many years and finally landed a player he believes can impact the ballclub on multiple fronts. Bregman brings a steady bat, strong defense and a reputation as one of the game’s premier leaders behind the scenes. This spring will be a chance to see that in action.

Pirates: Will the new additions bring hope?
The Pirates last finished above .500 in 2018. But they've been aggressive this offseason after a 71-win campaign in 2025, most notably trading for All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and signing a two-year deal with All-Star 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn. Spring Training will offer the first hint of whether on-paper improvements could portend on-field results. If the early returns are positive, Pirates fans will have good reason for optimism.

Reds: The battle for the fifth spot in the rotation
The battle for the final rotation spot features several young pitchers that should make the decision challenging. The best-known two candidates are Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder. Cincinnati's second overall pick of 2024, Burns and his power triple-digit velocity made a splash after his June debut. Their first-round pick of 2023, Lowder, made his debut in '24 with six starts and a 1.17 ERA but missed all of last season with injuries. Other candidates include Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar – both also missed all of 2025 rehabbing from elbow surgeries.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: How will the bullpen shake out?
Arizona will be without co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez for at least the first couple of months of the regular season and they did not add an established closer during the offseason. Instead they’ve added some intriguing arms like Jonathan Loáisiga and Kade Strowd and veteran Taylor Clarke to go along with returning arms like Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson and Brandyn Garcia to name a few. How the bullpen competition ends up and how effective they will be is something to watch in Spring Training and beyond.

Dodgers: Will Snell and Edman be ready for Opening Day?
Heading into spring, the Dodgers have plenty of roster clarity, aside from the status of Blake Snell and Tommy Edman. Snell has slow-played his throwing program and may not be fully ramped up for Opening Day, while Edman is still rehabbing from right ankle surgery earlier in the offseason. The Dodgers have depth behind them, but one or both of Snell and Edman beginning the season on the IL would set up some competitions in camp.

Giants: How will Tony Vitello handle the jump to the Majors?
The Giants took a risk in hiring Vitello, who became the first college coach to be elevated directly to Major League manager without any professional coaching experience. Vitello is coming off an enormously successful eight-year run at the University of Tennessee, but he’ll face a slew of new challenges in the Majors, including navigating a 162-game schedule for the first time and securing buy-in from players who aren’t quite as impressionable as young college kids. Vitello will have two former MLB managers on his coaching staff in Ron Washington and Jayce Tingler, so the Giants are hoping they’ll help cover his blind spots and set the right tone this spring.

Padres: What does A.J. Preller do -- on multiple fronts?
During Spring Training, Preller, the Padres’ enigmatic and unpredictable general manager, prefers to slink around the Peoria Sports Complex back fields unnoticed. Won’t be the case this year. He’ll be front and center. First, there are questions about what else Preller has up his sleeve to bolster the roster -- particularly the rotation. Then, there are questions about Preller himself, entering his final season under contract. He and the Padres have expressed optimism in an extension, but haven’t gotten pen to paper yet.

Rockies: Chase Dollander and the pitching future
The front-office overhaul was total, as was the philosophical change, particularly with the pitching leadership. But Rockies history has featured two constants: pitching is hard to acquire, and the best way has been to develop from within. So righty Dollander, selected ninth overall in 2023, stands as a test case for the new regime. After debuting last year with solid numbers on the road and poor ones at home, can he and the new teachers find a way to success that can lead to the lasting production that has rarely happened with high picks in club history?