With the baseball world's eyes trained on Orlando, Fla., over the next few days for the Winter Meetings, it's a great time to have a look at each team's biggest need heading into the annual event, one which often serves as a catalyst for Hot Stove action.
We asked each of the 30 MLB.com beat writers for some insight as to what their club's biggest need is as the Winter Meetings get set to kick off:
American League East
Blue Jays: One big bat
The obvious candidates here are Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, given that Kyle Schwarber isn’t as clean a fit on this roster. While Bichette’s price will likely be high and Tucker’s even higher, the Blue Jays have shown a willingness to spend and their ownership group seems to be emboldened by the World Series run that sparked incredible national interest in the team. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the engine of this lineup and the Blue Jays are hoping for one more great season from George Springer, but they need some help in the middle of the order, especially given the uncertainty around Anthony Santander following a rough debut season cut short by a shoulder injury. The Blue Jays are never hesitant to go off the board, either, just as they did last offseason by adding Andrés Giménez at the Winter Meetings. -- Keegan Matheson
Orioles: A frontline starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers could form a strong 1-2 punch atop Baltimore’s staff in 2026. But the O’s need another frontline starter -- somebody to group with Bradish and Rogers in the upper half of the rotation, or even to serve as an ace above that duo. The Orioles’ trade for Corbin Burnes ahead of the 2024 season worked out quite well before he left for Arizona last offseason. Maybe Baltimore will again explore the trade market for a top-tier starter, though the O’s have expressed a willingness to expand their payroll and could be in the mix for marquee free agents such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Michael King and others. -- Jake Rill
Rays: Catcher
The Rays like their current defensive-minded duo, Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes, and they expect both to be more comfortable next season after coming over at the Trade Deadline. Plus, offensive-oriented prospect Dominic Keegan isn’t far behind in Triple-A. But it’s hard to ignore that their catchers hit just .185 with an MLB-worst .592 OPS last season, and they’re always looking for a long-term, everyday solution behind the plate, someone who can meet their defensive standard and lengthen their lineup. Is that player available this offseason? -- Adam Berry
Red Sox: A big bat
The Red Sox need a slugger who can sit in the third or fourth spot in the lineup and stay there all season. The Red Sox had that guy for years, and his name was Rafael Devers. The star left-handed hitter was dealt to the Giants for a multitude of reasons back on June 15, and Boston knows it is vital to replace his production to go deep into October. Keep an eye on Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, the two biggest bats on the free-agent market. Only Aaron Judge has hit more homers than those two sluggers over the last seven seasons. In a perfect world, Alonso would be the best fit because of his right-handed bat in a lineup that needs more balance. But nobody in Boston would complain about winding up with Schwarber. -- Ian Browne
Yankees: Bullpen help
New York's bullpen pitched to a 4.37 ERA this past season, which ranked 11th in the 15-team American League -- hardly what they envisioned after importing Devin Williams and his celebrated "Airbender" in a trade. Williams was in and out of the closer's role, while Luke Weaver (also now a free agent) posted inconsistent results. The Yanks attempted to patch their 'pen at the Trade Deadline, acquiring David Bednar and Camilo Doval, among others. Bednar was solid, posting a 2.19 ERA and 10 saves in 22 appearances, while Doval is a high-upside project. They've already re-signed Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough, which is a start, but the Yanks are looking for more lockdown help in the late innings. -- Bryan Hoch
AL Central
Guardians: Offense
Cleveland’s top need is bolstering an offense that struggled for extended stretches last season. Adding a proven veteran to the outfield mix is one avenue that would make a ton of sense, and a right-handed hitter could be an ideal fit. Cleveland center fielders had a .574 OPS last season, and its right fielders had a .605 OPS. The outfield picture is heavy on lefties, from youngsters Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus to All-Star and four-time Gold Glove left fielder Steven Kwan. -- Tim Stebbins
Royals: Offense
The Royals are keen on upgrading their offense for 2026, either with an impact bat for the middle of their order or with reliable and proven depth down at the bottom. The outfield is the likely path for an addition, as the Royals’ outfield has been among the least productive in the Majors for several years. But Kansas City could also find some help with a versatile player who can bounce between the infield and outfield. It’s time for the Royals to find the pieces that can help their core group of hitters take the next step as an offense. -- Anne Rogers
Tigers: Bullpen
The pitching chaos strategy that marked Detroit’s postseason charge in 2024 had some issues last season due in part to a thinner group of trustworthy relievers by season’s end. President of baseball operations Scott Harris, manager A.J. Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter built a deep bullpen of homegrown prospects, waiver claims and low-key free-agent adds, but that group showed the effects of all those innings last season. Detroit’s dabbling into the free-agent closer market suggests a potential change in approach, though re-signing Kyle Finnegan would retain a critically versatile arm. -- Jason Beck
Twins: Bullpen
It’s bullpen by a mile, and it’s not entirely clear what’s second. Minnesota traded away its top five relievers at the Deadline last year, leaving only Cole Sands, Justin Topa and Kody Funderburk from what had previously been a strong relief corps. And to this point, the Twins have only added one new arm to the mix (right-hander Eric Orze) this winter. It is likely that one or two of the club’s starting candidates or starting prospects will be moved to relief work, but even so, there’s a need for probably at least two established relievers. -- Matthew Leach
White Sox: Late-inning leverage
The real White Sox answer in this category is: a little bit of everything. The team will be looking for a left-handed bat, either in the corner outfield spots or corner infield, with Miguel Vargas able to play first or third, and another veteran arm for the rotation even with the addition of free agent Anthony Kay (not yet officially announced). They also have talented young hurlers such as Jordan Leasure, Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil in place to use throughout the bullpen’s later innings, but for a team with a 15-36 ledger in games decided by one run in 2025, and a 23-58 total record in games decided by one or two runs, adding a veteran force to the eighth or ninth makes sense. Actually, adding a set closer makes even more sense. -- Scott Merkin
AL West
Angels: Pitching
The Angels traded for Grayson Rodriguez and signed Alek Manoah to a one-year deal but neither pitched in the Majors in 2025, so they’re still in need of more starting pitching and bullpen help. The Angels remain likely to add at least one starter to the mix and also need to find a closer with veteran Kenley Jansen a free agent. They saved roughly $13-14 million by trading Taylor Ward for Rodriguez and could use some of that money to spend on pitching. But they are also still looking for a third baseman and possibly a center fielder. -- Rhett Bollinger
Astros: Starting pitching
The Astros’ desire to add another controllable starting pitcher is likely to be fulfilled through trades from their Major League roster, with center fielder Jake Meyers front and center in those talks. The club doesn’t have the financial resources to sign any of the big-name free agents on the market, though they did make a move on Dec. 2 by agreeing to a deal with right-hander Ryan Weiss, who had pitched the previous two years in Korea. He’ll join the mix of depth pieces behind Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti -- a list that includes Lance McCullers Jr., Colton Gordon, Jason Alexander, AJ Blubaugh and J.P. France. -- Brian McTaggart
Athletics: Pitching
The Athletics' main focus is to improve on the pitching side, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. As the roster currently stands, Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs are the only two established starters. Following them are some exciting but inexperienced young arms such as Luis Morales, Jacob Lopez and Jack Perkins. MLB Top 100 prospects Gage Jump (No. 60) and Jamie Arnold (No. 38) could also factor in soon. The A’s also remain without a set closer and should also be in the market for a reliever with some closing experience. -- Martín Gallegos
Mariners: Proven bullpen help
Seattle was in the market for multiple relievers -- and got a jump on the Meetings by trading for lefty Jose A. Ferrer to pair with Gabe Speier. Now the club would like a higher-leverage arm that the club clearly could’ve used in the playoffs to go with Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo. Each of the Mariners’ three non-tendered players -- Gregory Santos, Tayler Saucedo and Trent Thornton -- were relievers, though only Thornton had a meaningful role in 2025 before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. It’s possible that the club looks to another unheralded arm in Spring Training, much like they did with Paul Sewald, Justin Topa and Speier in this era. But the club is also a few years removed from those success stories, and a more proven option might be the more palatable route. -- Daniel Kramer
Rangers: Catcher
The Rangers already added a bit by subtraction with the moves over the first few weeks of the offseason, when they non-tendered a trio of World Series heroes in Adolis García, Jonah Heim and Josh Sborz. They traded another when they flipped Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo. But the job is far from finished. There are a number of other needs on the checklist, but the biggest is likely another catcher to pair with Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. With Heim non-tendered and minimal depth at the top of the farm system, Texas is desperately in need of an impact bat behind the plate that is capable of handling a veteran pitching staff, much like Heim in 2023. -- Kennedi Landry
National League East
Braves: Bolster the starting rotation
Coming off a season during which six of their starting pitchers were on the injured list for at least six weeks, the Braves need to fortify their rotation with a proven arm. Adding a frontline option would also satisfy the long-term need that would arise if this proves to be Chris Sale’s final season with the club. There is a need to add a bat and possibly at least one more high-leverage reliever. But health-related concerns facing Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López and to some extent Spencer Schwellenbach create an even greater need for the Braves to do whatever necessary to avoid the rotation issues that arose this past season. -- Mark Bowman
Marlins: First base
The Marlins’ 2025 group produced the fourth-lowest OPS (.663) in the Majors. Internal candidates include Eric Wagaman (86 OPS+), followed by teammates who primarily played elsewhere. Liam Hicks (94 OPS+) often moved from catcher to first to keep his bat in the lineup. Miami used pregame to work with outfielder Heriberto Hernández (116 OPS+) at first for the same reason. Graham Pauley (88 OPS+) and Connor Norby (90 OPS+) could slide over from third. External options include those on the free-agent market (from Ryan O’Hearn to Rhys Hoskins) and possible trade matches. -- Christina De Nicola
Mets: A frontline starting pitcher
The Mets still need to figure out whether Pete Alonso and/or Edwin Díaz will return. They’re looking into a big bat for the outfield. All of those are major concerns. But the move that would most move the needle for these Mets would be the acquisition of a frontline starter to pair with Nolan McLean at the top of the rotation. Starting pitching issues were the most obvious reason why the Mets didn’t make the playoffs in 2025. While the current rotation features plenty of depth, it’s lacking in upside. The Mets need to fix that, with the trade market their most likely avenue for doing so. -- Anthony DiComo
Nationals: First base
The Nationals' most glaring need is at first base. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand highlighted 1B/DH/OF free agent Ryan O’Hearn as a potential fit. The lefty-batting O’Hearn hit 17 home runs with a .803 OPS last season. Switch-hitting veteran Josh Bell, who finished out last season starting at the position, is a free agent. There is a possibility Bell and the Nats could reunite for a third time given his established relationships with young players in the clubhouse. Washington tendered a contract to second baseman Luis García Jr., who got looks at first base last season. Could the lefty-hitter make the defensive shift in 2026? -- Jessica Camerato
Phillies: A big bat
The Phillies want to re-sign Kyle Schwarber, who led the NL in home runs and RBIs and finished second for NL MVP behind Shohei Ohtani. He not only contributes at the plate, but he is a tremendous leader in the clubhouse, and a valued supporter of the community. But if the Phillies somehow fall short in their pursuit, they absolutely must respond with a strong Plan B. It could be Kyle Tucker. It could be Pete Alonso. It could be somebody in a trade. But the Phillies absolutely must find an All-Star-caliber talent to hit ahead of or just behind Bryce Harper. -- Todd Zolecki
NL Central
Brewers: Power in the lineup
Last year’s Brewers didn’t have much of it, ranking 22nd of the 30 teams in home runs and 29th in barrels per plate appearance, winning instead with elite plate discipline, contact and speed. It carried them through the regular season, when Milwaukee won an MLB-best 97 games and ranked third in runs scored, but ran out right around Game 3 of the NLDS, as the Brewers just got past the Cubs before being unable to sustain any sort of rally against the Dodgers and their elite starting pitching in the NLCS. The Brewers did see a power bump from developing hitters like Brice Turang and Sal Frelick and will count on more next season, along with another step forward for 21-year-old budding star Jackson Chourio. But if they can find a way to squeeze it onto a roster with few holes at the moment, a big bat could help. -- Adam McCalvy
Cardinals: A veteran starting pitcher
This is going to depend largely on who is traded in the coming months, but the easy answer is a veteran who can anchor the staff. The club traded Sonny Gray and isn’t expected to pursue Miles Mikolas -- two proven starters who combined for 22 wins, 63 starts and 337 innings in 2025. The Cards need a veteran to pair with Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, Kyle Leahy and the newly acquired Richard Fitts. Fitts, who pitched for the Red Sox the past two seasons, is fully recovered from a major nerve injury that sidelined him with numbness in his throwing arm for two weeks. Tyler Mahle, who was 6-4 with a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts with the Rangers, might fit on a one-year deal. Or would they dare splurge in free agency to bring former Cards prospect Zac Gallen back into the organization? -- John Denton
Cubs: Pitching
The top priority for the Cubs heading into this offseason was to add to the front end of the rotation and bring in multiple arms for the bullpen. Shota Imanaga’s decision to accept a one-year qualifying offer helped on the rotation front, as did Chicago’s signing of reliever Phil Maton (two years, $14.5 million), but there is still work to be done. Adding one more bona fide starting pitcher would really help strengthen the depth for that group. And with nearly the entirety of the Cubs’ late-inning arms hitting free agency (notably: Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz), the ballclub is going to target a variety of options via trade, free agency or other smaller transactions. Manager Craig Counsell has called the hunt for arms a “365-day” process, but there is urgency to stockpile now. -- Jordan Bastian
Pirates: Bats
Emphasis on plural. Last year’s Pirates team finished last in baseball in runs, home runs and OPS. They are going to need bounce-back seasons from players like Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz, but they also need to add to the lineup. Their most pressing needs are a corner outfielder and an infielder on the left side. They could use a true No. 1 catcher, another infielder or even just a big bat to be a DH. They also gave themselves a need for a third baseman when they traded Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Reds in July, while the outfield has needed help for years. It’s hard to see this being a successful offseason without upgrading at least one of those two positions. -- Alex Stumpf
Reds: A big bat to boost the offense
Despite playing in the smaller confines of Great American Ball Park, the Reds' offense was ranked 21st in homers and 19th in OPS during the 2025 season. Their No. 3 hitter in the lineup, All-Star shortstop Elly De La Cruz, led the team with only 22 homers, including four after the All-Star break while he was getting a steady diet of offspeed pitches. De La Cruz lacked a consistent power bat in the cleanup spot to protect him and lengthen the Cincinnati lineup. While someone like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso might seem financially out of the question, the Reds need someone who can add power and punch to their order. -- Mark Sheldon
NL West
D-backs: Pitching, pitching and more pitching
Did we mention that the D-backs need pitching? With Merrill Kelly traded at the Deadline and Zac Gallen declining the team’s qualifying offer, Arizona has two huge holes to fill at the top of its rotation. While the D-backs do have talented young pitchers in their farm system, they are planning on competing for the postseason in 2026, so they want to acquire pitchers who have already had some success at the big league level. In addition, the team’s bullpen was awful last year and they will be without co-closers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez at the start of the year as both recover from Tommy John surgery, so they will need to acquire backend bullpen help as well. -- Steve Gilbert
Dodgers: Stability in the bullpen
After experiencing peak bullpen volatility this past season, the Dodgers could upgrade the relief corps for 2026. Their relievers threw more innings (657 2/3) than any other team, but they combined for a 4.27 ERA and 27 blown saves, tied with the Phillies for the seventh-most in the Majors. L.A. spent big on Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in the previous offseason, and neither panned out as hoped -- so how will the team proceed this winter? -- Sonja Chen
Giants: Starting pitching
The Giants’ most pressing need remains starting pitching depth, which they didn’t have enough of while going 81-81 in 2025 and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. San Francisco has a pair of All-Stars -- Logan Webb and Robbie Ray -- at the top of its rotation and a solid third option in Landen Roupp, but the outlook for the rest of the group is unclear. Justin Verlander is a free agent and Hayden Birdsong couldn’t solve his control issues after being demoted to Triple-A Sacramento, so the Giants will likely need to add at least two starters to ensure they have enough quality arms to get through the season next year. -- Maria Guardado
Padres: Multiple starters
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Padres need starting pitching. And while this is true of every team every offseason, it’s especially true of these Padres. They’re squarely in their contention window with a mostly complete offense and an elite bullpen. But they have three reliable starters on their 40-man roster.
So … A.J. Preller has work to do. He’ll need to find his next Nick Pivetta -- an especially shrewd signing from last offseason -- as Pivetta quickly ascended into an ace. And then he’ll probably need to add two more starters beyond that. -- AJ Cassavell
Rockies: Veteran experience
Expect the Rockies to remain young. But by the end of last season, at least four rookie position players and two to three first-time regulars were in the daily lineup, plus rookies made up three-fifths of the starting rotation. That’s too much youth for a team to be competitive. Big spending on free agents is not warranted, but arguments could be made for increasing the experience level at first base, second base and third base, as well as adding experience to the rotation. For now, players who made Major League debuts in 2025 top the depth chart at first base (Blaine Crim), second base (Ryan Ritter) and third base (Kyle Karros). -- Thomas Harding