In need of more work: 10 contenders with holes

December 10th, 2016

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- The Winter Meetings served their purpose, with some stunning swaps, some significant signings and the usual rounds of rumors, both ridiculous and realistic. But as we say every year when the executives, agents, media members, job-seekers and everybody else associated with this industry gathering filters through the exit doors, we're far from done here.
The Hot Stove will keep burning for weeks to come, and these are the 10 biggest holes contending teams still need to fill this offseason.
Hot Stove Tracker
1. Dodgers: Right-handed bat
The Dodgers completed their new deal with midseason trade acquisition , and that helps stabilize the rotation. But their .623 OPS against lefties in 2016 was the worst in the Majors. So even if they do re-sign , whose market currently does not appear to be robust, they'll still need to find somebody to lend a (right) hand elsewhere if they're going to improve in this area.
With the Nationals now out of the market, perhaps there's a way for the Dodgers to acquire the five-time All-Star outfielder, though the Pirates left the Meetings expecting to have him on their team Opening Day. , , and are other trade possibilities here.
2. Nationals: Closer
When they couldn't work out a deal for , who would have been a luxury item in an already strong rotation, they gave up a king's ransom for , a move that shores them up in center field and allows to go back to short.

But because of the way the late innings were going for this club before arrived last summer, closer qualifies as the most pressing need, and the monster contracts for and Melancon demonstrate the difficulty of this market. is still a possibility, but another trade or lower-profile signing might be more realistic. The Rays' is one such possibility.
3. Angels: Second baseman
The Angels are hoping full seasons from , and can give them a competitive rotation, and their offense, which has already added to fill the void in left field, isn't too shabby.

But somebody has to play second base. , , and are free-agent options of varying appeal. Turner's market would have to come down considerably for him to land here (and either he or would have to change positions), but, given the supply-and-demand factor, maybe that'll happen.
4. Orioles: Catcher
Whether the proposed offer to is still on the table or off the table, the Orioles need outfield help. Generally speaking, they need to ensure their offensive production remains a strength, because their rotation will again be iffy.
But a veteran catcher -- preferably a productive one -- is the biggest hole here. is a free agent, and his 2016 backup, , somehow managed to become the first player in history to log 100 or more at-bats in a season without accruing a single RBI.

If the O's don't re-sign Wieters, free-agent options include , , , one-time Oriole  and -- perhaps the most interesting option -- , who was non-tendered by the D-backs last week.
5. Rangers: A bat
, , and all reached free agency, and all four of those guys signed in the last week. But Gomez -- who has been extremely inconsistent the last two years -- was the only one who returned to Texas.

So there's still need for some bankable offensive production here, and the Rangers have at-bats to dole out at first base, DH and in right field, where keeping the oft-injured off his feet on occasion is a necessity. President of baseball operations and general manager Jon Daniels says the Rangers are "unlikely" to go after a high-priced free agent, but the supply and demand in the market for bats works in their favor. is still out there, as is . Less-pricey options include old friend and .
6. Indians: First baseman
The Indians are never at the forefront of free agency, but they know there's a game of musical chairs going on right now in the market for slugging bats, and there simply doesn't seem to be enough seats to go around. So was the case last year, when Napoli fell in their lap for $7 million plus incentives. The Tribe is in good position to find value.
Considering Encarnacion went into the offseason thinking about $100 million, his situation would really have to be different than intended for the Indians to land him, but perhaps that will be the case. Napoli is still an option, but the Indians don't seem willing to go beyond a one-year deal for him. Other options include Bautista, Carter, , , and .

7. Astros: Front-line starter
General manager Jeff Luhnow's quiet Winter Meetings was a distinct departure from the busy weeks that led up to the event. He signed Beltran and and traded for to make the lineup a deeper and more balanced unit. He added to the rotation and is hoping for health from and . But given the way the rotation fell apart in a disappointing '16, there is definitely need for a high-end arm here, and the Astros have inquired about and , among others.

The difficult thing is putting together a trade package that doesn't involve wunderkind , who the Astros have understandably deemed untouchable.
8. Rockies: Dependable starter
What differentiates the 2017 Rockies from some other recent installments is the upside in the rotation. is on the rise, trade acquisition is looming and , and add a dose of respectability to what had traditionally been a rocky Rockies unit.
But you'd feel way better about this club's chances of legitimately contending with the Giants and Dodgers if it landed another starter with the stuff to overcome Coors Field, and there is a need for bullpen help, too. or could be trade chips here, and while the rumors about targeting don't seem to have legs, external trade possibilities, beyond the bigger names mentioned above, include , , and . , and are among the remaining free agents in a thin market.
9. Blue Jays: Outfielder
is now aboard as a potential platoon partner for at first base. And between that first-base tandem and the arrival of , it seems we can safely close the door on the Encarnacion era. But what about Bautista? Nobody knows where he is going to land after a down year, and returning to the Blue Jays on a short-term deal might turn out to be his best bet as he tries to rebuild his value.
10. Mariners: A rotation innings-eater
General manager Jerry Dipoto has had another busy winter, trading for , , , , , and , and even pulling off an unusual all-prospect trade (five Minor Leaguers changed hands) with the Rays. He's also signed free-agent relievers and .
But of course, he ain't done yet. The Mariners have the longest October drought in the game, and they've got to capitalize on the -- era while those guys are still upright. Dipoto deserves credit for not letting a limited budget stop him from making a flurry of moves he feels gets this club closer to contention, but the M's are rightly still on the hunt for starting support after shipping 's upside to Arizona in the Segura swap.

We already mentioned some of the free-agent names still dangling out there, and we've heard the M's tied to the and rumor mills. But what do you want to bet Dealin' Dipoto, who is said to be shopping , has got another swap him in him?
Some other candidates for this list:
• The Marlins need a top-end starter but are intent on building a super bullpen to take the pressure off the rotation.
• The Yankees have DH at-bats to fill, but their biggest key to competitiveness in '17 would be a dependable starter.
• The Pirates need starting pitching.
• The Mets need bullpen help.