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Important warning⚠️⚠️
My friend, please check the accuracy of the information. The information I provide may be
incorrect, late, or outdated.
#Dailymotion#NFLOffseason#FootballFocus#Report#BiggestWeaknesses#NFLTeams#SportsAnalysis#FilmStudy#Playbook#NFL2024
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NewsTranscript
00:00Alright everyone, as the baseball world turns its attention to Orlando, Florida for the
00:06winter meetings over the next few days, it's the perfect time to examine the biggest need
00:10for each team heading into this annual event, which often acts as a major catalyst for hot
00:15stove action.
00:16We've gathered insights from all 30 MLB beat writers on what their club's primary need
00:20is as the winter meetings are set to begin, American League East Blue Jays, one big bat.
00:25The obvious targets here are Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, since Kyle Schwarber isn't as
00:29clean a fit on this roster, while Bichette's price will likely be high and Tucker's even
00:33higher, the Blue Jays have shown they're willing to spend, their ownership group seems encouraged
00:38by the World Series run that sparked incredible national interest in the team, Vladimir Guerrero
00:44Jr. is the engine of this lineup, and the Blue Jays are hoping for one more great season
00:49from George Springer.
00:50However, they need help in the middle of the batting order, especially with the uncertainty
00:54around Anthony Santander after a rough debut season cut short by a shoulder injury.
00:59Never count the Blue Jays out for a surprise move, either.
01:02Just like last offseason when they added Andres Jimenez at the winter meetings, Keegan Matheson
01:08Orioles.
01:09A front-line starting pitcher Kyle Braddish and Trevor Rodgers could form a strong 1-2
01:14punch at the top of Baltimore's rotation in 2026, but the Orioles need another front-line
01:19starter, someone to group with Braddish and Rodgers in the upper half of the rotation,
01:24or even to serve as an ace above that duo.
01:26Remember, the Orioles' trade for Corbin Burns, ahead of the 2024 season, worked out very well.
01:33Before he left for Arizona last offseason, Baltimore might again explore the trade market
01:37for a top-tier starter, but they've also expressed a willingness to increase their payroll, and
01:43they could put them in the mix for marquee-free agents like Frambois Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Michael
01:48King and others, Jake Rill-Rays, catcher.
01:52The Rays are comfortable with their current defensive-minded duo, Hunter Fiduccia and Nick
01:57Forts, and expect both to be more settled next season after arriving at the trade deadline.
02:02Plus, offensively-oriented prospect Dominic Keegan isn't far away in AAA, but you can't
02:08ignore that their catchers hit just 185 with a league-worst 592 OPS last season.
02:14The Rays are always looking for a long-term, everyday solution behind the plate, someone
02:19who meets their high defensive standards and can also lengthen the lineup.
02:23The question is, is that player available this offseason?
02:27Adam Barry, Red Sox, a big bat.
02:31The Red Sox desperately need a slugger who can anchor the third or fourth spot in the lineup
02:35all season long.
02:37For years, they had that guy in Rafael Devers.
02:39The star left-handed hitter was dealt to the Giants on June 15th for multiple reasons.
02:46And Boston knows replacing his production is vital for a deep playoff run.
02:50Keep an eye on Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, the two biggest bats on the free agent market.
02:55Over the last seven seasons, only Aaron Judge has hit more home runs than those two sluggers.
03:02Ideally, Alonso would be the best fit because he's a right-handed bat in a lineup that needs
03:07more balance.
03:10But honestly, nobody in Boston would complain about ending up with Schwarber, Ian Brown Yankees.
03:15Bullpen helped New York's bullpen had a 4.37 ERA this past season, ranking 11th in the 15-team
03:21American League, far from what they envisioned after trading for Devin Williams and his famous
03:26airbender pitch.
03:28Williams was in and out of the closer's role, while Luke Weaver, now a free agent, was inconsistent.
03:34The Yankees tried to patch things up at the trade deadline by acquiring David Bednar and
03:39Camilo Doval, among others.
03:41Bednar was solid, posting a 2.19 ERA and 10 saves in 22 appearances, while Doval remains
03:48a high-upside project.
03:50They've re-signed Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough, which is a start.
03:53But the Yankees are still looking for more reliable, lockdown help in the late innings.
03:58Brian Hoke American League Central Guardians.
04:00Offense Cleveland's top priority is bolstering an offense that struggled for long periods
04:05last season.
04:07Adding a proven veteran to the outfield mix makes a ton of sense, and a right-handed hitter
04:11would be ideal.
04:12Consider this.
04:13Cleveland centerfielders had a
04:145-74 OPS last season, and its right fielders had a 6-0-5 OPS.
04:23The current outfield picture is heavy on lefties, from youngsters Chase DeLauter, George Valera,
04:28and CJ Cafus to all-star and four-time gold-glove left fielder Stephen Kwan.
04:33Tim Stebbins' Royals are...
04:35OFFENSE.
04:36The Royals are focused on upgrading their offense for 2026, whether with an impact bat for the
04:42middle of the order or with reliable, proven depth at the bottom.
04:45The outfield is the most likely area for an addition, as the Royals' outfield has been
04:50among the least productive in the majors for several years.
04:52However, Kansas City could also look for a versatile player who can bounce between the
04:56infield and outfield.
04:57It's time for the Royals to find the pieces that help their core hitters take the next
05:01step forward.
05:02Ann Rogers' Tigers bullpen.
05:04The pitching chaos strategy that fueled Detroit's postseason push in 2024 ran into issues last
05:10season, partly because the group of trustworthy relievers was thinner by season's end.
05:14President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris, manager A.J. Hinch and pitching coach Chris
05:19Fetter had built a deep bullpen from homegrown prospects, waiver claims, and low-key, free
05:23agent signings.
05:26But that group showed the effects of all those innings last year.
05:28Detroit's look into the free agent closer market suggests a potential change in approach,
05:33though re-signing Kyle Finnegan would keep a critically versatile arm.
05:38Jason Beck Twins' bullpen.
05:41It's the bullpen by a mile, and it's not even clear what comes second.
05:44Minnesota traded away its top five relievers at last year's deadline, leaving only Cole
05:49Sands, Justin Topa, and Cody Funderburk from what was a strong relief core.
05:53So far this winter, the Twins have only added one new arm.
05:56Right-hander Eric Ors, they'll likely move one or two starting candidates or prospects
06:01to relief work.
06:02But even then, they probably need at least two established relievers, Matthew Leach White
06:07Sox, late-inning leverage.
06:09The real answer for the White Sox is, a little bit of everything, they'll be looking for a
06:13left-handed bat.
06:14Either for the corner outfield, or corner infield.
06:18Especially since Miguel Vargas can play first or third, they also need another veteran arm for
06:22the rotation, even after adding free agent Anthony Kaye, the deal isn't official yet.
06:27They have talented young pitchers like Jordan Leisure, Grant Taylor, and Mike Vassil for the
06:31later innings.
06:32But consider this.
06:33The team had a 15-36 record in one-run games in 2025, and a 23-58 record in games decided
06:40by one or two runs.
06:41Adding a veteran force for the 8th or 9th inning makes sense.
06:45Actually, adding a designated closer makes even more sense.
06:49Scott Merkin, American League West Angels, pitching the Angels traded for Grayson Rodriguez,
06:54and signed Alec Manoa to a one-year deal, but neither pitched in the majors in 2025.
07:00So, they still need more starting pitching and bullpen help.
07:04They are likely to add at least one starter, and also need to find a closer.
07:08With veteran Kenley Jansen now a free agent, they saved roughly $13-14 million by trading
07:15Taylor Ward for Rodriguez and could use some of that on pitching.
07:18But they are also still looking for a third baseman and possibly a center fielder, Rhett
07:23Bollinger Astros.
07:26Starting Pitching
07:27The Astros' desire to add another controllable starting pitcher will likely be fulfilled through
07:32trades from their major league roster with center fielder Jake Myers being a central figure
07:37in those talks, the club doesn't have the financial resources to sign any big-name free agents,
07:42though they did make a move on December 2nd by agreeing to a deal with right-hander Ryan Weiss,
07:47who pitched the previous two years in Korea.
07:50He'll join the depth pieces behind Hunter Brown, Christian Javier, and Spencer Arregetti,
07:55a list that includes Lance McCullers Jr., and Colton Gordon, Jason Alexander,
08:00A.J. Bluebaugh, and J.P. France, Brian McTaggart Athletics, Pitching.
08:05The Athletics' main focus is to improve their pitching, both in the rotation and the bullpen,
08:10as the roster stands, Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs are the only two established starters.
08:15Behind them are exciting but inexperienced young arms like Luis Morales, Jacob Lopez,
08:20and Jack Perkins.
08:21MLB top 100 prospects Gage Jump, number 60, and Jamie Arnold, number 38, could also be factors soon.
08:30The A's also don't have a set closer, and should be in the market for a reliever with some closing
08:34experience, Martin Gallegos Mariners. Proven bullpen helped Seattle was in the market for
08:39multiple relievers and got a jump on the meetings by trading for lefty, Jose A. Ferrer, to pair with
08:46Gabe Spire. Now the club would like a higher leverage arm, something they clearly could have used in the
08:51playoffs, to go with Andres Munoz, Matt Brash, and Edouard Bazzardo. Each of the Mariners' three
08:57non-tendered players, Gregory Santos, Taylor Saucedo, and Trent Thornton, were relievers,
09:02though only Thornton had a meaningful role in 2025 before a season-ending Achilles injury.
09:07It's possible the club finds another unheralded arm in spring training, like they did with Paul
09:12Suwald, Justin Topa, and Spire in the past, but they're a few years removed from those success stories,
09:17so a more proven option might be the better out now Daniel Kramer Rangers catcher.
09:21The Rangers have already made some moves by subtraction, non-tendering World Series heroes,
09:26Adolis Garcia, Jonah Haim, and Josh Spores early in the offseason. They traded another, Marcus
09:31Semien, for Brandon Nimmo, but the job is far from finished. While they have several needs,
09:38the biggest is likely another catcher to pair with Kyle Higashioka. With Haim non-tendered and
09:43minimal catching depth at the top of their farm system, Texas desperately needs an impact bat
09:48behind the plate, who can handle a veteran pitching staff, much like Haim did in their
09:522023 championship season, Kennedy Landry National League East Braves, bolster, the starting rotation.
10:00After a season where six of their starting pitchers were on the injured list for at least six weeks,
10:05the Braves need to fortify their rotation with a proven arm. Adding a front-line starter would also
10:10address the long-term need if this is Chris Sayles' final season with the club. Sure,
10:15they could use another bat and maybe a high-leverage reliever, but health concerns surrounding Grant
10:19Holmes, Ronaldo Lopez, and, to some extent, Spencer Schwellenbach, create an even greater urgency for
10:26the Braves to do whatever it takes to avoid the rotation problems they had last year, Mark Bowman
10:31and Marlins, first base. The Marlins' first base group in 2025 produced the fourth-lowest OPS,
10:38663 in the majors. Internal options include Eric Wagaman, 86 OPS+, followed by players who
10:45primarily played elsewhere. Liam Hicks, 94 OPS+, often moved from catcher to first to keep his bat in the
10:52lineup. Miami also worked with outfielder Heriberto Hernandez, 116 OPS+, at first base, for the same
11:00reason. Graham Pauley, 88 OPS+, and Connor Norby, 90 OPS+, could slide over from third base.
11:09External options include free agents like Ryan O'Hearn or Reese Hoskins and possible trade matches.
11:15Christina DiNicola Metz, a front-line starting pitcher.
11:19The Mets still need to figure out if Pete Alonso and or Edwin Diaz will return.
11:25They're looking for a big bat for the outfield. Those are major concerns. But the move that would
11:30most change their fortunes would be acquiring a front-line starter to pair with Nolan McClain at
11:34the top of the rotation. Starting pitching issues were the clearest reason the Mets missed the playoffs
11:39in 2025. While their current rotation has plenty of depth, it lacks upside. The Mets need to fix that,
11:46likely through the trade market, Anthony DiComo Nationals, first base.
11:51The Nationals' most glaring need is at first base. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand highlighted free agent Ryan
11:58O'Hearn, 1BDHOF, as a potential fit. The lefty batting O'Hearn hit 17 home runs with an 8.03 OPS
12:05last season. Switch-hitting veteran Josh Bell, who finished last season as the starter,
12:10is also a free agent. A reunion with Bell for a third time is possible, given his relationships
12:16with young players in the clubhouse. Washington did tender a contract to second baseman Luis
12:21Garcia Jr., who got some looks at first base last season. Could the lefty hitter make that defensive
12:27shift full-time in 2026? Jessica Camerato-Phillies, a big bat. The Phillies want to re-sign Kyle Schwarber,
12:35who led the National League in home runs and RBIs, and finished second in NL MVP voting behind
12:40Shohei Ohtani. He's not just a producer at the plate, he's a tremendous leader in the clubhouse
12:45and a valued community supporter. But if the Phillies fall short, they absolutely must have
12:50a strong plan B. That could be Kyle Tucker, it could be Pete Alonso, it could be someone via trade,
12:56but the Phillies absolutely must find an all-star caliber talent to hit ahead of or just behind
13:01Bryce Harper, Todd Zolecki, National League Central Brewers.
13:04Four line-up
13:07Last year's Brewers didn't have much power, ranking 20 sets and in home runs and 29th in
13:15barrels per plate appearance. They won with elite plate discipline, contact, and speed that carried
13:21them through the regular season. They won an MLB best 97 games and ranked third in runs scored,
13:26but it ran out around game three of the NLDS. They just got past the Cubs, but couldn't sustain
13:32rallies against the Dodgers' elite starting pitching in the NLCS. The Brewers did see a
13:37power bump from developing hitters like Bryce Turang and Sal Frelick and will count on more
13:41next season, along with another step forward from 21-year-old budding star Jackson Churio,
13:47but if they can find a way to fit it onto a roster with few current holes adding a big bat could really
13:52help Adam McAlvey Cardinals, a veteran starting pitcher. This depends largely on who gets traded in the
13:58coming months, but the easy answer is a veteran who can anchor the staff.
14:04The club traded Sonny Gray and isn't expected to pursue Myles Mikolas, two proven starters who
14:10combined for 22 wins, 63 starts, and 337 innings in 2025. The Cardinals need a veteran to pair with
14:19Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Palante, Kyle Leahy, and the newly acquired Richard Fitz,
14:25Fitz, who pitched for the Red Sox the past two seasons, is fully recovered from a major nerve
14:30injury that caused numbness in his throwing arm. Tyler Mall, who was 6'4 with a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts
14:38for the Rangers, might fit on a one-year deal, or would they splurge in free agency to bring former
14:43Cardinals prospect Zach Gallen back, John Denton Cubs. Pitching. The Cubs' top priority was adding to the
14:49front end of the rotation and bringing in multiple bullpen arms. Shota Imanaga's decision to accept the
14:55one-year qualifying offer helped the rotation, as did signing reliever Phil Maton, two years,
15:0114.5 million, but there's still work to do. Adding one more bona fide starting pitcher would really
15:07strengthen their depth, and with nearly all of their late-inning arms now free agents, notably Brad
15:12Keller, Caleb Thielbar, and Drew Pomeranz, the ball club will target a variety of options via trade,
15:18free agency, or smaller transactions. Manager Craig Council calls the hunt for arms a 365-day
15:26process, but there's urgency to stockpile now. Jordan Bastion Pirates. Bats. Emphasis on the plural.
15:33Bats. Last year's Pirates finished last in baseball, in runs, home runs, and OPS. They need bounce-back
15:41seasons from players like Brian Reynolds and O'Neal Cruz, but they also need to add to the lineup.
15:46Their most pressing needs are a corner outfielder and an infielder on the left side. They could use
15:51a true no. One catcher, another infielder, or just a big bat to be the DH. They also created a need at
15:58third base by trading Cabrian Hayes to the Reds in July, and the outfield has needed help for years.
16:03It's hard to see this being a successful offseason without upgrading at least one of those two
16:07positions. Alex Stumpf Reds. A big bat to boost the offense. Despite playing in the hitter-friendly
16:12great American ballpark, the Reds' offense ranked 21st in homers and 19th in OPS during the 2025
16:18season. Their No. 3 hitter, all-star shortstop Eli De La Cruz, led the team with only 22 homers,
16:26including just four after the all-star break. As he saw a steady diet of off-speed pitches,
16:31De La Cruz lacked a consistent power bat in the cleanup spot to protect him and lengthen the lineup.
16:37While someone like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso might seem financially out of reach,
16:41the Reds need someone who can add power and punch to their order. Mark Sheldon National League,
16:46West D-backs, pitching, pitching, and more pitching. Did we mention the D-backs need pitching? With
16:52Merrill Kelly traded at the deadline and Zach Gallin declining the qualifying offer,
16:57Arizona has two huge holes at the top of its rotation. While they have talented young pitchers
17:02in their farm system they plan to compete in 2026, so they want pitchers with proven big league success.
17:07Additionally, their bullpen was awful last year, and they'll be without co-closers,
17:12A.J. Puck, and Justin Martinez early in the season, as both recover from Tommy John's surgery,
17:18so they need back-end bullpen help as well. Steve Gilbert Dodgers
17:22Stability in the bullpen
17:23After peak bullpen volatility, last season, the Dodgers could use an upgrade for 2026.
17:30Their relievers threw more innings, 657.2, than any other team, but combined for a 4.27 ERA and 27
17:39blown saves, tied for 7th most in the majors. Remember LA, spent big on Tanner Scott and Kirby
17:45Yates last offseason, and neither panned out as hoped. The question is, how will they proceed this
17:51winner? Sonia Chen Giants. Starting pitching. The Giants' most pressing need remains starting
17:56pitching depth, which they lacked. While going 81-81 and missing the playoffs for a fourth straight
18:02year in 2025, San Francisco has a pair of all-stars, Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, atop the rotation and a
18:09solid third option in Landon Roop. But the outlook for the rest is unclear. Justin Verlander is a free
18:14agent, and Hayden Birdsong couldn't solve his control issues after a demotion to AAA.
18:19So, the Giants will likely need to add at least two starters to ensure they have enough quality
18:25arms for 2026. Maria Guardado Padres. Multiple starters. Stop me if you've heard this before.
18:32The Padres need starting pitching. This is true for most teams every offseason, but it's especially
18:37true for these Padres. They're squarely in their contention window with a mostly complete offense
18:41and an elite bullpen, but they only have three reliable starters on their 40-man roster. So,
18:45GM AJ Preller has work to do. He'll need to find his next Nick Pavetta, an especially shrewd signing
18:51from last offseason who quickly became an ace, and then he'll probably need to add two more starters
18:55beyond that. AJ Cassavelle Rockies. Veteran experience. Expect the Rockies to remain young,
19:03but by the end of last season they had at least four rookie position players and two to three first-time
19:08regulars in the daily lineup, plus rookies made up three-fifths of the rotation. That's too much youth to be
19:13competitive. Big spending on free agents isn't warranted, but they could use more experience at
19:18first base, second base, third base, and in the rotation. Right now, players who made their MLB
19:24debuts in 2025 top the depth chart at first base, Blaine Krim, second base, Ryan Ritter, and third base,
19:33Kyle Karros, Thomas Harding. So, which of these team needs do you think is the most critical,
19:38and who should your club target to fix it? Let us know in the comments below.
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