Batting Around: Which MLB contender has most work left to do this offseason?

Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we discussed Nolan Arenado’s future. This week we’re going to tackle contenders that still have work ahead of them.

After the Winter Meetings, which contender has the most left to do this offseason?

Dayn Perry: I have to say the Orioles. They added Tyler O’Neill, and his right-handed pop is a welcome addition to the Balltimore outfield mix, but Mike Elias continues to behave like he’s not helming a World Series contender. Corbin Burnes is at high risk of signing elsewhere, and that would leave the O’s with a major void at the top of the rotation and no plausible candidates to fill it at this stage of the offseason. This young core of position players isn’t going to be playing at peak and staying healthy forever, which means it should be “foot on the gas time” in Baltimore. Elias, though, may not have the fortitude to make the decisions that need to be made right now. 

R.J. Anderson: I’ll say the Braves. Alex Anthopoulos often strikes first each offseason, making it weird to think about how much work he has left to do between now and spring training. At minimum, I have to imagine Anthopoulos will add an outfielder and at least one starting pitcher and reliever (keep in mind the Braves will be without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. to open the year, and could be without Joe Jiménez for the duration of the season). 

Matt Snyder: The Astros won the AL West, again, last season, but they only won 88 games and there were plenty of issues. The only thing of substance they’ve done so far this offseason is trade arguably their best player. They got back one sure thing at the MLB level in Isaac Paredes and he isn’t nearly as good as Kyle Tucker. Alex Bregman is sitting there as a free agent, but trade talks swirl about Framber Valdez and Ryan Pressly. If the Astros are trying to keep making the playoffs, it would behoove them to start making moves that’ll help them win in 2025. Right now it’s a mediocre roster. 

Mike Axisa: The Padres, I think. They have not signed a major-league free agent or made a trade involving a 40-man roster player this offseason despite needing an outfielder and another at-bat (preferably an infielder who can play several positions and allow them to rotate players through the DH spot), ideally another starting pitcher, plus some bench help and the usual depth additions. San Diego is set in the middle of the order (Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., etc.), at the top of the rotation (Dylan Cease, Michael King), and at the back of the bullpen (Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Robert Suarez). They don’t need to make major additions, but they do need to address some needs to keep pace in the wild-card race, and perhaps make a run at the NL West title in 2025.