Orioles head the list of MLB’s 7 most-improved teams so far this offseason
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 3 hours ago
- 8 min read
By JIM BOWDEN / THE ATHLETIC
The MLB offseason market has developed slowly but consistently. Big names remain available as free agents, while trade rumors continue to swirl. The Chicago Cubs made a significant move over the weekend, reaching a five-year, $175 million deal with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. That followed the Cubs’ move last week to acquire right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, and they have also spent more than $30 million to bolster their bullpen, setting them up to be a contender in the National League. Which other teams have also done strong work to improve so far this offseason? Let’s take a look.
Baltimore Orioles
Key additions: Pete Alonso, Shane Baz, Taylor Ward, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Kittredge, re-signing Zach Eflin.
The Orioles have done the most to improve their club, and it has been the best offseason of Mike Elias’ career.
Elias, the team’s president for baseball operations, has injected power into the offense by signing first baseman Pete Alonso (38 homers for the New York Mets in 2025) to a five-year, $155 million pact and trading for outfielder Taylor Ward (36 home runs for the Los Angeles Angels in 2025). Not only will Alonso and Ward give the Orioles a legitimate middle-of-the-order power duo, but they should also take the pressure off Baltimore’s young hitters, giving them much-needed protection.
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman, second baseman Jackson Holliday, third baseman Jordan Westburg, outfielder Colton Cowser and Samuel Basallo, who can play catcher and first base, have high ceilings but have yet to live up to their potential. Having those veterans in the middle of the lineup should help the younger hitters thrive. Becoming a top-five MLB lineup in 2026 is in reach.
The Orioles also improved their starting rotation, most notably acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Rays, sending four good prospects and a draft pick to Tampa Bay to get it done. Baz has a chance to develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter and fits nicely behind Trevor Rogers in a revamped rotation. They also brought back Zach Eflin on a one-year deal for rotation depth.
Baltimore has improved its bullpen with the additions of closer Ryan Helsley via free agency and setup reliever Andrew Kittredge via a trade. Helsley is coming off a strange season. He pitched well for the St. Louis Cardinals, but his production plummeted after a deadline trade to the Mets. If the Orioles can get his release point and arm angle back to where he was in his prime and tighten up his pitch sequencing, he could get back to being a dominant closer.
Kittredge began last season in the Orioles’ bullpen. He pitched well for them, and then pitched even better after a midseason trade to the Cubs. Baltimore reacquired him from Chicago and anticipates using him as a leverage arm at the back of its bullpen.
Now, if the Orioles can just sign starting pitchers Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez they will be in position to compete for a postseason spot.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Key additions: Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Jhostynxon Garcia.
The Pirates have done an excellent job over the past several years building a strong starting rotation led by their ace, Paul Skenes, but they haven’t been able to put together a competitive lineup. The industry, sports media and fans have been clamoring for them to add more offense for the past three seasons, and they finally did it this offseason, as general manager Ben Cherington has been the most aggressive he has been since he won a World Series running the Boston Red Sox.
Cherington made a significant three-way trade with the Rays and the Houston Astros that landed the Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, who hit 31 home runs, slugged .477 and drove in 83 last season for Tampa Bay. Cherington then signed Ryan O’Hearn, a first baseman and outfielder, to a two-year, $29 million deal. O’Hearn is coming off the best offensive year of his career, 2.4 wins above replacement, a .281 batting average, with 21 doubles and 17 home runs for the Orioles and the San Diego Padres.
The biggest under-the-radar deal Cherington made was acquiring outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia from the Red Sox. Garcia reached base at a .340 clip in the minors last year with 21 homers and 75 runs batted in combined at Double-A and Triple-A, and will be given a legitimate chance to make the Pirates’ roster out of spring training.
In addition, they have the best prospect in Konnor Griffin, who won’t turn 20 until April 24 but has reached Double-A and posted a .941 on-base plus slugging percentage across three levels in an outstanding pro debut season in 2025. He is a dual threat in terms of power and speed and can play shortstop and center field. Griffin will be given every chance to make the major league team out of spring training.
The Pirates’ offense looks much more competitive than it did at the end of last season, and they appear to be going from pretender to contender thanks to the solid work of their general manager.
Toronto Blue Jays
Key additions: Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, Kazuma Okamoto.
The Blue Jays, the defending American League champions, have been clear they are not going to rest on their laurels. They made a big splash by signing one of the most consistent starting pitchers over the past five years in Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract. Cease is the only pitcher in MLB to make at least 30 starts, throw at least 160 innings and strike out at least 200 batters each of the last five seasons.
The Blue Jays also upgraded their relief pitching, signing submariner Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 million contract to fortify the back end of their bullpen and provide them a different look among their leverage relievers. Rogers has been a durable reliever since making his MLB debut. He has experience pitching in a variety of relief roles.
The most underrated move of their offseason was signing right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million deal. He has the stuff to develop into a midrotation starter this year, with an upside even higher than that. Ponce was a second-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015, but spent the last four years learning how to pitch in Japan and South Korea. He could be the most undervalued free agent signing of the winter; his stuff is that good, as shown by his 252 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings and a 1.89 ERA last year with the Hanwha Eagles in the South Korean league.
The Blue Jays also made headlines recently when they agreed to a deal with Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto. The acquisition of Okamoto, who can play first and third and has a little experience in left field, is puzzling because his best position is first base, where Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plays. Okamoto is a below-average defensive third baseman, and the Jays have built their team around above-average defenders. Offensively, he does fit into their scheme as he is a contact hitter with plus power and solid plate discipline who puts the ball in play and does not strike out.
Toronto is probably not done yet. The Okamoto signing does not prevent the Blue Jays from signing Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette (who would play second base, if they brought him back).
Atlanta Braves
Key additions: Robert Suarez, Mauricio Dubón, Mike Yastrzemski, re-signing Ha-Seong Kim and Raisel Iglesias.
The Braves’ biggest moves thus far were to sign Robert Suarez, the former Padres closer and National League saves leader, to a three-year, $45 million deal and to re-sign their incumbent closer, Raisel Iglesias, to a one-year, $16 million contract. Iglesias is expected to be the Braves’ regular closer, but Suarez will be able to fill in for the ninth inning when Iglesias needs a day off and will help the Braves shorten games as a shutdown eighth-inning reliever, as well.
Their other big signing was bringing back shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $20 million. Kim is healthy, has won a Gold Glove and provides a solid combination of power and speed.
The other thing the Braves did was improve their depth in the infield and outfield. They traded infielder Nick Allen to the Astros for the versatile Mauricio Dubón in a lopsided trade in their favor. Dubón is an elite utility man who can play all over the infield and outfield, if needed. Then they added Mike Yastrzemski in free agency, signing him for two years and $23 million. Yastrzemski can play all three outfield positions and gives them a solid left fielder when Jurickson Profar is the designated hitter.
The back end of the Braves’ bullpen is improved, the shortstop position has been solved, and the roster depth is the best it has been since they won the World Series in 2021.
Boston Red Sox
Key additions: Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Johan Oviedo, Jake Bennett.
The Red Sox took advantage of their relationship with their former head of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, who is now running the Cardinals, by making two trades with him. Boston traded some good prospects that Bloom was high on for starter Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras. Gray is the Red Sox’s new No. 2 starter and slots behind their ace, Garrett Crochet. Contreras is a significant upgrade at first base and will supplant Triston Casas and others there.
The Red Sox’s chief of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, also improved the rotation depth by trading more prospects for Johan Oviedo and completing a prospect challenge trade, sending right-hander Luis Perales to the Nationals for left-hander Jake Bennett, who is closer to being ready for the big leagues than Perales. In his trades, Breslow did hold on to the team’s very best prospects, but at the same time, he did trade away a big chunk of farm system depth.
The Red Sox are not done making moves, as they remain in the running for Bichette and Eugenio Suárez, among others.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Key additions: Edwin Díaz, re-signing Miguel Rojas.
The Dodgers really had only two glaring needs entering the offseason — an impact closer and an improved outfield corner, whether it be in right or left field.
It didn’t take them long to solve the closer role, as they signed the best closer in the National League, Edwin Díaz, to a reasonable three-year, $69 million contract. Díaz is a real game changer in the ninth inning for the Dodgers.
Now it will be interesting to see if they can improve the outfield, putting an exclamation point on their offseason. They were the best team in baseball if they didn’t make any moves, but with Díaz, they’re even better.
Kansas City Royals
Key additions: Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas, Nick Mears, Matt Strahm.
The Royals wanted to improve their outfield, and although their first choice would have been to trade with Boston for Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu, they did a solid job by dealing for the Brewers’ Isaac Collins and signing Lane Thomas in free agency.
Both players are platoon-type outfielders, but with Matt Quatraro managing, they’ll be in great shape in terms of getting the most out of both players. Thomas can rake against left-handed pitchers (.292/.359/.500 against lefties over his career), although he doesn’t hit well against right-handers. Collins was one of the better rookie outfielders in the NL in 2025, playing well defensively and getting on-base at a good clip while stealing 16 bases.
The best move they made was landing left-handed reliever Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade. Strahm, who began his big league career with Kansas City, punched out 70 batters in 62 1/3 innings with a 1.075 walks plus hits per inning pitched and a 2.74 ERA for the Phillies in 2025. He will join Lucas Erceg in setting up for closer Carlos Estévez.
Comments