Biggest question for each MLB team before Spring Training

With the calendar flipping to 2025, we can say that Spring Training begins next month.

While this offseason has featured plenty of activity, there is still work to be done and questions to be answered for many clubs before they arrive in Arizona and Florida.

Here are each team's biggest question they need to answer before Spring Training, according to MLB.com's 30 beat writers.

AL EAST

Blue Jays: Is 2025 the Blue Jays’ final year in this competitive window?
A cloud will hang over the Blue Jays all season with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. nearing free agency. The same goes for Bo Bichette and Chris Bassitt, while Kevin Gausman has two years left with the club and José Berríos can opt out after 2026. Unless the Blue Jays make moves that clearly signal an intention to spend and compete in the years to come -- a Vladdy extension would work beautifully here -- there will be an understandable sense of trepidation from the fan base. This will only add to the urgency of the season ahead, too, if it could be the last hurrah for this group. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: Who will be the No. 1 starter in the rotation?
With the signings of veteran righty Charlie Morton to a $15 million contract and Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a $13 million deal for 2025, Baltimore has added to an already solid rotation mix. However, the group is still lacking a true ace after Corbin Burnes signed with the D-backs. They could try to swing a trade for a top starter, much like they did last offseason when they acquired Burnes from the Brewers. Or perhaps they’ll turn to an internal option -- such as Zach Eflin or Grayson Rodriguez -- to serve as the de facto No. 1 starter. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Have they done enough to bounce back in a tough division?
The Yankees are fresh off a trip to the World Series. The Red Sox added Garrett Crochet and seem determined to get better. The Orioles’ young talent isn’t going anywhere. And the Blue Jays are motivated to compete with their stars nearing free agency. Where does that leave the Rays, forced out of Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton after an 80-win season? They filled their most glaring hole by signing catcher Danny Jansen. They’ve added pitching depth. They’re confident in their strong pitching staff and counting on their lineup to bounce back. But have they done enough to contend in a tough division and get back into the AL postseason picture? -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: Which top prospect has the best chance to break camp with the Red Sox?
Kristian Campbell, the club’s No. 3 prospect, edges out the two rated ahead of him by MLB Pipeline (Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer) for a couple of reasons. The first is that he’s a right-handed hitter and the Sox are actively trying to balance out their left-handed-heavy lineup. The second is that second base is wide open, leaving Campbell a path that currently doesn’t exist for outfielder Anthony or shortstop Mayer. Campbell added power to his toolbox last season, making him exceedingly more valuable. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: Which bat to import next?
Cody Bellinger represented the first offensive addition in the Yanks’ post-Juan Soto era, and while the 2019 National League MVP could see his power numbers improve with 81 games at Yankee Stadium (plus six more against the Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.), the Yanks still need to address the expected free agent departures of first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Gleyber Torres and left fielder Alex Verdugo. They addressed first base when the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal. Now, they'll look to potentially fill the holes left by Torres and Verdugo either externally or internally in the form of Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu or Jasson Domínguez. -- Bryan Hoch

AL CENTRAL

Guardians: Have they done enough to assure a step forward in '25?
Cleveland fans remember the hype surrounding this team heading into '23 after an exhilarating '22 season. Instead, the Guardians posted a sub-.500 record. That can’t happen again. It starts with the starting rotation. Is bringing Shane Bieber back (who will be back from Tommy John surgery midseason) and acquiring Luis L. Ortiz enough to provide stability that was missing last year? Do they still need to find a piece that will improve this offseason? One can also argue that Cleveland needs a position player or two following the trades of Josh Naylor and Andrés Giménez. The jigsaw puzzle is far from being complete. -- Mandy Bell

Royals: Have they done enough to upgrade the lineup?
The Royals were aggressive early on this offseason with their top priority of finding a leadoff hitter to help deepen the lineup and get someone on base for Bobby Witt Jr. Their answer is Jonathan India, whom the Royals acquired via a trade with the Reds before Thanksgiving. But is that enough? The Royals got a ton of production from the heart of their order in 2024, with Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. But when the season ended, general manager J.J. Picollo spoke at length about helping those three out by prioritizing on-base in the lineup. India fits that mold. Now, do the Royals rely only on internal improvements with Maikel Garcia, MJ Melendez and others to help lengthen the lineup? Or do they bring in another proven hitter? -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Can this lineup produce over a full season?
The Tigers scuffled offensively for much of the summer before turning it on late, bolstered by a healthy Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, a resurgent Parker Meadows, a quietly effective Matt Vierling and an aggressive baserunning mentality to turn smaller ball into runs. Signing Gleyber Torres to a one-year deal will certainly provide a boost to the offense. No matter what president of baseball operations Scott Harris does the rest of the offseason in terms of adding a veteran bat or two, the Tigers are counting on the development and maturation of their young hitters for the majority of their improvement. All of those aforementioned names have untapped upside, and Detroit sees Colt Keith as a middle-of-the-order run producer in the long term once he settles in after an up-and-down rookie season. Spencer Torkelson is poised to get one more chance to show he can be a Major League power hitter. Whether there’s enough development to boost this lineup for a full season in a competitive division remains to be seen. -- Jason Beck

Twins: How big of a swing will they take in the trade market?
This front office has a history of shaking things up with offseason trades (see: moving Luis Arraez immediately after he won a batting title), and that figures to be their main offseason path to making improvements. There’s a version of this where they only find partners for one or more of their veterans on expiring deals (Christian Vázquez, Chris Paddack, Willi Castro), but there’s also a version where they make a bigger move to take from an area of excess to reload for now and beyond -- and there’s a lot of young pitching depth that might entice trade partners. -- Do-Hyoung Park

White Sox: What’s the balance between prospects and veterans?
This question also leads to offshoot questions as the 2025 season approaches. Will veterans Luis Robert Jr and Andrew Benintendi still be part of the White Sox roster? Will shortstop Colson Montgomery, the team’s No. 4 prospect and No. 37 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and catcher Edgar Quero (No. 6 and No. 59) have a viable shot to break camp with the team? Will this youth-driven group be better than the 2024 debacle? The White Sox already have added veterans such as Mike Tauchman, Austin Slater, Matt Thaiss and Bryse Wilson, but the focus of this rebuild stage falls upon getting a clear look at the organization’s Major League-ready young talent. -- Scott Merkin

AL WEST

Angels: When will the Angels be ready to compete?
The Angels have been aggressive in adding to their roster this offseason, as they are trying to supplement their young core. But the biggest question is when they will return to contention, as they haven’t made the postseason since 2014. The Angels aren’t quite ready to make any predictions about 2025 but believe they are building a strong foundation and will continue to make additions to try to get back on the right track. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: Where’s the outfield depth?
The Astros have had good outfield depth in recent years, but trading Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, combined with the desire to have Yordan Alvarez get more at-bats at DH than left field, underscores the need for Houston to add an outfielder or two. Chas McCormick is currently the starter in right field and Jake Meyers is the starter in center, but both had down offensive years in ’24. Mauricio Dubón, newcomer Taylor Trammell, and Zach Dezenzo could see time in left, but Houston could use some help in the outfield. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Can the A’s really make a run at the playoffs this season?
All signs are pointing in the right direction for the A’s to be considered a team on the rise. Their young core put together a strong finish that saw a 39-37 record over the club’s final 76 games. They also have improved this offseason with the additions of veterans such as Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and Gio Urshela. Still, for the A’s to truly compete in 2025, most of the pressure will rely on the group of talented yet inexperienced players like Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers, Mason Miller, JJ Bleday, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom to perform over a full season. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: Can they solve their offensive riddle?
It’s an incredibly complex quandary -- going beyond personnel, and to coaching and approach -- but also one they believe they’re in the process of solving. The most glaring indicator is how they’ve assembled their coaching staff under manager Dan Wilson, who enters his first full season -- specifically by handing the keys to their entire hitting program to Edgar Martinez, who transitioned from interim hitting coach to senior director of hitting strategy. They then hired longtime Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer to the same role in Seattle, who brings aligned philosophies to his superiors that were a pivotal part in the Mariners beginning to turn things around over the season’s final five weeks. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: How will they fill out the rest of the bullpen?
President of baseball operations Chris Young didn’t hide that desire. Experienced bullpen arms will continue to be the focus for Texas going forward this offseason. The need is obvious. Texas lost four relievers -- Kirby Yates (61 2/3 innings), David Robertson (72 innings), Andrew Chafin (19 1/3 innings), José Leclerc (66 2/3 innings) -- and swingman right-hander José Ureña (109 innings) to free agency this winter. Additionally, right-hander Josh Sborz will miss at least the first two months of the 2025 season after shoulder surgery. All of those things combined left the Rangers with very few reliable and experienced arms in the bullpen. To Young's credit, the Rangers have tried to fill the void by acquiring Jacob Webb, Robert Garcia, Shawn Armstrong and Hoby Miler. It's clear that Texas needs tons of help to fill in the gaps but the Rangers have certainly tried to fix this issue. -- Kennedi Landry

NL EAST

Braves: What should be prioritized?
At this point of the offseason, the Braves can’t necessarily be picky about how to fill their needs. They could use a starting pitcher to provide some insurance, and adding an outfielder could provide benefits beyond the two months Ronald Acuña Jr. could miss while recovering from knee surgery. They also have to account for the absence of two of their top relievers -- Joe Jiménez (knee injury) and A.J. Minter (free agent). -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: How’s the health of the rotation?
Let's preface this by saying trades could happen and change the makeup of this unit. As of today, we know the following: Sandy Alcantara is expected to return from Tommy John surgery to start on Opening Day. Eury Pérez isn't expected back from TJ surgery until the All-Star break. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix was "hopeful and optimistic" about Braxton Garrett's left arm, but it didn’t inspire a vote of confidence. The health of these starters is even more important following the trade of Jesús Luzardo to the Phillies. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: Will Pete Alonso be a Met?
At this juncture of the offseason, it’s not as if the Mets have committed to some other first baseman. Alonso is clearly the top slugger on the market, with an emotional attachment to Queens that runs both ways. For those reasons, Mets officials have long been honest when they’ve said they’d love to have Alonso back. Of course they’d love to have Alonso back -- provided he’s willing to return at a reasonable price. This is a negotiation that could stretch deep into the offseason, as Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, tries to find the best fit for his client. In the meantime, the Mets will stay in touch. Perhaps they’ll match any offer for Alonso’s services. Perhaps they won’t. In any event, it’s by far the biggest unanswered question for these Mets. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: How will the Nats improve their offense?
The Nationals roster is filled with potential. In 2025, they want to turn that offensive potential into power at the plate. Last season among NL teams, the Nationals ranked last in home runs and isolated power . They also finished second-to-last in the NL in runs scored, slugging percentage, batting average on balls in play and Statcast barrel percentage. Rookie James Wood offered a glimpse into how their young bats can develop – he belted nine homers in 79 Major League games. In the 2025 Zips projections, Wood is predicted to lead the Nationals offense in his first full year in the Majors. The Nats also tried reinforcing their offense by reportedly bringing Josh Bell back on a one-year deal. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: What else?
The Phillies entered the offseason talking about upgrading the outfield and improving the bullpen. So far, they've addressed that by signing outfielder Max Kepler and right-hander Jordan Romano -- on top of trading for Jesús Luzardo. It would be surprising, however, if the Phillies don’t do something more significant before Spring Training. They need to. -- Todd Zolecki

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: Was the Devin Williams trade their one big move this winter?
Finding the right deal for Williams was GM Matt Arnold’s top priority, and he found a match with the Yankees, getting lefty starter Nestor Cortes (himself a free agent-to-be), infield prospect Caleb Durbin (who figures to help solve for the departure of shortstop Willy Adames) and a reported $4.5 million to apply elsewhere or deposit into the bank. Said Arnold in the wake of that deal: “I think we feel good about our foundation. What this does is it allows us to really focus on good baseball deals and really start to be creative and opportunistic.” Does that mean Milwaukee is mostly done? -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Who stays and who goes to give the 2025 roster clarity?
The direction the Cards are headed isn’t exactly known because of the uncertainty surrounding the roster. The burning questions of the offseason revolve around determining which vets will be with them in 2025 and which ones will be moved in trades? The Cardinals would like to trade Nolan Arenado, who still has $74 million owed to him over the next three years. However, Arenado has a full no-trade clause in his contract and will only accept deals to certain organizations. He’s already squashed one potential deal to the Astros. Star closer Ryan Helsley, who is fresh off a club-record 49-save season, has the greatest value, but the Cardinals are holding out for potential deals to improve. The Guardians and Tigers have shown interest in Erick Fedde and Steven Matz, per sources, and the Cards would be open to dealing either for salary relief. Others at the top of the team’s payroll -- sans Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras -- could be elsewhere any day now. -- John Denton

Cubs: Who will play third base?
As part of the trade to reel in star outfielder Kyle Tucker, the Cubs shipped third baseman Isaac Paredes to the Astros. That left a vacancy at third base for the North Siders. In the immediate wake of the trade, Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins said the team would explore options in free agency, but added that “there's an opportunity for our guys in the Minor Leagues.” The most obvious name to watch here is Pipeline’s top Cubs prospect Matt Shaw (No. 22 on the Top 100 list). He has worked hard on defense at third and has soared to Triple-A Iowa since being picked 13th overall in the '23 Draft. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: Who is the right fielder?
The Pirates came into this offseason knowing they needed to improve their offense, and first base and corner outfield were the two positions that needed the biggest boost. They added Spencer Horwitz to play first base, but the outfield has no clarity, especially as the free agent pool is starting to thin. Is a trade their best course of action, and if so, how much more pitching can they deal? -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: Can the offense be improved?
Cincinnati still needs offense, namely an outfielder, and it appears to have limited payroll flexibility. Offensively, the Reds were ranked near the bottom of baseball in average and OPS. Their outfielders were ranked 26th with an wRC+ of 83, and their corner outfielders combined for only 29 home runs. The best bet could be a trade, but president of baseball operations Nick Krall has found clubs want Major League players in return, rather than prospects, and he doesn't necessarily want to backfill a different spot in order to acquire a hitter. There is a little over a month remaining to figure it out. -- Mark Sheldon

NL WEST

D-backs: Is there a pitching move coming?
The D-backs surprised the baseball world by signing right-hander Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million deal once again showing ownership’s commitment to stretch the budget when the team is poised to contend. The move leaves Arizona with seven starters including Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery. It also begs the question of whether the D-backs will deal one of the starters to add to their offense or to solidify the backend of the bullpen, two things they wanted to do this offseason. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Can Mookie Betts play shortstop?
What was always expected is now official: Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes announced during the Winter Meetings that superstar Mookie Betts is preparing to be the team’s starting shortstop in 2025. Betts got a crash course at the position late in Spring Training and for the majority of the first half of the season. That came with some mixed results. Betts certainly didn’t look out of place when playing short, but he didn’t always look natural. The Dodgers, however, believe that with an entire offseason of working out at shortstop and the experience he gained last season, Betts could thrive there. It’s hard to bet against Betts. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: Will they add to the top of the rotation?
President of baseball operations Buster Posey has said he’s bullish on the Giants’ group of young starters, which includes Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong, Keaton Winn and Landen Roupp, but the club still has a big hole to fill at the top of its rotation following the departure of two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell. The Giants were viewed as frontrunners to sign four-time All-Star Corbin Burnes, but the right-hander ultimately signed with the divisional-rival D-backs. Other possibilities include Japanese ace Roki Sasaki, Jack Flaherty, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Outside of their Sasaki pursuit … what else do they do?
The Roki Sasaki question is a straightforward one: Will he or won’t he? The Padres are rumored as one of the favorites for the 23-year-old Japanese ace, and he’d be a seamless fit in their rotation. But here’s the thing: The Padres have other holes to fill, and the nature of Sasaki’s free agency doesn’t really affect those pursuits. His free agency is a unique one. He’s a starting pitcher with a workload likely to be monitored (meaning the Padres still need pitching, whether he signs or not). And he’ll be paid only a rookie salary (plus international bonus money). So what about the rest of that Padres offseason? Well, they haven’t done much yet. Though they could clearly use a corner-outfield bat, a catcher and another starting pitcher. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Will Kris Bryant be who the Rockies hoped he would be?
During Spring Training of 2022, the Rockies signed former Cubs star Kris Bryant in hopes that he would provide some answers during a transition to a younger roster. But after signing for seven years and $182 million, Bryant has endured three injury-plagued seasons. Without a star in the lineup to lead them through the transition, the increasingly young Rockies have lost regularly -- with the loss total reaching triple figures the last two years. Bryant is addressing his chronic back issues with a new and detailed regimen that he and the Rockies believe is going well. Still, this question will linger until Bryant provides the production the Rockies need. -- Thomas Harding