As we gear up for the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., there are certain teams that will be particularly intriguing to keep tabs on.
With the Winter Meetings often being a catalyst for Hot Stove action, the spotlight will shine brightly on each of the 30 clubs, but perhaps even brighter on a handful of teams that for various reasons are seen as major players in the free-agent and trade markets.
From clubs with championship aspirations to those holding big trade chips, we asked seven MLB.com writers to each draft an intriguing team heading into the big week ahead:
What theyâ€ve done so far: Not much at all. Itâ€s been a quiet offseason in Philadelphia to this point, but that figures to change soon — either because the Phillies start making moves or they start seeing some of their key targets sign elsewhere.
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: This is a pivotal offseason for the Phillies. Not only have they come up short in their World Series-or-bust aspirations for the past few years, but they are now tasked with handling the free agency of a trio of key contributors in Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Ranger Suárez. The priority is to bring back both Schwarber and Realmuto, while retaining Suárez may be a bit tougher. That said, even if the Phillies somehow brought back all three players, the belief is they still need to do something different entering 2026 after back-to-back NLDS exits. That likely includes a makeover in the outfield that could include moving veteran Nick Castellanos. One way or another, the Phils need to add some firepower — and they want it to be more than just Schwarber.
One move they could make next week: Re-sign Schwarber. It feels as if the Phillies could be at a bit of a standstill until this situation gets worked out. If the club is able to lock in Schwarber, then the front office can pivot to filling out the rest of the roster knowing it at least has Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper back in the fold for next yearâ€s lineup. Of course, as weâ€ve seen the past few years, the Phillies know that alone isnâ€t enough — but itâ€s certainly a good place to start in what figures to become a very busy offseason
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: After winning their first pennant in 32 years and pushing the World Series to extra innings in Game 7, the Blue Jays have made one thing very clear: They are not satisfied. It has already been an extremely active winter for the American League champions. All indications are that they have no plans of slowing down — and their next move could be the biggest one that any team makes between now and Opening Day.
One move they could make next week: Sign Kyle Tucker. Yes, Toronto still wants to reunite with Bo Bichette, but after landing possibly the best pitcher on the open market, the club is now in hot pursuit of this yearâ€s No. 1 overall free agent. Tucker visited with the Blue Jays at their player development complex in Dunedin, Fla., on Wednesday, a source told MLB.com. After striking out on premier free agents in previous offseasons (Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Juan Soto), the Blue Jays are aiming at the top of the market once more, and considering how aggressive they were with Cease, it would be foolish to doubt their chances of getting a deal done with Tucker. If they do, it would be the centerpiece of an offseason that would likely put the Blue Jays on this list.
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: The Mets are always in the spotlight given the sky-high expectations in Queens under owner Steve Cohen, who has shown heâ€s willing to spend big to win the franchiseâ€s first World Series championship in 40 years. But the spotlight is even hotter this offseason after New York fell far short of expectations in 2025, missing the postseason after signing superstar Juan Soto to the largest contract in sports history.
One move they could make next week: Sign Kyle Schwarber. It would be a tremendous coup for the Mets to not only add a massive left-handed bat to the lineup but also to poach him, so to speak, from the division-rival Phillies. Schwarber will be going into his age-33 campaign in 2026, and heâ€s coming off a career year in which he smashed an NL-leading 56 home runs (including four in a single game) and drove in a Major League-best 132 runs. If stalwart first baseman Pete Alonso leaves in free agency, Schwarber — who, like Alonso, played in 162 games last season — would be a worthy replacement in the Mets†lineup.
What theyâ€ve done so far: The Braves have been one of the few teams to make multiple notable moves so far this offseason, including re-signing closer Raisel Iglesias to a one-year deal and trading for utilityman and Gold Glove winner Mauricio Dubón, who could end up being the starting shortstop.
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: Atlanta still has major holes to fill, with designated hitter and a solid starting pitcher being the most prominent (assuming shortstop has become less of a priority with the signing of Dubón). The departure of free agent Marcell Ozuna leaves the DH role wide open, while last season’s injury-depleted starting rotation has created a need to significantly bolster that group. After a disappointing 2025 campaign that caused the Braves to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017 — not to mention a stated desire to have a top-five payroll — big moves could be in the offing.
One move they could make next week: The Braves could add a big bat to fill the DH slot and help boost an offense that has struggled for significant portions of the past two seasons (the team’s .717 OPS since May 2024 ranks 15th in MLB). Perhaps they swing a trade for a productive outfielder who can be part of a DH rotation that includes fellow outfielders Ronald Acuña Jr. and Jurickson Profar to help keep everyone healthy and fresh. A deal for Atlanta-area native Byron Buxton would do the trick, but any trade involving Buxton is likely a longshot.
What theyâ€ve done so far: The Padres haven’t done much yet, just a couple of minor bullpen moves. With A.J. Preller at the helm, that should make you think that something’s coming. Especially when you consider that the biggest thing to happen to the Padres so far is that they lost Dylan Cease to the Blue Jays in free agency.
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: This is a playoff team that has to contend with the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers in its division — and also has some pressure to do better after a disappointing Wild Card Series loss to the Cubs in 2025. But to make it back to the postseason for a third straight year in 2026, San Diego probably has to bring in some new players. It isn’t just losing Cease — other key players like Luis Arraez, Michael King and Robert Suarez are free agents. Luckily, Preller and the Padres love making big moves … and lots of them.
One move they could make next week: The Padres’ big needs entering the Winter Meetings are starting pitching (to help replace Cease and potentially King) and a first base/DH-type bat (the Arraez role). Here’s one move that would address the pitching side: signing Tatsuya Imai. Imai’s market is heating up, and some executives expect the NPB star to sign by the end of the Winter Meetings. Preller watched Imai pitch in Japan, and earlier this offseason said the Padres would be “fully prepared” for when the right-hander was posted. And Imai wants to take down the Dodgers. Where better to do that than with their division rivals?
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: After wallowing in mediocrity from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned to relevance in â€25, buoyed by the additions of Crochet, third baseman Alex Bregman and closer Aroldis Chapman, not to mention the successful debut of top prospect Roman Anthony. Bregman opted out of his deal in November, but with the other three pieces in place, they have a chance to make another significant leap if they push the right buttons this winter. The Gray deal is a start, but with Bregman a free agent and Rafael Devers in San Francisco, the Red Sox have a major void in their lineup to address.
One move they could make next week: Sign Pete Alonso. The Red Sox havenâ€t ruled out a reunion with Bregman, and theyâ€ve also been linked to Kyle Schwarber, Bo Bichette and J.T. Realmuto in free agency. But for a team that needs home run pop, is looking for a right-handed hitter and hasnâ€t been able to figure out first base for a while, Alonso appears to be the perfect fit.
What theyâ€ve done so far: As noted above, they sent Gray to Boston. In return, St. Louis landed 26-year-old righty Richard Fitts, who could earn a spot in the back of the teamâ€s 2026 rotation, and high-upside, 22-year-old lefty Brandon Clarke, who slotted in as their No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
Why theyâ€re in the spotlight: Because that could be just the beginning. With the Gray trade, new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom signaled that St. Louis is truly open for business after a third straight season without a playoff berth. The fact that the Cardinals were willing to send significant cash to Boston bodes well for their ability to figure out a way to move Nolan Arenado, who is still owed $42 million over the next two years. But the Cardinals are not short on potential trade chips. First baseman Willson Contreras has a reasonable contract and a right-handed bat with considerable thump. Brendan Donovan is an OBP machine with defensive versatility. Lars Nootbaar, Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson all might intrigue teams in search of left-handed power that canâ€t check that box via the free-agent market. Thereâ€s less on the pitching side, post-Gray, although lefty reliever JoJo Romero has reportedly been drawing interest as well.
One move they could make next week: While an Arenado deal might have to wait for top free-agent third basemen to come off the board, one could imagine a Donovan deal coming to fruition more quickly if Bloom gets an offer he likes for one of the hottest names on the trade market. St. Louis is under no obligation to move a player under club control for two more seasons, but there is reason to be opportunistic here, especially with a top prospect, infielder JJ Wetherholt, knocking on the door.
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