While there is still a lot to be determined with respect to the hot stove season, the calendar will soon flip to a new year, and with it, Spring Training will be in sight.
As rosters take shape and the MLB landscape becomes clearer, what questions does each team face before heading to Arizona or Florida to open camp?
Here’s a look at the biggest question for each club before Spring Training:
American League East
Blue Jays: Will they pivot… again?
Will the Blue Jays swing big on Cody Bellinger, target a surprise name on the trade market or run it back with a collection of mid-range signings? Before we get into anything specific, we still need to see in which broad, philosophical direction the Blue Jays want to move their franchise.
A year ago, that shift was clear. They moved out bats for pitching and defense, trading Teoscar Hernández for Erik Swanson and later dealing Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for Daulton Varsho. They took a different road to the same place, though, and need to try another path. Does this front office think another significant shift is needed? We’re about to find out. — Keegan Matheson
Orioles: How will they upgrade their rotation?
General manager Mike Elias has repeatedly made it known he’d like to add a big-league-caliber starting pitcher to upgrade Baltimore’s rotation for the 2024 season. But nothing has materialized so far this offseason, while free-agent pitchers continue to come off the board.
The market for starters has been a bit pricey, as quite a few teams have been giving out lucrative deals. Because of that, it still seems more likely the Orioles acquire a new rotation piece in a trade. They have a glut of talented position-player prospects in their stacked farm system to use as trade chips, and starters such as White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease and Brewers righty Corbin Burnes continue to be involved in rumors. — Jake Rill
Rays: What is the status of Wander Franco?
For the most part, the Rays’ roster appears to be in pretty good shape. Ryan Pepiot can take Tyler Glasnow’s spot in the rotation, and Jonny DeLuca could fill Manuel Margot’s role in the outfield. There’s room to add pitching depth and a catcher to work alongside René Pinto, sure, and perhaps make a few more deals on the position-player side to make room for their glut of young infielders.
