MLB OFFSEASON WINNERS AND LOSERS (TEAM)

BY MIKE RIFKIN

The calendar has turned to February and Baseball season is right around the corner. As Pitchers and Catchers prepare to report to Spring Training, every fan base has excitement in their veins. Now it’s time to look at teams who were active this winter and others who weren’t.

WINNERS : 

DODGERS : Alright let’s start with the obvious winner of the offseason, the defending World Series Champs were aggressive and showed they weren’t satisfied with one championship. Re-signing Teoscar Hernandez, which is huge for their lineup, or adding two top starters in Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, or adding two top relievers in Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott. But unless injuries play a big role, the Dodgers are going to be the heavy favorites in the NL again in 2025.

METS : Steve Cohen is the richest owner in the sport and he wasn’t afraid to throw his wallet around this winter. Cohen’s wallet won him the Juan Soto sweepstakes. Cohen also was able to retain power hitting first baseman Pete Alonso, Starting pitcher Sean Manea, both of whom played big roles in the Mets’ run to the NLCS in 2024. Cohen and David Stearns brought in former Yankee closer Clay Holmes to go into the rotation. 

YANKEES : It’s hard to be considered a win after losing Juan Soto, but Brian Cashman was very quick to replace him. Adding Max Fried to a rotation with Gerrit Cole gives the Yankees a deep rotation, Cody Bellinger’s left handed bat could be big with the short porch in Right Field. On top of all that the Yankees added Devin Williams, one of the game’s best closers from the Brewers. 

D-BACKS – The Diamondbacks shocked the world a few years ago, making a run to the World Series. Well, they shocked the world again this winter when they won the Corbin Burnes sweepstakes. Putting the former CY Young winner with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly gives the D-backs a formidable top of the rotation. Losing Christian Walker was a blow, but they got younger at the position with Josh Naylor. The 27 year old hit 31 homers and drove in 108 runs. 

LOSERS

MARINERS – Going into the winter every baseball fan knew the Seattle Mariners needed an impact bat to pair with Julio Rodriguez and to protect that tremendous rotation. But all the Mariners did was bring back Jorge Polanco and utility man Donovan Solano. The only team with a lower batting average than the Mariners last season was the White Sox, so let’s see how standing pat does for that offense. 

ORIOLES – They did add to their team with the addition of Tyler O’Neill and Gary Sanchez to the lineup. But it’s the rotation that scares me. Yes, they brought in Charlie Morton the ageless wonder and Tomoyuki Sugano from Japan but neither are an ace. So even with new ownership the Orioles are refusing to spend money. But if they were to trade for Dylan Cease that would take them out of the loser category. Eventually they have to go for it with the young nucleus they have. 

GIANTS – Every year we hear the Giants are in on the biggest free agents in the game and recently they came up empty. Until this offseason where they signed Willy Adames from the Brewers to a seven year 182 million dollar contract. Adames is coming off a career high 32 homers and 112 RBI. Adames will be 30 in September. The Giants also added future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander to the rotation. What makes the Giants losers in this situation is even though adding Adames was nice, they didn’t do nearly enough to make themselves competitive in the NL West. 

CARDINALS –  The Cardinals have been the standard of the National League for a long time. But right now the Cards are directionless, they lost Paul Goldschmidt and have discussed trading Nolan Arenado. Problem is with everyone knowing they have to trade Arenado they might not get what they think. It’s rare to put the Cardinals on this kind of list, but here we are asking ourselves what are the Cardinals doing.