Prioritizing Every MLB Roster's Biggest Weakness

With Major League Baseball's 2023-24 offseason getting closer every day, let's make a naive but worthwhile assumption that every team's goal will be to make improvements.

But where? And how?

These are the questions we asked as we set about identifying the biggest weakness teams had during the 2023 season and which player could be a potential solution via free agency or the trade market.

This was not necessarily a case of identifying holes that are about to open up because of free agency. Sometimes things just go without saying, such as how the Los Angeles Angels will need both an elite slugger and an elite pitcher if Shohei Ohtani departs.

We'll proceed one at a time in alphabetical order by city.

Note: All WAR ranks are courtesy of Baseball Reference.

Position WAR in 2023: 0.0 (25th)

The Diamondbacks never really had a regular at the hot corner this year, mainly alternating between Evan Longoria, Emmanuel Rivera and, while he was still in town, Josh Rojas for 130 out of 162 possible starts.

That WAR suggests this revolving door produced literally nothing tracks, particularly where offense is concerned. Arizona's third basemen combined to produce a .644 OPS to rank 27th out of 30 teams.

Potential Fit: 3B Matt Chapman (Free Agent)

Even if they have to go outside their spending comfort zone, Chapman would be worth the risk for the Snakes because of his offensive potential and especially because of his glovework. The three-time Gold Glover would further solidify an already elite defense.

Position WAR: 10.0 (12th)

If you want to get technical, Atlanta's weakest positions in 2023 were shortstop (0.9 WAR) and left field (1.0 WAR). But they got by just fine with what they had there, whereas the starting rotation was basically in tatters by the end of the season.

With Spencer Strider, Max Fried and potentially Charlie Morton due back in 2024, Atlanta won't necessarily need to shop for an ace. But since it would be a case of leaving nothing to chance, there would be no cause to complain if they went and got one anyway.

Potential Fit: RHP Dylan Cease (Trade)

The rebuilding Chicago White Sox have no good reasons not to listen on Cease this winter, and Atlanta would be wise to make at least one call. The Georgia native will be a good buy-low candidate after his ERA more than doubled from 2022 to 2023.

Position WAR: 9.9 (13th)

In all fairness, Baltimore's starting rotation was in a better place at the end of 2023 than it was at the beginning. It posted a 3.74 ERA in the second half, with Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish both posting sub-3.00 ERAs.

But if not a No. 1 starter, the Orioles would do well to seek a replacement for innings leader Kyle Gibson, who's due for another trip to the free-agent market.

Potential Fit: RHP Lance Lynn (Free Agent)

It's hard to imagine the Orioles doing any top-shelf shopping, but Lynn will be an intriguing option for them if the Los Angeles Dodgers decline his $18 million option for 2024. He had a bad case of gopheritis in 2023, but nonetheless carried on as an innings-eater with high-strikeout, low-walk credentials.

Position WAR: 10.4 (10th)

How Red Sox starters crept into the top 10 of MLB in WAR this year is one of life's great mysteries. Their rotation was a work in progress throughout, and especially after July as it did worse than a 4.50 ERA on a monthly basis.

Brayan Bello is a budding top-of-the-rotation type, but Chris Sale has aged out of that status and Boston's other incumbents don't inspire much confidence. The higher the club aims here, the better.

Potential Fit: Aaron Nola (Free Agent)

Whether Nola is the best of what will be a deep supply of free-agent starters is a fair question, but he's probably the safest bet. He ranks second in innings pitched since 2018, thrice finishing in the top 10 of the National League Cy Young Award voting in this span.

Position WAR: 0.4 (24th)

First base became less of a problem for the Cubs toward the end of the season, when they finally gave in and started giving Cody Bellinger more starts at the cold corner.

Still, the end results speak for themselves and they're going to have to pony up in order to keep Bellinger. After reclaiming his stardom with an .881 OPS, 26 home runs and 20 stolen bases, his end of a $25 million mutual option for 2024 is as good as declined.

Potential Fit: 1B Pete Alonso (Trade)

There have been whispers of mutual fondness between the Cubs and Alonso, who's hit more home runs than anyone since his debut in 2019. If so, the only question may be whether the New York Mets are willing to shop Alonso ahead of his walk year in '24.

Position WAR: Minus-1.5 (30th)

The White Sox ranked dead-last in WAR at catcher, shortstop and right field, so the phrase "geez, pick one" surely applies to the question of where their biggest weakness lies.

Positions don't get more important than catcher, however, and the White Sox seem to know this. Even though they don't seem to be in a position to make big additions this winter, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score has reported that they're eyeing a trade for Salvador Perez.

Potential Fit: C Salvador Perez (Trade)

Hey, why not? Perez is not the same guy who blasted 48 home runs in 2021, but nobody can say he wouldn't be an upgrade over Yasmani Grandal. One just wishes the White Sox luck in getting Perez to waive his 10-and-5 rights if they work out a deal with the Kansas City Royals.

Position WAR: 5.0 (26th)

It's not that the Reds are lacking for talented arms in their rotation. Hunter Greene definitely has one of those, and so do Andrew Abbott, Graham Ashcraft and Nick Lodolo.

And yet, you don't just take a rotation that's fresh off posting a 5.43 ERA and leave it alone. The Reds are probably unlikely shoppers at the high end of the free-agent market, but they could potentially leverage their ample infield depth to make an impact trade.

Potential Fit: RHP Dylan Cease (Trade)

B/R's Joel Reuter pitched a trade last week in which the White Sox and Reds do a one-for-one swap of Cease and 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India. That could actually work, as both are buy-low types with multiple remaining years of club control.

Position WAR: 0.1 (26th)

Though the Guardians only got 0.0 WAR from their catchers in 2023, they can feel optimistic about 2024 after watching rookie Bo Naylor go on a tear in his last 22 games of this season.

Right field, on the other hand, continues to be a persistent problem for Cleveland. Not to dunk on Will Brennan or anything, but a .655 OPS is just not what you want out of your everyday right fielder.

Potential Fit: RF Teoscar Hernández (Free Agent)

It's not a given, but Hernández might fall within Cleveland's price range after somewhat of a down year with the Seattle Mariners. He'd at least figure to give the Guardians 25-plus home runs, and they need as many as they can get after hitting an MLB-low 124 this year.

Position WAR: Minus-0.6 (T-28th)

The Rockies finished last with the 0.6 WAR they got from their starting pitchers this year, but there isn't much they can do about that. Bad starting pitching comes with the territory in Denver.

This need not be the case with bad offense, however, least of all from a position like first base. Elehuris Montero got an arguably overdue chance to show what he can do this year, yet 307 plate appearances yielded just a .716 OPS and 11 homers.

Potential Fit: 1B Joey Gallo (Free Agent)

A foot contusion ended it early, but this was a bounceback year for Gallo. He hit 21 home runs and raised his OPS by over 100 points. But more than anything, his power and Coors Field just seem like a fun match.

Position WAR: Minus-0.3 (27th)

One could argue that the Tigers are weakest at shortstop, but they're only going to have a chance to upgrade there if Javier Báez makes the unlikely (and certainly unwise) choice to opt out of his deal.

As for third base, Nick Maton was the closest thing the Tigers had to a "regular" there as the position ultimately produced just a .624 OPS. Only two teams did worse than that.

Potential Fit: 3B Gio Urshela (Free Agent)

Matt Chapman and old friend Jeimer Candelario will be the top third basemen on the open market, but it would be wiser for the Tigers to pursue a stopgap while they wait on top prospect Colt Keith. To this end, Urshela could have some upside coming off a broken pelvis.

Position WAR: 7.8 (21st)

Though first base was Houston's least productive position in 2023, this October provided further proof that a bad back was the only thing holding José Abreu, well, back.

As for the starting rotation, it was shaky outside of Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez and even they look like less than sure things for next season. Valdez has been skidding since July and Verlander will be 41 years old on Feb. 20.

Potential Fit: RHP Dylan Cease (Trade)

One can just as easily imagine Shane Bieber or Tyler Glasnow in Houston's crosshairs, but Cease is reportedly the guy they wanted during the summer. It's still a smart match, and perhaps a more likely solution than the Astros adding to an already bloated payroll in free agency.

Position WAR: Minus-1.4 (30th)

To be sure, the Royals also need starting pitching. But relief pitching should be more of a priority, lest the Royals have to live with a 5.23 ERA from their bullpen all over again.

And yes, things did only get worse after they traded Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers. Royals relievers put up a 5.50 ERA after that, with even Carlos Hernández (6.99 ERA) and Taylor Clarke (7.94 ERA) slipping from strong perches.

Potential Fit: RHP Craig Kimbrel (Free Agent)

Since the Royals successfully rehabbed Chapman, maybe they could try to do the same with Kimbrel. And rest assured, his stock is going to need rehabbing after the postseason he's had.

Position WAR: 0.1 (28th)

Though the Angels ranked last in the majors with the minus-0.7 WAR they got from first base, Nolan Schanuel seems to be the answer there. He put up a .402 on-base percentage in 132 plate appearances for the big club mere weeks after they drafted him 11th overall.

Right field, meanwhile, didn't get much from Hunter Renfroe while he was around. There was a revolving door after he left, and the Angels will only have an in-house solution for 2024 if they still have faith in Jo Adell.

Potential Fit: RF Tommy Pham (Free Agent)

It's possible Pham will get better offers from actual contenders. If not, the Angels should target him as a guy who could inject some life into the clubhouse as he builds up value ahead of next year's trade deadline.

Position WAR: 6.9 (23rd)

This year saw Dodgers starters post the sixth-highest ERA in the club's entire history. The culmination was even worse, as Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller and Lance Lynn combined to get only 14 outs while giving up 13 runs in a Division Series sweep.

The Dodgers will have still another problem if Kershaw decides to retire, but either way there's no scenario in which they won't need to make at least one big addition to their rotation this winter.

Potential Fit: LHP Blake Snell (Free Agent)

Granted, the Dodgers' top target in free agency will probably be a guy whose name rhymes with "Pohei Mohtani." But if they can't get him or simply fancy a more immediate solution to their rotation problems, Snell will offer a chance to add a likely two-time Cy Young Award winner while simultaneously robbing a star from the San Diego Padres.

Position WAR: Minus-0.6 (28th)

Marlins pitchers led the majors with a grand total of 22.8 WAR, so just remember that before thinking that the club's catchers didn't do anything right this season.

And yet, a 29th-ranked .569 OPS just isn't going to cut it. Nor is 130 stolen bases allowed. So if Miami can upgrade over Nick Fortes and Jacob Stallings, it should.

Potential Fit: C Salvador Perez (Trade)

Albeit under now-former general manager Kim Ng, the Marlins indeed checked in on Perez ahead of this summer's trade deadline. No matter who's next in the big chair in the front office, they'd do well to check in again on the veteran. Regarding his 10-and-5 rights, it can probably only help that he lives in Florida.

Position WAR: 0.4 (T-24th)

There is no position more synonymous with offense than first base, so it was less than ideal that the Brewers got just a .681 OPS from the position this season. Only two clubs did worse.

To his credit, Carlos Santana did stabilize the cold corner after coming over from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. But he's due to be a free agent, and the same may be true of Rowdy Tellez if the Brewers opt not to tender him a contract for 2024.

Potential Fit: 1B Pete Alonso (Trade)

Alonso and the Cubs may like each other, but the Brewers were also in on the slugging first baseman this summer and they may have an advantage if the Mets make him available this winter. Their front office is now run by David Stearns, who formerly ran the Brewers' front office.

Position WAR: 2.4 (T-17th)

Whether the Twins had a true weakness anywhere this year is debatable, but the situation in center field is definitely not one they would have chosen.

With Byron Buxton limited to designated hitter duty by a troublesome right knee, Michael A. Taylor got the bulk of the reps in center field. He did hit a career-high 21 home runs, but with just a .278 OBP. And now he's due to be a free agent.

Potential Fit: CF Cody Bellinger (Free Agent)

Unlikely? Yeah, probably. But then again, nobody expected the Twins to sign Carlos Correa even once, let alone twice. If they were to pull a similar upset with Bellinger, they could further solidify themselves as the heavy favorite in the AL Central for the foreseeable future.

Position WAR: 0.3 (28th)

The minus-1.2 WAR the Mets got from third base paints the position as one in need of upgrading, but a better idea might be to simply wait and see if Brett Baty can break out.

Designated hitter, on the other hand, was about as weak as anyone could have expected it to be in 2023. Daniel Vogelbach was the de facto starter there and ended up posting a modest .742 OPS with 13 home runs.

Potential Fit: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (Free Agent)

Are the Mets a perfect fit for Ohtani? Well, not exactly. But if nothing else, one can be confident that they can afford him. Apart from that, the only other thing to say is this: Come on, Steve....Do it...You know you want to.

Position WAR: 1.1 (30th)

The record should show that Aaron Judge is just fine, thank you. He started 66 of his 104 total games in the outfield amid a year in which he posted a 1.019 OPS and 37 home runs.

Nevertheless, the Yankees' outfield was indeed that bad. Left field is technically the spot most in need of a stable regular, but center field isn't exactly in good hands as the Yankees await Jasson Domínguez's recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Potential Fit: CF Cody Bellinger (Free Agent)

One can't think of a better fit for Bellinger, and it's not just because of how well he would fit the Yankees in center field. They also need his left-handed bat for a lineup that skewed bafflingly to the right in 2023.

Position WAR: Minus-0.9 (29th)

The A's don't just have one area of need. Heck, the entire franchise is an area of need, up to and including for an owner who actually gives a darn. Tell 'em, Trevor May.

But if it must be one thing at a time, relief pitching should go to the front of a line. A bullpen with a 5.20 ERA is nobody's idea of a good time, even if Lucas Erceg looks like a closer-in-waiting after a dominant finish to this season.

Potential Fit: RHP Shelby Miller (Free Agent)

If Miller doesn't get any good offers from contenders, the A's could see if he's interested in joining up with them as a potential trade chip for next summer. Albeit with a lengthy injury absence in the middle, he looked good as he pitched to a 1.71 ERA for the Dodgers this year.

Position WAR: Minus-0.2 (28th)

The Pirates were technically worse off at catcher (minus-0.9 WAR) and right field (minus-0.6 WAR) in 2023, but former prospects Endy Rodríguez and Henry Davis deserve more time to settle in at those positions.

The Pirates won't have similar in-house upside at second base until Termarr Johnson is ready, which might not be until 2025. They would do well to find a better stopgap than Liover Peguero, and preferably one that has some winning experience.

Potential Fit: 2B Adam Frazier (Free Agent)

Who says you can never go home again? And Frazier has had quite the journey since leaving Pittsburgh in 2021, with the highlights being a playoff run with the Seattle Mariners in 2022 and another with the Baltimore Orioles this year.

Position WAR: 0.4 (23rd)

This is pretty much a knock against Alec Bohm, which feels kind of unfair given that he was perfectly serviceable in hitting .274 with 20 home runs this season.

The catch, though, is that he remains a liability on defense. He has minus-46 Defensive Runs Saved at the hot corner in just four seasons, and thus already qualifies as one of the worst defenders the metric has ever measured.

Potential Fit: 3B Matt Chapman (Free Agent)

It's hard to imagine this actually happening as of now. But if the Phillies were to fall short of a World Series championship once again, Dave Dombrowski deciding his team needs one more star would be well within the realm of "stranger things have happened."

Position WAR: 1.0 (20th)

The Padres got only 0.5 WAR out of first base this year, and nobody can say Jake Cronenworth is a good fit there. The utility life would be the best life for him.

Still, at least Cronenworth is a non-disastrous regular at the cold corner. The Padres never really found a solution at DH, in part because their bets on Matt Carpenter and Nelson Cruz flamed out in the form of a combined .660 OPS and just 10 home runs.

Potential Fit: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (Free Agent)

Like the Mets, the Padres are another less-than-perfect fit for Ohtani. But they're also not going to find a better DH now or ever, and one can certainly imagine worse ways to go even more all-in on a roster that's already constructed to win now.

Position WAR: 2.6 (27th)

If you think the Giants' outfield looks bad now, just wait until Michael Conforto opts out of his deal and re-enters the open market.

If he does, that will leave a hopefully ready prospect in Luis Matos and, in Mitch Haniger and Mike Yastrzemski, two veterans who may only have so much left to give. So for the second winter in a row, Farhan Zaidi needs to be eyeing at least one major upgrade.

Potential Fit: CF Cody Bellinger (Free Agent)

The notion that Bellinger is a fit for the Giants breaks down a little when you remember how terrible Oracle Park is for left-handed power hitters. But he has more than power to offer, including a near-elite bat-to-ball skill and functional athleticism in the field and on the bases.

Position WAR: 1.1 (18th)

The WAR that the Mariners got from their designated hitters might not have been terrible, but it obscures the actually terrible .677 OPS the position produced.

Mike Ford did his best to boost that number by providing a .764 OPS in the 67 turns he took at DH, but the 31-year-old journeyman isn't exactly a viable long-term solution. If they want to sustain as contenders, the Mariners can and should do better.

Potential Fit: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (Free Agent)

Somebody like J.D. Martinez might be a more likely get for the Mariners, but Ohtani seemed to dig his time in Seattle for the 2023 All-Star Game and the Mariner faithful clearly love him back. And at least from the outside looking in, Seattle's payroll seems to have room to grow.

Position WAR: 4.1 (28th)

To call this a rough season for Cardinals starting pitchers would be putting it mildly. Their 5.08 ERA marked the worst for the franchise in a full season since the 19th century.

There are worse pieces to build around than Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz, but what the Cardinals really need to do is build on top of them. They need to go get at least one top-of-the-rotation type, if not two.

Potential Fit: Aaron Nola (Free Agent)

According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Nola and fellow All-Star righty Sonny Gray are two top-of-the-rotation types in whom the Cardinals are already interested. Either would work, though Nola has long seemed like the platonic ideal of a Cardinals hurler.

Position WAR: 1.2 (18th)

With Shane McClanahan and Jeffrey Springs recovering from Tommy John surgery and Drew Rasmussen recovering from an internal brace procedure, the Rays aren't exactly going into the winter loaded with healthy starters.

But whereas the Rays are generally able to dig up pitching, catching has been another matter recently. Suffice it to say that not much offense has been coming from the position since Mike Zunino went off for 33 homers in 2021.

Potential Fit: C Mitch Garver (Free Agent)

Garver has a history of being a low-key dangerous hitter when he's healthy, and that was the case again this season as he put up an .870 OPS and 19 homers in 87 games. Even if he probably couldn't catch every day, he'd be worth a slight budget stretch for the Rays.

Position WAR: 0.0 (28th)

To give credit where it's due, Rangers relievers have mostly been just fine thus far in the playoffs in route to the World Series. They have a 3.72 ERA with three saves in four tries.

But can a few good weeks redeem something this awful? One thinks not, and that's without even considering that Texas' pen will lose one of its best relievers when Aroldis Chapman files for free agency.

Potential Fit: LHP Josh Hader (Free Agent)

This is easily the most obvious fit for Hader, a five-time All-Star closer who's posted ERAs in the 1.00s in two of the last three seasons. That doesn't mean a partnership is a fait accompli, mind you, but Hader's agent should initiate a conversation if Rangers GM Chris Young doesn't do it first.

Position WAR: 2.1 (17th)

If you want to split hairs, second base wasn't so much a proper weakness as a mere shortcoming for the Blue Jays this season. The guys they used weren't great, but they weren't altogether bad either.

All the same, Whit Merrifield is all but certain to have his $18 million option declined and the Jays. Otherwise, the Jays can simply do better than a Cavan Biggio-Santiago Espinal timeshare at the Keystone.

Potential Fit: INF Jake Cronenworth (Trade)

This is a long shot, but the Blue Jays wouldn't be wasting their time if they at least inquired about Cronenworth's availability. He's simply not a first baseman, after all, and his way back to second base in San Diego is blocked by the excellent Ha-Seong Kim.

Position WAR: 1.0 (27th)

Remember when Victor Robles was a key piece of the Nationals' core? That was only in 2019, but it feels like forever go after four straight ineffective and injury-marred seasons.

It was mostly Alex Call who filled in for Robles while the latter missed substantial time with a bad back this season, and he wasn't much better. A veteran stopgap would be a nice thing to have while the Nationals wait on prospects Dylan Crews and James Wood.

Potential Fit: CF Harrison Bader (Free Agent)

It was this time last year that Bader was one of the breakout stars of the 2022 playoffs, but he's since fallen back into a pattern of not hitting and missing time with injuries. For Washington, he'd be a nice pickup as a Jeimer Candelario-style reclamation project.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.