The Hot Stove season is just getting started, but before the action really heats up, we’re examining each Major League Baseball team to identify its biggest needs this offseason.
From the usual big-money spenders destined to scour the free-agent market, to the teams with deep farm systems that will fare better on trade deals, we’ve got everyone covered.
To kick things off, our series begins with the American League East. Here are the biggest needs for one of the most competitive divisions in baseball:
Teams are listed in order of their records, best to worst, in the 2025 season.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
(Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Biggest need: Keeping Bo Bichette in Canada
Coming off an emotional and disappointing end to a hugely successful season, the defending AL champions quickly crossed off a priority on their offseason checklist when Shane Bieber opted into a one-year, $16 million deal instead of becoming a free agent. Now, they need to keep adding on by focusing on their homegrown shortstop. Bichette battled back from injury and, after seven weeks of no game action, returned during the World Series to become their hit machine. It’s time for Toronto to repay him.
Fortunately for the Blue Jays, as they aim to keep Bichette in Canada for the foreseeable future, the feeling is mutual. Bichette has been vocal about his preference to remain in the organization that raised him. But don’t expect the process to be nearly as swift or painless as it was for Bieber. Bichette is hitting the market at the prime age of 27, and there will be multiple suitors for one of the top hitters of the game. Plus, he just spent the World Series playing a more-than-serviceable second base, all while being at less than 100% health. Teams that have vacancies at shortstop, second, or third base should be salivating at the thought of signing Bichette.
Bichette has produced similar numbers to Corey Seager through the veteran shortstop’s age-26 season. Elite company for an elite hitter. Toronto has to be prepared to pay up to include Bichette in their long-term plans. It will be fascinating to see how long Bichette tests the market to drive up his price, which is expected to top $200 million.
NEW YORK YANKEES
(Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Biggest need: Re-signing Cody Bellinger
It was odd to see Aaron Judge and his Yankees teammates sitting courtside at the New York Knicks’ season opener a couple of weeks ago. It was the middle of October, and there were playoff games taking place, but the powerhouse Yankees weren’t a part of the action. How can they avoid getting eliminated next postseason, and build an indomitable roster?
It starts with re-signing Bellinger, who was a key performer at four positions for the 2025 Yankees. His transition into pinstripes was seamless. The former MVP posted a 125 OPS+ in 152 games. He was a leader in the clubhouse. He was consistent and durable. Outside of Aaron Judge, Bellinger was their MVP. Landing him on a multi-year deal to return to the Bronx will give the Yankees an everyday center fielder in a Trent Grisham-less world.
Otherwise, the Yankees could target free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker. While his bat would be an asset to the lineup, he doesn’t make a ton of roster sense. Tucker taking over right (or left) field would push Aaron Judge to center, and that defensive alignment is suboptimal. The Yankees prefer an everyday centerfielder who is not Judge. They don’t seem to trust Jasson Dominguez there. And Bellinger has already demonstrated he can effectively fill that role. Tucker, of course, is the bigger acquisition and the Yankees should go for it. I just don’t think they will. And losing Bellinger’s versatility in the field would hurt them too much.
BOSTON RED SOX
(Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Biggest need: Starting pitching
The Red Sox had a turbulent season, highlighted by the Rafael Devers Drama, before shocking everyone and making the playoffs. Though it was an early exit after losing to the Yankees in the Wild Card round, there were some encouraging developments to expand on. That starts with adding a quality arm behind ace Garrett Crochet to create a formidable 1-2 punch.
The Red Sox have a farm system brimming with young talent, so they’re expected to trade for a starter rather than buy one. And if the Tigers are serious about shopping Tarik Skubal, the Red Sox have the trade capital to land him. The thought of a Skubal-Crochet 1-2 punch should petrify opposing teams to the bone, and it’s almost too tantalizing to believe it could come true for a Red Sox fan base that has seen more superstars leave the organization than enter it since their 2018 championship. Other potential trade targets include Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcántara, Joe Ryan, Mitch Keller, and Luis Severino.
If you’re surprised that Boston’s biggest need isn’t re-signing Alex Bregman or an alternate corner infielder, that’s because they have an in-house option in Marcelo Mayer. He was called up to the big leagues after Bregman went on the injured list in May, and after a slow start, Mayer posted a .788 OPS with four home runs in June. If he can stay healthy, he could be the answer at third. Bregman is likely going to demand a higher asking price than the Red Sox are comfortable giving him.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Biggest need: Outfield impact bats (and roof over their stadium)
I’m only half-joking about that roof, which is expected to be built back up at Tropicana Field sometime in 2026. It still sounds like there is a possibility that the Rays will play their initial home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ winter and spring training complex. Besides a little more normalcy for 81 home games, the Rays also need to upgrade their outfield production. An outfield group consisting mainly of Jake Mangum, Chandler Simpson, Josh Lowe, and Christopher Morel ranked 26th in MLB in terms of OPS+ this past season. That has to be better. But how will they fix it?
The Rays’ payroll situation isn’t going to dramatically change this winter, but it’s also unlikely that they will run the same team back after finishing 77-85 and falling to fourth place in the division. That being said, it’s easy to imagine a world in which the Rays rely on Simpson and Mangum taking steps forward next year with their rookie seasons behind them. They could get creative and move fast with a sneaky move if the opportunity presents itself, a la the acquisition of infielder Ha-Seong Kim in early February. Barring a trade or two, expect the Rays to shop in the mid- to low-tier of free-agent outfielders. This winter, some of the top names in that group include Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, Max Kepler, Starling Marte, and Grandal Grichuk.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Biggest need: Starting pitching
Are the Orioles just going to stand pat and watch all the other teams in the division get better and contend for the playoffs, or are they going to make a scurry of significant moves to upgrade their roster? With an owner who is reported to have a net worth upwards of $4 billion, it has to be the latter. David Rubenstein took full control of the Orioles before the 2024 season, and we’re still waiting for him to infuse the roster with cash and bring in marquee free agents. Maybe this is the year.
The O’s plan of running out Zach Eflin as their ace, backed up by Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton, and Tomoyuki Sugano, didn’t work. It was viewed as a weak starting rotation heading into the 2025 season, and it unsurprisingly performed that way. The O’s should be shopping at the top of the free-agent market for arms like Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Michael King. There is no penny-pinching excuse. There should be no restraints.
They have a young and promising lineup that’s due for a bounce-back season in 2026 after underwhelming results in 2025. They have a new manager in Craig Albernaz with a ton of optimism surrounding his hire. Now, they need a viable starting rotation to bring the Orioles back from the AL East basement. It was only two years ago when, led by ace Corbin Burnes, Baltimore boasted a 101-win season, followed by an early playoff exit due to — stop me if you’ve heard this before — a lack of quality starting pitchers. It’s past time for the O’s to fill up their rotation with top arms to supplement the stars in their lineup.
Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
