Major League Baseball

Biggest roster needs, ideal player fits for all 15 NL teams

Updated Feb. 1, 2024 6:18 p.m. ET

This drawn out MLB offseason has had its moments, shocking us with Shohei Ohtani's $700 million Dodgers contract structure and Juan Soto's blockbuster trade to the Yankees. Some clubs appear finished with their shopping, while several others still have a ton of work to do.

Every team has holes, regardless, with the scale ranging anywhere from desperation to simply filling depth. With less than six weeks until pitchers and catchers begin reporting, we identify each National League squad's biggest remaining need — here's the American League version — and the player(s) best suited to fill it.

NL EAST

Atlanta Braves

Are the Braves done? It certainly seems like it after their blockbuster trade for star southpaw Chris Sale that sent prospect Vaughn Grissom to Boston. Atlanta's biggest question heading into spring training will be who gets the fifth (and perhaps sixth) starter spot, but that will likely be decided in-house by a competition between Bryce Elder, Reynaldo Lopez and right-handed prospect AJ Smith-Shawver.

So, beyond free-agent signings, Atlanta's biggest need is to sign president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos to a contract extension. His contract is set to expire after the 2024 season and, in classic Braves' rumor-mill silence, there has been no news of a possible extension. It wouldn't be surprising if they offered Anthopoulos a team-friendly deal, but they really can't afford to go that route, seeing as how a number of competitors will want to snatch the premier exec from Atlanta's grasp.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies already addressed what many believed was their biggest need heading into the winter, keeping Aaron Nola in red pinstripes. After seven years and $172 million got it done (which now looks like a bargain compared to the megadeals that other starters are getting), Dave Dombrowski must look at their other areas of concern. Like many teams, the Phillies need more pitching depth to put the finishing touches on a playoff run.

It's hard not to point to the bullpen as the main reason the Phillies fell short in October, losing to the Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the NLCS. Craig Kimbrel blew a couple of saves late in the series, and with his departure to Baltimore this winter, the Phillies need to fill the void. For years, really, the bullpen has been the thorn in the Phillies' side. Dombrowski can make a huge splash by signing Josh Hader this offseason. Arguably the best closer in baseball right now, Hader will cost a lot more than the Phillies may be willing to dish out. But the coveted left-hander sure looks like the final piece that could give Philly its first championship since 2008.

Miami Marlins

The Marlins have one of the tougher tasks of any team this winter: replacing a slugger who cranked 36 home runs in 2023. Though Jorge Soler has not yet signed in free agency, he is still expected to leave Miami with a gaping hole on offense. The Fish certainly need a designated hitter, but they could also try to make up for Soler's loss by adding at shortstop. A player who makes a lot of sense is Tim Anderson, who could benefit from a new environment. The two-time All-Star and former batting champ would presumably come at a bargain for the small-market club given his recent struggles. He slashed .245/.286/.296 in a miserable final year with the White Sox. But his OPS+ was a sterling 122 over the previous four seasons, so perhaps all he needs is a fresh start.

New York Mets

The Mets' dearth of quality starting pitchers means that, no matter what the front office does for the remainder of the winter, their biggest need will probably still be starters heading into Opening Day. As things stand, the fan base continues to be puzzled by just how competitive the Mets intend to be in 2024. Their rotation consists of Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino and two question marks, if Severino isn't a huge one himself. Back-end rotation options include recent pickup Adrian Houser and in-house arms Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi.

So far, the Mets' flashiest offseason signing has been their new president of baseball operations, David Stearns. If they plan to compete for the playoffs this year, as Stearns indicated, they'll need to sign one of the better starters on the free-agent market. After matching the Dodgers' offer for Yoshinobu Yamamoto but ultimately missing out on the Japanese right-hander, the Mets seem more likely to shop for someone like Michael Lorenzen or Mike Clevinger than they do Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. Either way, the Mets need to make at least one move, if not a series of them, to realistically contend.

Washington Nationals

After adding Nick Senzel to play the hot corner, the Nationals are still looking for more help across the diamond to split time with Joey Meneses. They have an in-house option in Juan Yepez, who agreed to a minor-league deal with the Nats after his disappointing season with the Cardinals. But the Nationals could look at the free-agent market to fortify first base, perhaps signing someone like Carlos Santana or Trey Mancini to pair with Meneses.

NL CENTRAL

Milwaukee Brewers

It's tough to answer what the Brewers' biggest need is when their direction for 2024 still seems unclear. Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes continues to be floated as a potential trade candidate. If Burnes leaves the picture, the Brewers are clearly launching a rebuild. Either way, Milwaukee stands to improve at the corner infield spots, particularly at first base. If they're not interested in a reunion with Carlos Santana, Brandon Belt or Garrett Cooper would be a good fit. The 33-year-old Cooper struggled between Miami and San Diego last year, but sported a 115 OPS+ from 2019-2022 for the Marlins. He also could platoon with new pickup Jake Bauers.

Chicago Cubs

The first jaw-dropping moment of this offseason belonged to the Cubs, when they hired Craig Counsell as manager on a record-breaking contract. But since then? They've spent a grand total of $0 in free agency and made no notable transactions. While the silence from the North Side is a bit eerie, Chicago's biggest need remains the same as it was when the season ended. They must keep Cody Bellinger in a Cubs uniform. The outfielder/first baseman returned to All-Star-caliber production in his first season in Chicago, and whatever the Cubs have unlocked seems to be working. Thanks in part to Bellinger's hot bat, the Cubs had a shot at the playoffs before stumbling in September. They can jump back into October baseball with Counsell squeezing the most out of the roster, Bellinger continuing to rake, and possibly adding another starting pitcher, like Montgomery.

Cincinnati Reds

Though the Reds haven't committed, say, $700 million in free-agent spending this winter, they're still among the top five teams in terms of overall expenditure. Certainly, starting pitching was a huge need, and they've dutifully addressed it by adding Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez to the rotation. Adding Emilio Pagán and re-signing Buck Farmer strengthens the bullpen, and Cincinnati's infield is completely stacked following the addition of Jeimer Candelario. The Reds were so busy that they're in the same boat as the Braves and mostly done making moves this offseason, unless they finally decide to unload Jonathan India. No club could have enough arms, so shoring up some more pitching depth is really the Reds' only remaining need. Left-hander Matt Moore or righty Phil Maton make sense for the bullpen. Moore's low walk rate (5.6%) last year would be a boon for a Cincinnati relief corps that tied with two other clubs for the fourth-worst walk rate (11%) in MLB.

Pittsburgh Pirates

After filling their obvious void at first base by signing Rowdy Tellez, the Pirates still could use a middle of the rotation arm and maybe even a second baseman. The free-agent market for the latter isn't particularly flashy, but the Pirates could look at trade options. The Padres are reportedly shopping Ha-Seong Kim, and he would be a terrific fit in Pittsburgh from a defense and production standpoint. Kim was a huge bargain for San Diego last season, crushing a career-high 17 home runs and flashing a 112 wRC+ all while making just $7 million. He also earned a Gold Glove after posting +10 DRS and +7 OAA. Unless the Bucs sign or trade for a second baseman, they're likely to go into spring training with an open competition for that role. Infielder Liover Peguero, who possesses power but is still inconsistent at 22 years old, has shown a ton of promise.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cards came charging out of the gates this winter to try and make us forget about their miserable 2023 season. They added Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn in an effort to significantly improve the rotation's 5.08 ERA, which ranked 26th in MLB last year. Those moves should help some, but none of those arms scream postseason ace. It would be wise for St. Louis to continue adding more pitching depth to the rotation and bullpen. Perhaps the Cardinals will return to their aggressive ways and swing a deal for Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease. Then, we'd be talking about a complete departure from 2023.

NL WEST

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers took care of their biggest need (starting pitching) by winning the Yamamoto sweepstakes and then trading for (and extending) Tyler Glasnow. Shohei Ohtani filled their hole at designated hitter and gives the club one of the best hitting trios of all time, but they could actually still use some more balance in the lineup. Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Max Muncy and James Outman all bat from the left side, and with Mookie Betts shifting to second base in 2024, that opens up the possibility of Los Angeles adding a right-handed outfielder.

Teoscar Hernández has been linked to the Dodgers this offseason, and he makes sense as a right-handed bat playing left or right field at Chavez Ravine. But, then again, the Dodgers' offense is already completely and positively stacked. So, they could move on to another area of slight need in the bullpen. If they haven't already had the best offseason of all time, signing Hader would likely make them World Series favorites.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The D-backs have already done an excellent job of filling their offseason needs following a magical run to the World Series. They needed another solid starter and got more than that in Eduardo Rodríguez. They needed a third baseman to replace Evan Longoria, and got that in trading for Eugenio Suárez. Now, one hole still remains as they look to keep contending. Arizona needs a designated hitter, and free agent J.D. Martinez might just be the best fit. Martinez is already familiar with the D-backs, having recorded a 1.107 OPS in the second half of the 2017 season for the Snakes following a trade by the Tigers. Mike Hazen has expressed his desire to continue adding veterans to the roster to help the young D-backs stay centered in 2024, and Martinez would fit that bill perfectly.

San Diego Padres

The Padres need starting pitching, despite the returns they got in the Soto trade. Michael King will slot into the rotation, but the other additions — Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez and Drew Thorpe — are question marks. Like the Mets, San Diego has three definite starters in the rotation in Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and King. But there are plenty of unknowns even among that trio involving longevity and health. There are a handful of arms in-house that figure to battle for a spot, but the Padres really need to add at least one more starter to make up for the losses of Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Nick Martinez. Since they're looking to save money, one name they could go after via trade is Jesús Luzardo. Last year, the left-hander posted a 3.58 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 32 starts for the Marlins. Since he's only 26 years old, Luzardo would give the Padres a solid, young arm with a few years of team control.

San Francisco Giants

If the Giants have any hope of contending this season, they'll need to support ace Logan Webb with another top starter. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is still seemingly prepared to spend big after San Francisco lost out in the Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes. Trading for former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray could pay dividends in the back half of the season, as he spends the opening months rehabbing from Tommy John. But that's not going to be enough. The best names remaining via free agency are Snell and Montgomery, of course, while Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease appear less likely options given the trade capital they'll require. Perhaps the best fit is Japanese hurler Shōta Imanaga. He'll cost markedly less than Snell or Montgomery and San Francisco is a reported finalist for his services. The club also has no choice but to be aggressive given all the talent in the NL West.

Colorado Rockies

Ah, the annual task of persuading starters to pitch at Coors Field. Besides the fact that the Rockies are coming off a 103-loss season and figure to be the only noncompetitive team in the division, they're also facing the challenge of filling out their rotation. It's tough to convince anyone to pitch in the ultimate hitter's park. It's even tougher when the club is coming off its worst season in franchise history. Fortunately, there are a handful of older arms available who might be willing to continue their careers in high altitude, including James Paxton, Carlos Carrasco, Rich Hill and Zack Greinke.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer 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.