Pretend for a moment that the Major League Baseball offseason has started.

In addition to whatever issues all 30 teams had during the 2024 campaign, all those not currently signed to a contract or eligible for arbitration are now free agents. For some teams, the biggest area of need would be fixing something that prevented them from being successful this past year. For others, a star player who was a key cog for them in 2024 has now become a free agent, leaving them in flux.

As we prepare for the offseason, here's a look at the biggest weakness on every MLB roster.

AL West

Houston Astros: Alex Bregman's Potential Exit

Though it could complicate their ability to keep Kyle Tucker and/or Framber Valdez next offseason, it's hard to think of a scenario in which the Astros in 2025 aren't worse if Bregman leaves in free agency. Maybe there's a case to be made for Houston resetting a bit instead of dishing out a long-term deal to a player entering his age-31 season. But that would still likely mean taking a step back next season.

Seattle Mariners: Impact Hitters

Despite having arguably the best starting pitching staff in baseball, the Mariners missed the postseason in 2024 thanks to an anemic offense. Adding not just one, but multiple impact hitters to the lineup has to be priority No. 1 for president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto this offseason. Using some of their pitching depth to acquire another bat or two might be the best strategy, given that hitters aren't exactly eager to play 81 games a year at T-Mobile Park. If the Mariners go the free-agent route, they'll likely have to include some hazard pay.

Texas Rangers: Front-Line Starting Pitching

Jacob deGrom looked good across 10.1 innings as he returned from Tommy John surgery late in the season, but he hasn't made more than 15 starts in a season since 2015. Tyler Mahle and Kumar Rocker are other intriguing rotation pieces with injury histories. But there's not a lot of certainty at the top of the rotation with Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney and Max Scherzer all headed for free agency. Eovaldi might be someone who it makes sense to bring back. Also, if Jordan Montgomery picks up his $22.5 million player option and the Arizona Diamondbacks believe things are untenable, buying low on the former World Series hero could make sense.

Oakland Athletics: Ownership

John Fisher's ownership group has signaled that it plans to ramp up spending as the team nears a move to Las Vegas. Right now, they're looking at three years—at least—of limbo in Sacramento. Will the A's spend in a meaningful way this offseason? Color us skeptical, although Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler and Mason Miller all impressed this past season, so if ownership doesn't open up its pockets, this could be a sneaky wild-card contender in 2025.

Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout's Health

Even with a healthy Trout, the Angels aren't going to be a very good team. But they are a lot more watchable when the three-time AL MVP is in the lineup. For the third time in the past four years, Trout played in fewer than 85 games. At this stage of his career, he's probably not going to play 145-plus games on a regular basis ever again. However, moving him out of center field could help to reduce the stress on his body, and it's something the 33-year-old finally seems open to. The best scenario for Trout right now might be to just be a DH, but that seems unlikely. Convincing him to move to a corner outfield spot would be a good compromise.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers: Durable Starting Pitching

The Dodgers have been able to hit their way out of most of their issues, but that won't always be the case. Their pitching staff has been decimated by injuries this season. Some of that will correct itself next year, when Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May all potentially return from injuries. However, that group isn't exactly one you'd trust will avoid future injuries, so the Dodgers could really stand to add an arm who they know will give them 175-plus innings next year, even if it's not at an ace caliber.

San Diego Padres: Left Fielder

There aren't many holes on San Diego's roster, which is what makes it so disappointing that the Padres lost in the NLDS. However, Jurickson Profar was an All-Star this season amid a career year with 24 home runs, 85 RBI and an .839 OPS. It probably isn't realistic to think he'll match that season next year, which makes it difficult to evaluate the 31-year-old as a free agent. Still, if he's not back, left field becomes a question mark for the Friars.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Bounce-Back Seasons From Lefty Starters

On the heels of an NL pennant, the Diamondbacks spent big money in free agency to bring in both Montgomery and Eduardo Rodríguez. Neither signing worked out very well. Montgomery was signed just days before the season and never seemed to be in adequate shape. He has a $22.5 million player option for 2025 that he'll almost certainly pick up, even if owner Ken Kendrick has made things uncomfortable after Montgomery posted a 6.23 ERA across 117 innings. Meanwhile, Rodríguez posted a 5.04 ERA across 10 starts in the first season of a four-year, $80 million deal. If one or both of these arms bounce back for the Snakes in 2025, they will be World Series contenders.

San Francisco Giants: A Big Bat

In recent years, the Giants have tried and failed in courting big bats like Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. New president of baseball operations Buster Posey will now inherit the yearslong struggle of trying to get big bats to come to San Francisco. Oracle Park is arguably the nicest stadium in the sport. It's also one of the least hitter-friendly parks in the sport, with Barry Bonds in 2004 being the last Giant to homer 30 times in a season. The Giants need multiple big bats, and like the Mariners, they might be best served trying to find at least one on the trade market.

Colorado Rockies: Kris Bryant's Health

There are institutional problems in Colorado. Owner Dick Monfort seems content to just have his team participate every season. After more than 30 years of baseball being played at Coors Field, there still isn't an answer for how pitchers have consistent success. Those probably aren't going anywhere, and perhaps Bryant at this stage just won't be able to stay healthy. The former NL MVP has played in just 159 of a possible 486 games over his first three seasons in Colorado. For a team that doesn't do a ton of spending, whiffing on someone like Bryant hurts even more. He's got four seasons remaining on a seven-year, $182 million deal, and the Rockies have to hope that his back and entire body don't continue to fail him.

AL Central

Cleveland Guardians: Impact Starting Pitcher

The Guardians had one of the best bullpens of all time in 2024, but they—specifically closer Emmanuel Clase—ran out of gas in the ALCS. Ultimately, you can't expect your bullpen to pitch five innings every night. What manager Stephen Vogt needs is at least a starter or two he can count on to pitch deep into the game. Maybe that means re-signing Shane Bieber, although he is coming off Tommy John surgery. Whether it's trading prospects, spending money or some combination of the two, the Guardians need an ace if they are going to get to the World Series for the first time since 2016.

Kansas City Royals: Another Big Bat

For as great as Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez are, the Royals were too reliant on them in 2024. Vinnie Pasquantino had a breakout year, driving in 97 runs in 131 games. He's a nice piece, but Kansas City general manager J.J. Picollo needs to add at least one external bat this offseason. Would they be willing to spend to add a veteran hitter like Alex Bregman or Teoscar Hernández? If ownership wants to maximize their current window, they may need to step out of their financial comfort zone.

Detroit Tigers: A Big Bat

For as fun as the Tigers' mini postseason run was, it doesn't feel like something they can replicate with their current lineup. Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene are building blocks, while there's hope that Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson will become that. But president of baseball operations Scott Harris needs to add a veteran bat to this mix. Bregman has ties to manager A.J. Hinch, so that connection will certainly be made.

Minnesota Twins: Corner Outfielder

Max Kepler is set to become a free agent, and while there's plenty to like about Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner, neither has necessarily put together a full season as a starting outfielder. Given that Byron Buxton is also a wild card in center field, adding a veteran corner outfielder that's more of a sure thing might make some sense. The aforementioned Hernández would be an excellent fit, particularly since he can also DH if both Larnach and Wallner prove to be everyday players.

Chicago White Sox: Ownership

Obviously when you lose 121 games and it appears you intend to trade ace Garrett Crochet, just about every area of your roster needs to be fixed. But when your organization is in that poor of a position, it's usually a reflection of who is at the top. To that end, 88-year-old owner Jerry Reinsdorf is considering selling the team, and a fresh start for the organization would be best for all involved. Imagine if the White Sox had an owner who spent like they played in a major market.

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers: Brandon Woodruff's Health

Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, missed the entire 2024 season recovering from shoulder surgery. Milwaukee could have some defections this offseason, with Willy Adames set to become a free agent and Devin Williams a possible trade candidate. But if Woodruff returns to pitching like a frontline starter, the Brewers are going to have an excellent rotation with him, Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, Colin Rea and Aaron Civale.

St Louis Cardinals: Salary Issues, Apparently

The Cardinals are overhauling their farm system and making investments into their pipeline. That's great, but in order to do so, billionaire owner Bill DeWitt Jr. and the Cardinals apparently plan to cut MLB payroll in 2025. OK then. Closer Ryan Helsley and ace Sonny Gray are two veterans teams will be happy to take off their hands while helping them accumulate young talent.

Chicago Cubs: High-Leverage Relievers

Porter Hodge and Tyson Miller are two exciting bullpen pieces for the Cubs moving forward, but this is a team that could stand to add at least one high-leverage reliever in the offseason to help solidify manager Craig Counsell's bullpen. It might be unlikely they can land either Williams or Helsley in a trade from their division rivals, but Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman and Blake Treinen could all be interesting targets in free agency.

Cincinnati Reds: A Veteran Starting Pitcher

New manager Terry Francona should benefit from the return of Matt McLain, who missed all of 2024 recovering from shoulder surgery after looking like a budding star in his rookie season. He would also benefit from a stabilizing veteran in a rotation that includes intriguing young talents in Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported previously that the Reds are expected to be a suitor for Gray if the Cardinals do indeed shop him. A return for Gray to Cincinnati, where he pitched from 2019-2021, would surely help the Reds.

Pittsburgh Pirates: A Big Bat

Hopefully owner Bob Nutting saw the electricity of what Paul Skenes did in his rookie year and is willing to spend a bit to help maximize the window he has with one of baseball's most exciting pitchers. If the Pirates want to bring back franchise icon Andrew McCutchen for another season, great. But that can't be the only big signing and/or trade this offseason to build the lineup. Even if McCutchen returns to be the primary DH, first base and right field are major areas to upgrade. Are the Pirates going to spend to sign Pete Alonso or Juan Soto? Almost certainly not. But what about signing Christian Walker to play first base? Or trading for Yandy Díaz? There are solutions if Nutting is willing to increase payroll a moderate amount.

AL East

New York Yankees: Juan Soto's Potential Exit

Third base and the bullpen will be areas general manager Brian Cashman needs to address this offseason, but nothing comes close to being as big of a priority as re-signing Soto. Still in his mid-20s, Soto homered 41 times and posted a .989 OPS in his first season with the Yankees. Doing whatever it takes to make sure he doesn't leave to sign with the Mets or another team is imperative.

Baltimore Orioles: Front-Line Starting Pitching

The Orioles were too thin on starting pitching when the postseason rolled around this year. With Corbin Burnes set to become a free agent, starting pitching is the biggest priority, even with the struggles of the bullpen factored in. New owner David Rubenstein could build up great equity with his fanbase by shelling out $200-plus million to re-sign Burnes. If not, O's general manager Mike Elias could try to sign multiple free-agent starters to rebuild the rotation, such as Sean Manaea and Nathan Eovaldi. They could also try to acquire Garrett Crochet from the White Sox. Kyle Bradish may very well miss all of next season recovering from Tommy John surgery, while Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez have injury histories of their own. One way or another, Baltimore needs to land multiple starters this offseason.

Boston Red Sox: High-Leverage Relievers

Only six teams had a worse bullpen ERA in 2024 than the Red Sox, with their arm barn finishing with an unsightly 4.39 mark. The Red Sox traditionally would have tried to solve that problem by acquiring a star closer, like Helsley or Williams. But the organization hasn't operated that way in recent years. Still, if Kenley Jansen isn't going to return, the Red Sox can't just bank on Liam Hendriks being healthy in 2025. Signing a veteran who could close if needed—like Scott, Hoffman or Carlos Estévez— would be a wise investment for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

Tampa Bay Rays: Veteran Bat

Manager Kevin Cash will get a major boost in the starting rotation with the likes of Shane McClanahan, Shane Baz and Jeffrey Springs set to be healthy entering the season. Lineup wise, the Rays have a fairly non-descript group outside of Yandy Díaz, who is a former AL batting champion. Cristopher Morel and Dylan Carlson are interesting reclamation projects. Junior Caminero, just 21, is an exciting player. But this team needs a veteran. The way the Rays operate, it might be someone who is looking to rebuild their value on a one-year deal. Among those who could fit that profile are Michael Conforto, Gleyber Torres, Max Kepler and J.D. Martinez.

Toronto Blue Jays: Lack of Long-Term Deals For Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette

Both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette have publicly indicated a desire to remain with the Blue Jays beyond their contract years of 2025. Eventually, though, either a long-term deal needs to be reached with at least one of the two parties, or Toronto should consider trade offers. They'll get more in return now than shopping either at the trade deadline or letting them walk in free agency for draft-pick compensation. From here, Guerrero—who hit 30 homers and posted a .940 OPS—should be the bigger priority. But there would be a long line for either Guerrero or Bichette if they were truly available on the trade market.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies: High-Leverage Relievers

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will need to figure out how the Phillies proceed in center and left field, but Brandon Marsh, Austin Hays and Johan Rojas are all under team control still. The two highest-leverage relievers for the Phillies from the second half of the 2024 season—Hoffman and Estévez— are free agents. It doesn't sound likely the Phillies will bring both back, given that the expectation is they will each get multiyear deals. But whether it's one of those two or thinking bigger after a postseason meltdown by the bullpen, finding late-game answers is crucial for the Phillies this winter.

Atlanta Braves: Health

This one is pretty cut-and-dry. By the time the postseason rolled around, the Braves were without Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, Austin Riley, Chris Sale and A.J. Minter. It was about as devastating a year as you can have from an injury perspective, considering Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies also missed considerable time. Only so much of that can be blamed on bad luck. The Braves as an organization need to formulate a plan to stay healthier in 2025.

New York Mets: Impact Starting Pitching

President of baseball operations David Stearns will have to make decisions this winter on both Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, both of whom will be free agents after reviving their careers in New York. Will each get the one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer extended to them? And if they decline it, how do the Mets proceed? Do they think Manaea and/or Severino can maintain this level of pitching for multiple seasons, or would they pivot to trying to sign Burnes? Stearns, of course, was in Milwaukee when Burnes won the 2021 NL Cy Young Award.

Washington Nationals: A Veteran Bat

There's a lot of young talent to be excited about in D.C., namely James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams, Luis García Jr. and Jacob Young. President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo declared at the end of the season that "some veteran leadership is warranted," suggesting the Nats could give a multiyear deal in free agency. Alonso, Walker, Hernández and Paul Goldschmidt could all be worth considering in free agency as Washington tries to return to contention.

Miami Marlins: Well, Pretty Much Everything

President of baseball operations Peter Bendix has commenced a full-scale teardown of the team, rebuilding the whole organization in his vision. All there really is to look forward to are the returns of Sandy Alcántara, Jesús Luzardo and Eury Pérez to the mound. But particularly in the cases of the first two, good results will very likely mean a trade to a contending team. The Marlins are stuck in a never-ending cycle of ownership groups who aren't interested in spending on the team, which has contributed to a very small fanbase that has little to look forward to.