As the sounds of bats hitting balls and gloves receiving throws begin to warm hearts in Arizona and Florida with the beginning of spring training, it’s a perfect time to take stock of the changes that were made across Major League Baseball.
Earlier, we looked at the changes across the American League. And they were significant. But the money spent in the National League—especially by the Mets and Dodgers—put the baseball world on notice that there is an arms race in the game and those with the deepest pockets are going to buy the best talent. Those two teams weren’t the only ones in the NL to make significant changes this winter.
Let’s take a lap around the National League and check in with the changes to rosters.
National League East
There’s nowhere else to begin but the New York Mets. They signed Juan Soto to a record-shattering 15-year $765 million contract. Outbidding the Yankees is a big deal in the Big Apple, and the Mets did that with ease. But Soto wasn’t their only move this winter. They re-signed Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, and Jesse Winker. The Mets also added Clay Holmes, AJ Minter, and Ryne Stanek to bolster their bullpen, and added outfielder Jose Siri in a trade with Tampa. No team pushed their chips in harder than the Mets this winter.The Philadelphia Phillies might be the team to beat in the division but they had a relatively quiet winter. Their big addition was acquiring starter Jesus Luzardo in a trade with Miami. They also got Jordan Romano to help their bullpen and Max Kepler to provide depth in their outfield.
The Atlanta Braves figure to be in the mix every year in this division but they had more notable subtractions than any team in the East. Max Fried, Travis d’Arnaud, AJ Minter, Ramon Laureano, and Charlie Morton all left as free agents, and they traded Jorge Soler to the Angels. Their only incoming help: outfielders Jurickson Profar and Bryan De La Cruz.
The Washington Nationals became significantly more interesting this winter. They acquired first baseman Nathaniel Lowe from the Rangers in a trade and signed Josh Bell at the same position. They also added shortstops Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong. Their youth movement will continue to impact their major league roster as well.
The Miami Marlins once again traded away two of their better players, Jesus Luzardo and Jake Burger, for future assets. Their only addition of note is Cal Quantrill. However, the Marlins’ payroll is currently well under the threshold to take part in the luxury tax revenue sharing, so they should be incented to add more financial commitments in the coming weeks.
Kyle Tucker (30) of the Houston Astros hits a single in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas,on Oct. 28, 2022. Bob Levey/Getty Images
National League Central
The Chicago Cubs have emerged as the favorite to win the division in a winter of change across the Central. They made the big splash in the division, adding superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Astros. They also acquired bullpen depth with closer Ryan Pressly in a separate deal with Houston. Justin Turner was signed in the days just before games began to provide depth on the infield corners and Carson Kelly was brought in to help the catching depth. The Cubs made plenty of moves to win the division. But are they good enough to win more than that?If the Cubs were busy, the St. Louis Cardinals were the polar opposite. They did not sign a single free agent, and watched veteran leader Paul Goldschmidt leave as a free agent. Their replacement plan at first: former catcher Willson Contreras. And they’ve been courting trade offers for Nolan Arenado at third.
The Milwaukee Brewers have been the team to beat in the Central, but that changed this winter. They traded their closer Devin Williams to the Yankees and lost Willy Adames as a free agent. Wade Miley, Colin Rea, and Frankie Montas also left their pitching staff this winter. Nestor Cortes is their most notable addition.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will run it back with Paul Skenes at the top of their rotation, which is exciting for everyone except the batters facing him. They did make some interesting moves this offseason, including a reunion with Andrew McCutchen and the additions of Tommy Pham and Andrew Heaney. They lost Aroldis Chapman to free agency.
What, exactly, the Cincinnati Reds are doing remains a mystery. They traded Jonathan India to the Royals for Brady Singer to add a stud to their rotation. They also acquired Gavin Lux from the Dodgers and Taylor Rogers from the Giants. But how their additions change the mix dramatically is once again a TBD proposition.
Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles during warm-ups before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 2024. Eric Thayer/AP Photo
National League West
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, then proceeded to spend a boatload of money somehow getting better this winter—sparking a debate regarding whether their spending is actually bad for the game. They lost Walker Buehler, Jack Flaherty, and Gavin Lux from their championship roster. Incoming are Roki Sasaki, the top Japanese player on the market; and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernandez re-signed. Closer Kirby Yates comes in. As does reliever Tanner Scott. They’re the best team on paper in the entirety of MLB and it isn’t close. And Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound this season.The San Francisco Giants didn’t do much this winter but their two additions are notable. They signed shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year deal and brought in Justin Verlander on a one-year deal. They did lose Snell and Michael Conforto to the Dodgers, however.
The Arizona Diamondbacks had an intriguing winter as well. They signed shortstop Geraldo Perdomo to an extension and re-signed outfielder Randal Grichuk. But the acquisition of Josh Naylor from Cleveland to replace Christian Walker at first and the six-year deal with ace Corbin Burnes to bolster their rotation grabbed headlines.
The San Diego Padres are a mess right now as their owners fight a legal battle over who gets custody of the franchise. They lost Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, and Tanner Scott to free agency. Their most notable additions are pitchers Nick Pivetta and Kyle Hart—largely because of the ensuing trade speculation about returning starters such as Dylan Cease. They also added veterans Yuli Gurriel and Jason Heyward to provide championship experience on the bench.
The Colorado Rockies were terrible last year and did nothing to get better. They lost Brendan Rodgers and Cal Quantrill. Their fans need a hug because the other teams in this division are loaded with star power and the Rockies are … not.
