With the Major League Baseball postseason now moving into the Divisional Round, that means four teams were eliminated in the Wild Card round. And now the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins enter an offseason looking to take the next step.
The Brewers won the NL Central rather convincingly but were stunningly swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Toronto Blue Jays entered the season with World Series aspirations but were consistently inconsistent all regular season, and that remained the case in the Wild Card round against the Minnesota Twins. The Rays got off to a soaring start but were unable to overcome the losses of Shane McLanahan and Wander Franco. The Marlins, meanwhile, ran into the buzzsaw that was the Philadelphia Phillies.
Each team has different areas that they need to address this winter to take that next step. Here's one move that they should make.
Milwaukee Brewers: Upgrade at first base
A trade for Pete Alonso should be considered highly unlikely. There are varying accounts of how close a midseason trade was that would have sent Alonso to Milwaukee, but the general consensus is that a deal was never at the finish line.
But it wouldn't fit the Brewers' recent history to acquire Alonso, who is a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. They are more likely to trade players that fit that description, which is why there have been some trade rumors involving Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames.
With the hitting market relatively weak across the board, the Brewers may have to get creative in seeking upgrades at first base. But one player that rival executives have long believed to be a fit for Milwaukee is Brandon Belt, whose left-handed bat would play very well in the hitter-friendly American Family Field.
Toronto Blue Jays: Upgrading the lineup
The biggest question for the Blue Jays comes with the lineup that has holes at second base, third base, left field and designated hitter.
Of course, some of those holes can be filled by potentially re-signing Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt, Kevin Kiermaier or Whit Merrifield. But the odds are that most of them won't be back, meaning that the front office will have some serious firepower to replace.
But there's a significant need for another big bat, and could force the team to go out and acquire a star via either trade or free agency.
Tampa Bay Rays: Upgrade at catcher
There are a number of directions that I could have gone in here for the Rays, but upgrading the catcher position should be something that the team seriously considers.
In 2023, they had 31-year-old Christian Bethancourt see the bulk of action behind the plate, and he hit a mediocre .225/.254/.381 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI. Francisco Mejia saw 50 games behind the plate and Rene Pinto saw another 38 games behind the plate, but neither impressed in limited action.
Adding a catcher, whether it be through trade or free agency, should be high on the list of offseason priorities for Erik Neander. Adding a center fielder might also be something that the team considers, as Jose Siri hit only .222/.267/.494, though he did hit 25 home runs, is only 27 years old and making a mere $732,000 in 2023, so it's entirely possible that the team keeps him in that role in 2024.
Miami Marlins: Somehow replace Sandy Alcantara in 2024
With the news that right-hander Sandy Alcantara underwent Tommy John surgery, adding starting pitching now becomes the Marlins' top priority.
But let's face it. Replacing Alcantara, perhaps the best pitcher in franchise history, is an impossible task for the Marlins.
But they'll have to find arms capable of eating meaningful innings in 2024. The list of free agents includes Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, Lucas Giolito, Jordan Montgomery, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and others. It's difficult to imagine the Marlins adding one of the elite starters, but the front office will have to get creative in addressing what is suddenly a highly pressing need.
But Kim Ng showed at the deadline, through a series of swift moves at the deadline that included the Josh Bell and Jake Burger trades, that she's more than ready to do it.
