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What each team needs to do after the winter meetings

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Although the winter meetings are done, there's still plenty of work left. Every team in Major League Baseball has its to-do list and some are lengthier than others. There remains a bucketload of free agents available for the taking, as well as top-flight players on the trade block.

With all that in mind, here's a look at what each team must focus on as the offseason enters its next phase:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Find a taker for Zack Greinke. The Diamondbacks' front office may be onto something in thinking they'll get a better return for him at the trade deadline in July, but that's a gamble. If he gets hurt, they're sunk. If he scuffles like he did in his first season with Arizona, the offers will fall flat. The real trick will be talking him into waiving his 15-team no-trade clause if they're interested in one of the proposals.

Atlanta Braves

Replace Nick Markakis. The outfield trio of Ender Inciarte, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Adam Duvall isn't bad, but it could use a little improvement. Duvall had a horrendous 2018 and Inciarte has become the subject of trade rumors recently. If Inciarte gets traded, signing both Michael Brantley and A.J. Pollock would be a big flex, even with that duo's collective tendency to get injured. If Inciarte stays, signing one of them would be perfect.

Baltimore Orioles

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Fix Chris Davis or move on. The 32-year-old is coming off not only his worst season, but one of the most disastrous offensive campaigns a major leaguer has ever endured. He slashed .168/.243/.296 and managed to appear in 128 games. Even if the Orioles can somehow get him back to his 2016 levels (.221/.332/.459), that would be a big improvement. His contract has four years and $92 million (plus another $92 in deferred salary) remaining. Cutting him would be a massive move, and one that is extremely unlikely, but even a rebuilding team can't justify rostering a player worth minus-3.1 wins above replacement.

Boston Red Sox

Bolster the bullpen. Neither the lineup nor the rotation need to be changed, and the Red Sox brought back key pieces in Steve Pearce and Nathan Eovaldi to maintain the status quo. They've pretty much said goodbye to Craig Kimbrel, and Joe Kelly signed in Los Angeles, so Boston needs to make at least one big addition to the relief corps. Zach Britton and former Red Sox reliever Andrew Miller remain on the market.

Chicago Cubs

Stick to the script. For better or worse, the Cubs are who they are and won't be changing much entering 2019. The rotation is pretty reliable one through five, and there isn't a glaring weakness in the lineup provided everyone plays relatively close to their best. There is still the wild-card idea that they're secretly working on a Bryce Harper contract, but expect their next moves to be smaller and more depth-related.

Chicago White Sox

Get your man, or men. It's Harper and/or Manny Machado or bust for the White Sox. That's been the goal for the South Siders since the offseason began, knowing that these players would help push a young team back to the edge of contention. They will need more, but signing either of these players is part of a larger, more incremental plan. Entering 2019 without Harper or Machado would be massively disappointing for Chicago, especially with the AL Central up for grabs.

Cincinnati Reds

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Add pitching, and lots of it. The winter meetings came and went, and the Reds didn't manage to bring in any of their coveted targets (Marcus Stroman and Sonny Gray among them). If you squint hard enough, you could be convinced that the lineup is good enough to contend, but the pitching staff as currently constructed offers no such hope. One piece won't do it, and two will only scratch the surface. The Reds have to start somewhere, though.

Cleveland Indians

Decide between Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber. Cleveland's offseason strategy remains puzzling, as the roster following their playoff ouster appeared good enough to waltz toward another AL Central title. Instead, they could be on the verge of dealing one of their best pitchers. Kluber would probably get a better return based on his pedigree, but Bauer is younger and entering his prime years.

Colorado Rockies

Add a first baseman. Yes, the Rockies still have Ian Desmond, but that's part of the problem. Desmond's abysmal 2018, plus the Rockies' window of contention technically still being open, make this an urgent need. This probably happens via trade for Justin Smoak or Edwin Encarnacion (if Seattle flips him) with the free-agent market mostly void of first basemen.

Detroit Tigers

Determine Nicholas Castellanos' value. Several teams are interested in trading for the 26-year-old outfielder who seems to gradually improve at the plate with every passing season. The asking price, for now, is apparently sky high, which could keep him in Detroit. Don't give him away, but don't let his market evaporate.

Houston Astros

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So, what about that starting rotation? With Charlie Morton off to Tampa Bay, the Astros don't have many options to fill the holes left by him and the injured Lance McCullers Jr. Re-signing Dallas Keuchel might be their best bet even if they haven't seemed keen on the idea. As good as the tandem of Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole is, Houston can't just rest on its laurels and hope to match the Red Sox or New York Yankees in the postseason. Give Cleveland a call for Kluber.

Kansas City Royals

Explore the trade market for Danny Duffy and Ian Kennedy. The Royals don't seem keen to move Whit Merrifield, so it's time to shift focus to their top two pitchers. Both are 30 or older, and neither will figure into the team's long-term plans. Kennedy has two years and $33 million left on his contract, while Duffy has three years and $46 million remaining. Neither is exactly a bargain, but they aren't prohibitive salaries, either. A team like the Angels, as you'll see next, or the aforementioned Astros could be decent trade partners.

Los Angeles Angels

Do something with the starting five. Currently, the Angels' rotation includes Andrew Heaney, Jaime Barria, Tyler Skaggs, Felix Pena, and Nick Tropeano. That's not good enough unless they clone Mike Trout eight times to bolster the lineup. With Patrick Corbin and Nathan Eovaldi off the board, they may have to get creative, but as constructed, this team doesn't look like it will be much of a challenger for the AL West title.

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Pawn Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig off on someone and sign Harper. The Dodgers have come up short in consecutive World Series and need to do more than sign Joe Kelly (though, that's a nice addition). An outfield with Harper, Cody Bellinger, and Joc Pederson/Chris Taylor would be pretty slick. The rotation is mostly set, and the rest of the offense is steady assuming Corey Seager comes back healthy. Harper is the ideal piece for a team needing to take another step forward.

Miami Marlins

The Marlins seem like they're ready to reduce their asking price for catcher J.T. Realmuto. Why settle for less? Realmuto is under team control until 2021, and the Marlins have no obligation to trade him, no matter how miserable he is there. While the service time system's fairness is a topic worthy of debate, Realmuto is at its mercy for the time being, and it might not be in the team's best interest to trade him right now. If they do get blown away, they should pounce. Until then, don't force the issue.

Milwaukee Brewers

Get an ace. Everyone in the farm system other than Keston Hiura should be available for the right price. With pitchers like Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard, Corey Kluber, and Trevor Bauer possibly up for grabs, the Brewers need to do what it takes. Trading for Sonny Gray would be decent, but more of a half measure. For this team to take the next step, they need reinforcements alongside a returning Jimmy Nelson.

Minnesota Twins

Pack it in, be realistic, and embrace a rebuild. On paper, the Twins just aren't good enough to be competitive and adding Nelson Cruz, to whom they have been linked, won't nearly do the trick. Their best bet is to explore the trade markets for Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, and perhaps their best trade chips in Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton. The outfielders would be nice to build around, but if they can re-stock the pitching prospect cupboard a bit by moving one of them, it would be worth it.

New York Mets

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Get J.T. Realmuto if it doesn't cost Noah Syndergaard. Every team connected to Syndergaard trade rumors should be kicking down the door to make it happen, but the Mets should just ignore them. Realmuto would help the team, but unless the price goes down a bit more, they'd be better off signing Wilson Ramos or Yasmani Grandal for a couple seasons and keeping Thor's hammer in the toolbox.

New York Yankees

Spend on relief. The Yankees could still spin to win and sign Machado to take over for Didi Gregorius at shortstop in both the short and long term. But after shoring up the starting rotation with the J.A. Happ signing and the James Paxton trade, the bullpen requires attention. It's fine as it stands (Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Chad Green, Tommy Kahnle), but bringing back either (or both) of Zach Britton or David Robertson would be a huge help.

Oakland Athletics

Fix the starting rotation. Plenty of teams have similar needs, and while the Athletics have been rumored to be pursuing DJ LeMahieu to replace Jed Lowrie, they should probably shift sights to the rotation and roll the dice with Franklin Barreto at second base. With Sean Manaea out for the season, their best starter might be Jesus Luzardo, but he's never stepped foot on a major-league diamond and may not get the call right away. It's unlikely they have the cash to go after Keuchel, but reuniting with Gio Gonzalez and taking a flier on Matt Harvey may be palatable alternatives until the young guns can take over.

Philadelphia Phillies

Spend that stupid money. The Phillies already signed Andrew McCutchen, but that's not nearly enough. They're in a similar situation to the White Sox in that they cannot feel good about their chances if they come out of this offseason without one of Harper or Machado. McCutchen and Jean Segura are excellent additions, but Philadephia is still a fringe contender at best. Sign one of the sluggers and maybe Keuchel, then go after that World Series jewelry.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Find an identity. The Pirates look like their best hope is to tread water en route to a .500 season, and that might be generous. The offense seriously lacks a difference-making linchpin, and the odds of them making a needed splash in free agency are almost nil. The rotation and bullpen are encouraging, though, so adding the right bats would clear things up substantially.

San Diego Padres

The Padres shored up second base by signing veteran Ian Kinsler. The next and most important order of business is improving the starting rotation. While Noah Syndergaard is the ideal candidate based on rumors, that will be a hard deal to get into place. Free-agent options are drying up quickly, and San Diego still has to figure out what it's doing at third base.

San Francisco Giants

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Go after Yusei Kikuchi and get younger. The Giants are old, and the offense needs a bit of an overhaul, meaning they should be pursuing trades for Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Joe Panik to recalibrate. Adding Kikuchi, the 27-year-old Japanese lefty, would help the rotation stay a bit younger and weather the storm if Madison Bumgarner eventually leaves in free agency.

Seattle Mariners

Keep dealing, Dipoto. Moving Kyle Seager is the next step, and it won't be easy thanks to the three years and $56 million left on his contract. After all the trades that have been made, the Mariners are not going to be competitive in 2019, but with Mallex Smith and Mitch Haniger sticking around, there could be a path to relevance by 2021 provided Seattle can get something out of Seager, Jay Bruce, and maybe Dee Gordon.

St. Louis Cardinals

Fix the bullpen. As much as Cardinals fans would really love to see a stunning, last-second entry by St. Louis into the Harper or Machado sweepstakes, it's not realistic, and Paul Goldschmidt will probably be their biggest offseason addition. The bullpen is a growing concern, but there are several options on the market like Adam Ottavino, Andrew Miller, Zach Britton, and even Craig Kimbrel, if they want to make the biggest financial splash. Ideally, they add two arms.

Tampa Bay Rays

Sign Nelson Cruz. Give him two years just like Charlie Morton, and solidify the roster for a couple seasons. The core of this team is extremely young and won't be far off from continuing a competitive stretch when those contracts expire. By then, Brent Honeywell, Brendan McKay, and maybe even Matthew Liberatore will graduate to the bigs.

Texas Rangers

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Trade Jurickson Profar. In 2012, Profar was the top-rated prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. Prospects are never a sure thing, but Profar's inability to live up to his expectations has been frustrating. But, he's still only 25, can play multiple positions, and had his best stretch as a pro in 2018. It may seem counter-intuitive for a rebuilding team to trade a young player of his profile, but that former top prospect shine could yield them a better return than anyone else on the roster.

Toronto Blue Jays

Add mid-tier pitching. While trading Smoak, Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, and/or Kevin Pillar are all possibilities, the Blue Jays still need to field a team in 2019. At the beginning of a possibly lengthy rebuild, investing too much in a pitcher like Keuchel makes less sense than going for those who will command shorter terms for less money. They've been linked to Trevor Cahill, Mike Fiers, and others like them, and those hurlers make a lot of sense even if they aren't too exciting.

Washington Nationals

Sign Marwin Gonzalez. Yes, adding another arm to the rotation would be nice, but getting the versatile Gonzalez would check off a lot of boxes. With players like Adam Eaton prone to injury, and Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick aging, Gonzalez covers them all off at once. He plays virtually every position, providing much-needed rest for his teammates while still playing almost every day. After that signing, the Nationals should get another starter, but first things first.

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