Major League Baseball’s offseason is a time for rebuilding and addressing weaknesses. Every team aims to improve, but some make more impactful moves than others.
By analyzing projected WAR (Wins Above Replacement) from FanGraphs Depth Charts, we can identify teams poised for significant production jumps at specific positions in 2025. This article will look at four of the teams that made the most substantial improvements.
Texas Rangers: Powering Up at Designated Hitter
The Texas Rangers have struggled at the designated hitter (DH) position for years. In 2024, they ranked 29th in WAR at DH, hitting a measly 15 home runs. To address this glaring weakness, the Rangers signed veteran slugger Joc Pederson.
Pederson, coming off a strong season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he hit 23 home runs and posted a career-best 151 wRC+, is expected to provide a significant boost. He’s projected to deliver a 134 wRC+ and 2.0 WAR in 105 games, transforming the Rangers’ DH spot from a liability to a strength. This move elevates the Rangers’ projected WAR rank at DH from 29th to 5th.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Building a Super Rotation
The Los Angeles Dodgers already had a solid pitching foundation, but injuries plagued them in 2024. For 2025 they will see the return of key arms like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Shohei Ohtani. Clayton Kershaw also re-signed and is expected to contribute midseason.
However, the Dodgers didn’t stop there. They made major waves by adding two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki. These additions create a potentially historic rotation, projected to be the best in baseball by a significant margin. Their projected starting pitcher WAR of 17.9 leads the league, a full win ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers went from being tied for 20th in starting pitching WAR to being projected 1st.
New York Mets: Soto’s Impact in Right Field
The New York Mets made a splash by acquiring superstar Juan Soto. Soto is projected to accrue 5.9 WAR as a right fielder this season. That would surpass the combined WAR from Mets right fielders over the past three seasons (5.7).
Soto is expected to bash 34 homers and log a .529 slugging percentage. The Mets’ right field production is set to skyrocket, with their projected WAR rank jumping from 20th to 2nd.
New York Yankees: Bullpen Overhaul
While the Mets gained a superstar, the New York Yankees focused on revamping their relief pitching. After ranking 19th in reliever WAR in 2024, they made key trades to bolster their bullpen. The acquisition of Devin Williams from the Brewers is particularly noteworthy. Williams, considered one of the top relievers in MLB, boasts impressive stats, including a .139 opponents’ batting average and a 39.5% strikeout rate over the past three seasons.
The Yankees also added Fernando Cruz. These moves are projected to elevate the Yankees’ bullpen to 3rd in WAR, a significant improvement.
For fans looking to catch all the action, especially if they’re out-of-market, VPN experts VPNpro has determined the best VPN for MLB TV on their website. This allows fans to bypass regional blackouts and enjoy every game.
The offseason is about making calculated improvements, and these teams have done just that. With these impactful changes, fans of the Rangers, Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about their teams’ prospects in the upcoming season.
Comment and Earn N5.... comments are approved manually by admin.. Comment must be long and from the post.. short comments will not be approved