As we close the book on another offseason, there are many ways to assess what a team did to improve its roster over the winter. But rather than attempt to label teams as definitive winners or losers of hot stove season, with Opening Day on deck, I’m more curious about one simple question:
How different are the 30 MLB teams now, compared to the ones we watched in 2023?
Free-agent and trade activity throughout the winter months ensure that many of the game’s stars change teams before every season, but that’s not the only way rosters evolve. There’s natural turnover by way of injuries, player development and regression, and shuffles of the depth chart based on the preferences of the coaching staff or front office. Some teams decide to rebuild; others choose to run it back.
In turn, every new season features a fresh cast of characters performing in new settings across the league. For each fan base, the everyday contributors on the roster become the main characters of the season. Regardless of whether a team is good or bad, the connections with these players are a big part of the fan experience over the course of the summer and into the fall.
So instead of attempting to determine which teams improved the most since the 2023 season concluded, consider this an objective way to measure which fan bases will be tasked with learning the most new names and faces and which will be afforded the comfort of familiarity.
So which teams stand out? Let’s take a closer look here.
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