Three biggest free-agent needs for Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rays

The Hot Stove has been cold through the first three weeks of November, but the action is expected to heat up soon with MLB’s winter meetings nearing. In the meantime, we’re examining each team to identify its three biggest needs this offseason and which free agents could fulfill them.

Our series begins with the American League East.

NEW YORK YANKEES

1. Signing the best young free agent in 20 years: The club’s top priority this winter is ensuring Juan Soto stays in pinstripes, but if he doesn’t, then the Yankees will need to look for outfield help, especially since Alex Verdugo is unlikely to return in free agency. Outside of top prospect Jasson Domínguez, who should be on the Opening Day roster, free agents Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander would be solid fits in the Bronx, keeping in mind there’s a significant drop-off in outfield talent after them.

2. Second base: Brian Cashman didn’t exactly offer glowing remarks for Gleyber Torres as the Yankees’ seven-year second baseman entered free agency, and the two sides always seemed destined to eventually part ways. New York’s roster needs to get younger and faster, so infield prospect Caleb Durbin could make a huge impact if he’s big-league ready. Durbin turned heads in the Arizona Fall League, setting an all-time record by stealing 29 bases in just 24 games. The Yankees could also move Jazz Chisholm to second, a spot he manned his first couple of years with the Marlins (or even to center field, where he was playing prior to being traded to New York, if the Yanks don’t land a star outfielder). But the need would then shift to adding a third baseman.

3. First base: Anthony Rizzo’s time in the Bronx has all but definitely come to an end, and while rookie Ben Rice was serviceable at first base in 2024, the Yankees could use a higher-impact bat. Will they go for free-agent slugger Pete Alonso? If they don’t get their white whale in Soto, they might need to pivot to more of a sure-thing at first, like the Polar Bear or D-backs veteran Christian Walker. But the first base market is thin, so developing Rice at the corner-infield position and going for a bigger splash elsewhere could be something of a Plan B.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

1. Starting pitching: Baltimore badly needs free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes to stay, and thanks to its new ownership group led by private equity billionaire David Rubenstein, the organization can afford to keep him. It will be interesting to see how much the O’s flex their financial muscle in pursuit of arguably the top starter on the market, but they need an ace either way because they’re legitimate title contenders. So, if Burnes walks away, other top-line free-agent rotation possibilities include Blake Snell, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi and Nathan Eovaldi.

2. Outfield: If Santander departs in free agency, the Orioles are losing a switch-hitting righty-swinging right fielder who amassed 105 home runs for them over the past three seasons. That will be impossible to replace on the open market unless they land Soto or Hernandez, so the O’s might as well take their shot at developing 25-year-old Heston Kjerstad and giving him a full-season runway in right. He was, after all, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Baltimore could also look at free agents Jurickson Profar, Tyler O’Neill and Randal Grichuk to fill the hole.

3. Bullpen/catching depth: Adley Rutschman needs a backup, so that will surely be a priority for the O’s this winter. Yasmani Grandal, Jacob Stallings or Kyle Higashioka could make sense there. But it also wouldn’t hurt to pad the bullpen with more security behind returning closer Felix Bautista. The O’s can make a statement by signing high-leverage reliever Tanner Scott, who will have a surplus of pursuers in his free agency, with righties Clay Holmes and Carlos Estévez serving as other targets.

1. A superstar: The Red Sox have to stop playing around. After a three-year playoff drought, enough is enough. They need to galvanize the team and fan base by spending big and fully committing to winning the winter, and there’s no better place to start than by going the distance for Soto. Their exciting young core should excite Soto, as will being the face of the franchise. Boston’s desire to contend has seemed like an afterthought since Mookie Betts was traded nearly five years ago. That can all change by making Soto an offer he can’t refuse.

2. Starting pitching: Speaking of superstars, Boston could use one of those in the rotation. The Red Sox’s previous championship teams all had an ace (or two) leading the staff, and now would be a terrific time to go for Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell or Max Fried. If they all come off the board, then arms like Sean Manaea or Yusei Kikuchi should be very attainable for Boston, and trading for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet would also stabilize the rotation. With or without Soto, the rotation is where the Red Sox must spend big.

3. A right-handed bat: A few exciting names stand out for the Red Sox to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup. Teoscar Hernandez, whom Boston courted last offseason before he went to the Dodgers, would be an excellent fit in Boston. Alex Bregman could take over duties at the hot corner, allowing Rafael Devers to shift to first base or DH full time. Pete Alonso would also make sense, and would send a strong message to the competitive AL East. The Red Sox might need to act fast to land any one of these top free agents.

1. Outfield: Randy Arozarena’s trade-deadline departure is still being felt in Tampa, and the Rays have work to do to improve their offense. That starts with the outfield, and since they have a surplus of pitching, they could start by trading for an outfielder who could slot into the heart of their lineup. The White Sox have been floating the idea of trading away All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. for a while now, so it could make sense for the Rays to find a way to get a deal done there. They definitely can take on his team-friendly deal.

2. Catcher: Tampa Bay needs a stopgap catcher until prospect Dominic Keegan is ready to make the leap to the major leagues. They already have lefty Ben Rortvedt, so a right-handed backstop would be ideal. Free-agent veterans like Kyle Higiashioka, Elias Diaz and Jacob Stallings could work.

3. Shortstop: Speaking of missing former stars, the Rays have lacked production at shortstop since Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave late in the 2023 season. Taylor Walls has been mediocre there since, producing a 55 OPS+ over 84 games last year, with Jose Caballero picking up the rest of the workload but still lacking impact at the plate. No. 1 prospect Carson Williams’ MLB debut can’t come soon enough, and since the Rays aren’t going to spend, they could look at a thin trade market for shortstops or just hold with what they have until they promote Williams at some point this year.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

1. Extend Vlad and add a big bat: Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would set the tone for everything else Toronto needs to accomplish this offseason. While the Blue Jays are in the mix for Soto, he’d want to know whether Guerrero will be sticking around with him on a potential long-term deal, because that significantly boosts their chances of being an annual contender. The Jays would also improve their chances of attracting other big-name free agents beyond Soto — like Hernandez, Santander, Alonso, Bregman, Tyler O’Neill and Jurickson Profar — by committing to Guerrero.

2. Relief pitching: The Blue Jays’ relief corps just recorded the worst fWAR (-2.5) and the second-worst bullpen ERA (4.82) in baseball, so improving that unit has to take top priority in order to become a threat in this division again. We’ve seen bullpen arms getting more and more expensive lately, so Toronto will have to commit to spending big to revitalize its relief unit. The club needs to settle on a closer, and then add two or three more high-leverage arms. Free agents like Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, Carlos Estevez, Jeff Hoffman, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Kenley Jensen should be of the utmost interest to the Jays.

3. Catching depth: Alejandro Kirk needs a catching partner, and his old friend Danny Jansen is back on the market after Toronto traded him to the Red Sox for three prospects this past summer. Kirk and Jansen are only two years removed from combining to create the best offensive catching duo in baseball with a 7.9 fWAR in 2022. But Jansen won’t come cheap this winter amid a thin catching market. The Jays can instead pivot to Higashioka, Carson Kelly or Austin Hedges for their backstop hole.

RELATED: AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.