American League Central2 of 6
A taker for Andrew Benintendi (if possible)
Another dice-roll signing
An extension with one of their up-and-comers
The White Sox checked a huge box when they finally offloaded Luis Robert Jr. on Tuesday. Also jettisoning Benintendi will be much harder, though they don’t need to do so to create space for, say, Michael Conforto after adding LaMonte Wade Jr. as a reclamation project on Thursday.
What would really be interesting is if the White Sox threw their starving fans a bone by extending one of the young guys. Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery are candidates after their strong rookie seasons in 2025.
An impact bat
Bullpen depth
Starting pitching depth
Speaking of starving fans, the Guardians have done nothing to fortify their position as defending AL Central champions. And this is even though they would seem to have room to sink tens of millions into their 2026 payroll.
It seems a little late for the Guardians to totally salvage their offseason, but the bat should certainly take precedent. Harrison Bader makes a lot of sense for them, as do lower-rent options like Miguel Andujar and Austin Hays.
Clarity on Tarik Skubal
Starting pitching depth
Another bat
Skubal’s name has had trade rumors swirling around it all winter, and whether or not the Tigers follow through will shape the whole tone of their 2026 season. Suffice it to say that if they do move him, it had better be for a generational return.
As things stand, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner needs support in Detroit’s rotation. Per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt are on the club’s radar as potential signees.
An impact bat
Bullpen depth
The Royals aren’t one of the big winners of the winter, but they’ve done some low-key solid moves to get deeper, particularly on offense and in their bullpen. Isaac Collins got NL Rookie of the Year votes in 2025, and they were able to get him from Milwaukee in a trade for a lefty reliever.
With Rosenthal reporting that Kansas City is likely out on Jarren Duran and Brendan Donovan, another bat could be hard to get. But there are always bullpen options out there, and they would make sense for a Shelby Miller or a Ryan Brasier.
More bullpen depth
Can’t-refuse offers for star players
The Twins never seemed likely to load up this winter, so it was actually a pleasant surprise when they sunk $16 million into Victor Caratini and Taylor Rogers in the last few days. Even after the latter’s arrival, though, another reliever would be nice.
Though the Twins have publicly refuted the idea of trading Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan or Pablo López, now’s the time to keep an ear out for Godfather offers. All it takes is one desperate team to completely change a calculus like theirs.