Best, worst MLB offseasons: Dodgers aren't only NL West team that's improved

The 2024 MLB season is just around the corner as pitchers and catchers are set to report starting Feb. 9. Despite there being a few stars left on the market, we're ready to break down which teams had the best and worst offseasons.

Best

Los Angeles Dodgers

Key additions: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, RHPs Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, OF Teoscar Hernandez 

Key subtractions: LHPs Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias, RHP Lance Lynn, DH J.D. Martinez

What needs to be said about the Dodgers, who seemingly signed whoever they wanted this offseason? Ohtani made the much-anticipated decision to sign with the Dodgers, but shocked the baseball world by deferring $680M of his 10-year, $700M contract, in turn allowing his new team to put together the greatest offseason of all time.

There's no more prominent signing than Ohtani, though Yamamoto and Glasnow could be the key to Los Angeles' World Series hopes being realized, considering the Dodgers posted a 6.58 team ERA in the 2023 National League Division Series. 

New York Yankees

Key additions: OFs Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo, RHP Marcus Stroman 

Key subtractions: UTL Isiah Kiner-Falefa, RHPs Michael King and Luis Severino 

After missing the postseason for the first time since 2016, the Yankees got back to their Evil Empire roots, acquiring Soto from San Diego to pair with 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge. While the Yankees didn't make any dramatic moves aside from that, they did shore up the roster with much-needed depth that should get them back into playoff contention. 

Stroman could prove to be one of the more underrated signings of the offseason if he returns to his 2023 first-half form (2.96 ERA), especially if left-hander Carlos Rodon's struggles persist.

Arizona Diamondbacks 

Key additions: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, INF Eugenio Suarez, OF Joc Pederson 

Key subtractions: Third baseman Evan Longoria, OF Tommy Pham

Arizona is determined to prove that last season's unexpected run to the World Series wasn't just a fluke, making several splashy moves this offseason. The addition of Rodriguez (3.30 ERA in 2023) to pair with RHPs Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt cements Arizona's rotation as one of the NL's best. Meanwhile, Suarez and Pederson will provide some much-needed pop to a lineup that hit the eighth-fewest home runs last season (166). 

Kansas City Royals

Key additions: OF Hunter Renfroe, RHPs Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, UTL Adam Frazier 

Key subtractions: RHP Zack Greinke, INF Matt Duffy, OF Edward Olivares 

Another small-market team making considerable strides to improve, Kansas City has spent the fourth-most money on free agents among teams this offseason ($109.5M), according to Spotrac. The Royals overhauled a pitching staff that had the third-worst ERA in MLB last season (5.17) by bringing in quality arms in Lugo and Wacha.

They also added versatile position players to complement their young core. Eighty-seven wins were enough for Minnesota to capture the AL Central crown last season, so who's to say SS Bobby Witt Jr. and Co. can't be in the mix for the division lead come September?

Worst 

San Diego Padres 

Key additions: RHPs Michael King, Drew Thorpe and Woo Suk Go, LHP Yuki Matsui 

Key subtractions: OFs Juan Soto and Trent Grisham, LHPs Josh Hader and Blake Snell, RHPs Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha 

Although San Diego needed to shed payroll and accomplished just that, losing as much star power as it did likely means the team won't finish in the top three in its division this season. Getting a piece like Thorpe in the Soto trade will greatly benefit the Padres as they inch toward a youth movement. 

However, there's considerable risk in relying on an unproven arm to help compensate for the losses the rotation dealt with this offseason, which is also the case for Matsui and Go in replacing Hader. 

Boston Red Sox 

Key additions: RHP Lucas Giolito, OF Tyler O'Neill, INF Vaughn Grissom 

Key subtractions:  OF Alex Verdugo, LHP Chris Sale, INF Justin Turner 

Boston's promise of a "full-throttle" offseason apparently didn't mean it would spend enough to make the playoffs, much less try to escape the AL East cellar. Ownership has strung fans along with the belief that the once-proud franchise would be a major player in free agency, showing interest in high-profile names only for Giolito (4.43 career ERA) to be its biggest signing. 

While the Red Sox won't be World Series contenders until their next batch of prospects debut, the 2024 roster had a chance to be a wild-card threat if the front office added a frontline starter and another right-handed bat. 

Miami Marlins

Key additions: Catcher Christian Bethancourt, UTL Vidal Brujan 

Key subtractions: OF/DH Jorge Soler, INFs Yuli Gurriel and Joey Wendle, RHP David Robertson 

Can you guess how much Miami has spent on major league free agents this offseason? If you said $0, you're correct, as the Marlins are the only team not to have signed an MLB-level free agent. That's inexcusable following a surprising playoff appearance with the sixth-lowest payroll in baseball.

Owner Bruce Sherman's incompetence has undermined the Marlins' chances of making further progress and even led to GM Kim Ng declining her mutual option, believing that "she was being stripped of her power," per The Athletic. 

New York Mets

Key additions: RHPs Luis Severino and Adrian Houser, LHP Sean Manaea, OF Harrison Bader 

Key subtractions: DH Daniel Vogelbach, RHP Carlos Carrasco 

The Mets were all-in on Yamamoto only to be used as leverage, which prompted president of baseball operations David Stearns to take a more reserved approach to the offseason than the team has traditionally shown under owner Steve Cohen. 

It was clear after the Mets blew up the most expensive roster in MLB history at last season's trade deadline that 2024 would be a transition year, and their signings reflect that. Still, with several core pieces from a roster that posted a 101-win regular season in 2022, plus promising youngsters on the team and set to debut, the Mets have enough talent to make a wild-card appearance.