We’re back with more offseason midterm grades. Yesterday, the American League teams got their progress reports, and now it’s the NL clubs’ turn to go under the microscope.
With much of the offseason moves still to come, these grades can change drastically in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, consider this a temperature check on how things are going, and a guide post for which teams are feeling the biggest sense of urgency.
New York Mets
Key acquisitions: RP Devin Williams (three years, $51 million), 2B Jorge Polanco (two years, $40 million), RP Luke Weaver (two years, $22 million), 2B Marcus Semien
Key departures: 1B Pete Alonso, RP Edwin Díaz, OF Brandon Nimmo, RP Ryan Helsley, CF Cedric Mullins, RP Tyler Rogers
Key unsigned free agents: OF Starling Marte, OF Jesse Winker, SP Griffin Canning, RP Ryne Stanek
As we inch closer to the new year, the Mets have endured slings and arrows. Gone are Alonso, Díaz and Nimmo, stalwarts for the better part of the last decade. Their direct replacements have yet to be secured, but perhaps it’s a good thing that next year’s Mets will look drastically different than 2025’s flameout version. Of course, different doesn’t guarantee better, and David Stearns will need to make some significant additions to bring hope that next season will see any improvements. The team is linked to most of the big fish still out there, and they’ll need to reel a couple in to turn around what’s been a rough winter.
Grade: D
Atlanta Braves
Key acquisitions: RP Robert Suárez (three years, $45 million), SS Ha-Seong Kim (re-signed, one year, $20 million), RP Raisel Iglesias (re-signed, one year, $16 million), OF Mike Yastrzemski (two years, $23 million), IF Mauricio Dubón
Key departures: SS Nick Allen
Key unsigned free agents: DH Marcell Ozuna, SP Charlie Morton
Atlanta has wasted no time filling in roster holes following a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw a seven-year playoff run come to an end. Fortifying its bullpen by bringing in Suárez and re-signing Iglesias signaled a clear intent to be a contender in ‘26, and retaining Kim on a one-year deal seems like a smart move for both sides. The Braves look like they can still use a starting pitcher or two (join the club), but the offseason has been encouraging.
Grade: B+
Miami Marlins
Key acquisitions: OF Christopher Morel (one year, $2 million)
Key departures: N/A
Key unsigned free agents: N/A
There’s not much to evaluate here. Morel is two years removed from a 26-homer, 120 wRC+ campaign with the Cubs. Since then, though, he’s posted a .204/.288/.363 slash line with a 29.3% strikeout rate. That’s not the worst flyer to take for a player who’s still just 26 and makes extremely hard contact, but there’s still nothing to earn strong marks.
Grade: C-
Washington Nationals
Key acquisitions: SP Foster Griffin (one year, $5.5 million), C Harry Ford
Key departures: RP Jose A. Ferrer, 1B Josh Bell
Key unsigned free agents: IF Paul DeJong, RP Jorge López
The Nationals have undergone a massive leadership overhaul, and calling it a youth movement would be an understatement: Paul Toboni, president of baseball operations, is 35; new manager Blake Butera is 33; and recently hired GM Ani Kilambi is 31. The new brain trust will likely get a relatively long runway to shape the roster in its vision, and so far has only made modest moves. Trade rumors have swirled around MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams, and trading away one or both of those young stars could be the front office’s first major move.
Grade: C
Philadelphia Phillies
Key acquisitions: DH Kyle Schwarber (re-signed, five years, $150 million), RP Brad Keller (two years, $22 million), OF Adolis García (one year, $10 million)
Key departures: RP Jordan Romano,
Key unsigned free agents: SP Ranger Suárez, OF Harrison Bader, C J.T. Realmuto, OF Max Kepler, SP Walker Buehler
Retaining Schwarber, a fan favorite who ranks third in the majors in home runs since 2021, was clearly a priority for the Phillies, so kudos to them for getting that done in an expedient manner. But adding García—even on a relatively modest one-year deal—to an outfield mix that already features Nick Castellanos was a curious decision. There’s bounce-back, buy-low potential, sure, but this team could stand to get younger and more athletic. Adding Keller to what should be an effective bullpen was a savvy signing.
Grade: B-
St. Louis Cardinals
Key acquisitions: SP Dustin May (one year, $12.5 million), SP Richard Fitts
Key departures: SP Sonny Gray
Key unsigned free agents: SP Miles Mikolas
Three straight years missing the postseason won’t leave anybody in St. Louis happy, and the Cardinals don’t appear to be ideally poised to end that rut in 2026. Moving off of Gray netted the team a pair of young pitchers, and there are still trade rumors surrounding veterans Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado. After hovering around .500 the past three years, this could signal a more purposeful reset for the franchise.
Grade: B-
Chicago Cubs
Key acquisitions: SP Shota Imanaga (re-signed, one year, $22 million), RP Phil Maton (two years, $14.5 million), RP Hoby Milner (one year, $3.75 million), RP Caleb Thielbar (re-signed, one year, $4.5 million)
Key departures: RP Brad Keller, SP Michael Soroka, RP Drew Pomeranz
Key unsigned free agents: OF Kyle Tucker, SP Aaron Civale, C Reese McGuire, UT Willi Castro, 1B Carlos Santana, RP Andrew Kittredge
Imanaga accepting the qualifying offer helped the Cubs’ short-term rotation depth, but the team still looks like it could use an upper-tier arm. They also are one of the few teams that could stand to afford any of the high-end available bats, though the offense doesn’t look like a pressing need. Adding Maton and Milner to the bullpen mix should help cover the late innings.
Grade: B
Pittsburgh Pirates
Key acquisitions: RP Gregory Soto (one year, $7.75 million)
Key departures: SP Johan Oviedo
Key unsigned free agents: OF Tommy Pham, OF Andrew McCutchen
The Pirates have been rumored to be connected to some higher-end free agents this winter, but have only managed to snag Soto on a one-year deal. While the veteran lefthander should help, fans are clearly taking seriously the reports of Pittsburgh making runs at the likes of Schwarber and Alonso. Short of pulling off a move to land a player of that caliber, it will be tough for the franchise—which hasn’t made the playoffs in a decade—to get a passing grade.
Grade: D+
Milwaukee Brewers
Key acquisitions: SP Brandon Woodruff (re-signed, one year, $22 million), RP Angel Zerpa
Key departures: C Danny Jansen, OF Isaac Collins, RP Nick Mears
Key unsigned free agents: 1B Rhys Hoskins, SP Jose Quintana, SP Jordan Montgomery, RP Shelby Miller
It was a bit of a surprise that Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer, but the oft-injured righthander clearly valued staying in Milwaukee with a chance to re-establish some value and get a multi-year contract next year. That’s a win for the Brewers, who should have a strong rotation in 2026. Rumors surrounding a potential trade of Freddy Peralta have lingered all offseason, but the team is right to demand a high asking price for the two-time All-Star. Collins was a valuable contributor last season, so Milwaukee will need to develop the hard-throwing Zerpa into a high-leverage arm, something the organization generally has success with.
Grade: B+
Cincinnati Reds
Key acquisitions: RP Emilio Pagan (re-signed, two years, $20 million), RP Caleb Ferguson (one year, $4.5 million)
Key departures: N/A
Key unsigned free agents: SP Nick Martinez, SP Zack Littell, OF Austin Hays, 3B/OF Miguel Andújar
Keeping Pagan and adding Ferguson were good moves for Cincinnati’s bullpen, but the team still needs some injection to its offense if it’s going to repeat last year’s playoff appearance. The Reds could use more hitting at most positions, though mid-tier bats don’t appear to be in high supply this winter, so it might be difficult to make many meaningful additions.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Dodgers
Key acquisitions: RP Edwin Díaz, IF Miguel Rojas (re-signed, one year, $5.5 million)
Key departures: SP Clayton Kershaw
Key unsigned free agents: RP Evan Phillips, RP Michael Kopech, RP Kirby Yates, SP Tony Gonsolin, UT Kiké Hernández, OF Michael Conforto, SP Andrew Heaney
The Dodgers are among the few teams who could have made the financial commitment necessary to land Díaz just one year after giving $72 million to Tanner Scott. The move gives Dave Roberts the only thing he was lacking during October: a proven closer who can dependably get the most important outs of the season for a team that’s obviously in championship-or-bust mode. That alone makes this a successful start to the offseason, and you can be sure that, when it comes to the activity from the defending champs this winter, it’s just that: a start.
Grade: A
Arizona Diamondbacks
Key acquisitions: SP Merrill Kelly (two years, $40 million), SP Michael Soroka (one year, $7.5 million), C James McCann (re-signed, one year, $2.75 million)
Key departures: N/A
Key unsigned free agents: SP Zac Gallen, RP Jalen Beeks
Arizona successfully pulled off trading pending free agent Kelly in July, then signed him in free agency to bolster its rotation depth. The Diamondbacks need to do the same to lengthen their lineup, and figure to be in the mix for mid-tier bats. There’s been speculation the team could trade three-time All-Star Ketel Marte, but the team’s asking price is understandably high. The moves so far signal a commitment to contend for the postseason in 2026, and if the Diamondbacks hold on to Marte, they’re on their way to doing just that.
Grade: B-
San Diego Padres
Key acquisitions: SP Michael King (re-signed, three years, $75 million), SP Kyle Hart (re-signed, one year, $1.2 million)
Key departures: RP Robert Suárez, SP Dylan Cease
Key unsigned free agents: 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn, 1B Luis Arráez, C Elías Díaz
San Diego saw Suárez and Cease sign elsewhere, but was able to retain King and Hart. Those were crucial moves to keeping the team’s starting pitching depth at an acceptable level, and now A.J. Preller will surely target a bat or two to lengthen the lineup. Always aggressive, the Padres can’t be ruled out for any of the top-end players still available. Keeping King boosts their mark so far, but they’ve already seen a lot of talent walk out the door.
Grade: C+
San Francisco Giants
Key acquisitions: SP Adrian Houser (two years, $22 million), RP Jason Foley (one year, $2 million), RP Sam Hentges (one year, $1.4 million)
Key departures: N/A
Key unsigned free agents: SP Justin Verlander, 1B Dominic Smith
The Giants needed some reliable arms behind Logan Webb, and got one in Houser, who signed a two-year deal after resurrecting his career with the White Sox last season. San Francisco is perpetually offense-starved, and has made several high-profile runs at big names in recent years. Expect the team to be linked similarly to this year’s big names, and landing one of them will dictate the final grade.
Grade: C
Colorado Rockies
Key acquisitions: RP Brennan Bernadino
Key departures: N/A
Key unsigned free agents: SP Germán Márquez, IF Thairo Estrada, SP Austin Gomber
What is there to say here? The Rockies’ six pending free agents combined for -3.8 fWAR last year. Their only free agent signings have been a pair of minor league deals, and the lone big-leaguer they acquired (Bernadino) has 1.5 career fWAR in four seasons. That doesn’t give much activity to evaluate, and there’s no reason to expect anything substantial to earn Colorado a passing grade.
Grade: D-
More MLB on Sports Illustrated
- MLB Offseason Midterm Grades: Dodgers, Braves Lead National League
- Pirates Set to Acquire Rays All-Star Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
- Orioles Acquire Pitcher Shane Baz From Division Foe
- Each National League Team’s Biggest Remaining Need
- Michael King’s Unexpected Return to the Padres Is Great for Both Sides
This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLB Offseason Midterm Grades: Dodgers, Braves Lead National League.