As the Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the World Series to win the first World Series in team history, the other 28 teams were focused on the upcoming free agency period. Each team has an offseason to-do list and players that they are interested in bringing in to join their team. You can see the to-do list for the NL East teams here.
The NL Central was one of the most hotly contested divisions in baseball in 2019, with three teams having World Series aspirations. The St. Louis Cardinals rode a scorching hot second half to secure their first division title in four years while the Milwaukee Brewers rode 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich to a second consecutive playoff appearance. The Chicago Cubs had a down season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, and subsequently parted ways with former manager Joe Maddon. The Cincinnati Reds took another step towards competing with their young core while the Pittsburgh Pirates took two large steps back after a solid first half.
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time since 2015 on the back of a 47-27 second half and the fifth-best pitching staff ERA in the MLB
The Biggest Need: Middle of the order hitter
With Marcel Ozuna hitting free agency and Matt Carpenter struggling to find his form in 2019, the 2020 Cardinals could lack the firepower necessary to repeat as NL Central champions. A return to form for Carpenter would go a long way, but if the Cardinals do not resign Ozuna, Nicholas Castellanos and Mike Moustakas could be on the Cardinals radar.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers were one game away from the World Series in 2018. They took a step back in 2019, losing the NL Wild Card game to the eventual World Series Champion Washington Nationals.
The Biggest Need: Pitching
The Brewers starting rotation in 2018 was held up by an elite bullpen featuring Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress, and Corey Knebel. The Brewers failed to upgrade their starting pitching, lost Knebel in free agency, and saw Jeffress miss time due to injury. The result was the same average starting rotation without the dominant bullpen to pick them up. While they were able to overcome it, the Brewers offseason to-do list should start and end with starting pitching. Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg should be their top targets.
Chicago Cubs
After four straight playoff appearances and a World Series title under Joe Maddon, the Chicago Cubs missed the playoffs in 2019 and allowed Joe Maddon to become the manager of the Los Angeles Angels.
The Biggest Need: A clear direction
The Cubs are at a crossroads. Stuck with big contracts given out to Jon Lester, Jason Heyward, and Yu Darvish, the Cubs are up near the luxury tax threshold. With Kris Bryant eligible for free agency next offseason, and Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, and Willson Contreras eligible over the next two years, the Cubs will have to make difficult decisions about some of their most important players.
Cincinnati Reds
Despite a down year from club legend Joey Votto, the Cincinnati Reds took the next step in their rebuild and look primed to compete in the near future.
The Biggest Need: A big name star
Led by young ace Luis Castillo and a resurgent Sonny Gray, the Reds pitching staff had the eighth-lowest ERA in the MLB. Their lineup was carried by slugger Eugenio Suarez, who continued his power surge from 2018 by hitting 49 home runs in 2019. Whether it be in the rotation or in the starting lineup, the Reds need to bring in a big name to get Cincinnati fans excited about the 2020 season. Brewers catcher Yasmani Grandal and Cardinals outfielder Marcel Ozuna should be at the top of the Reds offseason to-do list.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates cleaned house shortly after the 2019 season concluded, firing manager Clint Hurdle, GM Neil Huntington, and team president Frank Coonelly.
The Biggest Need: A complete teardown
Despite a first-half that saw Josh Bell place himself squarely in the NL MVP race, the Pirates limped to the finish line and finished with their worst record since 2010. With a thin farm system and a weak major league team, the Pirates need to look to trade away any assets that could push their farm system towards the top in the MLB. Josh Bell and Jameson Taillon are their most attractive trade chips and should be moved this season. The next contending Pirates team is a long way away.
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