As we gear up for the 2026 baseball season, one question looms large: Which teams truly transformed themselves this offseason? It’s not just about who’s the best now—though that’s part of it—but rather, who made the most significant leaps forward from where they started. Let’s dive into the numbers and narratives that reveal the biggest movers and shakers of the winter.
To measure this, we’ll use FanGraphs’ depth charts and their 2026 projected WAR (Wins Above Replacement) as of Thursday morning. We’ll compare these to the charts from early November—after free agents were removed from their teams but before qualifying offer decisions were made. Think of it this way: In November, there was a whopping 163 projected WAR worth of talent available on the free agent market. Now? Only 26 WAR remains unclaimed. That’s a massive shift, with an average of +4.5 WAR per team finding a new home. But here’s where it gets controversial: Does retaining your own free agents count as improvement? We’ll explore that debate later.
Almost every team got a little better, but some made jaw-dropping strides. Take the Astros, for instance. By signing pitcher Tatsuya Imai and trading for Nick Allen and Mike Burrows, they added over 3 wins to their projected value since November. But remember, this isn’t about comparing 2025 to 2026—it’s about how much ground you gained from the start of the offseason. And this is the part most people miss: Retaining your own players, even if they’re free agents, absolutely counts as improvement.
Consider the Yankees’ outfield. Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham are expected to lead the charge again. To some, that’s just “running it back.” But here’s the twist: Only Judge was under contract at the start of the winter. Bellinger and Grisham (who accepted a qualifying offer) required significant effort and money to retain. So, is it really just maintaining the status quo, or is it a strategic improvement? That’s the debate we’ll leave you to ponder.
With that in mind, here are the 10 teams that improved the most since the start of free agency:
1. Dodgers (+7.9 WAR)
Biggest adds: RF Kyle Tucker, RP Edwin Díaz, IF Miguel Rojas
You might be surprised to see the back-to-back World Series champs topping this list, but remember, they only had the fifth-most wins last season. By signing Tucker, they transformed their outfield from the 18th-best to a projected top-five group. Díaz bolsters the bullpen, and Rojas adds depth. But the real question is: Can they sustain this momentum into October?
2. Phillies (+6.8 WAR)
Biggest adds: DH Kyle Schwarber, C J.T. Realmuto, OF Adolis García, RP Brad Keller
Phillies fans might argue they’re just “running it back,” but they addressed their three biggest offseason priorities: signing a catcher (Realmuto), retaining Schwarber, and upgrading right field with García. Keller’s addition to the bullpen is a sneaky-good move. But here’s the counterpoint: Is this enough to compete in a stacked division?
3. Red Sox (+6.3 WAR)
Biggest adds: SP Ranger Suárez, SP Sonny Gray, 1B Willson Contreras, IF Caleb Durbin, SP Johan Oviedo, IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, IF Andruw Monasterio
Boston focused on their rotation, now projected as baseball’s best. Contreras adds pop, and the middle infield upgrades ensure Ceddane Rafaela stays in center field, where his glove shines. But with Alex Bregman gone, can they generate enough offense to keep up?
4. Orioles (+6.1 WAR)
Biggest adds: 1B Pete Alonso, RF Taylor Ward, RP Ryan Helsley, IF Blaze Alexander, RP Andrew Kittredge, SP Shane Baz, SP Chris Bassitt
Alonso and Ward are significant upgrades, but the rotation remains a question mark. Even with these improvements, are they truly ready to dominate the AL East?
5. Blue Jays (+6 WAR)
Biggest adds: SP Dylan Cease, SP Cody Ponce, 3B/1B Kazuma Okamoto, RP Tyler Rogers
The rotation got a much-needed boost with Cease and Ponce, but Anthony Santander’s injury is a setback. Can they overcome this loss and make a deep playoff run?
6. Tigers (+5.9 WAR)
Biggest adds: SP Framber Valdez, SP Justin Verlander, RP Kenley Jansen, RP Drew Anderson, 2B Gleyber Torres
Adding Valdez and Verlander turned their rotation into an elite unit. Torres’ return is key, but is his second-half slump a red flag or a fluke?
7. Cubs (+5.8 WAR)
Biggest adds: 3B Alex Bregman, SP Shota Imanaga, SP Edward Cabrera, RP Phil Maton, RP Hoby Milner, RP Hunter Harvey, 1B Tyler Austin
Bregman’s addition is huge, but the real story is their pitching upgrades. If Cabrera rebounds, could they surprise everyone this season?
8. Giants (+5.1 WAR)
Biggest adds: 2B Luis Arraez, CF Harrison Bader, SP Tyler Mahle, SP Adrian Houser
Arraez fixes their second base woes, and Bader allows Jung-Hoo Lee to shift to right field. Small moves, but are they enough to compete in a tough division?
9. Rockies (+5 WAR)
Biggest adds: SP Michael Lorenzen, SP Tomoyuki Sugano, RP José Quintana, UT Willi Castro, OF Jake McCarthy, 2B Edouard Julien
After a 119-loss season, any improvement is welcome. Lorenzen, Sugano, and Quintana should stabilize the rotation, but is this the start of a real turnaround?
10. Mets (+4.8 WAR)
Biggest adds: 3B Bo Bichette, 2B Marcus Semien, SP Freddy Peralta, CF Luis Robert Jr., 1B Jorge Polanco, RP Luke Weaver, RP Devin Williams, SP Tobias Myers
A busy offseason transformed their roster, but trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil was risky. Did they do enough to improve their run prevention, or will it backfire?
Now, we turn it over to you. Do you agree with these rankings? Which team’s moves impressed you the most, and which left you scratching your head? Let the debate begin!
