MLB teams making it to the 2025 postseason after missing the 2024 playoffs

“Wait until next year.”

That’s the mantra of an MLB team that narrowly missed out on making the postseason. But “next year” is not the same for every club that is also run.

Some teams are in the midst of rebuilding and aim to compete in two or three years. Still others may be just one productive offseason away from becoming a championship threat.

With that in mind, we asked five MLB.com experts to pick a team they believe can bounce back from a disappointing 2024 and make the 2025 postseason with the help of some significant additions this winter. Here are their answers.

What they were missing in 2024: A year after finishing one game without a Wild Card berth, the Mariners finished two games in 2024 because they once again didn’t have enough offense to support their brilliant starting rotation. Seattle ranked 21st in runs scored (676) and 22nd in OPS (.686) last season. They also posted a 26.8% strikeout rate, the highest in franchise history. Conversely, the Mariners’ starting staff led the majors in ERA, opponents’ batting average and strikeout-minus-walk rate, to name a few stats. This starting five represents arguably the best rotation in the MLB, and every hurler is under the team’s control through at least 2027. Seattle needs to take advantage of its pitching wealth by making significant upgrades to the lineup.

What you can do this offseason: The Mariners outfield, led by Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena and Victor Robles, is quite ready. However, their infield is likely to be under construction. The team finished 21st or worse in OPS at second base, third base and shortstop. Seattle’s first basemen posted good numbers overall, but of their top two producers at the position, one is a free agent (Justin Turner) and the other is a professional outfielder (Luke Raley).

“We could shoot ourselves in the foot if we try to get too smart about what we do,” he said at the end of the regular season. “We are characterized by our pitching. I love our rotation.”

What they were missing in 2024: The Red Sox left a lot to be desired on the pitching side. Aside from All-Star right-hander Tanner Houck, who posted a 3.12 ERA in 30 starts, no Boston starter had an ERA below 4.08, and the rotation lacked a proven frontline ace. The bullpen, meanwhile, had a 4.39 ERA that ranked 24th and failed with 31 saves, the second-most in the MLB.

Offensively, Boston ranked 10th in the MLB with a wRC+ of 104. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who hit 31 home runs, is a free agent, although the Sox expect shortstop Trevor Story to be healthy after missing most of the 2024 season, as well as returning stars Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran and Triston Casas.

What you can do this offseason: At the top of Boston’s wish list is Juan Soto, and according to recent rumors, the Red Sox appear primed to land the superstar slugger, even getting some help from Big Papi in their efforts. Signing Soto would raise eyebrows across the baseball landscape, but it would also have a big impact on Boston’s roster – an already crowded outfield would become even deeper, meaning the Sox could use that depth to invest in others by trading areas to improve. Players like Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela could make a solid return.

While Boston would obviously have to make a huge financial commitment to Soto, the club is reportedly looking to spend big this offseason to differentiate itself from the relatively quiet winters of late and is rumored to be thinking about signing several big-name free agents Hiring agents even if this were the case lands Soto. President/CEO Sam Kennedy said there is “extreme urgency internally” to make a postseason breakthrough in 2025. Adding Soto, a front-line starter (Corbin Burnes or Max Fried perhaps?), and key bullpen armies could go a long way toward making that a reality. On that last point, the Red Sox bolstered their bullpen on Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year deal with veteran left-hander Aroldis Chapman, according to a source.

What they were missing in 2024: There wasn’t a single problem for the Pirates last season. Offensively, they ranked in the bottom five in the entire MLB in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Defensively, they finished with -15 outs above average and -7 defensive runs saved. On the mound, their bullpen ERA of 4.49 was the fourth-worst in the majors. That’s obviously a lot to sort out, but the Pirates are a young team – and one that needs to be buoyed by a starting lineup that’s full of potential.

What you can do this offseason: Pittsburgh needs to address its bullpen, especially after losing Aroldis Chapman in free agency. The Pirates would also benefit from bolstering the offense with a bat or two, but this pick is more about the guys already on the roster. Paul Skenes looks like a bona fide superstar after a debut campaign that included starting the All-Star Game, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award, finishing third in the NL Cy Young Award voting and even receiving down- Ballot MVP votes included – and all of it at just under 22 years old.

Pittsburgh also hopes fellow rookie Jared Jones looks more like the guy from his first 10 starts (3.05 ERA) than his last 12 (5.17 ERA). Add in veteran Mitch Keller and 25-year-old Luis Ortiz, and this rotation has the potential to lead the Pirates back to the postseason – especially if Oneil Cruz takes another step forward on offense. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the NL Central is once again a wide-open division.

What they were missing in 2024: The Cubs’ lack of power slowed their offense in 2024: They ranked 12th in runs scored (736) and ranked 20th in home runs (170). Chicago’s backup corps also struggled to maintain control, in part because closer Adbert Alzolay missed most of the season due to injury and Héctor Neris failed to live up to expectations as a free agent. The Cubs had 12 losses in games in which they led at the end of seven innings, second-most in the MLB. Granted, Chicago still had a run differential of +67, which translates to an expected record of 88-74 — five games better than the actual record — so this group might be closer to keeping up than it seems.

What you can do this offseason: The Cubs already have an idea of ​​who their starters will be, so there’s no obvious way to make significant offensive improvements. However, Chicago can change that – and create more financial flexibility – if they can sell Bellinger, who is reportedly available. A Bellinger transfer could pave the way for the Cubs to pursue one of the top hitters on the free agent market, be it Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Willy Adames, Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernández. Additionally, the Cubs have plenty of options to bolster their bullpen, including Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Clay Holmes and Carlos Estévez.

The National League Central is just around the corner in 2025, especially with the defending champion Brewers potentially losing Adames as a free agent. However, for the Cubs to rise above mediocrity, they will need to make more impactful additions beyond starter Matthew Boyd.

What they were missing in 2024: The biggest thing, honestly, was “the MVP-caliber version of Corbin Carroll,” which will hopefully sort itself out when Carroll bounces back in 2025. But there were other problem areas that led to the D-backs coming from pennant winners in 2023, just missing the playoffs in ’24. Starting pitching was a big problem – after star Zac Gallen, the D-backs’ rotation was a bit disorganized last season, particularly due to a disastrous year from free-agent signing Jordan Montgomery (6.23 ERA). The bullpen was different. Closer Paul Sewald has regressed, but Arizona has promising prospects like Justin Martinez, who replaced Sewald as closer down the stretch, and AJ Puk, acquired at the trade deadline.

The D-backs are arguably more pressing could be Missing in 2025: their cornerstone first baseman Christian Walker and their hitting DH platoon of Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk. Walker, Pederson and Grichuk are all free agents, which could leave big holes in an offense that led the majors in runs scored.

What you can do this offseason: The D-backs need to replace the power bats they could lose. Priority #1 has to be re-signing Walker or, failing that, finding a powerhouse first baseman to fill in on a short-term basis…perhaps a reunion with Paul Goldschmidt? And the D-backs’ DH tandem worked so well that they might as well try to replicate it. If they can’t bring back Pederson, Grichuk, or both, there are experienced, home run-hitting DH guys available in free agency on both sides of the plate – the Michael Confortos, Jesse Winkers, JD Martinezes and Eloy Jiménezes of the world.

Or here’s another idea: sign Paul DeJong. He has 20+ home run power and could spell both DH and Geraldo Perdomo at shortstop until No. 1 prospect Jordan Lawlar is ready. DeJong is a bigger hitter than Perdomo – Arizona had the second-fewest home runs from the shortstop position of any team last year, just six all season – and a stronger fielder, too.

When it comes to pitching, the D-backs already have six starters for 2025, so unless they trade Montgomery, they probably won’t go out and add more to the rotation. The move there could be to bet on a return to form from Montgomery and healthier, more productive years from Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez. However, Arizona should definitely solidify its bullpen, whether by adding one or two of its many proven veteran free agents or by trading out of the outfield or adding pitching depth.