How AL Teams Fixed Their Biggest Weaknesses in 2025

The American League’s early offseason looks a bit like a positional triage ward. Front offices have locked in on their weakest spots—some attacking problems with bold surgery, others just slapping on athletic Band-Aids.

Using Baseball Reference bWAR as a guide, teams are trying to patch up their 2025 rosters with wildly different levels of urgency. The ripple effects will shape the AL race all summer, for better or worse.

Angels Ignore the Alarming Catcher Problem

By the numbers, the Los Angeles Angels fielded the single worst positional group in baseball in 2024: catcher. Their backstops dragged down both the lineup and the pitching staff, leaking value in a league that’s all about efficiency behind the plate.

But early in the winter, the Angels have spent their resources elsewhere. Despite uneven years from Logan O’Hoppe and veteran Travis d’Arnaud, the front office has focused on pitching reinforcements and minor tweaks around the infield and outfield.

For now, the most glaring weakness on the roster sits untouched. They’re banking on internal improvement instead of outside help.

Risky Bet on Internal Catching Options

This puts a lot of pressure on O’Hoppe to take a step forward, both at the plate and behind it. If he doesn’t, the Angels could end up chasing the wild card with a replacement-level black hole at the game’s most demanding position.

Astros’ First Base Puzzle and Christian Walker’s Future

Houston’s problem isn’t spotting the weakness—it’s untangling it. The Astros’ first base and left field spots underperformed, and the team is still dealing with the fallout from a rough debut year by Christian Walker.

Walker’s struggles have created an infield logjam instead of clarity. The Astros have an “awkward surplus” of infielders but no obvious fix at first unless Walker suddenly finds his old swing.

Infield Surplus Without a Simple Answer

If Walker doesn’t rebound, Houston may have to make tough choices—trades, platoons, or shifting players out of position just to squeeze more offense from the corners.

Right Field Rebuilds in Cleveland and Kansas City

Right field was a mess in 2024 for both Cleveland and Kansas City. Both clubs took a beating from negative production in the corner outfield, but their solutions couldn’t be more different.

The Guardians are betting on youth. They’re hoping a wave of young outfielders, especially Chase DeLauter, can stabilize right field and at least make it a non-issue in the lineup.

Royals Add Volume, Still Lack a True Headliner

The Royals went for depth, bringing in Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas. They’re solid, professional outfielders, but not obvious game-changers.

Kansas City still looks a bat short of a real upgrade in right field. Another move might be needed if they want to keep up in the Central.

Platoons and Prospects in Seattle and Minnesota

The Mariners and Twins took a different route. Both see right field as a spot for platoons and prospects instead of splashy signings.

The front office message is pretty clear in both places: internal development will decide how far these clubs go. It’s a calculated gamble that could look brilliant if the young bats hit—or just plain cheap if they flop.

Upside Plays Over Proven Production

By trusting their systems, Seattle and Minnesota keep payroll flexibility. They also accept a real risk at a position that burned them in 2024.

Orioles Turn to Colton Cowser in Center Field

The Baltimore Orioles pegged center field as a soft spot and chose to solve it from within. They’re counting on a healthy, productive Colton Cowser to steady the middle of the outfield.

They did pick up Leody Taveras, but he looks more like depth and trade insurance than a set-it-and-forget-it starter. This is still Cowser’s job to win—or lose.

Depth Moves with a Clear Internal Favorite

Baltimore keeps its top talent in the spotlight. Taveras offers coverage if injuries or performance issues pop up again.

Rangers’ Bullpen: Strong Results, Weak Foundations

The defending champion Texas Rangers have a quieter but crucial crisis: the bullpen. Their 2025 relief numbers looked strong on the surface, but the underlying metrics? Not so much.

Several key relievers have already left, pushing Texas into a partial bullpen rebuild in a tough free-agent and trade market.

Rebuilding a Pen That Overachieved

The Rangers need to replace not just innings, but leverage. If they misjudge this reset, late-game leads could vanish way too often.

Rays Keep Churning with Cedric Mullins and More Outfielders

No team churns the roster quite like the Tampa Bay Rays. This offseason is no exception—they signed Cedric Mullins and added more outfielders, making it clear nothing about their mix is final.

Tampa Bay stays open to more moves right up to Opening Day. The outfield is a constantly shifting puzzle, not a set-in-stone depth chart.

Constant Competition in the Rays Outfield

The Rays’ model thrives on internal competition and squeezing out small edges. The 2025 outfield reshuffle fits right in with their usual chaos.

Red Sox Transform First Base with Willson Contreras Trade

The Boston Red Sox didn’t just tinker—they attacked a weakness. First base had been a soft spot, so they swung a major deal for Willson Contreras, flipping a liability into a potential strength overnight.

This move also stirs up conversation around Triston Casas, whose role and future in Boston are now part of a bigger positional puzzle.

From Problem Spot to Potential Asset

Contreras’ bat changes the lineup’s tone. If Casas can rebound or adjust, the Red Sox might suddenly have a surplus of power instead of a hole at first.

White Sox Go Bold, While Yankees and Jays Stand Pat

The Chicago White Sox made one of the boldest moves of the offseason by signing Munetaka Murakami to overhaul first base. They clearly weren’t willing to sit through another year of below-average production at a cornerstone spot.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are sticking with relative stability at their so-called “worst” positions. Their rosters aren’t perfect, but their weakest spots hover around league average, so they can tinker instead of tear down.

Different Philosophies, Same Goal

AL teams have taken all sorts of paths this offseason. Some chased big names, others leaned into youth, and a few just doubled down on what they already had.

Honestly, nobody knows yet who nailed it. The 2025 standings will spill the truth on who saw the future—and who just hoped for the best.

 
Here is the source article for this story: How AL Teams Have Addressed Their Weakest Positions Of 2025