The No. 1 Spring Training storyline for each team

Ladies and gentlemen, it's baseball season.

Players are arriving at Spring Training complexes in Arizona and Florida, and every club will hold its first pitchers-and-catchers workout before the end of this week. Full-squad workouts will soon follow, Spring Training games are not too far beyond that, and regular-season action will be here in a blink.

To help get you ready for the start of the 2025 season, here is a look at one key Spring Training storyline for each MLB team.

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American League East

Blue Jays: Will Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sign an extension?
We should get an early answer, if Guerrero holds to a deadline here, but nothing else in Blue Jays camp will compare to the magnitude of this decision. The Blue Jays have put together a nice offseason, but extending Guerrero would immediately reset this franchise¡¯s competitive window and reignite a fan base that has stuck by this organization despite the lack of a postseason win since 2016. If camp gets rolling and Guerrero still hasn¡¯t put pen to paper, then every conversation we have about this team going forward will be tied to that for the next year. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: Is the starting rotation strong enough?
The O¡¯s will have plenty of starters competing for rotation spots. Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer, Albert Su¨¢rez and Cade Povich have all returned. Charlie Morton ($15 million) and Tomoyuki Sugano ($13 million) signed one-year deals. And Chayce McDermott (Baltimore¡¯s No. 5 prospect at the end of last season per MLB Pipeline) is also in the mix. But there¡¯s no longer a true ace because Corbin Burnes left for Arizona on a six-year, $210 million deal. The Orioles will need to find out whether their collection of arms is strong enough, while also figuring out how to slot them in. -- Jake Rill

Rays: How much can the lineup improve?
The Rays are coming off the worst offensive season in franchise history, a year in which they outscored only the 121-loss White Sox. They brought in Danny Jansen behind the plate and Ha-Seong Kim (when healthy) at shortstop and will give more runway to players such as Jonathan Aranda, Jonny DeLuca and star-in-the-making Junior Caminero. But much of their success depends on good health and consistent performance from the likes of Yandy D¨ªaz, Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe and Christopher Morel. Following a historically poor showing with runners in scoring position, they¡¯ve also talked about increasing the intensity of their situational-hitting work in Spring Training -- whatever it takes to support what should be another strong pitching staff. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: Will one of the ¡°Big Three¡± prospects make the team?
For multiple years, Boston¡¯s top prospects have been drawing buzz, and with good reason. Outfielder Roman Anthony is No. 2 in MLB Pipeline¡¯s Top 100, while infielder/outfielder Kristian Campbell weighs in at No. 7 and shortstop Marcelo Mayer rounds out the impressive trio at No. 12. With second base currently up for grabs, Campbell probably has the best chance of the three to make the Opening Day roster. He is also a right-handed bat, and the Red Sox are trying to balance out their lefty-heavy lineup. All three are expected to debut at some point in ¡®25. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: Are the Yankees more complete despite losing Juan Soto?
General manager Brian Cashman believes so. The Soto acquisition helped the Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009, but decision-makers recognized that they had constructed ¡°an imperfect team,¡± in Cashman¡¯s words. After attempting to re-sign Soto, they pivoted to prioritize athleticism and run prevention, adding left-hander Max Fried, outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and closer Devin Williams. The result is a squad again favored to return to the Fall Classic -- but, as manager Aaron Boone says, that doesn¡¯t mean anything unless they prove it on the field. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: Will there be enough offense?
The Guardians knew that losing Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez wouldn¡¯t shake up their lineup too much, considering he hadn¡¯t been the same hitter since his 2022 All-Star season. But first baseman Josh Naylor, who was traded away after hitting 31 homers last year, may be difficult to replace. This means Cleveland will have to put a lot of faith in an aging Carlos Santana, who is inching toward 40 years old, in the cleanup spot. Will he be able to produce enough to provide the necessary protection the Guardians need behind Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez? The team will start to get an idea of that during Spring Training. -- Mandy Bell

Royals: How does the infield take shape?
When the Royals acquired Jonathan India from the Reds, they were worried more about where he¡¯ll hit ¨C leadoff ¨C than where he¡¯ll play on the field. But that question will be explored in spring, as the Royals figure out how best to utilize their two second basemen in India and Michael Massey. They¡¯ll get reps at third base and left field in an effort to increase their versatility. With the way that Matt Quatraro likes to use the whole roster, having Massey and India playing every day is possible, but versatility will be key to that. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: How does shortstop shake out?
Javier B¨¢ez has held down this spot for three years since signing as a free agent, but after hip surgery last fall and a sputtering 2024 season before the procedure, he enters Spring Training at a crossroads. He¡¯s expected to be healthy, but prospect Trey Sweeney filled in admirably for him down the stretch with solid defense and some impact hits. A platoon might be the easiest answer, but that could be a tough move for a proud veteran like B¨¢ez. -- Jason Beck

Twins: Can they stay healthy?
As camp begins, the Twins have nothing but optimism about the health of Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, and Royce Lewis. Joe Ryan is on schedule. The club¡¯s frontline talent is absolutely good enough to return to the postseason, and even win the division ¨¤ la 2023. But they¡¯re not in position to suffer the kind of run of key injuries they experienced in 2024. As the Twins¡¯ core goes, so will go the season. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: Is it Colson Montgomery¡¯s time at shortstop?
Outside criticism arose during Montgomery¡¯s struggle-filled 2024 season for Triple-A Charlotte, in contrast to those past can¡¯t-miss projections for the team¡¯s one-time No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. But that doubt never made it to Montgomery. The 22-year-old shortstop might benefit from the 2024 campaign and figuring things out physically and mentally as he slashed .263/.357/.465 over his final 99 at-bats beginning with a 3-for-4 showing on Aug. 24. He will get plenty of Spring Training opportunities to earn that Opening Day nod at shortstop, although it isn¡¯t near the point of his spot to lose, nor does he believe such a thing. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: How long will Zach Neto be out and who will replace him at shortstop?
Neto was the club¡¯s best player in 2024 but underwent right shoulder surgery in early November and is expected to miss the start of the season. But it¡¯s still unclear just how long Neto will be out, and the Angels also have to decide who will replace him. They signed Tim Anderson to a Minor League deal to give him a shot this spring but also have other internal options such as Kevin Newman, Scott Kingery, Luis Rengifo and Kyren Paris. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: Do they have enough depth?
After losing four key members of their 2022 World Series championship team this winter ¨C outfielder Kyle Tucker, starting pitcher Justin Verlander, reliever Ryan Pressly and likely third baseman Alex Bregman ¨C the Astros' depth will be tested in ¡¯25. The lineup, anchored by Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Yainer Diaz and newcomer Christian Walker, is strong at the top, but questions remain about outfield production. Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown are a solid 1-2 at the top of the rotation, but can Ronel Blanco repeat his ¡®24 performance? Will Spencer Arrighetti take a step forward? And who else will provide quality innings? The bullpen lacks experienced depth after closer Josh Hader and setup man Bryan Abreu. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Can the A¡¯s really make a run at a playoff spot?
The A¡¯s looked the part of a young team on the rise last season by going 39-37 in their final 76 games. But just how competitive can they be? Yes, they improved upon their 2023 win total by 19 games. However, going from 69 wins to competing for a spot in the playoffs is a large task, especially considering most of the pressure will lie on the young group of talented players such as Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers, Mason Miller, JJ Bleday, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom ¨C all of whom have flashed their skills at different times over the past two years ¨C to perform over a full season. -- Mart¨ªn Gallegos

Mariners: Can they score enough to support baseball¡¯s deepest rotation?
Seattle¡¯s biggest moves this offseason have been signing 37-year-old free agent infielder Donovan Solano and bringing back infielder Jorge Polanco. The Mariners believe they have the offensive pieces in place to be more consistent this year. A lineup that had been among MLB¡¯s worst transformed into one of its best in the final month of ¡®24, as the Mariners went 16-10 in September and they ranked third in runs scored (134), third in OPS (.780) and fourth in batting average (.264) that month. Seattle was finally able to consistently roll out the trio of Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodr¨ªguez and Victor Robles on a regular basis down the stretch after the latter two cleared various injuries. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: Jacob deGrom is healthy. Can he return to Cy Young form?
The Rangers ace underwent his second career Tommy John surgery just six starts into his Texas tenure in 2023. For all intents and purposes, deGrom is healthy now. He collected three September 2024 starts and nearly looked like the best version of himself during that time. That being said, he hasn¡¯t eclipsed 100 innings since 2019, when he won his second Cy Young Award while with the Mets. For better or for worse, deGrom¡¯s health will always be a storyline, both entering this Spring Training and likely for the rest of his career. He pitched 10 2/3 innings with a 1.69 ERA during his return in ¡®24. Will he be healthy enough to carry that through the entirety of 2025? He thinks so. The Rangers hope so. -- Kennedi Landry

National League East

Braves: When will Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider return?
Strider may be permitted to throw in at least one game before the end of Spring Training. If he doesn¡¯t have any setbacks in his recovery from elbow surgery, he could rejoin Atlanta¡¯s rotation by the end of April. Acu?a¡¯s progress in camp will create a better projection for his return from a torn right ACL. But for now, it looks like the 2023 NL MVP may be sidelined until at least mid-May. The Braves want to avoid the lingering effects the outfielder dealt with after he returned from a torn left ACL in 2022. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: How will the rotation round out behind Sandy Alcantara?
Plenty is up for grabs after Jes¨²s Luzardo's departure and Braxton Garrett's surgery. Will righty Edward Cabrera finally break out? Can lefty Ryan Weathers build on a promising 2024 derailed by a fluke injury? Who is the real Max Meyer: The one at the beginning or end of the season? Right-hander Vallente Bellozo doesn't possess velocity, but he proved to be the club's most consistent starter. Keep an eye out for prospect Adam Mazur, whose name keeps coming up among Marlins officials. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: What will the starting rotation look like?
While most early spring storylines will revolve around Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, the real intrigue surrounds New York¡¯s pitching staff. Questions abound in this (likely six-man) rotation. Such as: Is Kodai Senga finally, truly healthy? What about Frankie Montas? Can Clay Holmes successfully transition from the bullpen, and if so, how durable might he be? Is Sean Manaea really an ace or was last year an aberration? Are the Mets¡¯ depth pieces good enough to make up for a lack of proven frontline talent? Mets officials won¡¯t be able to answer all these questions over six weeks of Spring Training, but they¡¯ll know much more about their rotation by the end of it. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: Who will make the starting rotation?
The Nationals head into Spring Training stacked with starting pitching depth. RHP Jake Irvin, LHP MacKenzie Gore, LHP Mitchell Parker and LHP DJ Herz are returning from last season; RHP Trevor Williams re-signed on a two-year deal; LHP Shinnosuke Ogasawara inked a two-year deal from Japan; and RHP Michael Soroka looks to return to the starting rotation on a one-year contract. If the Nats open with a five-man rotation, developing players such as Herz, Parker and potentially Ogasawara as he gets acclimated to the Majors could begin the season in Triple-A. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: Is Ranger Suárez ready for the biggest year of his life?
Su¨¢rez will be a free agent after the season, and the bigger the year, the bigger the payday. He pitched like a NL Cy Young frontrunner in his first 16 starts last season, going 10-2 with a 1.84 ERA. He made his first NL All-Star team. But then injuries hit ¨C he had hamstring, back and shoulder issues -- and he looked like a completely different pitcher down the stretch. In fact, he had a 6.54 ERA in his final 11 starts. If Su¨¢rez returns to form, cha-ching. If he scuffles because of conditioning or health issues, it could cost him tens of millions in free agency. Maybe more. So keep an eye on Su¨¢rez this spring. He should be more motivated than ever to put together a complete season. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: Who¡¯s the shortstop?
The Brewers lost 32 home runs from 2024 along with a popular team leader when Willy Adames signed with the Giants, leaving a big hole at shortstop. Fortunately, Milwaukee has two capable, young options for that position in Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz, but so far club officials haven¡¯t offered any indications of who will get the job. Turang not only won the NL Gold Glove at ssecond base last season, he took home the Platinum Glove Award as the league¡¯s top overall defender. On one hand, that sounds like the kind of defender a team would want at shortstop. On the other hand, why mess with something that¡¯s working? -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Can the Baby Birds be competitive and push for the playoffs?
The Cardinals went against their usual practices by eschewing free agency and culling their roster of veterans so they can focus on their young core in 2025. Paul Goldschmidt, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Andrew Kittredge are gone, and Nolan Arenado could soon join them. But can a team with few veterans (Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Ryan Helsley) pair with the youngsters (Masyn Winn, Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker, Thomas Saggese, Michael McGreevy and Andre Pallante) and keep the Cards competitive? Big bounceback seasons from Gorman and Walker would help tremendously. -- John Denton

Cubs: Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly address major needs
The North Siders were one of baseball¡¯s most active teams this offseason and twice teamed up with the Astros on a headline-grabbing trade. First, the Cubs reeled in star outfielder Kyle Tucker to add a legitimate offensive threat to the heart of the lineup. Chicago later acquired veteran reliever Ryan Pressly, bringing an experienced late-inning arm for the closer¡¯s role. They will arrive to camp as major additions for a Cubs team hoping to climb back atop the division in ¡®25. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: Does this pitching staff look up to task?
There¡¯s a lot riding on the Pirates¡¯ young staff, and it¡¯s hard seeing them competing this season if their starting rotation isn¡¯t one of the best in baseball. Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Jared Jones are a solid 1-2-3, but eyes will be on Johan Oviedo as he comes back from Tommy John surgery and top prospect Bubba Chandler as he approaches the Majors. -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: Which infielders play where?
There are more infielders than available places to play, and most of them can play multiple positions. While Elly De La Cruz is the likely shortstop, he could also play third base. Matt McLain is an easy projection for second base but could also play shortstop or even center field. Gavin Lux played only second base last season for the Dodgers, so where will he play with Cincinnati? Jeimer Candelario and Spencer Steer could both work at either third base or first base. Noelvi Marte, who had a poor 2024, will be trying to show he belongs at third while Christian Encarnacion-Strand seeks to regain first base after a rough first month of last season and being shut down by a hand injury in May. That's a lot of puzzle pieces with different fits. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: How will they deal with their starting rotation?
After Jordan Montgomery exercised his player option for 2025 and Arizona unexpectedly signed free agent Corbin Burnes, the Diamondbacks will have to decide what to do as they enter camp with seven starting pitchers not to mention other young starters with big league experience. Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez are veterans who figure to have a leg up. Brandon Pfaadt, who has been in the rotation for most of the past two seasons, in addition to Ryne Nelson both made strong cases last year to have spots this year. Then there¡¯s Montgomery, who struggled mightily in 2024. It¡¯s going to make for some tough decisions this spring unless the Diamondbacks pull off a trade beforehand. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: How will Shohei Ohtani fare as a two-way player once more?
This question won't be fully answered during spring, as Ohtani is not expected to return to an MLB mound until May. He'll be back to hitting and pitching for the first time as a Dodger, but how will it go? Ohtani's second major elbow surgery didn't affect him much as a hitter, as he created the 50-50 club and brought home his third MVP Award in 2024, but it could be harder to come back as a pitcher following offseason shoulder surgery, though it was on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: Can Jung Hoo Lee bounce back?
Lee was the Giants¡¯ biggest free-agent addition last offseason, but he appeared in only 37 games before suffering a season-ending right shoulder injury in May. Lee is expected to be full go for Spring Training and should slot back in at center field and possibly the leadoff spot, where the Giants still believe he can be a dynamic offensive force due to his elite contact skills. San Francisco will be counting on most of its improvement to come from within, so a breakout season from Lee would go a long way toward bolstering the club¡¯s chances of staying competitive in 2025. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Another spring shakeup?
The Padres¡¯ 2024 postseason roster featured 12 players who weren¡¯t on their roster at the start of Spring Training. That was the product of a flurry of transactions, some of which came in-season. But a handful of those came during camp -- including the addition of Jurickson Profar and a trade for Dylan Cease. After a relatively quiet winter, the Padres could again be headed for a busy spring. They have a glaring need in their rotation, and trade rumors -- particularly around Cease -- have been swirling lately. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: How healthy will Kris Bryant be in 2025?
By all reports, Bryant has adhered to a program designed to help him avoid the injuries ¨C primarily to his back ¨C that have marred his first three seasons under a seven-year, $182 million contract. Flexibility and core strength are in, any kind of bulky lifting is out. The Rockies figure to keep his early participation in Cactus League games light. But when the season arrives, he will have to be healthy enough to play the outfield on the road and designated hitter at home. The impetus for signing Bryant was he would deliver batting average, on-base performance and power while the team grew around him. But for too much of his tenure, the Rockies have had to find their way without him in the lineup. -- Thomas Harding