These 5 teams have strong foundations -- how can they build toward postseason?

“Wait until next year.”

That’s the mantra of an MLB team that just missed out on reaching the postseason. But "next year" isn't equal for every also-ran club.

Some teams are in the midst of a rebuild with their sights set on contending two or three years down the road. Yet others may be just one productive offseason away from turning into a championship threat.

With that in mind, we asked five MLB.com experts to pick a team that they think can rebound from an underwhelming 2024 and make the postseason in '25 with the help of some significant additions this winter. Here are their responses.

MARINERS

What they were missing in 2024: A year after finishing one game out of a Wild Card spot, the Mariners finished two games back 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) this past season. They also recorded 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 just a few stats. That starting five makes up arguably the best rotation in MLB, and each hurler is under team control through at least 2027. Seattle must take advantage of its pitching riches by making significant lineup upgrades.

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What they can do this offseason: The Mariners’ outfield, led by Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena and Victor Robles, is pretty much set. Their infield, however, should be under construction. The team ranked 21st or worse in OPS at second base, third base and shortstop. Seattle’s first basemen recorded good numbers overall, but of their two top producers at the position, one is a free agent (Justin Turner) and the other is an outfielder by trade (Luke Raley).

President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto expects shortstop J.P. Crawford to have a bounceback season next year, but that still leaves questions at second and possibly both corner-infield spots. The Mariners are reportedly interested in Korean second baseman Hyeseong Kim, who batted .326 over the past three years in the KBO. MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi recently mentioned the Mariners as a good fit to trade for Cubs 1B/OF Cody Bellinger. At the upcoming Winter Meetings, Seattle could use its large crop of young pitching to deal for a potent bat, but Dipoto has all but ruled out such a move.

"We could shoot ourselves in the foot by trying to get too crafty in what we do," he said at the end of the regular season. "Our pitching is how we're built. I love our rotation."

-- Brian Murphy

RED SOX

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

Offensively, Boston tied for 10th in MLB with a 104 wRC+. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who belted 31 homers, is a free agent, though the Sox expect to have shortstop Trevor Story healthy after he missed most of the 2024 campaign, in addition to returning stars Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran and Triston Casas.

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What they can do this offseason: At the top of Boston’s wish list is Juan Soto, and based on recent rumblings it seems like the Red Sox are very much in the mix to land the superstar slugger, even getting help from Big Papi in their efforts. Signing Soto would cause reverberations across the baseball landscape, but it would also create major ripples for Boston’s roster -- an already crowded outfield would get even deeper, meaning the Sox could leverage that depth in order to improve in other areas via trade. Players such as Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela could bring 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 in a departure from relatively quiet winters recently, and is rumored to be looking at adding multiple big-name free agents even if it lands Soto. President/CEO Sam Kennedy said that there is “an extreme urgency internally” to make a deep postseason run in 2025. Adding Soto, a frontline starter (Corbin Burnes or Max Fried, perhaps?) and key bullpen arms could go a long way toward making that a reality. To that last point, the Red Sox added to their bullpen Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year deal with veteran lefty Aroldis Chapman, per a source.

-- Manny Randhawa

PIRATES

What they were missing in 2024: There wasn’t a singular issue for the Pirates last season. Offensively, they ranked in the bottom five across 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 4.49 bullpen ERA was the fourth-worst in the Majors. That’s a lot to clean up, obviously, but the Pirates are a young team -- and one that will need to be carried by a starting rotation that is brimming with potential.

What they can do this offseason: Pittsburgh will need 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 NL Cy Young Award voting and even receiving down-ballot MVP votes – all at just 22 years old.

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

-- Paul Casella

CUBS

What they were missing in 2024: The Cubs’ lack of power held back their offense in 2024: They ranked 12th in runs scored (736) and tied for 20th in homers (170). Chicago’s relief corps also had trouble nailing down leads, in part because closer Adbert Alzolay missed most of the season due to injury and free-agent addition Héctor Neris did not live up to expectations. The Cubs had 12 losses in games where they led at the end of seven innings, tied for the second-most in MLB. Granted, Chicago still had a +67 run differential, which equates to an expected record of 88-74 -- five games better than its actual record -- so this group might be closer to contending than it seems.

What they can do this offseason: The Cubs already have an idea of who their regulars are going to be, so there’s not an obvious avenue to make significant offensive upgrades. That said, Chicago can change that -- and add more financial flexibility -- if it manages to trade Bellinger, who is reportedly available. A Bellinger trade could clear the way for the Cubs to pursue one of the top sluggers 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 strengthen their bullpen, including Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Clay Holmes and Carlos Estévez.

The National League Central is there for the taking in 2025, especially with the defending-champion Brewers potentially losing Adames in free agency. However, for the Cubs to rise above mediocrity, they’ll need to make more impactful additions beyond starter Matthew Boyd.

-- Thomas Harrigan

D-BACKS

What they were missing in 2024: The biggest thing was honestly "the MVP-caliber version of Corbin Carroll," which will hopefully resolve itself if Carroll bounces back in 2025. But there were other problem areas that took the D-backs from pennant-winners in '23 to just missing the playoffs in '24. Starting pitching was a big one -- after ace Zac Gallen, the D-backs' rotation was a bit of a mess last season, particularly due to a disastrous year from free-agent signee Jordan Montgomery (6.23 ERA). The bullpen was another. Closer Paul Sewald regressed, but Arizona does have promising arms such as Justin Martinez, who replaced Sewald as closer down the stretch, and A.J. Puk, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline.

Arguably more pressing is what the D-backs could be missing in 2025: their cornerstone first baseman Christian Walker and their slugging 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 they can do this offseason: The D-backs will have to replace the power bats they stand to lose. Priority No. 1 has to be to re-sign Walker or, if they can't, find a short-term power-hitting first baseman to step in … maybe a reunion with Paul Goldschmidt? And the D-backs' DH tandem worked so well that they might as well try to recreate it. If they can't bring back Pederson, Grichuk or both, there are veteran, home run-hitting DH types available in free agency on both sides of the plate -- the Michael Confortos, Jesse Winkers, J.D. Martinezes and Eloy Jiménezes of the world.

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

As for the pitching, the D-backs already have six starters heading into 2025, so unless they trade Montgomery, they're probably not going out and adding more to the rotation. The move there may be to bank on a return to form by Montgomery and healthier, more productive years from Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez. Arizona should definitely solidify its bullpen, though -- whether that's by adding one or two of the many proven veteran free agents available, or by trading from their outfield or starting pitching depth.

-- David Adler