Winter Meetings primer: How will AL East clubs approach offseason’s biggest event?

MLB Winter Meetings: Tampa Bay Rays

It’s going to be an offseason full of Tyler Glasnow trade chatter, as it remains highly likely that he’ll be dealt. Finding a trade partner could be a little more difficult, though. Tampa Bay will presumably try to trade its ace outside of the American League so they have to face him less frequently. The right-hander’s injury history could also make it difficult to find a fair return.

After Glasnow, the Rays’ next biggest focus should be the catcher position. Rene Pinto is the only backstop on the club’s 40-man roster after they lost Christian Bethancourt to the Guardians. Free agency is never loaded with catchers, and this offseason is certainly no exception. It’s possible we see zero major league contracts awarded at the position, forcing Tampa Bay to explore the trade market. The Rays have been aggressive in Winter Meetings trades before, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them strike a deal so that they can check this task off their to-do list.

MLB Winter Meetings: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles took the league by storm with 101 wins in 2023, but they didn’t earn a single victory in the postseason. In order to make sure that doesn’t happen again, they will need to shore up their roster by adding talented, experienced players. Blake Snell, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Michael Wacha represent potential targets for the rotation.

In regard to position players, the Orioles will presumably approach the Winter Meetings day by day. With such a strong lineup and deep roster, Baltimore can afford to be reactive, exploring potential signings or trades as they arise without targeting any specific player.