Great pitching ultimately prevails in the MLB postseason, but qualifying for October baseball in the first place requires a formidable offense.
Five teams in particular ought to be busy this winter pursuing established hitters through trades and free agency as they aspire to remain relevant in 2014.
We aren’t necessarily alluding to baseball’s bottom-dwellers. The Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and Miami Marlins, for example, have no sense of urgency to improve immediately. They’re amid the rebuilding process and not expected to achieve contender status until later this decade.
Rather, the following teams are those with the most to gain or lose in their offensive searches. Entering spring training devoid of substantial acquisitions would doom them to finish below the .500 mark, while addressing glaring weaknesses could elevate them into the championship hunt.
*All stats provided by Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise specified.