I mean the lesson we have to be learning is the importance of pitching.
I wouldn't mind a healthy investment in the bullpen. I think Strider, Fried, Soroka, and Elder isn't a bad start. Throw in 1 more reliable vet (assuming Morton retires)
Or we need a LF to have a true nearly top to bottom lineup.
Right now we have one of the best offensive RF in the game, one of the better offensive 2B, one of the best offensive C, one of the best 3B, one of the best 1B, we can live with meh at SS and CF if they have defense (which Arcia and Harris have) but I think the struggle bus in LF is a problem. IT's not the end of the world, but ti has been making a huge issue in the playoffs.
I don't know how to solve the issue, but I'm not a GM. I just can see some glaring holes and some of them are going to be blown wide open as we have a healthy chunk of Arb 4 guys next year (Soroka, Fried, and Minter) who will need to be replaced.
Looking at the farm, hopefully Smith-Shawver will be legit but I'm skeptical. His walk rate in the minors leaves something to be desired, but most of the rest of our prospects are middling to bottom. Hope someone starts stepping up next year.
The obvious weakness of this team this season was always pitching. Our offense was historic. Can't expect it to be the same next year, but it should be really good still...
AA really whiffed at the deadline IMO by not adding a starter. Yes most of the starters traded amounted to jack ****, but he still could have added.
Next season you have Fried going into his walk year, and he did have elbow issues this season. It's not certain that that doesn't come back next season. Soroka has not shown that he can be trusted with 20-30 starts. Elder had a great start, but really fell flat at the end of the season. AA really does need to step out and make a deal on at least 1 SP, if not 2. Doesn't have to be long term, the free agent class for SP is MUCH better in 2025
Scherzer, Cole, Sale, Wheeler, Ray, Lynn, Glasnow, Hendricks, Quintana, Stripling, Clevinger, Kluber, Cobb, Kelly, Gonzales, Wacha, Peralta, Fried, Buhler, Woodruff, Pivetta, Burnes, Bieber.