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AL Central team needs heading into winter meetings

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Welcome to theScore's MLB offseason team needs, where we'll break down every club's roster and key departures, along with how holes could be filled in free agency ahead of the winter meetings.

AL EAST I NL EAST I NL CENTRAL I AL WEST I NL WEST

Chicago White Sox

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2022 record: 81-81 (2nd in AL Central)
Projected 40-man payroll: $188M
Key departures: Jose Abreu, Elvis Andrus, Johnny Cueto, Josh Harrison, AJ Pollock, Vincent Velasquez
Needs: Second baseman, outfielder, designated hitter, starting pitcher

Where the lineup stands

ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Tim Anderson SS 2.0
2 Yoan Moncada (S) 3B 0.9
3 Luis Robert CF 2.1
4 Eloy Jimenez LF 1.7
5 Andrew Vaughn 1B -0.4
6 Gavin Sheets (L) RF 0.1
7 Jake Burger DH 0.3
8 Yasmani Grandal (S) C -0.4
9 Romy Gonzalez 2B 0.0

Chicago is poised to go with Vaughn at first base after longtime slugger Abreu signed with the Houston Astros. Robert and Jimenez have dealt with significant injuries during their brief careers and need to stay on the field if the team wants to contend. The White Sox will also have a hole at second base if Harrison is allowed to walk. Free agents Adam Frazier or Jean Segura would be upgrades at the position.

How the rotation looks

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ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Dylan Cease R 4.4
2 Lance Lynn R 1.9
3 Lucas Giolito R 1.8
4 Michael Kopech R 1.0
5 Mike Clevinger R 0.4

Chicago's rotation still has plenty of promise despite finishing in the middle of the pack with a combined 12 fWAR in 2022. Cease turned into a legitimate ace and perennial Cy Young contender, while Lynn and Kopech are front-end starters when healthy. Giolito is the biggest X-factor, posting a 4.90 ERA after a three-year run as one of the best starters in the AL. Adding Clevinger is intriguing. He underwhelmed in 2022 after returning from Tommy John surgery but posted a 3.20 ERA with 10 K/9 during a five-year run with the Guardians from 2016-20.

Cleveland Guardians

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2022 record: 92-70 (1st)
Projected 40-man payroll: $99M
Key departures: Austin Hedges
Needs: Designated hitter, catcher

Where the lineup stands

ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Steven Kwan (L) LF 4.5
2 Amed Rosario SS 2.4
3 Jose Ramirez (S) 3B 6.2
4 Josh Naylor (L) 1B 1.7
5 Andres Gimenez (L) 2B 6.1
6 Oscar Gonzalez RF 1.7
7 Will Brennan (L) DH 0.3
8 Bo Naylor (L) C -0.2
9 Myles Straw CF 2.0

The Guardians will likely stick with a similar roster to the one that shocked baseball by winning the AL Central. DH and catcher are two areas of concern the team needs to improve. Cleveland reportedly made a run at Abreu, which shows it's willing to spend. The club also needs to replace Hedges, as prospect Bo Naylor might not be ready to be the No. 1 backstop for an entire season.

How the rotation looks

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ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Shane Bieber R 4.9
2 Tristson McKenzie R 3.6
3 Cal Quantrill R 2.4
4 Aaron Civale R 1.3
5 Zach Plesac R 0.9

Cleveland will bring back a rotation and bullpen that was a major strength last season. The club's hurlers posted the ninth-best fWAR in the majors, thanks to breakout campaigns by McKenzie and Quantrill and stellar performances by Emmanuel Clase, Trevor Stephan, and James Karinchak out of the bullpen. Adding a back-end starter could still be a focus.

Detroit Tigers

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2022 record: 66-96 (4th)
Projected 40-man payroll: $134M
Key departures: Tucker Barnhart, Jeimer Candelario, Harold Castro, Willi Castro, Andrew Chafin, Daniel Norris
Needs: Third baseman, catcher, outfielder, designated hitter, starting pitcher

Where the lineup stands

ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Austin Meadows (L) RF -0.2
2 Javier Baez SS 2.0
3 Riley Greene (L) CF 0.9
4 Jonathan Schoop 2B 1.5
5 Kerry Carpenter (L) DH 0.5
6 Eric Haase C 1.3
7 Akil Baddoo (L) LF -0.2
8 Spencer Torkelson 1B -1.0
9 Ryan Kreidler 3B 0.2

The Tigers had a rough year after coming into the season with heightened expectations. Meadows, one of the team's big acquisitions, failed to hit a home run and amassed a .675 OPS over 36 games following a 27-homer campaign in 2021. A lot more is also expected from Greene and Torkelson after tough rookie campaigns. By non-tendering Candelario, the club now has a glaring hole at third.

How the rotation looks

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ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Eduardo Rodriguez L 0.6
2 Matthew Boyd L 0.1
3 Matt Manning R 1.0
4 Joey Wentz L 0.5
5 Spencer Turnbull R DNP

Detroit's pitching staff has some serious holes with starters Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal out with long-term injuries. There are also questions about Turnball's longevity with the right-hander coming off Tommy John surgery. Reuniting with Boyd helps, but the veteran left-hander only logged a combined 92 innings over the last two seasons because of injury issues.

Kansas City Royals

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2022 record: 65-97 (5th)
Projected 40-man payroll: $91M
Key departures: Zack Greinke
Needs: Outfielders, starting pitchers, relievers

Where the lineup stands

ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 MJ Melendez (L) DH -0.2
2 Bobby Witt Jr. 3B 2.3
3 Salvador Perez C 0.5
4 Vinnie Pasquantino (L) 1B 1.5
5 Adalberto Mondesi (S) SS NA
6 Edward Olivares RF 0.4
7 Drew Waters (S) LF 0.4
8 Michael A. Taylor CF 1.5
9 Nicky Lopez (L) 2B 1.2

The Royals have some intriguing young talent with Witt, Melendez, and Pasquantino. However, the team's outfield is a mess. Olivares, Waters, and Taylor shouldn't be starting. Kansas City should look to sign a pair of outfielders from a pool of veterans that includes Wil Myers, A.J. Pollock, Joey Gallo, Adam Duvall, Kevin Kiermaier, and David Peralta.

How the rotation looks

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ROLE PITCHER THROWS FWAR
1 Brady Singer R 2.9
2 Daniel Lynch L 0.7
3 Jonathan Heasley R -0.5
4 Kris Bubic L 0.5
5 Brad Keller R 0.7

Singer, who enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, is the only noteworthy pitcher in the projected rotation. He posted a 3.23 ERA with 1.14 WHIP and 150 strikeouts over 153 1/3 innings (24 starts). Free agent Zack Greinke, 39, was the club's second-best starter in what could be his final MLB season. However, there's reportedly mutual interest in a reunion. Kansas City needs to add multiple starters and relievers to a pitching staff that finished with the third-lowest fWAR in baseball.

Minnesota Twins

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2022 record: 78-84 (3rd)
Projected 40-man payroll: $108M
Key departures: Chris Archer, Dylan Bundy, Carlos Correa, Michael Fulmer, Billy Hamilton, Sandy Leon, Aaron Sanchez, Gary Sanchez, Miguel Sano, Gio Urshela
Needs: Shortstop, outfielder, catcher

Where the lineup stands

ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Luis Arraez (L) 1B 3.2
2 Byron Buxton CF 4.0
3 Jorge Polanco (S) SS 1.8
4 Max Kepler (L) RF 2.0
5 Jose Miranda 3B 1.1
6 Nick Gordon (L) 2B 1.5
7 Trevor Larnach (L) LF 1.1
8 Alex Kirilloff (L) DH -0.6
9 Ryan Jeffers C 0.9

Correa exercising his opt-out clause is the biggest storyline surrounding the Twins heading into the offseason. Losing the two-time All-Star would be a step back for a club that planned to contend in 2022. Minnesota is also on the hunt for a new starting catcher after letting Sanchez walk.

How the rotation looks

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ROLE PITCHER THROWS fWAR
1 Sonny Gray R 2.4
2 Joe Ryan R 2.1
3 Tyler Mahle R 2.1
4 Kenta Maeda R DNP
5 Bailey Ober R 1.4

The group looks strong with Maeda returning from Tommy John surgery. The 2020 AL Cy Young runner-up and Ober should be a big improvement over Archer and Bundy at the back of the rotation. Minnesota will also get a full season out of Mahle after acquiring the right-h ander at the trade deadline. He made only four starts following the deal because of injuries.

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