These are MLB’s three most improved teams

Disappointment is an infectious and lingering emotion for every fan of a losing team who has been jilted. For this feeling to subside, there is only one remedy: action from the said team’s upper management.

For these jilted fans, any movement that can be described as "spurred into action" typically involves a whirlwind of meaningful upgrades that can empty a farm system or drain a bank account. But when in pursuit of a championship, sacrifices are necessary. To win, losing teams must first improve. Here are the three MLB teams that have risen to the occasion and improved the most over the course of this offseason.

Baltimore Orioles 

Going from the bottom to the top in one year isn’t an easy feat, but that is the goal for the Orioles. And even if they don’t take the top spot in the AL East this season, they’re at least going to make it interesting.

The best way to make a massive year-over-year improvement typically comes down to an argument of quality and quantity. This offseason, the O’s opted to favor both sides of the argument, making marquee acquisitions among a flurry of impactful moves. 

In all, Baltimore acquired Pete Alonso, Ryan Helsley, Taylor Ward, Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, Blaze Alexander, Andrew Kittredge and Leody Taveras while retaining Zach Eflin. Bassitt, Baz, Kittredge and Helsley will work to stabilize the pitching staff, which was a sore spot for the Orioles last season. 

Alonso and Ward, both with 30+ home run power, will add much-needed power to the middle of the batting order as their young core of bats works to establish some consistency. Should Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman rebound from their 2025 jitters, the Orioles should be a team to watch.

Boston Red Sox 

The Red Sox lost Alex Bregman, but gained so much more. This offseason, Boston added Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Johan Oviedo, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

For the Red Sox, building a reliable rotation behind Garrett Crochet was crucial. Having added Suarez and Gray, it would seem Boston has exceeded this benchmark, building one of the game’s best rotations. On the offensive side, the addition of Contreras has brought stability to the gaping hole at first base. 

And while Monasterio and Kiner-Falefa are both quality utility players, the addition of the speedy infielder Durbin is even more intriguing. Though it isn’t quite clear where he will play on the packed Red Sox roster, his high-contact style of hitting and prowess on the basepaths make him a dual threat.

Pittsburgh Pirates 

Boasting a premier rotation featuring Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler, the Pirates’ management decided now was the time to add some offensive support. This winter, Pittsburgh picked up Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O’Hearn, Jose Urquidy, Gregory Soto, Jake Mangum, Mason Montgomery and Jhostynxon Garcia. 

Both Lowe and Ozuna bring 30+ home run power to the table. And though Ozuna’s 2025 numbers declined heavily, this was likely due to a hip injury. It was only in the prior season that Ozuna posted MVP-caliber numbers.

Last year, both O’Hearn and Mangum proved themselves capable of hitting for high averages, hitting .281 and .296, respectively. Garcia, who only has seven major league at-bats under his belt, was one of Boston’s top prospects before being traded. In the minors, he demonstrated an ability to hit for both average and power.

Honorable mention: New York Mets