Five MLB teams that are one move away from contending

With MLB's winter meetings set to begin next week in Orlando, many teams are already in the middle of their quests to improve their rosters this offseason.

Some of those teams are franchises that missed out on the postseason in 2025 or made it to October but didn't have the firepower to advance past other talented teams.

So which teams could be this year's October darlings if they make a big move in the offseason to boost their rosters? Here are five MLB teams to keep an eye on, listed in alphabetical order.

Athletics

The Athletics finished 76-86 last season and have a lineup anchored by American League Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker and plenty of others who are dangerous at the plate. If the Athletics could land a true ace to lead the rotation, they could be a disruptor in a deep AL West this season.

Don't forget the A's finished last season with a 34-24 flourish, so the pieces are already there to have a strong 2026.

Atlanta Braves

Like the Athletics, Atlanta finished 76-86 last season. However, while the A's might have surprised a few with that record, finishing 10 games below .500 was a big disappointment for the Braves, a team that is used to competing for the National League East title.

The Braves caught the brunt of injuries last year to key players such as Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley and Spencer Strider, so staying healthy will be a key this season for Atlanta under the eye of first-year manager Walt Weiss.

Atlanta has to get more answers at shortstop this season, and the trade for Mauricio Dubon may provide the missing link there in 2026.

Cincinnati Reds

Rumors are linking Kyle Schwarber to the Reds, and a bat with that kind of potential would do an immense amount of good for a team that was 21st in home runs and 19th in OPS last season.

Despite the lack of firepower last season, the Reds made it to the postseason. Getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the wild card round, however, showcased the need for Cincinnati to continue to improve in 2026 to compete with the deeper teams in baseball. 

Detroit Tigers

Prospects Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle may help the Tigers be better in 2026, but there still needs to be a veteran presence who can do damage at the plate in order for Detroit to be taken seriously as a World Series contender.

With Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal still in the fold for this season, Detroit making that move to grab a big bat that can go alongside Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene is a must this offseason.

Kansas City Royals

Also in the American League Central, the Royals fell short of the postseason in 2025, finishing at 82-80. The talent is still there for the Royals, but Kansas City has to figure out how to get more production from its outfield to make an October appearance this season.

As this ESPN.com article points out, "The Royals have 9.4 fWAR from all of their outfielders over the past five seasons combined. Aaron Judge had 10.1 fWAR in 2025 alone." 

That simply won't do for a Royals team that has plenty of depth in the infield and pitching.