Power Ranking Every MLB Team's Lineup Before Spring Training 2018

We witnessed an offensive explosion during the 2017 MLB season, and there's no reason to think that's going to change anytime soon.

The old adage that pitching wins championships might still ring true, but it's telling that last season's 10 playoff teams all ranked 12th or higher in runs scored.

And it was the Houston Astros, baseball's most productive offense during the regular season, who were hoisting the World Series trophy when all was said and done.

So which offense will reign supreme in 2018?

We've ranked all 30 MLB lineups before spring training based on their outlook for the upcoming season alone—so sustainability and future outlook did not play a role.

This will likely change with so many notable free agents still on the market, but it should provide a good snapshot of where things currently stand.

Players listed in bold indicate newcomers to the roster, while italics are players not currently projected for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .731 (T-23rd in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.33 (24th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Whit Merrifield	C Drew Butera
LF Alex Gordon	IF Ramon Torres
RF Jorge Bonifacio	IF/OF Hunter Dozier (R)
1B Brandon Moss	OF Billy Burns
C Salvador Perez
DH Jorge Soler	1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn (R)
3B Cheslor Cuthbert	OF Cody Asche
CF Paulo Orlando	OF Bubba Starling (R)
SS Raul Mondesi

DL: None

Analysis

The free agency of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar subtracts a good chunk of the Kansas City Royals' offensive production from a year ago:

• H: 668 (46.5%)
• TB: 1,060 (45.6%)
• HR: 84 (43.5%)
• RBI: 282 (42.7%)

As the team gets set to kick off what could be a lengthy rebuild, no significant outside additions have been made to replace those departing core pieces.

Even if the team winds up bringing back Eric Hosmer, it looks like runs are going to be hard to come by.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .692 (29th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 3.73 (30th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Manuel Margot	C Rocky Gale (R)
3B Chase Headley	3B Chrisitan Villanueva
1B Wil Myers	IF Cory Spangenberg
LF Jose Pirela	OF Travis Jankowski
RF Hunter Renfroe	OF Matt Szczur
SS Freddy Galvis
2B Carlos Asuaje	1B/OF Alex Dickerson
C Austin Hedges	OF Franchy Cordero (R)

DL: None

Analysis

Adding Freddy Galvis and Chase Headley to the left side of the infield gives the San Diego Padres a pair of veteran hitters with 20-homer pop, even if they're not long-term pieces for the rebuilding club.

However, the most consistent offensive performer on the roster was also shipped out when they traded Yangervis Solarte to the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the sake of the future, the team will be hoping for another step forward from guys like Manuel Margot, Hunter Renfroe, Austin Hedges and prospect Franchy Cordero. As for the present, this lineup will likely be among the lowest-scoring in the league once again in 2018.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .748 (18th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.54 (T-18th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Leonys Martin	C John Hicks
3B Jeimer Candelario	IF/OF Niko Goodrum (R)
1B Miguel Cabrera	IF/OF JaCoby Jones
DH Victor Martinez	OF Victor Reyes (R)
RF Nick Castellanos
C James McCann	C Derek Norris
LF Mikie Mahtook	IF Kody Eaves (R)
2B Dixon Machado	OF Mike Gerber (R)
SS Jose Iglesias

DL: None

Analysis

With Justin Upton, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Alex Avila all traded since last summer, the Detroit Tigers lineup has a distinctly different look heading into 2018.

Veterans Miguel Cabrera (529 PA, .249 BA, 92 OPS+) and Victor Martinez (435 PA, .255 BA, 84 OPS+) are both coming off terrible seasons by their standards, which leaves the offense without a star-caliber bat.

Nick Castellanos is capable of being an impact player, and young switch-hitter Jeimer Candelario will also be one to watch as he settles in at the hot corner.

That said, this group will almost certainly slip toward the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, a necessary evil as a long-overdue rebuild gets underway.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .739 (20th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.28 (T-25th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Kevin Kiermaier	C Jesus Sucre
3B Matt Duffy	IF Daniel Robertson
RF Steven Souza Jr.	IF/OF Micah Johnson
DH Corey Dickerson	OF Mallex Smith
C Wilson Ramos
1B Brad Miller	1B/OF Jake Bauers (R)
LF Denard Span	IF Christian Arroyo (R)
2B Joey Wendle (R)	IF Ryan Schimpf
SS Adeiny Hechavarria

DL: None

Analysis

When will the youth movement begin for the Tampa Bay Rays?

Prospects Jake Bauers, Willy Adames and newly acquired Christian Arroyo could all be ready to make a significant impact in 2018.

Add to that group a healthy Matt Duffy and a full season of Wilson Ramos, and there's plenty of room for improvement for the cost-conscious club.

However, after trading Evan Longoria and with Logan Morrison likely headed for greener pastures in free agency, it's tough to say the Rays haven't taken a step backward offensively.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .761 (T-10th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.80 (11th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
C J.T. Realmuto	C Tomas Telis
CF Christian Yelich	1B Garrett Cooper (R)
2B Starlin Castro	IF Miguel Rojas
1B Justin Bour	OF J.B. Shuck
LF Martin Prado	OF Scott Van Slyke
RF Derek Dietrich
3B Brian Anderson (R)	IF/OF Johnny Giavotella
SS JT Riddle	OF Magneuris Sierra (R)

DL: None

Analysis

Here's the offense the Miami Marlins subtracted with the trades of Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon:

• H: 560 (37.4%)
• TB: 958 (39.7%)
• HR: 98 (50.5%)
• RBI: 289 (38.9%)
• R: 330 (42.4%)

Things could conceivably get even worse if they decide to move one or both of Christian Yelich or J.T. Realmuto—popular names on the trade market since the new ownership group began dismantling the core in an attempt to trim payroll.

Rookie third baseman Brian Anderson has a chance to be a long-term piece, and both Yelich and Realmuto are impact players if they stick around. But there's no question this lineup is a shell of the 2017 version. 

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .704 (28th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.12 (28th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Josh Harrison	C Elias Diaz
LF Adam Frazier	1B/3B David Freese
CF Starling Marte	IF Max Moroff
1B Josh Bell	IF/OF Sean Rodriguez
RF Gregory Polanco	OF Jordan Luplow (R)
3B Colin Moran (R)
C Francisco Cervelli	1B/OF Jose Osuna
SS Jordy Mercer	OF Austin Meadows (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Pittsburgh Pirates went from 13th in the majors in runs scored in 2016 to 28th this past season, despite trotting out essentially the same roster.

Starling Marte's 80-game suspension and Jung-Ho Kang's ongoing legal issues preventing his return to the States no doubt played a role in that decline.

Now, as the team gets set to embark on the post-McCutchen era, it will be counting on emerging star Josh Bell and newly acquired Colin Moran to help shoulder more of the offensive load.

It's worth noting that Josh Harrison could be traded before the start of spring training and prospect Austin Meadows could be manning a starting outfield spot by midseason.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .731 (T-23rd in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.36 (23rd in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Tim Anderson	C Omar Narvaez
2B Yoan Moncada	3B Matt Davidson
1B Jose Abreu	IF/OF Tyler Saladino
RF Avisail Garcia	OF Willy Garcia
DH Nicky Delmonico
C Welington Castillo	1B Casey Gillaspie (R)
3B Yolmer Sanchez	IF Jose Rondon (R)
LF Leury Garcia	OF Adam Engel
CF Charlie Tilson

DL: None

Analysis

Jose Abreu (140 OPS+, 33 HR) and Avisail Garcia (137 OPS+. 18 HR) were both terrific for the Chicago White Sox last season, and the rebuilding club has resisted the urge to trade either slugger this winter.

The middle infield duo of Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada is still capable of taking a significant step forward, particularly Moncada who is still shy of his 23rd birthday.

Those four make up the current offensive core, while a promising debut from Nicky Delmonico (166 PA, 129 OPS+), along with new arrival Welington Castillo, gives the lineup some solid complementary pieces.

Still, this is a team that will continue to patiently await the arrival of top prospects, most notably slugger Eloy Jimenez, who could debut next season.

The present lineup might still be a weakness, but the future is bright.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .723 (26th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.26 (27th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Cesar Hernandez	C Cameron Rupp
CF Odubel Herrera	1B Tommy Joseph
LF Rhys Hoskins	IF Jesmuel Valentin (R)
1B Carlos Santana	IF/OF Pedro Florimon
RF Nick Williams	OF Aaron Altherr
3B Maikel Franco
C Jorge Alfaro (R)	2B Scott Kingery (R)
SS J.P. Crawford (R)	OF Roman Quinn (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The addition of free-agent slugger Carlos Santana and full seasons from Rhys Hoskins (212 PA, 165 OPS+, 18 HR) and Nick Williams (343 PA, 113 OPS+, 12 HR) will give the Philadelphia Phillies a dynamic middle-of-the-order trio.

Meanwhile, steady veterans Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera will once again be setting the table with their high batting averages and solid contact skills.

The impending arrival of prospects J.P. Crawford, Jorge Alfaro and Scott Kingery will ultimately determine just how good the Phillies offense can be for the upcoming season.

It might also be a make-or-break year for Maikel Franco, who posted a dismal 81 OPS+ over 623 plate appearances last season.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .738 (21st in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.52 (T-20th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Ender Inciarte	C Kurt Suzuki
2B Ozzie Albies	IF Charlie Culberson
1B Freddie Freeman	OF Lane Adams
C Tyler Flowers	OF Preston Tucker
RF Nick Markakis
LF Ronald Acuna (R)	3B Rio Ruiz
SS Dansby Swanson	IF/OF Danny Santana
3B Johan Camargo

DL: None

Analysis

Will the young middle infield duo of Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson live up to their pedigrees?

When will Ronald Acuna be ready, and just how good can he be in his age-20 season?

Those are the biggest questions surrounding the Atlanta Braves offense as they look to take another step toward future contention amid an ongoing rebuild.

As for known commodities: Freddie Freeman is a bona fide superstar, 2017 All-Star Ender Inciarte hit .304 and the catching tandem of Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki quietly combined for 31 home runs and 99 RBI.

Adding a third baseman to bridge the gap to prospect Austin Riley would be nice, but as it stands, this is a lineup with a chance to surprise some people.

Then again, it could be another year of growing pains.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .689 (30th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 3.94 (29th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
RF Andrew McCutchen	C Nick Hundley
2B Joe Panik	3B Pablo Sandoval
3B Evan Longoria	IF Kelby Tomlinson
C Buster Posey	OF Gorkys Hernandez
1B Brandon Belt	OF Jarrett Parker
SS Brandon Crawford
LF Hunter Pence	IF Ryder Jones
CF Austin Jackson	OF Austin Slater

DL: None

Analysis

Adding Andrew McCutchen and Evan Longoria looks good on paper.

However, Longoria (100 OPS+) was a league-average offensive player last season, and McCutchen is no longer the MVP-caliber player of his prime, although he did bounce back with a solid 2017 season.

In other words, the San Francisco Giants offense is not as improved as the casual observer might think from those two new names. This team will be banking on improved pitching performance if it's going to get back on track in 2018.

Even with Austin Jackson added to the mix, the team could still look to add another outfielder before the offseason is over, as the veteran served mostly as a platoon option against left-handed pitching last season.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .724 (25th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.28 (T-25th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
LF Curtis Granderson	C Luke Maile
3B Josh Donaldson	IF Aledmys Diaz
1B Justin Smoak	IF Yangervis Solarte
DH Kendrys Morales	OF Ezequiel Carrera
SS Troy Tulowitzki
RF Randal Grichuk	1B/OF Steve Pearce
CF Kevin Pillar	IF Richard Urena (R)
C Russell Martin	OF Teoscar Hernandez
2B Devon Travis

DL: None

Analysis

As recently as 2015, the Toronto Blue Jays were the highest-scoring team in baseball (5.50 runs per game) and nothing short of an offensive juggernaut.

Despite a breakout season from Justin Smoak (128 OPS+, 38 HR) and continued excellence from Josh Donaldson once he was healthy, the offense is no longer the strength of the team.

Adding Curtis Granderson and Randal Grichuk should prove to be an upgrade over last season's corner outfield situation, while fellow newcomers Aledmys Diaz and Yangervis Solarte will provide valuable insurance for the oft-injured duo of Devon Travis and Troy Tulowitzki.

The Blue Jays will go as far as their pitching staff takes them in 2018, but the offense should show some modest improvement over a disappointing 2017 campaign.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .755 (T-13th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.54 (T-18th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Brandon Nimmo	C Kevin Plawecki
3B Asdrubal Cabrera	IF Gavin Cecchini
LF Yoenis Cespedes	IF/OF Phillip Evans (R)
RF Jay Bruce	IF/OF Matt Reynolds
2B Wilmer Flores	OF Juan Lagares
1B Adrian Gonzalez
C Travis d'Arnaud	1B Dominic Smith
SS Amed Rosario	OF Zach Borenstein (R)

DL: OF Michael Conforto, 3B David Wright, IF T.J. Rivera

Analysis

Bringing back Jay Bruce on a three-year, $39 million deal and rolling the dice on Adrian Gonzalez for a league-minimum salary were both nice moves by the New York Mets front office this offseason.

That said, the X-factors for offensive success will be the health of Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto.

Cespedes played just 81 games last season after re-upping with the Mets on a massive four-year, $110 million deal. Conforto underwent shoulder surgery in September and won't be ready for Opening Day.

Ideally, Amed Rosario would break out in his first full MLB season, and Dominic Smith would force Gonzalez to the bench after getting a bit more seasoning in Triple-A. The 22-year-old hit just .198/.262/.395 over 183 plate appearances last season after raking in the minors.

If Cespedes can stay healthy and Conforto can avoid setbacks, this offense has a chance to be dangerous. Those are big enough ifs to keep them from ranking any higher, though.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .755 (T-13th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.56 (17th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Marcus Semien	C Josh Phegley
LF Matt Joyce	IF/OF Renato Nunez (R)
2B Jed Lowrie	IF/OF Chad Pinder
DH Khris Davis	OF Boog Powell
1B Matt Olson
RF Stephen Piscotty	1B/OF Mark Canha
3B Matt Chapman	IF Franklin Barreto (R)
C Bruce Maxwell	IF/OF Jorge Mateo (R)
CF Jake Smolinski	OF Dustin Fowler (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Oakland Athletics lineup has some holes—most notably at catcher and center field—but there is also a lot to like.

Matt Olson (216 PA, 164 OPS+, 24 HR) and Matt Chapman (326 PA, 110 OPS+, 14 HR) both possess 30-homer potential, and buy-low newcomer Stephen Piscotty looked like one of the best young outfielders in the game as recently as 2016.

They join slugger Khris Davis, who has launched 85 home runs over the past two seasons, second only to Giancarlo Stanton (86) during that span.

And Oakland has some intriguing prospect talent knocking on the door: Franklin Barreto figures to take over as the starting second baseman at some point, and both Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler—acquired from the Yankees in the Sonny Gray trade—could also see the majors in 2018.

Don't sleep on Oakland.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .761 (T-10th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.65 (14th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Billy Hamilton	C Devin Mesoraco
SS Jose Peraza	IF Alex Blandino (R)
1B Joey Votto	IF Dilson Herrera
LF Adam Duvall	OF Phillip Ervin (R)
3B Eugenio Suarez	OF Scott Schebler
2B Scooter Gennett
RF Jesse Winker (R)	3B Nick Senzel (R)
C Tucker Barnhart	OF Mason Williams

DL: None

Analysis

The Cincinnati Reds ranked in the upper half of MLB offenses due in part to playing their home games at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

• Home: .779 OPS, 4.97 Runs Per Game
• Road: .744 OPS, 4.33 Runs Per Game

That said, the offense does have some solid pieces, starting with MVP runner-up Joey Votto, who hit a ridiculous .320/.454/.578 with 36 home runs, 100 RBI and many more walks (134) than strikeouts (83).

Adam Duvall (31 HR), Scott Schebler (30 HR), Scooter Gennett (27 HR) and Eugenio Suarez (26 HR) also provided over-the-fence power, while Billy Hamilton (59 SB) and Jose Peraza (23 SB) were a handful on the bases.

Losing Zack Cozart on the heels of a breakout offensive performance hurts, but a full season of Jesse Winker—who hit .298/.375/.529 with seven doubles and seven home runs in 137 plate appearances—could replace some of that production.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .747 (19th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.59 (16th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Tim Beckham	C Caleb Joseph
3B Manny Machado	IF Luis Sardinas
2B Jonathan Schoop	OF Joey Rickard
CF Adam Jones	OF Anthony Santander (R)
1B Chris Davis
LF Trey Mancini	IF Ryan Mountcastle (R)
DH Mark Trumbo	OF Jaycob Brugman
C Chance Sisco (R)
RF Austin Hays (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Baltimore Orioles probably need to average six or seven runs per game if they want to have a realistic shot of contending in the AL East.

With no significant additions made to the starting rotation, run prevention figures to take a backseat to out-slugging opponents. They do have some big bats, ranking fifth in the majors in home runs (232) last year.

Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop are as formidable a one-two punch as any if they can turn in repeat performances, while young sluggers Trey Mancini and Austin Hays represent the future.

Meanwhile, Chris Davis (.215 BA, 95 OPS+, 26 HR) and Mark Trumbo (.234 BA, 83 OPS+, 23 HR) should improve on awful seasons. If they can return to their 2016 form, the Orioles could put a lot of crooked numbers on the board.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .751 (15th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.52 (T-20th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Jonathan Villar	C Manny Pina
1B Eric Thames	1B Jesus Aguilar
LF Ryan Braun	IF/OF Hernan Perez
3B Travis Shaw	IF/OF Eric Sogard
RF Domingo Santana	OF Brett Phillips (R)
C Stephen Vogt
SS Orlando Arcia	1B Ji-Man Choi
CF Keon Broxton	OF Lewis Brinson (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Milwaukee Brewers tied for the NL lead with 224 home runs in 2017.

The offseason additions of Eric Thames (125 OPS+, 31 HR) and Travis Shaw (121 OPS+, 31 HR) plus a breakout season from Domingo Santana (126 OPS+, 30 HR) gave the team an unlikely trio of 30-homer sluggers.

That group will look to duplicate their success this coming season, and there's more help on the way as top prospect Lewis Brinson is close to a starting spot in the outfield.

Orlando Arcia could also be ready for a breakout in 2018 after a tremendous sophomore campaign.

Second base is a question mark after Neil Walker was plugged in as a deadline rental, but overall, the Brewers offense is capable of making some noise.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .750 (16th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.93 (9th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Delino DeShields Jr.	C Juan Centeno
RF Shin-Soo Choo	IF/OF Jurickson Profar
SS Elvis Andrus	IF/OF Ryan Rua
3B Adrian Beltre	OF Carlos Tocci (R)
LF Nomar Mazara
1B Joey Gallo	C Brett Nicholas
C Robinson Chirinos	1B Ronald Guzman (R)
2B Rougned Odor	IF/OF Drew Robinson
DH Willie Calhoun (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Texas Rangers offense will benefit greatly from a healthy Adrian Beltre.

Though he was his usual dynamic self when he was on the field (.312/.383/.532) he was limited to just 94 games while nursing calf and hamstring injuries.

A resurgent Delino DeShields Jr. reclaimed a starting spot in the outfield after the 2017 All-Star break, and he'll now be entrusted with the leadoff spot in the batting order.

Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara are both capable of 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons, while Elvis Andrus has taken his offensive game to another level, setting career highs in doubles (44), home runs (20) and RBI (88) last season.

With prospects Willie Calhoun and Ronald Guzman also poised to help, Texas has a solid young core in place. That gives them some intriguing upside, albeit with a healthy does of uncertainty.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .749 (17th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.63 (15th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Dee Gordon	C Mike Marjama
SS Jean Segura	IF/OF Taylor Motter
2B Robinson Cano	IF/OF Andrew Romine
DH Nelson Cruz	OF Guillermo Heredia
3B Kyle Seager
RF Mitch Haniger	1B Mike Ford (R)
1B Ryon Healy	1B Dan Vogelbach
C Mike Zunino	IF Gordon Beckham
LF Ben Gamel	OF Cam Perkins

DL: None

Analysis

Adding speedy Dee Gordon to the top of a lineup that already features a .300 hitter and 30-steal threat in Jean Segura and a trio of 30-homer sluggers in Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager should make for a high-powered Seattle offense this season.

The team also acquired Ryon Healy, fresh off a 25-homer, 78-RBI season in Oakland, to serve as an upgrade at first base.

Still, the X-factor for the Mariners offense might be catcher Mike Zunino.

After an early-season demotion to Triple-A, he returned strong and wound up hitting .292/.378/.563 with 12 doubles and nine home runs in 164 plate appearances over the final two months of the season.

There's still room to upgrade at a corner outfield spot, but as it stands, this group can be a top-10 offense.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .736 (22nd in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.85 (10th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Xander Bogaerts	C Sandy Leon
LF Andrew Benintendi	IF Deven Marrero
RF Mookie Betts	IF/OF Brock Holt
DH Hanley Ramirez	OF Bryce Brentz (R)
3B Rafael Devers
1B Mitch Moreland	C/OF Blake Swihart
CF Jackie Bradley Jr.	1B Sam Travis (R)
C Christian Vazquez	IF Marco Hernandez
2B Esteban Quiroz (R)

DL: 2B Dustin Pedroia

Analysis

The Boston Red Sox have yet to make a notable offensive addition this offseason, aside from bringing back first baseman Mitch Moreland on a two-year, $13 million deal.

Following the retirement of David Ortiz, the offensive attack took a noticeable downturn from 2016 to 2017:

• OPS: .810 (1st) to .736 (22nd)
• HR: 208 (9th) to 168 (27th)
• RPG: 5.43 (1st) to 4.85 (10th)

J.D. Martinez remains a logical target on the free-agent market, and adding him to the mix would certainly move then up the rankings.

For now, a full season of Rafael Devers and another improvement from emerging star Andrew Benintendi is enough to provide some hope even without a splashy addition.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .774 (7th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.01 (8th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
RF David Peralta	C John Ryan Murphy
CF A.J. Pollock	C/OF Chris Herrmann
1B Paul Goldschmidt	IF/OF Daniel Descalso
3B Jake Lamb	IF/OF Brandon Drury
LF Yasmany Tomas	OF Socrates Brito (R)
SS Ketel Marte
2B Chris Owings	1B/OF Christian Walker
C Jeff Mathis	IF Nick Ahmed

DL: None

Analysis

The Arizona Diamondbacks offense received a shot in the arm when J.D. Martinez was acquired from the Tigers at the trade deadline.

There's still a chance he could return after posting a 168 OPS+ with 29 home runs and 65 RBI in 62 games, but for the sake of these rankings, we'll assume he's playing elsewhere until proven otherwise.

Also gone from last year's team is catcher Chris Iannetta who had a 114 OPS+ with 17 home runs in the more crucial part of a platoon with glove-only backstop Jeff Mathis.

Those two losses hurt, but this is still a dangerous lineup.

It will be interesting to see how playing time is divided among the team's middle infielders and whether Yasmany Tomas can return to a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat after an injury-plagued season.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .712 (27th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.38 (22nd in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Ian Kinsler	C Rene Rivera
CF Mike Trout	1B C.J. Cron
LF Justin Upton	IF Luis Valbuena
DH Shohei Ohtani (R)	IF/OF Jefry Marte
1B Albert Pujols	OF Eric Young Jr.
RF Kole Calhoun
3B Zack Cozart	C Carlos Perez
SS Andrelton Simmons	IF/OF Kaleb Cowart
C Martin Maldonado	OF Rymer Liriano

DL: None

Analysis

Don't look now, but the Los Angeles Angels have finally added a supporting cast around superstar Mike Trout.

Bringing back Justin Upton on a five-year, $106 million deal will provide viable protection for Trout in the No. 3 spot, while Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani could be a real X-factor if his power potential translates.

But the biggest upgrades might be on the infield, where Ian Kinsler and Zack Cozart will take over at second and third base, respectively.

• 2B in 2017: .206 BA, .601 OPS
• 3B in 2017: .238 BA, .713 OPS

On paper, the starting lineup no longer has any glaring holes. Even Albert Pujols could conceivably improve on his brutal .241/.286/.386 line from a year ago with more help around him.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .760 (12th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.70 (13th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
1B Matt Carpenter	C Carson Kelly (R)
CF Tommy Pham	1B Luke Voit
LF Marcell Ozuna	1B/OF Jose Martinez
RF Dexter Fowler	IF Greg Garcia
SS Paul DeJong	OF Harrison Bader (R)
C Yadier Molina
3B Jedd Gyorko	IF Yairo Munoz (R)
2B Kolten Wong	OF Tyler O'Neill (R)

DL: None

Analysis

For the first time since Albert Pujols walked in free agency, the St. Louis Cardinals have a prototypical run-producing slugger penciled into the middle of their lineup.

After whiffing in their pursuit of Giancarlo Stanton, the front office settled for acquiring his teammate Marcell Ozuna, who hit .312/.376/.548 with 37 home runs and 124 RBI last season while raising his walk rate from 7.1 to 9.4 percent.

Beyond that acquisition, the team will be relying heavily on Tommy Pham (144 OPS+, 23 HR, 25 SB) and Paul DeJong (443 PA, 52 XBH, 121 OPS+) to duplicate out-of-nowhere seasons.

Young outfielders Harrison Bader and Tyler O'Neill and infielder Yairo Munoz—who was acquired in the Stephen Piscotty trade—could be the next youngsters called upon for an organization that always seems to find help down on the farm.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .768 (9th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.03 (7th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
2B Brian Dozier	C Mitch Garver (R)
1B Joe Mauer	1B Kennys Vargas
DH Miguel Sano	IF/OF Ehire Adrianza
LF Eddie Rosario	OF Robbie Grossman
SS Jorge Polanco
RF Max Kepler	1B Brock Stassi
CF Byron Buxton	IF Gregorio Petit
3B Eduardo Escobar	OF Zack Granite (R)
C Jason Castro

DL: None

Analysis

The Minnesota Twins might not have an offense loaded with household names, but they didn't finish seventh in the majors in runs scored by accident.

Eddie Rosario (120 OPS+, 27 HR, 78 RBI) was perhaps the biggest revelation of the 2017 season. He emerged as a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat and joined Miguel Sano (127 OPS+, 28 HR) and Brian Dozier (127 OPS+, 34 HR) as the top power threats on the roster.

Byron Buxton was finally able to carve out his place as an everyday MLB player, while Joe Mauer proved he still has something in the tank with a .305/.384/.417 line.

It looks like it will be the status quo as far as the lineup is concerned, but there's no reason to think this can't be a top-10 offense again in 2018.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .781 (5th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.09 (3rd in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Charlie Blackmon	C Tony Wolters
2B DJ LeMahieu	IF/OF Pat Valaika
3B Nolan Arenado	OF Raimel Tapia
RF Gerardo Parra	OF Mike Tauchman (R)
SS Trevor Story
1B Ryan McMahon (R)	C Tom Murphy (R)
LF Ian Desmond	1B/OF Jordan Patterson
C Chris Iannetta	OF David Dahl

DL: None

Analysis

A strong case can be made for Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado as the best offensive duo in baseball.

Blackmon turned in one of the best seasons out of the leadoff spot last season, hitting .331/.399/.601 with 35 doubles, 14 triples, 37 home runs, 104 RBI and 137 runs scored.

Not to be outdone, Arenado hit .309/.373/.586 with 43 doubles, 37 home runs and 130 RBI to give him three straight 35-homer, 130-RBI campaigns.

There's plenty of talent around those two in the Colorado lineup, even after a poor season and the subsequent departure of longtime staple Carlos Gonzalez.

It looks like prospect Ryan McMahon will get the first crack at the vacant first base job, and Chris Iannetta should be an upgrade at catcher, so expect to see the Rockies again among the highest-scoring teams in the league in 2018.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .771 (8th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 4.75 (12th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Chris Taylor	C Yasmani Grandal
SS Corey Seager	IF/OF Kike Hernandez
3B Justin Turner	IF/OF Rob Segedin (R)
1B Cody Bellinger	OF Matt Kemp
RF Yasiel Puig	OF Trayce Thompson
LF Joc Pederson
C Austin Barnes	OF Andrew Toles
2B Logan Forsythe	OF Alex Verdugo (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Los Angeles Dodgers have two of the most promising young building blocks in the game in shortstop Corey Seager (23) and first baseman Cody Bellinger (22).

They also have a rock-solid third baseman in Justin Turner, a dynamic table-setter in Chris Taylor and a once-again relevant Yasiel Puig, who posted a 118 OPS+ with 28 home runs and 74 RBI last season.

If Joc Pederson can build off a strong showing in the World Series (6-for-18, 2 2B, 3 HR) and Logan Forsythe (119 G) can stay healthy enough to return to his Tampa Bay levels of production, this lineup could be a juggernaut.

If not, it's still one of the more dangerous offenses in the National League.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .775 (6th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.07 (4th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF Albert Almora Jr.	C Chris Gimenez
3B Kris Bryant	IF Tommy La Stella
1B Anthony Rizzo	IF/OF Ian Happ
C Willson Contreras	IF/OF Ben Zobrist
LF Kyle Schwarber
SS Addison Russell	C Victor Caratini (R)
RF Jason Heyward	IF Chesny Young (R)
2B Javier Baez	OF Mark Zagunis (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Chicago Cubs led the majors in runs scored after the All-Star break, plating 5.72 per game as they claimed a second straight NL Central title.

Manager Joe Maddon will continue to tinker with his lineup on a daily basis, a luxury he's afforded thanks to the versatility of players like Javier Baez, Ben Zobrist and Ian Happ.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are two of the game's brightest stars and will be perennial MVP candidates, but a case can be made the Willson Contreras is the most important player in the lineup.

Keeping him healthy and avoiding the urge to trot him out for 155 games will be crucial to the team's success. The leadoff spot will also be a major X-factor as it turned into a revolving door following the departure of Dexter Fowler.

More production from Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward could vault the Cubs offense to the top of these rankings, but even if they fail to live up to expectations once again, it's still an awfully good lineup.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .788 (2nd in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.05 (6th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Francisco Lindor	C Yan Gomes
2B Jason Kipnis	3B Giovanny Urshela
3B Jose Ramirez	IF Erik Gonzalez
DH Edwin Encarnacion	OF Brandon Guyer
LF Michael Brantley
1B Yonder Alonso	C Francisco Mejia (R)
RF Lonnie Chisenhall	IF/OF Yandy Diaz
CF Bradley Zimmer	OF Abraham Almonte
C Roberto Perez	OF Tyler Naquin

DL: None

Analysis

The emergence of Jose Ramirez as a superstar, the continued development of Francisco Lindor's offensive game and the addition of Edwin Encarnacion made the Cleveland Indians offense unstoppable at times last season.

Replacing Carlos Santana with Yonder Alonso could wind up being a noticeable downgrade if Alonso's second-half swoon ( is indicative of his future production. That's the only major change to the lineup, though.

Healthy seasons from Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley would be a welcome bonus, but the team is not banking on that by any means.

Yandy Diaz and Giovanny Urshela are options on the infield if Kipnis misses time again, while Tyler Naquin could be an option in the outfield if Brantley is sidelined.

Expect to see top prospect Francisco Mejia at some point as well, even with Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez entrenched as the backstop tandem.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .782 (4th in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.06 (5th in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
SS Trea Turner	C Pedro Severino
LF Adam Eaton	1B Matt Adams
RF Bryce Harper	IF/OF Wilmer Difo
1B Ryan Zimmerman	IF/OF Howie Kendrick
2B Daniel Murphy	OF Brian Goodwin
3B Anthony Rendon
C Matt Wieters	IF Adrian Sanchez
CF Michael Taylor	OF Victor Robles (R)

DL: None

Analysis

The Washington Nationals' only notable offensive moves this offseason have been re-signing Howie Kendrick to fill a super-utility role and bringing in Matt Adams to replace Adam Lind as a power bat off the bench.

That said, Adam Eaton almost qualifies as a newcomer.

After being acquired in a winter meetings blockbuster trade last offseason, Eaton played just 23 games before suffering a torn ACL that ended his season. He was a 6.2 WAR player in his final season with the White Sox and could make a huge impact setting the table alongside Trea Turner.

Hitting behind that duo, Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon are three of the best hitters in the NL, while Ryan Zimmerman is once again a relevant middle-of-the-order threat.

The starting rotation might be the Nats' biggest strength, but the offense is not far behind.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .785 (3rd in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.30 (2nd in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
LF Brett Gardner	C Austin Romine
RF Aaron Judge	1B/OF Tyler Austin
DH Giancarlo Stanton	IF Tyler Wade (R)
SS Didi Gregorius	OF Jacoby Ellsbury
C Gary Sanchez
1B Greg Bird	IF Gleyber Torres (R)
CF Aaron Hicks	OF Jabari Blash
3B Miguel Andujar (R)	OF Clint Frazier
2B Ronald Torreyes

DL: None

Analysis

The New York Yankees were second in the majors in runs scored (858) and first in home runs (241) last season.

So what did they do this offseason?

They went out and added a 59-homer, 132-RBI slugger named Giancarlo Stanton.

Cutting ties with Starlin Castro and Chase Headley has left some mystery at second and third base this coming season. There's a good chance prospects Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar are the answer by season's end, but they might not be ready to take over on Opening Day.

That may be a legitimate concern, but it's not big enough to keep the Yankees from ranking among the game's best offenses.

The trio of Stanton, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez could easily hit 120-plus home runs and are surrounded by emerging stars in Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird and Aaron Hicks.

The fact that Clint Frazier—once considered to have some of the best raw power in the minors and still just 23 years old—is essentially an afterthought, should tell you everything you need to know about the current state of the Yankees offense.

2017 Ranks

Team OPS: .823 (1st in MLB)

Runs Per Game: 5.53 (1st in MLB)

Projected Lineup and Bench

Lineup	Bench
CF George Springer	C Evan Gattis
3B Alex Bregman	IF Tyler White
2B Jose Altuve	OF Jake Marisnick
SS Carlos Correa
DH Marwin Gonzalez	C Max Stassi
1B Yuli Gurriel	1B A.J. Reed
RF Josh Reddick	1B/3B J.D. Davis (R)
C Brian McCann	IF/OF Tony Kemp
LF Derek Fisher

DL: None

Analysis

Stanton to the Yankees has been the story of the offseason, but it's still not enough to bump the Houston Astros lineup out of the No. 1 spot.

The reigning World Series champions led baseball in batting average (.282), OPS (.823) and runs scored (896) last season and there's no reason to think they can't do it again.

Carlos Beltran is the only notable loss from last year's lineup and he was a non-factor during the team's playoff run.

They need to sort out the left field job this spring as former top prospect Derek Fisher and slick-fielding Jake Marisnick look like the leading candidates to fill a larger role.

With the young core of Carlos Correa, George Springer and Alex Bregman alongside face of the franchise Jose Altuve, this team is in terrific shape for 2018 and beyond.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.