1 quick fix that would benefit each team

No matter how good a team is, there's always something that could help. And for many MLB clubs, making just one decisive change could make all the difference.

With the help of MLB.com's 30 beat writers, here's one quick fix that could help each team.

All stats updated through Sunday unless otherwise noted.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

American League East

Blue Jays: Anthony Santander's turnaround
Other improvements on this roster feel more incremental, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dragging his OPS from the .800s up to the .900s, but Santander is the one player who can help this lineup take a legitimate leap forward. Santander’s annual slow start has been elongated by shoulder and hip issues -- he's currently on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation -- so two months into the season, we still haven’t seen the full version of him. While he’s not going to hit 44 home runs like he did a year ago, the Blue Jays still need him to be a power threat in the middle of their lineup. A few extra home runs scattered through June and July could turn these 2-1 losses into 3-2 wins, which could mean everything in a tight AL Wild Card race. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: Get some hitters healthier
There are plenty of reasons for the O’s disappointing start, but their bad injury luck certainly hasn’t helped. They currently have 11 players on the injured list, but some key position players are close to returning. Outfielder Colton Cowser (left thumb fracture) and infielder Jordan Westburg (left hamstring strain) are rehabbing at Triple-A Norfolk. Outfielders Tyler O'Neill (left shoulder impingement) and Ramón Laureano (left ankle sprain) have resumed baseball activities and are nearing returns. Center fielder Cedric Mullins (right hamstring strain) isn’t expected to be out long. Even if these players don’t push Baltimore into postseason contention, their returns should make the team more competitive. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Ride out the rehab work
Things have been going pretty well for the Rays lately, to the point that there really aren’t many glaring weaknesses. But their roster will look more complete when Ha-Seong Kim completes his rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham, giving them a shortstop who can maintain their Gold Glove-caliber expectations there defensively while further lengthening their lineup. That will have ripple effects throughout their roster, potentially turning Taylor Walls into more of a utility infielder and allowing José Caballero to play all over the field. If all goes well, Kim could be ready at some point in mid-June. This one’s less “quick,” but keep in mind the Rays are still awaiting the season debut of Shane McClanahan, who has begun a throwing progression. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: Get better starting pitching
Heading into the season, the Red Sox felt the starting rotation would be a strength after adding an ace in Garrett Crochet via trade and a proven winner in Walker Buehler in free agency. While Crochet has been as advertised, manager Alex Cora hasn’t gotten enough consistency from the rest of the group. Buehler, Tanner Houck, Lucas Giolito, Richard Fitts and Kutter Crawford have all spent time on the injured list. Houck was performing far below expectations before he was shut down in mid-May. Brayan Bello, viewed as a possible ace after his solid 2023 season, hasn’t been able to find his changeup. If the rotation can get on track, it will lessen the toll on a bullpen that has been overworked. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: Play Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the hot corner
This move is already in progress, with manager Aaron Boone saying he intends to use Chisholm at the hot corner when activated from the injured list, potentially as soon as Tuesday. Boone believes Chisholm played well as a third-base neophyte last year, even with some growing pains: “He was elite, in my opinion, just with the range and arm strength he has over there.” The shift likely keeps DJ LeMahieu as the starter at second base; LeMahieu has shown inconsistency at the plate, but his defense has been solid. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: David Fry's return
Fry missed the first two months of the season as he continued his rehab from November right UCL revision surgery. The Guardians activated him off the 60-day injured list on Saturday, and although the utility man is limited to DH duties right now, getting his bat back in the mix is a big boost for Cleveland. Fry (a first-time All-Star last season) hit 14 home runs in 122 games in 2024, and he recorded a .996 OPS in 165 plate appearances versus lefties. The Guardians entered Monday with a .625 OPS against southpaws this season (tied for 25th in the Majors). -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: Power
The Royals aren’t a team of sluggers, but they haven’t tapped into their power really at all to start the season. Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez have combined for 18 home runs, and the Royals as a team have only hit 34 homers, worst in the Majors. Their .113 ISO ranks second-worst in MLB. They can try to manufacture runs all day, but at some point, they need some slug. Offense will be a target at the Trade Deadline, but is top prospect Jac Caglianone the answer to their offensive troubles? We're about to find out as the Royals are set to call up the slugger, who was slashing .322/.389/.593 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 50 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Health
Just when the Tigers got close to full strength, they picked up two significant injuries with Jackson Jobe's flexor strain and Matt Vierling’s renewed shoulder inflammation, the latter coming after just four games back off the IL from his previous shoulder injury. Parker Meadows should return from his arm issue any day now to fill the gap in center field, while Sawyer Gipson-Long should return this week from Tommy John and hip surgeries to help plug the rotation. But as good as the Tigers have been this season, we haven’t seen yet what they can do with their full roster. -- Jason Beck

Twins: Get healthy
Minnesota’s pitching has been brilliant since about the second week of the season, with both the rotation and bullpen working at extremely high levels. The lineup has been OK but has lagged behind, with two big answers recently plugged back in. Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner were both activated from the IL over the weekend, and adding the power of both as well as Buxton’s speed and Wallner’s on-base ability will pay dividends. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: Luis Robert Jr. hits
During the 2023 season, Robert turned in one of the most complete statistical campaigns across the board in franchise history. The five-tool talent has not hit consistently since the close of that season. Robert’s resurgence with the bat won’t turn the White Sox from a last-place team into a contender. There is no quick fix within the next year or two for that change to happen. But if Robert can get going, the trade interest should heighten in the center fielder and potentially add to the rebuild core via the youthful return. Robert is healthy and one of the top basestealers in the game. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: Get Trout healthy and productive
Superstar Mike Trout returned from his bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee on Friday after he faced Minor League pitching and ran the bases without any issues. Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, played in every game with the Angels before suffering the injury, batting .179/.264/.462 with nine homers, two stolen bases and 18 RBIs in 29 games. The power numbers were there for the 33-year-old, but he's looking to bring his average up and make more consistent contact. If he can get it going, it would be huge for the lineup. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: Get healthy
The Astros have been ravaged by injuries again this season, especially to their starting rotation, but they are still at the top of the AL West. Three-fifths of their rotation that started the season is on the IL, with Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco being forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. They’ll need Spencer Arrighetti, who broke his thumb in early April, to return and be effective in July and hope slugger Yordan Alvarez’s broken hand doesn’t keep him out past the All-Star break. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Stabilize the bullpen
Let’s be clear, there is a lot to fix for this young A’s team that went from sitting just 2 1/2 games back of first place in the division on May 1 to nine games back entering June 1. But A’s relievers either being unable to hold late leads or prevent manageable deficits from getting out of hand has been a theme in recent weeks, leading to a bullpen ERA of 6.17 that ranked highest in MLB, while its 127 walks were most in the Majors. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: Get their rotation healthy
It's a quick fix that will be fixed quickly, as Bryce Miller and George Kirby are already back from the injured list -- and Logan Gilbert could be joining them soon, potentially after he makes his second rehab start this week at Triple-A Tacoma. With the emergence of Logan Evans (No. 10 prospect) and Emerson Hancock, the Mariners already have a logjam but have been adamant about not going to a six-man contingent. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: Get Marcus Semien on track
The Rangers second baseman has been one of the worst qualified hitters in baseball on a team that has consistently struggled offensively all season long. One guy doesn’t make an offense, but Semien heating up could do wonders for Texas. He went 7-for-8 with three walks in 11 plate appearances during this weekend’s three-game series against the Cardinals, raising his season batting average from .173 to .201, his highest since Opening Day. A good offense is more than just one player, but when Semien is at his best, the Rangers follow suit. -- Kennedi Landry

National League East

Braves: Ozuna becomes less selective
Marcell Ozuna leads MLB in walks, but you can argue he’s been too selective, especially when the Braves are struggling offensively. He has seen more pitches in the strike zone, but his in-zone swing rate has dropped approximately 15 percentage points. A sore hip may be lessening his aggression, but the Braves need the consistent power he provided the past couple years. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: Get Sandy Alcantara on track
It has been demoralizing to watch Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner, take the mound since his return from Tommy John surgery this season. Over his last eight starts, he has a 10.09 ERA (40 ER in 35 2/3 IP). On Wednesday in San Diego, Alcantara didn’t record a strikeout in an outing for the first time since April 6, 2019. His velocity and stuff is there, but his command isn't. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: Help Juan Soto break out
No storyline has dominated the early season in Queens quite like Soto’s rocky transition to his new team. Early on, Soto was stringing together solid plate appearances with little to show for them. Later, that run of poor luck devolved into some process-based errors, including less fruitful at-bats and a lack of hustle on multiple occasions. The Mets know there’s still a superstar inside of Soto waiting to be unleashed, and he provided a few glimpses of it over the weekend with home runs on Saturday and Sunday. If that becomes the start of something bigger, it would alter the entire dynamic of this lineup. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: Young 'pen continues developing
On the season as a whole, the Nationals bullpen has the highest ERA in the NL at 5.93. The relievers lead MLB with 28 hit batsmen and are tied for sixth in MLB with 102 walks. The Nats have turned to a youth movement converting Cole Henry, Brad Lord and Jackson Rutledge to the relief role, with 25-year-old Jose A. Ferrer pitching in the back-end of the 'pen as well. In May, the bullpen's ERA improved to 4.62 for the month, showing the potential of continued development. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: One more reliever steps into high-leverage role
The Phillies have no choice but to lean more heavily on the trio of Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Jordan Romano in the wake of José Alvarado's suspension. Kerkering has stepped up admirably, Romano has mostly righted the ship after a disastrous start and Strahm has had a couple of recent hiccups. But the bigger issue is someone not previously in a leverage role -- Tanner Banks, Carlos Hernández or Joe Ross -- needs to take on bigger spots. It could even be Taijuan Walker, who is returning to the bullpen as a one-inning reliever. -- Paul Casella

NL Central

Brewers: Rest the hardest-worked relievers
The Brewers have backed off right-hander Nick Mears after he showed signs of wearing down under a heavy workload. They may need to do the same soon for left-hander Jared Koenig and right-hander Abner Uribe, who have each pitched in 29 of the Brewers’ first 60 games and are tied for the MLB lead in appearances. Because the Brewers don’t have the kind of offense that regularly blows out opponents, they’ll probably need to continue to rely on their high-leverage bullpen group to hold leads, but that group will have to grow in order to remain effective. The recent returns of lefties Aaron Ashby and DL Hall from the injured list should help; the idea is to use both as long relievers who are capable of high-leverage work, and they’ve already relieved some of the strain. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Convert Steven Matz back to a starter and go with a six-man rotation
A disappointment much of his first three seasons with the Cardinals because of injuries and ineffectiveness, Matz has arguably been the MVP of the pitching staff so far this season with how he has deftly bounced between the starting staff and working out of the bullpen. Now, with the Cardinals about to start a stretch where they will play 13 days in a row and 29 times in 30 days, it would be wise to move Matz back into a starting role to keep others in the rotation – namely 35-year-old Sonny Gray, 36-year-old Miles Mikolas and 32-year-old Erick Fedde – fresh. Matz, 34, has been brilliant in 16 appearances (two starts), compiling a 3-1 record, a 2.16 ERA and 27 strikeouts compared to just three walks. He’s given up just one earned run in two starts while helping the Cardinals beat the Astros on April 16 and the Reds on April 30. -- John Denton

Cubs: Rotation reinforcements
Lefty Shota Imanaga is on the injured list but is working his way back from a hamstring setback. His return should be a boost to a Cubs rotation that already lost lefty Justin Steele (left elbow) after season-ending surgery. Without Imanaga and Steele, the veteran Colin Rea has stepped up admirably, and rookie Cade Horton has been getting his first taste of MLB. The depth behind the big league rotation is nonetheless thin, and Chicago should not only count on Imanaga’s comeback as the fix. Adding to the rotation should be a priority at the Trade Deadline. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: Henry Davis stays hot
The Pirates had visions of Davis being in the middle of their lineup when they selected him first overall in 2021, but his first two years in the majors didn’t yield much offensive production. Injuries (and slow offensive starts) to Joey Bart and Endy Rodríguez have given him another chance to show what he can do at the plate, and he’s heated up lately. If that’s a sign of things to come, it would be a massive boost to an offense that is in need of aid. -- Alex Stumpf

Reds: Get McLain going
Second baseman Matt McLain, who missed all of last season with a left shoulder injury, was expected to be a big piece back in the top part of the lineup this year. But McLain has mostly struggled since he hit three homers in the season's first week. A left hamstring strain in early April didn't help. Since returning on April 15, McLain has endured long hitless stretches and was moved to the bottom of the lineup. His strong defense is still important, but having his bat as a spark like it was during his 2023 rookie year would be a boost for an inconsistent offense. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: Get the bullpen on track
In the history of the franchise, the Diamondbacks have lost four times when scoring 11 or more runs. The first time was in their inaugural 1998 season against the Rockies at Coors Field. The other three have come this year. The bullpen looked like a strength coming into the season, and there is still plenty of talent there; it’s a matter of figuring out how to get the team's key relievers back on track. There’s still plenty of season left, but the D-backs need to get their bullpen straightened out ASAP. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Get more innings out of the rotation
This is somewhat of a tough ask given that both Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin were out all last season, and Clayton Kershaw made only seven starts before his 2024 ended early. Even so, the Dodgers need their starters to get deeper into games. The bullpen is third in the Majors in relief innings and has begun to show some cracks from its heavy workload in recent weeks. Los Angeles' pitching needs to set the tone at this point in the season, and that begins with the rotation. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: Unlock Adames’ bat
The Giants expected Willy Adames to be a key middle-of-the-order bat after signing him to a franchise-record $182 million deal over the offseason, but the veteran shortstop has largely underwhelmed over the first two months of the regular season. Adames’ slow start has been magnified by the Giants’ recent struggles to score runs, so they’ll need their marquee free-agent addition to break out and help carry the lineup moving forward. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: A healthy Darvish and King
There’s never a good time for injury questions to emerge about multiple starting pitchers. But the timing of the current injuries to Michael King (pinched nerve in right shoulder) and Yu Darvish (a recurrence of his right elbow inflammation) is especially precarious, given that 14 of the Padres’ next 17 games are against the division-rival Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Giants. There’s little clarity on the timelines of both King and Darvish. But both seem to be trending favorably. If they return sooner rather than later, it’d give the Padres’ thin rotation a major boost. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Cut down on the strikeouts
The Rockies are on pace to have the worst single-season win-loss record in the Modern Era of baseball (since 1900). There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, but one of the glaring ones is the alarming strikeout rate (27.0%). Colorado’s 577 strikeouts are the most in the Majors. More contact -- particularly at Coors Field -- would go a long way toward remedying a .632 team OPS, last in MLB. -- Manny Randhawa