The Biggest Weakness For Each of The Best NL Teams; And How to Address It

A Blog by Greg

If you have not read my previous article discussing the biggest weaknesses among the top teams in the American League, I highly recommend doing so. Today I will be analyzing the five best teams in the National League (by record) to determine each team’s biggest weakness and offer suggestions on how the front office should address said weakness at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Let’s jump straight into it!

Los Angeles Dodgers (52-31)

It is hard to compare the Dodgers’ biggest weakness to the biggest weakness of other teams considering the Dodgers are built like an MLB The Show Diamond Dynasty team rather than an ordinary MLB club in 2025. With that being said, the Dodgers’ have not been without flaws this season. Their pitch rotation has suffered a number of key injuries, leading many to speculate that LA will attack one of the many starting pitchers available at the deadline. While the Dodgers could certainly use a replacement for current outfielder Michael Conforto (who currently has a 74 OPS+ and -0.8 WAR on the season), considering the fact that both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have faced setbacks in their respective injury recoveries, it is safe to say that starting pitching is LA’s biggest weakness as of now. I expect the Dodgers to inquire about Sandy Alcantara, Freddy Peralta, Zac Gallen, and Nick Martinez at the deadline and ultimately land at least one of them.

Chicago Cubs (48-34)

It is no secret that the Chicago Cubs have been one of, if not the best, offensive teams in all of Major League Baseball. Led by their outfield foursome of Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki (the best outfield in the MLB by WAR), the Cubs rank in the top 4 in the league by team OPS+, SLG, HR, and RBI. Unfortunately, the Cubs’ pitching staff has been very poor to start the season, ranking below the league average in team ERA+, FIP, SO, BB, and SV. The Cubs deadline goal is very clear: bolster the pitching staff by any means necessary. Chicago is likely to pursue and acquire one of the following relievers: Pete Fairbanks, Felix Bautista, Emmanuel Clase, or Jhoan Duran, in addition to a starting pitcher, Zach Eflin or Walker Buehler.

Philadelphia Phillies (48-34)

This veteran-fueled Phillies team, like their fellow National League competitors, is in desperate need of pitching. Fortunately for them, their starting rotation has been exceptional in 2025. Zach Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez all have an ERA+ above 150, and while Jesús Luzardo’s 104 ERA+ is nothing crazy, his 2.78 FIP certainly is. The issues begin for Philadelphia once the starter leaves the game. The Phillies have one of the worst bullpens in the league and are in serious need of reinforcements. The usual suspects of Pete Fairbanks, Felix Bautista, and Emmanuel Clase are all in play for Philly come the trade deadline. In addition, considering the Phillies are at the tail end of their championship window, they likely will bolster their roster in more than just one way. While the bullpen is the main focus, their outfield is certainly a weak spot in terms of offensive production. If Philly truly decides to go “all in” this season, they will likely inquire about the availability of outfielders Jarren Duran, Cedric Mullins, Luis Robert Jr., Taylor Ward, and Adolis Garcia.

New York Mets (48-35)

Forgive me if I am starting to sound like a broken record, but yet another National League contender is in need of reinforcing their starting rotation. About a month ago, this entry would be different; however, injuries to Kodei Senga and Griffin Canning, as well as recent performances from their replacements, have caused the Mets to slightly shift their trade deadline priorities. Given the strength of the Mets’ pitching lab, the front office is likely to go after a rental pitcher as opposed to a younger player on a lengthy contract. Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, and Framber Valdez are all excellent rental options for New York. Additionally, the Mets could use some offensive reinforcements. A player like Jarren Duran is an intriguing replacement for current center fielder Tyrone Taylor. Also, a Cedric Mullins or Marcell Ozuna-type DH could be beneficial given the performance of primary DH Starling Marte.

Milwaukee Brewers (46-36)

Following a recent winning surge (8-2 in the last 10 games), the Brewers have jumped into 2nd place in the NL Central, only 2.0 games behind the Cubs. Despite this success, the Brewers are not expected to be buyers come the trade deadline. Rather, Milwaukee will either stay put and try to fight for a Wild Card spot or unload some veterans (Freddy Peralta, Rhys Hoskins, etc.) to top contenders for prospects. The Brewers are in a weird spot and likely do not want to mortgage their future given the tough competition in the NL. If the Brewers were to acquire a player for short-term purposes, it would most likely be an infielder, given the performance of Joey Ortiz. He has been one of the worst qualified shortstops in the league and is certainly a weak spot in the Brewers’ lineup. Brice Turang would move to shortstop in this scenario, and Milwaukee would pursue a player such as Nolan Arenado or Ryan McMahon.

Thank you for reading, and make sure to stay tuned for more articles coming soon only at The Skippers View!