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NL salary breakdowns, team needs heading into the winter meetings

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We're in for a busy few days, as baseball's winter meetings are set to open Monday in San Diego.

Earlier Friday, we published salary breakdowns and team needs for each American League club, and we're doing the same for the National League, below. Guaranteed salaries are based on the average annual value of each contract, according to luxury-tax calculations, while arbitration projections are provided by MLB Trade Rumors. The 2020 luxury-tax threshold is set at $208 million.

Arizona Diamondbacks

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Guaranteed salaries: $44.96M
Arbitration eligible: $39.2M
0-3 year players: $6.325M
Dead money: $10.85M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $116.3M

Team needs: CF/2B, corner OF, RP

The Diamondbacks will be one of the most interesting teams this winter as the club's core enters next season on the verge of free agency. Robbie Ray, David Peralta, Nick Ahmed, and Jake Lamb are all in their final year of team control, giving the club trade chips and/or future payroll flexibility. Once Arizona determines where Ketel Marte will play, the front office can decide whether its main priority is second base - where there's an abundance of available free agents - or center field.

Atlanta Braves

Guaranteed salaries: $123.15M
Arbitration eligible: $25.4M
0-3 year players: $9.01M
Dead money: $2M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $174.56M

Team needs: 3B

General manager Alex Anthopoulos has been busy. He's signed starter Cole Hamels, catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Tyler Flowers, and relievers Will Smith, Chris Martin, and Darren O'Day while also reuniting with outfielder Nick Markakis - all for a combined $97.25 million. Although those moves should make a strong impact, Atlanta still needs to do some heavy lifting. Bringing back Josh Donaldson, or finding his replacement in the middle of the order, is a must if the Braves want to repeat as NL East champs.

Chicago Cubs

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Guaranteed salaries: $144.6M
Arbitration eligible: $43.2M
0-3 year players: $9M
Dead money: $3M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $214.8M

Team needs: SP, RP, 2B, CF

Major changes appear to be coming to the North Side after back-to-back disappointing seasons. With little financial flexibility, the Cubs may have to get creative and trade pieces of their core in order to address other needs. Pitching - rotation and bullpen - is the priority after losing Cole Hamels, and they should focus on getting a younger arm. Chicago's rotation is currently comprised of four starters over 30. With Addison Russell gone and Albert Almora continuing to struggle, figuring out who will play second base and center field also features on the to-do list.

Cincinnati Reds

Guaranteed salaries: $75.5M
Arbitration eligible: $30.6M
0-3 year players: $11.27M
Dead money: $0
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $132.3M

Team needs: No. 5 SP, OF, RP

Here come the Reds? After committing $64 million to Mike Moustakas, the front office made its intentions known: The time to win is now. Adding another outfielder would serve as insurance should Nick Senzel or Aristides Aquino take a step back. The rotation projects to be a strength, though there are questions at the back end that could easily be addressed in free agency. As with the bullpen, there's a lot to like, but the team would benefit from adding an arm or two.

Colorado Rockies

Guaranteed salaries: $120.4M
Arbitration eligible: $27.7M
0-3 year players: $10.7M
Dead money: $1.75M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $175.5M

Team needs: SP, RP, C

The Rockies are stuck in the middle. The front office committed $260 million to Nolan Arenado in February, but this team doesn't look like a postseason contender, and ownership has already stated it doesn't plan to increase payroll. After a number of promising young pitchers regressed last season, the focus is once again on the rotation. Due to limited resources, the team may need to deal from its core of position players in order to find pitching help.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Guaranteed salaries: $88.4M
Arbitration eligible: $49.6M
0-3 year players: $9.6M
Dead money: $10.6M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $173.2M

Team needs: SP, RP, impact bat

A major shakeup could be necessary in L.A. Despite sustained regular-season success, the Dodgers famously haven't won a World Series since 1988 and were most recently bounced in the NLDS. Sitting comfortably under the luxury-tax threshold, the Dodgers have the payroll flexibility - and should have the motivation - to be major players in free agency. Adding a top-tier starter like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg should be considered, especially with Hyun-Jin Ryu and injured Rich Hill hitting free agency, and a push for Anthony Rendon could be on the table with Justin Turner one year away from free agency. The bullpen also needs an upgrade and may be better addressed via trade than through the weak free-agent market. Josh Hader, anyone?

Miami Marlins

Guaranteed salaries: $5M
Arbitration eligible: $18.5M
0-3 year players: $15.8M
Dead money: $26M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $80.3M

Team needs: OF, RP, SS

The Marlins are in no way ready to be competitive, but they're starting to show signs of life. Bringing in Jesus Aguilar and Jonathan Villar is encouraging for a team that's occupied the basement the previous two years. The rotation actually possesses a number of intriguing young starters, though getting a veteran to help mentor them and eat some innings couldn't hurt. Don't expect any big expenditures, especially with the recently released Wei-Yin Chen still making up almost 30% of the club's 2020 payroll.

Milwaukee Brewers

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Guaranteed salaries: $49.2M
Arbitration eligible: $13.5M
0-3 year players: $13.5M
Dead money: $6.25M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $97.45M

Team needs: SP, 3B, LF, RP

It's amazing how much the Brewers' roster has changed since Milwaukee reached the 2018 NLCS. The offense must be addressed after the losses of Yasmani Grandal, Eric Thames, and Mike Moustakas. Both Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun will be another year older, and there's a lot of pressure on 23-year-old Keston Hiura and 22-year-old Luis Urias to perform up the middle infield. The pitching staff is built from mid-rotation pieces, and the bullpen is nowhere near the dominant group it once was. The low-cost acquisition of catcher Omar Narvaez was a nice move but there's a lot of work to be done; right now, the Brewers may be the NL Central's worst team.

New York Mets

Guaranteed salaries: $119.28M
Arbitration eligible: $51M
0-3 year players: $10.7M
Dead money: $0.5M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $196.5M

Team needs: RP, No. 5 SP

On paper, the Mets have a competitive team - just like last year. The key to success is health and rebound campaigns from Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. Perpetually injured Yoenis Cespedes is owed $29.5 million in 2020 and there's no guarantee he'll take the field. Fortunately, he's a free agent following the season. Then there's Jed Lowrie, who, healthy or not, might be nothing more than a utility bat in the final year of his deal. Now that Zack Wheeler has signed with division-rival Philadelphia, the Mets could stand to add a lower-tier starter or absorb a massive financial hit (Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg) knowing Cespedes and Lowrie will be gone in a year.

Philadelphia Phillies

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Guaranteed salaries: $138.45M
Arbitration eligible: $26.5M
0-3 year players: $10.1M
Dead money: $3M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $193.05M

Team needs: No. 5 SP, 3B/2B, RP

It's playoffs or bust in Philadelphia. One year after committing record money to Bryce Harper, the front office dropped $118 million on Zack Wheeler to improve the top of the rotation. But even after addressing its most pressing need, the club's work isn't complete. Second and third base are open with the departure of Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco, though Scott Kingery can slide in at one of those positions. The Phillies also need help in the bullpen and at the back of the rotation.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Guaranteed salaries: $33M
Arbitration eligible: $24.6M
0-3 year players: $11.27M
Dead money: $0
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $83.84M

Team needs: C, prospects

The Pirates are at rock bottom (again) and it's new general manager Ben Cherington's turn to try to clean up the mess. Starling Marte wants to be traded, and the farm system isn't particularly impressive. This won't be an offseason of spending. Instead, expect Pittsburgh to rejig the current roster with an eye on the potentially distant future. Offloading veterans like Marte, Chris Archer, and Gregory Polanco, or even burgeoning stars like Josh Bell and Bryan Reynolds, must be considered if the return is right.

San Diego Padres

Guaranteed salaries: $89.25M
Arbitration eligible: $29.3M
0-3 year players: $10.1M
Dead money: $9.2M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $152.85M

Team needs: SP

A.J. Preller is backed into a bit of a corner. "Heads will roll" if the Padres don't make strides in 2020, and with serious cash already committed to disappointing hitters Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers, it's no time to get sheepish about spending. The Padres gave Drew Pomeranz a boatload of money but have apparently been priced out on Stephen Strasburg. Perhaps that's a smoke-and-mirrors tactic, because Strasburg is exactly what the rotation needs. Expect the Padres - begrudgingly or otherwise - to succumb to pressure and continue to spend big in a last-ditch effort to save Preller's job.

San Francisco Giants

Guaranteed salaries: $101.8M
Arbitration eligible: $0
0-3 year players: $12.9M
Dead money: $0.5M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $130.3M

Team needs: SP, RP, OF, 2B

The Giants feature a slew of expensive, aging veterans, even with left-hander Madison Bumgarner hitting free agency. That's not going to change quickly unless Farhan Zaidi and Co. get creative on the trade front. Out of Buster Posey, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Evan Longoria - all 30 or older - only Samardzija is slated to come off the books after the 2020 season. San Francisco won't get significant salary relief until after 2021, so the club may not add any big names this winter.

St. Louis Cardinals

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Guaranteed salaries: $145.8M
Arbitration eligible: $1.4M
0-3 year players: $11.3M
Dead money: $5M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $178.5M

Team needs: 3B, SP, RP

The contracts of Dexter Fowler and Matt Carpenter - who was essentially a bench bat down the stretch - don't appear to be aging particularly well, and both go beyond 2020. The Cardinals haven't invested too much of their payroll in the starting rotation, with Miles Mikolas earning the most annually at $15.75 million. Their strategy largely depends on how and where Carlos Martinez is deployed. If he moves back into the rotation, the team's biggest need is suddenly relief pitching. If he anchors the bullpen, a starter will top the to-do list. Either way, pitching help and infield insurance are the order of the day for the defending NL Central champs. They also shouldn't overlook adding a bat to replace Marcell Ozuna's offense.

Washington Nationals

Guaranteed salaries: $97.7M
Arbitration eligible: $14.15M
0-3 year players: $12.4M
Dead money: $5.25M
Estimated benefits: $15M
Total: $144.5M

Team needs: 3B, No. 3 SP, 1B

The offseason hit the Nationals hard. Ownership said the team can only afford to re-sign either Stephen Strasburg or Anthony Rendon, and along with the departures of Daniel Hudson and others, that leaves the World Series champs hardly looking like a playoff team. Retaining Rendon, or finding his replacement at third base and in the heart of the order, is imperative for the club to have any shot at repeating. The rotation needs another arm, but it isn't as big a priority with Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, and Anibal Sanchez returning. Washington also has a number of holes across the infield and at the back end of the bullpen.

Salary projections courtesy Cot's Baseball. Figures are approximate and subject to change depending on arbitration.

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