This team was not expected to compete, so it made sense to go with youth with a sprinkling of veterans for support.
When they found themselves in 1st place, Klentak did a great job of adding solid veterans without giving up significant assets.
But they're not competing unless the young kids step up, and to step up they have to play, improve or be replaced. Even the ones that fail often learn, go back to AAA and take their game up a notch.
Right now they've got a pretty good AAA team
Knapp, Meneses, Valentin, Crawford, Walding, Green, Altherr, Cozens
No one buys their way into contention anymore, b/c it's not sustainable, look at the Red Sox dumping their mistakes on the Dodgers, who then let Grienke and a couple others walk when they got new management. Teams have learned to be patient, and we'll have to as well.
We have potentially one of the deepest pitching staffs in baseball as our young pitchers (Velasquez, Eflin, Pivetta, SD, Aruno, Ramos, Davis, Rios) mature, with lots of good arms behind them.
Our defense will improve once Kingery and Crawford are ML ready, Quinn stays healthy, Alfaro grows up, Altherr returns, etc. Haseley and Moniak will improve the OF down the road.
Nothing wrong with a strategic addition, but even Machado won't make a lick of difference if the kids don't step up.