With superstar free agents off...

Major League Baseball's offseason celebration is still going on. It's only that the music has left, the spread has been demolished, and finding a nice drink may require some searching.

Only ten players received $2.15 billion in contracts in November and December, but there will be no more nine-figure deals, with the top 14 players and 22 of the top 25 all off the market following Dansby Swanson's $177 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. The hard lifting has been over, but a critical component of roster construction remains as teams seek to put the appropriate bets on high-leverage relievers and back-end starting pitchers.

Who won when all the new jerseys were placed over the shoulders of $300 million men? Who can fill the void with what's left? And who appears to be left behind? A division-by-division examination in the aftermath of a massive spending spree:

BIG DEAL: The Mets' five biggest contracts right now from Francisco Lindor to Brandon Nimmo

40-YEAR-OLD SHORTSTOP: How MLB's new math drives lengthy megadeals for $300 million men

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NL East: Phil it up

You have to begin where the action is, right? And what an odd dynamic — the Mets and Braves both won 101 games in 2022, yet it feels like they've been chasing the Phillies, who turned an 87-win season into a World Series trip.

Maybe there's something to that sentiment.

The Phillies were intriguing but also had evident weaknesses as a billion-dollar rebuild began with Bryce Harper in 2019 and finished in an NL title three years later. They are now powerful and appear to be complete. The addition of Trea Turner for $300 million plus the $72 million acquisition of Taijuan Walker from the Mets establishes a devastating 1-9 lineup and a viable four-man rotation.

NL Central: Out of hibernation?

Swanson's signing was critical in Chicago for both production and symbolic reasons. Swanson not only becomes the Cubs' top player, but his presence also signifies a dramatic shift toward contention. After winning only 74 games last year, the arrival of starter Jameson Taillon and the impending retention of Drew Smyly makes them, at best, dark horse candidates to win the division.

This is due to the fact that this is, at best, a three-team battle. The Cardinals acquired slugging catcher Willson Contreras from the Chicago Cubs, but their rotation is adequate at best and iffy at worst. Milwaukee continues to attrit and now appears to be caught between an aging guard that has consistently competed and an oncoming wave of prospects; its biggest addition thus far is Contreras' younger brother, William, an All-Star catcher/DH last season.

NL West: Fireworks vs. festering

Under the hood, this division will be won by crucial bullpen pieces, backup starters, and overall depth. But it's impossible not to be impressed by the gleaming new items on the showroom floor.

As the Dodgers wave farewell to Turners Trea and Justin, they are now faced with a shortstop struggle on two fronts. To the south: the magnificent Xander Bogaerts, who is guaranteed $280 million and, perhaps most importantly, has permanently moved Fernando Tatis Jr. to the Padres' outfield.

To the north: Ultimate foe Carlos Correa, awarded a record $350 million contract and now the focal point of the despised Giants, even as furious Dodgers fans most strongly associate him with an Astros sign-stealing scandal that obstructed the Dodgers' path in the 2017 world Series.

AL East: Not too early to Judge

This division has claimed four of the five AL wild-card berths available during the last two seasons. It's not getting any easier.

Not with Aaron Judge staying in the division for $40 million per year, a position player record, and the Yankees adding Rodon for $162 million. Not when the Blue Jays add Bassitt to a deep rotation and commit to exceeding the luxury tax threshold for the first time. Not when the Rays extend the richest contract in franchise history — OK, it's only $40 million — to acquire Zach Eflin and build a potentially lethal rotation.

What should a rising team do? If you're the Orioles, who won a franchise-record 83 games last season, it's apparently not much — adding back-end starter Kyle Gibson ($10 million) and buying low on super utility guy Adam Frazier ($8 million), apparently waiting for more blue-chip kids to arrive and hoping the storm will pass soon.

AL Central: Check the bargain bin

Consider this: the division as a whole has spent $179.5 million on free agents. That is less than half of the $350 million Correa would earn if he leaves the Twins for the Giants.

No, when the flagship signing is left fielder Andrew Benintendi (five years, $75 million, White Sox), the media will mainly ignore the Central, albeit the Twins did make a $285 million offer to keep Correa.

Trade activity may be greatest and most essential here with a quintet of highly budget-conscious clubs as teams strive for payroll neutrality by trading from areas of strength to shore up glaring flaws. For the time being, the reigning Guardians are in a great position, having signed slugging first baseman Josh Bell to a $33 million contract while losing only light-hitting catcher Austin Hedges from a 92-win team.

AL West: A lot of money to finish third

Be damned, headwinds.

This idea of spending money to generate money (or win games) is a great corporate approach, especially when the rivalry around you heats up. As a result, someone will finish third, possibly fourth, among the World Series champion Astros, the 90-win Mariners, and the wild-spending Rangers.

That's the harsh truth in Arlington, where the Rangers promised deGrom $185 million one year after spending $500 million on middle infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. That is most likely insufficient to win the Texas state championship, let alone a division crown.