Kyle Schwarber, Framber Valdez and Bo Bichette are among the standouts of this free agent class. Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Keith Birmingham, Matt Dirksen, Jared Lennon / Getty Image
The page is turned so quickly. It’s been just five days since the end of one of the most remarkable baseball postseasons ever, and already, we’re on to the offseason and 2026.
This here is your landing page for the 2025-26 MLB offseason. It’s our Free Agent Big Board, bulked up to a top 50 (ranked by Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, Chad Jennings and Eno Sarris), and featuring stats breakdowns, c…
Kyle Schwarber, Framber Valdez and Bo Bichette are among the standouts of this free agent class. Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Keith Birmingham, Matt Dirksen, Jared Lennon / Getty Image
The page is turned so quickly. It’s been just five days since the end of one of the most remarkable baseball postseasons ever, and already, we’re on to the offseason and 2026.
This here is your landing page for the 2025-26 MLB offseason. It’s our Free Agent Big Board, bulked up to a top 50 (ranked by Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, Chad Jennings and Eno Sarris), and featuring stats breakdowns, contract projections, best fits and more. Whenever a player comes off the board, check back here for instant analysis — how the fit works for the player and the team.
While not as stacked at the top as recent classes, this year’s free agent group runs deeper than the last few. There’s a Suárez for all your team’s needs, be they in the lineup (Eugenio), the rotation (Ranger) or the bullpen (Robert). If your team needs a superstar, Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette are there. Want a slugger? Grab Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso or Munetaka Murakami. Did you watch Yoshinobu Yamamoto and wish your team had an ace like that? Well, Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease and maybe Tatsuya Imai are all out there. And who do you picture getting the last out of Game 7 for your team? Is he in uniform already, or would you prefer it be Edwin Díaz?
Teams are often dismissed for, psh, “winning the offseason,” but that’s been a pretty good precursor to success when the games are actually played. This is the third year we’ve done our Free Agent Big Board. The team that signed the most guys in each of the first two years — the Dodgers, of course — went on to win the World Series.
Some bookkeeping: The listed age of the player is how old he’ll be on June 30 of next season (and thus what age he’s considered for the full season), the stats are from the 2025 season, the WAR is from FanGraphs (unless otherwise noted), the best fits are alphabetical and you can filter through by position or search by name. Yell at us all you want for suggesting the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets and Yankees for every free agent; we’re just being realistic here (and every team is represented as a fit for at least one player).
Bookmark, star, Ctrl/Cmd+D depending on your preference, and check back in all winter. In the offseason, this page is always on.
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Profile
Age
29
Position
LF
Last team
Chicago Cubs
HR
22
OPS+
143
**Britton’s contract projection: **12 years, $460 million
The smooth-swinging right fielder is the gem of this free-agent class, a 29-year-old who has posted between four and five wins above replacement in each of the last five seasons. That said, Tucker’s 2025 could have been better.
Following a trade from the Astros to the Cubs, his offensive numbers were down from the ridiculous pace he set in 2024 and he once again missed playing time. In 2024, it was with a fractured shin, in 2025 with a hand fracture and calf strain. The 110 games he’s missed the last two years are a concern, but a pair of broken bones isn’t as worrisome as a string of soft-tissue injuries would be.
Tucker doesn’t wow with any one aspect of his game: He’s never hit more than 30 home runs, driven in 100 runs or batted .300. But he hits for a solid average and for extra-base pop, walks as often as he strikes out, can steal 20-plus bases and plays above-average defense in right field. * —TB*
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
LAD, NYY, PHI
Staff rankings
1
Britton
1
Gleeman
1
Jennings
1
Sarris
3 year fWAR
LF
Profile
Age
28
Position
SS
Last team
Toronto Blue Jays
HR
18
OPS+
129
**Britton’s contract projection: **8 years, $212 million
A second-round pick in 2016, Bichette quickly established himself as one of the game’s best prospects, and then one of its top shortstops. He’s a two-time All-Star who twice led the American League in hits and has the fifth-highest career batting average among active players. After a disappointing 2024, Bichette bounced back to deliver a fairly typical 2025: 134 wRC+ and 3.8 fWAR with negative defensive metrics. He missed the final month with a knee injury.
Bichette ranks top 10 in batting average since 2021, and will play all of next season at 28 years old. Even in a thin shortstop market, teams might prefer him at second or third. Most of his value comes from his bat, anyway. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
DET, PHI, TOR
Staff rankings
4
Britton
2
Gleeman
4
Jennings
2
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SS
Profile
Age
32
Position
3B
Last team
Boston Red Sox
HR
18
OPS+
128
**Britton’s contract projection: **6 years, $171 million
No. 7 on last year’s Big Board, Bregman signed with the Red Sox on an unusual three-year, $120 million contract that was heavily deferred and included opt-outs after each season. Bregman took his first opportunity to hit the open market again, presumably in search of a longer guarantee.
His first season outside of Houston was a return to form at the plate. His bat had lagged in 2024, but he produced a 125 wRC+ in 2025, with his 3.8 fWAR dragged down by a quad injury that cost him nearly two months. His production did drag at the end of the year — .727 OPS in the second half, .640 in September — but Bregman earned rave reviews as a clubhouse leader who established a winning culture that helped get a young Red Sox team back into the playoffs.
He opted out of $40 million each of the next two years, so Bregman is clearly eyeing a substantial contract, perhaps with a lower average annual value but with far more guaranteed seasons. He turns 32 in March, but in his 10 major league seasons, Bregman ranks ninth in fWAR. He’s one of the standouts in a generation of talented third basemen. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, DET, PHI
Staff rankings
2
Britton
6
Gleeman
2
Jennings
3
Sarris
3 year fWAR
3B
Profile
Age
33
Position
DH
Last team
Philadelphia Phillies
HR
56
OPS+
150
**Britton’s contract projection: **5 years, $145 million
It’s easy to forget that Schwarber was once treated as a platoon bat and got non-tendered in 2020. He has since established himself as one of the most consistently productive power hitters in the game (and one of the game’s best left-on-left sluggers). Offsetting his low batting average with a high on-base percentage and outrageous power, Schwarber is coming off a career year that saw him hit 56 home runs with a .928 OPS. Only Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Cal Raleigh had a higher slugging percentage this season.
Although he started eight games in left field in 2025, and has minimal experience at first base, Schwarber has almost exclusively been a designated hitter the past two seasons. He’s been with the Phillies since 2022, generating down-ballot MVP votes each year — this season, he’s among the MVP front-runners — while hitting 187 homers, tied with Ohtani for the second most in baseball behind Judge.
Schwarber turns 33 in March, but his career trajectory has been atypical, and his peak seasons have come in his 30s. He’s also respected as a clubhouse leader whose commitment to offseason training has fueled annual improvement at this stage of his career. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, CIN, PHI
Staff rankings
3
Britton
7
Gleeman
3
Jennings
4
Sarris
3 year fWAR
DH
Profile
Age
32
Position
SP
Last team
Houston Astros
Innings pitched
192
ERA+
114
**Britton’s contract projection: **7 years, $196 million
Valdez is an old-school sinkerballer in a strikeout-fueled era, keeping the ball on the ground and out of the seats as well as any starter in baseball. Of the 78 pitchers with at least 500 innings over the past five seasons, Valdez ranks No. 1 in groundball rate and No. 3 in homer rate.
And he’s not exactly pitching to contact with 875 strikeouts in 902 1/3 innings during that time thanks mostly to a standout curveball. Strikeouts and grounders are the ideal combo, which is how Valdez has posted a sub-3.70 ERA in six straight seasons.
He faded in 2025, giving up 42 runs in 58 innings over the final two months, but Valdez was cruising along with a 2.62 ERA as of Aug. 1 and his raw stuff remained stellar enough for teams to believe it may have simply been a rough patch. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BAL, BOS, TOR
Staff rankings
5
Britton
4
Gleeman
5
Jennings
6
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
30
Position
SP
Last team
San Diego Padres
Innings pitched
168
ERA+
94
**Britton’s contract projection: **6 years, $174 million
Cease’s yearly ERAs have fluctuated wildly, but his underlying performances have remained consistent: Tons of strikeouts, lots of walks and an average-ish number of homers allowed.
While his ERA jumped from 3.47 in 2024 to 4.55 in 2025, suggesting a huge decline, his xERA (3.31 to 3.47) and xFIP (3.44 to 3.56) were largely unchanged and showed him as one of MLB’s best starters. And beyond Cease’s high-octane raw stuff and league-leading strikeout totals, he’s never missed a start due to injury, a rarity among front-line arms.
It’s possible the ERA swings will suppress his market a bit, but any front office looking to lock up Cease long-term will be delving deeper and putting faith in his slider returning to top form. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CHC, HOU, NYM
Staff rankings
6
Britton
3
Gleeman
6
Jennings
5
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
31
Position
1B
Last team
New York Mets
HR
38
OPS+
144
**Britton’s contract projection: **5 years, $140 million
So here we are again with Alonso, trying to run back the opt-out playbook that worked well for Matt Chapman and Blake Snell in recent years. Alonso is hitting free agency off a stronger 2025 season than he did last winter, and he no longer has the qualifying offer attached.
The 31-year-old delivered the best batting average of his career (.272), lowered his strikeout rate, pushed his on-base percentage back near .350 and consistently came through with runners in scoring position. Strictly in the batter’s box, he had as good a year as any free agent besides Schwarber. His defense at first base, however, was a bigger issue than it had been in the past, especially with his throws. A move to DH could come sooner rather than later.
Alonso is exceptionally durable: He’s missed just 24 games in his seven-year career; Tucker missed 26 last season alone.* —TB*
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, NYM, PHI
Staff rankings
8
Britton
8
Gleeman
7
Jennings
8
Sarris
3 year fWAR
1B
Profile
Age
30
Position
LF
Last team
New York Yankees
HR
29
OPS+
125
**Britton’s contract projection: **7 years, $182 million
Few players have ridden a year-to-year roller coaster quite like Bellinger: from MVP to below replacement level, from non-tender to big-time free agent, from salary dump to five-win player. He’s a free agent for the third time in the last four years, and it feels like he’s hitting it at the right time now. He’s re-established a solid floor of performance while still flashing the All-Star peaks he’s reached less consistently.
In his one season with the Yankees, he came within four plate appearances of a career high (656) while delivering 59 extra-base hits and playing excellent defense in the corner outfield. He remains capable of playing center, at least in the short term, and is adept at first base as well. Bellinger did most of his damage at home last season, with a .909 OPS at Yankee Stadium compared to .715 on the road. —TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
NYY, PHI, SF
Staff rankings
9
Britton
9
Gleeman
8
Jennings
9
Sarris
3 year fWAR
LF
Profile
Age
30
Position
SP
Last team
Philadelphia Phillies
Innings pitched
157 1/3
ERA+
137
**Britton’s contract projection: **6 years, $153 million
Suárez’s year-to-year excellence has been understandably overshadowed in Philadelphia by the likes of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sánchez. But since shifting into the starting rotation in August 2021, the left-hander ranks 11th among starters in fWAR, tucked between Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell — two guys who signed for a combined $340 million last winter.
Suárez achieves his success distinctly, with a fastball that barely surpasses 90 mph and a strikeout rate around league average. With a sinker, cutter and changeup, he suppresses hard contact and often keeps the ball on the ground. That profile has aged well before, and while his team has struggled the past couple Octobers, Suárez has been a postseason mensch with a 1.48 ERA in more than 40 innings pitched. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BAL, BOS, HOU
Staff rankings
10
Britton
5
Gleeman
10
Jennings
11
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
28
Position
SP
Last team
Seibu Lions (NPB)
Innings pitched
163 2/3
ERA+
1.92*
**Britton’s contract projection: **8 years, $190 million
Does it help this 5-foot-11 right-hander from Japan that the World Series was just dominated by a 5-foot-10 right-hander from Japan? Probably! The 28-year-old Imai is not Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He isn’t hitting the market at 25, he doesn’t have the same high-level stuff, and he hasn’t overwhelmed NPB the way Yamamoto had.
Nevertheless, the success of Yamamoto — and Kodai Senga and Shota Imanaga and on down the line — makes it easier to take a leap of faith on Imai as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter. Relative to NPB, Imai’s ERA and strikeout rate align well with those of Senga, Yusei Kikuchi, and Hiroki Kuroda before they debuted in MLB. He’s as hard a thrower as anyone who’s made that jump, complementing a fastball in the mid to upper 90s with a slider, splitter and changeup. — TB
* denotes standard ERA
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CHC, NYM, LAD
Staff rankings
7
Britton
14
Gleeman
9
Jennings
10
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
32
Position
RP
Last team
New York Mets
Innings pitched
66 1/3
ERA+
248
**Britton’s contract projection: **4 years, $84 million
After opting out of the final two years of the five-year deal he signed in 2022, Díaz has a chance to once again become the sport’s highest-paid closer. After missing all of 2023 thanks to a torn knee ligament, and enduring some inconsistency in 2024, Díaz pitched like his best self in 2025. His ERA was comfortably under 2.00 (1.63), his strikeout rate was 38 percent, and he converted 28 of his 31 save chances.
Díaz’s velocity has dipped since the knee injury and his transcendent 2022 season, but the mix of his four-seam and his wiffle-ball slider works just so long as he can throw them for strikes. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
LAD, NYM, SF
Staff rankings
13
Britton
11
Gleeman
13
Jennings
12
Sarris
3 year fWAR
RP
Profile
Age
31
Position
SP
Last team
San Diego Padres
Innings pitched
73 1/3
ERA+
125
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $75 million
A healthy 2025 might have placed King as the top free agent starter on the market, but a thoracic nerve issue and then a knee injury caused him to miss half of the season. He made only 15 starts in the regular season and pitched one inning out of the bullpen in the playoffs. In 2024, though, King made 30 starts with a 2.95 ERA, garnering him down-ballot Cy Young Award votes.
Now 30 years old, King broke into the leagues as a Yankees spot starter and multi-inning reliever. He won a permanent spot in their rotation at the end of 2023 and went to the Padres that December as a key piece of the Juan Soto trade. The Padres kept using him as a starter, and he thrived in that role, throwing a four-pitch mix from a deceptive three-quarters arm slot.
King has proven he has the stuff to be a good big league starter, but he’s only once thrown as many as 105 innings in a major-league season. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, DET, NYM
Staff rankings
11
Britton
13
Gleeman
12
Jennings
13
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
32
Position
SP
Last team
Chicago Cubs
Innings pitched
144 2/3
ERA+
103
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $22 million
After an outstanding rookie season culminating with a fifth-place Cy Young finish in 2024, the left-handed Imanaga took a sizable step back in Year 2 with the Cubs — one big enough for Chicago to decline a three-year, $57.75 million option for the pitcher.
While Imanaga’s ERA jumped nearly a run, his peripherals portended further trouble. His strikeout rate was down below league average, and he benefited mightily from playing in front of arguably the sport’s best defense, sporting a .219 batting average on balls in play. Still, Imanaga’s WHIP was below one, and there’s a reasonable chance another team values him at the salary the Cubs deemed too expensive. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
DET, SF, TOR
Staff rankings
15
Britton
20
Gleeman
11
Jennings
7
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
29
Position
1B
Last team
Seattle Mariners
HR
20
OPS+
128
**Britton’s contract projection: **4 years, $92 million
It was another typically strong season for Naylor, with a twist: In addition to his usual slugging prowess, the slow-footed 28-year-old first baseman turned into an amazing base stealer. He went 30-for-32 on steals, including 19-for-19 after a deadline trade to Seattle. He’d never stolen more than 10 bases before, and remained one of the league’s slowest runners, but his timing and baseball IQ were on full display.
Of course, Naylor’s bat is still the biggest draw. He’s hit .275/.336/.464 with a 124 OPS+ in four full seasons, averaging 25 homers and 105 RBIs per 150 games. Mariners fans understandably fell hard for him and may revolt if he’s not re-signed, but there figures to be heavy competition offering sizable long-term deals for arguably the third-best left-handed hitter on the market. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
SD, SEA, TEX
Staff rankings
14
Britton
10
Gleeman
15
Jennings
14
Sarris
3 year fWAR
1B
Profile
Age
29
Position
2B
Last team
Detroit Tigers
HR
16
OPS+
108
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $48 million
Torres took a one-year, $15 million deal from the Tigers last winter and was an All-Star for the first time since 2019. However, it was due more to a solid all-around season than a return to the impact bat he once was for the Yankees. Torres has slugged under .400 in back-to-back years, but made up for some of the missing power by drawing a career-high 85 walks and his defense seemingly improved at second base.
Upside is no longer a major part of Torres’ appeal at age 29, but he’s settled in as a good regular and should be in line for plenty of multi-year offers at a thin position. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
DET, LAA, SF
Staff rankings
16
Britton
17
Gleeman
14
Jennings
15
Sarris
3 year fWAR
2B
Profile
Age
34
Position
3B
Last team
Seattle Mariners
HR
49
OPS+
126
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $69 million
Low batting averages and high strikeout totals will scare away some suitors, especially at age 34, but Suárez is coming off a 49-homer season and his 308 total homers over the past decade are MLB’s third-most behind Aaron Judge (368) and Kyle Schwarber (324). He’s the epitome of an all-or-nothing slugger and that skill set tends to age poorly, but he’s still a capable defender at third base and remarkably durable, playing 95.5 percent of his team’s games during the past 10 seasons.
Expect a two- or three-year deal at a high annual salary that will balance his ability to make an immediate impact with the risk of decline any signing team will be taking on beyond 2026. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
MIA, PIT, SEA
Staff rankings
17
Britton
16
Gleeman
17
Jennings
16
Sarris
3 year fWAR
3B
Profile
Age
26
Position
1B
Last team
Yakult Swallows (NPB)
HR
22
OPS+
1.043*
**Britton’s contract projection: **8 years, $158.5 million
Murakami might be the biggest risk/reward play available this winter. The 26-year-old’s power from the left side of the plate is prodigious. He’s hit as many as 56 home runs in an NPB season, and his OPS has been about 35 percent better than the league mark over the last three years — production in line with that of Seiya Suzuki before he signed with MLB. However, Murakami missed a chunk of last season with elbow and oblique injuries, and there’s concern about the recent decline in his bat-to-ball skills.
In a league where the average velocity isn’t what he’ll face in stateside and the strikeout rate remains below 20 percent, Murakami has struck out more than 28 percent of the time over the last three seasons. He’s mostly played third in Japan but profiles as more of a first baseman in the big leagues. — TB
* denotes standard OPS
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, CHC, TOR
Staff rankings
12
Britton
21
Gleeman
16
Jennings
17
Sarris
3 year fWAR
1B
Profile
Age
33
Position
SP
Last team
Milwaukee Brewers
Innings pitched
64 2/3
ERA+
130
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $40 million
Woodruff answered one major question this past season: When healthy, he’s still a very good pitcher. Coming off shoulder surgery, Woodruff’s fastball velocity was down about three miles per hour — but his results didn’t waver. In 12 starts for the Brewers, his ERA was 3.20 and his FIP was 3.17. Even with the velo reduction, he struck out better than 32 percent of opposing hitters and lowered his walk rate to a career best 5.4 percent. If he’d done that for 32 starts, he’d be right near the top of this list.
The problem is Woodruff hasn’t even made 32 starts over the last three seasons, and while most of that is due to shoulder surgery, he was unavailable for this past postseason with a lat strain. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ATL, MIL, NYM
Staff rankings
23
Britton
18
Gleeman
18
Jennings
18
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
31
Position
RP
Last team
New York Yankees
Innings pitched
62
ERA+
85
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $18 million
With his famed “Airbender” changeup, Williams was a two-time Reliever of the Year during his six seasons with the Brewers, but he’s coming off the worst season of his career with the Yankees. Removed from the closer role in April, Williams never regained his old form. His expected statistics suggest there was some bad luck involved, but Williams’ strikeout rate was a career-low 25 percent, and he was slightly more homer-prone than usual.
Before last season, Williams was considered among the best relievers in baseball. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2020 and earned All-Star nods in two of his six seasons with Milwaukee. In March of 2024, though, Williams was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his back and pitched just 22 times that season. He was traded to the Yankees last winter and is hitting the open market a little more than a month after his 31st birthday. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ARZ, MIA, SF
Staff rankings
19
Britton
15
Gleeman
19
Jennings
24
Sarris
3 year fWAR
RP
Profile
Age
37
Position
SP
Last team
Texas Rangers
Innings pitched
184
ERA+
117
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $46 million
Kelly has become a steady big league starter in his 30s and delivered a typical season in 2023, pitching to a 3.52 ERA across 32 starts. He doesn’t throw hard or get a lot of strikeouts, but since 2022 he has a 3.47 ERA and ranks 21st in the majors in innings pitched.
An eighth-round pick in 2010, Kelly spent five seasons in the Rays’ minor league system before pitching in Korea for four years. He signed with the Diamondbacks in December of 2018, when he was 30, and made his big league debut the following season. A shoulder strain cost him more than half of 2024, but he returned to make 32 starts this season, 10 of them after a trade deadline deal to the Rangers.
Due to the late start to his career, he’s reaching free agency for the first time at 37. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ATL, ARZ, SD
Staff rankings
18
Britton
19
Gleeman
20
Jennings
20
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
30
Position
SP
Last team
Arizona Diamondbacks
Innings pitched
192
ERA+
89
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $42 million
Nobody saw their stock plunge this past season quite like Gallen, who entered the year in conversation with Valdez and Cease as the best starters on the market. Instead, the 30-year-old right-hander assembled the worst season of his career, with an ERA in the high fours and peripheral stats to match. After years of minor decreases, his strikeout rate plummeted below the league average, and his all-around stuff was down for much of the year.
Gallen did put together an excellent August and solid September, and his track record suggests the potential for some rebound for a pitcher still within his prime. —TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ARZ, BAL, TOR
Staff rankings
22
Britton
12
Gleeman
21
Jennings
27
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
32
Position
2B
Last team
Seattle Mariners
HR
26
OPS+
134
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $35 million
Polanco’s first season in Seattle was a mess, but the Mariners doubled down for $7.75 million and he bounced back with a strong 2025 at the plate, hitting .265/.326/.495 with 26 homers in a tough offensive environment while nearly cutting his strikeout rate in half.
Years of leg injuries make it hard to see him as a viable starting second baseman, but his switch-hitting power is more than enough to work at designated hitter or first base. Despite his sliding down the defensive spectrum, Polanco should be in line for a multi-year deal as one of the better non-star hitters on the market. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
LAA, SEA, TOR
Staff rankings
20
Britton
22
Gleeman
22
Jennings
19
Sarris
3 year fWAR
2B
Profile
Age
35
Position
RP
Last team
San Diego Padres
Innings pitched
69 2/3
ERA+
144
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $54 million
After Edwin Díaz, Suarez is the best closer on the market, poised to capitalize on the subpar seasons from other free-agent closers Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley. Over the last two seasons, nobody’s earned more saves than Suarez’s 76, and the right-hander combined a stronger strikeout rate with the lowest walk rate of his career.
Yes, Suarez will play next season at 35, but he also averaged a shade under 99 mph with his fastball this past season, when he converted 40 of 45 save chances. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ARZ, LAA, SF
Staff rankings
21
Britton
24
Gleeman
27
Jennings
25
Sarris
3 year fWAR
RP
Profile
Age
35
Position
C
Last team
Philadelphia Phillies
HR
12
OPS+
91
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $45 million
The sport’s best catcher when he signed his last deal, Realmuto has been worth about 2 fWAR in each of the last three seasons. In his mid-30s, he’s still one of the game’s most durable backstops.
Since 2019, eight times a player has caught 130 or more games, and Realmuto owns half of them, including 132 games behind the dish in 2025. His offense has understandably fallen off, dipping below league average last year for the first time. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
PHI, TEX, WSH
Staff rankings
25
Britton
26
Gleeman
25
Jennings
22
Sarris
3 year fWAR
C
Profile
Age
29
Position
CF
Last team
New York Yankees
HR
34
OPS+
125
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $54 million
For three years, Grisham was trending toward irrelevance in free agency, but a career year in 2025 has resurrected his value as an everyday center fielder. Grisham hit 34 home runs, the second-most of anyone who played at least 90 games in center (only the Twins’ Byron Buxton had more). His 129 wRC+ was also behind only Buxton among center fielders.
Grisham’s speed and defensive metrics weren’t nearly as good as when he won two Gold Gloves with the Padres, but his bat made up for it. Grisham produced a career-best 3.2 fWAR in his second season with the Yankees, going from bench player to one of the top 70 position players by fWAR. His extreme left-right splits suggest he might be best used as the strong side of a platoon. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
LAD, NYY, SF
Staff rankings
30
Britton
23
Gleeman
24
Jennings
29
Sarris
3 year fWAR
CF
Profile
Age
30
Position
1B
Last team
Yomiuri Giants (NPB)
HR
15
OPS+
1.014*
**Britton’s contract projection: **4 years, $78.5 million
The righty-swinging Okamoto may not possess the same upside as Murakami, but he’s probably a safer bet in the short term. Entering his age-30 season, a shorter-term deal is likely in the cards. Okamoto’s OPS has been about 40 percent better than the NPB average over the last three seasons, similar to Seiya Suzuki before he signed with the Cubs. Like Murakami, while Okamoto has played more third base in NPB, he’s likely to spend time at first base in the majors. He has a better chance of providing positive defensive value there than Murakami. — TB
* denotes standard OPS
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, CHC, NYM
Staff rankings
29
Britton
33
Gleeman
26
Jennings
23
Sarris
3 year fWAR
1B
Profile
Age
31
Position
RP
Last team
New York Mets
Innings pitched
56
ERA+
92
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $16 million
Helsley is hitting free agency one year removed from his best season and coming off a two-month stint with the Mets that went more or less disastrously. Helsley can still motor his fastball up to 100 mph, and when he’s right, his slider is difficult to lay off. But his numbers with St. Louis were more pedestrian up to the trade deadline, and a pitch-tipping issue waylaid his time in New York. For the season, his strikeout rate was down quite a bit, and there’s less reason to brush aside his 2025 as an aberration than there is for fellow closer Devin Williams. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
DET, STL, WSH
Staff rankings
33
Britton
25
Gleeman
28
Jennings
26
Sarris
3 year fWAR
RP
Profile
Age
32
Position
1B
Last team
San Diego Padres
HR
17
OPS+
125
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $36 million
Coming off his first All-Star selection, O’Hearn has seen his value surge in recent years. He had a 127 wRC+ this season, with most of that production coming in the first four months with the Orioles. He was traded to the Padres at the deadline, and his OPS was almost exactly 100 points lower after the trade.
But O’Hearn has become a reliable left-handed bat. He was designated for assignment in January of 2023 after a disappointing stint with the Royals. The Orioles acquired him for cash, and he quickly became a productive hitter in Baltimore. Although mostly a DH, he can also play first base and the outfield corners. He’s been used as a left-handed platoon hitter, but he had success against left-handed pitching this season. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BAL, MIA, WSH
Staff rankings
28
Britton
27
Gleeman
30
Jennings
30
Sarris
3 year fWAR
1B
Profile
Age
30
Position
SS
Last team
Atlanta Braves
HR
5
OPS+
83
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $50 million
Despite playing just 48 games this season, Kim declined a $16-million option and became a free agent for the second winter in a row. He signed with the Rays last offseason but spent most of the year rehabbing from shoulder surgery before suffering a lower back injury. He played 24 games for the Rays before being claimed off waivers by the Braves on Sept. 1. He played another 24 games for Atlanta.
All told, Kim had an 82 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR in a limited sample. In the past, he’s been an above-average defender with a roughly league-average bat, which has made him a valuable everyday player. He’s also 30 years old and hasn’t played much in the past year, but in a thin shortstop market, Kim could be one of the best bets at the position. He also has experience at second and third base. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ATL, DET, TOR
Staff rankings
24
Britton
48
Gleeman
23
Jennings
21
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SS
Profile
Age
31
Position
SP
Last team
Boston Red Sox
Innings pitched
145
ERA+
120
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $57 million
Coming off a 2024 season lost to UCL surgery, Giolito didn’t make his 2025 debut until April 30 and had a 6.40 ERA through the first week of June. Beginning June 10, though, Giolito pitched to a 2.51 ERA in his final 19 starts, becoming such a reliable piece of the Red Sox rotation that he finished with a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings.
By exceeding 140 innings, Giolito turned a team option in his contract into a mutual option, which let him opt into free agency at 31 years old after declining his end of a $17.5 million pact.
Giolito didn’t strike out as many batters as he did in his prime, but he returned to form as a mid-rotation workhorse. From 2018-23, he threw the eighth-most innings in baseball. He missed this year’s postseason with an elbow injury, but not one that’s expected to affect his 2026 season. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BOS, SF, WSH
Staff rankings
26
Britton
28
Gleeman
31
Jennings
36
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
37
Position
SP
Last team
Toronto Blue Jays
Innings pitched
170 1/3
ERA+
108
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $46 million
Although the Blue Jays used him out of the bullpen in the postseason, Bassitt’s greatest strength might be his dependability as a mid-rotation starter. He had a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts this season, and he’s averaged more than 30 starts a year since 2021, when he earned his only All-Star selection to date. He was also excellent in the shortened 2020 season (2.29 ERA in 11 starts).
A lower back injury put Bassitt on the IL at the end of the 2025 regular season, but he returned to allow just one run on three hits in 8 2/3 innings in the postseason. Bassitt doesn’t get a ton of strikeouts but tends to limit walks and hard contact. He signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Blue Jays three years ago, and he’s back on the market as a near-37-year-old. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
ATL, BOS, TOR
Staff rankings
27
Britton
30
Gleeman
32
Jennings
33
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
32
Position
CF
Last team
Philadelphia Phillies
HR
17
OPS+
117
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $32 million
Following three straight seasons with an OPS below .660, Bader settled for a one-year, $6.25 million deal last offseason, and then had a career-year at age 31, batting .277/.347/.449 with 17 homers for the Twins and Phillies. Despite losing some raw speed, he can still handle center field and be an elite left fielder, making Bader one of the best defensive free agents available.
He’ll likely be in line for a multiyear deal this time, although skepticism about his offensive improvement is warranted given an uptick in strikeouts and the lack of substantial changes to his plate discipline or batted-ball metrics. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CLE, LAD, PHI
Staff rankings
39
Britton
32
Gleeman
29
Jennings
31
Sarris
3 year fWAR
CF
Profile
Age
29
Position
2B
Last team
San Diego Padres
HR
8
OPS+
99
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $30 million
Arraez won three straight batting titles with minuscule strikeout rates to earn cult hero status. But when his batting average dipped to .292 in 2025, his lack of power, patience and defensive value became glaring. Striking out only 21 times in 675 plate appearances is amazing, but 61 RBIs, 66 runs scored and a 99 OPS+ are underwhelming for a top-of-the-order bat limited mostly to first base and designated hitter.
He’s a fascinating free-agent case because Arraez would have been in line for a huge payday two decades ago. He might have to settle for a modest short-term contract now. He picked a bad time for a career-worst season and the wrong era to be an elite singles hitter. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CHW, COL, WSH
Staff rankings
38
Britton
37
Gleeman
34
Jennings
28
Sarris
3 year fWAR
2B
Profile
Age
32
Position
SP
Last team
Baltimore Orioles
Innings pitched
71 1/3
ERA+
68
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $17 million
Eflin just completed a three-year, $40 million deal, the first two seasons of which were very good. But he struggled in 2025, posting a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts before undergoing season-ending back surgery in August.
His strikeout percentage plummeted from 26.5 to 19.6 to 16.2 during the contract, creating on-field concerns in addition to the health issue, which will likely lead to a one-year deal. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BAL, DET, SD
Staff rankings
35
Britton
35
Gleeman
33
Jennings
35
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
35
Position
LF
Last team
Kansas City Royals
HR
17
OPS+
109
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $11 million
A strong-side platoon outfielder who’s consistently hit right-handed pitching, Yastrzemski got a late start in the big leagues and is a first-time free agent at 35. But his 126 wRC+ against righties was top 50 in the major leagues in 2025 — similar to Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez and Byron Buxton — and he finished the season with an .839 OPS after a trade deadline deal to the Royals.
The grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, Mike spent six seasons in the minor leagues before making his big league debut at 28 in 2019. The Giants had acquired him in a minor spring training trade with the Orioles, and Yastrzemski was something of a sensation in San Francisco. He hit 21 home runs as a rookie and finished eighth in NL MVP voting in 2020. According to Baseball Reference, he’s been worth between a 2.0 and 2.7 WAR in each of his six seasons in the majors. He’s been a dependable bat, but with extreme splits. Yastrzemski had an .809 OPS against righties this season but only a .427 OPS against lefties. — CJ
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CIN, KC, PIT
Staff rankings
31
Britton
40
Gleeman
36
Jennings
42
Sarris
3 year fWAR
LF
Profile
Age
30
Position
RP
Last team
Chicago Cubs
Innings pitched
69 2/3
ERA+
187
**Britton’s contract projection: **3 years, $30 million
After seven years struggling to find consistency with a 4.33 ERA as a starter, Keller made the full-time switch to the bullpen and thrived. Compared to his time as a starter, Keller boosted his strikeout rate, cut his walks and added 3 mph to his fastball.
Now it’s just a question of how much faith the league has in his age-29 breakthrough being sustainable, because he certainly pitched like a high-end setup man for the Cubs in 2025. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CHC, NYY, TEX
Staff rankings
36
Britton
31
Gleeman
41
Jennings
41
Sarris
3 year fWAR
RP
Profile
Age
30
Position
SP
Last team
Cincinnati Reds
Innings pitched
186 2/3
ERA+
111
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $20 million
Littell is 2 1/2 seasons into a successful transition to the rotation that began in mid-2023, posting a 3.67 ERA in 414 1/3 innings and 75 starts.
There is some smoke and mirrors involved, as Littell’s strikeout rate, homer rate and fastball velocity are among the lowest by starters during that period, but he also has a very low walk rate and logged a career-high 186 2/3 innings in 2025. — AG
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
CLE, COL, WSH
Staff rankings
32
Britton
49
Gleeman
34
Jennings
37
Sarris
3 year fWAR
SP
Profile
Age
35
Position
DH
Last team
Atlanta Braves
HR
21
OPS+
113
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $14 million
A year ago, Ozuna finished in the top five of NL MVP balloting with a .300/30 homer/100 RBIs season that was the best full season of his career. His encore, however, was derailed by a hip issue he played through for much of the summer; he hit .179 for a three-month stretch in the middle of the season. Ozuna mitigated the free-fall in batting average to some degree by boosting his walk rate. Only Aaron Judge and Juan Soto earned free passes at a higher rate. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
MIA, SD, SEA
Staff rankings
34
Britton
36
Gleeman
48
Jennings
43
Sarris
3 year fWAR
DH
Profile
Age
31
Position
CF
Last team
New York Mets
HR
17
OPS+
94
**Britton’s contract projection: **1 year, $11 million
Like Ryan Helsley ahead of him on this list, Mullins’ OK season took a major turn for the worse with a deadline trade to the Mets. The major question for the 31-year-old will be how much longer he can handle center field. Defensive metrics were split on his four months in Baltimore last season; he ranked near the bottom of the sport in defensive runs saved while outs above average rated him positively. He was better by both measures with New York, which was overshadowed by the .182 batting average that got him benched down the stretch.
Mullins’ breakthrough 30/30 campaign in 2021 is now five years in the rear view, and he’s settled in as a league-average hitter. In center, that’s legitimately valuable given the scarcity of two-way players there. In a corner, it’s run of the mill. — TB
Data:
fWAR from FanGraphs
Best fits
BAL, LAA, PHI
Staff rankings
47
Britton
38
Gleeman
45
Jennings
32
Sarris
3 year fWAR
CF
Profile
Age
32
Position
RP
Last team
New York Yankees
Innings pitched
64 2/3
ERA+
113
**Britton’s contract projection: **2 years, $19 million
A back-end starter who emerged as a late-inning reliever, Weaver’s surface-level numbers in 2025 were disappointing, but his under-the-hood metrics were far more encouraging. Although his actual ERA was almost a run higher than it had been in his breakout 2024 season, his expected ERA was quite a bit lower and the quality of contact fairly similar. His strikeout rate was down in 2025, but his chase rate was up.
A first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014, Weaver reached the majors as a touted rotation prospect but was inconsistent in that role. He was traded to the Diamondbacks for Paul Goldschmidt and eventually was claimed off waivers by the Yankees at the end of 2023. Weaver entered 2024 with a career 5.14 ERA, looking like little more than a long reliever or spot starter.
In 2024, though, Weaver became a full-time reliever and pitched well enough to become the Yankees’closer at the end of the season and into the playoffs. He was