The impending lockout will shutter the sport a little more than a month from now. The industry and its fans, players and staff can survive a repeat of 2022, when almost the entirety of spring training was knocked out but 162 games were salvaged, thanks to creative scheduling.
The looming storm clouds this time around make it much harder to conceive what a 2027 season will look like – let alone who might unseat the Milwaukee Brewers as World Series champions.
Like the message on manager Pat Murphy’s forearm, however, we are undaunted. Here’s a way-too-early look at the top World Series contenders for 2027 – or perhaps 2028:
The elite
Los Angeles Dodgers
Now that they’ve un-ruined baseball, perhaps they can get back to playing a game and not making a political statement. Before then, though, some significant off-the-field uncertainty awaits.
What will the game’s economic parameters look like when the industry fires back up? Will owner Mark Walter remain under scrutiny from federal investigators, and when might MLB see fit to intervene?
Yet a four-and-out in the NLCS should do this club a lot of good, relative to the extra 10 or so days they played the past two seasons in winning World Series. If 2026 taught them anything, it’s how important a healthy Shohei Ohtani is to the whole operation. Develop a plan to keep him sound and Ohtani, who turns 33 in July, should pay them back with another MVP season.
Milwaukee Brewers
They are slated to lose just first baseman Jake Bauers and veteran Brandon Woodruff, and the deep connections with both players to the franchise certainly opens the door for a return. Beyond that, seven of their regulars will be 28 or younger next season.
And a pitching staff that won 114 games this season, including playoffs, will come out of this postseason having absorbed fewer body blows than so many recent champions who heavily used starting pitchers in relief. Jacob Misiorowski proved he could exceed 190 innings pitched, getting more efficient later in October.
The club may experience some brain drain as copycat clubs try to poach and promote their executive talent, most notably assistant GM Matt Kleine, a candidate for the Astros’ top baseball ops job. But the infrastructure remains rock solid.
The pitching has to be healthier next season. Right? This club won 94 games even with Spencers Strider and Schwellenbach among the many sidelined arms. Chris Sale turns 38 in March and will likely need a similar or even more aggressive innings management. And veteran stalwarts Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña Jr. performed far below their standards and will be 30 and 29 next year, respectively.
Yet this is a team now driven by Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin. We trust GM Alex Anthopoulos will shore up the pitching a little more aggressively than he did last winter and at the deadline. The standard is the standard. If you will.
The pretty good
New York Yankees
Yankees fans don’t want to hear such praise, but posting 94- and 93-win campaigns in consecutive seasons, the latter essentially without Aaron Judge, puts you on the doorstep of elite these days. The New York fan-media industrial complex still clings to the notion that Big Expectations mean Failure without a championship, but let’s face it: This is the era where almost every franchise needs about 10 playoff cracks to stumble into one title.
Sure, it’s been 17 years, but hey, it happens. Bottom line is, the club is still flush with elite pitching that will always give it a chance. The continued development of shortstop George Lombard Jr. remains paramount. How aggressive will owner Hal Steinbrenner be in free agency when his side hustle will be serving on the owners’ labor relations committee, having to play-act that a salary cap is a good thing?
Tampa Bay Rays
They got schooled by the Brewers but also swept the Yankees in the ALDS, doubling down on a season in which they won the AL East by 4 ½ games. This is Tampa Bay, where nothing is permanent, but the core can return if the Rays want it: The offensive big three of Yandy Díaz (club option), Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda remain cost-effective. All-Star starter Nick Martinez will likely decline his mutual option and rental Freddy Peralta figures to move on, but Drew Rasmussen, Griffin Jax and Shane McClanahan are all under contract.
And there’s always new blood. Pitching prospect Brody Hopkins was on the fringes of the playoff roster but should have a solid shot to win a rotation spot whenever the game gets going. New ownership’s had a year to assess the club, a year that saw a billion-dollar boon in public money for a new stadium and then a World Series run. It will be interesting to see how they assess this current “window.”
Should have a shot
San Diego Padres
They’ve paddled very hard underwater to stay up with the Dodgers and while that’s proven futile, they look up at the end of the year and are still one of the best teams in baseball. Trouble is, the offensive core is a year older and most of the pitching staff isn’t bolted down.
Michael King is likely to opt out of his deal. The club figures to exercise its club option on Nick Pivetta. Joe Musgrove should be full go, but how long can he stay healthy? It figures to be another season leaning heavily on their peerless bullpen. But that’s a tough way to do business.
Chicago Cubs
Reality was a little harsh this year: The Cubs finished 14 whole games behind the Brewers, a “rivalry” that turned very one-sided. In signing Nico Hoerner to a six-year extension, the club has firmly decided that this is the core they’re rolling with, led by another long-term investment - pending NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong.
That core will lose a key piece in Ian Happ, and like so many of these contenders, starting pitching remains the bugaboo. Heck, the loss of Cade Horton might sting more in 2027 than it did last season; he figures to return in some capacity, at least. Can lefty Justin Steele regain All-Star form after running out of comeback time in 2026?
Toronto Blue Jays
Like the Dodgers, they’ll be sans hangover from a gutting World Series next season. Heck, they got the whole month of October off. Despite Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s disappearing act, this club still had playoff life into the final week of the season. The odds suggest a big bounceback for Vladdy next season.
Jose Soriano can ride shotgun with Dylan Cease as aces all next season. Cody Ponce’s ACL has mended. Spencer Miles has a year under his belt and Louis Varland’s still manning the back end. Could be dangerous.
A puncher’s chance
The Cleveland Guardians gotta lead the list of longshots, simply because they’ve won three division titles in a row while hardly anyone’s watching. And made two ALCS runs in three years. They just might kick that door down with all that power pitching. … That’s come at the expense of the Detroit Tigers, who now have a winter to construct a post-Skubal ballclub. Easy to forget they have a budding MVP in Kevin McGonigle. … Speaking of Tarik, might he end up a New York Met? Even if that comes to pass, there’s got to be several about-faces on a club that at least finished the year on an upswing and with contributions from young players. … Whither the Philadelphia Phillies? We were tempted to bump them up a tier or two, but it’s a little unsettling how the club lurched through most of 2026 while getting 28 to 33 starts from Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez and Aaron Nola. Imagine if such good health doesn’t find them next year. … A surprise? Why not the St. Louis Cardinals, young, athletic, efficient and convicted from day one next year.
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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics pitches against the New York Yankees at Sutter Health Park on May 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Tuesday A’s fans.
It’s been five days since the end of the World Series. You know what that means. Free agency is officially open!
Things are different in baseball this year. We’re all still waiting on the first signings around the league, which usually takes a couple weeks to really kick off. With the possibility of an impending lockout however there may be some free agents that elect to move on their next home faster than normal. That could be a benefit for our A’s.
The team has struggled to attract free agents over the past few years, first because of the Coliseum and now because the Athletics are literally playing in a minor league ballpark. Not to mention this is a young team that hasn’t had any on-field success in years. The team had to massively overpay starter Luis Severino, who just recently exercised his $22 million option for next season. Smart move on his part, since he’s unlikely to beat that annual average on the open market. That’s been the long big signing since the A’s began this move to Las Vegas, with a smattering of smaller moves. Interestingly, while the team now plays in a hitter’s ballpark, the team has only inked two position players (Gio Urshela & Luis Urias).
With the lockout however, there may be more opportunities to ink early contracts. While there’s lot of players who can afford to wait out contract negotiations with the owners, there are also plenty of other players that may be lower-tier options that want to lock in their money now. While the A’s are in the middle of the rebuild and certainly won’t halt the youth movement, we saw last year how quickly injuries can pile up, and it’d be smart for the A’s to get a low ceiling, high floor infielder to bolster that young group.
Or maybe new President Taylor Smith prioritizes improving the bullpen before doing anything else. There’s always lots of relievers on the market every offseason and identifying the right bullpen arms is why he was brought in to the organization. We only have 27 days before the lockout on December 1st and there’s been no word of breakthroughs in negotiations. It could be a long, long time between then and the reopening of free agency next year, so get in your shopping now.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - AUGUST 21: Jason Schiavone #44 of the Corpus Christi Hooks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the second inning during the game between the Midland RockHounds and the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field on Friday, August 21, 2026 in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Photo by Vanessa Buentello/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Corpus Christi Hooks had an up and down 2026 season, but still had some strong performers. Let’s take a look.
Corpus Christi Hooks 2026 Record: 62-76
The Hooks opened the season going 11-13 in 24 games in April. In May, they had another month just below .500 going 13-14 over 27 games. In June the sub .500 play continued as they went 11-14. In July, the Hooks went 12-12 over 24 games. They played 26 games in August going 11-15. They finished the season in September going 4-8. It was a rough season for the Hooks.
IP – James Hicks (119.0) W – Amilcar Chirinos (6) SV – Amilcar Chirinos (8) SO – James Hicks (104) ERA – Bryce Mayer (2.61)
NOTABLES
Trevor Austin, INF Austin was signed as an undrafted free agent and has made his way to Double-A in 2026, and has really performed well. The 24-year-old finished the season with a .803 OPS while also leading the team in doubles, (22), home runs (21), runs batted in (54) and hits (96). He played four different positions with the majority of his time coming at third base. It was a big time season for the undrafted free agent.
Bryce Mayer, RHP Mayer, the Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, put together an even better season in 2026. The right-hander started a bit slow but quickly turned things around, posting a 2.61 ERA with 100 strikeouts over 69 innings in Double-A. Mayer earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he posted a 5.45 ERA but still showed his ability to miss bats, striking out 40 over 33 innings.
Jason Schiavone, C Schiavone put together a monster breakout season. The 23-year-old catcher got off to a hot start in Asheville hitting .289 with 17 home runs in 35 games. He earned a promotion to Double-A where he hit 14 more home runs to go along with 20 stolen bases. He finished the 2026 season in Triple-A and had 32 home runs and 32 stolen bases, the first 30 HR/30 SB for a catcher in 45 years putting himself in a strong spot for Spring Training in 2027.
Alex Santos II, RHP Santos was drafted by the Astros in the second round of the 2020 draft and has taken a long road through the system, spending multiple seasons in rookie ball before eventually reaching Double-A. After moving to the bullpen this season, Santos has posted a 2.91 ERA with 100 strikeouts over 65.0 innings. He finished the season on a tear posting a 1.09 ERA with 65 strikeouts over 41.1 innings including a 0.77 ERA over 11.2 innings in Triple-A.
Yamal Encarnacion, INF Encarnacion put together a very intriguing 2026 season. While the wRC+ was a little below average, the switch hitting infielder led all of the Astros system (full-season) in stolen bases with 48 while also connecting on 18 doubles, 4 triples and 5 home runs. He is a spark plug type of player and was awarded the Standard Award by the Astros, highlighting his positive impact on and off the field.
Jackson Nezuh, RHP After a breakout 2024 season, Nezuh struggled some in 2025 but he re found his form in 2026. The rtight-hander started the season in Double-A and had a 3.97 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 65.2 innings. He was promoted to Triple-A where he was even better posting. 3.58 ERA with 44 K over 37.2 innings. He totaled 124 strikeouts over 103.1 innings and put himself in contention for a big league spot next season.
Will Bush, C Bush, the Astros 16th round pick in the 2023 draft, had a solid. season in 2026. The catcher played in 99 games for the Hooks and posted a .757 OPS with 13 home runs and 17 stolen bases. Behind the plated, the 22-year-old threw out 17% of base runners. Bush drew a lot of walks too, collecting 73 of them in those 99 games.
This tagline harkens back to 1989 and a Michael Jordan-Spike Lee advertisement for Nike footwear. That’s when athletic footwear was in the early stages of what would become a revolution that remains ongoing.
While that advertising campaign was very much about who wore the shoes and what they might be able to do for the wearer, the quest to improve athletic performance continues. Sure, everyone wants good shoes, but today, the more interesting question is what those shoes — with a little technological boost — can tell players and coaches about performance.
Back in September, I wrote about the Catapult vests players were using to measure their throws and manage workloads. When I was working on that story, I stumbled onto another wearable that Colorado Rockies players and coaching staff are using to gather data to measure and improve player performance: Plantiga force plates.
The technology requires the use of an insole that fits into a player’s shoe. A “pod” is inserted into the insole that does the actual measuring.
According to Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer, Plantiga “is measuring how your body moves, how much force you’re putting into the ground, the workload, all that.”
It’s technology that Brandon Stone, Rockies manager of performance science, explained like this: “Similar to Catapult, Plantiga helps us understand player movement by measuring acceleration and rotation through inertial measurement unit (IMU) technology. We use these technologies as complementary tools within our broader toolbox to better understand player movement and how it may affect on-field performance.”
That’s a lot to take in, but Stone as well as some Rockies coaches and players further explained the technology, which underscores another way in which the organization is using data to support player development.
As Stone put it in a phone interview, “We’re trying to build an ecosystem of tools that help us understand how our players move so that we can help guide or prescribe or change things if we need to. I think ultimately it’s like what dials can we turn a little bit in order to help optimize performance and health.”
What are Plantiga force plates?
According to their website, Plantiga features “[l]ab-grade sensor technology embedded in comfortable insoles. Captures gait patterns, asymmetries, and loads at 416Hz with clinical precision.” (To visit Plantiga’s baseball page, click here.)
“What we’re trying to detect is the smoke before the fire,” Matthew Jordan, the vice president of performance science at Plantiga, told Fast Company. “Imagine you’re at the point where your knee is just at the cusp of the next day it’s going to be like, ‘My knee’s killing me. I can hardly walk.’ We can see in the data before you reach that tipping point.” (Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is a poster child for Plantiga.)
Take a look at Jake McCarthy’s Plantiga insole and pod:
“You don’t feel them or anything,” said relief pitcher Zach Agnos, who was an early Plantiga adopter.
After a player finishes doing his daily work, he pops out the pod and places it in the Plantiga charging dock located in the Rockies clubhouse. Then, the data is uploaded to the cloud and analyzed. That information is converted into a report that goes to a number of Rockies training staff, including Stone and bullpen coach Matt Buschmann.
Buschmann and Stone worked together when they were with the Toronto Blue Jays, so their collaboration on wearable technology is a logical evolution of their relationship.
“It was a really easy partnership to kind of get off the ground,” Stone said. “I try to be as available as possible during the day in season with the guys, too, so that we’re working hand in hand, and obviously (Buschmann’s) helping guide that from from the bullpen standpoint.”
Here’s how Buschamann explains the relationship between Catapult and Plantiga: “Catapult tells me (a player’s) volume and intensity. That tells you similar things, but it’s going to give us the strategy. So Catapult tells me how hard you’re throwing it. (Plantinga) tells me how you’re doing it that hard, whether you’re doing it differently from in the past, whether you’re doing more off your right leg compared to your left leg.”
And those changes have the potential to be significant.
“So a lot of times,” Buschmann said, “what that can do is tell you if you’re trying to attain something in a different way. That’s not a bad flag. It’s just like, ‘Well why?’ And if that why is because maybe you’re fatigued or maybe you’re dealing with some kind of stiffness or soreness, hopefully, that allows us to see that and kind of stop that before it becomes a larger problem down the road because (in) baseball, a lot of times, injuries are just small things become big things over time.
In other words, Plantiga allows the Rockies to establish a baseline for a player’s movements. Then, the coaching staff can look for changes in a player’s typical movement patterns and make adjustments.
“I would say we build a report off of the data,” Stone said, “and then, it’s just checking in and saying, ‘Is this within the player’s norm?’ And if it’s not, I think what we first do is just ask questions. So we try to aggregate information across the spectrum — and that’s all departments, not just performance science and pitching, but obviously, physical performance, medical and athletic training, mental skills, nutrition. All of those pieces are just as involved. We’re just trying to help say, ‘Okay, if a player’s movement patterns or their ability to be strong and fast and powerful, if those are changing, what’s changing? Why is it changing? And how can we positively impact that?’”
Those differences may be significant in terms of player performance.
“Fatigue is inevitable,” Stone said. “How you fatigue is going to be individual based on you.“
Plantiga gives the Rockies a way to measure that fatigue and then create an adjustment plan.
“Every player has a different amount of strength, power, speed, stuff that we all see,” Stone said, using McCarthy as an example.
“Jake McCarthy is super fast,” Stone said. “We obviously want to preserve that as much as possible. We also know that, based on science and research, he’s going to probably fatigue a certain way, and that way is going to be very individualized to him. So part of it is, as those things happen, are we managing it well? And then, really, all you’re trying to do is, if and when those things ebb and flow, you’re trying to adjust their routines.”
That’s where clear collaboration and communication between Rockies staff and players come into play.
“I think that’s the key relationship between the other performance departments. (The player might need) a recovery routine, a weight room routine, a mental skills routine. It might simply be adjusting nutrition, especially with the way that our travel goes in and out of altitude.”
Rather than seeing Plantiga as a tool for injury prevention, Stone views it a bit differently.
“If we can if we can maintain as robust of a mover and an athlete as he is throughout the year, then by proxy we’re hoping that we’re mitigating compensations or deviations in how they’re accomplishing running, jumping, throwing, swinging, fielding.”
It’s a balance.
“I’d say that Plantiga is, again, a little bit more like, how are they responding to the day-in, day-out work? And how are their general movements locomotively changing? And if those two things are lining up, then we’re working with all the other departments to help potentially adjust a player’s routine so that, again, they can maximize their performance during the game.
What do the players say?
Outfielder Jake McCarthy, who logs a lot of miles between getting on base and running to the outfield throughout the game, is a fan. In the same way that Catapult can help pitchers manager their workloads, Plantiga can assist McCarthy in tracking his work.
“Running is a big part of my game,” McCarthy said, “so I’m like, ‘Hey, man, if you see anything that maybe is a red flag, please let me know.’ So I’m pretty interested.”
He added, “You know how much output force, how much you ran during the day, the speeds you’re running at.”
And he likes knowing the numbers, too.
“I think it’s cool to see the top speeds and stuff like that,” McCarthy said.
Plus, it provides an objective measure of what he’s done.
“If we play a four-hour game where I’m running around in the outfield a ton, they’ll kind of be like, ‘Hey, your workload was way higher than it’s been all year, so maybe make sure you’re drinking enough water, doing some recovery.’ So again, just a ton of stuff to learn from.”
That’s how a position player uses Plantiga. But what about a pitcher?
Zach Agnos provided some insight.
“You wear them when you throw before the game, so it can measure how much you throw in your workload and how much force you’re using, so it basically gets you a gauge on what intensity you’re at that day,” Agnos said.
“A day after you pitch,” he added, “you want to be lower intensity, so you can kind of match up the the workload, and then on the mound, you can pair it up with the biomechanics stuff around the stadium.”
That’s where Stone and his staff come in.
“Our guy Brandon Stone will look at it and let you know what you’re doing well, if something was off a little bit from that night compared to the baseline average for you. So it’s a really good way to not only measure workload but just to kind of get a basis of where you’re at and production of force and all that stuff and transfer.”
Stone commented on an interesting example that included Agnos, who, during the course of the season, moved to the third-base-side of the rubber.
“I would say in-game biomechanics is going to be the first thing that we look at to see if and when we make changes with pitchers,” Stone said. “Ultimately, performance is going to dictate that. But I would say from my role specifically, how are they moving to create that output? And if they’re moving well, then you feel more comfortable about that change.”
Then he added, “And again, I think that’s where generally you can say Plantiga would come in: Does he have the movement capacity to make the move on the rubber? Plantiga would be one of four to five tools that we use within that movement assessment paradigm to say, ‘Hey, we think he’s got the capacity. Okay, we’re going to make the move.’ And then we’re using the in-game data to really help drive if that move has been helpful from a performance standpoint. And then closing the loop is that periodically through the movements assessments with Plantiga is saying, ‘Okay, he’s not compensating based on the move on the rubber.’”
Like McCarthy, Agnos is a fan.
“I think it’s a really good tool for us to have.”
Why does it matter?
Joelle Milholm spent time last month examining how the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers are finding advantages that help them win, including through their use technology.
Like Catapult, the Rockies use of Plantiga shows a team catching up and using technology to improve player performance.
Although the odds are unlikely that Plantiga inserts will transform the Rockies into a Michael-Jordanesque team in 2027, like Mike’s shoes, they’re another implement in the Rockies growing data toolbox.
Los Angeles, - October 15: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on after the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 to win Game 4 of a NLCS playoff baseball game and advance to the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Free agency officially began last night, as the five-day “quiet period” ended and players became free to negotiate with any team. There could be a mad dash to sign players ahead of the potential transaction freeze once the labor deal expires in December, although uncertainty over what the new rules of the game will be could inhibit teams from making moves.
Here’s a look at the top 30 free agents available this winter, and my predictions for who will sign them and for how much, plus a list of who else is out there. The predictions are difficult to make, since we don’t know exactly what baseball’s economic structure will look like next year. My predictions assume that whatever changes are implemented will be phased in slowly over time.
He is the unquestioned top player available, by a good margin. Skubal won back-to-back Cy Young Awards, but was limited to 158.2 innings last year due to minor elbow surgery this summer. He returned as good as ever, with a 2.73 ERA in 19 starts after his injury, so there shouldn’t be much injury concern. But with pitchers, injuries are always a concern.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Yankees Contract prediction: Dodgers, 9 years, $365 million
2. Freddy Peralta, starting pitcher
10-11, 4.42 ERA, 169.0 IP, 8.3 K/9, 0.7 rWAR
Peralta earned Cy Young votes last year, but was a disappointment with the Mets. He turned his season around after being traded to the Rays, allowing just three runs in 34 innings over his last six starts. He posted the highest ERA of his career since becoming a starter, but he still has “ace” potential and should command a top salary.
Potential suitors: Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox, Yankees Contract prediction: Cubs, 5 years, $115 million
3. Randy Arozarena, outfielder
.281/.381/.484, 670 PA, 26 HR, 5.7 rWAR
Arozarena is the top bat available, coming off a career-high in OPS+ with 148 and a 20/20 season. He led the league in runs scored this year, and finished eighth among all AL players in rWAR. He will turn 32 in February and he was -5 in Outs Above Average in left field this year, so there may be some pause for teams thinking about giving him a long-term deal. Arozarena was tendered a Qualifying Offer, so any team that signs him will have to forfeit draft compensation.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Cubs, Mariners, Phillies, Red Sox Contract prediction: Phillies, 4 years, $108 million
4. Seiya Suzuki, outfielder
.270/.368/.473, 634 PA, 26 HR, 5.1 rWAR
Suzuki is also coming off a strong season, with a career-high 81 walks. He has hit 20+ home runs and posted an OPS+ of 125 or better in each of the last four seasons. The 32-year old was a Gold Glove finalist for the first time after having a reputation as a poor defender. He was also given a Qualifying Offer, although the Cubs didn’t sound interested in getting into a bidding war to keep him.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Cubs, Mariners, Phillies, Red Sox Contract prediction: Mariners, 4 years, $104 million
5. Trevor Rogers, starting pitcher
10-11, 4.03 ERA, 169.2 IP, 8.3 K/9, 2.2 rWAR
Rogers dominated in 18 starts in 2025 with a 1.81 ERA, but was underwhelming this year. But analytics types love his underlying metrics and stuff after some adjustments made at Driveline bumped his velocity up. He is a health risk, but most of his injuries have been muscle or leg injuries, not in the arm. He was given a Qualifying Offer and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he accepted or took a short-term deal to hit the market after a better season.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Braves, Cubs, Orioles, Tigers, White Sox Contract prediction: Orioles, 4 years, $100 million
6. Michael King, starting pitcher
12-10, 3.21 ERA, 185.0 IP, 7.7 K/9, 4.3 rWAR
King declined a $28 million player option in the hopes of landing a long-term deal. He has a 3.15 ERA over the last three seasons since becoming a full-time starter, but he saw a significant decline in his strikeout rate. King has expressed a desire to stay in San Diego, and my guess is the new ownership group keeps him in the fold.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Orioles, Padres, Yankees Contract prediction: Padres, 4 years, $96 million
7. Teruaki Sato, third baseman/outfielder
.306/.383/.609, 614 PA, 39 HR
Teruaki Sato is a left-handed power hitter who smashed 79 homers over the last two seasons for the Hanshin Tigers. The 27-year-old does have some swing and miss tendencies, although many of the same doubts plagued Munetaka Murakami, who hit 35 home runs for the White Sox. He plays third base but could ultimately move to first base or a corner outfield spot. He would need to be posted and signed by December 1.
Potential suitors: Angels, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees Contract prediction: Yankees, 5 years, $90 million
8. Jazz Chisholm Jr., second baseman
.231/.312/.399, 532 PA, 19 HR, 1.7 rWAR
Chisholm hit a career-high 31 home runs in 2025, winning a Silver Slugger Award. But he regressed badly in his contract year, and could look for a short-term deal to re-establish his value. He is capable of playing second or third base, and although he can have defensive lapses, he fared very well in Outs Above Average.
Potential suitors: Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Padres, Pirates, Tigers, Rays, Reds Contract prediction: Tigers, 4 years, $88 million, with an opt-out after the first season
9. Adrián Morejón, relief pitcher
9-3, 2.83 ERA, 86.0 IP, 11.2 K/9, 1.9 rWAR
Morejón was an All-Star in 2025, and followed that up with a whopping 107 strikeouts as a lefty reliever. Because he has a deep arsenal, some teams may be interested in seeing if he can start. If he’s a reliever, he’s easily the best one on the market, although he doesn’t have experience as a traditional closer. He is still rather young – he turns 28 in February.t
Potential suitors: Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Padres, Yankees Contract prediction: Yankees, 4 years, $64 million
10. Brandon Lowe, second baseman
.260/.331/.493, 656 PA, 35 HR, 5.4 rWAR
Lowe signed a long-term deal early in his career, so he’s hitting free agency at age 32. But he timed it right, coming off a career-best 5.4 rWAR season with 35 home runs. His defense was fantastic at second base at +15 Outs Above Average, although some are skeptical that is sustainable. He strikes out a ton, and isn’t very good against lefties, but that kind of pop from a middle infielder is hard to find.
Potential suitors: Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Padres, Pirates, Reds, Tigers, Yankees Contract prediction: Padres, 3 years, $60 million
11. David Bednar, relief pitcher
7-3, 2.47 ERA, 69.1 IP, 9.9 K/9, 1.9 rWAR
Bednar was optioned to the minors in early 2025, but he tweaked his repertoire with the Yankees, and he will likely cash in on a lucrative deal. He is the top “proven closer” available, leading the league in saves in 2023, and converting 35 last year. He’s already 32, but without a lot of big name relievers available, teams could overpay. The Yankees made him a Qualifying Offer, and they are interested in retaining him.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Cubs, Mets, Phillies, White Sox, Yankees Contract prediction: Cubs, 3 years, $54 million.
12. Clay Holmes, starting pitcher
6-8, 3.29 ERA, 101.1 IP, 6.9 K/9, 2.0 rWAR
Holmes became a starting pitcher in 2025, and has been solid in that role for two years, posting a 3.44 ERA over that time. He missed some time this year with a broken leg, and he didn’t finish strong with the Cubs. He’ll turn 34 in February, but he’s a decent mid-rotation pitcher who can induce groundballs.
Potential suitors: Braves, Cubs, Giants, Mariners, Mets, Padres, Reds, Royals Contract prediction: Mets, 3 years, $52 million
13. Kaima Taira, starting pitcher
12-5, 1.36 ERA, 146 IP, 8.7 K/9
Taira is a stocky, 5’8” right-hander nicknamed “Fire Hydrant”, who has spent time as a starter and reliever for the Seibu Lions. As a reliever, he throws in the high-90s with a fastball that can occasionally hit 100, with a mix of splitters and change ups. He will be 27 next season, so he is one of the youngest free agents available.
Potential suitors: Braves, Cubs, Giants, Mariners, Mets, White Sox, Yankees Contract prediction: White Sox, 3 years, $50 million
14. Sonny Gray, starting pitcher
18-5, 2.72 ERA, 169.0 IP, 7.9 K/9, 4.3 rWAR
Gray is coming off a strong season where he led the league in wins, but his declining strikeout numbers at age 36 will give teams pause. He said he wants to win a title next year, but has also cited a desire to stay close to his family in Tennessee.
Potential suitors: Braves, Cubs, Rangers, Rays, Reds, Red Sox Contract prediction: Braves, 2 years, $48 million
15. Jake Bauers, first baseman
.266/.389/.484, 578 PA, 26 HR, 3.3 rWAR
You likely heard multiple times during the postseason that Bauers was prepared to retire two years ago, only his wife got pregnant and needed health insurance, so he gave it one more shot. Good thing he did! Bauers finished with career highs in home runs (26), walks (94), on-base percentage (.389), slugging percentage (.484), and rWAR (3.3). He was a highly-touted prospect, so the talent was always there, the Brewers just unlocked it. He could accept the Qualifying Offer the Brewers made him, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a three-year offer.
Potential suitors: Brewers, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Mets, Twins Contract prediction: Mets, 3 years, $48 million
16. Foster Griffin, starting pitcher
15-6, 3.60 ERA, 172.2 IP, 8.2 K/9, 3.3 rWAR
The former Royals first-round pick went to Japan, and returned this year to win 15 games. He’s a “crafty lefty” with a fastball in the low-90s, but very good control and a deep arsenal. He doesn’t have a long track record of success as a big leaguer, but he showed enough that he should get a decent contract at age 31.
Potential suitors: Athletics, Cubs, Nationals, Padres, Rangers, Royals Contract prediction: Royals, 3 years, $48 million
17. Luis Arraez, second baseman
.310/.345/.419, 655 PA, 6 HR, 2.9 rWAR
People pegged Arraez as a butcher at second base and he got just a one-year deal last offseason. He showed them with a remarkable turnaround defensively this year. Teams may be skeptical of his +12 Outs Above Average, but he does not appear to be the liability he once was, and his bat can play at second base more than it could at first. He doesn’t have much power, but he’s perhaps the best contact hitter in the game, and someone will pay for that. It seems like he’s been around forever, but he hasn’t turned 30 yet.
Potential suitors: Giants, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Tigers, Yankees Contract prediction: Phillies, 3 years, $46 million
18. Ian Happ, outfielder
.218/.326/.412, 636 PA, 24 HR, 2.9 rWAR
Happ is a four-time Gold Glove winner in left who has hit 20+ home runs in each of the last four seasons. He strikes out a ton, but has drawn 80+ walks in each of the last four years. He’s a switch-hitter who struggles against lefties, but in a fairly thin outfielder market, he could make out well.
Potential suitors: Cubs, Mariners, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Reds, Royals Contract prediction: Orioles, 3 years, $45 million
19. Nick Martinez, starting pitcher
15-6, 3.10 ERA, 180.0 IP, 5.5 K/9, 3.9 rWAR
Like Griffin, Martinez went to Japan for a few years, and returned to become an effective MLB starting pitcher. He had a career-best season this year with Tampa Bay, but he has a solid 3.56 ERA over the last three years pitching both as a starter and reliever. He had both the lowest strikeout rate and the lowest walk rate among all starters, so he’s a pitch-to-contact guy. The right-hander is already 36, so he’s probably looking at a two-year deal.
Potential suitors: Astros, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Rays, Royals, White Sox Contract prediction: Tigers, 2 years, $34 million
20. Gleyber Torres, second baseman
.260/.364/.363, 420 PA, 8 HR, 2.0 rWAR
Torres has had a rough time in the free agent market, despite being a pretty solid top-of-the-order hitter. He was one of the youngest free agents available after the 2024 season, but signed a one-year deal with the Tigers, then accepted their Qualifying Offer the next year. He has been a solid 2-3 WAR player the last two seasons with an on-base percentage over .350, although he doesn’t provide much power.
Potential suitors: Angels, Padres, Pirates, Royals, Tigers Contract prediction: Pirates, 2 years, $32 million
21. Casey Mize, starting pitcher
6-10, 4.32 ERA, 131.1 IP, 7.5 K/9, 1.3 rWAR
Mize was having a great contract year until he was traded to the Padres and was awful down the stretch with a 7.46 ERA in ten starts. He would be looking at a “make-good” one-year deal or an opt out, but he has a good pedigree and is only 29 years old.
Potential suitors: Athletics, Braves, Diamondbacks, Mets, Nationals, Reds, Royals, Tigers Contract prediction: Red Sox, 2 years, $30 million
22. Mike Soroka, starting pitcher
9-5, 3.41 ERA, 116.0 IP, 8.8 K/9, 2.2 rWAR
Soroka is under 30 and can definitely miss bats. The question is whether he can stay healthy. It’s possible a team moves him to the pen to get more out of him, but he showed enough in 21 starts for the Diamondbacks last year that a team will take a chance on him in their rotation.
Potential suitors: Astros, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Rays, Royals, White Sox Contract prediction: Rays, 2 years, $30 million
23. Kris Bubic, starting pitcher
Bubic is the left-handed version of Soroka – under 30, can miss bats, start or relieve, but could be in the pen to protect him from injury.
Potential suitors: Astros, Giants, Diamondbacks, Mets, Royals, White Sox Contract prediction: Giants, 2 years, $30 million
24. Hiromi Itoh, starting pitcher
10-10, 3.18 ERA, 172.2 IP, 8.3 K/9
Itoh is a durable right-hander who doesn’t wow with velocity, but throws strikes and eats innings. He is a high-floor, low-ceiling pitcher who will likely be a back-end rotation option.
Potential suitors: Athletics, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Nationals, Padres, White Sox Contract prediction: White Sox, 3 years, $30 million
25. Shota Imanaga, starting pitcher
11-10, 3.77 ERA, 174.1 IP, 9.0 K/9, 2.0 rWAR
Imanaga has settled in as a solid, mid-rotation starter with excellent control. The 33-year-old lefty is a big-time flyball pitcher that may benefit from getting away from Wrigley Field.
Potential suitors: Angels, Giants, Mets, Padres, Rays, White Sox Contract prediction: Padres, 2 years, $28 million.
26. Dustin May, starting pitcher
7-9, 4.70 ERA, 145.2 IP, 8.9 K/9, 0.3 rWAR
May doesn’t wow anyone with his ERA, but his peripherals looked much better and he’s an analytics darling that many expect will improve in the right situation. He is a big injury risk as a two-time Tommy John surgery survivor. He could be a back-end starter, or maybe he has a second life as a reliever.
Potential suitors: Angels, Brewers, Mets, Padres, Rays, Royals, White Sox Contract prediction: Brewers, 2 years, $24 million
27. Kevin Gausman, starting pitcher
9-12, 4.51 ERA, 177.2 IP, 9.3 K/9, 2.2 rWAR
Gausman had a disappointing season by his standards, posting his highest ERA since 2019. However, he still struck out 184 batters and logged 177.2 innings, demonstrating the durability that has made him one of baseball’s more dependable starters. He’ll turn 36 next season, so he probably won’t get a long-term commitment, but he should be an attractive option for teams looking for a veteran rotation anchor.
Potential suitors: Blue Jays, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Mets, Orioles, Royals Contract prediction: Blue Jays, 2 years, $24 million
28. Ty France, first baseman
.295/.363/.502, 500 PA, 21 HR, 4.5 rWAR
The Royals-killer had a tremendous bounce-back season with the Padres, posting career-best power numbers and a 139 OPS+. He was one of the better contact hitters in baseball, and at 32, he should have several productive seasons left. He doesn’t offer much defensive versatility, but a first baseman who can hit for average and power will have a market.
Potential suitors: Guardians, Mariners, Padres, Pirates, Twins Contract prediction: Guardians, 2 years, $24 million
29. Ryan Jeffers, catcher
.256/.353/.461, 369 PA, 14 HR, 2.8 rWAR
Jeffers is the best of a thin free agent catcher crop that includes Carson Kelly and Tyler Stephenson. The Twins surprisingly made Jeffers a Qualifying Offer, and he’d be wise to accept it.
Potential suitors: Mets, Orioles, Phillies, Twins Contract prediction: Twins, accepts 1 year, $23.15 million Qualifying Offer
30. Raisel Iglesias, relief pitcher
1-2, 2.55 ERA, 60.0 IP, 9.6 K/9, 34 SV, 1.4 rWAR
Iglesias remains one of the most dependable closers in baseball, recording at least 29 saves in each of the last four seasons with a career 2.87 ERA. He’ll turn 37 in January, so he probably won’t get a long-term deal, but he should be able to command a lucrative one-year contract.
Potential suitors: Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees Contract prediction: Braves, 1 year, $18 million
Other notable free agents: Jason Adam, José Alvarado, Miguel Andujar, Josh Bell, Chris Bassitt, Shane Bieber, Alec Bohm, Matthew Boyd, J.P. Crawford, Mauricio Dubón, Zach Eflin, Zac Gallen, Adolis Garcia, Lucas Giolito, Jonathan India, Kenley Jansen, Carson Kelly, Ha-Seong Kim, Ramón Laureano, Nathaniel Lowe, Tyler Mahle, Jeff McNeill, Cedric Mullins, Emilio Pagán, Joc Pederson, David Peterson, Nick Pivetta, Robbie Ray, Luis Robert Jr., Brady Singer, Edmundo Sosa, George Springer, Eugenio Suárez, Tyrone Taylor, Lane Thomas, Daulton Varsho, Alex Vesia, Taylor Ward, Garrett Whitlock, Brandon Woodruff
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Xzavion Curry #53 of the New York Mets delivers the pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at Citi Field on August 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When I was growing up, “X-Force” was my favorite comic book. An X-Men offshoot, the team was a ragtag band of mutant soldiers who took a more aggressive and proactive approach towards their enemies and threats to mutantkind. Among those early team members was a character named Domino, whose mutant power was the ability to subconsciously alter the probability of events to end in beneficial outcomes for her; in other words, luck is always on her side.
Xzavion Curry must also be a mutant with similar luck-influencing powers, because very little about his 2026 season makes sense.
The Mets signed the right-hander to a minor league contract in early May. Prior to joining the organization, he spent the 2025 season in the Miami Marlins and the Colorado Rockies organizations, as well as the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League. He struggled at the MLB level with Miami and struggled with their Triple-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He was solid in a handful of games with the Tigres, but struggled with Colorado’s Triple-A team, the Alburquerque Isotopes. Suffice to say, when Curry was signed, expectations were not particularly high.
The right-hander spent the first two months of his Mets tenure in Triple-A Syracuse, posting a surprisingly solid 4.74 ERA in 49.1 innings, used primarily as a starter. In early July, the Mets called Curry up to the big leagues, and he appeared in four games out of the bullpen, improbably allowing just two runs over 6.0 total innings. He would get sent back down to Triple-A near the end of the month but would find himself back with the Mets before long. Altogether, Curry was optioned and recalled a total of six more times between late July and the end of the season.
In total, the right-hander had a strangely effective season. He pitched the bulk of his innings with Triple-A Syracuse, where he was used as a starter, and emerged as arguably the team’s best pitcher, posting a 3.36 ERA in 72.1 innings over 14 starts and a pair of bullpen appearances, allowing 68 hits, walking 18, and striking out 41. With the Mets, he appeared in 9 games, making 1 start, and posted a 5.48 ERA in 21.1 innings, allowing 22 hits, walking 9, and striking out 15. While a 5.48 ERA is not particularly good, nearly half of the total runs he allowed as a big leaguer came in a singular doomed outing against the Baltimore Orioles, where he allowed six runs in 3.0 innings; if you erase that outing from his ledger, Curry would’ve posted a 3.44 ERA in 18.1 innings at the MLB level.
Now, let’s be frank here: Xzavion Curry really isn’t a good baseball player. He’s better than you or I, obviously, but as compared to his peers and contemporaries, the right-hander is lacking. Over the past few years, statistically, the numbers aren’t great. The stuff? Well, let’s just say his Baseball Savant page is bluer than the Meanie listening to Eiffel 65 while depressed.
Yet, somehow, Xzavion Curry was an above-average pitcher in Triple-A and a fairly cromulent pitcher with the Mets—I’m talking about a Palpatine level of somehow. I spend a lot of time dissecting what players are doing and what they aren’t doing and seeing what works and what doesn’t work, and I’m not really sure how Curry achieved it. Despite all that, Curry made it work where and when it counted, and no one can take that away from him. At 28-years-old, I’m sure he still has the drive to go out there and pitch, and his 2026 likely bought him at least another year in affiliated baseball.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 19: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates in the dugout during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Saturday, September 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning! Catch up on the latest contract news and Mariners roster updates as the free agency period heats up. Eight players received a league-record $23.15 million qualifying offer yesterday, while the overall free-agent pool expanded to 183 players.
The Mariners have extended a Qualifying Offer to Randy Arozarena, which is the average salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players and valued at $23.15 million this year. Players have until a Nov. 17 deadline to decide whether to accept, and Arozarena is expected to decline the QO in search of a multiyear deal elsewhere.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24: A detailed view of an MLB logo on an on deck circle is seen at Nationals Park on August 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Major League Baseball offseason technically began last week, after the Milwaukee Brewers closed out the World Series last Wednesday, and free agency began on Thursday.
Nine Dodgers became free agents last week, headlined by Tarik Skubal and four relievers who were the longest-tenured pitchers on the team’s 40-man roster. By Monday, all major league contract options were resolved and the free agent pool grew to 183 players, now free to sign with whatever team they want.
Monday, the fifth day after the World Series, was also the day teams could extend qualifying offers to their free agents. Skubal, because he changed teams midseason, was ineligible for a qualifying offer, but eight players on Monday did receive them, a one-year, $23.15 million offer they have until November 17 to accept or decline.
Monday was also the day teams removed players from the 60-day injured list, making them now count against the 40-man roster. For the Dodgers, that meant Ben Casparius, Jake Cousins, Will Klein, and Gavin Stone, giving the team now 37 players on the 40-man roster.
Some teams had roster crunches, and with Monday’s maneuvering 17 different players were claimed off waivers, none by or from the Dodgers, and 30 others were sent outright to the minors and off the 40-man rosters. Nobody was outrighted by the Dodgers yet this offseason.
Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) and Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9) celebrate a 7-4 win of their National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field on Oct 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Yesterday was the fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series, which means that free agency has fully started as players can now sign with other teams. With the offseason underway, the Brewers made a series of roster moves to begin it.
That includes all of their option decisions, and the one option they picked up was for William Contreras. Even though Contreras would have remained under club control if they declined his option, the Brewers chose to pick up the $15.5 million option for 2027. Contreras was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $14.6 million, so his salary would not have been much different had they gone to arbitration. Contreras is under club control for one more year before he becomes a free agent.
None of the other options that the Brewers had were exercised. The options for Gary Sánchez ($8.5 million) and Antonio Senzatela ($14 million) were both declined, making both players free agents. Also, Dustin May declined his side of the mutual option last week, making him a free agent.
Meanwhile, Jake Bauers is headed towards free agency, but the Brewers decided to extend the qualifying offer to him following his successful 2026 season. The qualifying offer for 2027 is valued at $23.15 million, and Bauers will have to decide if he wants to take that or test free agency. Bauers will have under November 17 to accept the qualifying offer. On MLB Trade Rumors, their experts predict that Bauers will accept the qualifying offer, though also see him receiving a three-year contract if he officially enters the free agent market. FanGraphs also projects a two-to-three-year deal with an average value between $17 and $19 million. Bauers is one of eight players across the majors to receive the QO this year.
The Brewers also placed Akil Baddoo, Jared Koenig, and Bryse Wilson on waivers following the end of the regular season. Baddoo was claimed by the Pirates, while Koenig and Wilson both passed through waivers. Both were assigned to Triple-A Nashville, but Koenig has elected to become a free agent. Wilson will likely also enter free agency but has not officially elected to do so yet.
Also joining the free agent pool are JoJo Romero and Brandon Woodruff. Both of their contracts have ended and they will test out the market this offseason. Romero is projected to receive a two-year, $13 million contract this offseason by MLB Trade Rumors, with FanGraphs puts him in the same range. MLB Trade Rumors doesn’t have a projection for Woodruff, who accepted the qualifying offer last offseason and will now fully enter the free agent market for the first time. FanGraphs has him in their top 50 free agents, projected for a one-year contract of at least $10 million.
With the CBA expiring in less than a month, there could be a flurry of activity before the deadline. The next big deadline in free agency is November 20, when teams have to tender contracts to their players under control. Here are the players that are arbitration-eligible for the Brewers, along with their projected salary by MLB Trade Rumors:
5-plus years
Andrew Vaughn: $8.5 million
Trevor Megill: $8 million
4-plus years
Garrett Mitchell: $2.7 million
Angel Zerpa: $1.3 million
3-plus years
Brice Turang: $9.5 million
Sal Frelick: $2.4 million
Joey Ortiz: $2.4 million
DL Hall: $1 million
David Hamilton: $1.6 million
Bo Naylor: $1.5 million
Grant Anderson: $1 million
2-plus years (Super Two)
Quinn Priester: $1.3 million
Also, the following players are pre-arbitration and would need to be tendered contracts, though some could be released or traded:
Tyler Black
Coleman Crow
Shane Drohan
Brian Fitzpatrick
Robert Gasser
Colton Gordon
Kyle Harrison
Logan Henderson
Brandon Lockridge
Jacob Misiorowski
Chad Patrick
Jeferson Quero
Brandon Sproat
Garrett Stallings
Abner Uribe
The Brewers also activated their three players on the 60-day IL — Fitzpatrick, Priester, and Zerpa. Following these roster moves, the Brewers’ 40-man roster sits at 33 players. That roster space can be used to add free agents or protect prospects from the Rule 5 draft later this offseason. The deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft is also on November 17.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 9: Luis Gutierrez of the San Diego Padres poses for a photo on Minor League Photo Day at Peoria Sports Complex on March 9, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With 24 members of their minor league system becoming free agents, the San Diego Padres added LHP Luis Gutierrez (Padres No. 12 prospect) to the 40-man roster. The lefty starter, 23, was signed by the Padres out of Venezuela in 2019 at the age of 17. He began his pro career as a member of the Dominican Summer League team and has steadily climbed through the system over the past six years ending 2026 as a member of the El Paso Chihuahuas for his last two starts.
The past season was a difficult one for Gutierrez with a shoulder injury that limited him to 36 innings. In 2025, he played across four levels and finished with a 3.31 ERA in 125 innings. He figures to be the best internal option for the Padres rotation and is now guaranteed a shot in Spring Training.
Adrián Morejón receives a Qualifying Offer from the Padres
The San Diego Padres issued a Qualifying Offer to reliever Adrián Morejón after failing to negotiate a new contract during the exclusive window before he reached full free agency on Monday. The QO guarantees the lefty a one year, $23.15 million contract if he should accept it. If declined and he signs elsewhere, the Padres will receive a compensatory draft pick in the next draft. The deadline to accept or decline is Nov. 17.
Jagger Haynes not retained
Left-handed starter Jagger Haynes (Padres No. 14 prospect) was drafted by the Padres in the fifth round of the 2020 draft but has struggled over the past three seasons. His lowest ERA over that time was 4.11 in 2025 and he has had declining strikeout numbers and increasing command issues. He is now a free agent and can sign with any organization.
Other free agents
Outfielder Tirso Ornelas, once a highly regarded prospect, is a free agent and joins OF Bryce Johnson and UT Nick Solak on the open market.
Pitchers Ty Adcock and Daison Acosta, both signed to major league contracts in 2026, were outrighted off the roster during the year and are both free agents.
The rest of the list
Former prospect Omar Cruz , reliever Logan Gillaspie, starter Sean Boyle, reliever Hans Crouse, starter Evan Fitterer, reliever Trevor Gott, reliever Eli Villalobos and reliever Mario Zabala are all the pitchers free to sign elsewhere.
Catchers Victor Dúarte and Carlos Rodriguez are free agents.
Infielders Francisco Acuña, Clay Dungan, Nick Pratto, Carson Tucker, and Luis Verdugo are free agents.
Outfielders Albert Fabian and Carlos Rodriguez are free agents.
Matt LaChappa, the pitcher who suffered a devastating heart attack while a Padres prospect in 1996, is a free agent every season and is re-signed every year to maintain his health benefits.
Padres News:
After all the recent changes to the roster Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ballgets you caught up on where the San Diego bullpen stands.
He may have opted out of his contract with the Padres, but that will not stop Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball from giving Michael King his grade for the 2026 season.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Taylor Walls #6 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes the field during player introductions prior to Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last offseason, the Rays had a club option for Taylor Walls. There was some uncertainty at the time if the Rays would choose to go with Walls for the 2026 campaign with Carson Williams seemingly ready to take over. But not only did the Rays accept their option on Walls, but the two sides agreed to a deal that added an option for the 2027 season.
The Rays faced the exact same situation entering this offseason and have chosen to excercise Walls’ 2027 option. Thus paying him $3.1M for the 2027 campaign; MLB Trade Rumors projected Walls to receive $3.5M in what would have been his final year of arbitration eligibility.
The 30-year old switch-hitting Walls provided the Rays with exactly what they expected as he hit .222/.309/.298 with 2 HR over 433 PA. The 74 wRC+ he finished the season with was his highest offensive output since the 2023 campaign where he finished the year with a 84 wRC+. It’s not the offense that had Walls as the Rays starting shortstop in the World Series though, it’s his defense which is among the best in all of baseball. Among shorstops all-time on FanGraphs with at least 2000 innings played, Walls ranks 9th in DRS. The baseball world took notice as Walls was finally awarded a Gold Glove award after his third career nomination.
The Texas Rangers' 40th Anniversary All-Time Team, which was selected in conjunction with the celebration of the Texas Rangers' 40th anniversary and voted on by nearly 65,000 fans, was introduced prior to the start of a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, on Saturday, August 11, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (Michael Prengler/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that we should expect changes from the Texas Rangers this winter and the first question to answer is whether or not they’ll trade their expensive star players.
Shawn McFarland writes that the Rangers expect Evan Carter to miss the start of next season after requiring hip surgery.
Jeff Wilson writes that Carter due for a long rehab that will bleed into the 2027 season tosses another spanner in the works this winter.
McFarland notes that the Rangers have made a few changes to their big league coaching staff with Alex Cintron moving out of the assistant hitting coach position and assistant pitching coach Dave Bush moving on.
Kennedi Landry’s weekly mailbag covers potential position changes for Texas’ superstar shortstop and Texas’ potential superstar top prospect.
It was free agency rankings day yesterday as ESPN, FanGraphs, and MLB Trade Rumors each listed the top available players this winter. As they do annually, MLBTR went as far as predicting where the top free agents will land with the Rangers predicted to go heavily on former Astros.
And, today is the midterm elections so if you haven’t already, and have a few minutes, take the opportunity to go cast your vote.
Here’s hoping the Hot Stove season is blazing early on, because things sure will get chilly in baseball when the current CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, triggering a likely lockout that plunges the game into a quagmire.
Until then, though, there’s the potential for offseason excitement. Your favorite team getting better! Big free agent signings! Savvy trades! Could be great. Could be all we have to console us through a long winter.
So let’s get started with nine bold predictions for the Hot Stove. You will certainly love them. You will certainly hate them.
Paredes parade?
He’s not the biggest name on the winter market, but Isaac Paredes could be one of the most intriguing, at least in New York. The Astros slugger fits either Gotham squad, so we love the idea of the Mets and Yankees competing to come up with the best trade package for him.
Paredes, a right-handed hitter who turns 28 in February, batted .262 with 25 home runs and 94 RBI for the Astros in 2026, enjoying the benefits of the Crawford Boxes in Houston. The Astros hold a $13.35 million option on Paredes or he goes to arbitration. Seems pretty clear they trigger it. He’s a free agent after 2027.
He played mostly third base for the Astros, so he could supplant Ryan McMahon, a disappointment there in the Bronx and help balance out that lefty-heavy lineup. In Queens, maybe Paredes slides over to first base (he’s got reps there) and provides punch.
Which team’s system could get a deal done?
Laborious
This isn’t so much a bold prediction as a sobering one – the labor situation seems likely to lead to missed games this time, something that hasn’t happened since the strike of 1994-95. Back then, two seasons lost games and there was no 1994 postseason. During the offseason between 2021 and 2022, there was a lockout and some early games were going to be canceled, but they were put back on a revamped schedule that started late.
Now, the start of spring training and Opening Day seem like natural deadlines that could spur movement in the talks.
But The Athletic has reported that MLB’s national broadcast contracts would extend a year to 2029 if the sport misses 60 games from each team’s slate. Considering MLB would probably want to negotiate new, presumably more lucrative, national TV deals and have them go into effect as soon as possible, the 60-game mark might offer another deadline of sorts. Maybe the real one.
Welcome back?
The Yanks parted with advisor Omar Minaya last week, which perhaps opens the way for the Mets to bring back their former GM, who led their front office from 2004-10. He was instrumental in adding stars to the Mets team that went to the NLCS in 2006.
Minaya, with a scouting background and a knack for bold moves, could be a nice complement to the front office in Queens.
Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with the media before the game between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta - USA TODAY Sports
We have contact!
Every year, you can count on Yankees fans bemoaning their favorite team’s lack of a diversified offense in the playoffs. It’s as regular as the fall reappearance of pumpkin spice lattes at your fave coffee spot.
Allow us to suggest a potential solution: Sign Luis Arraez, a terrific bat-to-ball hitter who does not strike out. He’s not perfect, but there really aren’t any perfect baseball moves, are there?
Stop fretting over what he supposedly can’t do – play defense, run the bases expertly, etc. (Hey, he’s a better second baseman now after working with infield guru Ron Washington in San Francisco). Start dreaming on what Arraez does – put the ball in play and bat .300-plus. Maybe he’s the guy who slaps a few RBI singles that get the Yanks out of the ALDS muck.
S’all Goodman
It will take some creative maneuvering to change the current pinstriped mojo, right? Time to be, ahem, bold, Brian Cashman. Years ago, the Yankees enjoyed big offense from their catching. Time to bring that back in a trade for 27-year-old Hunter Goodman of the Rockies, who slammed 41 homers this past season and isn’t a free agent until 2030.
Goodman is a righty hitter, which the Yanks need, and they’ve been good at developing catcher’s defensive skills. Goodman is powerful, young, and under control, so he won’t be cheap. And he’s no Coors Field creation, either – he hit 25 homers on the road this year, the most in MLB.
The Yankees could put their current catcher, Austin Wells, into a package of players – Wells is the same age as Goodman – and spruce up the deal with Will Warren or prospects such as Dax Kilby, Elmer Rodriguez, and Carlos LaGrange. Heck, let the Rockies pick a prospect – they were wise enough to get TJ Rumfield from the Yanks last year in a deal for reliever Angel Chivilli. Rumfield led the NL with a .390 OBP in 2026.
Shop Senga
Sure was fun when the Mets, out of ideas on what to do with a flailingKodai Senga, slipped him into a high-leverage bullpen role for the final two months of 2026. He converted eight of nine save chances and gave off closer vibes with his heater and ghost fork.
The Mets need bullpen arms for 2027, but the better move here might be to find a closer-needy team and swap Senga for other help. Or a club looking for a reclamation project for their rotation – Senga still wants to start, you know.
Whatever the case, the Mets know how bad it can get with him – even with his reliever turn, he finished ‘26 with a 7.34 ERA.
Aug 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning at Comerica Park. / Lon Horwedel - Imagn Images
The Mets sign Tarik Skubal
The Mets give the No. 1 free agent in an otherwise-iffy market the No. 1 pitching contract in baseball history, eclipsing the Yoshinobu Yamamoto-Dodgers deal (12 years, $325 million) from before the 2024 season. Excellent starting pitching is the No. 1 Met need and this only costs money (yes, we know it’s a lot of moola).
You’ve probably heard many Mets fans clamoring for Skubal and plenty of folks who talk about baseball for a living saying the Mets should go big here (guilty!). So how is this a bold prediction? Here’s how: This would give the Mets the biggest position player deal (Juan Soto) and pitcher deal ever. There’s always injury risk and Skubal’s had those woes. And their baseball ops majordomo, David Stearns, doesn’t profile as a guy who likes to give out mega pitching contracts.
It’s time, though. The Mets have won the World Series exactly twice. Sustained success is a cozy concept, but every single contract can’t be solely about "value" and avoiding down seasons at the back end of the deal.
Dealin’ Dodgers
Skubal to the Mets is a seismic shakeup at the top of the pitching market and elicits a response from the team Skubal leaves, the Dodgers. They get their rotation replacement by flexing their mighty farm system – what, you thought we were going to say wallet? – and making a trade for one of the best pitchers in baseball:
Drew Rasmussen.
The Rays triggered their $20 million option for Rasmussen, who had a 2.67 ERA in the regular season and added a 2.20 ERA in the postseason. The Rays, according to MLB Trade Rumors, have never paid a player $20 million for one season. With one season of control, he’s exactly the kind of player the Rays use to restock, and he brings a haul from a lush Los Angeles minor league system, which was ranked first by MLB Pipeline even after the Dodgers dealt for Skubal.
Angels in the market
The Angels have not had a winning record since 2015. They have a new owner, Stan Kroenke of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, who has been wildly successful in sports ownership, winning championships in the NFL, NBA, NHL and the English Premier League, among others.
They must add talent to Mike Trout and a 62-100 team, so they shop vigorously and splurge on the free agent market. They sign Jazz Chisholm Jr. to a short-term deal where he can build up his value after a disappointing platform year, delivering on his star potential.
They ink Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato to hit tanks and play third base. The Angels have had Japanese stars before, you might recall. And they add Freddy Peralta to a starting rotation topped by Reid Detmers and Walbert Ureña.
The AL West is winnable, even for a bad team in need of a refresh.
SURPRISE, AZ - OCTOBER 29: Aidan Miller #4 of the Surprise Saguaros rounds the bases during the game between the Scorpions and the Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, October 29, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
It would be fair to call 2026 a lost season for Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller. The 22-year-old shortstop starting suffering problems with his back in spring training and the injury kept him out of action practically all season, as Miller did not make his season debut in the Phillies minor leagues until late August. He underwent a procedure in June that was only partially effective, as he still had trouble dealing with the pain in his back that kept him from baseball activities. However, Miller recently revealed that a routine developed in conjunction with Tom Brady’s TB12 method has allowed him to remain pain free. It’s allowed him to thrust himself back into the picture for the Phillies and possibly reclaim his spot in the organization as a top prospect knocking on the door of the majors that he was in before the injury.
In the time Miller has been on the field in 2026, he has been extremely productive. Miller was 4-14 with three doubles and a stolen base in his abbreviated four games combined stint with Clearwater and Reading this year. He continued to play after the season ended in the Arizona Fall League, and so far, he has made up for lost time and then some. Through 12 games and 62 plate appearances in the AFL, Miller is hitting .359 with an 1.154 OPS. Six of his 14 hits have been for extra bases, and he has six stolen bases on seven attempts. The most important part though is that Miller claims he has been totally pain-free on the field.
There is still a long way to go before the possibility of Miller taking the field at Citizens Bank Park becomes closer to reality. Of course, there’s the issue of the impending lockout that threatens the start of the season, throwing the timeline for everything out of flux. Even if we assume Miller has recovered his status back to the point he was before 2026, it’s hard to envision that the Phillies would hand him a job on the MLB roster without at least seeing him with an extended look in spring training games. The clearest path to the majors for Miller is third base, as the Phillies currently do not employ an MLB third baseman with both Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa set to enter free agency. Bryson Stott is a possibility there again as he played the position post trade deadline this year, but the infield as a whole is in a state of flux. Trea Turner’s position at shortstop, Miller’s primary position, is tenuous at best as well. There’s also a scenario where Turner moves to second at some point in 2027, thus freeing up shortstop for Miller. In any case, Miller would be one of the top choices to take one of the potential open spots, but it would also behoove the Phillies to have a strong backup plan in the event Miller needs more time at Triple-A or has his back problems flare up again.
The status of much of the Phillies roster is still up in the air, as the team once again faces questions surrounding their roster construction. Miller is a part of that, and until we receive more clarity, it’s hard to definitively say what part he will play in the 2027 season, once again assuming the 2027 season happens at some point. So, what is the best-case scenario for Aidan Miller in 2027? Do you think he will be on the opening day roster?
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 30: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees looks on during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees did what was expected by issuing a qualifying offer to David Bednar but not to Jazz Chisholm Jr., refusing to commit to a $23.15 million, one-year deal in hopes of receiving draft-pick compensation if the player declines. Jazz set himself up for disappointment by stating he aimed to become only the second player in MLB history to deliver a 50-50 (HR/SB) season, joining a group whose sole member is Shohei Ohtani, only to deliver a subpar campaign that was easily his worst in pinstripes.
Through the back end of 2024 and the entire 2025 campaign, the Yankees had managed to unlock Jazz’s power and if all else failed, that felt like a dependable part of his game —that is until he delivered a slugging percentage under .400 this past season, qualifying as one of the more disappointing Yankees. The speed is a dynamic part of his game, and he did kick things up a notch by stealing 41 bases in 50 attempts, but if you’re not hitting, it’s all damn near inconsequential — at least for a player of his perceived magnitude.
While in contrasting situations, it’s impossible to analyze the decision not to hand Jazz the qualifying offer without rewinding the clock a year. In a scenario of a potentially questionable qualifying offer, the Yankees took the risk and gave it to Trent Grisham following a breakout year — only to see him revert to the player he was before 2025 while earning one of the highest salaries on the team. Grisham was among the few who gave Jazz a run for his money in terms of underwhelming output this past season.
In Jazz’s case, he has the multi-year track record to back a turnaround while coming off a poor campaign. The Yankees could’ve feasibly gambled on that to bring him back without risking a long-term deal, especially since there isn’t an in-house replacement lined up for his position. On the other hand, given just how melancholic the end of Jazz’s 2026 was, the fear of once again committing to a large salary with great uncertainty as to what you’ll get contributed to the parting of ways.
The comparison with Grisham is even more pertinent when you account for the strong likelihood that Jazz would’ve taken the Yankees up on this offer. About to turn 29 early next year, Jazz is young enough that he could afford to take a one-year deal to rebuild his value and put himself in the best position to receive a lucrative long-term deal a year later. My colleague Josh advocated for the QO when reviewing the Yankees’ pending free agents last month.
When you go through the second-base market and see the likes of Luis Arraez, Brandon Lowe, and Mauricio Dubón, it’s not as if the options are plentiful for replacements who you’ll feel great about. The counterpoint to that is that the Yankees could pay less for the production they got from Jazz last season and save up for a big shot elsewhere.
Herein lies the problem with Chisholm, though, and his early boom with the Yankees contributes to this issue. As much as we can talk about how disappointing his 2026 campaign was, the first version he showed New York was also not the real Jazz we’ve seen in the bigs. Jazz is a career .756 OPS hitter heading into free agency; his power/speed/athleticism are eye-popping, but the great player we saw in 2025 is as much of an outlier as the one we saw in 2026. Even reading his 2026 production as moderate belies the fact that the Yankees did not feel great about him against lefties down the stretch; he has a .662 career OPS against southpaws and it was .650 in 2026. If we’re forced to accept that owner Hal Steinbrenner is going to play the strict budget game, then $23.15 million in the 2027 budget is hefty for a borderline platoon bat.
Having seen the highs and the lows of the Chisholm roller-coaster, the Yankees are probably more willing to defer to a safer big investment.
