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Here's an updated look at the best remaining MLB free agents originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MLB free agency is much more like a marathon than a sprint.

In leagues like the NBA and NFL, the start of free agency typically coincides with a flurry of activity.

But the activity in MLB free agency tends to be spread out over the course of the winter. Look no further than last offseason, when Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman didn’t strike deals until February.

This year’s free agent class included 13 players who were extended the qualifying offer, and four of them accepted it: New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Chicago Cubs starter Shota Imanaga, Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres and Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff.

Meanwhile, the first big name to land a free agent deal was first baseman Josh Naylor, who re-signed with the Seattle Mariners on a five-year deal.

So, with hot stove season underway, here’s an updated look at the best remaining MLB free agents (this list will be updated as free agents sign; players listed alphabetically by last name):

Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets

Alonso, who turns 30 in December, is a free agent for the second straight year after declining his $24 million player option. The New York Mets‘ all-time home run leader slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 dingers and 126 RBI last season. He ranked third in the majors in doubles (41), eighth in homers, second in RBI and 10th in OPS (.871). The five-time All-Star also logged 162 appearances for the second straight year. Alonso, though, finished second-to-last among first basemen in outs above average at minus-9.

Luis Arráez, 1B, San Diego Padres

Luis Arráez, 28, continued to be a singles machine in 2025, with 139 of his 181 hits being base hits. While the three-time batting champion didn’t record a .300-plus batting average for the first time since 2021, his .292 average still tied for 12th-best in the majors. And Arráez, who slashed .292/.327/.392 with eight homers, 61 RBI and 11 steals in 154 games, tied for the second-most hits in all of baseball. He had the lowest strikeout percentage in the majors (3.1%), but also tied for the 10th-worst walk percentage (5%). In the field, Arráez tied for third-worst among first basemen in outs above average at minus-7.

Harrison Bader, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Harrison Bader‘s age-31 campaign was the best offensive season of his career, as he split time between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies. He posted career highs in hits (124), doubles (24), home runs (17), RBI (54) and OPS (.796) while slashing .277/.347/.449 across 146 games. Bader also tied for 18th among outfielders in outs above average (plus-7).

Chris Bassitt, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Chris Bassitt logged at least 30 starts for the fourth straight season. The 36-year-old recorded a 3.96 ERA, 166 strikeouts and 52 walks in 170.1 innings pitched over 31 starts and 32 total appearances. While Bassitt brought down his 1.462 WHIP from 2024, he still tied for ninth-worst in that category at 1.327.

Cody Bellinger, OF, New York Yankees

Cody Bellinger, 30, declined his $25 million player option following a strong debut season in the Bronx. The 2019 NL MVP hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI and 13 steals. Bellinger, who made his most appearances since 2019 with 152, tied for 18th among outfielders in outs above average (plus-7).

Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Bo Bichette, 27, was back to his old self at the dish following a 2024 season where he posted a .598 OPS while being limited to 81 games due to injuries. The two-time All-Star hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 homers and 94 RBI in 139 games. He tied for the second-most hits (181) and second-best batting average in the majors, while also tallying the second-most doubles (44). Bichette, however, tied for last among shortstops in outs above average at minus-13. Bichette declined the qualifying offer from Toronto.

Alex Bregman, 3B, Boston Red Sox

Bregman opted out of two years and $80 million remaining on the deal he signed with the Boston Red Sox last offseason. The 31-year-old is coming off his first All-Star campaign since 2019, hitting .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI in 114 games. Bregman, who missed extended time with a quad injury, tied for ninth among third baseman in outs above average at plus-3.

Dylan Cease, RHP, San Diego Padres

Dylan Cease, who turns 30 in December, is one of two San Diego Padres pitchers who declined the qualifying offer. Cease made at least 32 starts for the fifth straight season in 2025, though his numbers dipped following a fourth-place finish in 2024 NL Cy Young voting. Cease posted a 4.55 ERA across 168 innings with 215 strikeouts, 71 walks and a 1.327 WHIP. While he ranked third among MLB pitchers in strikeout percentage (29.8%) and sixth in strikeouts, Cease had the third-highest walk percentage (9.8%) and tied for the ninth-highest WHIP.

Edwin Díaz, RHP, New York Mets

Edwin Díaz opted out of the two years and $38 million in guarantees remaining on his long-term deal with the Mets, before declining the qualifying offer from New York. The 31-year-old reliever returned to All-Star form in 2025, sporting a 1.63 ERA across 66.1 innings with 98 strikeouts, 21 walks and a 0.874 WHIP. Díaz, who made 62 total appearances, was 28-for-31 in save chances.

Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays declined a $7 million club option on Pete Fairbanks, allowing the right-hander to hit the open market. Fairbanks, who turns 32 in December, logged career highs in appearances (61), innings (60.1) and saves (27 in 32 chances) last season. He had a 2.83 ERA, 59 strikeouts, 18 walks and a 1.044 WHIP.

Zac Gallen, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Zac Gallen, who declined the qualifying offer, hit free agency on the heels of a subpar 2025 campaign. The 30-year-old hadn’t recorded an ERA higher than 3.65 since 2021, but saw that figure balloon to 4.83 across 192 innings last season. In 33 starts, Gallen posted 175 strikeouts, 66 walks and a 1.260 WHIP. He tied for the fourth-most homers allowed among all pitchers with 31.

Adolis García, OF, Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangersdidn’t tenderAdolis García, 32, a contract, allowing the 2023 ALCS MVP to hit free agency. After hitting 39 homers with an .836 OPS in Texas’ 2023 championship campaign, García has recorded two consecutive sub-.700 OPS seasons at the dish. He hit .227/.271/.394 with 19 home runs, 75 RBI and 13 steals in 135 games last season. The 2023 Gold Glove winner posted an outs above average of plus-1 in right field, tying him for 45th among all outfielders.

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Boston Red Sox

Lucas Giolito enjoyed quite the bounce-back season after being traded and subsequently waived in 2023 and then missing all of 2024 due to UCL surgery. The 31-year-old posted a 3.41 ERA — his best since 2019 — in 145 innings over 26 starts. Giolito recorded 121 strikeouts and 56 walks with a 1.290 WHIP.

Ryan Helsley, RHP, New York Mets

Had Ryan Helsley hit free agency last year, he likely would have garnered much more interest. The right-hander led the majors with 49 saves in 2024 and posted a 2.04 ERA en route to being named the NL Reliever of the Year. But Helsley, 31, took a huge step back in 2025, capped by a disastrous stint with the Mets following a midseason trade from the St. Louis Cardinals. In 22 appearances for New York, Helsley had a 7.20 ERA and a 1.800 WHIP with four blown saves. In 56 innings over 58 total appearances, he had a 4.50 ERA, 63 strikeouts, 25 walks and a 1.536 WHIP.

Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Rhys Hoskins was limited to 90 games last season as he missed extended time with a thumb injury. The 32-year-old hit .237/.332/.416 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI. He was tied for 11th among first basemen in outs above average at plus-1.

Tatsuya Imai, RHP, Japan

Tatsuya Imai is one of several Japanese stars who were posted to free agency by Nippon Professional Baseball clubs. Imai, 29, put up a 3.15 ERA in 159 games over eight NPB seasons. The right-hander is coming off his best season, sporting a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts, 45 walks and a 0.892 WHIP in 163.2 innings over 24 games. He has until Jan. 2 to sign with an MLB team.

Kenley Jansen, RHP, Los Angeles Angels

In his age-37 season, Kenley Jansen posted a sub-3.00 ERA (2.59) for the first time since 2021 and a sub-1.000 WHIP (0.949) for the first time since 2018. And the two-time Reliever of the Year converted 29 of 30 save chances. In 62 appearances, Jansen had 57 strikeouts and 19 walks across 59 innings.

Merrill Kelly, RHP, Texas Rangers

Merrill Kelly, 37, was moved midseason from Arizona to Texas, finishing with a 3.52 ERA, 167 strikeouts, 48 walks and a 1.114 WHIP in 184 innings over 32 total starts. His numbers did dip following the trade, though, with a 4.23 ERA and 1.247 WHIP in 10 starts with the Rangers. Kelly was sidelined for an extended period due to a shoulder injury in 2024, when he made 13 starts.

Michael King, RHP, San Diego Padres

Michael King, like Cease, declined the qualifying offer from the Padres. The 30-year-old is coming off his second straight season as a full-time starter, though he was limited to 15 starts in 2025 due to injuries. King posted a 3.44 ERA across 73.1 innings with 76 strikeouts, 26 walks and a 1.200 WHIP. He had a 2.95 ERA, 201 strikeouts, 63 walks and a 1.192 WHIP across 173.2 innings in 2024.

Nick Martinez, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

Nick Martinez again split time between the rotation and bullpen in 2025, making 26 starts and 14 relief appearances. The 35-year-old saw his ERA rise from 3.10 in 2024 to 4.45 in 2025 and his WHIP go from 1.026 to 1.207. Martinez, who accepted the qualifying offer last offseason, struck out 116 hitters and walked 42 in a career-high 165.2 innings.

Munetaka Murakami, 3B/1B, Japan

Munetaka Murakami, 25, has until Dec. 22 to sign with an MLB club. The left-handed slugger hit .270/.394/.557 with 246 home runs and 647 RBI in 892 games over eight NPB seasons. Injuries limited Murakami to 56 games last year, but he still hit 22 long balls with a 1.043 OPS.

Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, San Diego Padres

Ryan O’Hearn, 32, was an All-Star for the first time in the 2025 season, which saw him dealt from the Baltimore Orioles to the Padres at the deadline. O’Hearn hit .281/.366/.437 in 144 total games while posting career highs in home runs (17) and RBI (63). He tied for fourth in outs above average at first base (plus-6), where logged 75 appearances.

Kazuma Okamoto, 3B/1B, Japan

Kazuma Okamoto, 29, hit .277/.361/.521 with 248 home runs and 717 RBI in 1,074 games over 11 NPB seasons. An elbow injury limited Okamoto to 69 games last season, when he hit .327/.416/.598 with 21 homers and 49 RBI. Okamoto has until Jan. 4 to sign with a team.

Marcell Ozuna, DH, Atlanta Braves

After two straight seasons with a .900-plus OPS, Marcell Ozuna saw that figure dip to .756 in 2025. The 35-year-old slashed .232/.355/.400 with 21 homers and 68 RBI in 145 games. Ozuna had hit a combined 79 home runs in the previous two seasons.

Emilio Pagán, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

Emilio Pagán tied for the fifth-most saves in 2025, converting a career-best 32 of his 38 chances. The 34-year-old posted a 2.88 ERA, 81 strikeouts, 22 walks and a 0.917 WHIP in 68.2 innings over 70 appearances.

Jorge Polanco, 3B/2B, Seattle Mariners

Jorge Polanco rebounded from a down debut season with Seattle in which he tallied a .651 OPS. The 32-year-old hit .265/.326/.495 with 26 homers and 78 RBI in 138 games last season. Polanco, who was mostly used as a DH, had an outs above above average of minus-4 in the field.

J.T. Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies

J.T. Realmuto, 34, last season failed to record a .750-plus OPS for the first time in a decade. The three-time All-Star catcher hit .257/.315/.384 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI.

Tyler Rogers, RHP, New York Mets

Tyler Rogers tallied the fourth-most holds this past season with 32 as he split time between the San Francisco Giants and the Mets. The submarine pitcher recorded a 1.98 ERA in 77.1 innings over 81 total appearances. Rogers, who turns 35 in December, had 48 strikeouts, seven walks and a 0.944 WHIP.

Max Scherzer, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Max Scherzer, 41, posted a career-worst 5.19 ERA in 2025 while being limited to 17 starts due to a thumb injury. The three-time Cy Young winner had 82 strikeouts, 23 walks and a 1.294 WHIP in 86 innings. Opposing hitters put up an .810 OPS against Scherzer, the highest mark of his career. It was the second straight season that Scherzer missed extended time after making nine starts in 2024.

Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies

Kyle Schwarber finished as the NL MVP runner-up ranking second in the majors in home runs (56), first in RBI (132), fifth in OPS (.928) and fifth in walks (108). The 32-year-old had a slash line of .240/.365/.563 in 162 games. Schwarber, who declined the qualifying offer, hit 187 long balls across his four seasons with the Phillies.

Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Seattle Mariners

Eugenio Suárez last season made his first All-Star Game since 2018, matching his career high in homers (49) and driving in a personal-best 118 runs. The 34-year-old had an .897 OPS and 36 homers in 106 games with the D-backs, but dropped off to a .682 OPS and 13 homers in 53 games after a midseason move to the M’s. His outs above average of minus-5 ranked 32nd among third basemen.

Ranger Suárez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

In addition to Schwarber, Ranger Suárez also declined the qualifying offer from the Phillies. The 30-year-old southpaw posted a 3.20 ERA in 2025, his best in a season in which he made at least 20 starts. Suárez, who earned his first All-Star nod the season prior, logged 157.1 innings over 26 starts with 151 strikeouts, 38 walks and a 1.220 WHIP.

Robert Suarez, RHP, San Diego Padres

Robert Suarez opted out of the remaining two years on his deal, which included a pair of $8 million player options. The 34-year-old, who made his MLB debut in 2022, earned his second straight All-Star nod in 2025. Suarez’s 40 saves, in 45 chances, ranked second in the majors. He tallied 70 total appearances, posting a 2.97 ERA with 75 strikeouts, 16 walks and a 0.904 WHIP across 69.2 innings.

Kona Takahashi, RHP, Japan

Kona Takahashi, like Okamoto, has until Jan. 4 to sign with an MLB team. The 28-year-old right-hander recorded a 3.39 ERA and 1.296 WHIP in 196 games over 11 NPB seasons. In 24 games last season, Takahashi had a 3.04 ERA, 88 strikeouts, 41 walks and a 1.230 WHIP across 148 innings.

Kyle Tucker, OF, Chicago Cubs

Following an offseason trade from the Houston Astros, Kyle Tucker earned his fourth straight All-Star nod in 2025. The 28-year-old hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI and 25 stolen bases. But Tucker, a Gold Glove winner in 2022, tied for 70th among outfielders in outs above average at minus-2 while playing right field.

Framber Valdez, LHP, Houston Astros

Framber Valdez, 32, is the top left-hander in this free agent class. The two-time All-Star has made at least 28 starts and posted a sub-3.70 ERA in each of the last four seasons. He made 31 starts in 2025, posting a 3.66 ERA, 187 strikeouts, 68 walks and a 1.245 WHIP across 192 innings. His 20 quality starts last season tied for the seventh-most in the majors, and the southpaw has tossed eight complete games since 2022, good for the second-most over that span.

Justin Verlander, RHP, San Francisco Giants

Justin Verlander logged 29 starts in his age-42 season. The three-time Cy Young winner recorded a 3.85 ERA, 137 strikeouts, 52 walks and a 1.362 WHIP in 152 innings.

Luke Weaver, RHP, New York Yankees

Luke Weaver was deployed as a full-time reliever for the second straight season in 2025. The 32-year-old recorded a 3.62 ERA, 72 strikeouts, 20 walks and a 1.021 WHIP in 64.2 innings over 64 appearances. Weaver converted eight of his 12 save chances.

Devin Williams, RHP, New York Yankees

Devin Williams, a two-time Reliever of the Year winner, had a rocky first season with the Yankees. The 31-year-old posted a career-worst 4.79 ERA with 90 strikeouts, 25 walks and a 1.129 WHIP in 62 innings over 67 appearances. Williams was 18-for-22 in save chances.

When you think about the Mets' offseason and what the team will look like at the start of the 2026 campaign, there are a few things that immediately come to mind.

One is the future of the offensive core, which was broken up on Sunday night when Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Rangers for Marcus Semien.

Another is the free agency of Pete Alonso, who could return but whose power would have to be replaced externally if he signs elsewhere. 

Then there's the starting rotation, which will very likely be bolstered in a big way -- with a trade for a top-of-the-rotation arm seeming likely.

Regarding the bullpen? 

What the relief corps looks like in 2026 will have a lot to do with Edwin Diaz, who -- like Alonso -- is a free agent the Mets would like to bring back.

As New York goes about rebuilding the bullpen, here's how things are shaking out...

The Locks

Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter. That's it.

And Minter, who missed most of last season after surgery to repair a torn lat, will likely be a few weeks behind to start the season.

Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto -- who were all acquired at last season's trade deadline -- are free agents.

Ryne Stanek is also a free agent, and Drew Smith's option for 2026 was declined. Smith had been working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Meanwhile, Reed Garrett and Dedniel Núñez are both expected to miss the entire season after undergoing TJS.

Raley and Minter are both legitimate late-game weapons, and Raley was tremendous in 2025 after returning from his own Tommy John surgery. In 30 appearances over 25.2 innings, he posted a 2.45 ERA (2.12 FIP) and 0.77 WHIP.

The Internal Candidates

Huascar Brazoban figures to be in the mix again, and hard-throwing prospect Dylan Ross could also be a factor.

Other relievers who could compete for roles include Jonathan Pintaro (who made his big league debut last season), Adbert Alzolay (who is on a two-year minor league deal and missed the 2025 season), Justin Hagenman, Brandon Waddell, Richard Lovelady, Alex Carrillo, and Joey Gerber.

But in an eight-man bullpen that has only two locks as of now (and perhaps just one if Minter is delayed), it's fair to believe the Mets will only rely on one or perhaps two of the aforementioned internal candidates out of the gate.

That means there is tons of work to do.

The External Candidates

I've said it a bunch of times this offseason, and I'll say it again: re-signing Diaz should be the easiest move the Mets make all offseason.

Will Sammon of The Athletic recently reported that contract length is currently a "sticking point" between the Mets and Diaz, with New York possibly hoping to keep a potential deal to three years and Diaz wanting five.

To me, that reads like an easy compromise should be doable -- offer Diaz four years at right around the same average annual value he was making before he opted out of the final two years of his deal. That would mean a contract worth roughly $80 million.

If another team offers Diaz five years at $100 million or more, it could be understandable for the Mets to not match it. But not going to four years if necessary would be strange, especially considering that the alternative closing options will all almost certainly get multiyear deals.

One of them is Devin Williams, who -- like Diaz -- was born in 1994. Despite Williams having a relatively down campaign in 2025, his stuff remains elite. Per multiple reports, the Mets have already expressed interest in Williams.

Another option is Robert Suarez, who is entering his age-35 season and has a scintillating fastball. Like Williams, the Mets have reportedly shown interest in Suarez.

There's also Pete Fairbanks, who is entering his age-32 season and has been one of the best relievers in baseball since 2020. He's on the market after his option was declined by the cost-conscious Rays. 

In an ideal world, the Mets would re-sign Diaz and add one of the above three pitchers as a setup man. But that could be easier said than done, especially if all three have options to close elsewhere.

Other intriguing relief arms on the market include Kenley Jansen, Emilio Pagan, Luke Weaver, and Kyle Finnegan. In the case of Jansen, it's possible he would want to close since he's chasing the 500 save mark. 

Red Sox acquiring pitcher Sonny Gray in trade with Cardinals: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox have made an early move to bolster their starting rotation.

The Red Sox have acquired right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team announced Tuesday. Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the news.

Boston is sending right-hander Richard Fitts and left-hander Brandon Clarke to St. Louis in exchange for Gray and cash, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Here are the full terms of the deal, with MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reporting the Cardinals are sending $20 million to Boston:

• Red Sox receive: RHP Sonny Gray, $20 million
• Cardinals receive: RHP Richard Fitts, LHP Brandon Clarke

Gray, 36, posted a 4.28 ERA with a 1.234 WHIP over 32 starts for the Cardinals last season. Those aren’t remarkable numbers, but Gray did boast impressive command, leading the majors in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.29) with 201 strikeouts to just 38 walks.

A three-time All-Star, Gray has pitched for five different teams — the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and Cardinals — over 13 MLB seasons.

Gray signed a three-year, $75 million contract with St. Louis in 2024 and was set to make $35 million this season. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, however, the Red Sox are reworking his contract to a $31 million salary in 2026 with a mutual-option buyout of $10 million after the season.

So, with $20 million coming in from St. Louis, Boston essentially is on the hook for $21 million of Gray’s salary for one year. That’s a relatively fair price to pay a pitcher of Gray’s age and stature.

At the moment, Gray would slot in as a middle-of-the-rotation arm behind Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello, giving the Red Sox an experienced pitcher with strong command who can eat innings.

Rookies Payton Tolle and Connelly Early showed plenty of promise last season and could round out the rest of the rotation. Both young hurlers are relatively unproven, however, so you could argue Craig Breslow and Co. still need to add more starting pitching — preferably a big name like Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who has been linked to Boston in trade rumors.

Tuesday’s trade for Gray — with old friend and Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom — is a clear sign the Red Sox are in “win now” mode. But how they add around Gray will go a long way in determining whether this move was worthwhile.