The MLB Winter Meetings came and went without too much fanfare, but blockbuster deals for Kyle Schwarber in Philadelphia and Pete Alonso in Baltimore have set the free agency wheels in motion. Several noteworthy names remain unsigned, from marquee bats like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, to frontline pitchers like Framber Valdez and Tatusya Imai. But we should expect significant movement in the days ahead.
It's becoming clear which teams are spending, which teams are playing it cheap, and which teams might seek their roster upgrades via trade. That said, here are the 10 best remaining free agents and their projected landing spots:
3B/1B Munetaka Murakami: Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox missed out on Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso to fill the power void in the heart of their lineup. Munetaka Murakami is 25 years old, putting him on the same timeline as Roman Anthony and Boston's young core. He also 56 home runs in Japan's NPB a few years ago — and finished 2025 with 24 home runs and a 1.051 OPS in just 69 games. NPB production seldom translates one-to-one to MLB, of course, but Murakami is the sort of Rafael Devers facsimile the Red Sox feel almost destined to sign.
Other teams are connected to Murakami — primarily the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers. The Dodgers are set at the corner infield spots. The Mets clearly did not value the Pete Alonso archetype; Murakami strikes out even more and is a net negative on defense. The Yankees don't really need a full-time third baseman, just a platoon for Ryan McMahon, and Giancarlo Stanton holds the DH reps hostage. As such, market really favors Boston here.
3B/1B Kazuma Okamoto: Pittsburgh Pirates
Kazuma Okamoto is four years older than Murakami and he does not boast the same raw power, but he's the more balanced hitter from Japan — with solid contact metrics and, still, the ability to lift plenty of balls over the outfield wall. He also projects as a better defender at either corner, although first base might be where he settles long term.
The Pittsburgh Pirates made an earnest attempt to sign Kyle Schwarber, reportedly offering four years and $120 million. Pittsburgh needs offensive support and Okamoto falls within a more acceptable price range. He'd be one of the faces of Pittsburgh's lineup and get to play in a singularly beautiful ballpark. It feels like the sort of opportunity Okamoto might jump at, especially since New York (x2) and Los Angeles really don't need him for the same reasons mentioned above.
2B Jorge Polanco: Seattle Mariners
Jorge Polanco is fielding a wide range of interest, but his market probably won't explode as a 32-year-old second baseman on a defensive downturn. That should eventually open the door for the Seattle Mariners to re-sign him. Polanco was quietly essential to Seattle's 2025 success, mashing 26 home runs with an .821 OPS and 134 OPS+. He did not receive the credit he deserved.
Polanco doesn't strike out much. He gets on base and drives in runs in equal measure. He's a tremendous fit alongside Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor at the top of Seattle's lineup, and his reported desire for a three-year contract is not outlandish. Methinks we are due for a reunion.
SP Michael King: New York Mets
Michael King made the swift adjustment to full-time starter with the San Diego Padres and put together a couple excellent seasons. He's connected to both New York teams, but the Yankees never really embraced him as a starter, despite his desires. That could push him to the Mets, who need veteran stalwarts to complement Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and their high-voltage prospects. Clay Holmes, another ex-Yankees reliever turned mid-rotation weapon in Queens, serves as a proof of concept. Steve Cohen has never hesitated to bring in ex-Yankees, for what it's worth.
There are some durability concerns with King as he ages into his 30s, but the Mets appear hesitant to spend top dollar this winter after last season's spending spree went bust. King falls into a more affordable bucket than other top free agents, such as Framber Valdez, and his success feels sustainable given his ability to locate off-speed pitches and coax soft contact.
SP Tatsuya Imai: Philadelphia Phillies
Look, are the New York teams pretty clear favorites here? Yes. But Dave Dombrowski has made clear his desire to break into the Japanese free agent market. He spends more liberally on pitchers than any other position and he rather famously offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto north of $325 million, even though starting pitching was not a position of need. The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to lose Ranger Suárez this offseason. Jesús Luzardo is entering a walk year. Zack Wheeler is set to retire after 2027. And yes, the Phillies are quietly — but quite strongly — connected to Imai in the rumor mill.
There's a case for simply re-signing Suárez, but Imai probably ages better long term and the Phillies need an investment like this to pan out, especially after the Aaron Nola contract took a rapid southward turn. Imai has flirted with high-pressure east coast markets all winter and frankly, the Phillies feel as likely as either New York team, if not more likely to match Imai's contract demands. It won't take $300 million.
SS/2B Bo Bichette: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays made by far the most outwardly aggressive move of free agency to date, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract well before the Winter Meetings. Toronto set the pitching market and has still met with some of the top free agents since then. Ross Atkins can smell that World Series title — and he might be the most ambitious GM in the sport.
Toronto has come in second for so many big names in recent years, but last season's success dramatically alters the Blue Jays' reputation. All that is to say, Bo Bichette definitely wants to continue his partnership with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and reach the mountaintop with the only franchise he knows. If the offer is remotely competitive, the Blue Jays feel like overwhelming favorites here.
SP Framber Valdez: Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles offered Kyle Schwarber five years and $150 million, but the Phillies matched. Then they upped the offer to $155 million to land Pete Alonso. That is a huge departure from GM Mike Elias' standard mode of operation, and it signals a serious effort to turn things around in Baltimore.
Are the O's really willing to pay sticker price on Alonso and Framber Valdez, both in their early 30s? It's a fair question, but no team has been more tangibly linked to Valdez than Baltimore, and no contender needs a frontline ace more desperately — especially after taking the plunge on Alonso. Valdez is extremely consistent and his pitching style should map nicely onto the hitter-friendly confines of Camden Yards.
3B Alex Bregman: Chicago Cubs
The Red Sox have beefed up their rotation this offseason with the Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo trades, giving Craig Breslow a huge surplus of MLB-ready pitchers — not to mention their outfield logjam. All that is to say, it feels like Boston is setting up another blockbuster trade, and the Ketel Marte smoke is thick. The Diamondbacks want pitchers and the Red Sox are prepared to deliver.
If the Red Sox trade for Marte (or Corey Seager, even), that probably nixes their interest in an Alex Bregman reunion. Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell need spots in the long-term plan. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs have met with Bregman over Zoom, per FanSided's Robert Murray. Absent Kyle Tucker, Jed Hoyer needs to find ways to keep Chicago competitive. Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch immediately form one of the best infield groups in MLB. Bregman fits the Cubs' style perfectly.
OF Cody Bellinger: New York Yankees
The Phillies, Blue Jays, Mets and even Angels or Giants, could all take an earnest stab at Cody Bellinger. But at the end of the day, the New York Yankees simply cannot afford to do nothing this winter. Bellinger was hugely valuable to the Bronx Bombers last season, not only because of his bat — .813 OPS and 29 home runs — but because of his defensive versatility.
Bellinger can line up all over the outfield for New York and even share first base reps with Ben Rice (Bellinger hits lefties extremely well). He's sharp on the base paths, disciplined at the plate, and the best outfield glove in the Yankees' organization by a sizable margin. The Yankees need to at least tread water, not take a step back. Re-signing Bellinger is, and should be, the priority.
OF Kyle Tucker: Toronto Blue Jays
Kyle Tucker visited the Blue Jays' facility outside Tampa ahead of the Winter Meetings, per FanSided's Robert Murray. Cease, Bichette and Tucker would be quite the haul for Toronto, and while it may seem like a bridge too far on paper, the Blue Jays are the class of the American League and backed by ownership and management of equal ambition.
If the Mets don't want to commit to another decade-long investment next to Juan Soto, if the Yankees find Bellinger a more prudent and affordable option, the door is swung wide open for the Blue Jays to land the plane with this offseason's top prize. Tucker fits seamlessly into the Blue Jays' offensive identity and he'd address a direct need in the outfield. Get your popcorn ready, folks.