Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Multiple MLB teams face early-season injuries, creating opportunities for veteran free agents to step in.
- Seasoned All-Stars with a history of strong performance could be the answer fo injury-riddled teams.
- Whether it's Justin Turner, Jose Iglesias or Lucas Giolito, don't sleep on these free agents.
Almost two weeks into the regular season, the first wave of injuries has swept across MLB, as it always does. Most teams are focused on the players in their clubhouse right now, but a few noteworthy free agents remain available to the highest bidder.
That includes these six All-Stars, all of whom have played impactful baseball in the recent past. While no team is going to save their season with the current free agent pool, a helpful signing to bridge the gap between injuries or prospect call-ups can still go a long way.
LHP Tyler Anderson
Landing spot: Chicago White Sox
Yes, Tyler Anderson is 36 years old. His best baseball is behind him. But he was also an All-Star as recently as 2024, and the metrics under the hood in 2025 weren't all bad. Anderson still generates consistent soft, groundball contact. He's not going to miss a ton of bats or put up ace-like performances, but he can steadily eat innings and avoid catastrophic results. His 136.1 innings pitched last season was his lowest tally in a five-year stretch.
The White Sox lineup promises real results in 2026. After an offseason full of hand-wringing and advanced data analysis, it's clear that Munetaka Murakami's power will, in fact, play. Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are all exciting young talents, with more coming up through the pipeline. The Southsiders just need passable arms to get them through the 162-game gauntlet. Anderson won't push Chicago in the World Series conversation or necessarily even the Wild Card mix, but he's a good veteran to have in the clubhouse and a potential bridge to a brighter future.
2B DJ LeMahieu
Landing spot: New York Mets
The Yankees DFA'd DJ LeMahieu last winter after seven years. He's 37 years old, but he's also a three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner with serious pedigree. As a depth piece, nothing more and nothing less, LeMahieu is still worth a look. No team scoops up former Yankees quite so frequently as the crosstown Mets, who almost make it a point of pride.
With Brett Baty as the primary DH, New York doesn't have a ton of infield depth at the moment. LeMahieu's numbers last season were underwhelming, to say the least — .674 OPS and 91 OPS+ across 128 at-bats — but he's a two-time batting champ with a skilled approach at the plate. His 51.4 percent hard-hit rate was also extremely promising, despite a limited sample size and little to show for it results-wise. He's probably an upgrade over Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco defensively, even still, which can't hurt in a depth option.
OF Jesse Winker
Jesse Winker wasn't horrible in 26 appearances for the Mets last season, posting a .709 OPS and 100 OPS+. That puts him right around the league average, albeit in a small sample size. He's a great vibes guy who works the count and can still generate substantial lefty power on occasion. He may be more of a DH than an outfielder at this point, but if the Royals — a team still in search of consistent outfield production — stick him in right field every now and again, there could be worse outcomes.
Winker is basically a spark-plug emergency bat at this stage. He won't cover much ground on defense and he's not an everyday thumper in the heart of a lineup. As Kansas City searches for more juice behind Maikel GarcÃa and Bobby Witt Jr., however, sprinkling in Winker as a fourth or fifth outfielder is a worthwhile adventure.
RHP Lucas Giolito
Landing spot: San Diego Padres
It is, frankly, absurd that Lucas Giolito remains unsigned. There are understandable concerns about his consistency at this point, but the 31-year-old made 26 starts and pitched 145 innings with a 3.41 ERA last season. He outperformed his metrics, no doubt, but in a league starved for even semi-reliable pitching depth, you could do a lot worse than Giolito as the fourth and fifth leg of your rotation.
The Padres couldn't do much beyond re-signing Michael King this offseason, but Giolito is readily available at a discount even A.J. Preller can (probably) afford. It's hard to miss spring training and transition straight into regular season baseball, but Giolito has enough pedigree to warrant a look as San Diego looks to reinforce a vulnerable rotation.
2B José Iglesias
Landing spot: Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa is all-in on the youth movement after trading Brandon Lowe, with 25-year-old Ben Williamson at second base and 22-year-old Carson Williams at shortstop. Neither has started the season strong. Aside from a historically volatile platoon bat in Richie Palacios, Tampa's middle infield depth is also lacking.
Jose Iglesias is 36 years old, coming off of his worst MLB season to date: a .592 OPS and 66 OPS+ across 306 at-bats in San Diego. He's also a year removed from hitting .337 with an .830 OPS and 136 OPS+ across 270 at-bats for the Mets. Iglesias has a long track record of exceptional bat-to-ball skills. He's one of his generation's best pure contact hitters. He also has experience at every infield position, although he's probably best viewed as a second or first baseman at this stage of his career. Tampa can roll the dice on a late-career resurgence and lean on Iglesias for depth and leadership.
1B Justin Turner
Landing spot: Chicago Cubs
Justin Turner couldn't find much success in 2025. He posted a career-worst .219 average and .602 OPS. It's hardly unexpected at 41 years of age. Father Time is undefeated in all realms, especially sports. That said, Turner has a long and illustrious track record, with more than a decade of positive results to point to. This is not a move the local fanbase would embrace, but if Turner is going to give it another go, a reunion with the Cubs could make sense, at least on paper.
The Tyler Austin injury has left the Cubs with limited options at first base, which is Turner's best primary position at this point. He can shag a few groundballs at third base in a pinch, too. Chicago has a deep and explosive lineup on paper, but Turner was a force for good in the locker room last season, if nothing else, and there's a chance he can resurrect his stat profile a little bit. The bat speed and raw power is gone, but Turner is quite savvy in his approach. He doesn't swing outside the zone or strikeout a ton. Maybe he's still worth a flier.