Free agents every AL East team can’t afford to let leave, beginning with Bo Bichette

Only hours after turning heads with one of the greatest bat flips in baseball history, Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette found himself in the same position as plenty of other MLB players. Bichette officially entered free agency when the Blue Jays’ season ended with a Game 7 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he’s poised to command a significant contract on the open market.

Of course, Bichette isn’t the only noteworthy player in the AL East hitting free agency, nor are the Blue Jays the only team in their division with significant questions to address. Every AL East club, even the last-place Orioles, has at least one free agent that they need to prioritize extending. Some, like Bichette, are established All-Stars capable of helping their team win a pennant. Others, while they’re not household names, are reliable contributors with proven track records.

For this list, we’ve ranked the teams in alphabetical order. We’re also focusing solely on players who have already become free agents, so those with pending player, team, or mutual options are not included. 

Baltimore Orioles: Zach Eflin, P

The Orioles only have four pending free agents, and none exactly turn our heads. Shortstop Jorge Mateo and catcher/designated hitter Gary Sánchez are aging backups whose best days are behind them, and right-handed starter Tomoyuki Sugano is a 36-year-old fresh off allowing a league-worst 33 home runs. Of those three, the only one potentially worth bringing back is Sánchez, if only because of his power stroke. 

Although Zach Eflin underwent lumbar microdiscectomy surgery earlier this year to fix a back problem, he is expected to be ready for the start of next season. Eflin went 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA in 55 1/3 innings down the stretch for the Orioles in 2024, but various injuries contributed to him posting a 5.93 ERA and -0.3 bWAR over 14 starts this season. A healthy Eflin could be a possible trade candidate ahead of the 2026 deadline if the Orioles fall out of contention in a loaded AL East.

Boston Red Sox: Alex Bregman, 3B

Bregman unsurprisingly officially opted out of his three-year, $120 million contract shortly after the World Series. Not only did the veteran third baseman earn All-Star honors and help the Red Sox to their first playoff appearance since 2021, but he also earned rave reviews for his leadership and clubhouse presence.

The Red Sox made a decision this past June and essentially chose Bregman over Rafael Devers, a fan favorite slugger who initially resisted moving from third base to first base or designated hitter upon Bregman’s arrival. Considering how well he played and the impact he brought to Boston, there is zero reason for the Red Sox even to consider letting Bregman leave in free agency. The likely rewards far outweigh the risks, and the Red Sox need everything possible to take down the Blue Jays and the Yankees. 

We believe in Bregman, and we urge the Red Sox to ensure they keep him around. Otherwise, suggesting that the road back to the postseason would get significantly more challenging is as much of an understatement as noting that the Green Monster is tall.

New York Yankees: Cody Bellinger, LF

Bellinger, like Bregman, officially opted out of his contract earlier this week. The 30-year-old former NL MVP enjoyed his best season in years, providing the Yankees with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, and a .813 OPS in 152 games. All marked his best numbers since his 2019 MVP season, and Bellinger’s 5.1 bWAR trailed only Aaron Judge (9.7) among Yankees players.

Despite the Yankees’ reputation for heavy spending, it feels unlikely that they’ll bring Bellinger and center fielder Trent Grisham back, unless the latter accepts the $22 million qualifying offer that he’s likely to receive. Bellinger proved to be a perfect fit for the Yankees’ lineup, and he settled into the left field spot when Aaron Boone began slowly losing faith in former top prospect Jasson Domínguez.

Anything short of a championship marks failure in the Bronx, and we feel that Bellinger boosts the Yankees’ World Series chances. However, we expect Bellinger to have a busy free agent market, so the Yankees might need to break out the big bucks yet again.

Tampa Bay Rays: Pete Fairbanks, RP

The easy suggestion here is that the Rays must prioritizie signing All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, and understandbly so. Our question is whether the 31-year-old is due for significant regression next year, and if the Rays want to take such a risk on a player with a career 27.3% strikeout rate. We’re also concerned by Lowe’s walk percentage, which has plummeted from 11.5% in 2023 to 6.9% this year.

The Rays can theoretically sign a stopgap option to play second base (Isiah Kiner-Falefa?) while waiting to see if 2024 second-round pick Émilien Pitre builds off a productive first professional season and climbs through the majors. Therefore, we’re going with Fairbanks, who turns 32 in December but has recorded a 2.98 ERA and 75 saves the last three years. 

Fairbanks’ 2.7 walks per nine innings this year marked his lowest in a full season, and that’s always good news in the AL East. Keep your eyes on the Rays this winter, because they feel due to make a splash or two in free agency.

Toronto Blue Jays: Bo Bichette, SS

Well, you knew that this was coming. Bichette has been a mainstay in the Blue Jays’ lineup since debuting in 2019, and he ranks among the top pending free agents regardless of position. Most baseball fans will likely put Bichette, Bregman, and Kyle Tucker in their top three free agents, though where they’d rank each player is a matter of preference.

Bichette has publicly reiterated that he wants to remain in Toronto, and we’ll see if the Blue Jays feel the same way. Remember, the Blue Jays already gave All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero a 14-year, $500 million extension in April. Do the Blue Jays really want to hand out another lofty contract?

“I would love to finish my career playing with him,” Guerrero told reporters after the World Series. “But it’s free agency, so he’s got to do his thing to go and do what he has to do, to get his money.”