What in the world is taking so long? The MLB offseason is unique in its own right, as the best players available can take months to sign. Rob Manfred and the owners could sure mitigate this in the next CBA, but right now that's the least of their concerns.
Whether it be Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker, the silence in the MLB free agent market over the course of this holiday season is deafening. Thankfully, there are some bread crumbs to report.
Aaron Judge wants the Yankees to sign Cody Bellinger
Several times this offseason already, we've pushed for Aaron Judge to advocate for the Yankees best interests. As it turns out, he's doing just that. Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Judge has asked the Yankees front office to do whatever it takes to re-sign Cody Bellinger. Bellinger, who had one of the best seasons of his career last year in the Bronx, has proven he can handle the New York spotlight and is expected to receive a contract just shy of $200 million, depending on the length.
The Yankees are confident they'll be able to keep Bellinger, as they should be. There is a slow market developing around the star outfielder, but unless he wants to return to the Dodgers for less money, or sign with an up-and-coming squad like the Angels, staying in the Big Apple is his best bet to contend. Brian Cashman's biggest competition for Bellinger is actually the New York Mets, but the Yankees have the advantage of being the incumbent.
Should the Yankees fail to re-sign Bellinger despite their captain's wishes, it'd be a bad look for an organization that promised Judge the world back when they signed him to a nine-year, $360 million extension back in 2022.
Edward Cabrera's market is shrinking thanks to Marlins
If the Marlins are to trade Edward Cabrera prior to the start of the 2026 MLB season, they'll need to lower their asking price. That doesn't seem all that likely given the trades for controllable starting pitchers we've seen so far this offseason. Shane Baz, a pitcher who isn't half the player Cabrera is in Miami (no offense to Baz, of course, who is a fine back-end starter), landed four Orioles prospects in return.
The Marlins saw what Tampa received for Baz and assumed any offers for Cabrera – who finished last season with a 3.53 ERA and 2.8 bWAR – would reflect the difference in talent level. They were wrong. Per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, both the Orioles and Astros have pulled out of the Cabrera sweepstakes.
This could all be a negotiating ploy by interested teams to get Miami to lower their asking price. However, contenders who can afford to pay a top-level starting pitcher in free agency would much rather forfeit money than the type of prospect capital the Marlins are asking for.
The best option for the Marlins could be to wait until later this winter when the free-agent market dries up. As of this writing, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez and more remain available.
Which teams are the favorites for Alex Bregman?
If Alex Bregman doesn't re-sign with the Boston Red Sox – which at this point in the offseason is far from a guarantee due to their reported interest in Bo Bichette, among other top free agents – he could sign with any number of teams. However, three backup plans have reportedly emerged.
Per Bruce Levine, the Cubs, Diamondbacks and Blue Jays are among the teams with heavy interest in Bregman.
“The Cubs have had many conversations with Scott Boras about Alex Bregman.”
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) December 27, 2025
- @MLBBruceLevine
Bruce then says, according to people close to Bregman, the interested teams include: Cubs, Blue Jays, D-Backs.
The Cubs were linked to Bregman back in the MLB Winter Meetings by FanSided's Robert Murray. Here's what he had to say about the fit:
"Bregman, 31, is an ideal Cubs target. He can hit at a high level and play Gold Glove caliber defense while being a leader in the clubhouse. Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly are all scheduled to be free agents after the 2026 season, meaning that Dansby Swanson is the only position player signed to a guaranteed contract after the 2026 season."
Levine's leak feels like more of a deliberate push by Bregman's camp, which includes Scott Boras, to intrigue the Cubs. Levine makes regular appearances on Chicago sports radio, so it's safe to assume someone in that front office was listening, even during the holidays.
Should the Bregman market inch forward, even just a bit, it could help break the dam that has been the 2026 free agent market.