The World Series is officially behind us, with the Death Star Dodgers winning in a Game 7 classic. While the Dodgers and Blue Jays may take a couple days to get over their Fall Classic glory – and misery in Toronto's case – 28 other MLB teams got a head start on their offseason. Frankly, we've been talking about free agency for weeks, and MLB's offseason showcase is finally underway. Yes, free agency starts that quickly, with teams eligible to sign players five days after the World Series ends.
FanSided's Robert Murray discussed free agency in detail during this postseason, suggesting it could be a wild ride. The class is highlighted by the likes of Kyle Tucker – yes, we'll get to him – Alex Bregman, Kyle Schwarber and a litany of starting pitchers who could change the course of history depending on where they eventually sign. All we have to work from thus far are bread crumbs, but if you read between the lines, you may just get an early idea of how this offseason will play out. It doesn't help that a lockout is looming following another Dodgers World Series victory, which could make some owners timid to throw the entire weight of their checkbooks behind a singular talent.
Without further ado, let's get to it. Here's what we know so far, which again, isn't all that much. It hasn't even been 24 hours since the Dodgers recorded that decisive final double play to win Game 7, after all.
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Will the Phillies re-sign Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suarez?
The early word out of Philadelphia is that Dave Dombrowski will make keeping Kyle Schwarber the Phillies' top offseason priority. Dombrowski isn't afraid to throw his owner's money around for top talent, and it seems Phillies owner John Middleton is up for the challenge. If Schwarber were to leave the Phillies, he'd have plenty of interest from teams in need of a powerful, middle-of-the-lineup bat. That could mean receiving offers from the likes of the Tigers, Mets, Dodgers and more. The Phillies would prefer it didn't get that far.
However, one top-tier free agent the Phillies could lose while honing in on Schwarber is starting pitcher Ranger Suarez. As Matt Gelb of The Athletic ($) wrote last week, Suarez could be the odd man out while the Phils prioritize other areas of need on their roster.
"Suárez might just be the odd man out because the Phillies want to prioritize other places on the roster," Gelb wrote.
The Phils have a strong starting rotation even without Suarez, who finished last season with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts. Given the striking need for starting pitching across the league, it's impossible to predict where he might end up, but at just 30 years old, Suarez has plenty of innings left on his arm.
Keeping Alex Bregman is easier said than done for the Red Sox
As Robert Murray noted in his early free agency preview, Bregman will opt out of his contract with the Red Sox. That shouldn't come as a huge surprise, but Boston's competition to keep the veteran third baseman could be. Here's what Murray had to say:
"The Red Sox will have competition for Bregman. Could the Tigers pursue him once again? Could another team emerge in the bidding this winter? After a season in which he hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI, as well as making a great impression in Boston’s clubhouse, Bregman should do well in free agency," Murray wrote.
MLB.com's Ian Browne added a bit of buzz to Bregman's status, saying that although he enjoyed his time in Boston, he'd be foolish not to at least test the market. The Red Sox won't be out-spent easily, but expect certain contenders to make Bregman the focus of their offseason. For the Tigers specifically, expect interest to go up due to the status of starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, who could enter his final season in Motown in 2026.
Why Kyle Tucker will almost certainly leave the Chicago Cubs
Tucker had a 4.5 WAR last season despite some rough stretches in the second half. He was a key reason why the Chicago Cubs made the postseason and defeated the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card round. However, the Cubs are playing the long game, and every day that goes by, it feels less likely he'll remain on the north side of Chicago. Tucker is set to receive a contract north of $400 million, which should be a bit out of the Cubs price range. Jed Hoyer acquired Tucker knowing full well he could be a rental.
The Dodgers have already been linked to Tucker, because why not? The San Francisco Giants are another traditional fit, with Buster Posey proving time and time again he is not afraid to chase a big fish. Stealing Tucker from the Dodgers' grasp would make the move all the sweeter. As Murray wrote in his bog board column, Tucker offers far more than the average fan might realize – which is why he's worth the money.
"Tucker is this winter’s biggest fish, and he’ll command a massive payday in the $400 million range. He can hit. He plays stellar defense in the outfield. He can run the bases at a high level. Yes, while he struggled at times this season, most of those issues can be traced to a fractured finger that he attempted to play through. Still, he slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 72 RBI this season while posting a 143 OPS+," Murray wrote.
Expect a bidding war for his services as a result.
Where does Bo Bichette go from here?
Blue Jays fans love Bo Bichette. He hit a home run in Game 7 of the World Series to give Toronto an early lead that, frankly, they shouldn't have relinquished. He can get a free beer north of the border any time he wants, even should he leave in free agency. However, Ross Atkins and the Jays hope they showed enough progress this season to convince Bichette to stay. When asked about free agency after Game 7, Bichette gave a raw answer we can all relate to.
“I’ve said I want to be here from the beginning,” Bichette stated plainly, once more.
Bichette doesn't want to go anywhere, but his market will determine where he ends up more than he does. Here's what Murray had to say about Bichette's upcoming free agency just a few weeks ago:
"After last season, Bichette was a giant question mark headed into 2025. But gosh, did he ever step up in his contract year. He hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI. He was instrumental in the Jays’ surge this season and his bat will get him paid handsomely, with a contract around - or north - of Willy Adames’ seven-year, $182 million being in play. But long term, what position does he play?" Murray wrote.
If Bichette does sign anywhere but Toronto, Murray linked the Los Angeles Angels to his services. I'd add a team like the Tigers, once again, assuming they're willing to spend big money in free agency. Bichette could play shortstop or second base for Detroit, assuming he's willing to move around a crowded infield.