The 2025-26 MLB free agency class does not have a Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto to hold our attention, but there are still many talented players testing the market. And, unlike with the $700 million titans of years past, a lot of these quality performers can realistically re-sign with their current clubs on non-absurd contracts.
It's going to be a long and competitive winter for the majority of MLB front offices. Let's dive into 10 signature free agents with a realistic chance of staying put — and whether or not the market ultimately favors a reunion or a departure.
Prominent MLB free agents who could sign with a former team
C JT Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
JT Realmuto stands out as the best available option at a position where quality hitters are scarce. This past season was a struggle for him: His defensive metrics regressed and his OPS (.700) plunged to his lowest levels since 2015. Even so, Realmuto has a long track record of success and a stellar reputation for managing a pitching staff. He was clutch when the Philadelphia Phillies needed him to be, and it's hard to imagine Philly stumbling into a better option. He won't get a long deal at 34 years old, but despite plenty of offers, Realmuto should re-sign — and re-sign fairly early in the offseason.
Verdict: Re-signs
2B Jorge Polanco, Seattle Mariners
Jorge Polanco reinvented his approach and turned in career-best numbers for the Seattle Mariners last season, thumping 26 home runs with an .821 OPS and 134 OPS+. He's too easily overlooked in the broader calculus of Seattle's offseason, but after re-upping Josh Naylor, Polanco should be their next priority. That said, Polanco's defensive deficiencies are a drawback, while his theoretical versatility gives him a broad marketplace. (Polanco is reportedly open to learning first base.) Seattle is still a mid-market club at best and Polanco fits the needs of so many teams, that a return feels improbable, though certainly not impossible.
Verdict: Does not re-sign
3B Eugenio Suárez, Seattle Mariners
Eugenio Suárez delivered a couple huge swings for Seattle during their run to Game 7 of the ALCS, but he largely disappointed as a trade deadline pickup. The surface numbers leap off the page — 49 home runs, 118 RBI — but Suárez fell into bad habits and finished his 53-game Mariners stint (in the regular season) with a .189 average and .682 OPS. Suárez strikes out a ton and runs hot or cold at the plate. He's also a subpar defender at the hot corner who isn't getting any younger. Several teams could view him as a bargain-bin power source, but the Mariners are short on better options and can bank on Suárez's production leveling out a little bit over a full season. He should be cheaper than Polanco and have a slightly less enthused market.
Verdict: Re-signs
RP Edwin Díaz, New York Mets
Edwin Díaz has become an almost mythical creature in Queens, but the New York Mets' prized closer should entertain many suitors this winter; he even told reporters straight up that his odds of returning are 50/50. The Mets are never short on cash under Steve Cohen, but with holes to plug in the outfield and in the starting rotation, it's fair to wonder if Díaz might slip out the back while the Mets are occupied elsewhere. We know the Dodgers and other high-spending contenders will value Díaz's shutdown presence in the ninth inning. Don't be shocked if the Mets end up relying on A.J. Minter, Adbert Alzolay and other free agent or trade candidates to fill Díaz's role.
Verdict: Does not re-sign
SP Ranger Suárez, Philadelphia Phillies
Ranger Suárez has time and time again reiterated his desire to re-sign in Philadelphia, but baseball is a business, and the starting pitcher market is booming. Suárez has proven remarkably durable and consistent over the years, which are valued traits. The lefty also turns it up a notch in the postseason historically. He's going to get more money than a lot of folks realize, even with declining velocity and average strikeout metrics. The Phillies have four quality starters under contract already, plus Taijuan Walker coming off of a resurgent season and No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter itching for his MLB debut. Expect Suárez to take a cushy deal elsewhere.
Verdict: Does not re-sign
SS Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays
Bo Bichette was absent all postseason until the World Series, but he returned with a vengeance for the Toronto Blue Jays and delivered what was almost the defining hit of his career — a three-run bomb off of Shohei Ohtani early in Game 7. Toronto eventually lost in extra innings, however, striking major legacy points from Bichette's record. A Blue Jays reunion for Bichette once felt impossible, but now the vibes are different. This team is so close, and Bichette's career is so intertwined with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., that it's hard to imagine a breakup. Bichette is a machine at the plate and several teams will express their interest, but it feels like destiny. Toronto runs it back.
Verdict: Re-signs
3B Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox
This is a complicated situation. Alex Bregman received $40 million annually from the Boston Red Sox last winter, but negotiated opt-outs into the agreement. Now he's looking for a bit more long-term security. The Red Sox love Bregman, and Bregman loves the Red Sox, but Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell and Franklin Arias all seem to be everyday MLB pieces sooner than later. Trevor Story picked up his contract option, so he's sticking around for a while.
There's limited space, and Boston could opt to use this money on other positions, such as first base or on the mound. Bregman's market does not seem overly broad, but Toronto, Philadelphia, New York (x2), Seattle, Detroit, Pittsburgh — there are teams who could use an upgrade at third base. It just might be one-and-done for the Sox.
Verdict: Does not re-sign
OF Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
Cody Bellinger joined the New York Yankees as a handsomely paid Juan Soto consolation prize. He lived up to the billing, hitting .272 with an .813 OPS and 125 OPS+ last season. Bellinger checks a lot of boxes. He's an excellent defender all over the outfield and he can moonlight at first base as needed. He can get feisty on the base paths. He cranked 29 home runs and drove home 98 runs last season.
Bellinger's contact metrics aren't anything special, but he tends to get the job done. A two-time All-Star, a former MVP and a World Series champ. The résumé speaks for itself. The Yankees will check in on Kyle Tucker, but Bellinger is the next-best option. And since Hal Steinbrenner likes to cry poor, the Yankees land the second-best option (again).
Verdict: Re-signs
1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Pete Alonso is one of the great power hitters of his generation, but the New York Mets only brought him back last winter after the market completely collapsed. Alonso should come by suitors a bit easier this time around. The Mets also want to improve their defense and balance out the roster a bit. Alonso's deficiencies don't really align with David Stearns' M.O. as a GM.
As such, it feels like the Polar Bear will be on to greener pastures in 2026. There's only so much interest for an aging first baseman on the full-time DH track, but Boston has a well-documented need at first. Other teams, such as Baltimore, Seattle, Philadelphia (if Kyle Schwarber leaves) and Pittsburgh, could view Alonso as a 1B/DH hybrid.
Verdict: Does not re-sign
DH Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Schwarber put up career numbers in a walk year, hitting 56 home runs with a .928 OPS and 150 OPS+ en route to a second-place NL MVP finish. The Phillies can't let this dude walk. The prospect of replacing him with Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman isn't completely intolerable, as both should come at cheaper annual rates. But Schwarber is so important to Philadelphia's identity, not only for his production at the plate, but because of his leadership in the clubhouse.
Paying a mid-30s DH a bunch of money for four-plus years is typically a questionable investment, but the Phillies' competitive window is finite and Schwarber gives them their best odds of capitalizing on it. It will be a full-on bidding war, but Schwarber re-signing feels like the endgame.
Verdict: Re-signs
What makes a good (or bad) reunion candidate?
This is not a simple calculus, as so many factors impact whether a free agent ultimately re-signs or not. Here are the main factors, laid out as simply as possible.
1) Does the original team have money?
Bellinger re-signing with the Yankees is believable because the Yankees tend to shoulder one of MLB's highest payrolls. On the other hand, there's a reason Tarik Skubal is so popular in trade rumors these days. Not because the Detroit Tigers want him to leave, but because there's no chance in hell the Tigers are paying $400 million-plus on a pitcher. That is just not the tax bracket Detroit operates in. Smaller markets are at an immediate disadvantage with free agents of a certain caliber.
2) Is there a big market for the free agent's services?
Market size is everything. Certain archetypes are more valuable, and more versatile, than others. Negative defenders (Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Eugenio Suárez) will be penalized in relation to more dependable, interchangeable ones, such as Bellinger or Bregman. If a free agent can play multiple positions, it's easier to drum up interest compared to a single-position player. The more teams bidding for a player's services, the harder it is for the incumbent team to rise above the crowd.
3) Are there internal replacements in the pipeline?
The Red Sox are the cleanest example here. Mayer, Campbell and Franklin Arias are all top-100 MLB prospects due for full-time roles in the near future. That makes it harder to commit five-plus years to Bregman in his mid-30s. Or, take the Phillies and Ranger Suárez: If Suárez's return closes the door on Andrew Painter, the Phillies are less likely to stretch their wallet compared to a team with less rotational depth. On the flip side: Philadelphia has zero bats of Kyle Schwarber's caliber coming up through the pipeline. There are no elite catchers in their Minor League system. Thus, re-signing Schwarber and JT Realmuto feels like a necessity.