We've still yet to crown a World Series champion for 2025, but for 26 front offices around MLB, it's already time to start thinking about Hot Stove season. That's how quickly this league can move: One day you're hoping to win it all, and the next you're pivoting to dream signings or out-of-nowhere trades.
This offseason figures to be one of serious change, as some very big names are set to hit the open market and trade talk will once again fly fast and furious. But which teams are set to bear the brunt of that change? We've broken down each team in the league by how many players they're likely to see hit free agency once it begins five days after the conclusion of the Fall Classic. Where does your team fall, and which names could be moving on? Read on to find out.
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AL East
Team | No. of likely free agents | Notable names |
|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | 9 | Cody Bellinger, Paul Blackburn, Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham, Amed Rosario, Austin Slater, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Ryan Yarbrough |
Toronto Blue Jays | 7 | Chris Bassitt, Bo Bichette, Shane Bieber, Seranthony Dominguez, Ty France, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Max Scherzer |
Boston Red Sox | 5 | Alex Bregman, Steven Matz, Dustin May, Justin Wilson, Rob Refsnyder |
Baltimore Orioles | 4 | Zach Eflin, Gary Sanchez, Jacob Stallings, Tomoyuki Sugano |
Tampa Bay Rays | 1 | Adrian Houser |
One year after the Juan Soto sweepstakes, the Yankees once again face a crucial offseason. Will the team bring back Cody Bellinger, or make a run at Kyle Tucker? What about Devin Williams? And what on Earth should they make of a career year from Trent Grisham? The answers could go a long way toward deciding the rest of Aaron Judge's prime.
The Blue Jays face some questions of their own, despite locking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. up back in the spring. Long-time running mate Bo Bichette is set to test the market, and what was already a somewhat sketchy rotation is now set to lose Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer and even potentially Shane Bieber if the latter turns down his player option for 2026. Boston's big offseason priority will be trying to get Alex Bregman to stick around, while the O's officially have no excuse not to finally take a swing in free agency — ideally on a pitcher or three.
AL Central
Team | No. of likely free agents | Names |
|---|---|---|
Detroit Tigers | 8 | Alex Cobb, Kyle Finnegan, Jack Flaherty, Tommy Kahnle, Rafael Montero, Chris Paddack, Paul Sewald, Gleyber Torres |
Kansas City Royals | 5 | Adam Frazier, Randal Grichuk, Hunter Harvey, Michael Lorenzen, Mike Yastrzemski |
Chicago White Sox | 3 | Tyler Alexander, Miguel Castro, Mike Clevinger |
Cleveland Guardians | 3 | Austin Hedges, Jakob Junis, Lane Thomas |
Minnesota Twins | 1 | Christian Vazquez |
The Tigers really have just one goal this winter: Convince Tarik Skubal to sign on the line which is dotted. Even if Skubal signs an extension, though, they're losing significant pieces in the field (Gleyber Torres), in the rotation (Jack Flaherty, assuming he turns down his $20 million player option) and in the bullpen (Finnegan, one of the only relievers AJ Hinch trusted in October).
From there ... well, there's a reason why this division is consistently among the weakest in baseball. Limited payrolls mean limited participation in free agency, and in the case of the White Sox and Twins, limited reason to hang on to pending free agents after the trade deadline. The Royals seem all but certain to decline the options on Grichuk and Lorenzen as they look to retool around Bobby Witt Jr. in 2026.
AL West
Team | No. of likely free agents | Names |
|---|---|---|
Texas Rangers | 9 | Shawn Armstrong, Patrick Corbin, Danny Coulombe, Jon Gray, Merrill Kelly, Tyler Mahle, Chris Martin, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner |
Los Angeles Angels | 7 | Tyler Anderson, Andrew Chafin, Kyle Hendricks, Kenley Jansen, Yoan Moncada, Luis Rengifo, Chris Taylor |
Seattle Mariners | 4 | Caleb Ferguson, Mitch Garver, Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez |
Houston Astros | 3 | Victor Caratini, Brendan Rodgers, Framber Valdez |
Athletics | 2 | Jose Leclerc, Sean Newcomb |
The Rangers did their best to load up on pitching for a run at the postseason, and now they're set to pay the price this winter: Coulombe, Kelly and Maton are all set to hit free agency, as are other valuable pieces like Mahle, Martin and Milner. Texas has some real work to do to rebuild its staff ahead of 2026, all while trying to fix an offense that was among the worst in baseball this year.
It's borderline criminal that the Angels rank so highly on this list; L.A. had every reason to sell at the deadline, and yet veterans like Anderson, Jansen and Moncada all stuck around only to depart in the offseason for nothing. The Mariners, on the other hand, and built for the long haul: Seattle will lose rentals in Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor, but that's about it as this rotation is locked up for years to come — and if the M's finish this off with a World Series run, Jerry Dipoto's trade deadline will go down in Seattle history.
NL East
Team | No. of likely free agents | Names |
|---|---|---|
New York Mets | 10 | Pete Alonso, Griffin Canning, Edwin Diaz, Ryan Helsley, Starling Marte, Cedric Mullins, Tyler Rogers, Ryne Stanek, Gregory Soto, Jesse Winker |
Philadelphia Phillies | 7 | Harrison Bader, Max Kepler, JT Realmuto, David Robertson, Jordan Romano, Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez |
Atlanta Braves | 4 | Carlos Carrasco, Raisel Iglesias, Ha-Seong Kim, Marcell Ozuna |
Washington Nationals | 3 | Josh Bell, Paul DeJong, Derek Law |
Miami Marlins | 0 | N/A |
No, do not attempt to adjust your screens: The Miami Marlins really don't have a single free agent set to hit the market this winter. But please, tell us more about how a salary cap will fix what ails MLB.
The New York Mets, meanwhile ... well, let's just say David Stearns will have a chance to further reshape this team in his image. Pete Alonso is off to free agency for the second year in a row, while bringing back Edwin Diaz will be a major priority after how badly the rest of New York's bullpen struggled so mightily down the stretch. Even if Diaz does come back, though, this pitching staff will look very different next year, with Helsley, Rogers, Stanek, Soto and Canning all gone.
How the Braves decide to replace their two big free agents of note will be fascinating. Will they make a run at, say, Kyle Schwarber to serve as the new DH? And how will Alex Anthopoulos attack his bullpen with Iglesias testing the market? Plus, shortstop again becomes a question if Ha-Seong Kim opts out.
NL Central
Team | No. of likely free agents | Names |
|---|---|---|
Chicago Cubs | 10 | Ryan Brasier, Aaron Civale, Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Carlos Santana, Michael Soroka, Caleb Thielbar, Kyle Tucker, Justin Turner |
Cincinnati Reds | 6 | Miguel Andujar, Austin Hays, Zack Littell, Nick Martinez, Wade Miley, Emilio Pagan |
Milwaukee Brewers | 6 | Erick Fedde, Rhys Hoskins, Danny Jansen, Shelby Miller, Jordan Montgomery, Brandon Woodruff |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 | Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham |
St. Louis Cardinals | 1 | Miles Mikolas |
It's a sign of just how far the Cardinals have fallen they that rank below even the Pirates on this list. Moving on to teams actually trying to compete in the near term: This really underscores just how much it hurt for the Cubs to not even make it out of the NLDS this year, as Kyle Tucker and almost a full bullpen's worth of relievers are now off to free agency. The offensive core remains rock solid, but Jed Hoyer will need to do some serious work to build a competitive pitching staff, especially with Justin Steele set to miss Opening Day after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Andrew Vaughn's emergence makes it even more likely that the Brewers won't pick up Rhys Hoskins' option, and Brandon Woodruff will be sure to at least test the market even if he eventually winds up back in Milwaukee. Cincy, meanwhile, has some crucial decisions to make regarding arguably its two most important relievers last year in Martinez and Pagan, not to mention how to put some more offense around its young rotation.
NL West
Team | No. of likely free agents | Names |
|---|---|---|
San Diego Padres | 8 | Luis Arraez, Dylan Cease, Nestor Cortes, Edwin Diaz, Jose Iglesias, Michael King, Ryan O'Hearn, Robert Suarez |
San Francisco Giants | 5 | Wilmer Flores, Joey Lucchesi, Dom Smith, Max Stassi, Justin Verlander |
Arizona Diamondbacks | 4 | Jalen Beeks, Zac Gallen, James McCann, Trevor Richards |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | Michael Conforto, Michael Kopech, Miguel Rojas, Kirby Yates |
Colorado Rockies | 2 | Orlando Arcia, German Marquez |
Just how all-in were the Padres this season? San Diego will almost certainly pick up Ramon Laureano's option, but they're still set to lose arguably their two best starters in Cease and King in addition to a valuable slugger in O'Hearn and their closer in Suarez. That's a lot of talent without obvious replacement (save for Suarez), and just how much payrol AJ Preller has to work with is an open question as well.
The D-backs only have four free agents, but they also might not have Corbin Burnes for all of 2026 while Lourdes Gurriel is now a lock to pick up his player option after tearing his ACL late in the regular season. Arizona has a good number of holes to fill, starting with Gallen and Kelly in the rotation. (Dodgers fans, meanwhile, will probably view Conforto's departure as addition by subtraction.)