While eight teams remain in the MLB postseason, the rest are watching at home or, in all likelihood, preparing for the offseason and MLB free agency. Free agency doesn't officially start until after the World Series, but players have until then to decide whether to opt in or out of their contracts. For some, that's an easy call, as their contracts have run up. For others with player or mutual options, their choice will depend on advice they get from their agent and industry executives about their valuation.
The players listed below have a head start on everyone else, as they aren't playing in the postseason as of this writing. That doesn't provide a monumental edge, though it does give some clarity on where they stand within the organization. Exit interviews are critical for players when taking the next steps in their careers.
For this exercise, I listed the top-8 (likely) MLB free agents whose teams have already been eliminated from postseason contention. Rather than simply selecting their most likely suitor – which in many cases could be the team they're currently associated with – I made an outside-the-box prediction. It's dark horse season.
Zac Gallen
2025 was a rough season for Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona entered the year as a dark horse contender in the NL West, expected to compete with the likes of the Dodgers and Padres. Despite a late charge in a last-second attempt to catch the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds, the Diamondbacks fell short.
For Gallen personally, the 30-year-old had arguably the worst season of his career in a walk year. Gallen has a Cy Young-caliber resume, but his 2025 stats suggest he should be paid like a middle of the rotation arm at best. Gallen was 13-15 with a 4.83 ERA. He is now three years removed from his 2022 season, in which he finished with a 2.54 ERA and fifth in NL Cy Young voting.
Spotrac still values Gallen at over $18 million per year, but odds are it'll come on a short-term deal this time around. A team like the Baltimore Orioles, which had an abysmal rotation last season and is keen to sign another starter to a short-term contract, make a lot of sense and are currently flying under the radar.
Dark horse fit: Baltimore Orioles
Robert Suarez
Suarez had one of the best years of his career in 2025, finishing with 40 saves and a sub-3 ERA. It's expected Suarez will opt out of his contract and find a job elsewhere this winter, as the Padres bullpen is one of its strengths after adding the likes of Mason Miller at the MLB trade deadline. FanSided's Robert Murray considers Suarez likely to opt out:
"(Suarez) has been one of the more dominant relievers in baseball since joining the Padres, with the right-hander recording a 2.91 ERA in four seasons (206 games). And on the free-agent market, Suarez should attract massive interest on a multi-year contract," Murray wrote.
As for possible suitors, one team remaining in the postseason, the Detroit Tigers jump to mind. Detroit used a closer by committee this season, and given Scott Harris' failure to add a top-end relief pitcher at the deadline, why not do so via free agency? Suarez would be a tremendous fit.
Dark horse fit: Detroit Tigers
Edwin Diaz
If Edwin Diaz opts out of his remaining contract with the Mets, he'll immediately become the most electric closer on the market. While New York certainly has the money to keep Diaz around, David Stearns isn't often in the business of paying top-end relievers. He'll have a big decision to make on Diaz, who had 28 saves and a 1.63 ERA this season.
Diaz hasn't committed to opting out just yet, and there is a chance he'd be forfeiting money to do so. Spotrac predicts Diaz's market value will be over $18 million, while he'd opt out of just a shade over $15 million. Is that worth the risk of a slow market?
If Diaz does opt out, one team to watch is the Atlanta Braves. Yes, those Braves. Raisel Iglesias is just fine, but far too often he gives this fanbase a heart attack. Stealing the Mets best reliever – and one of the top closers in baseball – and adding it to their war chest is all too tempting.
Dark horse fit: Atlanta Braves
Michael King
The Padres and King have a mutual option, but the latter is likely to opt out of his remaining deal which would make him a free agent this winter. King has been one of the more reliable pitchers in baseball the last few years, but due to the market size, he doesn't get nearly enough hype. Don't get it twisted, though, rival executives are all too aware just how talented King is when healthy.
Prior to this season, King had three straight years with a sub-3 ERA and was arguably the most complete starting pitcher on the Padres pitching staff. This season wasn't bad by any means, either, as King had an ERA of 3.44, but in just 15 starts.
A team to watch for King is the San Francisco Giants. Buster Posey hasn't exactly made it a secret that they'll be targeting starting pitching this winter. Posey and Co. should be very familiar with King at this point, and he'd make an excellent fit at the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.
Dark horse fit: San Francisco Giants
Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease has one of the best pitch mixes in baseball and, when he's on, is virtually unhittable. The problem for Cease is that hasn't occurred often enough in 2025, and it couldn't have come at a worse time given the Padres were playoff-bound and he's in a contract year. All that being said, San Diego can't pay everyone and some desperate team is likely to bet on Cease returning to his 2024 form in the near future. That year, Cease had a 3.47 ERA and 224 strikeouts.
Cease is represented by Scott Boras, which makes it all the more likely he'll sign late in the offseason, when there are less starting pitchers available and thus less options for pitching-needy teams. While Cease is from Georgia, the Braves actually don't make a lot of sense for his services given their rotation is a relative strength. A contender that could use Cease, however, is the Cubs.
While Chicago survived the Wild Card Round against these Padres, their rotation depth is lacking. Justin Steele missed most the 2025 season due to injury, and beyond Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon, the Cubs need more high-leverage arms. Cease, a former Cubs prospect, would be a natural fit.
Dark horse fit: Chicago Cubs
Framber Valdez
While intentionally crossing up your catcher isn't recommended when hitting the open market in just a few months, Framber Valdez just might get away with it. The Astros ace is one of the best pitchers in a relatively weak starting pitching market, so he'll get paid one way or another. Houston would like to keep him, but Jim Crane has let enough of his homegrown stars walk over the years. Does he finally see the writing on the wall after Houston missed the postseason?
Valdez had a 3.66 ERA last season, his worst since 2020. He's consistently sub-4 and a top of the rotation starting pitcher. There are plenty of teams in need of that, but if I had to pick one outside the box choice, the Texas Rangers make more sense than you might think. For Valdez, signing with Texas would allow him to avoid state income tax and remain close to the roots he established in Houston.
Dark horse fit: Texas Rangers
Pete Alonso
It took Pete Alonso all of a few minutes into the Mets official media session after missing the postseason to declare his offseason intentions. Alonso will enter free agency, which comes as no surprise to anyone who has watched him all year long. Was the timing suspect? Absolutely, but what's the point in delaying the inevitable.
This time around, Alonso should receive the long-term deal he's been desperately seeking. He had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, with 38 home runs and an OPS of .871. Alonso isn't the best DH on the market – that'd be Kyle Schwarber of the rival Phillies – but he's not far behind. Once Schwarber signs, we should get a good idea of what Alonso's deal will look like.
Speaking of those Phillies, they are (unfortunately for Mets fans) my dark horse fit for Alonso in part because they might lose Schwarber. Phillies fans love Schwarber, and because of that Dave Dombrowski will lead the charge to re-sign him. However, just how valuable is a DH? If the Phillies are unable to match Schwarber's price, look for them to spend some of that money on Alonso, who is a very capable replacement.
Dark horse fit: Philadelphia Phillies
Alex Bregman
Alex Bregman will likely follow in Alonso's footsteps and opt out as well. Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million contract last winter with the Red Sox which included opt outs every season. While Bregman is unlikely to get a deal surpassing $40 million AAV, he should be able to land more flexibility in his next contract. Bregman wants a long-term commitment, and it's unclear if Boston is willing to give it to him. Given they traded Rafael Devers in part because they believed in Bregman at third, it'd be surprising if he walked away.
For the sake of this exercise, the team that makes the most sense for Bregman outside of Boston is the Detroit Tigers, which were finalists for him last year as well. However, we're not playing that game. Instead, a dark horse fit for Bregman could be the Los Angeles Angels.
The Angels are a bad baseball team, but they have Mike Trout at the tail end of his prime and need to do something about it. Arte Moreno is determined to build a winner, even if that's through rash decisions. Signing Bregman, who is over 30, to a long-term deal would fit the mold, and the Angels didn't get much production out of their third basemen last season.