The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of what could be an instant classic World Series. But for 28 other teams and fan bases around the league, it's already time to start looking ahead to the Hot Stove — and dreaming about what could be in 2026.
Because if this season has taught us anything, it's that you never know where the next pennant winner might come from. This time last year, after all, the Blue Jays were reeling after a last-place finish. Now they're playing on the sport's biggest stage. Sometimes all it takes is one offseason, or even one signing, to defy the odds and get over the hump.
So let's use that as inspiration. No matter who wins it all over the next few days, everyone is going to be right back trying to scramble to the top of the mountain next fall, and that journey begins in free agency. Here's one perfect fit that each playoff team should be targeting.
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American League
Toronto Blue Jays: LHP Framber Valdez
The potential departure of Bo Bichette is a painful one, but given just how relentless this lineup has been this season — even while Bichette was on the IL in late September and into October — it's hard to be too worried about Toronto's ability to score runs. And the Jays locking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. up to a long-term extension back in the spring helps provide a foundation for years to come.
The rotation, however, is a far bigger question mark, with Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber all set to hit free agency. Ross Atkins needs to land at least one impact arm this winter, and Valdez should be at the top of the list — especially considering how great a fit his grounder-heavy approach is for one of the best defenses in baseball.
Seattle Mariners: 1B Josh Naylor
If your team just came within three innings of reaching the World Series, you could do a lot worse than running it back. The Mariners' rotation should once again be strong in 2026. Scoring runs will once again be the issue for Jerry Dipoto this offseason, and bringing back Naylor feels vital given how good he was after coming over at the trade deadline. The Mariners have a gaping hole at first base/DH, with Jorge Polanco also hitting the open market, and Naylor would bring some much-needed pop behind Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh. As a first base-only player, too, he shouldn't be out of their price range.
Cleveland Guardians: OF Trent Grisham
Finding a free agent that won't be out of Cleveland's price range, on the other hand, could be a bit trickier. But Grisham might fit the bill: He's coming off a career year, but given his lack of previous production and already-declining athleticism, teams might be reticent to hand him a long-term deal at a significant number.
And if he can be had for relatively cheap, the Guardians need to pounce. This team desperately needs someone who can impact the ball behind Jose Ramirez, and it would help if that someone was an outfielder. Cleveland had a league-worst situation in right field this year, and Grisham would raise that floor considerably. Even if he regresses a bit, the 20-homer power should remain, and that represents a real upgrade.
New York Yankees: OF Kyle Tucker
Some Yankees fans may prefer Cody Bellinger, and you can't blame them based on just how valuable he was in his lone year in the Bronx (well, in the regular season anyway). But come on: Tucker is the significantly better player, a legitimate top-10 hitter in the sport who is an ideal fit for Yankee Stadium's short porch. Stick him in left field, figure out center some other way — Bellinger is far from a guarantee out there on a daily basis anyway — and worry about the money later. You're the Yankees, for goodness' sake, and Tucker is the best player on the market who just happens to play a position of need.
New York's pitching outlook remains rosy despite the injuries to Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt. They need another star who can ensure that another October power outage doesn't happen.
Boston Red Sox: 1B Pete Alonso
The Red Sox have been missing pop ever since they decided to flip one of the best power hitters in the sport to San Francisco, and they can't afford to wait on Triston Casas as he recovers from his knee injury. Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet are too good; the window needs to be right now.
Enter Alonso. He's a perfect fit for Fenway Park, and he's exactly the sort of hitter this lineup could really use, a 40-homer anchor that Anthony, Jarren Duran and others can orbit around. Alex Bregman is already beloved, but Alonso feels like the more acute on-field need.
Detroit Tigers: 3B Alex Bregman
The Tigers, meanwhile, came close to landing Bregman last winter, so we know they're interested. And why wouldn't they be? There's still a glaring hole at third base, and this lineup's lack of depth got brutally exposed in their ALDS loss to the Seattle Mariners. Bregman would boost Detroit both offensively and defensively, all while bringing some crucial veteran leadership to what remains a pretty young team.
National League
Milwaukee Brewers: INF Jorge Polanco
Milwaukee could use a bullpen shakeup as well, but anyone who watched their NLCS sweep at the hands of the Dodgers knows that offense will be job No. 1 for Matt Arnold this offseason. The Brewers are set at most positions, but there's a question mark at first base, with Rhys Hoskins hitting free agency and both Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers coming with some red flags moving forward.
Polanco can slide right in as a 25-homer bat coming off an excellent 2025 season (in a much tougher home park in Seattle), and he also can platoon with Brice Turang or whoever else at second base when necessary. This young, athletic lineup could use a big bopper, and Polanco brings the best power potential on a budget this offseason.
Philadelphia Phillies: OF Cody Bellinger
Tucker is likely the dream of Phillies fans everywhere, but it remains to be seen whether he can fit within the team's budget given the other holes they have to fill. If he can't, Bellinger would be one heck of a consolation prize, an excellent defender and all-around player who brings defensive versatility all around the outfield. And he's among the league's better lefty hitters against left-handed pitching, a nice bonus for a team that faced some thorny platoon questions at various points this past season.
Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Devin Williams
What do you get the team that has everything? I remain skeptical that they're really willing to make a run at Tucker at his price point, and it seems like Max Muncy will probably return at third base. The rotation is set for the long haul, which brings us to the bullpen, a unit that's been L.A.'s Achilles heel all year.
Granted, getting healthy should go along way to solving that problem. But you can never have too much depth, as this team knows well, and some Tanner Scott insurance would be nice moving forward. Williams had an up-and-down year in New York, but he's among the biggest positive regression candidates in the league, which feels right up Andrew Friedman's alley.
Chicago Cubs: RHP Dylan Cease
Even before smoke began rising about Chicago's interest in Cease, the fit made all the sense in the world. The Cubs need to add at least one starter this winter, and Cease would give this rotation something it sorely lacks: a high-velocity, high-strikeout workhorse.
Cease hardly ever gets hurt, which feels important given the question marks around Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele moving forward. And while his 2025 season was disappointing, he still misses bats as well as ever, and it's not hard to see him hitting his Cy Young ceiling again soon.
San Diego Padres: 1B/3B Munetaka Murakami
Money might be a bit tight for the Padres this winter, despite the money they have coming off the books, which had me shying away from putting Kyle Schwarber here. (More on him in a moment.) If San Diego wants to finally catch the rival Dodgers out west, though, they're going to need to find a way to add some power to this lineup: The Padres ranked just 28th in baseball in homers this season, a number that simply isn't good enough.
Enter Murakami, who has red flags in his profile (defensive concerns, a pretty ugly whiff rate) but who also comes with undeniable raw power. The Padres should be the team most willing to take that risk, knowing they can rely on Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and others around him while he launches bombs.
Cincinnati Reds: DH Kyle Schwarber
Will the Reds finally be willing to spend seriously in free agency? That remains to be seen. They absolutely should, though, and they can find the money Schwarber would fit this roster like a glove.
It goes far beyond the hometown hero narrative, although that certainly doesn't hurt. Cincy struggled for power this season despite an extremely hitter-friendly home park, and Schwarber would slot in nicely while finally stabilizing a DH spot that Christian Encarnacion-Strand hasn't been able to claim as his own. With all their young pitching, the Reds are one big bat away from making some serious noise.