February 2026

There were 1,487 posts published in February 2026 (this is page 142 of 149).

Fact or Fiction: LeBron James belongs in the All-Star Game

Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.

Last week: The Lakers can build a champion around Luka Dončić’s defense

In what has become somewhatof an annualtradition, we are here to discuss The Biggest Snub of the NBA’s All-Star Game. Past winners include Jamal Murray, who finally received his call for the first time this season, as the league announced its 14 reserves on Sunday.

The rosters in alphabetical order (starters in bold) …

EASTERN CONFERENCE:Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks; Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors; Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics; Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks; Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons; Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons; Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks; Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers; Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers; Norman Powell, Miami Heat; Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers; Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE: Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers; Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns; Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors; Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers; Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets; Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder; Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder; LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers; Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets; Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets; Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs.

As always, Rule No. 1 about picking The Biggest Snub: We have to remove someone.

There are only 24 spots — at least until NBA commissioner Adam Silver selects a replacement for the injured Antetokounmpo and balances the U.S. and World rosters (do not even get me started) — so if we add someone, we have to remove another player.

One name sticks out to me on this list, and it might cause a bit of a stir: LeBron James.

LeBron James will make his 22nd All-Star appearance after being named as a reserve on Sunday. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Scott Taetsch via Getty Images

James is one of the few greatest players in the history of the game. He is unquestionably the greatest 41-year-old ever to play basketball. Maybe he deserves the spot just for that.

In fact, Silver once rewarded Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki with All-Star appearances in the final years of their careers, and I figured they would do the same for James this year. Not that I agreed with that, either. And maybe I am just a hater, but to me: You should want to earn your spot on the roster. Not have it given to you. (We’ll have more on that later.)

But no: James made it on his own. Or, at least, he did according to the league’s coaches, whose votes selected seven reserves from each conference on the debut of Sunday Night Basketball on NBC. A blend of fan, player and media votes decided the 10 starters.

Listen, I would get it if the fans voted for James. (He finished eighth in fan voting.)

I would get it if the players voted for James. (He finished eighth in player voting.)

The man is a living legend.

But this was up to the coaches, and to them it should have been about who earned it on the basketball court, right? I could only imagine that James would want it that way, too.

You always want to earn your spot.

And in no world has James been a better player this season than Kawhi Leonard. One of them is averaging a 22-6-7 on 50/33/75 shooting splits over 30 games. The other is posting a nightly 28-6-4 on 50/40/94 shooting splits over 34 games. I will give you one guess which.

It is Leonard who has the superior numbers. Not only is he on pace to join the 50-40-90 club, the 34-year-old is leading the NBA in free-throw percentage and steals per game (2.1).

James, meanwhile, is statistically one of the slowest and weakest defenders in the league.

Maybe you think Leonard does not deserve the spot because of the Aspiration scandal. Last time I checked the league had not made a ruling on whether Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, as alleged, circumvented the salary cap to sign Leonard. Even if the league had made that ruling, it is the Clippers who should be punished, not necessarily Leonard. (If Aspiration wants to pay me $50 million for a no-show job, I am not entirely against it.)

Or maybe you think Leonard does not deserve his spot in the All-Star Game because his Los Angeles Clippers are 22-25, 10th place in the West, clinging to the conference’s final play-in tournament berth. Never mind the fact that they are 16-4 in their last 20 games and own the same net rating (-0.2) on the season as James’ sixth-place Los Angeles Lakers.

Leonard is The Biggest Snub. No question about it. He may be among the biggest All-Star snubs in NBA history, according to Player Efficiency Rating (27.2). He is among the league’s leaders in every major advanced statistical category, including Estimated Plus-Minus.

Even if I were to grant you that Leonard should be disqualified for the Aspiration stuff, or the Clippers’ record, there is at least one other player, if not several, who deserves the spot over James. One immediately springs to mind: The Houston Rockets’ Alperen Şengün.

Şengün is averaging a 21-9-6 on 50/30/68 shooting splits — comparable numbers to James, only he is doing it for an actual contender (who happens to be missing its starting point guard, Fred VanVleet, and a starting/reserve center, Steven Adams). When Şengün is on the floor, the Rockets outscore opponents by 5.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass, operating like a top-three offense and a middling defense.

When Leonard is on the floor, the Clippers are outscoring opponents by 3.9 points per 100 non-garbage possessions, likewise operating like a top-four offense and a middling defense.

Conversely, when James is on the floor, the Lakers have been outscored by 1.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions, operating like a top-10 offense and a bottom-five defense.

Point is …

Determination: Fiction. LeBron James does not belong in the All-Star Game. Not as a coaches’ pick. Maybe as a commissioner’s pick. Even then, he no-showed last year’s game. Make that his honorary appearance if we must give out participation All-Star nominations.

Knicks reel off 6th straight win, beat Lakers in what might be LeBron James’ final game at Madison Square Garden

LeBron James will walk away with a loss from what could be his final NBA game at Madison Square Garden. 

Buoyed by an 18-point first half from Luka Dončić, the Los Angeles Lakers opened up a 56-52 halftime lead over the host New York Knicks on Sunday night. But a 13-5 Knicks run to close the third quarter turned a tie game into a 90-82 lead that New York never relinquished en route to a 112-100 win. 

The Knicks rode an 18-of-42 (43%) night from 3 and a balanced offensive effort in which six players scored in double figures and three players scored 20-plus to secure the win. The victory was New York’s sixth straight following a 2-9 stretch that raised alarms in New York and reportedly prompted a players-only meeting spearheaded by team captain Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks are now 31-18 and in a second-place tie in the East with the Boston Celtics, behind the first-place Detroit Pistons. And the noise surrounding their January swoon has dissipated.

The win for the Knicks spoiled what might have been James’ final game in one of basketball’s most iconic arenas. If so, James put up a strong effort with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. He posted one of the highlights of his season with an alley-oop dunk in traffic to extend a Lakers lead early in the third quarter.

But it wasn’t enough to fend off a Knicks team that’s returned to form from an 11-game slump.

James, 41, hasn’t announced whether he’ll retire at the conclusion of this season. But there’s speculation that this might be his last. If so, he’s in the midst of an Eastern Conference swing that could represent his final game in opposing arenas. 

[Get more Lakers news: Los Angeles team feed]

He wiped away tears last week amidst a standing ovation and tribute video in Cleveland from a Cavaliers team with which he played 11 combined seasons and led to its first and only NBA championship in 2016.

There was no such tribute from the longtime rival Knicks on Sunday. 

But the sense that this could be James’ final moment on one of basketball’s biggest stages was unavoidable. The game was scheduled for one of the biggest time slots of the regular season as NBC reclaimed its longtime Sunday territory for the first time since returning to NBA coverage this season. And tickets were in high demand for James’ potential final game at MSG.

LeBron James may have played his final game at Madison Square Garden.
Ishika Samant via Getty Images

If so, Knicks fans got their money’s worth. They got a good show from James, but a better one from their Knicks in a victory. OG Anunoby (25 points, 8 rebounds), Josh Hart (20 points, 4 rebounds) and Landry Shamet (23 points, 6 of 10 from 3) each scored 20 points or more.

All-Star Jalen Brunson made up for a cold shooting night (4 of 15) with one of his best nights of the season as a distributor while tallying 12 points and 13 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns, who learned before tip that he’s also an All-Star, likewise found other ways to contribute on an off scoring night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. 

Dončić led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists while shooting 5 of 14 from 3. But he was the only Laker to hit more than 2 3s on a night when they shot 12 of 42 (29%), failing to keep up with New York’s hot shooting. 

The Knicks also controlled the boards with a 47-36 rebounding advantage. New York will visit the Washington Wizards on Tuesday before returning home for another high-profile Western Conference matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. 

The Lakers will conclude an eight-game road swing with a Tuesday game against the Brooklyn Nets before returning home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. 

Luka Dončić trade timeline: The shocking Lakers-Mavericks deal, Nico Harrison’s firing and everything in between

It was just one year ago Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most shocking moves in NBA history. Here’s a timeline of the Dallas Mavericks’ misery after making it to the NBA Finals only 20 months ago.

Dallas advanced to face the Boston Celtics in its first trip to the NBA Finals since winning it all in 2011, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. Dončić, who finished Game 5 of the West finals with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting with 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals, was named MVP of the series after averaging 32.4 points across five games.

The Mavericks would fall to the Celtics in the Finals in five games.

Klay Thompson, a key contributor to the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, agreed to a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks, who sent two second-round draft picks, one in 2025 and another in 2031, to Golden State as part of the sign-and-trade deal. The 35-year-old was moved to the bench during the 2025-26 season after a slow start. 

The Mavericks star left the team’s 105-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half on Christmas Day due to a left calf injury — an injury that would sideline Dončić for more than a month.

In perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history, Dallas sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round draft pick in a three-team deal that also included the Jazz.

Following the news of the trade, which broke after midnight on the East Coast, Mavs GM Nico Harrison told ESPN: “I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”

At the introductory news conference for Dončić, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka thanked Nico Harrison for trading Dončić to Los Angeles, calling it “a gift.” 

Dončić, who still looked stunned two days after the trade, said he would “take the high road” in response to comments made about him from the Mavericks after the trade was made.

Ahead of Dallas’ first home game after the trade, Mavericks fans protested outside of American Airlines Center. Some signs called for Nico Harrison to be fired. Other fans called for the team to be sold.

In his first game with the Mavericks, Davis was impressive, totaling 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in only 31 minutes. But, in the third quarter, he exited the game with a lower-body injury. After the game, Davis told reporters that it was “nothing serious.” But the next day it was reported that Davis had suffered an adductor strain and would miss weeks.

In his first public comments about the trade in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, Dumont cited “character” and “culture” as reasons for the trade. Dumont also said, “If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — [Michael] Jordan, [Larry] Bird, Kobe, Shaq [O’Neal] — they worked really hard, every day, with a singular focus to win. And if you don’t have that, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of the Dallas Mavericks.”

Dončić made his Lakers debut against the Jazz, draining his first points with the Lakers on a 3-pointer from the top of the key just a few minutes into the contest. Dončić finished with 14 points in a 132-113 win. He added five rebounds and four assists in what was his first game back after the calf injury he suffered on Christmas.

Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double against his former team. (AP Foto/Mark J. Terrill)
ASSOCIATED PRESS

During a home game against the Sacramento Kings, Mavericks fans were ejected from their seats at American Airlines Center after calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison. A fan drew the attention of the video board’s producers during a karaoke segment. But instead of singing along, he appeared to mouth the words “Fire Nico.” Another video showed what appeared to be the same fan and his neighbor holding up signs that distinctly read: “Fire Nico.” They were escorted out of the arena by security.

At the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, the trade was still the talk of the league, even among the stars. “Two weeks later, it’s still the craziest trade I’ve ever seen,” said the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.

At Adam Silver’s news conference, the commissioner also addressed the trade and concern about the Mavericks’ future in Dallas. “Whether or not history will judge this as a smart trade, they did what they thought was in the best interest of the organization,” said Silver. “I have absolutely no knowledge or belief that there were any ulterior motives. There is no doubt in my mind that the Dumont and Adelson families bought that team to keep it in Dallas. I have no doubt whatsoever that they are committed to the long-term future there.”

During an appearance at 96.7 The Ticket’s Ticketstock event, Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki shared his reaction upon first hearing that Dončić had been traded. He also discussed what it was like seeing Luka in a Lakers uniform: “I’ll never be a Lakers fan, but I must always be a Luka fan.”

Dončić reunited with the Mavericks and recorded his first triple-double as a member of the Lakers in a 107-99 win against his old team. He finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting with 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks. After the game, Doncic said: “I am just glad it’s over.”

The team announced it was raising ticket prices for next season, citing “ongoing investments in the team.” The price hike resulted in an average overall price increase of 8.61%, WFAA reported. As expected, season ticket-holders were not happy about the increase.

Mavericks star Kyrie Irving missed the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee. Irving went down early in the team’s 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Irving was driving to the hoop late in the first quarter at American Airlines Center when his left knee bent awkwardly as he attempted a layup. 

At a speaking engagement a month earlier, Dumont explained the Luka Dončić trade was about the “future” and creating the “most competitive team.”

Dumont was a guest at the Real Estate Council’s Bank of Texas Speaker Series on Feb. 13 and discussed business matters as well as the trade.

Dončić both cried and conquered in his return to Dallas, beginning the game with remnants of tears in his eyes before leading his new team to a 112-97 win.

Dončić had 31 points at halftime before stepping off the gas a bit, eventually finishing with 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. The win officially clinched a playoff spot for Los Angeles.

The Mavericks would eventually be eliminated in the play-in tournament.

The Mavericks overcame the fourth-longest odds of 14 lottery participants and a 1.8% chance to secure the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. The long-shot win capped a tumultuous season in which the Mavericks’ fan base turned on its beloved franchise after Harrison orchestrated the Dončić deal that’s been widely lambasted as one of the worst in the history of sports.

Irving declined his $43 million player option for 2025-26 with the intention of signing a new three-year, $119 million deal with the franchise. Irving, who underwent surgery in March for his torn left ACL, has not yet played in ’25-26.

The Mavericks took Flagg with the No. 1 pick. “It’s really amazing,” Flagg told ESPN after being drafted. “It’s a dream come true, to be honest. I wouldn’t want to share it with anybody else.”

At Flagg’s introductory news conference, Harrison famously said: “I think the fans can finally start to see the vision.”

The Mavericks struck a two-year, $13 million deal with Russell, as a temporary replacement for Irving. Russell, who has bounced around a lot in recent years, is averaging just 19 minutes per game during the 2025-26 season.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft posted 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting with 10 rebounds and three turnovers against the San Antonio Spurs in his first true taste of NBA action.

Flagg got out to a slow start this season, as he was forced to play point guard to open the season. The experiment didn’t work. The Mavericks posted one of the worst offenses in the game, and Flagg was quickly moved off the position to play into his strengths.

Davis left Dallas’ game against the Indiana Pacers with what the team described as “left lower leg soreness” and did not return. He would miss 14 games.

Davis is currently sidelined with a left-hand injury that he suffered on Jan. 8. He is expected to miss around six weeks. 

Mavericks fans had had it. Monday night marked a new low in the Nico Harrison saga as fans in Dallas revived the “Fire Nico” chant during a home game the Mavericks still had a chance to win.

With 1.2 seconds remaining against the Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was fouled on a 3-point shot as Milwaukee held a 116-113 lead. When he got to the line with a chance to tie the game with three free throws, Mavericks fans focused their energy not on the outcome of the game, but on their disdain for the Dallas general manager who traded Dončić.

Harrison’s tenure as Dallas’ general manager came to an end, with the franchise naming former Mavs star Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as his replacements in the interim — and attempting to finally move on.

MLB free agency top 50: Who’s left after Kyle Tucker signs with Dodgers and Bo Bichette heads to Mets?

With less than a month to go before spring training begins in Arizona and Florida, the final flurry of free-agent activity is underway.

The hitting market has begun to take shape, with star outfielder Kyle Tucker reaching a deal with the Dodgers, Bo Bichette joining the Mets, Alex Bregman landing with the Cubs, Cody Bellinger returning to the Yankees, and Pete Alonso (Orioles) and Kyle Schwarber (Phillies) also finding the big paydays they were looking for.

Earlier in the winter, the reliever market heated up first, with Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams and other top arms landing big contracts with new teams. Dylan Cease signed a megadeal with the Blue Jays before Thanksgiving, but the starting pitcher market has been relatively quiet besides Tatsuya Imai landing with the Astros and Ranger Suarez joining the Red Sox. Four players accepted qualifying offers: Trent Grisham (Yankees), Shota Imanaga (Cubs), Gleyber Torres (Tigers) and Brandon Woodruff (Brewers). And the NPB posting windows reached their end, with Munetaka Murakami, Imai and Kazuma Okamoto finding their MLB homes.

There’s still some offseason business yet to be done. Here’s our ranking of the 2025-26 free-agent class.

Note: An asterisk indicates a player received a qualifying offer. Ages listed are for the 2026 season (age on June 30, 2026). You can find a full list of free agents here.

UPDATE: Tucker and the Dodgers agreed on a 4-year, $240 million deal.

Tucker was the consensus No. 1 player in this free-agent class and commanded a massive contract to back it up. That’s a product of his age — he doesn’t turn 29 until January — and long track record of offensive impact. Since 2020, Tucker’s first full MLB season, he is one of just six hitters to post an OPS above .800 every year. The others are all well-paid superstars: Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, José Ramírez and Juan Soto. Based solely on the bat, Tucker undoubtedly belongs in that group. Hitters like this don’t hit the open market often, and when they do, they make a killing.

That said, the low-talking Floridian reached free agency after an oddly paced walk year with the Cubs. Tucker was dealt from Houston, where he’d spent his entire career, to Chicago in a blockbuster deal last offseason. He got off to a scorching start with the Cubs, was named an All-Star starter and looked like a legit MVP candidate. As late as June 28, he sported a .933 OPS.

Then things got weird. Tucker’s power production cratered in July and August, as he managed just four homers across 211 plate appearances. It turned out he was playing through a hairline fracture in his hand for most of the summer. Just as he appeared to be shifting back into gear, he suffered a calf strain that kept him sidelined until the final week of the regular season.

It marked the second straight year that Tucker was significantly limited by injuries, but that didn’t prevent him from landing a massive payday with L.A. Tucker also tends to employ a more laid-back pregame routine that prioritizes preserving energy. That less-is-more approach has helped him ascend to All-Star status, but it raises a few concerns around the league about how he might age and how he’ll adapt if his body starts to need more maintenance. Signs of that physical decline have popped up in Tucker’s sprint speed and defensive metrics, areas in which his skills have dwindled precipitously over the past few seasons.

Then again, that’s probably much too nitpicky. The Dodgers will be happy to have Tucker rake in the middle of their already loaded lineup. His sauceless personality, injury concerns and defensive limitations made his sweepstakes less of a frenzy than Soto’s were last winter. But don’t get it twisted: This dude is a big prize.

UPDATE: Bregman and the Cubs agreed on a 5-year, $175 million deal.

A free agent last winter, Bregman ended up in Boston on a three-year, $120 million deal with opt-outs after each season. And after a productive season at Fenway, he reentered the market. A quad issue robbed him of two months over the summer and intensified concerns about Bregman’s gradually deteriorating lower half, but the offensive profile remains incredibly strong. From a swing-decision standpoint, he’s about as good as anybody in the sport. And while the contact quality has dropped off since his MVP contender days, it’s more than good enough to make this version of Bregman an All-Star-level player. Plus, Bregman was heralded for his influence on Boston’s bevy of young players. The Cubs finally spent like a big-market team to add his bat to their lineup and his impact in their clubhouse.

UPDATE: Schwarber and the Phillies agreed on a 5-year, $150 million deal.

What a season it was for one of the best true power bats of his generation: 56 home runs, 132 RBI and a .928 OPS. Sure, Schwarber is a flawed player — he’s limited to DH, strikes out a ton, doesn’t offer much on the bases and turns 33 in March — but it’s not worth overthinking this. The guy went deep 56 times. People don’t do that too often. For what it’s worth, Schwarber is also regarded as one of the few game-changing locker room presences in the sport. The Phils were front-runners to retain Schwarber’s services and ultimately got it done.

UPDATE: Bichette and the Mets agreed on a 3-year, $126 million deal.

A knee sprain kept Bichette on the shelf from early September to the World Series, for which he came back and batted .348. Late-season injury woes aside, 2025 was an extremely successful campaign for the sweet-swinging shortstop. Bichette rebounded from a disastrous 2024 to post numbers more in line with his career norms, swatting 18 homers to go with a .311 batting average that ranked second in baseball. 

Let’s get the elephant out of the way: Bichette is a bad shortstop. Last season, he ranked as the game’s worst every-day glove at the infield’s most important spot. A prudent team would probably move him to second or third, but Bichette probably wants to stick at short. His defensive inadequacies don’t overwhelm the value of his bat — this dude rakes — but it adds a wart to the profile.

Still, Bichette’s track record of performance and his age made him well worth it for the Mets at $126 million. That he managed to return to Toronto’s lineup for the World Series despite not being 100 percent and contributed multiple meaningful hits, including his jaw-dropping blast off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7, lent further credence to his toughness and talent. Optimistically, he should have at least a half-decade of prime left; he’ll spend the first three years of that in Queens.

UPDATE: Alonso and the Orioles agreed on a 5-year, $155 million deal.

Last winter, the Polar Bear and the only club he’d ever known engaged in a protracted stare-down that included a public besmirching from Mets owner Steve Cohen. In the end, Alonso’s market never materialized, and he returned to Queens on a lucrative, two-year deal with an opt-out that everyone expected him to exercise.

Unsurprisingly, that’s what happened after Alonso posted an OPS nearly 100 points higher than his 2024 total. The underlying numbers also rebounded, particularly his average exit velocities and his optimal launch angle percentages. Was that enough to reorient his value as a free agent and earn him the longer-term pact he was looking for a year ago? The Orioles answered with a resounding yes.

Alonso remains a horrid defender at first and a real liability on the bases. Still, he’s generally underrated, the type of needle-moving bat that would make every roster — including Baltimore’s — significantly better.

UPDATE: Murakami and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a 2-year, $34 million deal.

An unbridled force-of-nature at the plate since he became an every-day player in NPB at age 19, Murakami entered the posting system after seven seasons of legendary slugging in Japan. In 2022, Murakami made history by smashing 56 home runs in 141 games, an NPB record that stands as the most in a single season by a Japanese-born player. Having set an unthinkable standard of Barry Bonds-esque dominance in that 2022 season, with a mind-blowing 225 wRC+, Murakami’s merely outstanding encores in 2023 (31 HR, 150 wRC+) and 2024 (33 HR, 155 wRC+) were viewed as minor disappointments, despite still ranking as some of the best offensive seasons in the league.

The spotlight grew brighter in 2025, as a potential move to MLB came into focus, but an oblique injury cost Murakami multiple months, shrinking the opportunities to scout him. Yet even in an abbreviated sample, Murakami put on a show, nearly returning to his 2022 power peak with a ridiculous .663 SLG% and a whopping 22 home runs in 56 games.

So what’s the catch? Why isn’t this left-handed slugger with prodigious power ranked closer to Tucker on this list? It’s simple: Murakami strikes out a lot. His 29% K rate over the past three seasons is exceptionally high relative to his NPB peers, and while that number might not stand out in MLB right now, it’s difficult for teams to be optimistic that he’s going to make more contact against superior arms stateside. If anything, the concern is that the opposite could occur, with the whiffs piling up to the point that Murakami’s power production is undermined, and he becomes a flawed slugger with volatile ups and downs, a la Joey Gallo. 

It’s also entirely realistic to suggest that Murakami is young and talented enough to make the necessary adjustments to become a classic, power-and-patience superstar in the mold of Matt Olson or Max Muncy, with the high volume of walks and homers compensating for the sky-high strikeout totals. That Murakami is not considered especially likely to stick at third base adds even more pressure on his bat to live up to the hype in Chicago. His issues making contact likely spooked some teams in free agency, negating the upside of his youth and nearly unrivaled NPB résumé. As it turned out, there wasn’t a significant bidding war for his services, giving the White Sox an opportunity at a bargain in their rebuild.

UPDATE: Bellinger and the Yankees agreed on a 5-year, $162.5 million deal.

No matter how you slice it, glassy-eyed Cody was the second-best position player on the 2025 Yankees behind Aaron Judge. After the Cubs essentially contract-dumped him for nothing last winter, Bellinger responded with his best all-around season since his 2019 MVP campaign. His offensive profile has changed quite a bit since then, but this version of Bellinger — allergic to strikeouts, hitting the ball in the air to the pull side just enough — is a really valuable player.

Add his superb defense in an outfield corner and his relative youth, and you’ve got a legitimate second or third option on a World Series team. Bellinger enjoyed his year in pinstripes, and the Yankees loved what he brought to the table. A reunion always made a lot of sense, and the two sides got it done, but this new deal with the Yanks does put pressure on Bellinger’s ability to play center field, where he’s more average than great at this point.

You could make a strong argument that Valdez belongs in a category all his own, above this other group of arms. The dreadlocked lefty finished top-10 in Cy Young voting in 2022, ‘23 and ‘24. He’s also incredibly durable, as one of just two pitchers to toss at least 175 innings in each of the past four seasons (Logan Webb is the other). Then there’s the October experience: Valdez has 16 career postseason outings. The point is Valdez has been one of the more valuable starting pitchers of this decade. And while his numbers took a half-step back in 2025, he still boasted an elite groundball rate and kept hitters from squaring up the ball.

Valdez’s bizarre interaction with catcher Cesar Salazar in early September, in which Valdez appeared to purposefully cross-up Salazar with a fastball, amplified some previously held concerns about Valdez’s conduct as a teammate. That incident won’t tank his free agency, far from it, but it’s a data point worth noting.

UPDATE: Suárez and the Red Sox agreed on a 5-year, $130 million deal.

Ranger’s sinker — his most used offering — averages a frosty 90.1 mph, firmly in the bottom 10% league-wide in velocity. Yet Suárez gets outs. A lot of ‘em. After missing the start of the year due to a back issue, the Venezuelan southpaw posted the best numbers of his career, finishing with a 3.20 ERA and just below a strikeout per inning. His postseason track record is notably robust, with a 1.48 ERA across 42 2/3 career innings. Do you feel excited about him starting Game 1 of a playoff series? Probably not. But Game 2 or 3? Definitely. There are some concerns about how he’ll age, particularly if the fastball velocity dips under 90 mph, as there simply aren’t many guys throwing this soft who get outs. But Suárez has been doing this schtick for a few years now, and the Red Sox felt good enough about it to add him on a nine-figure deal.

UPDATE: Cease and the Blue Jays agreed on a 7-year, $210 million deal.

Unlike the southpaw groundball specialists such as Valdez or Suárez fronting their rotations, Cease represents an appealing alternative at the top of the starting pitching market. And a Toronto team fresh off a World Series appearance liked what it saw. While his run-prevention skills have fluctuated more in recent seasons than the two lefties in this tier, Cease has been one of the game’s premier strikeout artists for his entire career, thanks to a tremendous fastball-slider combo. His bouts of ineffectiveness are the product of too many walks and far more hard contact surrendered than you’d expect for someone with Cease’s swing-and-miss stuff, but Cease has been worth at least 3.0 fWAR for five consecutive seasons. 

That consistency is rooted in nearly unrivaled durability: Cease leads all MLB pitchers in starts over the past five years and has never been on the injured list due to an arm injury. Pitcher health is fickle, of course, so there’s no guarantee Cease will remain uninjured for the duration of his Blue Jays contract; it’s also possible some teams viewed the mileage on his arm as problematic. But Toronto saw that longstanding reliability as worthy of committing heavily to him in free agency, and Cease’s demonstrated peaks — including top-four Cy Young finishes in 2022 and ‘24 — likely helped his cause.

(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports

UPDATE: Díaz and the Dodgers agreed on a 3-year, $69 million deal.

The Mets’ embarrassing collapse does not fall on Díaz’s shoulders, as the lanky Puerto Rican was brilliant once again this year. Now that Emmanuel Clase has effectively been banished for his gambling-related malfeasance, there’s a strong argument that Díaz is the undisputed best reliever in the game. After a catastrophic leg injury during the World Baseball Classic robbed him of his entire 2023 season, Díaz is, amazingly, all the way back to his rip-roaring best.

That’s why, despite having two years and $37 million left on his deal, Díaz opted out to become a free agent. A reunion with the Mets remained likely, but there was no reason for Eddie-D not to try to squeeze out every last dollar that he has earned over the past few years, and the Dodgers were willing to pay Díaz like the elite closer he is.

It has been a troubling and confounding decline for Gallen since his third-place NL Cy Young finish in 2023. His first-half struggles in the final year of his Snakes contract were bad enough that no team was willing to meet the price to trade for him in July, despite the right-hander’s widely reported availability, and considering his 5.60 ERA at the deadline, it was tough to blame them. 

Funnily enough, once the trade rumors were behind him and Gallen knew he was going to remain a D-back for the rest of the season, he started to pitch much better, posting a 3.32 ERA in 65 innings over his final 11 outings and restoring some optimism that he could warrant a sizable payday in free agency. It’s not like Gallen’s stuff and velocity are markedly different than during his peak, but regression with his command has caused all five of his pitches to perform worse, a trend that will need to be corrected if he is to reestablish himself as a quality starter whom teams are excited to have on the mound in important games.

UPDATE: Okamoto and the Blue Jays agreed on a 4-year, $60 million deal.

A franchise staple for one of the most prominent organizations in NPB, the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants, Okamoto’s prospects of coming to MLB had long been clouded by Yomiuri’s longstanding reluctance to post its players. But Yomiuri will honor Okamoto’s desire to make the jump to the big leagues now, enabling the team to receive some financial compensation for his departure, rather than likely watching him leave for nothing after the 2026 season, when he’d reach the requisite nine years of NPB service to become an unrestricted international free agent. 

Okamoto has been one of the best hitters in Japan for a while — he homered against Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship — but he leveled up in a meaningful way in 2025. Although he missed two-plus months in the middle of the season due to a left elbow injury, Okamoto was tremendously productive at the plate when healthy.

He hit .327/.416/.598 with 15 HR in 293 plate appearances across 69 games, good for an astonishing 214 wRC+ that ranked first among NPB hitters with at least 200 plate appearances — yes, even ahead of Murakami (208 wRC+). Okamoto’s 11.3% strikeout rate and 90% in-zone contact rate were both career-best marks, and he is exceptionally adept at pulling the ball in the air, enabling his power to manifest regularly in games. 

He’s also a better bet to stick at third base long-term than Murakami, and he has experience at first base and in left field, offering several paths for him to fit on the Blue Jays’ roster. He’s four years older, right-handed and doesn’t possess quite the eye-popping raw power of Murakami, but it’s entirely reasonable to suggest that Okamoto is more likely to succeed in MLB right away and possibly in the long term as well.

UPDATE: Imai and the Astros agreed on a 3-year, $54 million deal.

Joining Murakami and Okamoto in this winter’s class of Japanese stars making the jump to MLB is Imai, who was posted by the Seibu Lions following a monster season in which he led all NPB starters in WHIP (0.89) and strikeout rate (27.8%) while posting a 1.92 ERA in 163 ⅔ innings. Relative to nearly every other NPB pitcher who has come to MLB in recent years, Imai’s pitch mix is notably more shallow — for now, anyway. His 95-mph four-seam fastball (48%) and 86-mph slider (33%) accounted for more than three-quarters of his pitches thrown in 2025, with the changeup (9%), splitter (5%) and sinker (4%) usage lagging behind. 

That’s not to say there aren’t successful MLB starters deploying a heavy dose of heaters and sliders — Cease, Hunter Greene, and Spencer Strider say hello — but it remains to be seen if Imai’s stuff is good enough at present for him to follow suit or if his arsenal will need adjusting once he arrives stateside. Age is on Imai’s side — he doesn’t turn 28 until May — but there are enough questions that the financial outlay is closer to what Kodai Senga got than Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Also of note: While Murakami is represented by Casey Close of Excel Sports Management (the same agency that represents Kyle Tucker and Kyle Schwarber), Imai and Okamoto are Scott Boras clients.

UPDATE: Naylor and the Mariners agreed on a 5-year, $92.5 million deal.

Traded by Cleveland last winter after his first All-Star appearance, Naylor raked for the D-backs before being dealt to Seattle at the deadline and becoming a key contributor during the Mariners’ postseason run. Don’t be fooled by his burly build and high-effort hacks into thinking that Naylor is a one-dimensional slugger; there’s a lot more finesse to his game than meets the eye.

That was most evident in his shocking success stealing bases in 2025, despite his third percentile sprint speed, but it’s also relevant in the batter’s box, where Naylor’s excellent contact ability keeps his strikeout totals low while enabling his power to play to all fields and against various pitch types. He has also turned himself into a rock-solid defender at first base. It appears Naylor’s relative youth and positive recent trajectory helped land him a deal longer than the three-year, $60 million contract Christian Walker secured last offseason as one of free agency’s top available first basemen. By getting Naylor into that fifth year, the Mariners got a manageable $18.5 million AAV.

UPDATE: Grisham accepted the one-year qualifying offer from the Yankees at $22.025 million.

Arguably no player climbed these rankings more dramatically over the course of the season than Grisham, who exploded into relevance as a key member of the Yankees’ position-player group after being a virtual afterthought in his first season in the Bronx. To wit: Despite being on the roster for the entire season and every round of the postseason during New York’s run to the World Series in 2024, Grisham appeared in just 76 regular-season games and zero in October. 

This year, Grisham’s 581 plate appearances marked a career high and ranked fourth on the team. Center fielders with Grisham’s power (34 HR) and patience (14.1% walk rate) are rare, and that he’s still just 29. It’s possible some teams viewed him in a fairly skeptical light, considering his timely career year follows a much longer major-league track record of mediocrity, but there are real skills to be excited about here for the Yankees.

UPDATE: Torres accepted the one-year qualifying offer from the Tigers at $22.025 million.

Torres hit free agency last winter as one of the youngest position players available but ultimately settled for a one-year deal with Detroit, with hopes of bolstering his value with a stronger 2025 showing than in his last hurrah as a Yankee. He generally succeeded, exhibiting elite plate discipline while improving both his hard-hit and barrel rates. He was especially terrific early on for the Tigers (.284/.386/.437 in 72 games through the end of June) but notably faded as the season went on, a decline perhaps explained by a hernia Torres revealed he was playing through after Detroit’s season ended in October.

He underwent surgery to address the issue, and that rehab is not projected to impact his availability to start 2026. Although his defense continues to rate as comfortably below-average, Torres gives an offensive boost at the keystone for Detroit.

UPDATE: Polanco and the Mets agreed on a 2-year, $40 million deal.

Polanco entered free agency a year ago on a decidedly dour note, having just endured the worst campaign of his career in his first year as a Mariner before undergoing knee surgery at the outset of the offseason. Even still, Polanco’s longstanding track record of production before his injury-marred 2024 earned him a spot toward the end of our free-agent rankings, with the idea that a bounce-back could be in store if he could get healthy. 

After staying in Seattle on a one-year deal, Polanco did exactly that, turning in an excellent regular season at the plate (26 HR, 132 wRC+) and delivering several of Seattle’s biggest swings during its run to Game 7 of the ALCS. That strong showing was enough to garner a multiyear deal from the Mets for Polanco in his second trip to the open market. Still, he is a poor defender with a troubling injury history, an indicator of why the deal was relatively short.

UPDATE: King and the San Diego Padres agreed on a 3-year, $75 million deal.

A breakout 2024 had King primed for a massive platform year in 2025, and his first 10 starts of the season (2.59 ERA in 55 ⅔ innings) suggested he was firmly on track to pitch his way into the top tier of free-agent starters. Then a shoulder injury put him on the shelf for all of June and July, and a left knee injury derailed him shortly after he returned to the mound in August. King was healthy enough to make four September starts and a one-inning relief appearance in the wild-card series, but with just one fully healthy season as a major-league starting pitcher on his résumé (2024), his durability remains a considerable red flag for the Padres, who nonetheless decided to keep him around.

UPDATE: Imanaga accepted the one-year qualifying offer from the Cubs at $22.025 million.

The complex, four-year contract Imanaga signed with the Cubs two years ago featured a crucial decision point following the 2025 season, when Chicago could opt to guarantee Imanaga three more seasons at $57 million or decline to do so, instead affording Imanaga the opportunity to exercise a $15 million player option for 2026. On Nov. 4, Chicago declined to extend Imanaga for three more years, and Imanaga then declined his own one-year option, briefly adding him to the intriguing pool of free-agent starting pitchers before he accepted his QO.

Brilliant as a 30-year-old rookie in 2024, Imanaga regressed in his second major-league season in terms of both durability and effectiveness, missing several starts due to a hamstring strain midsummer and seeing his ERA rise from 2.91 to 3.73. While Imanaga remains an elite strike-thrower who doesn’t allow a boatload of baserunners — his WHIP actually improved in his second season — he’s troublingly susceptible to opponents’ slugging, with a 1.93 HR/9 that ranked second-highest among pitchers with at least 100 innings thrown in 2025. That bugaboo proved costly in the postseason, when he surrendered two key long balls against Milwaukee in NLDS Game 2.

It’s an imperfect profile, but there is still a lot to like about what Imanaga brings on and off the field for the Cubs.

Giolito was one of baseball’s most durable starting pitchers until elbow surgery wiped out the entirety of his first year with the Red Sox in 2024. He bounced back with a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings in 2025 but finished the year on a sour note when he reported elbow discomfort that made him unavailable for Boston’s wild-card series against the Yankees. The Red Sox didn’t rule Giolito out for future postseason rounds, but their early elimination left his status uncertain at the outset of the offseason. 

By reaching 140 innings in the regular season, Giolito converted his $19 million team option for 2026 into a player option, which he declined. If he is fully healthy, Giolito remains an alluring option for teams searching for stability in the rotation, though without sizable upside.

UPDATE: Woodruff accepted the one-year qualifying offer from the Brewers at $22.025 million.

Before shoulder surgery put him on the shelf for a year and a half, Woodruff was one of the best starers in MLB: His 2.93 ERA in 595 innings from 2019 to 2023 was fourth-lowest among qualified starters. But returns from major shoulder injuries tend to be more tenuous than returns from elbow surgery, and the results of Woodruff’s reacclimation to the Brewers’ rotation were extraordinary and unusual. Despite his fastball velocity averaging closer to 93 mph than the 96 he sat at pre-surgery, Woodruff was as dominant as ever, registering a career-high strikeout rate (32.3%) and career-low walk rate (5.4%) while posting a 3.20 ERA in 64 ⅔ innings. He ditched his slider in favor of a cutter, both his two-seam and four-seam fastballs continued to perform well even with diminished velocity, and his changeup remained an excellent swing-and-miss offering. 

UPDATE: Realmuto and the Phillies agreed on a 3-year, $45 million deal.

Thirty-one catchers compiled at least 1.0 FanGraphs WAR in 2025. Only two of them, Realmuto and Danny Jansen, hit free agency. Despite Realmuto’s advanced age, he was far and away the best backstop available this winter. The muscled Oklahoman isn’t what he once was — the best catcher in the world — but he’s still a valuable player. He was essentially a league-average hitter last season and remained impressively durable, leading the league in games started behind the dish. A reunion with the Phillies always felt like the most likely outcome; he’s too valuable a cog in their pitching operation to let walk. And he got the three-year deal he sought.

UPDATE: Suárez and the Reds agreed to a 1-year, $15 million deal.

Suárez hit 49 home runs in 2025 for the second time in his career and returned to the Mariners via midseason trade after a year-and-a-half as a D-back, enabling him to take part in Seattle’s memorable October run, which included one of the biggest swings in franchise history: his go-ahead grand slam in ALCS Game 5. For as feel-good of a story as the Suárez-to-Seattle reunion was, it’s difficult to ignore his sharp decline in production post-trade, and that sours some of the optimism for his market as he enters free agency for the first time. 

Suárez’s issues making consistent contact likely aren’t going to magically improve as he enters his mid-30s, which puts immense pressure on his prodigious slugging to continue if he is to remain a viable every-day player, especially if his defense at third base continues to trend in the wrong direction. That said, Suárez’s overwhelmingly positive clubhouse reputation should earn him some additional interest from clubs looking for a quality veteran presence in addition to the high-end slugging he offers.

UPDATE: Kim and the Braves agreed on a 1-year, $20 million deal.

Kim played only 48 games this year — 24 each for Tampa Bay and Atlanta — after signing a two-year free-agent deal with the Rays last winter. Tampa left him on waivers, and the Braves pounced, despite being light-years out of contention, hoping Kim wouldn’t activate his opt-out and they could scoop up an every-day shortstop for 2026 on the cheap. The South Korean infielder declined his $16 million option to reenter the market. He ended up back with the Braves, but for a bit more money. Kim is the only true shortstop in this class, even though he projects to be a well-below-average hitter.

Arraez promises to inspire a wide array of opinions as one of baseball’s most unique players. Traditionalists might look at his multiple batting titles and microscopic strikeout rates as outstanding and appealing outliers in an era defined by swing-and-miss, but the modern game prioritizes players who are far more multidimensional than what Arraez currently offers. It’s not just that Arraez rarely produces extra-base hits; it’s that he barely reaches. His walk rates have plummeted recently, and his defense doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

While there still will (and should) be an appetite for a player with one truly elite skill, it’d be misleading to suggest that Arraez’s hitting alone is worth a massive long-term contract. He’s an exceptionally fun and singular player but also a limited one. How his free agency unfolds will be one of the more intriguing storylines of the winter.

UPDATE: Williams and the Mets agreed on a 3-year, $51 million deal.

It was a tumultuous year for Williams, who was dealt to the Bronx last winter after spending the entirety of his career in Milwaukee. Handed the closer role out of spring training, Williams and his airbender changeup had a cataclysmic April, in which he was booed multiple times by the Yankees faithful and booted from the ninth inning by skipper Aaron Boone.

Things gradually got better over the summer, as Williams regained his manager’s trust and slotted back into a high-leverage role by the playoffs. In fact, he didn’t allow a run in 22 of his final 23 outings, postseason included. With Edwin Diaz leaving Queens, the Mets are likely paying Williams to close, and the airbender is still a special pitch, but Williams’ stock has fallen significantly since this time last year.

UPDATE: Suarez and the Braves agreed on a 3-year, $45 million deal.

The flame-throwing Venezuelan had two years and $16 million left on his deal with the Padres, a nice haul for a reliever his age, but opted out. He got a higher AAV from the Braves after posting another dominant season for the Padres. That 2.97 ERA looks great, not spectacular, but if you overlook two disaster outings in which Suarez recorded one out and surrendered five runs, that figure drops to 1.70.

There are certainly concerns about whether Suarez’s elite fastball velocity (98.5 mph) will sustain as he creeps closer to 40, especially because of how much he leans on that pitch (60% usage), but this is one of the truly elite relievers in the game.

UPDATE: O’Hearn and the Pirates agreed on a 2-year, $29 million deal.

The first-time All-Star tailed off slightly after a deadline deal sent him from Baltimore to San Diego, but the overall numbers were unavoidably impressive for a guy who was left to rot on the waiver-wire scrap heap just a few years ago. O’Hearn’s peripheral numbers were strong for a third straight season and secured him a two-year deal with a Pirates team trying to upgrade this winter. After missing out on the upper crust of Alonso, Schwarber and Naylor, O’Hearn is a perfectly competent consolation prize for Pittsburgh. He also earns rave reviews for his clubhouse presence.

UPDATE: Bader and the Giants agreed on a 2-year, $20.5 million deal.

When Bader went from Minnesota to Philadelphia at the deadline, it wasn’t even the biggest Twins-Phillies deal of the week. But the luscious-locked center fielder energized the Phillies’ lineup, offering a much-needed contact-oriented profile. His groin injury in Game 1 of the NLDS turned out to have an enormous impact on that series, as the Phillies sorely missed his presence in the lineup. Given the likelihood that the team moves on from right fielder Nick Castellanos, Bader could make some sense as a versatile fourth outfielder. But a two-year deal might be in order for the 32-year-old, who just posted the best offensive season of his career. Bader will find a sturdy market for his services.

UPDATE: Yastrzemski and the Braves agreed on 2-year, $23 million deal.

Having not debuted in the big leagues until age 28 with the Giants, Yastrzemski finally entered free agency at age 35 coming off a sneaky stellar post-trade run with Kansas City, during which he slugged .500 with more walks (25) than strikeouts (22) across 50 games. His raw power is modest, but Yastrzemski has a knack for pulling the ball in the air and just had a career year from a plate-discipline standpoint, making more contact than ever and drawing walks at a 12.9% clip. He remains subpar against left-handers, but Yastrzemski should be quite productive if deployed properly by the Braves.

UPDATE: Weaver and the Mets agreed on a 2-year, $22 million deal.

Weaver was handed the ninth inning after his teammate Williams hit the schneid in April. He was magnificent through the season’s first two months, with just two earned runs to his name on May 26. Then he hit the shelf due to a hamstring injury that derailed his year. Weaver returned in late June but wasn’t the same, posting a 5.31 ERA the rest of the way before rough outings in AL wild-card Game 1 and ALDS Game 1 pushed him out of Boone’s bullpen trust circle. Just a year ago, this guy was the most trusted arm on a World Series team, so the Mets will be hoping that he bounces back and that his late-season struggles were injury-based, rather than a more concerning harbinger.

UPDATE: Helsley and the Orioles agreed on a 2-year, $28 million deal.

The hard-throwing closer had an ERA of 3.00 when he was traded from St. Louis to Queens on deadline day. Helsley had a multiyear track record of high-leverage success, built on one of the hardest heaters in the sport. But his Mets tenure will go down as one of the all-time reliever disasters, as Helsley posted an abhorrent 7.20 ERA in 22 outings in blue and orange. His late-summer implosion was crucial in the Mets’ shocking tumble down the standings.

Helsley compiled the second-most fWAR among relievers between 2022 and ‘24 — 5.7, with a 1.83 ERA in 167 2/3 innings — but his 2025 was so weird, bad and ugly that it might’ve scared some teams off. In the end, though, he got a two-year contract as projected, with an opt-out after the first year.

UPDATE: Mullins and the Rays agreed on a 1-year, $7 million deal.

Mullins spent a decade in the Orioles organization before being dealt to the Mets at the deadline. His production had been closer to league average in the years since his star-level 2021 campaign, in which he hit 30 homers, stole 30 bases and finished ninth in AL MVP voting. His particularly poor showing with New York (.565 OPS including a brutal 6-for-55 skid to finish the season) pushed Mullins much further down these rankings than we expected him to be a few months ago.

UPDATE: Castro and the Rockies agreed on a 2-year, $12.8 million deal.

An All-Star in 2024 known for his unrivaled defensive versatility, Castro was having another stellar season before he was shipped to Chicago as part of Minnesota’s epic fire sale at the trade deadline. And while he continued to provide value as a competent defender at multiple positions, Castro’s bat completely disappeared as a Cub, posting a paltry .485 OPS and not registering a single plate appearance across Chicago’s eight postseason games. His relative youth and flexibility with the glove still made him a fairly alluring free agent, and the Rockies picked him up on a two-year deal.

UPDATE: Kelly and the Diamondbacks agreed on a 2-year, $40 million deal.

That the Rangers were willing to send three solid prospects to Arizona for two months of Kelly suggests that he is still well-regarded within the industry, but free agency is a different equation, especially for a pitcher this old. Without plus velocity, Kelly gets by on great command of a six-pitch repertoire, headlined by an excellent changeup. Like most of the pitchers in this tier, he’s more likely to provide value in the regular season than as a no-doubt postseason starter, but that’s not something to sneeze at. Clearly, the Diamondbacks had enough faith in Kelly, based on his previous stint with the team, to bring him back on a two-year pact.

UPDATE: Mahle and the Giants agreed on a 1-year, $10 million deal.

Mahle was absolutely brilliant through the end of May (1.64 ERA in 66 innings across 12 starts) before fading in June and landing on the injured list due to shoulder fatigue, which kept him out until mid-September. It was encouraging to see him finish the season healthy, but Mahle hasn’t thrown more than 100 innings since 2022.

UPDATE: Eflin and the Orioles agreed on a 1-year, $10 million deal.

Recurring back injuries limited Eflin to 14 ineffective starts (5.93 ERA) for Baltimore in 2025, but he was a mid-rotation workhorse the previous two seasons (3.54 ERA in 343 innings) and could prove to be a nice buy-low option for an Orioles team that needed rotation reinforcements. We’re only two years removed from Eflin finishing sixth in AL Cy Young voting — let’s not forget about this guy.

The good: Littell’s 3.73 ERA ranks 17th out of 37 qualified starters over the past two seasons, his 1.65 BB/9 is bested only by Tarik Skubal over that same timeframe, and among free-agent pitchers, only Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen threw more innings in 2025 than Littell’s 186 2/3 frames. 

The bad: Whiffs are hard to come by for Littell (17.1% strikeout rate ranked 47th out of 52 qualified starters in 2025), and he’s particularly susceptible to the long ball, making his next home ballpark a crucial variable when projecting his effectiveness moving forward.

After allowing the most earned runs in the American League with the Angels in 2024, Canning was enjoying a nice bounce-back season in his first year with the Mets, leaning heavily on his slider and changeup to keep hitters off-balance. But his season ended abruptly when he ruptured his left Achilles on a non-contact play in June, starting a rehab process that could stretch into 2026. A team that believes in Canning’s revamped form with New York and his ability to rebound from serious injury could target the right-hander as a low-cost rotation option.

Kepler struggled badly out the gate in his first year as a Phillie but settled into being a useful contributor and finished the regular season strong, hitting .262/.322/.505 with seven home runs over his final 30 games. Kepler still exhibits decent power and plate discipline, but his earning potential will depend on whether teams view him as a viable every-day player or more in a predominantly platoon role, like Philadelphia did. Not helping Kepler’s free-agent case is an 80-game suspension for testing positive for PEDs, which the league announced Jan. 9.

Albeit in a smaller sample, Andujar quietly posted one of the better offensive seasons of any free-agent bat available. Among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances in 2025, Andujar’s .318 average ranked second in MLB behind only Aaron Judge, and he was one of the most productive trade-deadline acquisitions in the league after being dealt by the A’s to the Reds. He remains a poor defender who doesn’t draw walks, but he crushes lefties and makes a ton of contact. He’s a sneaky target for teams on a tight budget looking for offense.

UPDATE: Refsnyder and the Mariners agreed on a 1-year, $6.25 million deal.

This isn’t just any platoon bat. The degree to which Refsnyder demolishes left-handed pitching puts him in some truly outrageous company. Among hitters with at least 250 plate appearances against southpaws over the past two seasons, Refsnyder’s .949 OPS ranks fifth behind Aaron Judge, Ketel Marte, José Ramírez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That’s ridiculous. He’s essentially unplayable against right-handers and a below-average corner-outfield defender, but his special skill still makes Refsnyder an appealing pickup for the Mariners.

UPDATE: Keller and the Phillies agreed on a 2-year, $22 million deal.

An unremarkable starting pitcher for the first six years of his career, Keller broke out in a big way in the Cubs’ bullpen in 2025, throwing harder than ever and posting a sterling 2.07 ERA in 69 2/3 innings with underlying data that strongly supports his performance as legitimate. Keller cost considerably less than the top relievers who already have a boatload of saves on their résumés, but he could offer similar or even greater upside for the Phillies if he can sustain the gains he made in Chicago.

UPDATE: Iglesias and the Braves agreed on a 1-year, $16 million deal.

Iglesias had a catastrophic start to his season, allowing seven home runs across his first 25 appearances after allowing four total in 66 games pitched in 2024. That left him with an unsightly 6.75 ERA in early June, but after that, Iglesias got back on track and was generally the elite game-ender we’ve long known him to be, posting a 1.25 ERA over his final 43 1/3 innings, a dominant stretch that went somewhat unnoticed amid a lost Braves season.

Iglesias and Keller are our picks to squeeze into the end of our Top 50 among a deep free-agent class of accomplished righty relievers that also includes Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, Emilio Pagán, Phil Maton and Tyler Rogers.

After another year of sturdy work in the rotation — Bassitt is one just seven pitchers to make at least 30 starts in each of the past four seasons — the 36-year-old right-hander made a successful transition to the bullpen for Toronto’s World Series run. He allowed just one run across his eight relief outings in October, demonstrating versatility that could prove valuable as teams project his role as he enters the latter stages of his career. 

It’s also worth a mention that the Blue Jays’ clubhouse absolutely adores this guy, and Bassitt has not been shy in expressing his desire to stay put. Sentimentality and postseason bullpen cameos aside, Bassitt’s durability would seem to be his most appealing trait as a free agent for teams looking to solidify their rotations. Whether that leads him back to Toronto remains to be seen..

Quintana has delivered a better-than-league-average park-adjusted ERA in 12 of his 14 major-league seasons, including 2025, when he helped stabilize an injury-ravaged Brewers rotation. The stuff unsurprisingly isn’t getting any better — he just posted a career-low 16% strikeout rate — but he still seems to have the guile to get outs in a bulk role and thus deserves a nod toward the end of this list.

It took until mid-July for Verlander to record his first win as a Giant, but he managed to find his groove down the stretch, posting a 2.60 ERA in 72 ⅔ innings over his final 13 starts. Even at age 42 (his birthday is in February), Verlander is still innovating, adding an 80-mph sweeper to complement his traditional slider and curveball, a pitch that performed as his most effective by run value. While his goal of reaching 300 wins feels farfetched at this point (he’s at 266), he pitched well enough in 2025 to earn the chance to continue that chase.

For the first two months of the season (.883 OPS), Ozuna resembled the impactful slugger he was the previous two years in Atlanta. But in early June, the burly Dominican revealed that he’d been battling a tear in his right hip. He never ended up on the injured list, but his performance plummeted as the season went on, with a .673 OPS after June 1.

While Ozuna’s overall offensive résumé should garner some interest, there are ample reasons for teams to find production elsewhere: He’s a full-time DH in his mid-30s with lingering injuries issues, and he has a history of multipleoff-field incidents.

UPDATE: Kay and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a 2-year, $12 million deal.

A first-round draft pick by the Mets in 2016, Kay was dealt to Toronto in the Marcus Stroman trade in 2019 and appeared with the Blue Jays in parts of four seasons. After brief cameos with the Cubs and then back with the Mets in 2023, Kay took his talents overseas, where he became an impact starter for the Yokohama Bay Stars in NPB.

Kay was solid in his first year in Japan but really leveled up in 2025, adding an equally effective two-seamer to complement his 94-mph four-seam fastball and three solid secondary offerings (slider, cutter, changeup). Among qualified NPB starters, Kay ranked fifth in ERA (1.74), fifth in WHIP (0.98), and first in ground-ball rate (55.8%), a stellar résumé of dominance in the second-best league in the world that could earn him a much more significant opportunity stateside than he got earlier in his major-league career.

Kay is one of several pitchers with MLB experience who have blossomed overseas recently ahead of making a return to the majors. Right-hander Cody Ponce (1.89 ERA in 180 ⅔ innings with 252 strikeouts for the Hanwha Eagles in the Korean Baseball Organization) landed a three-year, $30 million deal with Toronto. And left-hander Foster Griffin (2.57 ERA in 315 ⅔ innings for the Yomiuri Giants the past three seasons) signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Nationals.

Match facts: Another three BVB goals in the fifth Bundesliga match of 2026

Match facts: Another three BVB goals in the fifth Bundesliga match of 2026

Braces: Serhou Guirassy had by far the most shots of all players (seven) and also contested the most duels (29). He celebrated his seventh and eighth goals of the season and is now out on his own as top scorer for the Black & Yellows (Maximilian Beier follows in second place with six goals). Guirassy bagged his second brace of the Bundesliga season, having previously managed the feat on Matchday 2 in the 3-0 home win against Union Berlin. He did, however, miss a chance for a hat-trick to seal the game, firing over the bar from the penalty spot. In five games against Heidenheim, he has found the back of the net five times.

Welcome: 1. FC Heidenheim are the only current Bundesliga team against which Borussia Dortmund have never lost (four wins, two draws).

Three goals: BVB once again scored exactly three goals in the fifth league game in 2026.

Impressive return: 45 points after 20 match days are still BVB’s best return in seven years.

Plenty of penalties: For the first time in almost exactly two years, BVB were awarded two penalty kicks in a Bundesliga match. On 28 January 2024, Niclas Füllkrug scored both against Bochum.

Mr 100 percent: Waldemar Anton won each of his six duels in the first half and scored his first home goal for BVB.

A threat from set pieces: The 1-0 was the fifth BVB goal from a corner this season.

One hundred: Nico Schlotterbeck played his 100th Bundesliga match for Borussia Dortmund. He has also played 49 games for SC Freiburg, and a further 16 for Union Berlin.

Two hundred: Gregor Kobel completed his 200th competitive game for BVB. The 28-year-old Swiss moved from VfB Stuttgart to the Borsigplatz in 2021.

Twice: Filippo Mane was named in the BVB starting lineup for the second time in just four days – first in the Champions League, and today in the Bundesliga (fourth overall appearance). The 20-year-old had previously only been in the starting formation for the first game of the season, when was sent off in the 3-3 draw at FC St. Pauli.

3-2 – Borussia edge a tight match against Heidenheim

3-2 – Borussia edge a tight match against Heidenheim

Personnel matters:
Alongside Marcel Sabitzer (back), captain Emre Can also missed out due to illness. Niklas Süle, on the other hand, returned to the squad. Four days after the Champions League match against Inter Milan (a 2-0 defeat), head coach Niko Kovac made five changes to the starting XI, as Anton, Couto, Svensson, Adeyemi and Brandt replaced Ryerson, Bensebaini, Beier and Fabio Silva (who all dropped to the bench), while Can missed out completely. Filippo Mane remained in the team.

The match:With courageous, high pressing, Heidenheim put BVB under pressure early on, disrupting the build-up play and celebrated every Black & Yellow misplaced pass as confirmation of their own performance. Dortmund had a hard time finding gaps in the opponents, who were man-marking tightly and uncompromisingly. Corners led to a lot of pushing and pulling in the six-yard box.

And so it went until the 14th minute, before 81,365 spectators in the sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK saw the first shot: for once, Guirassy had shaken off Mainka, but failed to beat the Heidenheim goalkeeper Ramaj from a tight angle. On 38 minutes, after good work by Brandt, Guirassy’s delicate chip struck the crossbar. Until then, there had been only two chances for BVB, and Heidenheim also had one, but Kobel denied Dinkci from eleven metres out in the 26th minute.

The eighth (!) corner finally gave BVB the lead shortly before the break. Couto floated the cross in, and Siersleben hindered his own goalkeeper, causing Ramaj to drop the ball. Anton reacted the fastest, making it 1-0 in the 44th minute. But at the end of the five-minute injury time period, Heidenheim’s Honsak made good progress down the left, Mane picked up an injury and had to pull up. Honsak’s cross landed at the feet of Niehues, who prodded the ball over the line to make it 1-1 going into the break .

Süle replaced Mane at the restart and shortly afterwards let Heidenheim substitute Arijon Ibrahimovic past him, whose back pass found Niehues, who hammered the ball goalwards from 22 metres out. Svensson got his thigh in the way, but the deflection gave Kobel no chance and the away side celebrated a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute. Ten minutes later, Marvin Pieringer was given the freedom of SIGNAL IDUNA PARK and could have added a third. Kovac responded, and instantly looked to get his side on the front foot: Beier replaced Couto, Chukwuemeka came on for Bellingham, with Brandt dropping a little deeper.

Within two minutes, the Black & Yellow had turned the game around. After Brandt’s cross, Guirassy was denied by Ramaj, and Nmecha’s follow-up from the resulting corner was cleared. But the VAR intervened: Dorsch had handled the ball after Brandt’s cross. Dr. Jöllenbeck pointed to the spot. Ramaj managed to get a touch on Guirassy’s well placed shot, but couldn’t keep it out – it was 2-2 in the 68th minute. Less than two minutes later, Brandt initiated a counter-attack. Beier stormed down the right wing, cut the ball back to Guirassy, who got a good connection despite being on his way down five yards from goal, and the ball found the corner to make it 3-2 on 70 minutes.

Five minutes before the final whistle, Guirassy could have put the game to bed early. Jöllenbeck did not hesitate to give another penalty after Busch fouled Guirassy. This time, however, Guirassy shot well over the bar, meaning the game was still alive. Instead, Ibrahimovic missed a chance to potentially make it 3-3 at the start of the eight minutes of injury time, but his effort whistled past the post. Then Mikkel Kaufmann grazed the crossbar in the 95th minute, but the guests did not manage to get the ball over the line, and the Black & Yellow.

Outlook:  After six games in three weeks to kick off the year, BVB have their first “normal” week of training of the year, which will end next Saturday with the away game at VfL Wolfsburg (kick-off: 15:30 CET)..

BORUSSIA DORTMUND – 1. FC HEIDENHEIM 3-2 (1-1)

Football Bundesliga, Matchday 20 Saturday, 1 February 2026, 17:30 CET

Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Mane (Süle, 46), Anton, Schlotterbeck – Yan Couto (Beier, 58), Bellingham (Chukwuemeka, 58), Nmecha, Svensson – Adeyemi (Fabio Silva, 69), Brandt – Guirassy (90+3 Özcan)Bench: Meyer, Drewes, Bensebaini, Ryerson

 1. FC Heidenheim. Ramaj – Busch, Mainka, Siersleben – Traoré (Schimmer, 80), Dorsch, Niehues (Schöppner, 70), Behrens, Dinkci (Kaufmann, 80) – Pieringer (Conteh, 80), Honsak (Ibrahimovic, 46)Bench: Feller, Föhrenbach, Beck, Kerber