The Oklahoma City Thunder have now lost four games this season. The San Antonio Spurs account for half of those losses.
With Victor Wembanyama coming off the bench again, the Spurs rolled past the Thunder 130-110 in San Antonio on Tuesday night.
The loss drops the Thunder to 26-4 for the season, still the best record in the NBA by a significant margin. The Trail Blazers and Timberwolves account for the non-Spurs blemishes on OKC’s record.
The Spurs, meanwhile, improved to 22-7, good for second place in the West ahead of the 21-8 Denver Nuggets.
Are Spurs OKC’s kryptonite?
San Antonio’s first win of the series arrived in Las Vegas on Dec. 13 in an NBA Cup semifinal that was tinged with playoff intensity. That game was Wembanyama’s first back from a 12-game absence with a calf injury, and the Spurs eased him into the rotation off the bench.
Wembanyama remained limited with 23 minutes off the bench Tuesday night. No matter. A Spurs team that went 9-3 in Wembanyama’s absence got contributions across the board to beat a reigning champion Thunder team that started the season on a historic pace.
The Spurs were dominant Tuesday night despite limited minutes from Victor Wembanyama.
Kenneth Richmond via Getty Images
The two teams will run it back again on Christmas for the third game of the budding rivalry’s season series. The venue will shift to Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will look to reassert their dominance in the West.
But for now, the Spurs have the Thunder’s number. And it wasn’t close Tuesday night.
Spurs break open close game after halftime
The first half was nip-and-tuck, and the Thunder went into halftime with a 60-58 lead. But the Spurs closed the third quarter with a 13-6 run to assert control and take an 87-82 lead.
Then in the fourth, a Wembanyama 3-pointer extended the San Antonio lead to double figures for the first time at 98-86.
And it was all Spurs the rest of the way as they rolled to a 20-point win. By the time it was done, Wembanyama was able to watch from the bench and cheer as his teammates closed out the victory.
Spurs are more than their All-Stars
San Antonio cruised Tuesday despite Wembanyama’s limitations and a bad shooting night from All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, who went 0 for 4 from the free-throw line and 0 for 4 from beyond the arc in a six-point, nine-assist effort.
But he didn’t turn the ball over on a night when the Spurs committed just eight turnovers against a swarming Thunder unit that rode to last season’s championship on the strength of its ball-hawking defense.
The Spurs played efficient basketball, protected the ball and got 20-plus points from three players not named Wembanyama or Fox. Keldon Johnson led the way with 25 points off the bench while shooting 10 of 16 from the floor and 5 of 9 from 3. Stephon Castle added 24 points, and Harrison Barnes scored 20 from the starting lineup.
Wembamyama, meanwhile, was impactful in his limited minutes while tallying 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a plus-13 in the plus/minus column. His streak of 101 consecutive games with at least one block — the third-longest in NBA history — ended against OKC.
As a team, the Spurs shot 56% from the field. And they rode a 13-8 advantage in takeaways and an 18-6 edge in made free throws to victory on a night when the Thunder shot just seven free-throw attempts.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was his typical über-efficient self with 33 points and eight assists while shooting 14 of 22 from the field. Jalen Williams added 17 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds, and the Thunder shot 54% as a team.
But Chet Holmgren struggled with seven points and three rebounds on a 3-of-10 shooting night before leaving early after getting elbowed by Gilgeous-Alexander as Wembanyama got the best in the matchup of dynamic 7-footers.
Holmgren and his Thunder teammates will have their chance to answer back in just two days in front of a OKC crowd that will surely be eager to greet the Spurs.
Here’s the latest Yankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason…
Dec. 23, 10:10 p.m.
Tatsuya Imai is one of the high-profile free agent starters this offseason, but it seems he may not be Bronx-bound if YES Network’s Jack Curry is to be believed.
Curry spoke about the perceived connection between the Yankees and Imai on Tuesday’s episode of Yankees Hot Stove and poured some cold water, saying, “The vibe I’m getting is that connection does not exist.”
He added that any pursuit of Imai by the Yankees this offseason is very different than the one they conducted for Yoshinbou Yamamoto a couple of years ago.
“With Imai, the Yankees have been very quiet,” Curry said. “I don’t think the Yankees have been as aggressive, as intense in any kind of pursuit of Imai. They are making some moves around the edges… but I don’t think they are the frontrunners for Imai, and I don’t think he’ll be signing with them.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently told reporters that the Yankees have not met with Imai — as of Dec. 19 — and that he doesn’t know if New York will set up a meeting with the right-hander.
Imai has until Jan. 2 to sign with a team.
Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.
The Yankees have lost another bullpen arm to free agency, as the Braves announced that they’ve signed right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton to a non-guaranteed one-year deal.
Hamilton was a staple in New York’s bullpen over the past three seasons.
The club decided to non-tender him this winter, though, after he put together a bit of an up-and-down campaign.
He pitched to a 4.28 ERA and issued 22 walks over 40 innings of work.
Atlanta will look for him to rebound in a bullpen that’s also added Robert Suarez and retained Raisel Iglesias this winter.
However, according to a report from the NY Post’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees did not make an offer to King and “have other targets” on their radar.
Over five seasons with the Yanks from 2019-2023, King made 115 appearances (19 starts) and posted a 3.38 ERA over 247.2 innings. He was then part of the blockbuster trade with the Padres that brought Juan Soto to the Bronx ahead of the 2024 season.
King transitioned to a starter with the Padres and made 45 starts (46 games total) over two seasons, going 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA and 277 strikeouts.
Among the “other targets” New York could pursue include OF Cody Bellinger, who had a strong 2025 with the Yanks and is expected to get a five or six-year deal.
Dec. 17, 3:50 p.m.
Luke Weaver signed a reported two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets on Wednesday and it seems like the Yankees were not looking to bring back the right-hander.
Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported that the Yankees were not part of the bidding to try to retain Weaver.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that both sides had mutual interest in a potential reunion after Weaver pitched to a 3.22 ERA and a 0.994 WHIP in 129 appearances across three seasons in the Bronx.
Dec. 16, 8:59 a.m.
The Yankees have “genuine” interest in a reunion with right-handed reliever Luke Weaver, reports Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who notes that the interest is mutual.
Kirschner adds that roughly 10 teams have contacted Weaver’s camp this offseason.
Weaver, 32, was solid for New York last season, with a 3.62 ERA (3.89 FIP) and 1.02 WHIP with 72 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.
His best season came in 2024, when he had a 2.89 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 84.0 innings while striking out 103 — a rate of 11.0 per nine.
If brought back, Weaver would likely be one of the main bridges to closer David Bednar.
Dec. 14, 7:35 p.m.
While reports indicated that the San Francisco Giants “do not anticipate making the nine-figure investment” required to sign free agents this offseason, they aren’t checked out of the marketplace altogether.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported recently that the Giants “have checked in on” Cody Bellinger, the Yankees’ No. 1 target.
Bellinger proved to be a big part of the Yanks’ last season, contributing well on both sides of the ball with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a .272/.334/.480 slash line for an .813 OPS (125 OPS+ and wRC+) while ranking in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (seven) and with 12 defensive runs saved.
Dec. 11, 12:21 p.m.
The Yankees “have listened” when it comes to a potential Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Chisholm is set to earn roughly $12 million via arbitration in 2026 in what is his final season before free agency.
He spent time at third base (28 starts) and second base (96 starts) in 2025 — and was not thrilled with his time at third, noting “everybody knows I’m a second baseman.”
Offensively, Chisholm had a big season, posting an .813 OPS while hitting 31 home runs.
The Yankees’ infield is unsettled. Ben Rice is penciled in at first base, with Ryan McMahon at third base. But the shortstop situation is in flux with Anthony Volpe expected to miss the start of the 2026 season after having shoulder surgery.
Other infield options include Jose Caballero and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Dec. 10, 7:26 p.m.
Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta is a hot name on the trade market this offseason, and the Yankees are among the teams reportedly looking to add him to their team.
According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Yankees are one of five teams looking to trade for Peralta, joining the Orioles, Red Sox, Giants and Astros. Other clubs like the Mets had previously reported interest in a trade for Peralta.
With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon starting the 2026 season on the IL, the Yankees would hope Peralta gives them the depth needed to get through a season until their big arms return.
Dec. 8, 9:50 p.m.
Looking for bullpen help, the Yankees have shown an interest in right-hander Brad Keller, according to a report from Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News on Monday.
Nothing is imminent between Keller and the Yanks, Phillips reported, adding that two or three teams are considering signing the 30-year-old free agent as a starting pitcher.
Keller is coming off his best year as a professional by far, pitching to a 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP with 75 strikeouts to 22 walks in 69.2 innings over 68 appearances out of the bullpen. The righty has some very attractive attributes: 30.6 percent hard-hit percentage (99th percentile) last year, with a fastball that averaged 97.2 mph and a sinker at 96.7 mph.
Dec. 8, 8:45 p.m.
As the Mets and Yankees continue to look to revamp their bullpen this offseason, they’ve both called the Brewers about reliever Trevor Megill, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.
Megill, of course, is the older brother of Mets starter Tylor Megill.
The 32-year-old would be a tremendous boost at the backend for either club, as he has developed into one of the top relievers in baseball over the past few seasons.
Megill missed time to injury last year, but pitched to a stellar 2.49 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while locking down 30 saves.
Dec. 8, 1:24 p.m.
SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino believes there’s a “solid chance” the Yankees will retain free agent Amed Rosario.
Rosario had a .788 OPS in 16 games for the Yanks last season after being acquired from the Nationals ahead of the trade deadline.
The 30-year-old excelled against left-handed pitching in 2025, slashing .302/.328/.491 in 122 plate appearances.
Rosario would provide strong versatility if brought back, with the ability to play shortstop, third base, second base, and left field.
Dec. 7, 9:31 p.m.
While the Yankees reportedly discussed the chance of a reunion with All-Star reliever Devin Williams a few weeks ago, it appears their conversations never intensified.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said as much on Sunday night at the Winter Meetings, telling Greg Joyce of the New York Post that the club didn’t even make a formal offer to Williams before he signed a three-year deal with the Mets last weekend.
According to Joyce, Cashman asked Williams’ agent to keep the Yankees in the loop regarding the right-hander’s market, but he didn’t get a call prior to Williams signing in Queens. Cashman also noted that Williams’ reps never “needed to” update him on the process.
Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.
While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellinger remains the Yankees’ No. 1 target, and the club is making a “big effort” to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a “multipart move” for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces –potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.
With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.
Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.
The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tucker officiallyincludes one of the Yankees’ division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.
It’s no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.
Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.
Tucker would make the Blue Jays’ lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though — he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.
Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker’s services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they’re focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who’d come at a much lower price.
The 2025-26 offseason has had moments in which it moved swiftly, such as the domino effect we saw early on with the high-leverage reliever market. But we’ve also seen it drag, and that’s the way things have been going the past few weeks. As we sit just days away from the new year, it’s the starting pitching market that’s moving significantly more slowly than the rest.
But beyond Cease and Ponce, we’ve seen little movement for starting pitchers. Most of the notable starting pitching action so far has involved teams retaining their starters, with Shane Bieber opting in with the Blue Jays and Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff accepting qualifying offers from the Cubs and Brewers, respectively.
Two other names returning to their old stomping grounds are Michael King, who re-signed with the Padres on a three-year, $75 million deal, and Merrill Kelly, who returned to the Diamondbacks on a two-year, $40 million deal.
But with just a few days left in December, the majority of the top starting pitchers in this free-agent class — names such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen and Tatsuya Imai — are still available. And while teams are interested and engaged with those players, they’re clearly taking their time.
The lack of movement in the starting pitching market could be due to a number of reasons.
One is that teams want to exhaust all their options on the trade market before they make the financial commitment to acquire one of the top free-agent starters. If teams can move prospect capital to add someone such as Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera or Washington Nationals southpaw MacKenzie Gore instead of spending $100 million-$200 million to sign Suárez or Valdez, many will see that as a win.
We’ve already seen a few trades of this nature, with the Boston Red Sox acquiring Johan Oviedo and Sonny Gray, the Houston Astros acquiring Mike Burrows and the Baltimore Orioles paying a significant prospect price to acquire three years of Shane Baz.
Meanwhile, for the teams looking for the best of the best options, Tarik Skubal remains a tantalizing possibility. While the Tigers would demand a haul to move their ace, there’s no denying that any team with both the prospect capital and the starting pitching need would be very interested — even for a one-year rental.
The other factor hovering in the background of this year’s offseason is the uncertainty of what lies ahead after next season, with a potential lockout on the horizon once the collective bargaining agreement expires. With teams unsure of what the future holds, some might be trying to protect themselves by avoiding having too many multiyear deals on the books after 2026.
Even so, the next starting pitching domino to fall will likely be Imai, whose posting window expires at 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 2. The 27-year-old right-hander from Japan is considered one of the best starters available, and his signing will likely spur some movement in the markets for Suárez and Valdez, as well as for others such as Gallen, Lucas Giolito and Nick Martinez.
Plenty of contending teams still need starting pitching, including the Cubs, Mets and Giants, so eventually this stalemate will end. As the calendar turns to January, especially with Imai’s deadline looming, expect the action on the starting pitching market to pick up.
After all, pitchers have only about seven weeks left before spring training begins.
The 2025-26 offseason has had moments in which it moved swiftly, such as the domino effect we saw early on with the high-leverage reliever market. But we’ve also seen it drag, and that’s the way things have been going the past few weeks. As we sit just days away from the new year, it’s the starting pitching market that’s moving significantly more slowly than the rest.
But beyond Cease and Ponce, we’ve seen little movement for starting pitchers. Most of the notable starting pitching action so far has involved teams retaining their starters, with Shane Bieber opting in with the Blue Jays and Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff accepting qualifying offers from the Cubs and Brewers, respectively.
Two other names returning to their old stomping grounds are Michael King, who re-signed with the Padres on a three-year, $75 million deal, and Merrill Kelly, who returned to the Diamondbacks on a two-year, $40 million deal.
But with just a few days left in December, the majority of the top starting pitchers in this free-agent class — names such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen and Tatsuya Imai — are still available. And while teams are interested and engaged with those players, they’re clearly taking their time.
The lack of movement in the starting pitching market could be due to a number of reasons.
One is that teams want to exhaust all their options on the trade market before they make the financial commitment to acquire one of the top free-agent starters. If teams can move prospect capital to add someone such as Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera or Washington Nationals southpaw MacKenzie Gore instead of spending $100 million-$200 million to sign Suárez or Valdez, many will see that as a win.
We’ve already seen a few trades of this nature, with the Boston Red Sox acquiring Johan Oviedo and Sonny Gray, the Houston Astros acquiring Mike Burrows and the Baltimore Orioles paying a significant prospect price to acquire three years of Shane Baz.
Meanwhile, for the teams looking for the best of the best options, Tarik Skubal remains a tantalizing possibility. While the Tigers would demand a haul to move their ace, there’s no denying that any team with both the prospect capital and the starting pitching need would be very interested — even for a one-year rental.
The other factor hovering in the background of this year’s offseason is the uncertainty of what lies ahead after next season, with a potential lockout on the horizon once the collective bargaining agreement expires. With teams unsure of what the future holds, some might be trying to protect themselves by avoiding having too many multiyear deals on the books after 2026.
Even so, the next starting pitching domino to fall will likely be Imai, whose posting window expires at 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 2. The 27-year-old right-hander from Japan is considered one of the best starters available, and his signing will likely spur some movement in the markets for Suárez and Valdez, as well as for others such as Gallen, Lucas Giolito and Nick Martinez.
Plenty of contending teams still need starting pitching, including the Cubs, Mets and Giants, so eventually this stalemate will end. As the calendar turns to January, especially with Imai’s deadline looming, expect the action on the starting pitching market to pick up.
After all, pitchers have only about seven weeks left before spring training begins.
There is still quite a ways to go in the 2025-26 NBA season, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a historic start.
If they keep this up, they could be a legitimate threat to the Golden State Warriors’ single-season wins record of 73.
Only two teams in league history have won more than 70 games in a single season. The first was the Chicago Bulls during the 1995-96 campaign, when they won 72 games. The Warriors broke that record by one in 2016. The Bulls won the NBA championship in their record-breaking season, while the Warriors ultimately fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers during their Finals run.
The reigning NBA champion Thunder were on a good pace, but two recent losses against the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves have left them barely on track for history. They have little room for error.
It’s still early. A lot can change between now and April. But the Thunder’s campaign is definitely something to keep an eye on. Here’s everything you need to know about the Thunder’s quest to set the NBA’s single-season wins record.
OKC’s current pace: 73.5 wins
OKC’s last game
Most wins in NBA history, single season
73: Golden State Warriors, 2015-16 72: Chicago Bulls, 1995-96 69: Chicago Bulls, 1996-97 69: Los Angeles Lakers, 1971-72 68: Oklahoma City Thunder, 2024-25 68: Boston Celtics, 1972-73 68: Philadelphia 76ers, 1966-67
Thunder vs. ‘95-96 Bulls vs. ‘15-16 Warriors
Record after 29 games ‘25-26 Thunder: 26-3 (.897) ‘95-96 Bulls: 26-3 (.897) ‘15-16 Warriors: 28-1 (.966)
SGA vs. MJ vs. Steph Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 32.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 6.5 APG (28 games) Michael Jordan: 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG (82 games) Stephen Curry: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG (79 games)
OKC’s upcoming schedule
Dec. 23: at Spurs Dec. 25: vs. Spurs Dec. 28: vs. 76ers Full schedule
Tracking Thunder’s historic start
Largest average margin of victory in a season ‘25-26 Thunder: 16.1 ‘24-25 Thunder: 12.87 ‘71-72 Lakers: 12.28 ‘70-71 Bucks: 12.26 ‘95-96 Bulls: 12.24
Highest net rating in a season ‘25-26 Thunder: 15.9 ‘95-96 Bulls: 13.4 ‘24-25 Thunder: 12.8 ‘96-97 Bulls: 12.0 ‘25-26 Rockets: 11.9
We’re about halfway through the MLB offseason, and about half of the top available free agents are still looking for their next home.
The reliever market heated up first this winter, 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 otherwise the starting pitcher market has been relatively quiet. Among position players, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso found the big paydays they were looking for, but many of the top hitters remain available, including our No. 1 free agent, Kyle Tucker. Also, four players accepted qualifying offers: Trent Grisham (Yankees), Shota Imanaga (Cubs), Gleyber Torres (Tigers) and Brandon Woodruff (Brewers).
As the calendar turns to 2026, there’s still a lot of offseason business yet to be done. Here’s a look at the 2025-26 free-agent class, headlined by Tucker and full of fascinating cases of star players at a variety of positions.
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.
The best player
1. *Kyle Tucker, OF, 29 years old
Tucker is the consensus No. 1 player in this free-agent class and should command a contract north of $350 million. 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 is reaching 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 Tucker was significantly limited by injuries, a development that raises a yellow flag or two for a player expected to command a gargantuan contract. 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. Some very rich team is going to give Tucker gobs of money to rake in the middle of its lineup. His sauceless personality, injury concerns and defensive limitations will combine to make his sweepstakes less of a frenzy than Soto’s were last winter. But don’t get it twisted: This dude is a big prize.
Great hitters with flaws
2. Alex Bregman, 3B, 32
A free agent last winter, Bregman ended up in Boston on a three-year, $120 million deal with opt-outs after each season. And now, after a productive season at Fenway, he’ll reenter 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.
So where does he end up? The Red Sox will certainly be gunning for a reunion; Bregman was heralded for his influence on Boston’s bevy of young players. Perhaps the Tigers, silver medalists for his services last winter, reengage after a disappointing October exit. One could see the Phillies moving on from Alec Bohm via trade and making a play for Bregman. Most contenders have somebody entrenched at the hot corner, but nobody saw the Red Sox moving Devers to DH and snagging Bregman. That’s a good reminder that everything is on the board for a player such as this.
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.
4. *Bo Bichette, SS, 28
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. This year, 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 will make him worth it for whichever team lands him. 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; that’s worth paying for.
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.
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.
7. Cody Bellinger, OF, 30
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 the best all-around season of his career 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 there makes a lot of sense, but it would put more pressure on Bellinger’s ability to play center field, where he’s more average than great at this point.
The Big Three arms
8. *Framber Valdez, SP, 32
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.
9. *Ranger Suárez, SP, 30
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 at some point, the results have to mean something.
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.
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.
Tier 2 starter
12. *Zac Gallen, SP, 30
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.
NPB stars, part 2
13. Kazuma Okamoto, 3B, 30
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 a big-league roster. While he’s four years older, right-handed and doesn’t possess quite the eye-popping raw power of Murakami, 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.
14. Tatsuya Imai, SP, 28
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 — and should help him secure a longer deal than most starting pitchers in this year’s free-agent class, but there are enough questions that the financial outlay is expected to be 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.
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.
16. *Trent Grisham, OF, 29
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.
17. *Gleyber Torres, 2B, 29
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.
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.
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.
20. *Shota Imanaga, SP, 32
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.
21. Lucas Giolito, SP, 31
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.
22. *Brandon Woodruff, SP, 33
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.
The catcher
23. J.T. Realmuto, C, 34
Thirty-one catchers compiled at least 1.0 FanGraphs WAR in 2025. Only two of them, Realmuto and Danny Jansen, are set to hit free agency. So despite Realmuto’s advanced age, he’s still 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 this year and remained impressively durable, leading the league in games started behind the dish. A reunion with the Phillies feels like the most likely outcome here; he’s simply too valuable a cog in their pitching operation to let him walk. Realmuto will want a three-year deal, but he’ll probably end up with two.
Hitters with difficult markets to project
24. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, 34
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.
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.
26. Luis Arraez, INF, 29
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.
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.
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.
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.
30. Harrison Bader, OF, 32
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.
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.
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.
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 a reported opt-out after the first year.
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.
35. Willi Castro, UTL, 29
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 should still make him a fairly alluring free agent.
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.
37. Tyler Mahle, SP, 31
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. Nevertheless, his stellar form in the early going could net him a multiyear deal.
38. Zach Eflin, SP, 32
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 teams seeking rotation reinforcements. We’re only two years removed from Eflin finishing sixth in AL Cy Young voting — let’s not forget about this guy.
39. Zack Littell, SP, 30
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.
40. Griffin Canning, SP, 30
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.
Hitters who confuse us
41. Max Kepler, OF, 33
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.
42. Miguel Andujar, OF/DH, 31
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.
43. Rob Refsnyder, OF, 35
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 should make Refsnyder broadly appealing on the open market.
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.
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.
Veteran starters
46. Chris Bassitt, SP, 37
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..
47. Jose Quintana, SP, 37
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.
48. Justin Verlander, SP, 43
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.
A probably washed guy who used to rake
49. Marcell Ozuna, DH, 35
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.
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.
Despite an injury scare last week, Josh Allen is good to go.
The Buffalo Bills quarterback said on Tuesday that he “will be playing, planning on playing” against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. That came after he went down with a foot injury in last week’s game that also kept him out of Tuesday’s walkthrough.
“I mean, [it’s] still sore,” Allen said, via ESPN. “Walk-through today, so really not practice in general. So yeah, … feeling good.”
Allen went down awkwardly while trying to avoid a sack late in the first half of the Bills’ 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He was tripped up in the backfield, and immediately started twisting his foot in clear pain before hopping back up.
Allen received an X-ray on his foot at halftime, but was cleared to return to the game. He did not end up missing a snap, and finished out the game normally. Allen went 12-of-19 for 130 yards in the win, which was the team’s fourth straight and got them to 11-4 on the season.
Allen didn’t seem bothered by the injury on Sunday, either.
“We’re gravy baby, it’s all good,” Allen said on CBS after the win.
Allen has thrown for 3,406 yards and 25 touchdowns with 10 interceptions so far this season, his eighth in the league. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the fourth time in his career on Tuesday, too.
The Bills have already clinched their seventh consecutive playoff spot this season, though they are trailing the New England Patriots in the AFC East race. They’ll need some help from New England over the next two weeks in order to clinch the division again, which is something they haven’t lost since 2019.
While Mitch Trubisky is the Bills’ backup, it sounds like Allen will be ready to go on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. That should help the Bills’ chances to catch the Patriots significantly.
Much of the credit for the Chicago Bears’ turnaround belongs to first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Quarterback Caleb Williams recently called him “the best coach in the world,” and as the two have spent more time working together, their shared competitive drive has only strengthened their bond.
Through Week 16, the Bears sit at 11-4 as the NFC’s No. 2 seed and need just one win over their final two games to clinch the NFC North.
Caleb Williams didn’t think Ben Johnson ‘likes me’
Together, the duo has taken ownership of the team’s resurgence and delivered at a high level. Following a rough rookie debut for Williams and the Bears, Johnson’s hiring now looks like a perfect fit. But the partnership didn’t begin so smoothly.
“At certain parts it felt like our relationship was pretty fragile,” Williams said, jokingly mispronouncing the word as “frah-gee-lay” with a grin, quoting A Christmas Story.
“It was like, ‘Gee, this dude doesn’t seem like he likes me,’” Williams said. “But you start figuring out that that’s just him and… he cares so much about winning.
“And then when you get off the field, he’s one of the guys. He’s a player’s coach. He laughs and jokes with us. He’s bumping us around, so it’s fun, it’s enjoyable when we’re off the field. It’s fun and enjoyable when we’re on the field, but it did take a little bit.”
It hasn’t all been smooth. Williams acknowledged during training camp that the two had their share of disagreements, but those moments became opportunities for growth. Instead of bristling at Johnson’s relentless and emphatic corrections, Williams embraced them—and improved because of it.
NEW YORK — The NBA is once again taking a hard look at tanking, and the timing is no coincidence.
As the league continues to deal with the fallout from a gambling scandal that exposed how injury information and late-season lineup decisions can be exploited, officials have begun exploring new ways to remove the incentive to lose on purpose.
The focus isn’t on rebuilding teams as a whole, but on the gray areas that allow competitive integrity to erode late in the season, particularly when draft positioning and protected picks come into play.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the league recently gathered input from owners and general managers at a Board of Governors meeting, presenting several early-stage ideas tied to the draft lottery, traded pick protections and late-season incentives. No proposals have been formally adopted, but the goal, per Charania, is to discourage teams from manipulating availability or outcomes once draft math starts to outweigh on-court priorities.
That context matters for a team like the Nets.
Brooklyn is rebuilding, but it hasn’t done so by shutting players down or openly chasing losses. Healthy veterans have played. Young players have earned minutes. The Nets have competed nightly and lived with the consequences of a roster still learning how to close games and sustain success. Losses have come organically, not strategically. That’s the version of rebuilding the league has said it wants to protect.
Among the concepts discussed, per Charania, were limiting pick protections to either the top four or outside the lottery entirely, preventing teams from drafting in the top four in consecutive years and potentially locking lottery order after March 1. Each idea is designed to eliminate the middle ground where teams feel incentivized to sit contributors late in a season to preserve a protected pick or subtly slide down the standings.
For Brooklyn, stricter anti-tanking measures could actually be beneficial. If the payoff for late-season tanking shrinks, teams that continue to compete aren’t punished for winning games they’re “not supposed” to win. A March 1 lottery lock, for example, would remove the connection between April results and draft odds altogether, allowing young teams to focus purely on development without worrying about harming long-term positioning.
It would also reinforce habits the Nets have already emphasized: accountability, availability and real-game reps for young players. Instead of navigating a league where some teams pull the plug early, Brooklyn’s approach would look less like an outlier and more like the standard.
None of this is imminent, and Charania said conversations are still in the early stages. Still, the direction is clear. The league wants fewer incentives to game the standings, stronger injury transparency and a cleaner line between rebuilding and manipulation.
For the Nets, that approach already feels familiar and increasingly aligned with where the league appears to be headed.
