With spring training on the horizon and Opening Day not far behind, a number of prominent free agents remain without a team for 2026.
While it’s not unusual for MLB’s off-season to linger into January and February, this winter’s market has been an especially slow burn — particularly at the top end. Even after Alex Bregman inked a $175-million deal with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, five of this year’s FanGraphs top-10 free agents remain unsigned, with pitchers and catchers set to report in less than a month.
However, things could be set to change, as recent days have seen a few logs tossed on the hot stove when it comes to the free agencies of Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger.
Perhaps most notably among the trio of impact hitters was the fresh reporting that surfaced Tuesday around the Tucker sweepstakes.
The Athletic‘s Will Sammon wrote that the New York Mets have “held multiple video meetings with Tucker within the last week” and that they are offering the outfielder $120 to $140 million for three years. Additionally, Fansided‘s Robert Murray reported that the Mets extended a short-term offer worth $50 million per year.
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When comparing New York’s bid to the “long-term offer” the Toronto Blue Jays have put forth to Tucker, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, while considering that he has reportedly also met with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the (multi) million-dollar question then becomes: What is the 29-year-old seeking in his first trip to the open market?
The answer could hold the key to Tucker’s ultimate landing spot.
As that decision draws closer, the rumour mill continues to churn with teams eager to bolster their rosters before returning to the diamond. Here’s a roundup of the latest buzz from across MLB.
Phillies considered Bichette’s ‘most serious suitor’ after meeting
Tucker isn’t the only free agent making the rounds in the new year, as Bichette met with the Philadelphia Phillies on a video call on Monday, a development that appears to have shifted the star shortstop’s market.
According to The Athletic‘s Matt Gelb, the two sides left the meeting with “optimism,” and rival clubs are beginning to view the Phillies as Bichette’s “most serious suitor.”
One key differentiator for the Phillies, per Gelb, is their willingness to extend beyond six years to sign the longtime Blue Jay, a strategy the club and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have frequently employed to land top free agents.
A pair of recent examples came in the last four years, when Philadelphia gave Trea Turner an 11-year contract and retained starter Aaron Nola on a seven-year deal to get both agreements over the finish line.
As is always the case in free agency, though, one phone call can change anything, and Bichette’s market extends beyond Philadelphia.
USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale wrote Tuesday that the Boston Red Sox “are expected to aggressively pursue Bichette” after losing Bregman to Chicago. The New York Yankees are reportedly in the mix, as well, per the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman, as the Bronx Bombers survey the market, should they miss out on a reunion with Cody Bellinger.
Speaking of the Bellinger reunion…
One of this off-season’s most widely assumed outcomes has been Bellinger returning to the Bronx, after his one season in pinstripes resulted in an .813 OPS and 29 homers.
But the two sides have been unable to align on contract length, with the Yankees reportedly offering five years and Bellinger seeking seven.
Heyman provided an update on Tuesday, reporting that the parties “continue to talk into this week” and that New York has tried to enhance its proposal by adding an opt-out and excluding any deferred money from the contract.
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Nightengale wrote that the Yankees are justifying their five-year offer due to the fact that no position-player free agent has received a longer deal and because their bid would make Bellinger the fourth-highest paid outfielder in the sport.
Bellinger, 30, and his agent, Scott Boras, however, are pushing for the longer contract because the former MVP is younger than the other free agents who signed earlier this winter.
Giants ‘aggressively pursuing’ trade for second baseman
Already boasting an infield that includes Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, the San Francisco Giants are reportedly trying to round out the group with an upgrade at the keystone spot.
ESPN‘s Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that the Giants are “aggressively pursuing a second baseman” and have been engaged in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for Brendan Donovan and with the Chicago Cubs for Nico Hoerner.
Donovan has been one of this off-season’s most discussed trade chips. The soon-to-be 29-year-old is coming off his first career all-star appearance and has proven to be a consistent presence in the Cardinals lineup through his four big-league seasons.
With two years of team control remaining and St. Louis shipping out most of its established veterans, Donovan has been rumoured to be available for most of the winter. The Red Sox and Seattle Mariners have also been reported as suitors for his services.
Hoerner, meanwhile, appears to be a relatively new addition to the trade block. After landing Bregman to hold down the hot corner in Chicago, the Cubs could shift 24-year-old Matt Shaw from third to second base following an uneven rookie season, potentially making Hoerner expendable.
The 28-year-old is coming off a 2025 season in which he hit .297 with 29 stolen bases and continued to perform as one of the top second-base defenders in baseball.
With just one year remaining on a three-year, $35-million extension signed in 2024, Hoerner would likely cost less in a potential trade than Donovan.
Quick hits
• After losing Bregman, the Red Sox have shown interest in free-agent third baseman Eugenio Suárez, according to Sean McAdam and Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Boston reportedly checked in on Suárez ahead of last season’s trade deadline.
• The Detroit Tigers are exploring the starting-pitching market and have talked with free agents Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito, per a report from The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Sammon on Saturday. However, the Tigers may be less likely to make an addition if they lose their arbitration case against Tarik Skubal, who filed for $32 million versus the club’s $19 million submission.
