#free-agency

#free-agency

Over the last few years, the Patriots have lost every member of the dynasty team either by cutting them outright or letting them leave in free agency, becoming the official sign that the best days are in the rearview mirror. That has led fans to hope some of them will eventually return after spending time with other teams, including a beloved cornerback who remains unsigned this season.

Bader's chief calling card is his glove, as public defensive metrics indicate consistently good-to-great numbers for Bader over his nine big league seasons. 2025 was no exception, as he received +6 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average over 568 2/3 innings as a center fielder, and +7 DRS and +3 OAA for 496 innings as a left fielder.

Multiple members of the Red Sox' organization view Bo Bichette as an "intriguing alternative" if they lose Bregman in free agency, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported. Bichette, who'll turn 28 in March, is not only one of the top hitters on the open market this offseason, but he's also one of the youngest free agents. The two-time All-Star hit .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, and a .840 OPS this past season, helping him earn MVP votes for the fourth time.

Much of the buzz surrounding the Phillies this winter has concerned their efforts to re-sign one or both or Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto. Since either of those free agents might well end up leaving Philadelphia for another team, the Phils have also been doing their due diligence on other major free agents or trade targets, including Tatsuya Imai and Ketel Marte.

Right-hander didn't have the platform season he envisioned heading into free agency, but the former Cy Young finalist and All-Star nevertheless turned down a qualifying offer from the D-backs and hit the open market last month. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Giants have had conversations with Gallen's camp ( video link). MLB.com's Mark Feinsand adds the Angels and Tigers to the list of teams with interest in Gallen. He also indicates that the Orioles, Cubs and Braves have at least looked into Gallen.

The Toronto Blue Jays addressed their pitching by signing Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and also had Shane Bieber take the option on his contract to play with Toronto in 2026. Both the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles have also made moves with the former grabbing Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, and the latter picking up reliever Ryan Helsley off the free agent market while also getting Taylor Ward in a trade with the LA Angels.

A longtime Baltimore Oriole, Mullins spent eight seasons with the club that drafted him in 2015 before he was dealt to the New York Mets at last year's trade deadline in exchange for three players. Between both squads, Mullins posted a .216/.299/.391 slash line with 23 doubles, 17 home runs, and 59 RBIs to the tune of a .690 OPS. Following the trade, Mullins struggled with the Mets, producing a .565 OPS with a .284 OBP down the stretch with New York, who eventually missed out on the playoffs.

Cody Bellinger, a very popular name right now across Major League Baseball. I was told that no fewer than three large-market teams are actively courting Cody Bellinger. Yes, the two New York teams, and then potentially also the Phillies and the Dodgers. So maybe actually four big-market teams are showing interest in Bellinger.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by B.B. Abbott of Wasserman Baseball to discuss... Abbott's approach to free agency (3:30) The impact of the media on free agency (10:00) The different levels of player involvement in free agency (17:00) The decision to sign an extension instead of going to free agency (20:15) Byron Buxton and his extension with the Twins (28:50) Representing young players going into the draft (32:10) The general state of baseball (35:50)

Astros 40-man roster move incoming: The Astros are reportedly signing right-hander to a major league deal, bringing him over from the Korea Baseball Organization. The Astros have a full 40-man roster, so they'll need to make a move in order to accommodate their new signing. The most common way to accomplish that is simply by designating a player for assignment, but it's also possible Houston could look to work out a trade that clears 40-man roster space instead.

Holiday bargain shoppers alert: right-hander Pete Fairbanks may not be available for much longer. Fairbanks, whose $11 million player option ($1 million buyout) was declined by the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of last month's non-tender deadline, has garnered interest from several post-season contenders this off-season, including the Toronto Blue Jays, as The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo report. That should come as no surprise, considering the Blue Jays had been connected to all three of Ryan Helsley, Raisel Iglesias and Phil Maton

When I went in for my post-World Series MRI, my exit physical, the MRI showed kind of the same as the MRI in July as far as the damage, but it was hard to tell because it looked like a weather forecast. It was so white. There was so much swelling that it was super white, and right then and there they gave me a 50-50 chance of recovering without surgery.

Pagán had one of the more successful campaigns of his career last season with the Cincinnati Reds. He authored a 2.88 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, and a 2.9 BB/9 while setting career-high marks in games (70) and saves (32), with his ERA and WHIP serving as second-best numbers of his career. The saves were probably not expected to come at that level entering the '25 season for Pagán; Reds closer Alexis Díaz struggled immensely to start the year, allowing eight earned runs over six relief innings.

Arihara began his career in NPB, spending six seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. His solid work at Japan's highest level earned him a two-year, $6.2MM deal with the Rangers in December 2020. Arihara pitched in parts of two seasons for Texas from 2021 to 2022. He struggled to a 6.64 ERA across 10 starts with the Rangers in his first season.

Dominguez delivered league-average results at the plate in his first full season of MLB action. He was widely regarded as New York's top prospect before last season. Given his pedigree, Dominguez is likely overqualified as a fourth outfielder. Jones is probably due for a call-up after launching 35 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A last season, but adding him to the roster without a clear role could stunt his development.