Greatest Matches for MLB’s Most Intriguing Accessible Free Brokers

In spite of everything that has already occurred in the course of the 2024-25 MLB offseason, it’s shocking what number of intriguing free brokers are nonetheless accessible.

So, what’s say we take a second to ponder the proper match for 10 of them?

The forged of characters here’s a assortment of the perfect free brokers nonetheless on the board. That half is straightforward, but it surely’s vital that everybody is on the identical web page that’s not about pairing them with their almost definitely suitors.

Slightly, it is about pinpointing which crew would stand to profit essentially the most from signing every of those gamers. Perhaps it is a couple of positional want. Or a necessity for a selected talent. Or for expertise. Or some mixture of all the above.

Simply as a phrase of warning, Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki isn’t included on this dialogue. He isn’t an odd free agent, in spite of everything, and we simply sized up his best landing spots on Sunday.

Let’s take it away.

Age: 29

2024 Stats: 121 G, 470 PA, 11 HR, 22 SB, .233 AVG, .330 OBP, .370 SLG

Qualifying Provide: No

Why It is the Greatest Match

The Mariners signing Ha-Seong Kim most likely cannot occur straight away.

They’re already projected to spend extra in 2025 than they did in 2024, in order that they seemingly need to clear some cash earlier than making any massive signings. You understand, simply in case anybody was questioning what the Luis Castillo trade rumors are all about.

Even when the Mariners do create payroll house, Kim won’t be their first alternative. They reportedly like Christian Walker, who will surely fill a necessity at first base.

Nonetheless, what Walker would not have that Kim completely does is an elite bat-to-ball talent. Kim has been within the top 10 percent in whiff fee in every of the final two seasons, which might have helped a Mariners offense that ranks first in strikeouts throughout these seasons.

Assuming he recovers nicely from right shoulder surgery, Kim must also proceed to supply above-average protection at a number of infield positions. He has 23 Outs Above Average in 4 seasons.

The Mariners aren’t as needy on this entrance, but it surely would not damage them to improve an infield that posted minus-15 OAA this yr.

Different Good Matches: Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves

Age: 30

2024 Stats: 72 G, 72.0 IP, 45 H (3 HR), 84 Ok, 36 BB, 1.75 ERA

Qualifying Provide: No

Why It is the Greatest Match

You understand who else thinks Tanner Scott is an efficient match for the Dodgers?

The Dodgers, in response to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. He reported on December 9 that the reigning World Sequence champs have been in on Scott and Devin Williams, who has since become a New York Yankee.

The Dodgers’ curiosity in Scott is smart on two fronts, beginning with how their bullpen may use a surefire possibility to shut video games. With 54 saves in 67 tries over the past three seasons, Scott can deal with closing.

Signing Scott would in any other case give the Dodgers three stable lefty relievers. Whereas he would not actually have a stark platoon cut up, he’s more practical on left-on-left matchups. This yr, for instance, lefties hit simply .132 off him.

Name it insurance coverage for Juan Soto in case the Dodgers meet the New York Mets within the playoffs. He is good in opposition to everybody, however much less so in opposition to lefties (.857 OPS) than righties (1.000 OPS).

The Dodgers may additionally breathe simpler figuring out that Shohei Ohtani would not need to face Scott anymore. He’s 1-for-9 with a mere single in opposition to Scott for his profession.

Different Good Matches: Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays

Age: 33

2024 Stats: 130 G, 552 PA, 26 HR, 2 SB, .251 AVG, .335 OBP, .468 SLG

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

Now that they’ve Cody Bellinger in heart subject between Aaron Decide and Jasson Domínguez, the Yankees darn nicely needs to be eyeing Walker for first base.

He matches the Astros higher, nonetheless.

Although neither the Yankees nor the Astros had been sturdy on the chilly nook in 2024, Houston has had an issue on the place for 2 years now. Their first basemen tallied simply 0.1 rWAR in 2023, adopted by minus-1.0 rWAR this season.

On the plate, Astros first basemen have been 18 percent worse than common over the past two seasons. And in response to OAA, solely Chicago White Sox first basemen have been much less efficient within the subject.

Therefore Walker. He is a 30-homer slugger who’s usually 20 percent higher than common on the dish. He is additionally the perfect defensive first baseman in MLB by a laughable margin, with 39 OAA to point out for the final three seasons.

Plus, the Astros are roughly $16 million in common annual worth away from the primary luxurious tax threshold for 2025. Against this, the Yankees are more than $48 million over it.

Different Good Matches: New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks

Age: 32

2024 Stats: 32 GS, 181.2 IP, 134 H (21 HR), 184 Ok, 63 BB, 3.47 ERA

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

The longer you consider Sean Manaea’s free company, the extra his doable touchdown spots appear to multiply.

He is an excellent pitcher, however one who can seemingly be had on an inexpensive contract. The three-year, $63 million deal that Yusei Kikuchi did with the Los Angeles Angels is an efficient mannequin for Manaea, and loads of groups can do one thing like that.

However what if Manaea merely returned to the Mets?

That will presumably go well with him simply positive, as Manaea was open in October with how a lot he liked enjoying for the Mets. A reunion must also go well with the crew, which nonetheless wants a starter after including Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes in free company.

The Mets additionally simply plain perceive the way to get essentially the most out of Manaea. He owes this yr’s breakout partially to inspiration he took from Chris Sale, but in addition to changes made at the behest of Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.

It is a good working relationship that must proceed, and it helps that the Mets will not want Manaea to be their No. 1 going ahead. That job belongs to Kodai Senga.

Different Good Matches: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Crimson Sox, Toronto Blue Jays

Age: 29

2024 Stats: 28 GS, 162.0 IP, 135 H (24 HR), 194 Ok, 38 BB, 3.17 ERA

Qualifying Provide: No

Why It is the Greatest Match

Jack Flaherty’s first flip as an Oriole didn’t go nicely.

They picked him up in a commerce with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023, and he did not even survive of their rotation after that. All informed, Flaherty made 9 appearances as an Oriole and pitched to a 6.75 ERA.

But as Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported in July, the Orioles suspected Flaherty was worn down once they traded for him.

That this certainly proved to be the case didn’t bitter them on him, as Rosenthal studies that they are keen on Flaherty once more now.

The O’s nonetheless want a starter even after adding Japanese righty Tomoyuki Sugano on a one-year deal. And even when Flaherty is not on Corbin Burnes’ degree, he is the very best alternative for the 2021 NL Cy Younger Award winner inside Baltimore’s seemingly value vary.

Signing with Baltimore may in any other case assist with the reverse splits that Flaherty had in 2024, whereby righties had a .730 OPS and 14 homers off him. Even with new left field dimensions, Oriole Park at Camden Yards nonetheless figures to favor lefties over righties.

Different Good Matches: Boston Crimson Sox, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets

Age: 32

2024 Stats: 154 G, 652 PA, 33 HR, 12 SB, .272 AVG, .339 OBP, .501 SLG

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

Although the Dodgers are still in on Teoscar Hernández, they now have Michael Conforto within the house that Hernández used to roam in left subject.

Because the Yankees determine to be out of the outfield market after trading for Bellinger, that leaves the Crimson Sox to lastly get their man.

Boston went after Hernández final winter, and the curiosity appears mutual this time. The slugger is back on the Crimson Sox’s radar and reportedly “intrigued” about enjoying at Fenway Park.

Shocking? Hardly. Hernández has 14 house runs and a .950 OPS at Fenway Park. The latter is his highest for any stadium at which he is taken at the very least 100 plate appearances.

The Crimson Sox have a surplus of outfielders, however not of right-handed hitters. Hernández is about in addition to they will do in regard to the latter, and it could be simple for Crimson Sox supervisor Alex Cora to get him at-bats in left subject and at designated hitter.

This, in fact, would imply much less work for Masataka Yoshida. However that would not essentially be a foul factor, given how punchless his bat has been in two MLB seasons.

Different Good Matches: Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees

Age: 30

2024 Stats: 155 G, 44 HR, 2 SB, .235 AVG, .308 OBP, .506 SLG

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

It is exhausting to think about Anthony Santander returning to the Orioles, however likewise exhausting to think about him leaving the AL East.

Essentially the most notable golf equipment tied to Santander embrace the Yankees, Crimson Sox and the Blue Jays, who’re the perfect match due to how they lack left-handed energy.

Toronto has gotten simply 127 house runs from the left facet over the past three seasons. That’s the second-fewest in MLB, rating forward of solely the White Sox.

The switch-hitting Santander spends most of his time batting lefty, and it is certainly his extra highly effective facet. He has a .227 ISO as a lefty hitter, in comparison with a .214 ISO as a righty hitter.

Maybe it would not have to be extra sophisticated than this, however it is usually value noting that the Blue Jays may create a straightforward match for Santander in proper subject in the event that they made George Springer their common DH.

Such a transfer may solely assist the 35-year-old Springer keep wholesome, although shifting him off proper subject may be addition by subtraction defensively. Per OAA, he hasn’t been a top quality defender since 2021.

Different Good Matches: New York Yankees, Boston Crimson Sox, Washington Nationals

Age: 30

2024 Stats: 162 G, 695 PA, 34 HR, 3 SB, .240 AVG, .329 OBP, .459 SLG

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

Wait a second…should not Pete Alonso’s greatest match be the Mets?

Most likely, yeah. They have not technically changed him at first base but. And even after doing offers with Soto, Montas and Holmes, there may be nonetheless a shockingly large gap between what the crew spent in 2024 and what it tasks to spend in 2025.

Then once more, the Mets can transfer on with Mark Vientos on the chilly nook. Additionally they do not actually want Alonso’s trademark energy—trace: 226 homers in six seasons—as a lot as different groups, together with the Nationals.

The Nationals hit solely 135 house runs this season. That is not at the same time as many because the Yankees and Orioles hit just in the first half.

The Nationals know that they should do one thing about their energy outage. And as to how, normal supervisor Mike Rizzo has openly mused about including a primary baseman or designated hitter.

Even when the Nats have but to be strongly linked to Alonso, whether or not they can afford him should not be up for dispute. At its peak, this franchise ran a nearly $200 million payroll.

Different Good Matches: New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers

Age: 30

2024 Stats: 145 G, 26 HR, 3 SB, .260 AVG, .315 OBP, .453 SLG

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

There is a large subject of curiosity in Alex Bregman, with Mark Feinsand of MLB.com looping in each New York golf equipment and the Crimson Sox.

The Crimson Sox are an particularly tempting decide. He has a 1.240 OPS at Fenway Park, the highest of any participant on document.

But whereas Boston may signal Bregman, transfer Rafael Devers to first base and commerce Triston Casas, that is a inflexible set of dominoes. It could be far less complicated if he simply signed with the Tigers.

In accordance with Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the curiosity between Bregman and the Tigers is mutual. If that is shocking, it is solely as a result of it implies that Bregman isn’t scared by the power-suppressing tendencies of Comerica Park.

However on the plus facet, Bregman would reunite with former Astros supervisor A.J. Hinch at a time when he has the Tigers on the rise. It wasn’t till late in 2024 that Detroit grew to become a contender, but it surely would not really feel like a fluke after so a few years of rebuilding.

As for {dollars} and cents, nicely, the Tigers used to spend twice as a lot on payroll as they did in 2024. Time to get again to that, guys.

Different Good Matches: Boston Crimson Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets

Age: 30

2024 Stats: 32 GS, 194.1 IP, 165 H (22 HR), 181 Ok, 48 BB, 2.92 ERA

Qualifying Provide: Sure

Why It is the Greatest Match

Per Feinsand and Jon Heyman of the New York Submit, two names preserve developing on Corbin Burnes’ nook of the rumor mill.

One is the Blue Jays. The opposite is the Giants.

Neither is unsuitable to be circling Burnes, however Toronto’s rotation is already set with Kevin Gausman and José Berríos up prime. The Giants, alternatively, have Logan Webb and a gap the place Blake Snell was once.

Burnes himself has one good purpose to contemplate the Giants, and it has to do with Oracle Park. It is a pitcher-friendly stadium normally, and particularly so in the case of keeping balls in the yard.

This would not matter as a lot if Burnes was nonetheless a top-tier strikeout artist, however these days have handed. Since 2021, he is gone from the 97th to the 51st percentile in strikeout fee.

This isn’t to indicate that Burnes is now a foul pitcher, however quite that he wants extra benefits than he used to. And to this finish, the Giants can supply him protection with a familiar face along with an enormous house yard.

Different Good Matches: Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Crimson Sox, Baltimore Orioles