With free agency officially underway, here’s the latest from the offseason hot stove
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3 min read
The 2026-27 MLB offseason is less than one week old and already the hot stove moves and rumors are coming in. We’ve ranked the top 50 free agents and top 25 trade candidates, and built you a calendar of the important offseason dates and deadlines you need to know. Here now are Tuesday’s hot stove happenings.
Yankees could pursue Skubal, trade a starter
The Yankees are at least considering a run at Tarik Skubal, by far the best available free agent, and then trading another starting pitcher to address needs elsewhere on the roster, reports ESPN. New York is one of the few teams in baseball that legitimately does not need to add to its rotation this offseason, though there is no such thing as too much pitching.
This is the club’s rotation depth chart at the moment:
- RHP Cam Schlittler
- LHP Max Fried
- RHP Gerrit Cole
- LHP Carlos Rodón
- LHP Ryan Weathers
- RHP Will Warren
- RHP Clarke Schmidt (missed most of 2026 following UCL surgery)
- RHP Elmer Rodríguez
Schlittler and the well-paid veterans aren’t going anywhere. Warren is the most sensible trade chip. He threw 156 innings with a 3.92 ERA and solid under-the-hood indicators this past season and has four years of team control remaining. Cheap, controllable pitching is the game’s greatest currency. It’s always in demand and it can get you anything you need in a trade.
The Yankees need help at second and third base this offseason, possibly in center field and at catcher as well. Signing Skubal (or a different veteran) and trading Warren for help on the position player side is a sensible strategy for New York.
Mets focused on rotation upgrades
The Mets are focused on adding to their rotation and are “active everywhere,” according to The Athletic. They’re looking at the top of the market (i.e. Tarik Skubal) as well as at the small army of solid veterans who occupy the middle tier of the free agent class. The Mets could also explore the trade market, though the team is said to not be keen on dealing prospects this offseason.
At the moment, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott are the only locks for New York’s 2027 rotation. Here is the team’s starting pitching depth chart:
- RHP Nolan McLean
- RHP Christian Scott
- LHP Zac Thornton
- RHP Kodai Senga
- LHP Sean Manaea
- RHP Tylor Megill (missed 2026 following UCL surgery)
- RHP Jonah Tong
- RHP Tobias Myers
- RHP Justin Hagenman
Senga could return to the bullpen after pitching admirably in the closer’s role late this year. Clearly, the Mets need at least one starter this offseason and could really use more than one, just to lessen the reliance on young pitchers like Thornton and Tong. President of baseball operations David Stearns is disinclined to give pitchers long-term deals, which could put the Mets at a disadvantage for Skubal.
Rangers prioritizing center field
Gold Glove finalist Evan Carter underwent right hip surgery last week and will miss the start of the 2027 season, Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young announced Monday. As a result, Texas will prioritize center field help this offseason. If needed, the Rangers can put left fielder Wyatt Langford (also a Gold Glove finalist) in center, but Langford is best in left.
“There’s no doubt that we have to be cognizant that Evan’s coming off a major surgery, and that we’re going to have to find potential backfills if he is not ready to start the season, or if there are any setbacks,” Young said, via MLB.com. “It doesn’t change our belief in Evan long term, but it does change our short-term plans that we need to have a backfill and somebody who can certainly fill in or play a very solid center field and hopefully contribute offensively.”
The free agent class does not offer much in center field unless you’re willing to take on injury or age-related decline risk. Here are the top available free agent center fielders according to FanGraphs projected 2027 WAR:
- Trent Grisham: 2.1 WAR
- Luis Robert Jr.: 1.6 WAR
- Daulton Varsho: 1.3 WAR
- Cedric Mullins: 1.2 WAR
- Tyrone Taylor: 0.8 WAR
Jarren Duran (Red Sox) and Steven Kwan (Guardians) stand out as center field trade candidates, though Kwan in particular will come at a high price. A cheaper, defense-first stopgap like, say, Denzel Clarke (Athletics) or Blake Perkins (Guardians) may be the best short-term option while Carter is on the mend.
