After one of the best fall classic rounds of my lifetime, capped off by an epic game 7, it may be hard to turn the page to winter. However, this year’s class is stacked with talent, and we are undoubtedly about to experience another cold winter of large contracts and players changing threads. The talent is overwhelming, so predicting where these players will land is tricky. With big market teams ready to make a splash, here are my predictions for where the top free agents will land.
Alex Bregman-New York Yankees, 6 years, 255 million dollars.
The Yankees, as of right now, do not have a bona fide third baseman. They traded for Ryan McMahon at the deadline, who provided as good a glove at the hot corner as you could ask for. However, he was only able to put up a measly .214 batting average and a .693 OPS. If the Yankees want to increase their offensive production and not lose out a ton on defense, Bregman is the perfect fit for that Yankee lineup. I could see the Yankees locking up the 31-year-old on a 6-year deal, taking him into his age 37 season. The Yankees have been in “win now” mode practically every year, and this is the biggest win now move they can make.
Pete Alonso-San Diego Padres, 5 years, 175 million dollars.
The Padres saw an early exit in the 2025 playoffs, losing to the Cubs in the wild-card series. The failure has begun to become a trend in San Diego, constantly getting outhit and outpitched by their opponents. With some money off the books due to big trades like the Juan Soto trade and letting go of Robert Suarez, I believe the Padres are in a perfect position to make a huge splash and sign the slugging first baseman. Their former first baseman, Luis Arraez, is a free agent, and if San Diego wants to bolster their lineup enough to compete with the back-to-back champs for their division, this is the kind of bat their lineup needs to compete. Alonso announced his opt-out moments after the Mets’ absolutely pathetic, shameful, embarrassing, gut-wrenching loss in game 162 to the Marlins that eliminated them from playoff contention, which shows me that he is now not so much concerned about being a Met for life, as opposed to winning. This leads me to believe Alonso, who is now a Boras Client, is more open to other teams, and San Diego seems like a perfect fit.
Cody Bellinger-Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 years, 115 million dollars.
LA signed OF Michael Conforto with the hopes he could be a productive outfielder, while former Dodger Cody Bellinger was dealt to the Yankees from Chicago. Bellinger, who signed with the Cubs after falling off from MVP form, spent years bundling himself back up and ultimately salvaging what seemed like a lost career. He is now 30, coming off a productive year with the Yankees. Meanwhile, LA, which seems perfect at every position, could use an outfielder. A Cody B return to LA seems so perfect, and with what LA has established these past 2 years, it won’t be hard convincing him to put Dodger Blue back on.
J.T Realmuto-New York Yankees, 2 Years, 28 million dollars.
While he is 34, catcher JT Realmuto is still as productive as any catcher. The Yanks, who don’t seem quite ready to move on from young catcher Austin Wells, who was feeble in 2025, had the option of Ben Rice at catcher. However, with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt being a FA, I could see the Yanks leaving Rice, who has proven himself a major league-ready player, at first and signing the Veteran Realmuto, not just as a productive catcher, but a mentor to the young Wells. Realmuto brings some of the best catcher defense you can find and will certainly have a positive influence on Wells.
Framber Valdez-New York Mets, 6 Years, 176 million dollars.
One of the main reasons the Mets fell apart in 2025 was their unapologetically putrid starting pitching rotation, which had to rely on rookies from AAA down the stretch to win ball games, could use a guy like Valdez. Already rumored to be a top suitor for superstar Tarik Skubal, if the Mets want even the slightest chance of being competitive in 2026, they will flex their 21 billion dollar budget by signing Valdez. Among many other free agents who are available, Valdez is the best starting pitcher up for grabs, and no team could use him more than the Mets.
Kyle Tucker-Philadelphia Phillies, 10 years, 415 million dollars.
Despite years of postseason heartbreak, coming in epic proportions this year after a brutal error from reliever Orion Kekering that even made a Met fan like me feel bad, Philly has never shown any sign of quitting. Despite the aging core, I believe Philly is going to try everything they can to win as soon as possible. With Trea Turner locked on a long-term deal and young pitching to accompany the offense, with a few other minor shakeups, Kyle Tucker seems like a perfect fit for Philly, which would allow them to easily contend in 2026, especially when the two other competitive teams in their division are scrambling to figure out how they will contend in 2026.
Edwin Diaz-Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 years, 96 million dollars.
The one fatal flaw of this LA team was the closer role. After signing Tanner Scott, expecting him to be a shutdown closer, he was the exact opposite, costing LA multiple games down the stretch. Scott was so bad that LA left him off the World Series roster. Diaz is a perfect fit for LA, who will not hesitate to give Diaz the sum he wants.
Kyle Schwarber-Chicago Cubs, 5 years, 125 million dollars.
With Tucker likely leaving, the Cubs will search for a cheaper, non-long-term option who may not match Tucker’s production, but will definitely be a sustainable replacement. Schwarber, coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him hit for power more than ever before, has shown no sign of slowing down. The Cubs adding him at the DH spot would allow them to replace Tucker’s bat, while leaving a spot open in the outfield to allow a more defensively sound player in that spot.
Bo Bichette-New York Mets, 7 Years, 168 million dollars
The Mets are in an interesting spot. In 2024, they were just two games away from a World Series appearance, and in 2025, they missed the playoffs by a game. However, they have an owner who is a Met fan, annoyed, and has a bottomless wallet. This dangerous combination leads me to believe that they will sign the SS as a second baseman, allowing them to trade Jeff McNeil. Bichette would bring a much-needed bat to the Met lineup, especially if they lose Pete Alonso. Bichette, who is just 28, expressed interest in leaving Toronto. However, this was before their run to the World Series in 2025, meaning he may have changed his mind. Either way, Bichette and the Mets seem like a perfect match, especially with the Mets looking to make some trades.
With the major free agents out of the way, here’s a list of many other notable names and who I believe they will sign with:
Gleyber Torres-Giants
Jordan Montgomery-Red Sox
Robert Suarez-Mariners
Josh Naylor-Braves
Luis Arraez-Rangers
Michael King-Mets
Jose Leclerc-Blue Jays
Devin Williams-Diamondbacks
Harrison Bader-Tigers
Trent Grisham-Yankees
Griffin Canning-Mets
Seranthony Dominguez-Yankees
Dustin May-Astros
Gregory Soto-Guardians
Ryan Helsley-Mets
Tyler Rodgers-Padres
Jose Quintana-Athletics
Hoby Milner-Mets
Dylan Cease-Rays
Wilmer Flores-Rays
Isiah Kiner Falefa-Marlins
Jose Iglesias-Cardinals
Tommy Pham-a team
