Top 5 Free Agents for 2026

Now that all of the big free agent names have found their 2025 homes and beyond, why not have a look at the current slate of big names set for free agency in the winter of 2025/2026.

And it all starts with a player who's made some big news this week, as his deadline for an extension with the Toronto Blue Jays expired on Tuesday, without a deal.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Blue Jays had plenty of time to try to wrap up their franchise player, but they took too much time, it turns out, and now Vladdy has shut the door on negotiations, saying the team was not even close to matching what he was looking for in an extension. As he put it, now the Jays will have to battle it out with "29 other teams." Some say he was looking for a long-term deal worth about $450 million or more.

First, let's see if he performs in 2025 like he did in 2024 and 2021. If he's back to being the good-not-great player of 2022 and 2023, he'll have a hard time coming close to that desired number.

One team is already being labeled as the clear frontrunner for his services in 2026.

Kyle Tucker

About to spend his first (and potentially only) season with the Chicago Cubs, Tucker will be using Wrigley Field as a launching pad for his own monster contract. The former Houston Astro is a young superstar in the making. He could command well over $300 million—which of course is the reason the Astros felt compelled to trade him.

Zac Gallen

Over the last three seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks starter has gone 43-19 with an ERA in the lower 3.00s, and a WHIP of about 1.05, while striking out 9.4 batters per nine. He is a true ace, and ranks eighth in ERA+ (approx. 135) over those three seasons. He should easily be able to land a contract worth north of $150 million over five years.

Dylan Cease

The two-time Top-4 Cy Young finisher is the San Diego Padres ace, but there has been talk all offseason that they could look to trade him to ease up their salary situation. He's durable, with four straight years of at least 32 starts, with a career ERA of 3.75. We'll see if any team actually pulls the trigger on trading for him without some insurance about an extension. What differentiates him from Gallen on this list (in a negative way), is that Cease blew up in 2023, with a 4.58 ERA, while Gallen has had no such drop-off over the last three years.

Framber Valdez

There's really not much to choose from among these three aces. You could really put them in any order. Valdez is a two-time All-Star, and is the only lefty on this list. He has a 3.00 ERA over the last three very consistent years. He's finished top 10 in Cy Young voting in each of those three seasons. His ERA+ is consistently in the 135 range. The only thing that could keep Valdez below the other two on this list is that he'll be 32 next winter, while Cease and Gallen will be 30.