The New Year serves as a symbolic halfway point of the offseason. It has been just under two months since the Dodgers came back in Toronto to repeat as World Series champions. We’re exactly six weeks away from pitchers and catchers beginning to report to Spring Training.
Twenty eight of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents have come off the board, though most of the marquee names remain. Seven of the top 10 are unsigned. We’re less than two days away from resolution on #7 free agent Tatsuya Imai, whose posting window closes on Friday afternoon. The overall volume of free agent activity is similar to last offseason, when 26 of our top 50 players were off the board on New Year’s Eve. However, a lot of last winter’s early activity was concentrated at the top of the market, as five of our top six free agents had signed before the close of December. Dylan Cease and Munetaka Murakami are the only two of our top eight who have signed so far this offseason.
Using MLBTR’s Contract Tracker (a tool available to Front Office subscribers), we can find every team’s free agent activity thus far. Players who accepted the $22.025MM qualifying offer are treated as free agent signings. Four contracts negotiated between the end of the regular season and November 6 — the Guardians’ deal with Austin Hedges, Baltimore’s signing of Dietrich Enns, the Royals’ deal with Salvador Perez, and the Cubs’ contract with Colin Rea — are excluded. Those all came before those players were permitted to speak with other teams and are thus extensions rather than free agent contracts.
As always, this is not meant as an exhaustive look at a team’s offseason activity. The Royals (Maikel Garcia) and Athletics (Tyler Soderstrom) have each signed a significant contract extension. The Red Sox are one of two teams that has yet to sign an MLB free agent contract, but they’ve taken on nearly $40MM in 2026 salary via trades for Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Johan Oviedo. This is strictly a look at what teams have so far accomplished through free agency.
For this exercise, we’ll take the total amount even if the contract includes deferred money. Teams are ordered by overall spending.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
Total guarantees: $277MM
- RHP Dylan Cease: Seven years, $210MM
- RHP Tyler Rogers: Three years, $37MM
- RHP Cody Ponce: Three years, $30MM
2. Baltimore Orioles
Total guarantees: $195.1MM
- 1B Pete Alonso: Five years, $155MM
- RHP Ryan Helsley: Two years, $28MM
- RHP Zach Eflin: One year, $10MM
- OF Leody Taveras: One year, $2.1MM
3. Philadelphia Phillies
Total guarantees: $182MM
- DH Kyle Schwarber: Five years, $150MM
- RHP Brad Keller: Two years, $22MM
- OF Adolis García: One year, $10MM
- RHP Zach Pop: One year deal, salary unreported
4. New York Mets
Total guarantees: $113MM
- RHP Devin Williams: Three years, $51MM
- INF Jorge Polanco: Two years, $40MM
- RHP Luke Weaver: Two years, $22MM
5. Atlanta Braves
Total guarantees: $106.25MM
- RHP Robert Suarez: Three years, $45MM
- OF Mike Yastrzemski: Two years, $23MM
- SS Ha-Seong Kim: One year, $20MM
- RHP Raisel Iglesias: One year, $16MM
- RHP Joel Payamps: One year, $2.25MM
- LHP Danny Young: One year split contract
- RHP Ian Hamilton: One year non-guaranteed deal
6. Seattle Mariners
Total guarantees: $99.75MM
- 1B Josh Naylor: Five years, $92.5MM
- OF Rob Refsnyder: One year, $6.25MM
- C Andrew Knizner: One year, $1MM
7. San Diego Padres
Total guarantees: $91.2MM
- RHP Michael King: Three years, $75MM
- INF Sung-mun Song: Four years, $15MM
- LHP Kyle Hart: One year, $1.2MM
- RHP Ty Adcock: One year deal
- RHP Daison Acosta: One year deal
8. Los Angeles Dodgers
Total guarantees: $74.5MM
9. Detroit Tigers
Total guarantees: $59.025MM
- 2B Gleyber Torres: One year, $22.025MM qualifying offer
- RHP Kyle Finnegan: Two years, $19MM
- RHP Kenley Jansen: One year, $11MM
- RHP Drew Anderson: One year, $7MM
10. Chicago Cubs
Total guarantees: $53.525MM
- LHP Shota Imanaga: One year, $22.025MM qualifying offer
- RHP Phil Maton: Two years, $14.5MM
- RHP Hunter Harvey: One year, $6MM
- LHP Caleb Thielbar: One year, $4.5MM
- LHP Hoby Milner: One year, $3.75MM
- RHP Jacob Webb: One year, $1.5MM
- 1B Tyler Austin: One year, $1.25MM
11. Chicago White Sox
Total guarantees: $50.5MM
- 1B Munetaka Murakami: Two years, $34MM (plus $6.575MM posting fee to NPB’s Yakult Swallows)
- LHP Anthony Kay: Two years, $12MM
- LHP Sean Newcomb: One year, $4.5MM
12. Arizona Diamondbacks
Total guarantees: $50.25MM
- RHP Merrill Kelly: Two years, $40MM
- RHP Michael Soroka: One year, $7.5MM
- C James McCann: One year, $2.75MM
13. Pittsburgh Pirates
Total guarantees: $36.75MM
14. San Francisco Giants
Note: Salary terms on San Francisco’s one-year deal with Tyler Mahle remain unreported. Once finalized, that’ll likely push them into the mid-$30MM range. Their placement above the Yankees assumes Mahle’s guarantee is north of $4MM.
Total guarantees: More than $25.4MM
- RHP Adrian Houser: Two years, $22MM
- RHP Jason Foley: One year, $2MM
- LHP Sam Hentges: One year, $1.4MM
15. New York Yankees
Total guarantees: $29.025MM
- OF Trent Grisham: One year, $22.025MM qualifying offer
- LHP Ryan Yarbrough: One year, $2.5MM
- INF Amed Rosario: One year, $2.5MM
- RHP Paul Blackburn: One year, $2MM
16. Cincinnati Reds
Total guarantees: $25.9MM
- RHP Emilio Pagán: Two years, $20MM
- LHP Caleb Ferguson: One year, $4.5MM
- OF JJ Bleday: One year, $1.4MM
- RHP Keegan Thompson: One year split deal
17. Tampa Bay Rays
Total guarantees: $25MM
18. Milwaukee Brewers
Total guarantees: $22.025MM
19. Texas Rangers
Total guarantees: $20.625MM
- C Danny Jansen: Two years, $14.5MM
- RHP Chris Martin: One year, $4MM
- LHP Tyler Alexander: One year, $1.125MM
- RHP Alexis Díaz: One year, $1MM
20. Miami Marlins
Total guarantees: $15MM
21. Los Angeles Angels
Total guarantees: $12.95MM
- RHP Kirby Yates: One year, $5MM
- LHP Drew Pomeranz: One year, $4MM
- RHP Jordan Romano: One year, $2MM
- RHP Alek Manoah: One year, $1.95MM
22. St. Louis Cardinals
Total guarantees: $12.5MM
23. Cleveland Guardians
Total guarantees: $7.9MM
- RHP Shawn Armstrong: One year, $5.5MM
- RHP Colin Holderman: One year, $1.5MM
- RHP Connor Brogdon: One year, $900K
- RHP Pedro Avila: One year split contract
24. Minnesota Twins
Total guarantees: $7MM
25. Kansas City Royals
Total guarantees: $6.15MM
26. Washinton Nationals
Total guarantees: $5.5MM
27. Houston Astros
Total guarantees: $3.95MM
28. Athletics
Total guarantees: $2.85MM
T-29. Boston Red Sox/Colorado Rockies
Total guarantees: $0
- Boston and Colorado have yet to sign a free agent to a major league deal this offseason.
Good job Rockies
In all honesty, I would love them to sign a couple stars that could rake at Coors Field
Thank you my Yankees, for doin’ Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, so far.
Did you fail to read the article?
15. New York Yankees
Total guarantees: $29.025MM
OF Trent Grisham: One year, $22.025MM qualifying offer
LHP Ryan Yarbrough: One year, $2.5MM
INF Amed Rosario: One year, $2.5MM
RHP Paul Blackburn: One year, $2MM
Not saying they lit the world on fire but that’s a lot more than as you put it “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”
You took it too seriously bud.
it really is just zip a dee doo dah …. if they were still available to do it the 3 would be equivalent of tendering an arbitration contract and just depth.with grisham accepted the QO they probably were fine with but probably hoping for the compensation.
Honestly i wouldnt be surprised if half those guys are off the team in april.
They were all Yankees already
No they were free agents, minus Grisham who was a free agent with a qualifying offer
Erebus and 22 of that 29 million is from Grisham accepting the QO, which I’m sure surprised the Yankees. There’s still time and lots of top FAs left but so far it’s not been an impressive off-season for the Yankees.
Resigning your own players doesn’t count as resigning a free agent.
Agreed Hank at least with respect to player taking the qualifying offer. Moreover the article fails to mention the amount not incurred by moving on from players who signed elsewhere.
hank,
Yes, it does.
dewey,
The article mentions what it’s intended to mention. What you’re talking about is a different topic.
When a players contract runs out, they become a free agent and any team can sign them. So by signing them it counts as signing a free agent
If you said in October that the rockies would match the Red Sox dollar for dollar in free agent spending, id imagine most Rox fans would’ve been pleased.
Last time rockies randomly sign a star was when they chose Kris Bryant and now that’s one of the worst contracts of all time
Why must you torment me so, Anthony. (Happy New Year to all the writers and everyone who comes by the site!)
Damn Boston is being beat by the A’s in spending
No they’re not. Red Sox have spent way more, just not in free agency.
The Sox have made 3 significant trades that add up to around $40 million. They aren’t signing free agents but they are spending
Didn’t they also dump salary in the Devers trade?
Yes, but they also took the remainder of Jordan Hicks’ contract, which still has $25 million due
Happy New Year everybody. I love you all.
Careful. Don’t make me call HR.
Careful, don’t make me get Tom Brenneman to call Castellanos’ HR!
I think of myself as a good commenter…and there’s a long fly ball by Castellanos that will make it 6-3 Reds…folks, I dont know if I’ll ever comment on here again.”
Lmao 🤣🍻🤙🏽
Never thought I’d see the Buccos winning the off-season in their division. Happy New Year!
@2026 Free Agency Contest Award Winner
Going off and average of all Fangraph’s WAR projections for the current team, Pirates are looking at a 77-85 record next year. Sure, not going to the playoffs or anything but an increase of 6 wins with all the moves so far this offseason.
Best of luck in 2026. It would be nice if they could at least be somewhat competitive next year and even hand around the .500 line.
Any team trying harder to win is refreshing. Baseball is best when players get paid, and owners give the fans what they want: hope to win, and talent to care for.
Good steps Bucs
They have enough to win 80 games right now, I think if they have guys like Cruz and reynolds step up then they can win 85 and make the playoffs
I never thought the pirates would do this
On the other hand, with the Reds pathetic performance this off-season, the Pirates will have a better record than the Reds.
I still doubt that gets Krall fired, especially with apathetic fans about as far as demanding excellence.
What kind of world is this when Bob Nutting outspends the New York Yankees in free agent signings???? Someone please wake me up. Weird dream I had…
Still a lot of time left in the off season and some big names still available
The new Steinbrenner is fine with the dodgers and Mets spending more but at least the Mets always fail by august and the dodgers can get injuries
Rooting for injuries. The lowest of the low.
That’s cute. Maybe the padres should focus on winning the division for the first time since 2006. Seems like you forgot 2010, 2012 and 2014
This Dodger fan is muting both of you immature losers
Happy New Year 🎊👨⚖️🗽
Happy New Year Everyone!!
John Henry needs to sell the Red Sox.
I could have sworn you said Joe Hendry, i been watching too much WWE lately.
Without siphoning operating income out of the Red Sox Henry wouldnt be able to fund all these non-baseball interests of his.
For that reason alone he cant sell
I like that the Sacramento A’s have focused on extensions for their young bats. It would be nice if they could also pick up a couple of number 4-5 starting pitchers on short term deals.
I also like that the West Sacramento A’s are trying to improve. Too bad for the Sacramento region the best is gonna come in Las Vegas.
Boston and Colorado ownership are being cheap.
Happy New Year!
Let’s start the year off right!
Hire the Superfife!
Red Sox in the same category as the Rockies….yikes
In the same SUB category as Colorado, which becomes a ton less “yikes” when you do the logical thing and zoom out to the broader category. Not as sensational, I know, but a lot more accurate and honest.
That’s amazing
The leaderboards will change a lot once the offseason is done. Lots of big names left that the big spenders will sign.
Outside of a couple of signings it’s been mainly relievers and mid level guys being signed. A number of the by small/mid spending teams.
The teams like the marlins/pirates/white Sox spending a little money is good for baseball. Mostly spending on tier B free agents. This is likely how offseason will go in the future.
Now we wait for the big market teams to swallow up all the high priced free agents.
Kyle Tucker to Red Sox? Ten years $340 million. Seems about right. Chance of it happening? Dunno. Maybe 50/50.
Try swapping the 4 and the 3, then the 3 with the 0. 403 million, 11 years.
0%
More like 0/100. The very last thing the Red Sox need is another outfielder. Hell, they still need to get rid of one (or if you count Yoshida, two)
I’m hoping for an Angel’s in The Outfield type season in California
Come on Dana Brown, just sign Lucas Giolito already.
Not including Grisham’s qualifying offer, the Yankees have spent $7M in free agency. Is it possible Brian Cashman passed away and the team failed to announce it?
I don’t know. Maybe they feel like they are too good.
My picks for best value for money are Braves, Mariners, Yankees and Rays. At least so far. In no order.
I’ll go with mariners white Sox and pirates
Murakami was huge. Just more of a wild card for me.
I just wanted the Pirates to do something, and they finally did, so im happy
Idk how much their pickups actually move the needle, but at least its moving.