1 player each AL team should sign
Every team enters the offseason with its own unique needs to fill, but only a handful will accomplish their winter goals. Let's take a look at one player each club should sign in the American League.
1 player each NL team should sign
Athletics, Pete Fairbanks
The Athletics need a viable ninth-inning option, which Fairbanks provides with a career 3.19 ERA and 11.3 K/9. The club finished with the fifth-fewest saves in the majors in 2025, but its rebuild is starting to look promising after posting its highest win total in four years. Fairbanks has a nerve condition that's impacted by cold weather, making Sacramento a practical fit for the right-hander before the A's move to Vegas in a few years.
Baltimore Orioles, Framber Valdez
The Orioles' promising ascent toward becoming a consistent powerhouse stalled in 2025 despite a young, talented core. The team's projected rotation is led by Kyle Bradish, who returned from Tommy John surgery in August, and Trevor Rogers, who broke out this year but isn't a proven ace. Valdez is the type of frontline starter Baltimore has been missing since Corbin Burnes left. The two-time All-Star has logged the second-most innings since 2022 with the fifth-highest fWAR among starters.
Boston Red Sox, Alex Bregman
Given their strong fit in 2025, the Red Sox and Bregman should continue their relationship. The 31-year-old provided veteran leadership to a young core oozing with promise while contributing 18 homers with 62 RBIs and an .821 OPS to earn his third career All-Star nod. While Bregman likely won't see a huge average annual value as he did on the short-term deal he signed with Boston last winter, his championship mettle and consistent production are worth investing in long term.
Chicago White Sox, Zach Littell
Despite bringing Anthony Kay back to the majors from Japan on a two-year deal, the White Sox should find another starter to eat innings. Chicago's projected rotation - Kay, Shane Smith, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, and Jonathan Cannon - just doesn't have enough experience, even for a rebuilding team. Littell pitched a combined 343 innings over the last two years with a 3.73 ERA. The South Siders also won't need to break the bank to sign him.
Cleveland Guardians, Marcell Ozuna
The Guardians need to add some thump to their lineup, as only José Ramírez and Kyle Manzardo surpassed 20 homers this year. They were also the only qualified players on Cleveland's roster with a slugging percentage over .400. Ozuna, who has gone deep 296 times over his 13-year career, can help in this area. The three-time All-Star hit 21 homers with a .756 OPS in 2025 but had a combined 79 long balls with a 148 wRC+ between 2023 and 2024.
Detroit Tigers, Bo Bichette
Now is the time for the Tigers to make a big strike in free agency after coming just one win short of reaching the ALCS for the first time since 2013. And with at least one season left with Tarik Skubal, it's time for the Tigers to push all the chips in for 2026. Adding Bichette gives the club a big middle-of-the-order bat to fortify a lineup that includes Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, and Spencer Torkelson. Bichette can play short since Zach McKinstry is a utility player. If Gleyber Torres leaves next offseason, Bichette could also move to second base.
Houston Astros, Michael King
Owner Jim Crane doesn't like to hand out big money on long-term contracts, and he probably won't need to with King. The right-hander made only 15 starts in 2025 due to multiple injuries, including a nerve issue in his shoulder. However, King authored a 2.95 ERA with 201 strikeouts over 173 2/3 innings to finish seventh in 2024 NL Cy Young voting. Houston could sign the 30-year-old to replace Valdez, who's likely to leave.
Kansas City Royals, Jorge Polanco
The Royals could use a big upgrade over Michael Massey and Jonathan India at the keystone position. Massey put up a 57 wRC+ over 77 games, while India had nine homers with a .669 OPS in 136 contests. Polanco, familiar with the AL Central after spending 10 years with the Twins, could be an ideal fit. He's coming off a bounce-back campaign, hitting 26 round-trippers with an .821 OPS during the regular season before becoming a playoff hero for the Mariners.
Los Angeles Angels, Eugenio Suárez
The Angels have a ton of power in their lineup with Mike Trout, Jo Adell, Zach Neto, Jorge Soler, and Logan O'Hoppe. However, they're down a big bat after trading Taylor Ward to the Orioles for Grayson Rodriguez. Suárez, who went deep a combined 49 times with 118 RBIs between the D-Backs and Mariners in 2025, could be a great replacement. The team clearly needs to find a third baseman this winter, as Denzer Guzman projects to start at the hot corner.
Minnesota Twins, Ryan O'Hearn
The Twins' position players don't look too bad, considering the team's 92 losses were the franchise's highest total since 2016. Still, there are a few glaring holes, especially at first base. O'Hearn would be a solid fit. He's coming off an All-Star campaign, recording 17 homers with 63 RBIs and an .803 OPS between the Orioles and Padres. The 32-year-old is also likely in Minnesota's lower-end budget.
New York Yankees, Tatsuya Imai
Imai sounds like a pitcher who's built for the spotlight of New York. He publicly said he would rather beat the Dodgers than join a team that already employs fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. That must be comforting for all the Yankees fans still bitter over the 2024 World Series. The 27-year-old could take the club's rotation to another level after amassing a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts in Japan this year.
Seattle Mariners, Munetaka Murakami
The Mariners are in the market for a third baseman with Suárez testing free agency, and Murakami profiles as a similar player due to his prolific bat and high strikeout rates. At just 25, he has already recorded 246 home runs with a .951 OPS in Japan. He's also the youngest player ever to win the NPB's Triple Crown, accomplishing the feat at age 22. Seattle has a clear need and a history of landing players from the Land of the Rising Sun.
Tampa Bay Rays, Victor Caratini
The Rays will need to find an upgrade for Nick Fortes as their starting catcher if the club hopes to compete in the ultra-competitive AL East. Caratini could definitely be an option, and Tampa Bay can probably get him at a reasonable price. The 32-year-old proved he can be a No. 1 backstop, recording 12 homers with 46 RBIs and a .728 OPS in 114 games with the Astros this year.
Texas Rangers, Robert Suarez
The Rangers have Robert Garcia as their best ninth-inning option after placing 22nd in baseball for saves during the 2025 campaign. Signing Suarez could significantly raise the floor and ceiling of Texas' bullpen. The two-time All-Star owns an MLB-best 76 saves over the last two years. He also sat in the 97th percentile in fastball velocity, 83rd in strikeout percentage, and 85th in walk percentage this past season.
Toronto Blue Jays, Kyle Tucker
The Blue Jays re-signing Bichette would be the most obvious move. Yet, running it back after a heartbreaking World Series loss might not be as fruitful as some expect. Toronto's front office looks hell-bent on making sure the 2026 team is better thanks to an aggressive offseason that's already landed starters Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. Tucker is the biggest free-agent fish available and objectively a better all-around player than Bichette. Landing a star like that would be a massive statement in what is shaping up to be a defining offseason north of the border.