These are the top 20 pitchers seeking new contracts this offseason (statistics from 2026; ages as of 2027 Opening Day).
1. Tarik Skubal
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.72 | 158.2 | 186 | 2.51 | 0.96 | 5.2 |
Age: 30
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $32M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Skubal is the top free agent on the open market after another strong season split between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time Cy Young winner is expected to sign one of the most lucrative contracts for a starting pitcher in MLB history. With Skubal turning 30 on Nov. 20 and having elbow surgery in May, some executives believe he'll struggle to land a 10-year offer.
2. Freddy Peralta
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.42 | 169 | 156 | 4.28 | 1.33 | 1.9 |
Age: 30
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $8M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Peralta's season was a disaster until the New York Mets traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline. "Fastball Freddy" rebuilt his value in Tampa, and he looked almost unhittable down the stretch, allowing three earned runs over his final five regular-season starts. He won't get a deal in the same neighborhood as Skubal, but some scouts think the right-hander could fetch a contract similar to the seven-year, $210-million pact Dylan Cease signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
3. Trevor Rogers
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.03 | 169.2 | 157 | 3.45 | 1.19 | 4.0 |
Age: 29
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $6.2M
Qualifying offer: Yes
Rogers may not be a star like Skubal or Peralta, but he's been an effective arm over the past two seasons and should do well in a thin market for starting pitching. Since May 2025, Rogers is tied with Ranger Suarez for the seventh-most fWAR among qualified starters in the majors. Suarez notably inked a five-year, $130-million deal with the Boston Red Sox last offseason.
4. Michael King
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.21 | 185 | 159 | 4.13 | 1.18 | 2.6 |
Age: 31
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $12M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
King hits the free-agent market after declining his player option with the San Diego Padres, forgoing $58 million over the next two years. The risk could pay off for the right-hander, who threw a career-high 185 innings and finished in the 86th percentile or better in pitching run value, average exit velocity, and hard-hit percentage last season.
5. Sonny Gray
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.72 | 169 | 149 | 3.47 | 1.15 | 3.4 |
Age: 37
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $35M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Although Gray tied the major-league lead in wins and finished fifth in the American League in ERA, he might be primed for a short-term deal. The veteran right-hander has said he'll pitch in 2027, but he admitted in September that he'd "be done in a heartbeat" if his family asked him to retire.
6. Nick Martinez
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.10 | 180 | 109 | 3.96 | 1.09 | 2.9 |
Age: 36
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $9M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Martinez set career highs in wins, starts, and innings pitched while finishing first among qualified AL starters in BB/9 and sixth in ERA last season. The right-hander doesn't strike out many hitters, but his ability to limit hard contact and pitch in various roles should earn him a sizeable deal.
7. Adrian Morejon
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.83 | 86 | 107 | 2.37 | 1.08 | 2.8 |
Age: 28
Throws: Left
Position: RP
2026 salary: $3.9M
Qualifying offer: Yes
Morejon should have a healthy market after a dominant campaign in the Padres' bullpen. Among qualified relievers, the left-hander finished third in innings, fourth in fWAR, and seventh in win probability added. His Baseball Savant page is also a sea of red, ranking in the 90th percentile or better in nearly every pitching category.
8. Clay Holmes
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.29 | 101.1 | 78 | 3.63 | 1.19 | 1.8 |
Age: 34
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $13M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
If you take away a couple of bad starts in September, Holmes was one of baseball's best pitchers when healthy. The sinker-baller allowed two earned runs or fewer in 14 of his 18 outings, led all starters with at least 100 innings pitched in groundball rate, and finished second in HR/9. However, the former reliever has pitched more than 100 innings only twice.
9. David Bednar
| ERA | IP | K | SV | FIP | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.47 | 69.1 | 76 | 35 | 2.61 | 1.04 |
Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2026 salary: $9M
Qualifying offer: Yes
Bednar was terrific for the Yankees, and the closer looks poised for a lucrative payday after a 35-save campaign that included a 2.47 ERA. He also ranked fifth among relievers with a 3.54 win probability added.
10. Kevin Gausman
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.51 | 177.2 | 184 | 3.74 | 1.27 | 3.1 |
Age: 36
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $23M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Gausman had a down year in 2026, but he's still an innings-eater who can regularly strike out opposing hitters. Last season, he posted a chase percentage in the 88th percentile, and his 9.3 K/9 was his best mark since 2023, when he finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
11. Tyler Mahle
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.99 | 149 | 137 | 3.99 | 1.24 | 2.1 |
Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $10M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Mahle's run with the Atlanta Braves was one of the biggest surprises of the second half. The right-hander recorded a 1.99 ERA over nine starts for the Braves, a stark contrast from his 5.13 ERA in 18 outings for the San Francisco Giants. Adjustments to his arm angle and increased use of his four-seam fastball and splitter led to better results, positioning the veteran to find a solid contract in free agency.
12. Foster Griffin
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.60 | 172.2 | 158 | 3.96 | 1.21 | 2.6 |
Age: 31
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $5.5M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Griffin made quite an impression during his first season back in the majors after a three-year stint in Japan. The All-Star posted a 3.06 ERA for the Washington Nationals before a deadline deal sent him to the Cleveland Guardians. While his 5.19 ERA in Cleveland might seem disappointing, his advanced metrics - 3.54 FIP, 0.8 HR/9, and 8.7 K/9 - improved with the Guardians.
13. Casey Mize
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.32 | 131.1 | 110 | 4.14 | 1.23 | 2.3 |
Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $6.15M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Teams considering signing Mize probably shouldn't look at his numbers with San Diego, where he posted a 7.46 ERA and 7.18 FIP in 10 outings after being acquired from Detroit. Although his stuff has continued to diminish over the past two seasons, Mize still locates well and looked solid (2.70 ERA, 2.58 FIP) in 16 starts with the Tigers before they traded him.
14. Shota Imanaga
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.77 | 174.1 | 174 | 4.47 | 1.10 | 1.8 |
Age: 33
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $22.025M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Imanaga proved to be a solid starter over his three seasons with the Chicago Cubs, finishing with a 3.77 ERA or lower in each campaign. The left-hander's control - the fourth-best walk rate in the majors since 2023 - and decent strikeout numbers should land him a solid deal, though his age could limit the length.
15. Kaima Taira
| ERA* | IP | K | WHIP | H/9 | BB/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.36 | 146 | 141 | 0.96 | 5.9 | 2.8 |
*2026 stats are from Japan's Pacific League
Age: 27
Throws: Right
Position: SP
Taira is expected to make the jump to MLB after leading Nippon Professional Baseball with a 1.36 ERA for the Seibu Lions. The 5-foot-8 right-hander has served as a starter and a reliever but has never pitched more than 150 innings in a season. Still, that hasn't stopped the New York Yankees and other big-league clubs from scouting him.
16. Dustin May
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.70 | 145.2 | 144 | 3.63 | 1.32 | 2.8 |
Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $12M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
May's numbers don't jump off the page at first glance, but the right-hander still has a terrific fastball that helped him record 2.8 fWAR last season with the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers. Though he's probably not ticketed for a big contract, teams in need of affordable rotation help should give him a call.
17. Michael Soroka
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.41 | 116 | 114 | 3.19 | 1.08 | 2.7 |
Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $7.5M
Qualifying offer: No
Soroka looked unstoppable for the D-Backs at times, allowing one earned run or fewer in 12 of his 22 outings and finishing the campaign with a 3.41 ERA. While the right-hander usually has health concerns and missed extended periods last season with shoulder and glute injuries, he remains a serviceable starter with an elite slurve that generated a 35.5% whiff rate.
18. Matthew Boyd
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.91 | 126.2 | 96 | 4.21 | 1.21 | 1.6 |
Age: 36
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $17M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Boyd is likely on the final legs of his career, but teams looking for back-of-the-rotation help might be interested in the left-hander. He rarely allows homers and still gets hitters out with his above-average off-speed stuff.
19. Walker Buehler
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.63 | 153.2 | 131 | 4.51 | 1.35 | 1.5 |
Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2026 salary: $3M
Qualifying offer: No
Buehler is no longer the ace he once was with the Dodgers, but he proved he can still compete after tossing his most innings since 2021 and winning nine games for the Padres. He'll likely do better this time around compared to last season's minor-league deal.
20. Robbie Ray
| ERA | IP | K | FIP | WHIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.59 | 165.2 | 140 | 4.69 | 1.35 | 0.9 |
Age: 35
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2026 salary: $25M
Qualifying offer: Ineligible
Ray walks a ton of hitters and doesn't have the same stuff he did during his 2021 Cy Young campaign, but he still has a good fastball and could provide veteran leadership to a club's rotation on an affordable deal.
