Predicting Landing Spots for Remaining Free Agents

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January 9, 2026

Since free agency started two months ago, many players have found new homes. So it’s worth taking a look at the remaining free agents. In late November, Dylan Cease signed a seven-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Three weeks later, Pete Alonso left the New York Mets for the Baltimore Orioles. However, several major names remain unsigned. This is how many see the rest of free agency playing out for baseball’s biggest stars.

Kyle Tucker Heads North of the Border

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Very little is known about Kyle Tucker’s market, so where he ends up is anybody’s guess. However, one could assume that a select group of teams is after him. The reigning World Series runners-up, the Toronto Blue Jays, fit the bill as one of them.

Tucker is expected to demand a contract in the neighborhood of $400 million, and the Blue Jays haven’t been afraid to spend money this offseason. They’ve given over $300 million to Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Kazuma Okamoto, so Tucker could easily be next.

This seems like a perfect fit. The Blue Jays were one inning away from winning a World Series title last season, so adding the best free-agent hitter on the market would cement them as the clear favorites in the American League. Plus, an outfield of Tucker, Daulton Varsho, and George Springer would easily be the best in baseball.

Bo Bichette Joins Reigning World Series Champions

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If the Blue Jays sign Tucker, it’s hard to see them retaining Bo Bichette. This would be a heartbreaking end to his time in Toronto, as the Blue Jays are the only team he’s ever known. However, Bichette recently expressed his willingness to play second base in 2026, thus expanding his market and heightening his chances of signing elsewhere.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have few holes on their roster and second base is one of them. Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim both posted an OPS below .700, and Miguel Rojas is more of a utility man. Therefore, Bichette would be a perfect fit in the Dodgers’ infield. In his seven seasons, Bichette has notched 175 hits four separate times, while posting an OPS above .800 in all but one season.

Add Bichette to an infield that already features Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Max Muncy, and you have, without question, the best infield in baseball. Dodger fans would rejoice, albeit to the displeasure of the other 29 franchises.

Framber Valdez Goes to the Big Apple

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The signing of Tatsuya Imai all but eliminated a return to the Houston Astros for Framber Valdez, as Imai and Hunter Brown are considered the new faces of the rotation. Despite this, Valdez has garnered interest from both the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs.

With the Cubs’ recent acquisition of Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, Valdez seems more likely to end up in Queens. The Mets have an exciting young rotation headlined by Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean, but they could use another veteran to beef up their starting pitching.

Valdez has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past half-decade, posting a sub-3.50 ERA in each of the past five seasons. He’s also pitched over 175 innings in all but one of those seasons, proving he has the durability to carry an inexperienced Mets rotation if needed.

Cody Bellinger Stays Put in the Bronx

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Similar to Tucker, not much is known about Cody Bellinger’s market. Sure, the New York Yankees have submitted multiple offers, and several teams have expressed interest, but the specifics remain unknown. Nonetheless, Bellinger is still one of the top remaining free agents.

This past season was Bellinger’s best since 2019, a season that saw him win the National League MVP award. In 2025, Bellinger hit 29 home runs, drove in 98 runs, and posted a 5.0 WAR. He might not be back to his 2019 self, but Bellinger is still one of the game’s premier outfielders.

Bellinger could realistically fit in any outfield, but with the Yankees, he’s a natural fit. His left-handed swing is perfectly suited for Yankee Stadium, and his defensive versatility allows him to move around the outfield. Re-signing Bellinger might not be the flashiest move for the Yankees, but it brings them right back into contention in the American League.

Eugenio Suárez Joins an Exciting Athletics Squad

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The Athletics have arguably the most exciting young core in baseball. Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, and Lawrence Butler are an exciting group of players, but they lack one thing: experience.

That brings Eugenio Suárez into the fold. Over his 12-year career, Suárez has 325 home runs, 277 extra-base hits, and over 1600 games under his belt. He’s also played in 20 postseason games in his career, something very few players on the Athletics’ roster have experienced.

Suárez posted a career-best 49 home runs last season, despite playing in pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park for a good portion of it. So, if he got to play half his games in a minor league ballpark, could he be even better? One could only imagine.

Ranger Suárez Strengthens a Young Giants Rotation

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The San Francisco Giants have a strong one-two punch in Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, but the rest of their rotation is largely unproven. Ranger Suárez, however, is not.

In eight seasons in the majors, Suárez has a career ERA of 3.38 in the regular season. In the postseason, he’s been ever better, posting a 1.48 ERA across 42 2/3 innings. He would be a natural fit with the Giants, especially in the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.