With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the 2025 season’s focus shifts to the final two months of the postseason race and the ensuing drama of October. For teams already looking ahead to the winter, the upcoming free-agent class is of paramount importance. This week’s power rankings assess the market value of one key pending free agent for every club.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (74-44)
Pending Free Agent: SP Brandon Woodruff
Woodruff is almost certain to decline his $20 million mutual option to enter free agency healthy, a stark contrast to previous offseasons. Since rejoining the Brewers’ rotation on July 6, he has been superb, posting a 2.29 ERA over 35 1/3 innings in six starts. Against fellow playoff contenders like the Mets and Mariners, Woodruff delivered 13 combined innings of two-run ball with 13 strikeouts and only two walks. In a market populated by solid mid-rotation starters, he profiles as a ready-made ace.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (68-51)
Pending Free Agent: OF Michael Conforto
When Conforto signed a one-year, $17 million deal, both he and the Dodgers hoped he would replicate Teoscar Hernández’s 2024 success, using a strong season in Los Angeles as a springboard to a larger contract. Instead, Conforto has been underwhelming, entering Monday with a .190 batting average and a career-low .636 OPS. While underlying metrics suggest he has suffered from poor batted-ball luck—a point that may help his case this winter—the Dodgers need that luck to turn around before October.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (69-49)
Pending Free Agent: OF Kyle Schwarber
Once non-tendered, Schwarber has defied expectations and is now positioned to enter free agency following a potential 50-homer season. He projects as one of the top bats in the class, capable of securing another four-year deal as a designated hitter in his 30s. This has been his best all-around season, with a batting average over .250 for just the second time in his career, complementing his characteristically elite walk rate.
4. Houston Astros (67-50)
Pending Free Agent: RF Kyle Tucker
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off the market, Tucker is poised to be this winter’s top free agent, and his performance through 113 games illustrates why a bidding war is likely. Despite a recent slump, he entered Monday with a .271/.384/.469 slash line and a 139 wRC+. With 18 homers and 24 steals, he should secure his third career 20/20 season, while his 4.3 fWAR is tied for 11th in MLB.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (69-50)
Pending Free Agent: SS Bo Bichette
For both Bichette and the Blue Jays, the 2025 goal was to erase the memory of a disappointing 2024, a mission they have so far accomplished. The Blue Jays hold the AL’s best record, largely thanks to their shortstop’s renaissance. Bichette’s numbers align with his career norms before last season, and he has been particularly effective since just before the All-Star break. Since July 7, only Nick Kurtz has accumulated more fWAR, making Bichette the clear No. 2 free agent behind Kyle Tucker.
6. New York Yankees (69-51)
Pending Free Agent: 2B Gleyber Torres
After signing a one-year, $15 million deal, Torres is well-positioned for a long-term contract this winter. His 120 OPS+ is his highest since his 2019 All-Star campaign, an honor he earned again this season. Still just 28, Torres will have youth and a strong platform year on his side. He has significantly cut his strikeout rate to a career-best 14.2 percent while increasing his walk rate, and his chase percentage is among the league’s elite.
7. Seattle Mariners (66-53)
Pending Free Agent: 3B Eugenio Suárez
Suárez presents a curious case for free agency. After signing an eight-year, $79 million extension with Cincinnati in 2018, he was traded three times, twice as a salary dump. He averaged 30 homers in the first seven years of the deal and is on pace for over 40 in 2025. While his power is excellent, he strikes out frequently and lacks elite on-base skills—a concerning profile for an aging player. The Mariners, who reacquired him at the deadline, are hoping his slugging returns for the stretch run.
8. Boston Red Sox (65-55)
Pending Free Agent: 3B Alex Bregman
Bregman holds an opt-out clause he will undoubtedly exercise, barring injury. He is having his best season since his 40-homer campaign in 2019, anchoring a Red Sox lineup that has improved as the season progressed. His walk rate has rebounded toward his career average after a mysterious dip last season. Furthermore, Boston’s decision in June to trade a player at his position with eight years of team control may signal the club’s interest in a long-term deal with Bregman.
9. San Diego Padres (67-52)
Pending Free Agent: SP Michael King
King logged just two innings Saturday in his return from a three-month absence due to a shoulder injury. The Padres need more from him as they chase the Dodgers, and King needs a strong finish to impress potential suitors. Before landing on the injured list, he appeared headed for a contract exceeding $100 million. That threshold remains within reach if he can recapture his form over the season’s final two months and into October.
10. Houston Astros (67-52)
Pending Free Agent: SP Framber Valdez
Unlike some of his peers, Valdez has assembled an excellent platform season, positioning himself to land one of the largest contracts for a pitcher this winter. He holds a 2.97 ERA, and his 2.96 FIP is his best in a full season. For half a decade, he has been a model of consistency: his sinker generates grounders, he limits home runs, and he strikes out roughly a batter per inning. While he allows hard contact, it is mostly on the ground, making him a highly valuable asset.
11. New York Mets (63-55)
Pending Free Agent: 1B Pete Alonso
Alonso’s next home run will set the Mets’ franchise record, a milestone that may feel bittersweet as the team struggles. Like many teammates, his stock was higher a couple of months ago. After being named NL Player of the Month in April, Alonso endured one of the worst months of his career in July. His OPS since the end of April is .768, more aligned with his 2023-24 performance than his hot start this year. While his advanced metrics remain strong, he will assuredly opt out of the $24 million remaining on his deal, though he may be looking at a shorter-term contract than he once hoped.
12. New York Yankees (63-56)
Pending Free Agent: RP Devin Williams
It has been a difficult season for the closer in the Bronx, as Williams has surrendered more earned runs this year than in his final three seasons with the Brewers combined. A low-leverage scoreless inning on Sunday finally halted a streak of five consecutive appearances allowing a run. The closer market looks robust this winter, with Edwin Díaz and Robert Suárez likely to opt out and Aroldis Chapman and Ryan Helsley also available.
13. Cleveland Guardians (62-56)
Pending Free Agent: RF Lane Thomas
When the Guardians acquired Thomas at the 2024 deadline, they envisioned a power-hitting corner outfielder with 20/20 potential. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to those expectations. This season, he has been limited to just 39 games by two bouts of plantar fasciitis and a separate wrist bruise. Though he still possesses speed and a strong arm, his power has not consistently resurfaced.
14. Cincinnati Reds (62-58)
Pending Free Agent: RP Emilio Pagán
A year after an injury-plagued season resulted in a 4.50 ERA, Pagán has returned to the effective form he showed in Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Both his 2.92 ERA and 25 saves are career bests, and he leads the league with 43 games finished. At 34, he still generates above-average whiff and strikeout rates, which should strengthen his case in free agency. He has relied more on his fastball and splitter, with the latter boasting an impressive 42.5 percent whiff rate.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (61-59)
Pending Free Agent: SP Merrill Kelly
Nearing his 37th birthday, Kelly is defying both his age and his underlying metrics to produce another quality season. Though his fastball is a pedestrian 92 mph and he allows loud contact, he excels at inducing hitters to chase pitches outside the strike zone. As a reliable run-preventer, he is a useful addition to any rotation and should command a short-term deal similar to those signed by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander last winter.
16. Houston Astros (59-60)
Pending Free Agent: SP Justin Verlander
The best stretch of Verlander’s season—a three-start stint with one earned run in 15 innings—ended abruptly Sunday when the Nationals tagged him for five runs on 11 hits. At 42, he holds a 1-9 record with a 4.53 ERA and has performed below replacement level for two straight seasons, according to Baseball-Reference. After a strong 2023, an outside chance at 300 career wins seemed possible, but with only six victories in the past two years, he may not add many more to his current total of 263.
17. Tampa Bay Rays (58-62)
Pending Free Agent: 2B Brandon Lowe
Tampa Bay has an $11 million club option on Lowe for next season. While it was thought a new home ballpark would benefit him, his home OPS is the second-worst of his career. Nevertheless, his overall production is in line with career norms, and he is on pace to play his most games since 2021. The Rays are highly likely to exercise the option, and should they decide to trade him, they will find plenty of interested suitors.
18. St. Louis Cardinals (61-59)
Pending Free Agent: SP Miles Mikolas
Mikolas is the only Cardinal set to hit free agency at season’s end. The 36-year-old right-hander is three years removed from his last All-Star appearance but still profiles as a durable innings-eater, having made at least 32 starts in every full season since 2018. His MLB future may be uncertain, however, as he recently told Sports Hochi he would like to return to Japan’s NPB.
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (57-62)
Pending Free Agent: SP Zac Gallen
In many ways, Gallen is emblematic of Arizona’s disappointing 2025 season. After struggling for much of the year, he was hit hard in his final three starts before the trade deadline, diminishing his value when the Diamondbacks decided to sell. Few contenders are willing to part with top prospects for a pitcher with a 5.60 ERA. Had Gallen pitched to his career norms, Arizona might not have been sellers at all.
20. San Francisco Giants (59-60)
Pending Free Agent: OF Mike Yastrzemski
Having debuted at 28, Yastrzemski will finally reach free agency at 35 and presents a unique case. In seven major-league seasons, he has produced at least 2.0 bWAR each year and has posted an OPS+ below 100 only once. He is relatively durable, plays serviceable defense, and offers name recognition that boosts fan interest. Any team that signs him will likely be better for it; the question is for how long and how much.
21. Minnesota Twins (56-62)
Pending Free Agent: C Christian Vázquez
After a major trade deadline sell-off, Vázquez is the Twins’ only true pending free agent. Since signing a three-year, $30 million deal, he has been one of the more disappointing signings in franchise history, having not been worth positive bWAR since July 2022. That said, he still rates as an above-average defensive catcher in blocking and throwing, making him a viable backup solution for a team in need.
22. Colorado Rockies (57-61)
Pending Free Agent: SP Cal Quantrill
Since being hit hard in March and April, Quantrill has settled in as a competent back-end starter. In his last 17 starts, he owns a 4.08 ERA (4.13 FIP) while averaging just under five innings per outing. While not a profile that will spark a bidding war, he provides valuable depth that teams appreciate when injuries inevitably arise.
23. Atlanta Braves (51-67)
Pending Free Agent: DH/OF Marcell Ozuna
Few players are hotter than Ozuna, who has six homers and an OPS over 1.200 in his last dozen games. His walk rate has remained robust all season, helping to offset a long slump in May and June. However, his future is unlikely to be in Atlanta. After starting 88 of the first 92 games at DH, he has started only half of the last 26 there, as Atlanta has increasingly used its catcher tandem of Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in the lineup together.
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (51-69)
Pending Free Agent: UTIL Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Among a limited group of pending free agents, Kiner-Falefa, a 30-year-old former Gold Glove winner, presents an intriguing case. While he is unlikely to replicate the 115 OPS+ he posted in Toronto, he remains a valuable utility player who can handle shortstop, third base, and the outfield. That versatility should be more than enough to attract a team looking for a stopgap solution or a flexible bench piece.
25. Boston Red Sox (57-62)
Pending Free Agent: RP Kenley Jansen
Jansen needs only 11 saves to pass Lee Smith (478) for third on the all-time list. While he may never catch Mariano Rivera (652) or Trevor Hoffman (601), reaching the 500-save milestone is within reach if he can find a team willing to employ him as a full-time closer. This season, he has compensated for a dip in strikeouts by sharpening his command to remain effective.
26. Oakland Athletics (53-68)
Pending Free Agent: RP Sean Newcomb
The Athletics lack a deep pool of free-agent candidates, as $10 million addition José Leclerc has been a disappointment and most of the roster is under long-term control. Newcomb, a lefty reliever acquired in May after being designated for assignment by Boston, posted a 2.12 ERA in his first 23 appearances with Oakland. That performance could be enough for another club to offer him a major-league deal this offseason.
27. Baltimore Orioles (53-65)
Pending Free Agent: SP Zach Eflin
It has been an inconsistent year for Eflin, who has missed time twice with injuries and has failed to find his typical rhythm. His season ERA (currently 5.93) was inflated by a difficult three-start stretch in late June where he allowed 17 earned runs in nine innings. A strong finish that reflects his longer track record would help teams view that stretch as an anomaly and reconsider him as an appealing option this winter.
28. Chicago White Sox (43-76)
Pending Free Agent: OF Luis Robert Jr.
After failing to find a trade partner at the deadline, the White Sox face a significant decision regarding their former top prospect. The team can either pick up his $20 million club option or let him walk. The injury-prone center fielder had a strong July (.990 OPS) and has been solid in August (.792 OPS), complicating the choice. It is unlikely Robert will ever replicate his 2023 highs, and any team signing him would be betting on his youth and a strong second half.
29. Miami Marlins (47-71)
Pending Free Agent: 1B Josh Bell
Hitters with limited defensive value face a challenging free-agent market, and Bell was well below the high offensive bar required with his dreadful April. Since then, however, the switch-hitter has been quietly solid, posting an .826 OPS with strong strikeout and walk rates. It will likely lead to another one-year deal, but it is easy to envision a team opting for a small investment in Bell over a larger one for other available bats.
30. Colorado Rockies (30-88)
Pending Free Agent: SP Germán Márquez
Rival scouts once speculated how effective Márquez could be outside of Colorado, but those days were several years and one Tommy John surgery ago. Márquez made 20 starts this season before landing on the injured list with biceps tendinitis. Among 107 pitchers with at least 90 innings, his 5.67 ERA ranked 101st—still better than his teammate Antonio Senzatela, another pitcher who once prompted similar speculation about his potential away from Coors Field.
(Top photo of Seattle’s Cal Raleigh: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
