Biggest hot stove questions for 2025-26 MLB offseason

It’s time for another round of offseason predictions!

Today, we bring you the top results from five of the most pressing questions surrounding Hot Stove season.

Which team will have the splashiest offseason?

Two years ago, the Dodgers went all out in free agency, signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for more than $1 billion combined and inking Teoscar Hernández for good measure. They also traded for Tyler Glasnow. The result? A World Series championship. But the club didn’t rest on its laurels after hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy. Instead, it added Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to the mix and brought back Hernández — and even made a push for Juan Soto. Another title followed in 2025. At this point, there’s little reason to think Los Angeles is about to ease up.

The same goes for the Mets. They signed Soto to a record 15-year, $765 million deal last offseason, but while the superstar slugger largely lived up to expectations, the Mets collapsed after a hot start and missed the playoffs in 2025. They’ve got some serious work to do to get back, especially after Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz opted out.

The Giants and Yankees, who tied for third in our poll, should also be major factors as the offseason unfolds. Bold moves have defined Buster Posey’s brief tenure as president of baseball operations in San Francisco — the club signed shortstop Willy Adames to the richest contract in franchise history ($182 million) last year, traded for Rafael Devers in June and recruited Tony Vitello from the college ranks to be their new manager. But the gap between them and the rival Dodgers remains significant.

Meanwhile, with their loss to the Blue Jays in the ALDS, the Yankees’ World Series title drought is now going on 16 seasons, the second-longest streak in franchise history. The Bronx Bombers are always operating with a win-now mindset, but as superstar slugger Aaron Judge prepares to enter his age-34 season, they face mounting pressure to capitalize on their captain’s prime.

Other teams receiving votes: Red Sox, Phillies, Blue Jays, Cubs, Mariners, Rangers, Rays, Tigers

A year from now, who will be talked about as the “best” signing?

The top of the 2025-26 free-agent market doesn’t have quite the marquee star power of the past few classes, ones led by Aaron Judge (2022), Shohei Ohtani (2023) and Juan Soto (2024), but it’s clear who is this year’s No. 1 player. Tucker is the big fish in this year’s pond, and after five consecutive seasons with at least a 130 wRC+ and 4.0 fWAR, the 28-year-old is a safe bet to produce All-Star-level numbers into 2026 and beyond.

Bichette had a fantastic walk year, one in which he rebounded from a disappointing and injury-marred 2024. A two-time AL hits leader, Bichette finished tied for second in the American League with a .311 average over 139 games for the pennant-winning Blue Jays. The shortstop will be only 28 years old in March while Bregman will turn 32 that month, though Bregman plays much better defense on the left side of the infield and probably would have exceeded 4.0 fWAR for the fourth consecutive year if not for a right quad strain that sidelined him for six weeks.

Other players receiving votes: Dylan Cease, LHP; Michael King, RHP; Munetaka Murakami, 1B/3B; Josh Naylor, 1B; Ranger Suárez, LHP; Framber Valdez, LHP; Pete Alonso, 1B; Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF; Zac Gallen, RHP; Tatsuya Imai, RHP; Devin Williams, RHP; Eugenio Suárez, 3B; Devin Williams, RHP; Brandon Woodruff, RHP

Health is the ultimate key for Woodruff. When he’s been able to take the ball, he has performed like an ace, with a 3.10 career ERA and a 23.7% strikeout-minus-walk rate, which ranks fifth among all pitchers with at least 700 innings since 2018. The issue is his innings total. The right-hander has topped 130 frames just twice in eight seasons and he’s been limited to 131 2/3 innings since the start of 2023. That includes missing the entire 2024 campaign following right shoulder surgery.

Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, made his 2025 debut in July and logged a 26.8% K-BB rate over 64 2/3 innings before yet another injury — a right lat strain in September — made him unavailable for the Brewers’ postseason run.

Other players receiving votes: Raisel Iglesias, RHP; Ryan O’Hearn, 1B; Victor Caratini, C; Zach Eflin, RHP; Brad Keller, RHP; Ha-Seong Kim, SS; Zack Littell, RHP; Marcell Ozuna, DH; Emilio Pagán, RHP; Justin Verlander, RHP; Mike Yastrzemski, OF

Which free-agent starting pitcher would you most want in your team’s rotation in 2026?

The voting here was pretty consolidated between the two former Padres teammates and the best left-handed starter on the market.

Cease and Valdez have been workhorses over the past four seasons, ranking eighth and second, respectively, in innings pitched. But they succeed in very different ways. Cease is a fireballer who can battle hitters with his four-seamer and slider. His 880 strikeouts since the beginning of 2022 are the most in MLB, and his 33.4% whiff rate this past season ranked in the 95th percentile.

While Cease can be overpowering, Valdez is a ground-ball specialist who leans on his mid-90s sinker and high-70s curveball. His ground-ball rate has been above 55% in each of his eight big league seasons, including 59.4% in 2025. Valdez, who finished in the Top 10 in AL Cy Young voting each year from 2022-24, will turn 32 years old on Nov. 19.

The 30-year-old King had a breakout season in 2024 as he became a full-time starter for the first time in his career and responded with a 2.95 ERA and 201 K’s in 173 2/3 innings over 30 starts. Inflammation in his right shoulder and left knee limited him to only 73 1/3 innings this season, but his accomplishments from ‘24 should make him one of the more popular free-agent starting pitchers.

Other pitchers receiving votes: Zac Gallen, RHP; Ranger Suárez, LHP

Who do you think will be the biggest name traded this offseason?

A Skubal trade would be the biggest move of the offseason, full stop. You don’t see (likely) back-to-back Cy Young Award winners dealt every offseason, but the left-hander is one season away from free agency and, if he gets there, would be in line to land one of the most lucrative contracts given to a pitcher.

However, the slightly more popular pick in our poll was Peralta, who will also enter his walk year in 2026. The Brewers have some recent history with dealing star pitchers. In 2022, closer Josh Hader was shipped to San Diego about 15 months before he hit free agency, and Milwaukee traded ace Corbin Burnes to the Orioles just before he began his final season under team control in 2024. Peralta, who will make $8 million next season, has produced three consecutive 200-strikeout years. He posted a 2.70 ERA across 176 2/3 innings in 2025.

The Red Sox reportedly made an effort to acquire Ryan ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline, although it was for naught. It’s unclear if Duran would have been part of the return, but Boston does have a glut of quality outfielders and could use the 29-year-old Duran in a deal this winter to augment its pitching staff.

Other players receiving votes: Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals; Hunter Greene, RHP, Reds; MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Nationals; Bryce Harper, 1B, Phillies; Pablo Lopez, RHP, Twins; Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins; Brendan Donovan, 2B, Cardinals; Javier Báez, SS, Tigers; Sonny Gray, RHP, Cardinals; Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox; Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles; Mike Trout, OF, Angels