A whole host of MLB players have been shown the door and are now free agents. This piece will touch on a bunch of those players who are looking for a new home in 2025.
Jake Bauers is a free agent. His per season homer total: 11-12-4-12-12. At least he’s consistent. Just a bench option.
Lefty Genesis Cabrera is a free agent. Had a five season high with that 1.47 WHIP and his K-rate was down four percent from his career. Has pitched 130-games the last two years.
Trey Cabbage is now part of the Pirates organization. He’s played 67 games with a .209/.245/.331 slash line. Note that he was superb at Triple-A in 2023 going 30/30 while hitting .306… in just 107 games.
Bobby Dalbec is finally free from the Redd Sox. A first baseman who has played all over the field, he is a flawed K machine with massive power. Hs 47 homers with a 37 percent K-rate over 1,044 PA.
Travis d’Arnaud, who constantly stole work from Sean Murphy with the Braves, was oddly let go by the Braves who didn’t want to pay his $8M salary. Has double-digit homers the last three years, and over 633 PA the last two years he’s gone .232-26-87 with a .714 OPS.
Nathan Eovaldi is a FA after declining his $20M player option. He’s going to get a multi-year offer after making 29 starts covering 170.2 innings, a three season high. The last five years he has a 1.17 WHIP highlighted by a 1.11 mark this season, a career best.
Mitch Haniger will stay with the Mariners after exercising his $15.5 M player option. Duh. After going 39-100-110 in 2021 he’s gone just 29-106-100 over 239 games the last three years. Hit 12 homers in 380 at-bats in 2024, and that is no bueno.
Eloy Jimenez is a free agent. Has one season in five years of 100 games (98 in 2024). Never worse than he was in 2024 as he had six homers and 23 RBI over 349 PA. Doesn’t turn 28 until Thanksgiving. Maybe, just maybe… nah.
Joey Gallo is a FA now. He turns 31 this month. Woeful contact rates are a career long bugaboo, but the man can still sock with 31 homers his last 505 at-bats over two years. Will never play daily unless a team is straight up desperate.
Jakob Junis is a free agent. Can relieve or start. In his six starts the 32 year old posted a 1.55 ERA and 0.55 WHIP. A useful depth arm.
Clayton Kershaw is a free agent, but he hopes to return to the Dodgers. He will have foot and knee surgery. Coming off a seven game season, he’s gonna have to put his body back together with duct tape. Will likely produce well… when on the field.
Ha-Seong Kim is a free agent. After a .260-17-60-84-38 effort, things fell apart in 2024 as he went .233-11-47-60-22. He lost about 160 plate appearances from ’23 as his body was beat up (shoulder ended up with surgery). Turned 29 this month, can play up the middle on both side of the diamond, and will draw a significant contract from someone.
Scott Kingery is now and Angel and will get a shot to make the club it seems. Now 30, there was a time when he was a rising star (don’t forget he went .258-19-55-61-15 in his second season). Has stolen 24/25 bags the last two years at Triple-A, and in 2024 he went 25/25 over 125 games. Rooting for him.
Phil Maton is a free agent. Has thrown 65 games in 4-straight seasons with his WHIP going 1.46, 1.25, 1.12 and 1.11.
Joey Meneses is now a free agent. Had a .930 OPS as a rookie. Went .275-13-89 his first full season. Last year, in year three, he played 76 games with 42 RBI but also hit just three homers with a .593 OPS. Just not a starter for an upper division team.
Frankie Montas is a free agent. He made 30 starts for the second time, but with a 4.84 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. Had a five year low in K-rate (minus 2023) and his highest BB-rate since 2017. Solid, but a rotation rounder outer.
Joc Pederson is a free agent. He is Mr. Platoon, but he was stellar in 2024 going .275-23-64-62 with a .908 OPS over 449 PA. The right team will pay a good amount of cheese for that.
Jorge Polanco is a free agent. It is believed that he will be ready for baseball activity in January (knee surgery). After going 33-98-97 in 2021 he’s filed to hit 17 homers or 60 RBI the last three seasons as he’s been in an out of the lineup.
Bizarre town here… but Collin Rea is a free agent after MIL chose not to pick up his $5.5 M option. I don’t get this one at all. At all. Who doesn’t need a guy who can eat some innings? Sure he struggled in September, but really? Still won 12 games with 167.2 IP and he has a 1.23 WHIP over his last 58 outings (49 starts).
Anthony Rizzo is a free agent. The 35 year old former star has 20 homers with a .673 OPS over 796 PA.
David Robertson is a free agent. Nearly 40, he threw 68 games for the Rangers, his highest mark since 2013 as he tied his career best with 34 holds.
Here are the players who were extended qualifying offers ($21.05 M for one year).
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