The MLB hot stove is finally heating up.
This winter’s slow-moving offseason has had more action in recent days, from Alex Bregman signing with the Chicago Cubs to multiple noteworthy trades — including left-hander Ryan Weathers going to the Yankees.
There has been growing clarity around the markets for star position players Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger, too.
Teams are now less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, yet many of the top free agents are still unsigned.
As we enter a pivotal point in the offseason, here are the best remaining free agents, with the latest intel on each:
KYLE TUCKER
Tucker began the offseason as the consensus No. 1 free agent, with many predicting the four-time All-Star would fetch a contract exceeding $400 million.
It’s been a slower burn than expected for Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, but he still has his share of deep-pocketed suitors.
The Mets are reportedly willing to pay Tucker an average annual salary of $50 million on a short-term contract, while the Toronto Blue Jays are believed to have made a long-term offer to the lefty-swinging corner outfielder, according to ESPN.
Also lurking are the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a history of getting creative for players they desire.
Whoever wins the Tucker sweepstakes will get a middle-of-the-order bat who has posted five consecutive seasons with at least 22 home runs, an OPS over .800 and more than 4.6 wins above replacement (WAR), according to Baseball Reference.
That even includes last season, when injuries limited Tucker to 136 games with the Chicago Cubs.
BO BICHETTE
There is a lot to like about Bichette, a middle infielder who has batted at least .290 with 18 home runs in four of his five full big-league seasons.
And while some believe Bichette — a career shortstop with poor defensive metrics — is destined for a position change, the fact that he turns 28 in March means he should have plenty of prime years ahead.
Bichette met with the Philadelphia Phillies this week, while the incumbent Blue Jays remain in the mix. So do the Yankees, who seek right-handed hitters and could pivot if their top target, Bellinger, does not return.
The Boston Red Sox are another team to watch after they lost Bregman to the Cubs on a five-year, $175 million contract.
CODY BELLINGER
A reunion makes sense for the Yankees and Bellinger, who hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in his first season in pinstripes.
But there remains a gap in the negotiations, with the Yankees said to be offering five years at more than $30 million per year and Bellinger — a Scott Boras client — seeking a seven-year contract.
Bregman, Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber signed five-year deals worth between $150-175 million this offseason, but all three are at least slightly older than Bellinger, who turns 31 in July.
Bellinger, a standout defensive outfielder, could wait for Tucker to sign to see how it impacts his market.
FRAMBER VALDEZ
The best remaining starting pitcher is the left-handed Valdez, who boasts four consecutive seasons of at least 28 starts, at least 12 wins and an ERA no higher than last year’s 3.66.
But the market has been slow to develop for the 32-year-old, who is believed to be seeking a long-term deal.
The Mets have been linked to Valdez, who would fill their void for a top-of-the-rotation starter, but president of baseball operations David Stearns has preferred to keep contracts short for pitchers.
The pitching-needy Baltimore Orioles are also a logical fit for Valdez, who spent his first eight seasons with the Houston Astros.
RANGER SUAREZ
The other premium left-handed starter on the market is the battle-tested Suarez, who went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA last season and boasts a 3.38 ERA over eight years with the Phillies.
Suarez, 30, has been even better in the playoffs, where he is 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA over 11 appearances, including eight starts.
But Suarez, like Valdez, seeks a long-term deal in what’s been an especially slow market for starting pitchers.
Other than right-hander Dylan Cease — who signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with Toronto early in the offseason — no other starter has done better than Michael King’s three-year, $75 million pact with the San Diego Padres.
EUGENIO SUAREZ
There is a tier break between the previous players on this list and Suarez, even though the latter totaled 49 home runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners in 2025.
While his power numbers remain prolific, Suarez turns 35 in July, hit .228 last season and has delivered declining defense in recent years.
Still, practically every team could use more right-handed pop, so Suarez should find a solid multi-year deal somewhere.
Suarez makes sense as a Bregman replacement in Boston should its pursuit of Bichette come up empty.
ZAC GALLEN
It was unfortunate timing for Gallen to produce the worst season of his career, as the right-hander went 13-15 with a 4.83 ERA for the Diamondbacks in 2025.
That’s meant a slow market for the 30-year-old, even though he is only two seasons removed from a third-place finish in 2023 National League Cy Young Award voting.
Teams may be wary of a long-term deal with Gallen, a native of Somerdale, N.J., whose fastball velocity has remained steady but whose swing-and-miss rate has declined in recent seasons.
The Mets and Orioles top any list of suitors for available starters, and unlike with Valdez and Suarez, it might not take a long-term commitment to land Gallen.
OTHERS:
— Lucas Giolito went 10-6 with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts with the Red Sox in 2025.
— A reunion still makes sense for veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto (.257, 12 homers in 134 games) and the Phillies, but that may change if Philadelphia shells out big money for Bichette.
— Harrison Bader hit .277 with 17 home runs with the Minnesota Twins and Phillies in 2025, and the Bronxville native could be a fallback option for the Yankees should Bellinger leave.
— He turns 37 this month, but left-hander Jose Quintana just went 11-7 with a 3.96 ERA for the Milwaukee Brewers and is an affordable back-of-the-rotation option.
— Justin Verlander turns 43 next month, but he wants to continue pitching after going 4-11 with a respectable 3.85 ERA — and a 2.99 ERA after the All-Star break — for the San Francisco Giants last year.
