MLB Roundtable: Breaking down free agency halfway through offseason

With the offseason at its midpoint, theScore's MLB editors Bryan Mcwilliam, Tom Ruminski, and Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb answer some of the biggest questions surrounding free agency.

Which addition will make the biggest impact?

Pete Alonso: The Orioles ranked 12th in the AL in slugging percentage and didn't have a player hit more than 17 homers last season. Acquiring a power bat like Alonso should provide immediate impact. Pairing the Polar Bear with fellow offseason acquisition Taylor Ward gives Baltimore a tandem that combined to hit 74 homers in 2025. The last time the Orioles had a pair of hitters offer that kind of pop - Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander in 2023 - they won 101 games and a division title. Alonso should have no trouble keeping up his power numbers following the change of scenery, either. Camden Yards became slightly more hitter-friendly than Citi Field last year after Baltimore moved the left-field fence in, and the right-handed hitting Alonso predominantly pulls his homers. - Mcwilliam

Tatsuya Imai: The Astros may have gotten a frontline starter without dishing out big bucks on a lucrative long-term deal. Imai signed a three-year, $54-million contract after many expected him to land one of the lengthiest pacts among free-agent pitchers. The 27-year-old will also be motivated to prove he can transition from Japan to the majors successfully with opt-outs after the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The right-hander is projected to slot into Houston's rotation behind ace Hunter Brown following the departure of Framber Valdez. Imai has all the tools to be an impact pitcher, as he features a fastball that tops out at 99 mph and a unique slider, which led to a 1.92 ERA with 9.8 K/9 across 163 2/3 innings in Nippon Professional Baseball last year. - Ruminski

Edwin Díaz: Even after the Dodgers signed Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to great hype last winter, it was easy to see how the relief corps might derail their 2025 season - and it nearly did. By the end of the World Series, Dave Roberts' circle of trust in his bullpen had essentially shrunk to Roki Sasaki, Justin Wrobleski (maybe?), and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on zero days' rest. It all worked out in the end, but Los Angeles wasn't taking a chance on that ragtag group again. Díaz, who shocked the baseball world by joining the defending champs in December, gives Roberts and the Dodgers far more than some much-needed certainty in the ninth inning. He's a stabilizer, the type of bullpen anchor they've been missing since Kenley Jansen left. Díaz's mere presence takes the pressure off Scott, Wrobleski, Alex Vesia, and other middle relievers, while he also provides the rotation more breathing room. Díaz is the type of star reliever who'd impact any team, but he's a true game-changer in the Dodgers' bullpen. - Sharkey-Gotlieb

Which team has won the offseason so far?

Orioles: President of baseball operations Mike Elias and the rest of Baltimore's front office finally showed a sense of urgency this winter. The Orioles already added Alonso, Ward, Shane Baz, and Ryan Helsley and brought back Zach Eflin and Andrew Kittredge after a disappointing 2025 in which the club finished last in the AL East following back-to-back playoff trips. The O's are acting like a team that needs to take advantage of a young and talented core that's relatively inexpensive - for now. Henderson just became arbitration-eligible, Adley Rutschman is in his second year, and Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, and Colton Cowser are still pre-arbitration players. Elias can really put a stamp on a great offseason by bringing in another frontline starter to lead the rotation. Valdez or Ranger Suárez are ideal fits. - Ruminski

Blue Jays: There's an argument to be made that the Orioles are winning the offseason. But Baltimore had more needs than the Blue Jays, who have added Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Cody Ponce to fortify a squad that nearly won the World Series. Toronto's rotation of Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and José Berríos looked strong heading into next season, but signing one of the top free-agent starters and the KBO MVP gives the club one of the best and deepest pitching staffs in the majors. The Blue Jays didn't stop there. They also brought in another high-contact hitter to an already deep lineup in Okamoto and improved the bullpen by signing Rogers, who has posted the lowest ERA among MLB relievers with 400 innings pitched since 2019. If there was any doubt the offseason didn't already belong to Toronto, the club could make itself the clear winner by re-signing Bo Bichette or landing Kyle Tucker. - Mcwilliam

Pirates: A little caveat: I'm not saying the Pirates have "won" the winter in the traditional sense. Pittsburgh's my pick here because, for the first time in ages, the organization is spending money and actively trying to improve. General manager Ben Cherington reportedly offered contracts to star sluggers Josh Naylor and Kyle Schwarber and also got involved in the Okamoto sweepstakes. When those three signed elsewhere, Cherington responded by signing Ryan O'Hearn to a two-year deal - the first multi-year contract handed out by the club in nearly a decade - and trading for All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe and young outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia. And the Pirates may not be done yet, as they're apparently interested in Eugenio Suárez. These moves aren't turning the Bucs into World Series favorites, but they improve Pittsburgh's playoff odds and give Paul Skenes some much-needed help. It's great to see this historic franchise working hard to try to bring a winner back to PNC Park. - Sharkey-Gotlieb

Which team is having the worst offseason?

Yankees: The normally active Yankees have been quiet this winter, which is surprising considering how busy their four division rivals have been. The Blue Jays, Orioles, and Red Sox have all gotten better, while the Rays have offloaded veteran talent with an eye on the future. New York, meanwhile, re-signed Grisham and depth pieces like Amed Rosario, Tim Hill, and Ryan Yarbrough. On paper, the Yankees look worse than they did last season following the departures of Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Ian Hamilton, Mark Leiter Jr., and Jonathan Loáisiga. Re-signing Cody Bellinger would help silence some of the noise from Yankee fans who continue to scream for more, but that might not be enough to please the rabid fan base. - Mcwilliam

Cubs: (Note: The Cubs reportedly acquired right-hander Edward Cabrera from the Marlins after this was published.) Chicago remains a big-market team that doesn't act like one. The Cubs are coming off a 92-win season that resulted in the club's first playoff appearance since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. However, Chicago's front office hasn't done anything this winter to build on that momentum. Instead, the club could watch Tucker leave for nothing a year after acquiring the star outfielder from the Astros for quality pieces such as Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith. The Cubs re-signed Shota Imanaga via a qualifying offer and have since brought in Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar, Tyler Austin, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey, but that's very underwhelming considering the NL Central is up for grabs. The Brewers and Reds are having muted offseasons, the Cardinals are rebuilding, and the Pirates are making an uncharacteristic push. The Cubs need to strike now. - Ruminski

Reds: Coming into this offseason, it felt like Cincinnati was ready to make some kind of splash. The Reds' bright young core finished the year strong, sneaking into the playoffs on the season's last day. They also play in a very winnable division and could grab control of the NL Central with the right moves. But the speculation about them making a splash has turned into nothing. Rumors of signing Schwarber, an Ohio native, came up empty. Ditto for the rumblings regarding a buy-low trade for bounce-back candidate Luis Robert Jr. Cincinnati's lone moves of substance this offseason have been re-signing Emilio Pagán, adding JJ Bleday, and trading for Dane Myers to platoon in left field. Meanwhile, the Reds have been outspent by the Pirates - the Pirates! - this winter, and it doesn't seem like ownership even cares. What kind of message is this inactivity sending to the players and respected veteran skipper Terry Francona? Cincinnati needs to take advantage of this opportunity, and its fan base should be red with anger right now. - Sharkey-Gotlieb

Which remaining FA would you most want to sign if you were a GM?

Kyle Tucker: The No. 1 player available on the open market is a rare five-tool contributor who's in his prime and heading into his age-29 campaign. Tucker, a four-time All-Star, easily makes any team better offensively, defensively, and on the base paths. He's a consistent 30-30 threat who has 127 homers, 415 RBI, and 96 stolen bases with a 144 wRC+ over 614 games since 2021. Only Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have a higher fWAR than Tucker among outfielders during that period. The 2022 Gold Glover regressed in the field over the last few years but still finished in the 83rd percentile for arm value and 58th percentile for arm strength in 2025. It's only a matter of time before Tucker lands a big contract. The only question is whether it will be a long-term pact or a short-term deal with a higher average annual value. - Ruminski

Bo Bichette: The infielder is a game-changing talent who would immediately transform the lineup of whichever team he joins. Since 2021, Bichette ranks top 10 among big-league shortstops in games, hits, doubles, homers, RBIs, OPS, and wRC+, and that's with him missing half of the 2024 season due to injuries. The 27-year-old has also led his league in hits twice and is one of the most clutch-hitting players in the majors, with his 7.97 win probability added ranking fifth at his position over the past four seasons. He's a defensive liability at shortstop, but his willingness to shift to second base - where he looked solid during a brief cameo last postseason - shows a team-first mentality that several clubs would love to have on their roster. - Mcwilliam

Cody Bellinger: Nobody should be expecting Bellinger to rediscover his 2019 MVP-winning form, nor is he likely to regress to the lows of his dismal 2021-22 run. What Bellinger is at this point in his career is a solid piece who can improve any lineup on both sides of the ball. Although he still strikes out, he's worked hard to lower his strikeout rate and has become a more patient hitter overall. Bellinger should be a lock for around 25-30 homers and 50-plus extra-base hits from the left side. He also brings tremendous defensive value as a plus outfielder capable of playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at all three spots, plus first base if needed. He's hardly a consolation prize. Bellinger is the kind of puzzle piece who strengthens any contender, especially when he's not being asked to be the main piece. - Sharkey-Gotlieb