Latest 2026 MLB Free Agents Rumors, Predictions Before World Series Bracket

The 2026 MLB offseason has arrived for 27 different teams.

And that number will jump to 28 pretty soon with the Tampa Bay Rays holding a 3-2 lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.

Front office folks are considering baseball business, and not only the kind that will (hopefully) get sorted out during collective bargaining agreement negotiations. After all, there are still plenty of roster holes to fill, and a number of free agents capable of filling them.

Alec Bohm Might Need To Take a Short-Term Deal?

This could be a busy offseason for the Philadelphia Phillies, who are running out of time to crack the World Series code with their core. They're sending more than a handful of players into free agency, including longtime third baseman Alec Bohm.

As was the case for the Phillies at large, it was a disappointing season for Bohm. His defense regressed, and his offensive production backtracked. His .698 OPS was the second-worst of his career. Ditto for his minus-0.2 wins above replacement.

With that decline in mind, one executive wondered whether Bohm "may prefer to rebuild his value on a one-year 'prove-it' deal," per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand . "He will likely have multi-year offers that may be accompanied by lower [annual average values] than he would like, so it may boil down to what he's prioritizing."

Bohm could be a candidate for relocation, since the Phillies may run short on infield openings with prospects on the rise and other, more powerful free agents perhaps holding their attention. It certainly seemed at least farewell-adjacent when Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at his season-ending press conference that "if he is not back with us, those 90 runs he drives in every year will be missed, and we'll have to pick it up in other ways."

Prediction: Bohm signs with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Phillies Interested in Japanese Slugger?

If the Phillies are open to moving on from Alec Bohm and seeking more thump in the lineup, they might already have an international candidate in mind.

It sounds like they might be as interested as anyone in ( soon-to-be posted ) Japanese star Teruaki Sato, who captured the NPB triple crown with 39 homers, 106 RBI and a .306/.383/.609 slash line.

"The team I heard most often that might go with Sato at third is the Phillies because they so badly want a stronger footprint in Japan and are losing free agent Alec Bohm," Joel Sherman wrote for the New York Post .

Sato has drawn some comparisons to NPB-turned-Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami, though Sato is seen as providing better defense and less power. If the power drop-off isn't much—Murakami belted 35 homers—Sato could be the perfect option to help the Phillies get younger and more dynamic.

Prediction: Sato signs with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dodgers Won't Throw Major Offer at Tarik Skubal Right Away?

Swept out of the NLCS and denied their chance at a historic World Series three-peat, the Los Angeles Dodgers have plenty to ponder in an offseason that arrived earlier than they wanted.

Their core isn't getting younger or less expensive, and they may have worries of how they can roster such a club under whatever the new CBA implements. And since any new restrictions are unknown for now, that could prevent them from making any big splashes for the foreseeable future—including a new offer for star pitcher Tarik Skubal.

"The Dodgers won't sign Skubal to a mega extension ... before Dec. 1," ESPN's Alden González predicted. "Skubal's agent, Scott Boras, will probably want to get something done with his client before the lockout, but it would be really difficult for the Dodgers to justify signing Skubal to a massive deal before knowing what MLB's economic model will look like."

Could that open the door for someone else to snag L.A.'s prized trade deadline pickup? It all depends on whether that potential hesitance to spend without knowing the new financial particulars is shared by their deep-pocketed peers.

Prediction: Skubal re-signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A Possible Trade Made by Every Team This Offseason ⚾

Ranking Most Lopsided Trades in Recent MLB History 🔢