Top MLB Free Agents 2026-27 Ranked by NUT: Arozarena, Skubal Lead

Randy Arozarena (+3.4 SEASON NUT) is the top MLB free agent of the 2026-27 offseason by NUT, and Tarik Skubal (+3.0, S) is the top pitcher, among the 143 players who filed for free agency on October 29, 2026. Below are the top 25 by 2026 SEASON NUT, the best starters and relievers, and the big names who finish lower.

97 of the 143 reached the 2026 qualifying bar for plate appearances or innings and are ranked. Values cover each player's full 2026 regular season, across clubs for anyone traded, and each is listed with the club he finished with. All numbers are as of October 30, 2026; signings will be tracked on the Transactions page.

Top 25 MLB Free Agents by NUT

Randy Arozarena led Seattle with 670 plate appearances and a .381 on-base percentage. His +3.4 tied him for 4th among all MLB hitters in 2026, and he finished as the NUT leader among AL outfielders.

Three of the top six are first basemen or second basemen: Jake Bauers (+2.9, .873 OPS for the champion Brewers), Ty France (+2.3, .295 AVG) and Brandon Lowe (+2.0, 35 HR). The top 25 holds 10 hitters and 15 pitchers; 12 of the 15 pitchers worked in relief.

Best Free-Agent Starting Pitchers

Tarik Skubal is the only free agent graded S. He started 16 games for Detroit (+1.7) and 10 for the Dodgers (+1.3) after a mid-season trade, and his +3.0 is more than double the next starter's. 26 qualified starters filed, and 5 of them finished at +0.4 or better.

Best Free-Agent Relief Pitchers

Adrian Morejon (+1.8) struck out 107 in 86 innings, the most of any free-agent reliever. Among closers, David Bednar (35 saves, +1.2) and Raisel Iglesias (34 saves, +0.7) lead.

Big Names Below the Top 25

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Freddy Peralta rank right behind Skubal on several industry top-10 lists. By 2026 SEASON NUT, Chisholm Jr. ranks 61st (-0.3) and Peralta 54th (-0.2). Shota Imanaga posted a 3.77 ERA in 174.1 innings and finished 72nd at -0.6.

46 free agents did not reach the qualifying bar and are not ranked, among them Brandon Woodruff (45.1 IP), Pete Fairbanks (41.1 IP), Craig Kimbrel (46.0 IP), Ha-Seong Kim (147 PA) and Justin Verlander (9.0 IP). Anthony Rendon did not play in the majors in 2026.

Qualifying Offer 2026: Who's Worth $23.15M by NUT

The 2026-27 qualifying offer is a one-year, $23.15 million contract, up from $22.025 million last winter. Clubs must make offers by November 2 at 4 p.m. CT, and players have until November 17 to accept. A player who signs elsewhere after turning one down costs his new club draft picks.

Only a player who spent the whole season with one club can receive one, and only once in his career. That rules out Tarik Skubal, traded from Detroit to the Dodgers, along with Kevin Gausman and Randal Grichuk. These 8 free agents finished at +1.2 or better with one club all season:

Five of the eight are hitters at +2.0 or better. Arozarena's +3.4 is the highest NUT any free agent can bring to a qualifying offer this winter. Whether a club makes the offer also depends on contract history, which NUT does not cover.

Options and Opt-Outs 2026 by NUT

Decisions on 2027 options are due five days after the World Series, the same November 2 deadline. Any player whose option is declined, or who opts out, joins the free-agent pool. Terms come from MLB.com's option list; decisions are as reported through October 30.

Drew Rasmussen (+2.7, A) is the top player with a club option, with 172 innings for the pennant-winning Rays. If Tampa Bay declines it, his +2.7 would rank second among free-agent pitchers, behind Skubal. At the other end, Jeffrey Springs (-3.0) has a $15 million option after a 6.18 ERA. Seattle declined Victor Robles' option on October 29.

Michael King opted out of the two years left on his Padres deal, reportedly worth $53 million, on October 29; he threw 185 innings with a 3.21 ERA and finished at +0.1. Corbin Burnes (10.1 IP), José Berríos, Ryan Helsley, Emilio Pagán, Kenley Jansen, Nick Pivetta and Ryan Mountcastle also hold 2027 options but did not reach the qualifying bar in 2026.

When Does MLB Free Agency Start?

The 143 players filed on October 29, the day after the Brewers won the World Series. For five days they can re-sign only with their 2026 club, and clubs must make any qualifying offers in that window. From November 2, every free agent can sign with any team.

The collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' union expires December 1, 2026. If owners lock out the players after that date, signings and trades stop until a new agreement is signed. The last lockout ran from December 2, 2021 to March 10, 2022.

How NUT Ranks Free Agents

NUT is one number for production against league average, built on the advanced hitting and pitching stats analysts trust, not batting average or ERA. Defense is left out, so a glove-first player like J.P. Crawford (-0.3) ranks lower here than in a ranking that counts defense. Hitters and pitchers share one board because NUT puts both on the same scale.

NUT measures what a player did in 2026, not his age, health or contract. Every value is SEASON NUT with a letter grade on the scale the app uses for every player's season: S, A, B, C, D, F. For any two free agents side by side, use Compare; for the full 2026 board, see the Stats page →

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