MLB Non-Tender Candidates 2026: 13 Players at Risk by NUT
MLB Non-Tender Candidates 2026 by NUT
Matthew Liberatore (-0.8 SEASON NUT, D) and Josh Lowe (-1.1, D) had the best 2026 seasons among the MLB non-tender candidates of 2026 still with their clubs as of November 12, 2026, and all 9 of the 13 who reached the qualifying bar graded D. Clubs must decide by the November 20 non-tender deadline. 6 of those 9 produced less in 2026 than in 2025.
The 15 names are the candidates named by New Baseball Media in September; 2 have already left their clubs, so 13 still face a decision. 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, which matters for a shortstop like Taylor Walls. Every value is the player’s 2026 regular-season NUT; hitters and pitchers are graded on separate scales, and a 2026 season needed 150 plate appearances or 50 innings to qualify.
Hitters Who Could Be Non-Tendered
McKinstry had the biggest drop on the list, from +0.8 in 2025 to -1.8, as his average fell from .259 to .199. Peraza rose the most among hitters, from -2.2 (F) to -1.3 (D), and Lowe was flat at -1.1 in his first season with the Angels.
Pitchers Who Could Be Non-Tendered
Liberatore made 31 starts and led this list with 155 innings, but his ERA rose from 4.21 to 5.23 and his NUT fell a full point. Irvin gained the most of anyone here, from -3.0 (F) in 2025 to -1.1 (D). Erceg, Santillan and Banks each had a 2025 ERA of 3.07 or lower, then an ERA above 5.50 in 2026.
Already Gone: TJ Friedl and Jake Meyers
Cincinnati designated TJ Friedl for assignment on September 20, and he elected free agency on September 29 after he was sent outright to Triple-A. He went from +1.0 SEASON NUT (B) in 2025 to -1.9 (D) in 2026, hitting .172 in 91 games. Houston sent Jake Meyers outright to Triple-A on November 2, off the 40-man roster, after a -0.6 (D) season in 57 games.
When Is the Non-Tender Deadline?
The 2026 non-tender deadline is Friday, November 20, per MLB.com. By then, every club must offer a 2027 contract to each player on its 40-man roster who is not yet eligible for free agency, or release him to the open market. Clubs often non-tender a player when his expected arbitration raise is larger than what they expect him to produce, or to clear a roster spot.
The deadline lands 11 days before the labor deal expires on December 1; see what a 2026 MLB lockout would mean. Anyone non-tendered joins the 2026-27 free agents ranked by NUT, and players who could move by trade instead are in MLB trade candidates by NUT. Every non-tender lands on the Transactions page as it happens.
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Quick Answers
When is the MLB non-tender deadline in 2026?
November 20, 2026, per MLB.com’s offseason guide. It falls 11 days before the labor deal between MLB and the players expires on December 1.
What does non-tender mean in baseball?
A club declines to offer a player on its 40-man roster who is not yet eligible for free agency a contract for next season, and he becomes a free agent at once. 66 players were non-tendered in November 2025.
Who are the top non-tender candidates for 2026?
Of the 13 candidates named by New Baseball Media still with their clubs, Matthew Liberatore (-0.8 SEASON NUT, D) and Josh Lowe (-1.1, D) had the best 2026 seasons by NUT. All 9 who qualified graded D.
Will the Cardinals non-tender Nolan Gorman?
St. Louis has until November 20 to decide. Gorman hit .184 with 9 home runs in 85 games and finished 2026 at -1.4 SEASON NUT (D), down from -0.7 in 2025.
What happens to a player who is non-tendered?
He becomes a free agent immediately and can sign with any of the 30 clubs. 2 of the 15 players on this list, TJ Friedl and Jake Meyers, already left their clubs’ 40-man rosters before the deadline.