As Houston Astros look to fill needs, here are MLB's 20 best free agents this offseason
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The Milwaukee Brewers capped off a dominant season in fitting fashion, capturing the franchise's first World Series on Wednesday after winning 103 games in the regular season, then going 11-2 in the postseason.
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Now, the rest of baseball will try to catch them.
Baseball free agency has started with players able to sign with new teams as soon as 4 p.m. Monday. It could be a tight window, because Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight on Dec. 1, which could lead to a long lockout. However, when this happened in 2021, there was a flurry of free agent activity before the CBA expired, including the Texas Rangers signing both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to huge deals.
The Astros, who have a few key players of their own hitting free agency, have holes to fill, particularly in the outfield and starting rotation.
Here's how we rank the 20 best free agents to hit the open market this offseason…
1. Tarik Skubal, starting pitcher, Dodgers
Tarik Skubal of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout prior to Game Four of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)It can't even be debated who the top prize on the free agent market is this offseason. The only question is just how much money is he going to get. The two-time Cy Young Award winner turns 30 in November, meaning whoever signs him is getting an ace in his prime. If the Phillies gave Zack Wheeler $42 million per year and the Tigers gave Framber Valdez $38.3 million per year, then Skubal's got to get at least $50 million a year, right?
2. Freddy Peralta, starting pitcher, Rays
Freddy Peralta of the Tampa Bay Rays walks back to the dugout after pitching in the first inning during Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)The 30-year-old Peralta will be an interesting case to watch, because he was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2025 when he finished fifth in the National League Cy Young Award race with the Milwaukee Brewers, but then got traded to the New York Mets where he struggled for the first half of 2026. The Mets traded him to the Rays and Peralta suddenly found his way, including being named MVP of the American League Championship Series.
3. Teruaki Sato, third baseman, Japan
Teruaki Sato of Team Japan hits an RBI double in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Australia and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 8, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)The best offensive player on the market played the past six seasons for the Hanshin Tigers. The 27-year-old was MVP of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in 2025 when he hit .277 with 40 home runs and 102 RBIs. He was even better this year, winning the league's Triple Crown with a .306 average to go along with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs.
4. Michael King, starting pitcher, Padres
Michael King of the San Diego Padres pitches in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 6, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)King, the former Yankees reliever, became a full-time starter when he was traded to the Padres following the 2023 season and turned himself into San Diego's ace. He signed a three-year, $75 million contract last offseason, but is likely to opt out to really cash in on the open market. After going 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA this season, King should be able find a team willing to pay him $30 million a year.
5. Randy Arozarena, outfielder, Mariners
Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, August 22, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Eric Hiller/MLB Photos via Getty Images)Arozarena, who turns 32 in the offseason, has the kind of power and speed the Astros would love to have in their outfield, but paying anywhere between $20-25 million a year is probably off the table for Houston. The right-hander is coming off the best year of his career, hitting .281 with 26 home runs, 79 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. He's hit at least 20 home runs and stolen at least 20 bases in each of his past six seasons.
6. Seiya Suzuki, outfielder, Cubs
Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs at bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on September 11, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)Suzuki got a five-year, $85 million contract from the Chicago Cubs when he left Japan and he lived up to the deal. After posting four straight seasons with at least an .800 OPS, the 32-year-old is coming off the best season of his big-league career, hitting .270 with 26 home runs and an .841 OPS.
7. Jazz Chisholm, second baseman/outfielder, Yankees
Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run in the sixth inning during the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in New York, New York. (Jonathan Pensiero/MLB Photos via Getty Images)Chisholm is one of the flashiest players in the game, but he's hitting free agency after a down year. Chisholm went 30-30 in 2025, but hit just 19 home runs - although he stole 41 bases - while hitting .231 at the plate in 2026. The left-handed hitting Chisholm will be just 29 years old when he gets to spring training and his ability to play both the infield and outfield makes him an enticing free agent.
8. Jake Bauers, first baseman/outfielder, Brewers
Jake Bauers of the Milwaukee Brewers poses for a photo with The Commissioner's Trophy in the clubhouse following Game Five of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)Bauers nearly called it a career after bouncing around the big leagues before he got a foothold in Milwaukee and really took off this year. Bauers hit .266 with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs - all career-highs by a long shot - this season and was the National League Championship Series MVP. The 31-year-old lefty would rather not leave the world champion Brewers, but this also is his time to cash in.
9. Clay Holmes, starting pitcher, Cubs
Clay Holmes of the Chicago Cubs pitches during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Friday, September 18, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images)Holmes got a three-year, $38 million contract from the New York Mets after the 2024 season and he'll be able to do even better this time around. The right-hander got off to an excellent start with the Mets this season, posting a 2.39 ERA in his first nine starts before a comebacker fractured his fibula. He was traded to the Cubs while he was on the injured list and didn't return to form, but Holmes, who turns 34 in March, should be able to get a contract worth somewhere around $20 million per year.
10. Brandon Lowe, second baseman, Pirates
Brandon Lowe of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches his two run home run in the eighth inning during the game against the Kansas City Royals at PNC Park on September 19, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)The 34-year-old has put up back-to-back sensational seasons and now he's about to be richly rewarded for it. After hitting 31 homers and driving in 83 runs in 2025 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Lowe was traded to the Pirates and he kept hitting, smashing 35 home runs with 96 RBIs and an .824 OPS. He also is a really good defensive second baseman. That's a combo that will make it tough for the Pirates to fight off other teams with more money.
11. Adrián Morejón, relief pitcher, Padres
Adrian Morejon of the San Diego Padres pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on April 1, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (The San Diego Union-Tribune)The Padres would love to keep the Cuban, who turns 28 this offseason, but he's ready to become a closer instead of a setup man behind Mason Miller. Morejón has been lights out the past three seasons with a combined 2.58 ERA while striking out 248 over 223 ⅓ innings in that time span.
12. Trevor Rogers, starting pitcher, Orioles
Trevor Rogers of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)Rogers will turn just 29 years old in November, so he's a guy that a team can confidently lock into a fairly long-term deal. The lefty was excellent in 2025, posting a 1.81 ERA over 18 starts even after missing the first two months with a dislocated kneecap. His numbers weren't as good this year, posting a 4.03 ERA, but he had stretches of dominance that teams will find encouraging.
13. Casey Mize, starting pitcher, Padres
Casey Mize of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Petco Park on September 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)The former No. 1 overall pick finally is hitting free agency and he should do well despite a discouraging finish with the San Diego Padres. Mize was having a sterling season with the Detroit Tigers, posting a 2.70 ERA over 16 starts before being dealt to the Padres. Pitching in a pennant race, Mize had a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts and didn't even pitch in the postseason. Still, the right-hander is just 29 (he turns 30) in May, which makes him an intriguing long-term answer to someone's starting rotation.
14. David Bednar, relief pitcher, Yankees
David Bednar of the New York Yankees looks on after the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 5, 2026 in New York, New York. (New York Yankees/Getty Images)The 32-year-old righty is the most established closer on the market. After a successful run with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including two All-Star seasons, Bednar was traded to the Yankees in 2025 and established himself as one of the most reliable closers in the game. Bednar posted 35 saves last season with a 2.47 ERA while pitching in a tense pennant race.
15. Luis Arraez, second baseman, Phillies
Luis Arraez of the Philadelphia Phillies in action during the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 20, 2026 in New York City. (Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)There's not a hitter with better credentials in the free-agent pool than Arraez, who turns 30 in April. Arraez has won three batting crowns, led his league in hits twice and made four All-Star teams. He was traded at midseason from the Giants to the Phillies, but hit a combined .310 between the two stops. Arraez has played second, first, third and left field in his career, but has established himself as an above average defensive second baseman.
16. Nick Martinez, starting pitcher, Rays
Nick Martinez of the Tampa Bay Rays throws a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game one of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)The 36-year-old right-hander salvaged his career after getting released by the Texas Rangers in 2017 by spending four seasons playing in Japan before returning to the big leagues. Martinez spent two years each with the Padres and Reds before signing a prove-it, one-year deal with the Rays last offseason. It was a good move, because he was one of the best pitchers in the American League, going 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA and then posting a 2.81 ERA in four postseason appearances during the Rays' run to the World Series.
17. Foster Griffin, starting pitcher, Guardians
Foster Griffin of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)The 31-year-old lefty is another pitcher who saved his career by going to Japan. The former first-round pick struggled with the Royals and Blue Jays before going overseas for three seasons. He returned with a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Washington Nationals and shined, going 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA before being dealt to the Cleveland Guardians at the trade deadline. He struggled in Cleveland with a 5.19 ERA over nine starts, but rebounded to post a 3.48 ERA in three playoff appearances.
18. Shota Imanaga, starting pitcher, Cubs
Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on September 27, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)Imanaga took a rather modest four-year, $53 million deal to leave Japan and join the Chicago Cubs and he immediately lived up to the contract. After finishing fifth in Cy Young Award voting in his first season in 2024, he opted out of his contract before last year for a one-year deal. Now, he hits the open market after going 35-21 with a 3.45 ERA over three seasons. That will make the 33-year-old lefty an attractive option this offseason.
19. Mauricio Dubón, utility, Braves
Mauricio Dubón of the Atlanta Braves acknowledges Houston Astros fans prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Friday, September 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Kairi Mano/MLB Photos via Getty Images)This would be the most popular Astros free-agent signing in a while. Fans still aren't over last year's deal that sent the super utility man to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Nick Allen. Dubón can play all over the field, as he proved in his four seasons in Houston, but the Astros need a center fielder, which would be where Dubón could fit. Dubón played a career-high 153 games with the Braves, hitting .276 with 12 home runs and 73 RBIs - both career bests.
20. Trent Grisham, center fielder, Yankees
Trent Grisham of the New York Yankees throws the ball in during a game between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2026 in the Bronx, New York. (Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Grisham is another center fielder who would make sense for the Astros, but the two-time Gold Glove winner is coming off a down year. Grisham, who turns 30 in November, had a career year in 2025 when he hit .235 with 34 home runs, but those numbers dipped to .211 and 18 in 2026. Grisham, a former first-round pick, grew up in Burleson, so a return to Texas could interest him.
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There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at As Houston Astros look to fill needs, here are MLB's 20 best free agents this offseason.