How did last year's top free agents fare in 2026?

As clubs look to the free-agent market to fill out their rosters for 2027, it’s a good time to reflect on how the biggest free-agent deals from last season panned out in year one.

Many of these were multiyear deals, meaning that there is still time to rebound from a poor first year or to build off a successful campaign. But as a snapshot, here’s how the top 10 free agents from last offseason, according to senior national reporter Mark Feinsand, fared in 2026.

1. Kyle Tucker, OF
Where he went: Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers in late January. His contract includes opt-outs after the second and third years, a $64 million signing bonus and $30 million deferred. It was the second-highest average annual value in Major League history.

How it went: The 29-year-old did not perform as well for the Dodgers as he had in Chicago and Houston previously. He finished with a .715 OPS, a .233 batting average and a career-high 105 strikeouts. Tucker’s 17 home runs were his fewest in a non-shortened season since 2019, and he didn’t make the All-Star team for the first time since 2021. Tucker’s defense also declined to a minus-7 fielding run value.

Still, Tucker found his stride in September with an .890 OPS and six home runs in 25 games. He was then the Dodgers’ most productive bat in the postseason, hitting safely in seven of their eight playoff games.

2. Alex Bregman, 3B
Where he went: Bregman joined the Cubs on a five-year, $175 million deal in January, making a present-day average annual value of $26.3 million a year. He hit the open market after opting out of a three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox after one season. Bregman has $70 million deferred with a full no-trade clause.

How it went: Bregman’s year couldn’t have gone much better. He played in 155 games and had arguably his best season since 2019. Bregman finished the year with an .819 OPS, 28 homers, 33 doubles and 93 RBIs. His 5.8 WAR per Baseball Reference was his highest such mark since his second-place finish in the American League MVP voting in ‘19.

Elite defense remained a calling card for Bregman as well. He was named a finalist for a National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award after posting a plus-7 fielding run value at third base.

3. Kyle Schwarber, DH
Where he went: Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies in early December, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract that runs through his age-37 season. The deal followed a four-year, $79 million contract that first brought Schwarber to Philadelphia in 2022.

How it went: The left-handed slugger didn’t match his outrageous 2025 numbers (56 homers, 132 RBIs), but he continues to age like fine wine into his mid-30s. Schwarber, 33, tied for the Major League lead with 45 home runs while driving in 97 runs in 156 games.

And while Schwarber also led the league in strikeouts with 220, his OPS crossed the .800 threshold (.857) for the sixth consecutive season.

4. Bo Bichette, 3B
Where he went: Bichette cashed in with the Mets, signing for three years and $126 million. His deal included opt-outs after the first and second seasons as well as a full no-trade clause. With Francisco Lindor already entrenched at shortstop, Bichette shifted to third base upon joining the Mets.

How it went: After homering off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series and signing a big-time deal with New York months later, Bichette appeared to be on top of the world. But it took some time for him to find his footing with the Mets. At the end of May, Bichette had a slash line of .219/.275/.308.

Bichette rebounded to post a .772 OPS over the final four months of the season and finished with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs while helping guide a young Mets roster. On Thursday, Bichette reportedly opted in to the second year of his deal.

5. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B
Where he went: Bellinger, who was traded to the Yankees before the 2025 season, re-signed with New York after that season. His five-year, $162.5 million deal included a full no-trade clause and opt-outs after the second and third years.

How it went: The 31-year-old stuck primarily in left field for the Yankees and made his first All-Star team since 2019. He was also named the All-Star Game MVP after driving in two runs in the AL’s 4-0 win. On the season, Bellinger batted .264 with 17 homers and 73 RBIs.

Bellinger’s defense was again superb. The Gold Glove Award finalist finished with a plus-8 fielding run value. He missed some time in late July and early August with a left hamstring injury and finished quietly with a 4-for-21 (.190) postseason.

6. Pete Alonso, 1B
Where he went: Alonso opted for a fresh start in Baltimore by signing a five-year, $155 million contract. It marked the second-highest average annual value given to a first baseman.

How it went: By hitting an AL-leading 43 home runs while driving in 113, Alonso posted one of the best seasons of his career in his debut season with the Orioles. His 4.9 bWAR was his highest such mark since his 2019 rookie campaign.

Alonso provided a signature moment when he returned to Queens in September and hit his 300th homer, receiving a curtain call from Mets fans. Alonso later said he hopes to remain an Oriole for the rest of his career.

7. Dylan Cease, RHP
Where he went: Cease signed a mega deal with Toronto to become the ace for the defending AL champions. He agreed to a seven-year, $210 million deal that included $64 million in deferred payments, an eight-team no-trade list and bonuses for potential Cy Young Award wins.

How it went: The righty did not disappoint in year one. He started the All-Star Game and should be in the running for the AL Cy Young Award. Cease missed time on two occasions with a left hamstring strain and right shoulder inflammation, but he still finished with a 2.40 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 29 starts.

8. Munetaka Murakami, 1B
Where he went: Coming out of Japan, Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox. He played both corner infield spots with Nippon Professional Baseball but settled in as the regular first baseman with Chicago.

How it went: Murakami was a key piece in the White Sox turnaround from a 60-win team in 2025 to a postseason participant this year. He became a fan favorite in his rookie season with 35 home runs and an .825 OPS, despite striking out 196 times and finishing with a .207 average.

9. Michael King, RHP
Where he went: After moving from the Yankees to the Padres in the deal for Juan Soto ahead of the 2024 season, King re-signed with San Diego on a three-year, $75 million deal that included a player opt-out after the first year, with a $5 million buyout.

How it went: King became the Padres’ ace en route to a postseason run. He threw a career-high 185 innings, finishing with a 3.21 ERA and a career-high 4.3 bWAR. In three postseason appearances (two starts), King allowed only one run and five hits across 14 innings.

King opted out of his contract on Friday, becoming one of the top free-agent starters on the market.

10. Ranger Suarez, LHP
Where he went: Suarez signed a five-year, $130 million deal with the Red Sox that includes a mutual option for 2031.

How it went: In his first year in Boston, Suarez earned his second All-Star nod and finished with a 3.22 ERA in 28 starts and 148 1/3 innings. Suarez missed time due to a left groin strain, but he built a strong combination with Payton Tolle and Sonny Gray at the top of the rotation.

Suarez didn’t pitch in the postseason after the Red Sox were swept by the Yankees in two games. He had been slotted in to start Game 3.