We're keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors.
Feb. 3: The best remaining FA starters after Valdez signs with Detroit
Framber Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers, removing another quality starter from the free-agent market as Spring Training nears. With Valdez off the board, who are the best remaining starting pitchers?
Zac Gallen: The 30-year-old right-hander is the top remaining starting pitcher when looking at both career performance (3.58 ERA in 176 career starts) and durability (third-most innings thrown since 2022). While his numbers have trended downwards -- his 4.83 ERA last season was a career-worst mark by a wide margin -- he's the only remaining pitcher who has pitched like a frontline starter recently and throws tons of innings. Gallen has been linked to many teams, with a return to the D-backs still a possibility.
Chris Bassitt: The veteran right-hander has remained a good and consistent starter into his late 30s. Bassitt, who turns 37 later this month, has thrown at least 170 innings in four straight seasons, with an ERA between 3.42 and 4.16 in each year during that time. At his age, Bassitt might not be a surefire playoff starter, but as we saw last October with the Blue Jays, he makes for an effective reliever come playoff time.
Lucas Giolito: After missing all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery, Giolito returned with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts last season. While many ERA indicators pegged him for a much higher ERA, Giolito represents an intriguing pitcher who has had fluctuating ERAs but an ability to throw plenty of innings (he's thrown 140 or more innings six times).
Zack Littell: The right-handed Littell transitioned to the rotation with the Rays in the middle of 2023 and has turned into a quality starting pitcher. In each of the last two seasons, Littell has thrown more than 150 innings with a sub-4 ERA. For teams looking for a quality backend starter who can chew up innings, Littell represents a solid option.
Justin Verlander / Max Scherzer: Grouping these two likely future Hall of Famers together feels appropriate. MLB's Mark Feinsand recently looked at why both pitchers are still on the market and why there's a consensus that Verlander and Scherzer still have something to offer in 2026. The 41-year-old Scherzer and Verlander, who turns 43 this month, likely won't sign with a rebuilding team at this point, so both pitchers could wait until the right opporunity arises.
Feb. 3: Gallen hopes to stay with D-backs
Starter Zac Gallen remains a free agent, but the right-hander would welcome a return to the D-backs.
Gallen told Blake Niemann of FOX 10 in Phoenix that staying in Arizona "would be awesome," and that the New Jersey native considers the Phoenix area his "home base." D-backs fans have apparently echoed the sentiment.
"People have been like, 'Hey, we'd really love for you to come back,'" Gallen said.
Gallen, the No. 20-ranked free agent in Mark Feinsand's original Top 30, is one of the top pitchers left on the open market, After making his debut for the Marlins in 2019, he was traded to the D-backs for Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the Trade Deadline and spent the past six full seasons with Arizona.
The D-backs have been active this offseason, agreeing to a deal for free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana on Tuesday a few weeks after acquiring third baseman Nolan Arenado in a trade with the Cardinals. Arizona also brought back starter Merrill Kelly, whom the D-backs had traded to the Rangers at the 2025 Trade Deadline, on a two-year deal. If he and his incumbent club can work out a deal, Gallen could be the next pitcher to stay in the desert.
Feb. 1: Red Sox trade RHP Hicks; is another deal coming soon?
The Red Sox shed some of their pitching depth on Sunday, trading right-hander Jordan Hicks to the White Sox for Minor League pitcher Gage Ziehl, Chicago's No. 14 prospect in 2025. Boston also included right-hander David Sandlin -- its No. 8 prospect last year -- along with $8 million and two players to be named later. The White Sox will send one player to be named later as well.
For Boston, the move clears two players off of its 40-man roster and creates some financial flexibility as Hicks is owed $25 million through 2027. The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported recently (subscription required) that the Red Sox were receiving interest from teams regarding Hicks as well as starters Patrick Sandoval and Brayan Bello.
Even with Hicks gone, the Red Sox could still deal either of those other arms knowing that they have young left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early ready to step into any rotation vacancy. Sandoval is due about $13 million this season while the 26-year-old Bello is entering the third year of a six-year, $55 million extension that is financially backloaded and carries a $21 million club option for 2030. The Red Sox also have a logjam in the outfield and no clear fit for outfielder/DH Masataka Yoshida, who is due $37.2 million total over the next two seasons.
With chief baseball officer Craig Breslow stressing run prevention, and with Marcelo Mayer seemingly likely to fill the void left by Alex Bregman at third base, Boston could use any of the above options in a trade that addresses second base. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (subscription required), the Red Sox have "checked in" with the Cubs regarding infielders Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner. Shaw was a rookie last season who excelled during the second half. Hoerner, a two-time Gold Glove winner at second base, is under contract for one more season at $12 million.
Jan. 31: Yankees reportedly seeking righty outfield bat; Goldy reunion a possibility?
Even after re-signing Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger, the Yankees are still on the hunt for outfield help. In particular, the club is searching the free-agent and trade markets for a right-handed bat to supplement a roster that skews left-handed, according to The Athletic's Brandon Kuty (subscription required), who mentions Randal Grichuk as one of many options New York is considering.
Kuty also hears that the Yankees made a Major League offer to Austin Slater earlier this offseason. Slater joined the Yankees at the Trade Deadline but got hurt shortly after joining the team.
Tommy Pham and Starling Marte are among the other righty-hitting outfielders still available. (Austin Hays came off the board on Saturday when he reached a one-year deal with the White Sox.)
The Yankees' current outfield depth consists of Jasson Domínguez, a switch-hitter who is better from the left side, and lefty-hitting prospect Spencer Jones. José Caballero has outfield experience, too, but he'll be needed at shortstop until Anthony Volpe returns from left shoulder surgery.
Signing a righty hitter who can play first base to platoon with Ben Rice is another option the Yankees could pursue, per Kuty.
Paul Goldschmidt would seemingly fit the bill. Jack Curry of the YES Network recently reported that the Yankees have interest in a reunion with Goldschmidt, while MLB Network insider Jon Heyman wrote Thursday for the New York Post that the veteran "seems willing to return," even if it's as a part-time player.
Other right-handed hitters with first-base experience on the free-agent market include Ty France, Justin Turner, Rhys Hoskins, Wilmer Flores and Donovan Solano.