Houston Astros Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Astros 87 wins were their lowest (non-COVID) total since 2016, which also happened to be the last time this franchise missed the postseason. Will this offseason be about rallying themselves back into contention, or is this finally the year the organization takes a full step back?

A Bright Spot
An Infield Surplus. The addition of Carlos Correa to the mix further complicated an already crowded depth chart, and it could mean the likes of 3B Isaac Paredes, 2B Ramon Urias, and 2B Mauricio Dubon could be on the move this winter.

A Big Concern
Even less starting pitching. Houston is expected to lose ace Framber Valdez in free agency, while four other starters already find themselves on the shelf due to Tommy John surgery. Hunter Brown at the top of the rotation is a bonafide ace, but there are health and consistency concerns the rest of the way down the list.

Related Links
2026 Astros Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Valdez is arguably the best arm available this winter, and should score a top of the market contract in the coming months (projecting toward a 6 year, $200M deal in our system).

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Framber Valdez (SP, 31) $33.3M
Brendan Rodgers (2B, 29) $2.7M
Victor Caratini (C, 32) $2.2M
Hector Neris (RP, 36) $1.8M

Option Decisions

None.

Arbitration-Eligibility

Houston carries a laundry list of arbitration-eligible talent into 2026, with more than few being eyed as trade candidates this winter. Abreu, Brown, and Pena should be considered extension candidates as well.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Isaac Paredes (3B, 27) $10M
Jeremy Pena (SS, 28) $9M
Mauricio Dubon (2B, 31) $6.8M
Bryan Abreu (RP, 29) $6.5M
Jesús Sánchez (OF, 28) $6.5M
Ramon Urias (2B, 32) $5.8M
Hunter Brown (SP, 27) $5.5M
Jake Meyers (OF, 30) $4.5M
Yainer Diaz (C, 27) $3.5M
Chas McCormick (OF, 31) $3.4M
Luis Garcia (SP, 29) $2.5M
Enyel De Los Santos (RP, 30) $2M
Steven Okert (RP, 34) $2M
Hayden Wesneski (SP, 28) $1.5M
Bennett Sousa (RP, 31) $1M
Taylor Trammell (OF, 28) $950k

Guaranteed Salary

A down year from Altuve and an injury-riddled season for Alvarez really set back Houston in 2025. McCullers will be entering a walk-year in 2026.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Jose Altuve (OF, 36) $25M
Carlos Correa (3B, 31) $21.1M
Christian Walker (1B, 35) $20M
Yordan Alvarez (DH, 29) $19.1M
Josh Hader (RP, 32) $19M
Lance McCullers (SP, 32) $17M
Cristian Javier (SP, 29) $12.8M
Nate Pearson (RP, 29) $1.3M

Team Tax Projections

Despite missing the postseason, Houston projects to have been about $3M over the tax threshold for the 2025 season. Will they allow themselves to be repeat-payers despite a roster that might not be able to contend in the AL? The Astros head into the winter carrying a $231M CBT projection, around $13M under the threshold.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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Cincinnati Reds Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Reds posted 83 wins and a Wild Card berth in their first season under manager Terry Francona, and should be considered one of the teams to watch this winter as they look for added offense in 2026.

A Bright Spot
Five starting pitchers finished 2025 with a WAR north of 3 (Zack Littell, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Brady Singer). All but Littell are on the books again in 2026, and there’s already discussions being had about the possibility of trading Greene if it can return a bonafide bat.

A Big Concern
Defense. Adding Ke'Bryan Hayes to the mix helped, but overall this was a team that gave away too many runs in 2025. SS Elly De La Cruz continued his struggles, posting a MLB high 26 errors.

Related Links
2026 Reds Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Littell and Pagan were big pieces of Cincinnati’s puzzle last season and should be considered for new deals. Martinez might also figure back into the mix of the Reds look to trade one of their top starters this winter.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Nick Martinez (SP, 35) $14.2M
Zack Littell (SP, 30) $12.9M
Emilio Pagan (RP, 34) $12.3M
Miguel Andujar (3B, 30) $6.1M
Wade Miley (SP, 38) $2.4M

Option Decisions

Cincinnati is likely to decline all of these options.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Austin Hays (OF, 30) $12M mutual option ($1M buyout)
Brent Suter (RP, 36) $3M club option ($250k buyout)
Scott Barlow (RP, 32) $6.5M club option ($1M buyout)

Arbitration-Eligibility

Much of the Reds’ young core is still tied to cost-controlled arbitration for the upcoming season. Cincy likely non-tenders a few names at the bottom of this list for accounting and roster need purposes.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Brady Singer (SP, 29) $13M
Tyler Stephenson (C, 29) $7M
Nick Lodolo (SP, 28) $5M
Gavin Lux (UTIL, 28) $4.5M
Spencer Steer (1B, 28) $4M
T.J. Friedl (OF, 30) $3.5M
Matt McLain (2B, 26) $2.6M
Tony Santillan (RP, 29) $2.5M
Santiago Espinal (3B, 31) $2.5M
Graham Ashcraft (RP, 28) $1.5M
Will Benson (OF, 28) $1.5M
Ian Gibaut (RP, 32) $1.4M
Sam Moll (RP, 34) $1.25M
Brandon Williamson (SP, 28) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

Greene’s inability to stay healthy could have him on the trade block this winter.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Hunter Greene (SP, 26) $8.8M
Ke'Bryan Hayes (3B, 29) $8.75M
Jose Trevino (C, 33) $5.75M

Team Tax Projections

Cincinnati posted a CBT payroll north of $140M in 2025, their highest since the 2021 campaign. They enter 2026 with a 40-man projection near $118M, providing around $125M of space. With free agents to re-sign, and at least one formidable bat to be added here, the Reds may need to push well north of $160M to give themselves a chance.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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New York Mets Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

In terms of bang for buck, the Mets failed miserably in 2025. But for a roster that entered the season with serious questions surrounding starting pitching to then have a second half of the year blowup because of a lack of starting pitching - this really shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. The 83-win Mets will look to get back into NL East contention in Year 2 of the Juan Soto project, but not before a bevy of changes this winter.

A Bright Spot
Starting Pitching? I know we just made it sound like this was the bain of NY’s existence just a few months ago, but the immediate emergence of young guns Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, & Jonah Tong give the Mets a new jolt of confidence heading into the offseason.

A Big Concern
Opt Outs. 1B Pete Alonso has already exercised his early-termination clause and will hit the open market. Closer Edwin Diaz is almost certain to follow in his footsteps, leaving two giant holes for the Mets to deal with to begin the offseason.

Related Links
2026 Mets Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

It’s a hefty list, full of experienced relievers, notable bench bats, and one of the top free agents in MLB.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Pete Alonso (1B, 30) $29.5M
Ryan Helsley (RP, 31) $13.6M
Tyler Rogers (RP, 34) $11.4M
Starling Marte (OF, 37) $7.75M
Gregory Soto (RP, 30) $7M
Cedric Mullins (CF, 31) $6.75M
Jesse Winker (DH, 32) $5.5M
Griffin Canning (SP, 29) $4.6M
Ryne Stanek (RP, 34) $4M

Option Decisions

Diaz is expected to exercise his ETO as he seeks both a raise and a longer term guarantee. Montas & Minter battled injuries in 2025 and are expected to opt-in for financial protection.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Edwin Diaz (RP, 31) Opt-Out (2 yrs, $31.8M)
Frankie Montas (SP, 32) $17M player option
A.J. Minter (RP, 32) $11M player option
Brooks Raley (RP, 37) $4.8M club option ($350k buyout)
Drew Smith (RP, 32) $2M club option

Arbitration-Eligibility

Everyone with a $2M+ projection on this list should find them back with the Mets in 2026. The rest are early offseason tossups.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
David Peterson (SP, 30) $9.2M
Tyrone Taylor (CF, 32) $3.6M
Luis Torrens (C, 30) $2.9M
Francisco Alvarez (C, 24) $2.25M
Huascar Brazoban (RP, 36) $2M
Tylor Megill (SP, 30) $1.975M
Nick Madrigal (2B, 29) $1.35M
Max Kranick (RP, 28) $1M
Reed Garrett (RP, 33) $950k

Guaranteed Salary

Senga was demoted to finish the 2025 season, making the 2 years, $30M remaining on his contract dicey. McNeil will find his name back in trade conversations again this Winter, while the rest of these players seem locked in.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Juan Soto (RF, 27) $51M
Francisco Lindor (SS, 32) $34.1M
Sean Manaea (SP, 34) $22M
Brandon Nimmo (LF, 33) $20.25M
Kodai Senga (SP, 33) $15M
Clay Holmes (SP, 33) $12.6M
Jeff McNeil (2B, 34) $12.5M

Team Tax Projections

The Mets found a way to miss the postseason with a $341M tax payroll ($100M over the threshold). They begin 2026 with a roster that projects toward $265M ($22M over the tax line). While roster change is imminent, a sudden drop in overall payroll for the upcoming season isn’t expected.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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Kansas City Royals Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Royals bid for another postseason berth came up a few games short in 2025, as the 82-win team finished 3rd in the AL Central. KC likely feels like they’re a few bounces and an additional bat away from being right back in the thick of things again for 2026 (and potentially beyond).

A Bright Spot
Rare Starting Pitcher depth. While 95% of MLB teams will spend the next few months trying to commandeer at least one legitimate starting pitcher for 2026, the Royals are the rare organization that may be able to sell an arm this winter. Kris Bubic could be the early leader in this clubhouse.

A Big Concern
Outfield Production. The Royals scored over 80 fewer runs in 2025 than they did in 2024, and the clearest path to upgrade lies at the corner outfield positions. While KC may not be in the running for top free agent Kyle Tucker, look for them to aggressively pursue next-level-down talent.

Related Links
2026 Royals Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Yastrzemski had a fantastic 50-game stretch in KC after being acquired from SF at the deadline, and a reunion of some sort should be in consideration. Frazier continues to be a more than serviceable UTIL/part-time player and could bounce around the a bit again in 2026.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Mike Yastrzemski (OF, 35) $11M
Hunter Harvey (RP, 30) $5.5M
Adam Frazier (2B, 33) $4M

Option Decisions

Perez will be back in the mix in some capacity (a multi-year extension at or around this $13.5M per year mark is very possible), while the Royals are almost certain to punt on both Lorenzen & Grichuk’s options this fall.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Salvador Perez (C, 35) $13.5M club option ($2M buyout)
Michael Lorenzen (SP, 33) $12M mutual option ($1.5M buyout)
Randal Grichuk (OF, 34) $5M mutual option ($3M buyout)

Arbitration-Eligibility

While it’s safe to assume that KC won’t keep this entire laundry list of arb-eligible players on their initial 40-man roster, there’s an awful lot of impact value to be had, at least on paper. India could find himself in trade discussions with both Michael Massey and Nick Loftin now available to take on 2B duties. Melendez probably survives his first run through arbitration despite a dreadful 2025, and there might be one too many SPs on the books to carry into the start of the season.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Jonathan India (2B, 29) $7.5M
Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, 28) $5.25M
Maikel Garcia (3B, 26) $4.85M
Kris Bubic (SP, 28) $4.5M
John Schreiber (RP, 32) $4M
Bailey Falter (SP, 29) $3.25M
Kyle Isbel (OF, 29) $3M
MJ Melendez (OF, 27) $2.65M
Lucas Erceg (RP, 31) $2M
Taylor Clarke (RP, 33) $2M
Kyle Wright (SP, 30) $1.8M
Angel Zerpa (RP, 26) $1.25M
Daniel Lynch (RP, 29) $1.25M
Michael Massey (2B, 28) $1M
Sam Long (RP, 30) $950k
James McArthur (RP, 29) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

KC’s current guaranteed contracts derive from 5 positions of importance: the cornerstone SS, a shutdown closer, and 3 top of rotation starting pitchers.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, 26) $26.2M
Seth Lugo (SP, 36) $23M
Michael Wacha (SP, 35) $17M
Carlos Estevez (RP, 33) $11.1M
Cole Ragans (SP, 28) $4.4M

Team Tax Projections

The Royals finished 2025 with a projected $173M CBT payroll according to our data, 17th most in MLB. They begin the 2026 offseason projecting toward $153M, not including Salvador Perez. If they’re serious about adding more power at the plate, they’ll need to sign off on a payroll that approaches the $200M mark when it’s all said and done.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

kansas city royals mlb

San Francisco Giants Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Giants appear to be operating in Groundhog’s Day, with win totals of 81, 79, 80, and 81 over the past four seasons. That might begin to change as Buster Posey gets a full offseason, and new manager Tony Vitello assumes his role. San Francisco enters the offseason with a light load of arbitration-eligible salary, an expensive core of guaranteed contracts, and $58M of tax space to operate with.

A Bright Spot
Bang for Buck. 6 of the top 7 WAR grades for San Francisco stemmed from players on high-priced veteran contracts. In other words, money spent has been money earned, at least initially speaking. A full season of Devers, Adames, and Chapman in the lineup could prove to be very successful.

A Big Concern
Treading a little thin at the backend of the rotation, and throughout the bullpen. The Giants aren’t likely to be seeking a major free agent this offseason, but that shouldn’t stop them from considering a trade or two that adds MLB-ready arms to their equation for 2026.

Related Links
2026 Giants Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Verlander has expressed interest in continuing his career, and the Giants should be interested in bringing back the ageless wonder on an incentive-laden contract. Squeezing the juice out of one more season from Verlander/Robbie Ray isn’t terrible business for a team seeking depth in their rotation.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Justin Verlander (SP, 42) $8M
Wilmer Flores (1B, 34) $5.5M
Dominic Smith (1B, 30) Minimum

Option Decisions

Murphy missed all of 2025 with a back injury, setting up SF to take on the $250,000 buyout here and move on.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Tom Murphy (C, 34) $4M club option ($250k buyout)

Arbitration-Eligibility

Walker projects to be the opening day closer, and Bailey figures to slot back into the catcher role, but all other players here are fringe non-tender candidates as the Giants continue to seek upgrades.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Ryan Walker (RP, 30) $2.5M
Patrick Bailey (C, 27) $2.2M
JT Brubaker (RP, 32) $2M
Joey Lucchesi (RP, 33) $2M
Andrew Knizner (C, 31) $1.5M

Guaranteed Salary

Devers, Adames, and Chapman currently represent 33% of the $244M CBT threshold for 2026. Ray had a much needed bounceback performance in 2025 (3.65 ERA, 2.8 WAR in 32 starts), while Webb continues to prove he’s one of the best young pitchers in the game.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Rafael Devers (1B, 29) $29.1M
Willy Adames (SS, 30) $26M
Matt Chapman (3B, 33) $25.1M
Robbie Ray (SP, 34) $23M
Jung Hoo Lee (CF, 27) $18.8M
Logan Webb (SP, 29) $18M

Team Tax Projections

Midseason moves kept the Giants around $23M below the 2025 tax threshold, and they begin the 2026 offseason with around $58M of space to work with. This could be the winter of the trade for a San Francisco team looking to improve without shelling out too much new guaranteed money.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

san francisco giants mlb

Texas Rangers Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

After back-to-back seasons of 78 and 81 wins respectively, the Rangers appear to be light years away from their 2023 World Series title. Will last year’s (literally) average performance prompt an aggressive sell-off this winter?

A Bright Spot
LF Wyatt Langford continued to progress toward his #4 overall pick expectations, posting career highs in almost every statistical category. A 2-3-4 of Langford, Seager, and Semien remains one of the better lineup setups in the game. Texas still holds 4 control years on Langford.

A Big Concern
The bullpen wasn’t a problem statistically speaking (though the Rangers lacked any sort of consistent closer in 2025), but a large majority of relievers are now slated for free agency. Retaining/replacing MLB-ready relievers is easier said than done.

Related Links
2026 Rangers Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

9 free agents - all pitchers. It’s not hard to guess where GM Chris Young’s focus will be this winter. Most of these players have aged out of their current value, but look for Texas to attempt to bring back a reliever or two here on short-term deals.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Jon Gray (SP, 33) $5.5M
Tyler Mahle (SP, 31) $5.5M
Patrick Corbin (SP, 36) $5.5M
Merrill Kelly (SP, 37) $15M
Phil Maton (RP, 32) $7M
Chris Martin (RP, 39) $6.7M
Hoby Milner (RP, 34) $4M
Danny Coulombe (RP, 36) $4.4M
Shawn Armstrong (RP, 35) $4M

Option Decisions

A hand injury derailed Pederson’s 2025 campaign, setting him up to exercise this option and play out 2025 on a salary much high than his current production–level calls for.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Joc Pederson (DH, 34) $18.5M player option

Arbitration-Eligibility

Garcia’s OPS hasn’t reached .690 in each of the past two seasons, putting his projected salary on notice. Otherwise, this is a nice list of cost-controlled talent to keep around.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Adolis García (OF, 33) $12.75M
Jonah Heim (C, 31) $6M
Jake Burger (1B, 30) $3.1M
Josh H. Smith (SS, 28) $2.5M
Josh Jung (3B, 28) $2.4M
Jacob Webb (RP, 32) $2.4M
Ezequiel Duran (2B, 27) $1.75M
Sam Haggerty (INF, 32) $1.25M
Josh Sborz (RP, 32) $1.1M

Guaranteed Salary

Texas can breathe a small sigh of relief after deGrom resembled the star of old for much of 2025. He’s on the books for another 2 years, $75M. Both Seager and Semien had down power years, but still found ways to fill up the stat board in the middle of the lineup.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Jacob deGrom (SP, 38) $37M
Corey Seager (SS, 32) $32.5M
Marcus Semien (2B, 35) $25M
Nathan Eovaldi (SP, 36) $25M
Kyle Higashioka (C, 36) $6.75M

Team Tax Projections

According to our data, Texas should finish 2025 just below the tax threshold (though final numbers are still TBD). If this is the case, the Rangers can be a little more aggressive with their upcoming offseason, especially with so many of their core players now beginning to age into the later stages of their careers. Our CBT projections put Texas just under $210M right now, giving them around $34M to work with in the coming weeks.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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Arizona Diamondbacks Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

A tough start turned into a long summer that eventually finished up with what can only be called a bad season now in hindsight. Arizona’s 80 win total is their fewest in 4 seasons, highlighted by a brutal stretch of injury luck and down years.

A Bright Spot
2023 Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll bounced back from a step-back season in 2024 with career-best numbers (31 homers, 32 doubles, 32 steals, .884 OPS). He’s right back on track to being the cornerstone position player for this franchise (under contract through 2031).

A Big Concern
Starting Pitching. Zac Gallen is a pending free agent. Corbin Burnes (Tommy John) won’t be back until the All-Star break, Eduardo Rodriguez gave up a career-high 25 homers last season, & Brandon Pfaadt still hasn’t figured out how to be consistent at the MLB level.

Related Links
2026 Diamondbacks Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Gallen hits the open market for the first time coming off of a career-worst campaign (4.83 ERA, 1.1 WAR). A return isn’t out of the question, but with a payroll already approaching $180M, he’ll need to accept a deal at or around his value mark.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Zac Gallen (SP, 30) $18.7M
James McCann (C, 35) $5.8M
Jalen Beeks (RP, 32) $1M
Trevor Richards (RP, 32) Minimum

Option Decisions

Gurriel was a lock to opt-out of this contract and seek out a multi-year guarantee, until he tore his ACL in early September. An early timeline has him back in action at or around the All-Star break next season. Arizona holds a $14M club option ($5M buyout) in 2027.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (OF, 32) $13M player option

Arbitration-Eligibility

Despite a few non-tender candidates at the bottom of this list, Arizona is garnering strong value from the vast majority of these players. McCarthy is a soft trade candidate for teams who miss out on desired corner outfielders this winter.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Ryan Thompson (RP, 34) $3.1M
A.J. Puk (RP, 31) $2.7M
Kevin Ginkel (RP, 32) $2.5M
Ryne Nelson (SP, 28) $2.4M
Gabriel Moreno (C, 26) $2.1M
Jake McCarthy (OF, 28) $1.6M
Alek Thomas (OF, 26) $1.5M
Ildemaro Vargas (2B, 34) $1M
Kyle Nelson (RP, 29) $850k
John Curtiss (RP, 33) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

The Diamondbacks need an awful lot more from the starting pitchers on this list before they can have visions of contending in the NL West anytime soon. Carroll and Perdomo are tremendous values heading into 2026.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Corbin Burnes (SP, 31) $32.9M
Eduardo Rodriguez (SP, 33) $20M
Ketel Marte (2B, 32) $19.4M
Corbin Carroll (OF, 25) $13.8M
Geraldo Perdomo (SS, 26) $11.25M
Brandon Pfaadt (SP, 27) $9M
Justin Martinez (RP, 24) $3.6M

Team Tax Projections

Arizona finished 2025 with a $211M CBT payroll according to our data, 14th most in baseball. Early projections have them hovering around the $177M mark this winter, offering an estimated $67M of space to work with before we start getting into tax-bill conversations. With the Dodgers, Giants, and Padres all heavily invested, staying out of the tax is likely a priority for Arizona.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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Miami Marlins Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Marlins remained postseason-possible into the final week of the 2025 season, a major step forward for a franchise that lost 100 games in the year-prior. Where they go from here is one of the most interesting offseason conversations to be had.

A Bright Spot
In his first full season in Miami, LF Kyle Stowers broke out to the tune of 25 homers, 21 doubles, a .912 OPS and a 3.58 WAR. He joins C Agustin Ramirez to make up a formidable middle of the lineup for Miami with 4 more years of team control left.

A Big Concern
First Base appears to be the biggest hole on this roster heading into the offseason, and the Marlins probably aren’t in position to swing big (or be the winning bid) for a Pete Alonso-type player. Will they drop a tier or two in free agency to address the need, or will the front office find more creative routes to fortify the infield?

Related Links
2026 Marlins Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

None.

Option Decisions

None.

Arbitration-Eligibility

Much of the rotation and bullpen are derived from young players in the early stages of arbitration. This is a recipe for success in Miami if the front office can hit on a few outside additions in the coming months.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Edward Cabrera (SP, 28) $3.75M
Ryan Weathers (SP, 26) $3.5M
Anthony Bender (RP, 31) $2.85M
Calvin Faucher (RP, 30) $2.1M
Braxton Garrett (SP, 28) $1.53M
Max Meyer (SP, 27) $1.25M
Andrew Nardi (RP, 27) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

Alcantara was a player of focus at the trade deadline, but the Marlins held on, and despite brutal numbers for much of 2025 - he performed well down the stretch. The 30-year-old is under contract at cash costs of $17M in 2026, with a $21M club option in place for the 2027 season.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Sandy Alcantara (SP, 30) $11.2M

Team Tax Projections

The Marlins finished off 2025 with a CBT payroll of around $85M according to our data. Early projections for 2026 find them starting off near the $64M mark, which should allow them to be a little extra aggressive in the coming weeks.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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St. Louis Cardinals Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

The Cardinals finished 2025 5 games below their 2024 output, good enough for 4th in the NL Central. The front office is already using the word “patience” which could signify a rather quiet offseason in St. Louis, as the team turns its focus on developing their next young core.

A Bright Spot
A Starting Rotation that featured Sonny Gray, Matthew Liberatore & Michael McGreevy, with Kyle Leahy & Andre Pallante holding their own as well. All are under contract/control for 2026, but Gray will need some convincing to return if the team doesn’t project to be in contention.

A Big Concern
Nolan Arenado’s future. The 34-year-old is on the books at 2 years, $42M, while the production (especially as it pertains to power), has begun its downward slide. The expectation is that a trade out of town is imminent, but St. Louis may need to retain a good portion of that salary in order to garner an adequate return.

Related Links
2026 Cardinals Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Mikolas was bitten by the long-ball in 2025, a theme for each of the past 4 seasons. He’s still a serviceable, durable starter despite the advanced age, but St. Louis is likely looking to turn his spot over going forward.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Miles Mikolas (SP, 37) $6.4M

Arbitration-Eligibility

The two names to watch here could be Nootbaar and Gorman, both of whom have underperformed based on entry expectations, and could be flipped in the right scenarios. There’s also the potential for massive starting pitcher value on this list.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
JoJo Romero (RP, 29) $5.8M
Brendan Donovan (2B, 29) $5.75M
Lars Nootbaar (OF, 28) $5.2M
Andre Pallante (SP, 27) $3.9M
Jorge Alcala (RP, 30) $3M
Matthew Liberatore (SP, 26) $3M
Nolan Gorman (3B, 26) $2.75M
Alec Burleson (1B, 27) $2.1M
John King (RP, 31) $2M

Guaranteed Salary

Arenado is a legitimate trade candidate this winter, though that may be easier said than done per his financials. The Cardinals want Gray back in the fold, but he’s spoken about finishing out this contract with a contender, and may force St. Louis’ hand.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Nolan Arenado (3B, 35) $25.5M
Sonny Gray (SP, 36) $25M
Willson Contreras (1B, 34) $17.5M

Team Tax Projections

St. Louis currently projects toward a $135M CBT payroll, $109M under the threshold. There’s a world where this number gets lower - not higher in the coming months.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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Tampa Bay Rays Offseason Preview

Michael GinnittiOctober 27, 2025
© USA Today Sports

A tough finish in 2025 was compounded by a ridiculously complicated start, as the Rays were forced to move home games out of their hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field, and into a much more hitter-friendly Steinbrenner Field. Tampa Bay’s 77 wins was their lowest non-COVID total since the 2016 season.

A Bright Spot
3B Junior Caminero & 1B Jonathan Aranda had breakout seasons, and the bullpen was one of the most efficient in all of baseball. Any kind of improvement in health at the starting pitching group should automatically put this team back into contention.

A Big Concern
Wander Franco’s MLB career is likely over, and the Rays haven’t properly back-filled his SS position yet. There are notable prospects who might fill the role, but that remains to be shelled out this winter.

Related Links
2026 Rays Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

The Rays acquired Houser from Chicago (AL) at the deadline when he was producing at an All-Star rate, but his efficiency fell way off down the stretch for Tampa Bay. With plenty of starter horsepower set to return from injury, a reunion here seems unlikely.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Adrian Houser (SP, 32) $10M

Option Decisions

Fairbanks saw his option escalate by $5.5M based on games finished & appearances. He’s been a solid backend of the bullpen option for Tampa Bay each of the last 3 seasons, but could be dangled on the trade market this winter. Walls would revert back to arbitration if his $2.5M club option is declined.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Pete Fairbanks (RP, 31) $12.5M club option ($1M buyout)
Brandon Lowe (2B, 31) $11.5M club option ($500k buyout)
Taylor Walls (SS, 29) $2.5M club option ($50k buyout)

Arbitration-Eligibility

As usual, the Rays boast a heavy list of arbitration-eligible players, none of whom carry a necessarily daunting salary projection. If healthy, Pepiot, McCLanahan, and Baz could offer immense value in the rotation with a combined $10M of estimated salary.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Garrett Cleavinger (RP, 32) $4M
Ryan Pepiot (SP, 28) $3.8M
Shane McClanahan (SP, 29) $3.6M
Griffin Jax (RP, 31) $3.5M
Christopher Morel (OF, 27) $3M
Shane Baz (SP, 27) $2.8M
Nick Fortes (C, 29) $2.5M
Josh Lowe (OF, 28) $2.1M
Taylor Walls (SS, 29) $2M
Edwin Uceta (RP, 28) $1.7M
Cole Sulser (RP, 36) $1.5M
Manuel Rodriguez (RP, 29) $1.25M
Bryan Baker (RP, 31) $1.25M
Kevin Kelly (RP, 28) $1M
Richard Palacios (OF, 29) $1M
Stuart Fairchild (OF, 30) $900k
Alex Faedo (RP, 30) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

Diaz had his $12M salary guaranteed by the Rays before the start of the 2025 season, tossing in a conditional club option for 2027 in the process. Rasmussen posted a career best campaign last year across 31 outstanding starts. He’ll head into the offseason as the noted ace of the staff.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Yandy Diaz (DH, 34) $12M
Drew Rasmussen (SP, 30) $4.25M

Team Tax Projections

Assuming Franco’s salary remains off of the books going forward, the Rays current 46-man roster projects toward an $80M CBT payroll, providing them around $163M of space to work with in the coming weeks.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews

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