With the 2024 MLB season officially over, it’s that time of year again when teams can make free-agent splashes and see where each player ends up. 

Here are the predictions of where each free agent will land.

Juan Soto – New York Yankees 

Everyone knew this time would finally come; the day when Juan Soto would get his huge check. Back in 2022, The Washington Nationals offered Soto $440 million dollars for 15 years which he ended up declining.

Soto, who is 26 years old, is expected to be one of the highest-paid players in the history of baseball, as he has been in MVP talks multiple times in his young career. The New York Yankees are the team that is best destined for him to go back to since he already played a year there and fits their championship window. 

However, the New York Mets are the team that will most likely outbid everyone else, due to the amount of money they have coming off the books in addition to Steve Cohen’s love of spending.

The Mets still have their question marks in terms of free-agent players, but I think in the end the Yankees will find a way to bring him back. 

Corbin Burnes – New York Mets

Assuming Soto signs a long-term deal with the Yankees, the Mets have a great opportunity to sign Corbin Burnes, who will look to set the pitching market this offseason. 

The former Cy Young Award winner won 15 games with a 2.92 ERA, with 181 strikeouts, in 194.1 innings pitched this past season. The Mets can definitely use a top-tier ace in the rotation to solidify the staff, and despite them still needing to figure out what to do with Pete Alonso (who is a pending free agent), it seems like Burnes would be the perfect fit in New York.

Blake Snell – Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians had some starting pitching issues last season, especially when they lost Shane Bieber early on in the season as he had to undergo Tommy John Surgery. As a result, the staff took a hit, as the Guardians ranked 24th in starters ERA with a 4.40 ERA for the 2024 season.  

Cleveland’s best pitcher was Tanner Bibee, but the supporting cast of starters behind him in the rotation wasn’t the greatest. Signing Blake Snell will fill a huge need, especially if Bieber comes back on a potential one-year prove-it deal to show that he can be a top pitcher on any contending team. 

With the addition of Snell, the Guardians can make some noise in the American League. This bullpen is loaded and the Guardians have one of the best farm systems in baseball to pair with that. 

Max Fried – Chicago Cubs

Back before the 2023 MLB season, the Chicago Cubs signed Dansby Swanson who came from the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs signing Max Fried would basically be the same situation other than one being a position player and the other being a pitcher.

This would be a big move for Chicago when looking at the type of upside this team can have with how good their farm system is and what their roster looks to be right now. It seems like there will be a point where the Cubs can break out and finally show their full potential as a team. A 1-2 punch of Justin Steele and Max Fried in the rotation will be great. 

Anthony Santander – Seattle Mariners

Anthony Santander had a career season in 2024 and with the Baltimore Orioles having to think about what their future will look like with Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and potentially some of the other young players coming through the farm system, they won’t be able to pay all these players.

The Seattle Mariners are a team that was one of the worst offensive-hitting teams in baseball this past season and bringing in Santander will be a major boost to their lineup, especially since he’s a switch hitter.

The pitching staff is set and the rotation is arguably the deepest in all of baseball. It’s just a matter of getting better production out of their offense.

Roki Sasaki – Los Angeles Dodgers

Well, well, well… How could we go through an entire predictions list where the Dodgers aren’t even mentioned? Los Angeles is fresh off the World Series win and even with the amount of money they spent last offseason, they clearly will benefit from the backload of Shohei Ohtani’s contract.

There is also a connection between Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki as they all played on the Japan WBC team together back in 2023. 

If the Dodgers elect to not re-sign Jack Flaherty, Sasaki would be the perfect replacement. Whatever happens, the most obvious team he may look to go to is the Dodgers, also factoring in that he’d probably rather play on the West Coast. 

Alex Bregman – Houston Astros

In 2018 and 2019, Alex Bregman had the best seasons of his young career. Since then he’s been good, but not at the level of what we saw before the 2020 season. However, Bregman is still one of the better third basemen in baseball. 

In 2024, the 30-year-old got off to a very slow start but picked it up as the season went on and finished with a batting average of .260, with 26 home runs, 75 RBI, and a .768 OPS. 

There are some other teams that could be in the mix but the clear answer is going back to Houston, where he was a home-grown talent.

It will be interesting to see how Houston manages their free agent situation. Do they go all-in considering how their season ended? Or is their championship window closed?

That is still to be determined considering they have won the AL West seven times in the last eight seasons and had a run of seven straight ALCS appearances from 2017-2023. They will try to make the most out of what they can with the core of home-grown talent they have on their roster. 

Pete Alonso – New York Mets

There will be a better chance of Pete Alonso going back to the Mets if they don’t sign Juan Soto. Alonso, like Bregman with Houston, is a home-grown talent that New York was able to develop through their farm system. 

Alonso came off a disappointing regular season, although the numbers don’t look that bad. What may have saved Alonso’s Met career was his postseason performance, which was highlighted by a big three-run home run off Brewers closer Devin Williams to clinch the Wild Card series.

If Alonso doesn’t go back to the Mets, the Houston Astros would be the perfect fit as they are a team desperate for a first baseman.

Christian Walker – New York Yankees

Speaking of the teams that need a first baseman, the Yankees are in need of one too. New York has their situation with Juan Soto, but first baseman is a priority and Christian Walker would be a massive upgrade over Anthony Rizzo.

Walker is a great power hitter with gold glove-caliber defense. Expect a short-term deal wherever he goes, because he is 34 years old. Either way, it would be good for both sides. Both the Yankees and Astros need to address first base this off-season and Walker would be a great fit for either team. For now, the Yankees get the edge. 

Willy Adames – Atlanta Braves

Although the Braves are a team that doesn’t entirely spend money on free agents, this could be the time they can bring in a very talented shortstop in Willy Adames. Atlanta will get healthy next year and a shortstop is a need.

They let go of Dansby Swanson, putting Orlando Arcia into the everyday shortstop role. Arcia had a good 2023 campaign but followed it up with a very disappointing 2024 season. Putting Adames on this roster, when the entire team is healthy, is a legit World Series contending team. 

Jack Flaherty – San Diego Padres

Year in and year out, the San Diego Padres are always a team that is willing to spend money and make trades. Although the pitching staff seems to be in good shape, Yu Darvish is 38 years old and Joe Musgrove is expected to miss the entire 2025 season, undergoing Tommy John Surgery. 

Bringing in Jack Flaherty would definitely help out this starting rotation. The bullpen is very good and a move like this should not only keep them a contender but make their chances better of competing for a World Series title.

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