With the regular season in the books, MLBTR is taking a position-by-position look at the 2026-27 free agent market. For the final entry in the series, we head to the right-handed relief market.
Player ages are for the 2027 season, and names within each tier are listed alphabetically, not “ranked.” Only players who appeared in MLB (or on major league 60-day injured lists) this year are included.
Previous entries in this series: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Third Base, Shortstop, Center Field, Corner Outfield, Designated Hitter, Starting Pitcher, Lefty Relief
Proven Closers
David Bednar (32)Bednar has had some ups and downs but has been a lockdown closer for most of the past five years. He racked up 19 saves for the Pirates in 2022 with a 2.61 earned run average. The following year, he posted a flat ERA of 2.00 and notched 39 more saves.
A big setback came in 2024. Bednar’s strikeout rate had been hovering around 30% in previous seasons but dipped to 22.1% while his ERA shot up to 5.77. He got out to a slow start in 2025 and was optioned to the minors in April. He was back less than three weeks later and has been quite consistent since then. He has thrown 131 innings since being recalled from that brief optional assignment with a 2.20 ERA, a 30.8% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate, 48.1% ground ball rate and 61 saves.
The big ERA spike in 2024 isn’t likely to be a huge issue for Bednar, as there’s some precedent working in his favor. Josh Hader had a 5.22 ERA in 2022 but bounced back with a 1.28 ERA in 2023. He then signed a five-year, $95MM deal with the Astros. Edwin Díaz had a 5.59 ERA in 2019. He corrected in subsequent years and eventually nabbed a five-year, $102MM deal with the Mets, with an opt-out after three.
The Yankees will first have to decide whether or not to give Bednar a qualifying offer. It’s somewhat rare for a reliever to receive a QO but the top closers usually do. In the past decade, Díaz, Hader, Raisel Iglesias, Will Smith, Craig Kimbrel, Greg Holland, Wade Davis and Kenley Jansen have received QOs. They all declined. Holland eventually settled for a one-year, $14MM deal but everyone else in that group landed a deal of at least three years and $40MM.
Bednar could accept the QO, stick in the Bronx for another year and return to free agency after the lockout but he’s already 32 years old and will probably look to cash in. He shouldn’t be able to get to the Hader/Díaz level of guarantee since he’s older than those guys and has never flashed the same kind of 40-50% strikeout rate upside, but a strong three- or four-year deal with an eight-figure salary should be attainable.
Raisel Iglesias (37)Iglesias keeps putting up numbers as he pushes towards his late 30s. He just tossed 60 innings with a 2.55 ERA. That’s actually a slight improvement from 2025, when he had a 3.21 ERA. Under the hood, some things trended in the wrong direction, though only slightly. The velocity on his four-seamer and sinker dropped by about half a mile per hour. His 26.8% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate were both slightly worse than last year’s 27.4% and 6% clips. On the other hand, he increased his ground ball rate from 30.5% to 37.6%.
It has now been six straight full seasons of posting an ERA of 3.21 or lower for Iglesias. He racked up at least 29 saves in five of those six. Despite the consistency, his age will prevent him from getting a long-term offer. He was a free agent last offseason and signed a one-year, $16MM deal with Atlanta.
He has a case for two years, even at this age. In the past five years, Mark Melancon, Adam Ottavino, Chris Martin and Blake Treinen all signed two-year deals beginning in their age-37 seasons. But since Iglesias just returned to Atlanta on a one-year deal last time, it wouldn’t be a shock for that to happen again.
Solid Setup Arms
Bryan Abreu (30)Abreu has been one of the better setup arms in baseball for a few years. Unfortunately, he is coming off his worst season since he became established. From 2022 to 2025, he logged 281 2/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA, 34.3% strikeout rate, 10.4% walk rate and 39.9% ground ball rate. In 2026, he had a 3.73 ERA. His 39.9% grounder rate was in line with expectations. His 29.9% strikeout rate was down for him but still well above average. Most concerningly, his walk rate shot up to 15.3%.
He at least finished with some positive momentum, as his worst stretch of the year was right out of the gate. After 7 1/3 innings, he had a 14.73 ERA and horrendous 30.2% walk rate. In his final 55 1/3 innings, he had a 2.28 ERA. His 12.4% walk rate in that time was still concerning but much closer to season-opening expectations.
His velocity was down a bit for the year but was lowest in May and bounced back after that. He was mostly around 97 mph with his four-seamer from 2022 to 2025. He was at 95.7 in 2026 but with a nadir of 94.4 in May and then 96.4 from July to September.
Based on his track record, it’s possible he secures a multi-year deal with an eight-figure salary. If teams are scared off by this year’s control woes and slight velo drop, perhaps he will be limited to one-year offers or he could try to get two years with an opt-out halfway through.
Jason Adam (35)It’s been quite a journey for Adam but he has finally made it to six years of service time. A late bloomer, he didn’t really break out until he his age-30 season, but he then went on to have several great campaigns.
Unfortunately, he is hitting the market at an unfortunate time. From 2022 to 2025, he threw 256 2/3 innings with a 2.07 ERA, 29.2% strikeout rate, 8.4% walk rate and 43.1% ground ball rate. This year, he missed almost three months with a shoulder strain and was limited to 34 1/3 innings. His 2.62 ERA doesn’t look bad but was mostly due to a fortunate .245 batting average on balls in play and 91.7% strand rate. His 15.5% strikeout rate was well shy of his previous benchmark and the 22.1% league average. He tossed 3 1/3 innings in the postseason without notching a strikeout.
Adam’s track record is strong but he will likely be limited to one-year offers because of his age, his recent injury and lack of punchouts this year.
Paul Blackburn (33)Blackburn has been a starter for most of his career. He opened the 2026 season in a long relief role for the Yankees. He may have earned a rotation role if some injuries popped up but the Yanks were relatively healthy for most of the year. Blackburn was kept in the bullpen, apart from two starts as an opener.
He slid from long relief to a more typical setup role as the season went along. In total, he tossed 85 innings with a 1.59 ERA. His 20.5% strikeout rate and 9.8% walk rate weren’t too impressive but he induced grounders on 54.7% of balls in play. He racked up a save and 11 holds before the season was done. He added another six innings in the postseason without allowing a run.
It wasn’t quite as dominant as the ERA would suggest. As mentioned, the strikeout and walk profile was middling. Blackburn also got help from a .230 BABIP and 88.9% strand rate. His 3.75 FIP and 3.92 SIERA don’t provide confidence for him keeping the ERA down. Even when he was pitching shorter stints in the second half, his 22.4% strikeout rate was only modestly better than his season-long rate. Even that slight uptick was offset by a 12.6% walk rate after the break. In his six scoreless playoff innings, he didn’t strike anyone out.
Caveats aside, an ERA under 2.00 is hard to ignore and Blackburn did well at limiting damage. Statcast pegged his average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard hit rate in the 74th percentile or better. He could get a setup job somewhere but it’s also possible his past experience as a starter helps him. Steven Matz had a somewhat similar 2025 season and parlayed that into a two-year, $15MM deal with the Rays for 2026.
Kevin Ginkel (33)Ginkel just wrapped up a nice bounceback season. Over 2023 and 2024, he posted a 2.86 ERA in 135 1/3 innings. He struck out 27% of batters faced, limited walks to a 7% clip and induced grounders on 46.7% of balls in play. In the first of those two seasons, he added 11 2/3 scoreless innings as part of Arizona’s World Series run.
Last year was a step back. Right shoulder issues limited him to 25 2/3 innings with an awful 7.36 ERA, 24% strikeout rate and 10.7% walk rate. In 2026, he was mostly back in his previous form, tossing 67 2/3 innings. His 4.12 ERA doesn’t look too impressive but his 66.8% strand rate was to the unfortunate side. His 26.2% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate were back to his previous range. His 39.8% ground ball rate was his lowest since his 2019 debut but this year’s 3.50 FIP and 3.13 SIERA suggest he was pretty close to his 2023-24 performance.
Ginkel may be limited to one-year deals on account of his age and 2025 struggles. His 2026 was a nice return to form but more with the underlying numbers than the surface-level stats. His trajectory is somewhat similar to Andrew Kittredge. For Kittredge, injuries wiped out most of his 2023. He had a solid 2024 in his age-34 season and then secured a one-year, $10MM deal with a club option from the Orioles. Ginkel is younger than Kittredge was, but his walk-year ERA is higher than the 2.80 mark that Kittredge put up.
Evan Phillips (32)Speaking of bounceback years, Phillips is having a great one. From 2022 to 2024, he gave the Dodgers 179 frames with a 2.21 ERA, 29.6% strikeout rate, 6.5% walk rate and 42.6% ground ball rate. Tommy John surgery in May of 2025 wiped out most of that season. He hit free agency and signed a one-year, $6.5MM deal with the Dodgers while still recovering. He came off the IL in July and has essentially returned to form. He tossed 26 innings this year with a 3.46 ERA, 31.1% strikeout rate, 5.7% walk rate and 31.8% ground ball rate. He has made three scoreless appearances in the postseason so far.
Phillips isn’t closing for the Dodgers now because he’s behind Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott on the bullpen chart but he does have previous experience. He saved 24 games for the Dodgers in 2023 and 18 more in 2024. He should be able to fit on almost any club, whether they need a closer or just an extra setup arm. A strong multi-year deal with an eight-figure salary feels attainable.
Specialists/Middle Relief
Shawn Armstrong (36)Armstrong was a free agent last winter and netted a one-year, $5.5MM deal with the Guardians. He missed a couple of months with a calf strain but threw 35 1/3 innings with a 4.58 ERA. His 22.1% strikeout rate and 42.7% ground ball rate were around average but he walked 12.3% of batters faced. It wasn’t a great season but he did notch eight holds and cracked Cleveland’s postseason roster. He has thrown 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the playoffs so far.
Taylor Clarke (34)The Diamondbacks gave Clarke a one-year deal with a $1.5MM guarantee last offseason. That was a nice investment, as he gave them 73 innings with a 2.96 ERA. His 15.6% strikeout rate was well below average but he filled up the strike zone and limited damage. He only walked 4.9% of batters faced. He induced grounders on 45% of balls in play. Statcast put his average exit velocity and hard hit rate in the 73rd and 78th percentile of qualified pitchers, respectively. He was credited with 14 holds for the Snakes. The low strikeout rate won’t help him with modern front offices but his overall performance should net him another major league deal and maybe even a bit of a raise.
Enyel De Los Santos (31)De Los Santos has bounced around the league in recent years, generally posting passable numbers. Dating back to the start of 2022, he has pitched for six different clubs, logging 320 1/3 innings in the process with a 4.19 ERA. His 23.8% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate in that time are around average. He was scooped up by Houston in August of last year after Atlanta let him go. The Astros then kept him around for 2026 with a $1.6MM salary. He posted a 4.79 ERA while earning five saves and ten holds. He should be able to get another major league deal with a similar salary to what he made this year.
Pierce Johnson (36)Johnson has a strong track record but is trending down. After a stint in Japan in 2019, he returned to North America and posted a strikeout rate above 30% from 2020 to 2023. That ticked down to 28.4% in 2024, 24.8% last year and 19.9% this year. He finished 2026 with a 4.62 ERA, his highest since his return from Japan, apart from his injury-marred 2022. He secured a $6.5MM deal last winter. He should have less earning power this time but his velocity mostly held steady and his reputation is good, so perhaps he can get another big league deal.
Jakob Junis (34)Junis has worked as a starter and long reliever in his career but his more of a traditional reliever lately. He just tossed 54 1/3 innings for the Rangers with a solid 3.64 ERA. His 16.2% strikeout rate was below par but his 7.7% walk rate and 41.6% ground ball rate were close to average. He did a good job limiting damage, as Statcast pegged his average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard hit rate in the 72nd percentile or better among qualified pitchers. He continues to be effective but the low-strikeout, low-velo profile isn’t en vogue and his age doesn’t help him. Junis got a $4MM deal last winter and his earning power should be fairly comparable going into 2027.
Andrew Kittredge (37)Kittredge posted a 3.54 ERA this year, just barely higher than the 3.40 he had the year prior. But under the hood, things moved more drastically. His strikeout rate dropped from 30.8% to 18.7% and his ground ball rate dropped from 49.2% to 42.1%. His 3.81 SIERA this year was more than a run higher than last year’s 2.49. One year ago, Kittredge had enough appeal for the Orioles to send cash considerations to the Cubs just for the opportunity to trigger a $9MM club option. But at the 2026 deadline, he didn’t get moved despite the O’s selling other players. He should be able to secure another big league deal but at a salary well below this year’s.
Jonathan Loáisiga (32)Injuries limited Loáisiga to about 50 total big league innings from 2023 to 2025. He had to settle for a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks coming into 2026. That turned into a nice pick-up for the Snakes, as Loáisiga gave them 67 innings with a 2.42 ERA. His 18.4% strikeout rate was a few ticks shy of average but his 5% walk rate and 56.4% ground ball rate were both quite good. He got some help from a .270 BABIP and 76% strand rate. His 3.43 SIERA was a full run north of his ERA. Still, Loáisiga has good velo and a long track record of results as a groundballer. He should be able to get a big league deal this time.
Jordan Romano (34)Romano earned saves for both the Angels and Rockies this year but the results weren’t pretty. He finished the season with a 5.61 ERA. Pitching at Coors Field surely contributed to that but it doesn’t explain everything. Romano’s velocity is about four ticks below his peak. This year’s 25.5% strikeout rate was above league average but he also walked 12.4% of opponents. His 4.11 FIP and 4.01 SIERA suggest he was better than his ERA but still not great. A return to a closer’s role in Colorado is possible but he shouldn’t have a prominent role on a competitive team.
Dennis Santana (31)Santana has been up-and-down lately. He had a career ERA of 5.17 at the end of 2023. He posted a 3.89 ERA in 2024 and then 2.18 last year. He then posted a 5.56 ERA in 2026. Last year’s ERA was a mirage but he at least had a decent 22.2% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate. Those numbers ended up at 19.6% and 10% in 2026. He’ll be looking to bounce back in 2027. He was released by the Pirates this year but his past success was enough for him to finish the season with a spot on Arizona’s big league roster.
John Schreiber (33)Schreiber is going into free agency on a down note. From 2022 to 2025, he threw 227 1/3 innings with a 3.33 ERA, 24.7% strikeout rate, 8.7% walk rate and 47.1% ground ball rate. This year’s 3.28 ERA doesn’t look bad but his 16.3% strikeout rate and 10.6% walk rate were way off his norms. The Royals sold at the deadline but seemingly didn’t find a taker for Schreiber. He was placed on waivers in August. His reputation is strong enough that the Yanks claimed him. He had a 1.64 ERA after that claim with a tiny 9.3% strikeout rate in the small sample of 11 innings. He made $3.715MM in 2026 and may have to settle for less next year.
Paul Sewald (37)Sewald was once a lockdown closer. In 2026, he still racked up 24 saves but his performance was all over the place. It was his third straight year with an ERA in the mid-4.00s. With Arizona, he had an awful 6.23 ERA but good numbers under the hood and awful luck. He was put on waivers in August and landed with the Blue Jays. Then everything flipped. He had a 0.63 ERA, poor peripherals and great luck. The end result was 53 1/3 innings with a 4.73 ERA, 24.2% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate. He got $1.5MM last winter and might have similar earning power this offseason.
Injured Wild Cards
Pete Fairbanks (33)Fairbanks was one of the better relievers in the league from 2020 to 2025. He signed a $13MM deal with the Marlins for 2026 but had the worst season of his career. Nerve issues in his throwing arm put him on the injured list multiple times and he posted a 6.31 ERA in 41 1/3 innings. It was reported in mid-September that he would require surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, though he didn’t go under the knife until the following month. On October 2, he told Foul Territory that he still had not yet had the procedure but that it was scheduled for the following week.
It’s not known which version of TOS he was diagnosed with, so his timeline is unclear. He’ll be looking for a bounceback opportunity but might not sign until after the lockout when there’s more clarity on his health.
Yimi García (36)Garcia is in basically the same spot to Fairbanks but he should have a slight head-start on the recovery process as García underwent TOS surgery in August. From 2019 to 2025, he tossed 322 innings with a 3.58 ERA, 27.1% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate. He should have opportunities based on his track record but his age and health will obviously impact his market.
Brusdar Graterol (28)Graterol was an effective setup arm for the Dodgers from 2020 to 2023. His big velocity didn’t translate into strikeouts but he was elite at generating ground balls. Injuries have wiped out essentially three whole seasons. He made just seven appearances in 2024 and then missed all of the two subsequent campaigns, mostly due to right shoulder issues. He underwent surgery in November of 2024. He began a rehab assignment in May of 2026 but that lasted just four appearances. He required back surgery in June. There haven’t been any updates on his status since then.
Hunter Harvey (32)From 2022 to 2024, Harvey tossed 150 2/3 innings with a 3.29 ERA, 27.3% strikeout rate, 6.7% walk rate and 42.7% ground ball rate. A teres major strain and an adductor strain limited him to just 10 2/3 innings in 2025. The Cubs gave him a $6MM deal, hoping for a bounceback. Instead, he made just four appearances before hitting the IL with triceps inflammation. A stress reaction was discovered in May. He threw a bullpen in August, per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, but he never came off the IL.
Joe Jiménez (32)Over 2022 and 2023, Jiménez threw 113 innings with a 3.27 ERA, 32% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate. That was impressive enough for Atlanta to give him a three-year, $26MM deal. The first year was basically more of the same, as Jiménez posted a 2.62 ERA in 2024 with a 29.6% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate. He had surgery in November of 2024 to address cartilage damage in his left knee. He had another procedure on that knee the following November. He spent the entire year on the IL, though he did make three minor league rehab appearances in September. It’s encouraging that Jiménez was back on the mound but he is a question mark after missing two entire seasons.
Mark Leiter Jr. (36)Leiter battled right hip issues this year and underwent season-ending surgery in July. He has generally posted strong peripherals but poor ERAs thanks to his BABIPs. That may be luck but it keeps happening, so it’s becoming harder to believe he’ll regress to league average. In 140 innings since the start of 2024, he has a 28.8% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 44.7% ground ball rate, which are all good numbers. But his .356 BABIP in that stretch was almost 70 points north of league average, pushing his ERA to 4.56. He was able to get $2.85MM from the A’s last winter but is now a year older and coming off the aforementioned hip surgery.
Blake Treinen (39)Treinen signed a two-year, $22MM deal with the Dodgers going into the 2025 season, despite his age and injury history. Over those two seasons, he logged 56 1/3 innings with a 4.47 ERA. His 25.9% strikeout rate was still above average but a drop from his previous levels. His 12.4% walk rate was a few ticks worse than average. He missed time due to forearm, elbow and shoulder issues. He finished this season on the IL due to that shoulder and hasn’t been on the Dodgers’ postseason roster. There’s a chance he could be activated later if the Dodgers stay alive.
Long Reliever/Swing Options
Griffin Canning (31)Canning posted a 3.77 ERA for the Mets in 2025 but his nice season was ended by an Achilles rupture. He was still recovering when the Padres gave him a $2.5MM deal for 2026. He was reinstated from the IL in May and struggled in the rotation. He was moved to a long relief role and fared better. He had a 6.97 ERA in his first 62 innings this year and a 2.70 ERA in his final 26 2/3 but there was some batted-ball and sequencing luck pushing those numbers apart. For the whole season, he threw 88 2/3 innings with a 22.3% strikeout rate, 10.5% walk rate, 46.9% ground ball rate, 5.68 ERA, 4.75 FIP and 4.20 SIERA.
Aaron Civale (32)The A’s gave Civale $6MM and a rotation job to start the season. He posted a 5.42 ERA and was designated for assignment in July. The Cubs traded for him and put him in a long relief role. He posted a 1.72 ERA the rest of the way. His true talent is somewhere in the middle. On the whole, he tossed 111 1/3 innings with a 4.20 ERA, 18.5% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate.
Erick Fedde (34)Fedde struggled in 2025, posting a 5.49 ERA. He had to settle for a $1.5MM deal with the White Sox. He bounced back with a 3.83 ERA, though that oversells him a bit. His 16.3% strikeout rate and 38.1% ground ball rate were subpar, while his 8.6% walk rate was around average. A .271 BABIP and 78% strand rate helped him out a lot, hence his 5.01 FIP and 4.76 SIERA. He officially made 15 starts and 18 relief appearances, though he was mostly pitching multiple innings regardless of when he entered.
Cal Quantrill (32)Quantrill had a 6.04 ERA in 2025 and had to settle for a minor league deal with the Rangers going into 2026. He eventually got a roster spot and had a good season, initially as a long reliever before getting a proper rotation role. He made 15 official starts and 17 relief appearances with a 2.86 ERA in 110 innings. His 5.6% walk rate was strong but his 18.3% strikeout rate a few ticks worse than average. A .239 BABIP and 77.6% strand rate helped him out. His 4.01 FIP and 4.25 SIERA are perhaps better baseline expectations for what he can provide. That’s still great return on investment for a minor league deal and he may have earned himself a major league gig for 2027 but a lat strain put him on the IL with a week left in the season, clouding his status somewhat.
Trevor Richards (34)Richards settled for a minor league deal with the Phillies coming into this year. He got called up in April and made two appearances before he was traded to the White Sox. He ended up logging 83 innings over 54 appearances on the year with a 3.69 ERA, 21.2% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate.
Trevor Williams (35)Williams has been a swingman for most of his career, with 179 starts and 55 relief appearances. He began 2026 recovering from an internal brace procedure. He came off the IL in July and pitched for the Nationals and Rangers down the stretch. He threw 28 2/3 innings over 15 appearances with a 3.14 ERA, 28.3% strikeout rate, 8.3% walk rate and 47.3% ground ball rate.
Player Options
Ryan Helsley (32) ($14MM player option)After a down year in 2025, Helsley signed a two-year, $28MM deal with the Orioles. The second year was a player option, giving Helsley the chance to return to the open market if he bounced back in 2026. There were some encouraging signs as he got some of his strikeouts back and cranked up his ground ball rate but his control wasn’t good and he made multiple trips to the IL with right elbow issues. He should stick with the O’s for 2027, collect the remaining $14MM and make another attempt for a bounceback.
Emilio Pagán (36) ($10MM player option)Pagán’s case is more borderline. He struggled early on and hit the IL with a hamstring strain. He was dominant after he came back. Before hitting the IL, he had a 6.43 ERA in 14 innings. After the IL stint, it was 28 2/3 innings with a 1.88 ERA. He got a lot of help from a .227 BABIP and 98.1% strand rate but he struck out 30.4% of batters faced and only walked 4.5%. His 3.38 FIP and 2.78 SIERA in that stretch suggest he would have been quite good even with neutral luck. Beating $10MM should be doable but his age won’t let him get too far past that number. Perhaps he would decide to stay in Cincinnati and skip the headache of the lockout.
Club Options
Drew Anderson (33) ($10MM club option with no buyout)Anderson spent 2022 to 2025 pitching in Asia. He was able to secure a $7MM deal with the Tigers for 2026. He started in a long relief role but got a rotation gig after Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize were traded at the deadline. On the whole, he tossed 108 innings with a 3.67 ERA, 25% strikeout rate, 9.4% walk rate and 48.4% ground ball rate. He had a 2.61 ERA as a starter and a 4.63 ERA as a reliever but those are misleading numbers. From the rotation, his 22.9% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate were lackluster. A .246 BABIP and 88.6% strand rate were the main reasons for his success. As a reliever, his 26.8% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate were far more impressive but his .313 BABIP was to the unlucky side. This is one of the most borderline option decisions of the year. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a more detailed look at Anderson earlier this week.
Emmanuel Clase (29) ($10MM club option with $2MM buyout)Clase would be a bargain at this price based on talent but he hasn’t pitched since July of 2025 due to a gambling/pitch-fixing investigation. It’s unknown if he’ll ever pitch in the majors again. He hasn’t been collecting salary since he was put on the restricted list. It’s unclear if the Guardians would have to pay the buyout if they turn down this option.
Carlos Estévez (34) ($13MM club option with $2MM buyout)This is an easy call for the Royals. Estévez only made one appearance this year and it wasn’t good. He allowed six earned runs in a third of an inning. He then landed on the IL and never came back. He had shoulder surgery in September and has an uncertain timeline. Even before this injury-marred year, his strikeout rate was trending down, going from 27.8% in 2023 to 23.6% and 20.1% in the next two seasons. He’ll be back in free agency soon. His market will depend on his surgery recovery.
Kenley Jansen (39) ($12MM club option with $2MM buyout)Jansen signed an $11MM deal with the Tigers last winter, in the form of a $9MM salary and $2MM buyout on a $12MM club option. It’s now a net $10MM decision for Detroit. Jansen had another good year, in a sense, posting a 3.20 ERA. However, it feels like he’s walking a tightrope, as he has had a BABIP below .200 in two straight years now. If some more balls find grass, things could turn quickly. He had a 4.46 FIP and 3.96 SIERA this year. The Tigers may want to move on but it’s also possible Jansen could be traded at this price point.
Andrés Muñoz (28) ($9MM club option with no buyout)Muñoz had a down year if you look at his 4.24 ERA. However, a big home run spike played a role in that. He allowed nine this year, after only allowing ten over the previous three seasons combined. His 37.1% strikeout rate was his best since 2022. His 10% walk rate was a bit above average but normal for him. His 49.6% ground ball rate was lower than his previous seasons but still better than average. His 3.34 FIP and 2.41 SIERA suggest he’s still a lockdown closer. A pitcher this good can get paid even coming off a down year. As mentioned earlier, Helsley got $28MM over two years with an opt-out. Muñoz is still a bargain at $9MM, especially since there’s another club option for 2028.
Colin Rea (36) ($7.5MM club option with $1MM buyout)Rea has been a solid swingman for four straight years now. This time a year ago, the Cubs were deciding on his club option but just worked out a new deal instead, giving him a slight bump on his guarantee. He went on to post a 4.34 ERA over 19 starts and 15 relief appearances, a pretty similar season to 2025. The deal feels about right for Rea’s value, so it’s a borderline call. The Cubs need arms and could bring him back. If they want to change things up, they could buy him out or perhaps trade him to another club.
Antonio Senzatela (32) ($14MM club option with no buyout)Senzatela’s deal was signed way back when he was a starter. He’s now a reliever and had a decent season, though it hasn’t trended in the right direction. He gave the Rockies 52 1/3 innings with a 3.61 ERA. He was traded to the Brewers and posted a 5.14 ERA after the deal, though he did crack Milwaukee’s playoff roster and has made two scoreless appearances so far. It’s been a good year but the option price is usually reserved for elite relievers. Senzatela doesn’t qualify as he only struck out 19.3% of opponents this year. He should be able to get a major league deal but with a salary lower than this.
Ryne Stanek (35) ($6MM club option with $1MM buyout)Stanek is basically the same pitcher he was a year ago. Despite strong velocity, his strikeout rates have always been good but not great, as his walk rates have been too high. This year, he had a 4.02 ERA. His 24.3% strikeout rate was just a bit above average but his 12% walk rate was a few ticks worse than par. He got a $3.5MM guarantee from the Cards last winter. Since his profile is the same but he’s a year older, his earning power should be about the same or slightly less. The option should therefore be bought out.
Trevor Stephan (31) ($7.25MM club option with $1.25MM buyout)Stephan put up some good numbers for the Guards from 2021-23. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2024 and he hasn’t been able to get back on track. In 2025-26, the Guardians kept him in the minors. He threw 48 2/3 innings on the farm in that time with a 9.99 ERA. His fastball averaged 92.8 mph in Triple-A this year, almost four miles below the 96.5 mph he averaged in 2022. Stephan is clearly going to be bought out.
Robert Stephenson (34) ($2.5MM club option with no buyout)The Angels gave Stephenson a three-year, $33MM deal going into 2024 but injuries basically wiped out that whole contract. He missed all of 2024, made ten appearances in 2025, and then missed all of 2026. The one upside for the Angels is that all the time missed unlocked this club option for them. But after so much missed time, they might prefer to just walk away. Stephenson had elbow surgery in April, a ligament and flexor repair surgery. It’s unknown what his expected timeline is from here.
Jacob Webb (33) ($2.5MM club option with no buyout)Webb continues to put up good results but the market keeps spitting on him. He has thrown 320 career innings with a 3.07 ERA, 23.6% strikeout rate, 9.8% walk rate and 36.6% ground ball rate. His 2026 numbers were all fairly close to that. The Orioles non-tendered him going into 2025 instead of paying Webb a projected $1.7MM arbitration salary. The Rangers scooped him up, got a good season out of him but wouldn’t pay him a projected $2MM arb salary for 2026. $2.5MM feels like a fine price for a guy with Webb’s skills but the precedent suggests he could be sent back to the market.
Ryan Weiss (30) ($5MM club option with $500K buyout)Weiss has a nice showing in the KBO over a couple of seasons and the Astros thought he could be a low-cost rotation upgrade for them. They gave him a $2.6MM guarantee to cross the Pacific and return to affiliated ball. It didn’t work out. Weiss posted a 7.62 ERA in 26 innings before being outrighted. He had a 5.42 ERA in Triple-A. General manager Dana Brown is now gone. It’s not exactly clear who will be making these decisions for the Astros but it should be an easy call to walk away from this option.
Garrett Whitlock (31) ($8.25MM club option with $1MM buyout)This is one of the easiest decisions, as the Sox will definitely pick this up. UCL surgery wiped out most of his 2024 but Whitlock has a 2.03 ERA in 124 1/3 innings since coming back. His strikeout, walk and ground ball rates are all better than average. He has 50 holds and five saves over the past two seasons. There’s another club option for 2028, which only enhances the appeal of picking this one up.
Rowan Wick (34) ($800K club option with $100K buyout)Wick had good seasons in Japan in 2024 and 2025 but required Tommy John surgery in November of 2025. The Giants signed him knowing he would miss all of 2026, hoping that Wick could help them in 2027. His health status is unclear. The option price is barely above this year’s league minimum. Next year’s league minimum is still to be determined. Unless Wick’s health outlook is worse than expected, the Giants will presumably pick this up as planned.
Minor League Deal/Reclamation Types
Scott Barlow Carlos Carrasco Chris Devenski Luis García Tommy Kahnle Tyler Kinley Zack Littell Michael Lorenzen Germán Márquez Chris Martin Lance McCullers Jr. Miles Mikolas Chris Paddack Tanner Rainey Joe Ross Ryan Thompson Trent Thornton Justin Topa Lou Trivino José Urquidy Jacob Waguespack Taijuan Walker Jake WoodfordPhoto courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images
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