We are roughly 12 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training. With just two weeks to go, there is still a plethora of quality major league talent remaining in free agency.
At the top of the market is Framber Valdez, the former Houston Astros starting pitcher. Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Zach Littell, and Nick Martinez are other quality arms that can boost a starting rotation.
Offensively, Eugenio Suarez is the best bat available. The former Diamondbacks and Mariners third baseman is coming off a career season, which is why it is surprising he remains a free agent.
Austin Hays, Miguel Andujar, Luis Arraez, and Rhys Hoskins are other plug-and-play bats that could deepen any club’s lineup.
With so many top names on the board, patient clubs can use this opportunity to strike.
AL Central
It appears to be a three-team race for the American League Central in 2026. The Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Guardians, the three best teams from a season ago, are positioned to battle it out once again.
Detroit is the favorite to take home the division crown. Anchored by back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, the Tigers are expected to make another playoff run.
However, this is the same Detroit club that squandered a huge division lead to the Cleveland Guardians just a season ago. Both the Guardians and Royals are on the Tigers’ heels.
Here is a signing that both Cleveland and Kansas City could use to help close the gap in the AL Central.
Cleveland Guardians: Austin Hays, OF
In typical Cleveland Guardians fashion, the team has continued to bargain shop for most of free agency.
The Guardians are expected to drop their payroll roughly $20 million from where it ended in 2025, meaning the team does still have money to spend this offseason.
With a lot of inexperienced players in the outfield, a strong potential signing would be Austin Hays. Hays spent 2025 with the Cincinnati Reds, where he had a breakout season. The former Oriole hit .266 with a .768 OPS in 103 games this past year.
His 36 extra-base hits and veteran presence would be a boost to the club’s outfield unit.
Hays is primarily a left fielder but has experience playing in right field. With Steven Kwan still in Cleveland, Hays would likely play right and DH if the Guardians were to make this happen.
While the Guardians will give their young players a chance to grow and play, adding a veteran like Hays would increase their chances of bringing home another AL Central title.
Kansas City Royals: Miguel Andujar, OF
Adding a veteran outfielder to the mix could be really beneficial for the Kansas City Royals.
Earlier this offseason, the team added outfielder Issac Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers to create some depth. They also signed former Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas to continue their quest to upgrade.
Signing a player like Miguel Andujar would be another strong addition to this team. Andujar can play both corner outfield positions, as well as third base.
In 94 games with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds, the 30-year-old hit .318 with an .822 OPS. He had very low strikeout numbers, only going down on strikes 14.4% of the time last season.
Kansas City is banking on Jac Caglianone to pop in his second season at the big league level. However, adding insurance in Andujar cannot hurt their chances at competing in the division.
A one-year deal would be enough to attract the former Red and give the Royals another weapon at their disposal in 2026.
Baseball Stock photos by Vecteezy
Leave a Reply