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10 Bold Predictions for the 2025 MLB Offseason
For the first time since the trade deadline, MLB front offices can look to make meaningful changes to their rosters. Teams are losing free agents, trying to work out contract extensions, making Rule 5 decisions, and negotiating trades at this time of year.
It’s hectic, it’s unpredictable, and fast-moving. Flights will be tracked by fans. Owners will be criticized. Players will be left in limbo.
Major League Baseball’s offseason isn’t as condensed as we see in the NFL and NBA, so it’s more of a marathon and drip-feed of news. Fans must keep track of the latest signings and trades from the moment the World Series ends through spring training.
Thus, let’s have some fun with a few bold predictions we could see actually happening this offseason.
Brewers Trade Freddy Peralta to AL East
Milwaukee has reportedly made Freddy Peralta available for trade. Peralta, who was unfortunate not to be named a finalist for the NL Cy Young, pitched 176.2 innings to a 2.70 ERA in 2025. He is a free agent at the end of next season.
While Peralta is yet to repeat the heights he reached at the beginning of the decade, he’s been one of the National League’s most consistent arms.
Since the start of 2021, he’s pitched 144 or more innings in four out of five seasons at a 126 ERA+. The Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles should be pursuing a trade for Peralta.
Mets Sign Kyle Tucker
Few contending teams got less from their DH than the Mets. New York, after a terrible second half, is poised to splash the cash this winter.
Kyle Tucker is the biggest name on the market. The fit might not be immediately obvious with the presence of Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto, but the Mets have plate appearances to go around with Starling Marte hitting free agency.
Tucker, Nimmo, and Soto can share the corner outfield and DH at-bats. Since the start of 2022, only seven hitters have a higher wRC+ than Tucker.
Cubs Land Elite Starting Pitcher in Free Agency
The departures of Shota Imanaga and Mike Soroka leave the Cubs short on starting pitching. Chicago was 19th in starting pitcher FIP in 2025. Only five teams got fewer wins above average from their rotation.
After missing out on the division to the Brewers and falling in the NLDS, the Cubs need to fortify their rotation, even with Justin Steele set to return in 2026 and Cade Horton’s strong conclusion to the year.
Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease should be their primary free-agent targets.
Dodgers Trade for Wilyer Abreu
Whisper it, but the much-vaunted Dodgers’ lineup wasn’t as good as the reputations suggested in 2025. Run scoring was a problem for Los Angeles’ throughout much of the playoffs.
The Dodgers were 18th in wins above average from their outfielders. Michael Conforto is departing in free agency, and Mookie Betts looks settled at shortstop. Another outfielder is one of Los Angeles’ top priorities this winter.
Wilyer Abreu makes a lot of sense for the reigning champions. Abreu has been in trade rumors for a few months. He walks a fair amount and has a great glove on the corners. He’s not a free agent until the end of the decade.
Giants Acquire Brandon Lowe or Brendan Donovan
Casey Schmitt had a decent season filling in at second base and third base for the Giants. An elite defender with a bit of pop, Schmitt is a useful player, but he’s hardly locked down second base.
Buster Posey has shown a willingness to make big moves on the trade market. Brandon Lowe and Brendan Donovan are two potential targets to upgrade on Schmitt, who had a .684 OPS in the second half.
Donovan comes with an extra year of control and more defensive versatility, having spent time in the outfield and at shortstop. Lowe has almost exclusively played second base in recent years, but boasts greater offensive upside.
Eugenio Suárez is Unsigned When Pitchers and Catchers Report
Teams have been very reluctant to hand out big deals to players coming off a career year. Eugenio Suárez firmly falls into that category. His 94 OPS+ after the trade deadline could also deter potential suitors.
Entering his age-34 season, Suárez won’t be after a mega deal, but there’s a good chance his agents aim to get a three-year pact after he hit 49 home runs in 2025.
Suárez was in the eighth percentile in Outs Above Average at third base. He was only in the 38th percentile in xwOBA. Inconsistent at the plate from year-to-year, he doesn’t project to be valuable as a first baseman or DH. This whole situation stinks of expecting too much in free agency.
Astros Trade For MacKenzie Gore
An All-Star in 2025, MacKenzie Gore has shown flashes of ace upside. He’s also a free agent after 2027, so the Nationals should make him available on the trade market.
Set to lose Valdez, the Astros have one truly reliable starter in their rotation as it stands. If they are to return to the playoffs after the end of their streak, they need to fortify that group, and Gore seems like a relatively cheap option to follow Hunter Brown.
The left-hander has two years of arbitration remaining. His high chase and whiff rates are the sort of numbers Houston can work with.
Tigers Make Overdue Bregman Move
Detroit pursued Alex Bregman before he signed with the Red Sox. Bregman has opted out of his deal with Boston after a brilliant 2025. The Tigers still have a need for a veteran hitter of Bregman’s caliber in their lineup.
The batted-ball numbers are still very impressive. Bregman seldom strikes out and works plenty of walks. He remains one of the better defensive third basemen in the game.
Detroit can use Bregman at second base if they choose. It’s a fit that makes too much sense.
Cease Signs for Over £150 Million
Ignore Dylan Cease’s 4.55 ERA in 2025. His xERA was 3.47 after a 3.31 mark in 2024. He was just shy of a 30% strikeout rate.
Since the start of 2021, the right-hander is seventh in innings pitched, 25th in FIP, and only one pitcher with more than 100 starts in that period has averaged more strikeouts per nine innings.
Front offices are going to, rightly, sell themselves on Cease’s underlying numbers. His slider remains one of the nastiest breaking pitches in baseball and his changeup’s stuff+ rebounded after a disappointing 2024.
Rangers Give Alonso Long-Term Deal
Cincinnati and San Diego were the only contending teams with less DH production than the Rangers. Texas doesn’t seem wedded to Jake Burger as their long-term answer at first base.
The Rangers are comfortable pushing their payroll into the top five or six in baseball. With a 94 wRC+ since the start of 2024, Texas clearly needs to upgrade its lineup.
Pete Alonso has a 131 wRC+ over the last two seasons. Move that to the last four seasons and he’s fourth in home runs. Just one hitter has played more games at a better wRC+ over that period.
It’s last-chance saloon for this Rangers’ core. Look out for win-now moves.
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