2025 MLB Free Agents Rumors, Predictions for Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, More

Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays remain in the hunt for the 2025 World Series title.

That means the MLB offseason is already here for everyone else.

It'll still take some time for the hot stove to fully heat up, but the latest rumor-mill rumblings have at least thrown some logs on the fire. We're here to break down the latest buzz and use it to form predictions about what lies ahead.

Dodgers in the Kyle Tucker Sweepstakes?

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Despite an injury-impacted downturn in the second half, four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker remains poised to strike it as rich as anyone in this year's free-agency class. And if getting paid is what he's after, he should be happy to see the arrival of one notable suitor to his list of landing spots.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Dodgers are "expected to make a play" for Tucker. "Dodgers people are said to love Tucker, and outfield is their one area of less than great strength," Heyman wrote.

While L.A. clearly isn't hurting for star power or high-end talent, there's room to improve every roster. And since the Dodgers can seemingly print money, Tucker's payday—which could run near or north of $400 million—surely wouldn't scare them off.

That said, there are other deep-pocketed teams in the running, too, and at least a few of them could perceive bigger needs in their outfield—and lineup—than L.A. could. While no one should be surprised to ever see the Dodgers sign a superstar, our crystal ball thinks the Philadelphia Phillies will be even more motivated to add Tucker following back-to-back exits from the Divisional Series.

Prediction: Tucker signs with Philadelphia.

Red Sox Favorites To Re-Sign Alex Bregman?

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With Alex Bregman opting out of the final two years and $80 million of his deal with the Boston Red Sox, he should have ample opportunity to sign an even more favorable contract. Even if he can't improve upon his annual salary, he figures to at least be able to put more years on his next deal.

And he might not have to leave Boston to do that. In a livestream for Bleacher Report, Jon Heyman characterized the Red Sox as the "most likely candidate" to get Bregman's signature.

Boston seemingly signaled a desire to keep Bregman around for the long haul when it traded away former franchise face Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants back in June. That deal not only took a massive amount of money off of Boston's books, it also left a big void in the lineup for a star of Bregman's caliber to fill.

There will be other teams in the mix, obviously. Heyman's list of potential landing spots also included the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals. All seem like relatively reasonable choices, though splurging on an external star would be an atypical move from Kansas City. Still, there isn't a situation here that looks more fitting than having Bregman back in Boston.

Prediction: Bregman re-signs with the Red Sox.

Aces Available in Trades?

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With all due respect to Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Dylan Cease, teams in need of an elite starting pitcher probably shouldn't be looking to find one in free agency. Luckily, there are other places to look for offseason upgrades, and the trade market just so happens to have a couple of high-end hurlers on the market.

According to The Athletic's Will Sammon, "signs point to" the Detroit Tigers making Tarik Skubal available in trade talks this offseason. The Athletic's Andy McCullough added that the Milwaukee Brewers are "expected to at least field offers" for Freddy Peralta.

These are fortune-changing type of talents. Skubal should be closing in on his second consecutive AL Cy Young award, and Peralta surely placed himself on the NL ballot after going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 176.2 innings.

So, why would either team consider trading them away? Because free agency awaits both in 2026, and with the risk of them leaving for nothing feeling very real, it might be the best business decision to get something in return for their stars while they still can.

While Skubal is the higher-profile player here, he also feels more likely to be traded, if only due to the apparently gargantuan gap in early contract talks between him and the Tigers. That should give Detroit at least some motivation to consider a move, and we're guessing someone offers up a prospect-rich package it simply can't refuse.

Prediction: Skubal gets traded to the New York Mets; Peralta stays in Milwaukee.