Grading Every MLB Free Agent Signing and Trade of 2025 Offseason So Far
The MLB offseason hasn't really gotten going yet, but the free-agent and trade markets haven't been entirely inactive either. The number of moves that have happened is in the dozens.
So, let's grade the deals that have happened so far.
This is not counting the four qualifying offer signings, nor is it counting swaps of minor leaguers or trades in which one team basically bought a player from another team with "cash considerations." Instead, this is about signings and trades that actually warrant an opinion.
In any case, grades are meant to assess the quality of the player and the quality of the fit on his new team. For trades, it's also about whether there was the right value balance between the buyer and the seller.
We'll start with trades and then move on to free-agent signings.
Braves, Astros Swap Mauricio Dubón and Nick Allen
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The Deal: Atlanta Braves get INF/OF Mauricio Dubón; Houston Astros get SS Nick Allen
For the Braves: B
The Braves took a payroll hit with this trade, as Dubón is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $5.8 million in 2026, compared to $1.5 million for Allen. And with Allen having followed Ha-Seong Kim out the door, Atlanta is now without a true shortstop for the 2026 season.
It's a good thing, then, that they got the better player in this deal. Allen is a glove-only infielder who has almost exclusively played shortstop and second base.
Though Dubón is a light hitter in his own right, he managed a .720 OPS as recently as 2023 and he's a two-time Gold Glove winner as a utility player. In 2025 alone, he played every position except pitcher and catcher.
For the Astros: C
That the Astros saved money in this deal is the primary good news, with the secondary good news being that they now have an ace defender to plug into second base in place of Jose Altuve, be it temporarily or permanently.
Seriously, Allen is that good in the field. He posted plus-17 Outs Above Average this year just at shortstop, a hefty sum for a sample size of just 1,045.2 innings.
And yet, the fact remains that Allen is a less versatile defender with a worse bat when compared to Dubón. At least until the Astros reinvest their savings, this is what makes this trade a dud for them.
Angels, Orioles Swap Taylor Ward and Grayson Rodriguez
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The Deal: Baltimore Orioles get LF Taylor Ward; Los Angeles Angels get RHP Grayson Rodriguez
For the Orioles: A
As bad as their pitching was in 2025, the Orioles came into the winter also needing to upgrade their offense. After ranking second in the AL in runs per game in 2024, it fell all the way to 11th this year.
To this end, Ward is going to help. He's been a consistently above average hitter for the last five seasons, and he's coming to Baltimore off a career-best 36 homers. By contrast, the O's got 20 homers from their left fielders this season.
As he was an elite prospect as recently as 2023, the inclusion of Rodriguez in a trade for Ward should be shocking. But he just hasn't been able to stay healthy, indeed missing all of this year after having surgery on his elbow.
For the Angels: B
Remember the hubbub over Rodriguez not taking a physical with the Angels as part of this trade? That was way overblown, as it's rare for a player to take an in-person physical with another team as part of a trade agreement.
The truth is that this is a decent upside play by the Angels. Ward is 31 and he only has one year of club control left, whereas Rodriguez is 26 and won't be a free agent until after 2029. If he can stay healthy, the Angels stand to get four years of his prime.
That "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting, however, and it's not as if Rodriguez has an ace track record. He only has a 97 ERA-plus in 43 career starts at the major league level.
Red Sox Acquire Sonny Gray from Cardinals
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The Deal: Boston Red Sox get RHP Sonny Gray, cash; St. Louis Cardinals get LHP Brandon Clarke, RHP Richard Fitts, PTBNL or cash
For the Red Sox: B
The Red Sox began this offseason in the market for a No. 2 starter to put behind Garrett Crochet, and Gray would have been a fine pick a couple years ago.
Whether he is now depends on who you ask. The 36-year-old has a track record as a three-time All-Star and occasional Cy Young Award contender, but his two seasons in St. Louis were mostly mediocre. Overall, he posted a 101 ERA-plus.
But if nothing else, Gray should give Boston innings after averaging 177 per season between 2023 and 2025. He's also a strike-thrower who misses bats and gets ground balls at solid rates, tools that are essential for succeeding at Fenway Park.
To boot, the Red Sox didn't give up much to make this deal. The Cardinals are covering $20 million of the $41 million Gray is owed, and neither pitcher going to St. Louis was a major part of Boston's 2026 plans.
For the Cardinals: D
If this is the best the Cardinals could do for Gray this winter, you have to wonder if they would have been better served holding him and trading him next summer.
Basically, what they've done is buy Clarke and Fitts for $20 million. That seems excessive, as Fitts is a guy with an eminently hittable fastball, while Clarke's plus fastball and slider come with below-average command.
It would be one thing if the Cardinals had any potential to reinvest their savings in other players ahead of 2026. But with their rebuild in full swing, nobody should be counting on that.
Rangers, Mets Swap Marcus Semien and Brandon Nimmo
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The Deal: Texas Rangers get OF Brandon Nimmo, cash; New York Mets get 2B Marcus Semien
For the Rangers: B
The Rangers got $5 million from the Mets in this deal, ostensibly to offset the difference in the two players' salaries. Yet Nimmo is owed $102.5 million through 2030, whereas Semien will collect $72 million through 2028.
The bet is clearly that the 32-year-old Nimmo will be more valuable than the 35-year-old Semien going forward, and it's a solid bet. Nimmo is obviously younger, and his old man skills (i.e., patience and power) are in better shape than Semien's.
If all goes well, the Rangers will get several seasons of a mid-.300s OBP and 20-odd homers from Nimmo. Though modest in the grand scheme of things, numbers like those would have been a big help to an offense that ranked as one of the AL's worst in 2025.
For the Mets: B
This looks like a fair deal to us, in other words. And for the Mets, that doesn't simply come down to how they're going to save money on Semien in the long run.
After ranking 21st in the league Outs Above Average, they badly needed to improve their defense this winter. That's an area where Semien still excels, as he's fresh off winning his second Gold Glove on the strength of plus-7 OAA and plus-5 Defensive Runs Saved.
As he only has a 100 OPS-plus over the last two seasons, Semien's bat is more suspect. But in a lineup that already has Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, the Mets don't need him to be a heavy hitter.
Small Free-Agent Signings
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RHP Alex Lange, Kansas City Royals
The Deal: 1 year, $900K
Lange grew up in Lee's Summit, not too far from Kansas City. This is therefore a happy homecoming, if nothing else, though it's also a low-risk roll of the dice on a guy who was solid as the Detroit Tigers' closer just two years ago before injuries took their toll in 2024 and 2025.
Grade: B
LHP Richard Lovelady, New York Mets
The Deal: 1 year, $1 million
Lefty specialists aren't as relevant in the age of the three-batter minimum, but you still need to have one. And even if the problem here is that the Mets can afford to do better, Lovelady has held lefties to a .231 average and three homers for his career.
Grade: D
LHP Kyle Hart, San Diego Padres
The Deal: 1 year, $1.2 million with 2027 club option
Hart struggled everywhere he went in 2025, posting a 5.86 ERA in 43.0 innings with the Padres and a 4.10 ERA in 63.2 innings for Triple-A El Paso. Yet the Padres are on a tight budget and someone has to pitch for them in 2026, so bringing back Hart is harmless and bordering on understandable.
Grade: C
RHP Keegan Thompson, Cincinnati Reds
The Deal: 1 year, $1.3 million
Thompson has had major problems with walks in three of his four MLB seasons, but at least he can spin a curveball and a sweeper. For a small-market team like the Reds, he's a perfectly inoffensive depth piece for the bullpen.
Grade: C
RHP Nate Pearson, Houston Astros
The Deal: 1 year, $1.35 million
Pearson was a big deal back when he was a hard-throwing Toronto Blue Jays prospect, but he's now 29 and he still hasn't really had his MLB breakthrough. The Astros must think they can unlock something, and at least the 100 mph fastball is still there as something to work with.
Grade: C
LHP Sam Hentges, San Francisco Giants
The Deal: 1 year, $1.4 million
Hentges was a solid lefty specialist for the Cleveland Guardians between 2022 and 2024, but he hasn't pitched since July of the latter season due to major shoulder surgery. Guaranteeing a guy like that seven figures instead of trying for a minor league deal is... a choice.
Grade: F
More Small Free-Agent Signings
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OF Leody Taveras, Baltimore Orioles
The Deal: 1 year, $2.1 million
This is another surprising case of a major league deal that should probably be a minor league deal. Even if Taveras is still only 27, he posted an abysmal .530 OPS through June 7 of last year before he was banished to the minors. And he isn't even that good of a defender anymore.
Grade: F
RHP Joel Payamps, Atlanta Braves
The Deal: 1 year, $2.25 million
This is substantially less than Payamps was set to earn if the Braves had carried him to the tender deadline, but it's still a head-scratcher of a deal. Even if Payamps is only slated for low-leverage work, this is still $2.25 million for a righty reliever who doesn't miss bats, get ground balls or eat innings in bulk.
Grade: D
LHP Ryan Yarbrough, New York Yankees
The Deal: 1 year, $2.5 million
Yarbrough, on the other hand, is all about providing bulk innings. He can do so as either a long man out of the pen or as a spot starter, and his penchant for soft contact is a passable safety blanket when he's on the mound. Solid move, Yankees.
Grade: B
C James McCann, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Deal: 1 year, $2.75 million
Gabriel Moreno is the man behind the dish in the desert, but he's often been injured. It therefore behooves the D-backs to have a dependable No. 2, and McCann is just that. He's a veteran of 12 seasons and he even turned in a 107 OPS-plus for the Snakes last year.
Grade: B
OF Jake Fraley, Tampa Bay Rays
The Deal: 1 year, $3.0 million
The Rays always need to find value where they can, and a $3.0 million deal with Fraley qualifies well enough. He's only fit to come off the bench, but he can play both corner outfield spots and he has a 112 wRC-plus with a 10.6 walk percentage against righties for his career.
Grade: B
C Austin Hedges, Cleveland Guardians
The Deal: 1 year, $4 million
Hedges is one of the worst hitters to ever have a lasting career in MLB, but he's also one of the best receivers and game-callers in recent memory. He's also been a clubhouse leader in Cleveland, so to focus on his bat is to miss the point.
Grade: B
Medium Free-Agent Signings
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RHP Phil Maton, Chicago Cubs
The Deal: 2 years, $14.5 million with 2028 club option
After a bumpy start to his MLB career, Maton is now four years into a run as a reliably above-average option for the late innings. His Baseball Savant page is something of a hidden gem, so far as you don't mind the color red.
The catch is that Maton is mostly useful against right-handers, but he has a 121 ERA-plus for the last four seasons all the same. And even if the Cubs should still be in the market for higher-end relievers, Maton's contract shouldn't get in the way of actually signing one.
Grade: B
RHP Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves
The Deal: 1 year, $16 million
Iglesias got off to a brutal start this year, as his ERA was as high as 6.75 as late as June 5. But then he settled down, posting a 2.25 ERA over his next 45 appearances to successfully save face as one of MLB's more reliable closers.
A $16 million salary is a reasonable sum for a guy who can lock down the ninth inning as well as Iglesias has in the past, and the Braves can be confident that his stuff will be age-proof even in his age-36 season. He still throws in the mid-90s, yet he knows better than to rely too heavily on his four-seamer.
Grade: A
RHP Ryan Helsley, Baltimore Orioles
The Deal: 2 years, $28 million with opt-out after 2026
There was some buzz about Helsley possibly signing somewhere as a starter, but the Orioles' plan is to use him in his customary role in the ninth inning. For a $14 million salary, it had better work.
And it should. Though Helsley only had a 4.50 ERA this year, his fastball was still regularly hitting triple digits and his slider continued to hold hitters to an average in the .100s. He should be a big help to a bullpen that ranked 25th in ERA this season.
Grade: A
Seattle Mariners Sign Josh Naylor
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The Deal: 5 years, $92.5 million
The Mariners haven't tended to spend money on free-agent hitters under Jerry Dipoto, and nobody has tended to commit big bucks to first basemen in recent offseasons.
This is a "strange bedfellows" partnership in these respects, but far from it in others. The reality is that Naylor and the Mariners were perfect for each other in 2025, for reasons that indeed go beyond the 138 OPS-plus he gave them in 54 games.
He promises to be a solid bat-to-ball guy in an offense that otherwise has an uncomfortable amount of swing-and-miss, and there are intangible aspects to his game that aren't covered by the measly 2.1 rWAR he's averaged over the last four years. He brings a hard edge to the clubhouse, and his excellent baserunning is just the tip of the iceberg for his general baseball know-how.
Naylor is also a rarity in that he actually likes hitting at T-Mobile Park. Maybe that's recency bias on account of the 1.015 OPS he had there in 2025, but the Mariners can't afford to look a gift horse in the mouth whenever a hitter expresses fondness for their famously pitcher-friendly home park.
If Naylor was in his 30s, this deal would be at high risk of going very bad, very soon. But given that he's only 28, the Mariners should get at least a couple good seasons out of him.
Grade: A
Toronto Blue Jays Sign Dylan Cease
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The Deal: 7 years, $210 million
Whereas Josh Naylor signed for $10.5 million less than B/R's Tim Kelly predicted he would, Dylan Cease beat Kelly's projection for him by two years and $85 million.
It's a big gamble on the Blue Jays' part, as it effectively predicts a bright future for a pitcher whose past success is all over the place. Cease was a Cy Young Award contender in 2022 and 2024, only to regress to an ERA in the 4.50 range in 2023 and again in 2025.
Two constants, of course, have been innings and strikeouts. Cease ranks eighth among all starters for the former since 2022, and first for the latter with 880 to Zack Wheeler's 794.
Whether these will remain constants over the next seven years is anyone's guess. Cease will be 30 years old on December 28, and he won't have great command to fall back on if his stuff starts to age. His walk rate has consistently been in the bottom quartile of all pitchers throughout his career.
Then again, the Blue Jays have a lot of money and the timing couldn't be more perfect for them to take risks. And with Cease now alongside Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos, the potential reward for 2026 is nothing less than the best rotation in baseball.
Grade: C
