Best MLB free agency signings

With spring training underway, most of Major League Baseball’s free agency period has concluded. This offseason featured several massive contracts that reset the market, along with a handful of under-the-radar deals that could prove to be bargains.

Here are the contracts that project to deliver the most value relative to their cost.

Ranger Suárez — Five years, $130 million with Red Sox

Many expected Ranger Suárez to re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies once their season ended. Instead, the 30-year-old Venezuelan left-hander departed the only organization he had known since signing at age 16, agreeing to a five-year, $130 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Suárez owns the lowest active postseason ERA among pitchers with at least 35 innings and carries a career 125 ERA+ in the regular season, meaning he has been 25 percent better than league average. By comparison, Dylan Cease will earn roughly $27 million per year with a 110 ERA+, while Framber Valdez recently commanded $38.3 million per year with a 124 ERA+.

He has accumulated a respectable 17.7 bWAR over the past five seasons, and at 30 years old to begin the season, remains firmly in his prime.

At $26 million per season, Boston may have secured frontline production at a solid discount.

Harrison Bader — Two years, $20.5 million with Giants

The San Francisco Giants secured one of the more team-friendly deals of the offseason, signing Harrison Bader for $10.25 million per year.

Bader was among the league’s premier defenders from 2018 to 2021, ranking 14th in defensive runs saved and third in ultimate zone rating across Major League Baseball during that span. His production declined in the years that followed, both offensively and defensively.

In 2025, however, the 31-year-old reversed that trend. He posted the best OPS+ of his career and recorded more than 10 defensive runs saved for the first time since his 2021 Gold Glove season.

He offers a wide range of outcomes. At his peak, as seen in 2021 and again in 2025, Bader profiles as a defensive anchor with an above-average bat. At his floor, similar to his 2019 production, he remains a solid defender but provides below-average offensive value. For the Giants, that volatility makes the deal a calculated but worthwhile gamble.

However, this recent resurgence suggests that San Francisco may be buying in at the right time.

Michael King — Three years, $75 million with Padres

The San Diego Padres secured one of the most important re-signings of the offseason, bringing back Michael King on a three-year, $75 million deal.

The former New York Yankees reliever transitioned to a full-time starting role in 2024 and excelled, posting a 2.95 ERA across 30 starts. An injury-plagued 2025 season limited him to 15 starts, but he still recorded a 3.44 ERA.

King owns a career 3.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a mark that would rank 66th all-time if he qualified. For a pitcher with sub-3.00 ERA potential when healthy, the contract represents solid value.

After losing several All-Star-caliber players this offseason, retaining King could prove pivotal to San Diego’s hopes of contending.

Mike Tauchman — MiLB Deal with Mets

Only 11 players have posted an on-base percentage of .350 or higher in each of the past three seasons. The list includes William Contreras, Rafael Devers, Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Ketel Marte, Shohei Ohtani, Corey Seager, Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker and, surprisingly, Mike Tauchman.

Tauchman has quietly produced throughout his career, highlighted by a 3.9 bWAR season in 2019 with the Yankees. Securing him on a minor league deal gives the Mets significant upside. He could emerge as a key bench bat or even a corner outfield starter.

At 35, he is not a long-term solution, but for a team pushing to contend, Tauchman could provide meaningful value at minimal cost.

Jack Dobbins is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jwd5889@psu.edu.