Baseball's offseason opens with option calls, free agents and new hires

Option decisions set the payroll picture

The Texas Rangers declined the mutual options for designated hitter Joc Pederson, catcher Kyle Higashioka and reliever Jakob Junis, freeing approximately $30 million on the club's 2027 payroll. Pederson signed a two-year, $37 million deal entering the 2025 season and hit .235 with a .329 on-base percentage and .487 slugging percentage, with 26 home runs, in 2026. Junis posted a 2.80 ERA in 35 and one-third innings as a setup man before the 2026 All-Star break, then a 5.21 ERA in 19 innings after it. Manager Skip Schumaker could rotate players such as Corey Seager, Brandon Nimmo and Josh Jung through the designated hitter spot, and catching depth remains a need. m:…6344

Cleveland declined its half of Shawn Armstrong's 2027 mutual option, worth $8 million against a $1.5 million buyout, and declined Trevor Stephan's 2027 club option, worth $7.25 million against a $1.25 million buyout; both pitchers are now free agents. The Guardians also selected infielder Milan Tolentino's contract from Triple-A Columbus, leaving the 40-man roster at 36 players. Armstrong recorded a 1.04 ERA in the 2026 postseason and has said he would like to return to Cleveland, while Stephan has not pitched in the majors for the past three seasons after Tommy John surgery in 2024 spring training. Baltimore declined Zach Eflin's $25 million mutual option for 2027, triggering a $2 million buyout; Eflin made only one start in 2026 before Tommy John surgery on April 8, 2026, and is a free agent for the second straight offseason. The Orioles still hold a $20 million team option for Luis Robert Jr. and a $7.5 million option for Ryan Mountcastle; Ryan Helsley opted into his $14 million player option for 2027 and the club re-signed outfielder Rece Hinds. m:…7448 m:…4202

Tampa Bay declined mutual options for starter Nick Martinez and center fielder Cedric Mullins, making both veterans free agents. The Rays paid Martinez a $4 million buyout rather than agreeing to a $20 million mutual option; he finished 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA in 180 innings over 31 starts. Mullins had a $10 million mutual option with a $500,000 buyout and hit .205 with a .628 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 2026. The Rays still face a $20 million option decision for Drew Rasmussen and a $3.1 million club option for shortstop Taylor Walls. Miami went the other way, exercising Sandy Alcantara's $21 million team option for 2027 and avoiding a $2 million buyout. Alcantara led the majors with 214 innings pitched in 2026, tied for second with 33 starts and tied for third with 21 quality starts, and recorded the first saves of his career late in the season. m:…5833 m:…7699

The transaction wire fills with free agents

The transaction wire also recorded free agency elections effective October 30, 2026: left-hander Matthew Boyd departed the Chicago Cubs, right-hander Michael King departed the San Diego Padres, right-hander Sonny Gray departed the Boston Red Sox, designated hitter Josh Bell departed the Minnesota Twins, right-hander Carlos Estévez departed the Kansas City Royals, right-hander Robert Stephenson departed the Los Angeles Angels, right-hander Dustin May departed the Milwaukee Brewers, and catcher Carson Kelly departed the Chicago Cubs. m:…0458 m:…8952 m:…4416 m:…8277 m:…9376 m:…0865 m:…4107 m:…9751

New leadership, and two farewells

Houston hired 51-year-old Randy Flores, a St. Louis Cardinals assistant general manager for eight seasons, as its general manager. Flores joined the Cardinals' front office as director of scouting in 2015. His first task is finding a manager to replace Joe Espada, whose contract was not renewed after three seasons. The hire comes more than two months after Houston parted ways with general manager Dana Brown, and after an 81-81 season for a farm system that has not produced front-line talent consistently since the late 2010s. m:…6904

Arizona tabbed San Diego Padres bullpen coach Ben Fritz as its new pitching coach, replacing Brian Kaplan, who was not brought back after two seasons in the role. The club has not officially confirmed the move and final details were still being worked out, but assistant pitching coach Owen Dew and bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda are set to return. Seattle is hiring CJ Gillman, its minor league hitting coordinator from 2022 to 2025 and the Washington Nationals' director of hitting in 2026, as its major league hitting coach for 2027. The move follows a season in which Seattle's offense ranked 28th in runs per game at 4.10 and 29th in batting average at .233, while the Nationals ranked third in runs per game at 5.07. General manager Jerry Dipoto has said major league players felt the organization's player development philosophy was abandoned in the big leagues. m:…2481 m:…6810

Two smaller moves rounded out the day. Detroit acquired middle infielder Tsung-Che Cheng from Boston for cash considerations; the 25-year-old left-handed-hitting shortstop and second baseman went 10-for-39 with five runs batted in with Boston and slashed .241/.345/.390 with eight home runs in 94 games at Triple-A Worcester. Detroit has 36 players on its 40-man roster and must open spots for eight players on the 60-day injured list by Monday. In Colorado, longtime Rockies fixture Clint Hurdle is parting ways with the club effective October 31, 2026, after managing the club from 2002 to 2009, including the 2007 World Series trip, and serving as special assistant to the general manager since 2022; Hurdle said he is not retiring. In Los Angeles, Dodgers executive vice president and chief operating officer Bob Wolfe is set to retire at the end of 2026 after 14 years with the club and 47 years as a professional sports executive, remaining as an advisor. m:…3765 m:…5384 m:…9191