Rating MLB’s most impactful 2025–26 offseason moves

While the offseason means there are no games, it does mean that baseball fans get to see which players head to new teams. Between free agency and trades, things always get shaken up during the winter months, and that was especially true this past offseason.

Some moves work out better than others, though, and that’s certainly the case in the early stages of the 2026 season. 

Best and worst moves of the 2025-26 offseason

With SeatGeek serving as the Official Ticket Marketplace of MLB, we’re keeping a close eye on all 30 teams and how their newest players are performing. 

Here, we’re going to look at the best and worst moves of the offseason, with three pitchers and three hitters for each category. We’re going to focus solely on brand-new additions, and we’ll also stick to one player/move per team. You’re welcome (or sorry?), Mets. 

Best pitching additions

Tampa Bay Rays: Nick Martinez

Leave it to the Rays to turn a 35-year-old journeyman pitcher into an All-Star-caliber starting arm. That’s exactly what’s happened with Martinez, who owns a 2.43 ERA and 6-2 record for a Tampa Bay team that surged out of the gate and looks destined for a postseason berth. Martinez has been pounding the zone and keeping the ball in the yard while just eating up innings and recording outs. He and the returning Shane McLanahan have given Tampa Bay a very dangerous duo atop the rotation, and Martinez has never looked better as a starter in his MLB career. 

Toronto Blue Jays: Dylan Cease

Things haven’t quite gone to plan for the Blue Jays after a World Series appearance in 2025, but the addition of Cease has been incredible. I was skeptical of Cease netting a seven-year deal worth $210 million this past offseason, but he’s been spectacular for Toronto with a 2.91 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 68 innings. He’s striking out 13.6 batters per nine innings! Cease should make the All-Star Game and, if he continues on this pace, finish in the top-five in Cy Young voting. 

Milwaukee Brewers: Kyle Harrison

Some teams just rock when it comes to pitching development, and the Brewers certainly fit the bill. An offseason trade with Boston got Harrison, a former top pitching prospect in San Francisco, to Milwaukee. The young lefty has been incredible with a 2.47 ERA in 13 starts with a better than 11 K/9 rate. Between Harrison and Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers have an elite – and very young – 1-2 punch atop the rotation. Adding Harrison may be one of the better long-term moves any team made this offseason.

Best hitting additions

Pittsburgh Pirates: Brandon Lowe

The Pirates have slowed down of late, but they have turned things around offensively in a major way, going from one of the worst lineups in baseball a year ago to top five in runs scored. The addition of Lowe has played a major role there as the veteran second baseman has swatted 17 home runs with an OPS of .837. Few players have made an immediate impact on their new team like Lowe has, and he looks like the version of himself we saw in his early days with the Rays. Lowe should make his second All-Star team next month.

San Francisco Giants: Luis Arraez

Look, the Giants have been incredibly disappointing considering the big names on the roster, but adding Arraez on a short-term deal has worked out quite well. The veteran infielder has always been able to hit and make a ton of contact, and he’s having maybe his best all-around offensive season with a .319/.352/.435 (.787 OPS) slash line. The slugging in particular has stood out, and that .435 SLG would be the second-best mark of his career. Considering the Giants are out of contention and Arraez is only signed through the end of this year, he should be a hot commodity at the trade deadline. 

Chicago White Sox: Munetaka Murakami

Yes, he’s on the IL for at least a few more weeks, but come on. Questions about Murakami’s ability to hit at the MLB level have been answered and then some. He homered 20 times in 57 games and drove in 41 runs. He’s OPSing .938 and is getting on base at a .378 clip. The White Sox have shockingly played well without him, so just imagine how good they’ll be when he’s back? Murakami is one of the game’s most dangerous hitters already, which few saw coming. 

Worst pitching additions

Detroit Tigers: Framber Valdez

Valdez hasn’t been horrible by any means, but he’s certainly disappointed. The Tigers signed Valdez to be a co-ace alongside Tarik Skubal, and considering Skubal is set to be a free agent and likely to leave Detroit, Valdez should be “the guy” through the remainder of his contract. But Valdez owns a 4.40 ERA and 1.339 WHIP in 14 starts, both of which would be the worst marks of his career since his first full season in 2019. Skubal returned on Saturday but missed considerable time, and the Tigers needed Valdez to step up. He’s been more average than good, and the Tigers may turn into a seller at the trade deadline. So far, not so good for Valdez in the Motor City. 

Baltimore Orioles: Chris Bassitt

Bassitt is currently on the injured list after a poor start to 2026. The veteran right-hander wasn’t added to be some sort of rotation savior, but the Orioles certainly expected better than his 5.27 ERA and 1.633 WHIP through 10 starts and 12 overall appearances. Bassitt has quietly been one of baseball’s better and more consistent starters since 2019, just eating innings, getting outs and pitching to a sub-4 ERA. He can certainly turn things around, but his early Orioles days have not gone to plan at all. 

Houston Astros: Mike Burrows 

The same trade that sent Lowe to Pittsburgh netted the Astros Burrows. Houston, we’ve had a pitching problem. That’s not exclusive to Burrows, but he’s been part of the problem. His 5.86 ERA is a problem, as are the 18 homers he’s allowed in 14 starts. Burrows had a sub-4 ERA for the Pirates last year, but he’s been suspect basically every time he’s taken the rubber. The Astros will hope for him to bounce back and finish 2026 strong heading into 2027. 

Worst hitting additions

New York Mets: Bo Bichette

With Pete Alonso leaving for Baltimore, the Mets went in a different direction, opting for more bat-to-ball to bolster the lineup. Bichette, a two-time hits leader, was one of the top hitters on the market and signed for a massive deal. It’s been bad for both sides as the Mets’ lineup has been largely awful and Bichette is having far and away the worst year of his career. Bichette has been better of late with a .310/.300/.690 line over his last seven games, but overall the veteran infielder is hitting .239 with a .646 OPS and sub-.300 on-base percentage. Bichette has an opt-out for this offseason, but considering how poor he’s played in 2026, he’ll almost certainly opt-in and spend the next two years with the Mets, which certainly have to be better than 2026 has gone, right?

Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman

Bregman hasn’t been as bad as Bichette, but he’s been a major disappointment for a Cubs team that is fighting to stay in the postseason hunt. He’s hitting with minimal slug and an OPS of just .690 along with six homers and 22 RBIs. The Cubs signed Bregman to be a key run producer but he’s yet to get going. Perhaps a strong second half from Bregman will help the Cubs in their bid to return to the playoffs. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: Kyle Tucker

Tucker was one of the biggest winners of the offseason with the four-year, $240 million deal (with opt outs after Years 2 and 3) he signed to join the two-time defending champs in L.A. The Dodgers were hoping Tucker would emerge as one of their top hitters alongside Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, but he’s been pretty average this year with five homers and a .709 OPS. The good news for the Dodgers is they have more than enough talent to get by with Tucker starting slow, and just think of how good L.A. will be if/when Tucker gets hot? So far, though, it hasn’t been a great start for Tucker with his new team.