The CBA expiring at the end of the upcoming 2026 season has not slowed down spending in MLB free agency. Teams spent $2.96 billion during the offseason, with a few players remaining on the market as players start to report to Spring Training.
The top spender of the offseason is the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays at $337 million. Toronto got to work right away, signing starter Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal on Nov. 26. They didn’t stop there, as they also signed reliever Tyler Rogers to a $37 million contract and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year pact.
The back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t have many holes on their roster, but spent $316.5 million, with a focus on upgrading at closer and right field. The Dodgers pulled off a stunner at the winter meetings, signing closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year contract that pays him $23 million annually, the highest annual value for a closer in MLB history. Their biggest move of the offseason came on Jan. 15, when they agreed to terms with outfielder Kyle Tucker on a monster four-year, $240 million deal. Los Angeles’s top of the lineup is a nightmare for pitchers, featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and now Tucker.
The New York Mets come in at third on the list, spending $247.97 million to drastically overhaul their roster. The team let Díaz and Pete Alonso walk in free agency, while also trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. The Mets made a big splash when they signed infielder Bo Bichette to a $126 million deal, with Bichette expected to play third base. New York also added Jorge Polanco ($40 million) to its lineup, while bolstering its bullpen in signing Devin Williams ($51 million) and Luke Weaver ($22 million).
Rounding out the top five of biggest spenders are the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. Chicago failed to re-sign Tucker, but added third baseman Alex Bregman to its lineup as part of the club’s $232 million in spending. Philadelphia, on the other hand, was able to retain its stars, spending a majority of the $227.9 million it shelled out in free agency on re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.
Other notable deals of the offseason include Cody Bellinger re-signing with the Yankees for $162.5 million, Ranger Suárez joining a stacked Red Sox rotation on a five-year contract, and Framber Valdez signing a three-year deal with the highest average annual value ($38.33 million) for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history.
Offseason Spending
Here is the list of the top spenders in MLB free agency during the 2025–26 offseason. The list was compiled with data from Spotrac.
| Team | Free Agents Signed | Spending |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 5 | $337 million |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 5 | $316.5 million |
| New York Mets | 10 | $247.97 million |
| Chicago Cubs | 10 | $232.13 million |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 5 | $227.9 million |
| New York Yankees | 7 | $196.28 million |
| Baltimore Orioles | 4 | $195 million |
| Detroit Tigers | 11 | $179.97 million |
| Boston Red Sox | 3 | $137.9 million |
| Atlanta Braves | 10 | $114.31 million |
| Seattle Mariners | 3 | $99.75 million |
| San Diego Padres | 7 | $96.7 million |
| Chicago White Sox | 6 | $76.5 million |
| San Francisco Giants | 8 | $70.03 million |
| Houston Astros | 3 | $57.5 million |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 6 | $55.3 million |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 5 | $51.1 million |
| Cincinnati Reds | 7 | $49.75 million |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 4 | $38 million |
| Texas Rangers | 5 | $24.63 million |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 2 | $23.28 million |
| Minnesota Twins | 3 | $23 million |
| Colorado Rockies | 2 | $20.8 million |
| Los Angeles Angels | 8 | $20.58 million |
| Miami Marlins | 3 | $19 million |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 3 | $16 million |
| Athletics | 4 | $11.85 million |
| Cleveland Guardians | 3 | $7.9 million |
| Kansas City Royals | 3 | $7.65 million |
| Washington Nationals | 1 | $5.5 million |
| 156 | $2.96 billion |
