The 2025-26 MLB offseason has been pretty slow, and every day we wake up to the same rumors but no action. With just over a month remaining to spring training, the likes of Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez and other top free agents remain unsigned.
It is an unexpected offseason for the hitters, who are generally the first ones to get signed. Here are three reasons why that might be the case:
1) MLB teams extra cautious with lockout nearing
•
The CBA agreement between MLB and MLB Players’ Association will expire after the 2026 season. There is a sense of uncertainity of what the new CBA holds, but it is expected that spending huge amounts of money will now attract large penalties. As such, MLB GMs are hesitant to avoid signing players to large sums.
That is the case with top hitters like Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger. The teams are not just ready to sign long-term contracts; instead, they are ready to give large annual salaries for the short term.
2) Relief pitching took center role
Unusually, teams hurried themselves into signing relievers, who are generally known to be taken off the market near the end of the offseason. Top relievers like Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams, Robert Suarez, Tyler Rogers and others have also signed deals ranging from one to three years.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,’’ one veteran GM said. “Relief pitching was everyone’s first priority, it seems like. The rest of the market came to a standstill.’’
3) “Chicken-and-egg” effect delaying hitters like Kyle Tucker from getting signed
The “chicken-and-egg” effect, where teams wait for other teams to make bids, and players wait for better offers, has created a stall in offers to roll out. No one, apart from maybe the Toronto Blue Jays are risking making the first move.
Big teams are trying to play hard with players at the negotiation table. Meanwhile, they are also exploring the trade market more than addressing weakness through the free agent market.
As such, the players don’t think they have the best offer in hand; thereby prolonging their free agency hoping teams would come to sense.
Edited by Krutik Jain
