Free agency is open, and the guessing game is already rolling. Five days after the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the first World Series title in franchise history, eligible players can now talk and negotiate with all 30 teams, and the market is starting to take shape.
Some of these names will land long-term deals that most people can barely imagine. Others will end up in spots that make a lot of sense once the dust settles.
CBS Sports’ experts have already handled Tarik Skubal, and now they’re working farther down the board with a fresh round of predictions.
Adrian Morejon is one of the more intriguing names in the mix. Mike Axisa sees a fit with the Cubs, pointing to both the team’s need for pitching and the possibility that Morejon could start in 2027.
Even if he ends up back in the bullpen, Axisa says Chicago can still make it work. Dayn Perry also likes the idea of Morejon in a big-market spot and mentions the Yankees as a team that could pay what it takes.
Matt Snyder’s read is similar in direction, with the Cubs needing rotation help and Wrigley Field’s wind patterns making left-handed pitching especially useful. He also notes that the Cubs may not go all-in on Tarik Skubal, which would leave Morejon as one of the consolation prizes.
Trevor Rogers is another arm drawing attention. Axisa calls him underrated and says teams that lean heavily on analytics should be all over him, especially because he brings four above-average pitches and has already shown he can get chases and weak contact.
He sees the Mets as a strong match. Perry again lands on the Cubs, saying they still need rotation help and can’t be expected to chase Skubal at the top of the market.
Snyder goes a different route and connects Rogers to the Braves, who were hit by pitching injuries last season and still won the division. He points to the uncertainty around Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and even Chris Sale, saying Rogers could provide immediate help and eventually step in as the top lefty once Sale is gone.
Freddy Peralta brings another layer of intrigue. Axisa mentions the long-running Cubs buzz tied to Craig Counsell, but he prefers the White Sox as the better fit.
Chicago’s South Side, he argues, needs a starter who can take the ball every five days and stop the cycle of openers and bullpen games. Perry goes in a different direction and picks the Rays, citing Peralta’s improvement after the deadline deal that brought him there from the Mets, along with the possibility that Tampa Bay may finally be positioned to spend a little.
Snyder looks to Seattle, where he thinks the Mariners could reshape the roster after a disappointing 2026 and possibly create a rotation opening if Logan Gilbert and/or George Kirby are traded.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. also comes with plenty of possibilities. Axisa says the Blue Jays need more left-handed power, and Chisholm’s defense and baserunning would fit neatly in Toronto.
He also notes that Chisholm has played third base and center field before, though he sees second base as the most likely landing spot. Perry lands on Detroit, drawing a line to the Tigers’ success with another former Yankees second baseman, Gleyber Torres.
He also points out that Chisholm is coming off a down season, even if he wasn’t far removed from a strong 2025. Snyder adds a twist by predicting the Diamondbacks trade Ketel Marte, which would open second base for Chisholm.
He thinks it could even be a one-year deal, with Chisholm betting on himself after a major step back from his career year in 2025.
Randy Arozarena rounds out the group, and the fit talk is just as varied. Axisa says Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young has already talked about needing more grit and more offense in big moments, and that description fits Arozarena.
He also says Arozarena needs to DH full-time now, which would work in Texas, and that a right-handed power bat to pair with Brandon Nimmo and Corey Seager feels necessary. Perry sees the Phillies as the destination, arguing that Philadelphia still wants to push its current window and badly needs help at the outfield corners.
He adds that the Phillies have never shied away from spending on the field product, which makes Arozarena a natural kind of target.
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