MLB Free Agency Buzz: Fairbanks Drawing Interest, Ponce’s Market Heating Up, and Trade Winds Swirl Around Brandon Lowe and Jake Meyers
With Ryan Helsley off the board, Pete Fairbanks is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing bullpen options left on the market. The Blue Jays and Marlins are among the teams keeping tabs on the hard-throwing right-hander, according to sources familiar with his market.
Toronto, fresh off locking up Dylan Cease on a seven-year deal, isn’t done bolstering its pitching staff. The Jays were reportedly in on several late-inning arms-Helsley, Raisel Iglesias, and Phil Maton-before those names signed elsewhere. Fairbanks, who’s spent his career with the Rays, is no stranger to the AL East grind and has been particularly dominant against Toronto, holding their hitters to a .130 average and a .468 OPS over 27 career innings.
Fairbanks, who turns 32 next month, has a long-standing connection with Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, who spent over a decade with the Rays. That familiarity could give Miami an edge in negotiations, though they aren’t alone-multiple contenders have reportedly reached out.
In 2025, Fairbanks wrapped up his third season as Tampa Bay’s closer with a 2.83 ERA across 60 innings and a career-best 27 saves. Despite his effectiveness, the Rays declined his $11 million club option, opting instead for a $1 million buyout-a move that reflects their ever-tight budget rather than any knock on Fairbanks’ performance.
With the markets for Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams, and Robert Suarez still taking shape, Fairbanks offers a strong alternative-especially for teams looking for high-leverage experience without the top-tier price tag. Helsley just landed a two-year, $28 million deal with Baltimore, and Fairbanks could be looking at something in that same ballpark.
Cody Ponce’s Return from KBO Could Net a Big Payday
Cody Ponce might’ve flown under the radar in the early stages of free agency, but that’s changing fast. After a dominant season in the Korean Baseball Organization, the 6-foot-6 righty is now expected to command a three-year deal worth at least $30 million-and possibly north of $40 million-according to those briefed on his market.
That would blow past the previous high for a pitcher returning from Korea, which was Erick Fedde’s two-year, $15 million deal with the White Sox last offseason. But Ponce’s numbers with the Hanwha Eagles speak for themselves: a 17-1 record, 1.89 ERA, and 252 strikeouts over 180 2/3 innings.
Ponce has added velocity since his last MLB stint with the Pirates in 2020-21, reportedly sitting two ticks higher on the radar gun in Korea. That uptick helped sharpen his breaking pitches and allowed him to feature a new splitter that became his go-to secondary weapon.
The result? A strikeout rate that outpaced any recent KBO-to-MLB arms.
After a few uneven years in Japan, Ponce found his groove in Korea. Now, he’s poised to cash in on that resurgence in a big way.
Jake Meyers Drawing Trade Interest as CF Market Thins
The center field market is thin, and that’s putting a spotlight on players like Jake Meyers-especially for teams looking for solid defense and a bit of offensive upside. The Astros outfielder is coming off a season where he made notable strides at the plate, and according to league sources, Houston is open to moving him in the right deal.
Meyers, entering his age-30 season, is projected to earn $3.5 million in arbitration and has two years of club control remaining. That kind of cost control is appealing, particularly for teams like the Phillies, Mets, Rays, Orioles, Diamondbacks, and Royals-all of whom are exploring center field upgrades.
Defensively, Meyers has long been regarded as a plus glove in center. Offensively, he posted a .292 average and .727 OPS in 104 games last season-numbers that marked a significant jump from his previous seasons, even if still slightly above league average when adjusted for park factors.
The big question for Houston: do they believe Meyers can sustain that offensive production? If not, they may look internally to options like Zach Cole or Jacob Melton, though neither has proven themselves at the big-league level.
Brandon Lowe’s Future with the Rays in Question
The Rays have toyed with the idea of trading Brandon Lowe for years. Now, with Lowe set to earn $11.5 million in the final year of his deal, that idea might finally be gaining real traction.
Lowe’s power from the left side makes him a fit for several clubs, including the Pirates, who are actively seeking left-handed bats and may have better luck via trade than free agency. The A’s and Giants are also believed to be in the market for second base help.
For the Rays, moving Lowe would create a void at second base without a clear internal replacement. Carson Williams and Taylor Walls could form a double-play duo, but there are questions about whether that pairing would offer enough offense-especially if Williams starts the season in the minors. Jonathan Aranda has barely seen time at second in the majors, and Chandler Simpson hasn’t played the infield regularly since college.
Replacing Lowe’s production won’t be easy. When healthy, he’s been one of the Rays’ most dangerous hitters.
He launched 31 home runs last season-the second-highest total of his career-and owns a career OPS+ 23 percent above league average. His 157 home runs rank third all-time in franchise history, trailing only Evan Longoria and Carlos Peña.
If the Rays do decide to move Lowe, they’ll need to get creative to fill that offensive void.
Marlins’ Coaching Losses Reflect Organizational Momentum
The Marlins may not have made a major splash yet this offseason, but they’re making waves in another way-losing key members of their coaching staff to other clubs. That’s often a sign that the rest of the league is taking notice of what’s being built.
After jumping from 62 wins in 2024 to 79 in 2025, Miami saw three coaches poached by other organizations. Assistant hitting coach Derek Shomon is now the White Sox’s lead hitting coach.
First base coach Tyler Smarslok took a role as field coordinator with the Nationals. Catching coach Joe Singley joined the Orioles in a similar capacity.
It’s part of a broader trend across the league where staff shuffling-especially in the minors-can slow down roster movement in November. Teams are busy filling out their coaching ranks before they turn their full attention to trades and free-agent signings.
Still, for a club like Miami, these departures are a double-edged sword: they hurt in the short term but also suggest the organization is on the right track.