Month: July 2026

The first domino of free agency isn't a slugger. It isn't a closer. It isn't even the annual 36-year-old reliever who somehow talks a general manager into a multi-year deal. It's Fumiya Nishiguchi. At 25 years old, he's comfortably the best starting pitcher on the market and, by extension, the player most likely to cash in. He's not an ace, but in a free-agent class this light on frontline talent, a durable No. 2 starter with years of team...

Welcome to the hitter's market, where one team's "impact bat" is another team's "solid platoon option." This class is... underwhelming. There are a few genuinely useful players, but if you're looking for a franchise-changing superstar, you're about two years too late. Most contenders will be shopping for complementary pieces, while rebuilding clubs will convince themselves that "veteran leadership" was the plan all along. In other words, it's...