The 2025 Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, ended with more questions than answers.

The annual spectacle of the offseason in the Major Leagues did leave three important movements, with Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), the Puerto Rican Edwin Diaz (Dodgers) and Pete Alonso (Orioles) signing contracts, but outside of those transactions there was surprisingly little activity. As a result, the next few weeks could be key and bring a wave of movements that shake up the landscape of the Major Leagues.

With so much yet to be definedlet’s review the outlook for the offseason after the Winter Meetings, highlighting the stories to follow, the most relevant free agents still available and possible candidates to be traded.

There is still plenty of talent left in free agency, with 19 players available from the list of the 30 best agents frees that MLB.com senior reporter Mark Feinsand put together at the beginning of the offseason.

The starting market has also been quiet so far. Dylan Cease (Blue Jays), Shota Imanaga (Cubs) and Brandon Woodruff (Cerveceris) are the only starters on Feinsand’s roster who have signed contracts, and the latter two returned to their previous teams under the qualifying offer. Michael King (No. 9), Ranger Suárez (No. 10), Tatsuya Imai (No. 11), Framber Valdez (No. 13) and Zac Gallen (No. 20) remain without a team, as do many other big-name starters.

1. Who will win the biggest prize in this free agency?

Almost everyone agreed at the start of the offseason that Tucker was the best free agent in this class, but compared to the three big names from previous years, his market has moved at a significantly slower pace.

Last offseason, the Dominican star Juan Soto He signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets on Sunday before the start of the Winter Meetings. At the Winter Meetings two years earlier, Aaron Judge He returned to the Yankees with a nine-year, $360 million contract. And although free agency Shohei Ohtani was not fully resolved before the end of the 2023 Winter Meetings, days later he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.

So far, the Blue Jays are the only team that is known has met with tuckerbut they’ve already spent $240 million on pitchers Cease and Cody Ponce, and might prefer to bring back Bichette, who has spent his entire career in Toronto and will likely be less expensive than Tucker.

The Orioles also reportedly spoke with Tucker’s camp, but the Alonso deal likely takes them out of contention, especially since they still need to add pitching.

Yankees and Mets have also been linked to Tucker, but the Bronx Bombers are believed to be They are prioritizing Bellinger. Because of his versatility in playing center field and first base, Bellinger would also be a better fit for the Mets than Tucker. As for the Cubs, Tucker’s current team, it does not seem like they are looking for a renewal with the outfielder.

Despite the uncertainty, Tucker remains a coveted piece. Due to his comprehensive production, he is destined to have a significant impact with the team that manages to sign him.

2. Stars on the verge of change

Although the Winter Meetings ended without a high-profile trade, the seeds could have been sown for several major moves in the coming weeks.

And then there is Tarik Skubal (Tigres), whose possible availability dominates much of the conversations this offseason. Scott Harris, Detroit’s president of baseball operations, did little to stem speculation when asked about Skubal during the Winter Meetings.

3. What’s next for the Mets?

Unlike 2024, when the Winter Meetings began by winning the bid for Soto, no team had a worse week in Orlando than the Mets.

New York not only saw Schwarber re-sign with its division rivals, the Phillies, but also lost two of its most beloved figures: Díaz and Alonso. All this after trading the club’s longest-tenured player, Brandon Nimmo, for second baseman Marcus Semien in November.

Mets fans, already frustrated after a disappointing second half that cost them a postseason berth in 2025, are demanding answers, and the pressure on president of baseball operations David Stearns it only increases.

4. Orioles remain aggressive

Taking both quality and quantity into account, no team has been more aggressive than the Orioles this offseason. After a disappointing 2025 campaign, Baltimore acquired outfielders Taylor Ward and the dominican Leody Taverasin addition to the reliever Andrew Kittredge in November, before joining Ryan Helsley as a closer now Pete Alonso for first base.

But with the need to bolster its starting rotation still pending, Baltimore hasn’t taken its foot off the gas. The Orioles are considering Valdez and Suárez in free agency, and have reportedly entered into talks about possible trades for Peralta, Gore and the Dominican Edward Cabrera of the Marlins.

5. The clock is ticking for these Japanese stars

This is an important winter for free agents from the land of the rising sun. Infielders Murakami and Okamoto, along with pitchers Imai and Takahashi, are part of the new crop of Japanese stars looking to make their mark in Major League Baseball, but they have limited time to reach agreements.

When an NPB player is made available through the post system, he has a 45-day window to negotiate with Major League teams. If he fails to sign within that period, he must return to his club in Japan for the next season.

Murakami, whose enormous power gives him the greatest potential of the group, was the first to be posted, on November 8. Your trading window expires December 22 at 5 pm ET.

Imai, an intriguing right-hander who is among the best starters available this winter, was released on Nov. 19 and has until Jan. 2 to sign.

Okamoto, although he does not have the same ceiling as Murakami, offers respectable power and is considered a more “finished” product than his compatriot. He was posted alongside Takahashi, who profiles as a bottom-of-the-rotation starter or long pitcher because he doesn’t generate many missed swings. Both were posted on November 21, which gives them until January 4 to reach an agreement.

In short, many — especially considering the Dodgers continue to strengthen as they seek a rare three-peat. Even clubs that have already made major acquisitions, such as the Orioles, Blue Jays, Phillies and Mariners, still have holes to fill. But let’s focus on some teams that still have a lot to do.

Puppies: Chicago qualified for the postseason with 92 wins in 2025, but its starting rotation was clearly insufficient in the playoffs. They haven’t strengthened that area yet, nor have they found a bat to replace Tucker.

D-backs: Injuries and departures have weakened Arizona’s pitching staff heading into 2026, and the team’s budget is limited. Therefore, trading Marte could be the best way to address that pitching need.

Mets: It’s already been talked about above, but it’s worth repeating: David Stearns is under serious pressure.

Parents: No team had more high-level talent entering free agency this year, with Cease, Suárez, King and Arraez all entering free agency. An impact move is always possible under general manager AJ Preller, but so far the Friars have only signed pitchers Kyle Hartthe dominican Daison Acosta and Ty Adcock.

Pirates: The reigning National League Cy Young winner, Paul Skenescould be under contractual control through 2029, but if Pittsburgh doesn’t take firm steps toward contention soon, trade rumors surrounding Skenes are only going to intensify. The Buccaneers have made headlines for showing more willingness to spend this offseason, but have yet to sign any major players after coming up short on Schwarber and Josh Naylor.

Reds: Cincinnati is coming off its first full-season playoff berth since 2013, but that could be a one-time thing if they don’t bolster the offense. They pursued Schwarber, a native of Middletown, Ohio, but are said to have no intention of pursuing other expensive free agents after failing to sign him. If that’s the case, they might have to turn to their group of controlling starters to acquire the much-needed bat.

Red Sox: Boston acquired the pitchers Sonny Gray and to the Cuban Johan Oviedobut still hasn’t filled his need for a bat at the heart of the order following Bregman’s departure. They have been linked to several offensive targets, although two of them — Alonso and Schwarber — are no longer available.

Tigers: With Skubal just a year away from free agency, the Tigers are feeling the pressure. If they decide not to trade him, can they find a way to put together a title-contending team in their final season under club control?

Yankees: With Aaron Judge entering his age-34 season, the Bronx Bombers have a growing need to make the most of their captain’s time, especially with a World Series championship drought now at 16 seasons — the second-longest in franchise history. So far, their moves include offering the qualifying offer to Trent Grishamrenew reliever Ryan Yarbrough for one year, and select right-hander Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 Draft.