6 MLB Players Boosting Their Free-Agency Stock the Most in 2023 Postseason

The MLB postseason can be a golden opportunity for upcoming free agents to boost their stock on the sport's biggest stage before they hit the open market.

One of the best examples of this is Nathan Eovaldi, who turned a stellar 2018 postseason run with the Boston Red Sox that culminated in a World Series win into a new four-year, $68 million deal with the team that winter.

Philadelphia Phillies starter Aaron Nola was inconsistent down the stretch to close out the 2023 regular season, but with a pair of strong postseason starts under his belt, there is little doubt he is headed for a huge payday this offseason.

We've highlighted six players, including Nola, who are boosting their free-agency stock the most this October.

Simply taking the field and proving he is healthy is a boost for Michael Brantley.

The 36-year-old saw his 2022 season come to a premature end when he underwent shoulder surgery in August. The Astros brought him back on a one-year, $12 million deal during the offseason, expecting him to return during the first half.

Instead, he suffered a setback in his recovery and did not end up making his 2023 season debut until Aug. 29. He hit .278/.298/.426 with two home runs and seven RBI in 57 plate appearances down the stretch.

The sweet-swinging veteran went 3-for-11 in the ALDS and homered in Game 4 on Wednesday. He could be positioning himself for a similar one-year deal this winter if he decides to keep playing next season.

Mitch Garver looked like a star on the rise when he hit .273/.365/.630 for a 157 OPS+ with 31 home runs in 359 plate appearances for the Minnesota Twins during the 2019 season to win AL Silver Slugger honors. However, injuries and inconsistency limited him to just 145 games over the next three seasons, and he hit .223/.317/.433 with 25 home runs in 539 plate appearances during that span.

The 32-year-old returned healthy and productive this year, splitting his time between backing up Jonah Heim behind the plate and serving as the team's primary designated hitter.

He hit .270/.370/.500 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in 344 plate appearances during the regular season, and he went 4-for-10 with one double, one home run and seven RBI against the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS.

A lucrative multiyear deal could be waiting in free agency this winter.

The Atlanta Braves' addition of Pierce Johnson in an under-the-radar deal with the Colorado Rockies proved to be one of the best trades of this year's deadline.

It ended up being a tale of two seasons for the reliever pre- and post-trade.

• Pre-Trade: 43 G, 6.00 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 10.8 H/9, 5.8 BB/9, 13.4 K/9
• Post-Trade: 24 G, 0.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 6.1 H/9, 1.9 BB/9, 12.2 K/9

The 32-year-old joined the Rockies on a one-year, $5 million deal during the offseason following a three-year run with the San Diego Padres. His late-season performance should position him for a decent raise and some multiyear security.

He made scoreless appearances in Game 1 (0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K), Game 2 (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K) and Game 4 (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) of the NLDS, pitching in high-leverage spots in all three outings.

For all the headlines that Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and other high-profile pitchers grabbed at the trade deadline, Jordan Montgomery ended up making a bigger impact than almost any other player acquired this summer. He made 11 starts in a Texas Rangers uniform and posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 67.2 innings down the stretch.

The 30-year-old finished 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 188.2 innings as one of the best left-handed starters in MLB today. He's now made at least 30 starts and posted a sub-4.00 ERA in three straight seasons.

He threw a gem against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, allowing six hits over seven shutout innings, setting the tone for a quick two-game series sweep to advance.

He did not fare as well against the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS, allowing nine hits and five runs (four earned) across four innings, but his gem in his first start proved he can deliver a frontline performance on the biggest stage.

In recent years, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have been "1" and "1A" in the Philadelphia Phillies rotation, but Nola didn't look like the same dominant frontline starter down the stretch this year.

The 30-year-old struggled to a 4.92 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 60.1 innings over his final 11 starts, completing six innings only four times during that span. He finished with a 4.46 ERA over 193.2 innings, and his 2.1 WAR was his lowest total since 2016.

Viewed as one of the best starting pitchers in the upcoming free-agent class along with Blake Snell and Japanese League standout Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Nola was still going to be in-demand even without a strong postseason. His good-not-great season might have cost him a bit of money had it trickled over to the playoffs, though.

However, a stellar start to the postseason has likely erased any potential concerns from offseason suitors. He threw seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball against the Miami Marlins in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series, and he was the winning pitcher once again on Wednesday night when he allowed six hits and two earned runs while striking out nine over 5.2 innings to put the Atlanta Braves on the brink of elimination.

A $100 million payday is almost certainly coming Nola's way this offseason.

Signed to serve as the New York Mets' fourth outfielder behind Mark Canha, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte, veteran Tommy Pham ended up being one of the team's most productive offensive players before he was flipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline.

The 35-year-old posted a 111 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 16 home runs, 68 RBI, 55 runs scored and 22 steals in a 1.5-WAR season, and he has been slotted in the No. 3 spot in the batting order as the team's starting DH throughout the postseason.

Pham has now played for seven teams over the course of his 10-year career, and he has averaged 21 home runs, 19 steals and 2.9 WAR per 162 games in an underrated career that includes a pair of 20/20 seasons.

He is 7-for-22 with one home run and two steals this postseason, and with the D-backs advancing on to the NLCS, he will have more opportunities to prove he deserves to be signed as an everyday player on a contending team this winter.