Finding 10 Perfect Fits on the 2023-24 MLB Free-Agent Market

The 2023-24 MLB offseason is in full swing, and with the annual winter meetings now right around the corner, the hot stove will start cooking in the coming days and weeks as the MLB landscape is reshaped by a wave of free agency signings.

Based on roster needs, team spending ability and what each free agent is prioritizing in their next team, there exists a perfect fit for some of the market's top names, and ahead we've linked 10 players to their ideal match.

The free agency market is an extremely fluid situation, and one player signing can create a domino effect of how several other players on the market can fit into 2024 plans, so this serves only as a snapshot of how things currently stand.

Buckle up for another busy offseason of free agency news.

The Cleveland Guardians ranked dead last in the majors with 124 home runs as a team during the 2023 season, which was 27 fewer than the next team on that list and a whopping 183 behind the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves.

The tight-fisted Cleveland front office attempted to address the need for more power last offseason when they signed first baseman Josh Bell to a two-year, $33 million contract, but he did not produce as hoped and was flipped to the Miami Marlins in a swap of bad contracts for Jean Segura at the deadline.

Mitch Garver could come at a similar price point this winter after posting a 134 OPS+ with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in 344 plate appearances. He could slot in as the team's primary designated hitter while also serving as the backup catcher behind up-and-comer Bo Naylor, helping to lighten his load with a start or two behind the plate each week.

The Baltimore Orioles need to find some veteran reinforcements for the young trio of Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer in the starting rotation, and they also need to replace the 192 innings that Kyle Gibson chewed through while playing on a one-year deal.

RIght-hander Lucas Giolito had a 3.79 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 121 innings for the Chicago White Sox in 2023 before he closed out the season in ugly fashion with a 6.96 ERA in 63.1 innings over 12 starts with the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians.

That late-season stumble likely cost him some money, and a two- or three-year deal with an opt-out might be his preferred approach this winter. That could allow the Orioles to add a frontline starter without making a huge long-term financial commitment.

At 34 years old and with 1,571 career innings on his arm, Sonny Gray is not going to command the same long-term deal that Aaron Nola just signed with the Philadelphia Phillies or that Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are likely to receive.

That opens up his market to more teams and will make him an appealing target for a contender like the Atlanta Braves—teams with a lot of money on the books long-term that want to add an impact arm on a shorter commitment.

The Braves have Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder currently penciled into rotation spots, and given Morton's age and Elder's regression as the 2023 season progressed, finding another top-tier arm looks like a must in the midst of a wide-open title window.

The Chicago Cubs used Nick Madrigal (72 games), Patrick Wisdom (61 games), Miles Mastrobuoni (29 games), Jeimer Candelario (19 games), Christopher Morel (5 games) and Edwin Rios (5 games) at third base last season, and they ranked 17th in the majors in Wins Above Average at the position.

They also have a void to fill in the middle of the lineup if Cody Bellinger signs elsewhere in free agency, and while Chapman is not going to contend for a batting title anytime soon, he has a 117 OPS+ over seven seasons and has averaged 29 home runs and 80 RBI per 162 games.

His elite defense at third base would also be a benefit to the pitching staff, and helps make the idea of giving him a nine-figure deal easier to swallow since his value is not exclusively tied up in his contributions in the batter's box.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been the best pitcher in the Japanese League for several years running, including a dominant 2023 campaign in which he finished 17-6 with a 1.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 176 strikeouts in 171 innings.

The 25-year-old has officially been posted by the Orix Buffaloes, so all signs point to him making his way stateside in 2024, and teams will be lining up to make their pitch for an ace-caliber starter in his prime.

After trading away Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the deadline, the Mets have work to do rebuilding their starting rotation this winter, and they have unrivaled spending power if they decide to make Yamamoto their top priority. Pairing him with Kodai Senga and a healthy José Quintana in the starting rotation would be a big step toward assembling a competitive staff.

The Texas Rangers bullpen ranked 24th in the majors with a 4.77 ERA during the 2023 season, and the back end only converted 30 of 63 save opportunities, yet they still managed to win a World Series title while riding Jose Leclerc, Aroldis Chapman and Josh Sborz in October.

With a stacked lineup and a starting rotation that will benefit from a full season of Max Scherzer and the eventual return of Jacob deGrom, shoring up the bullpen looks like the most pressing need this offseason.

It will likely take a nine-figure investment, but adding Josh Hader fresh off another All-Star campaign in which he converted 33 of 38 save opportunities with a 1.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 13.6 K/9 in 61 games would be a high-profile way to address a clear roster hole.

The Seattle Mariners have one of baseball's best starting rotations with Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Marco Gonzales as the team's top six options, while 2021 AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray will also return to the mix at some point after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May.

So why sign Blake Snell?

The team's best approach to upgrading the offense might be to sign Snell and then flip one of their young, controllable starters for a young, controllable run-producer who can help Julio Rodríguez shoulder the load for the foreseeable future.

Snell was born in Seattle and has expressed interest in pitching for his hometown team, so it's a fit worth exploring for a Mariners team that fell just short of returning to the postseason in 2023.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have more question marks in their starting rotation than at any point in recent memory coming off a season in which they leaned heavily on rookies Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone and Ryan Pepiot.

With Clayton Kershaw still deciding his 2024 plans, Walker Buehler returning from Tommy John surgery and both Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May set to open the year on the injured list, the team needs stability above all else when deciding who to target from this year's crop of free-agent starters.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery would provide just that after making at least 30 starts in three consecutive seasons and tossing a career-high 188.2 innings in 2023. He added three wins and a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings during the Texas Rangers run to a title, and he could be a rock-solid No. 2/3 starter in the Dodgers rotation.

A left-handed hitter to provide some balance to a righty-heavy lineup and outfield help are both glaring needs on the New York Yankees offseason shopping list, and Cody Bellinger could cross off both of those items with one blockbuster signing.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo is currently the only left-handed bat locked into a spot in the starting lineup, while up-and-comers Estevan Florial and Austin Wells also swing it from the left side and will be competing for roster spots.

Just a year removed from being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers after a run of disappointing seasons, Bellinger comes with some obvious risk when it comes to a long-term deal, but after hitting .307/.356/.525 for a 133 OPS+ with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 97 RBI and 20 steals in a 4.4-WAR season, he could the missing piece for the Yankees offensively.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been viewed as the favorites to sign Shohei Ohtani this offseason given his preference to stay on the West Coast, desire to play for a contender and the club's enviable spending power.

Don't rule out the rival San Francisco Giants, though.

The Giants whiffed on finding a new face of the franchise when they failed to sign Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa last offseason, and while it looks like they may have dodged a pair of bullets in the process, the search for a true superstar continues this winter and last year's missteps could ramp up their aggressiveness.

Finding that franchise cornerstone while also blocking your biggest rival from adding a game-changing talent would make it a win-win for the Giants, and it could help the organization take that next step forward after nearly a decade of middling performance.