With free agency underway and the Winter Meetings in full swing, here are the most valuable pitchers on the market. This is not a pitcher power ranking. These pitchers are ranked based on the value they provide to a team.
#1 LHP Framber Valdez (Astros)
Valdez is a unique pitcher. In an era obsessed with swing-and-miss stuff, he pitches to weak contact and relies on strong defense behind him. He isn’t the perfect fit for every team, but he has quietly been one of the most effective starters in the league over the past half-decade, posting a sub 4.00 ERA in each of his past six seasons.
#2 RHP Tatsuya Imai (Saitama Seibu Lions)
Imai is an intriguing option. At 27 years old, he features a 99 mph fastball and a very low release point that makes his slider especially dangerous. He also mixes in a changeup and splitter. Pitchers coming from the NPB generally transition better than hitters (see Top 10 most valuable hitters), making Imai less of a risk than many international signings.
#3 LHP Ranger Suarez (Phillies)
Like Valdez, Suarez pitches to contact. His fastball averages a below-average 90 mph, but he limits walks and hard contact. His 2025 was a tale of two halves, with a 2.15 ERA before the All-Star break and a 4.40 ERA afterward. Even so, Suarez should command a strong AAV this offseason.
#4 RHP Edwin Díaz (Mets)
Díaz is the best reliever on the market. He has never finished a season with a strikeout percentage below 32 percent, consistently ranking in the top 10 percent of MLB pitchers. After posting a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves in an All-Star campaign, he’ll be paid like the elite closer he is.
#5 RHP Michael King (Padres)
Since transitioning from the bullpen to the rotation, King has become a high-level starter. He posted a 2.95 ERA in 2024 and, while he took a small step back in 2025, he still showed frontline ability. Teams may be cautious after his injury-shortened season, but he’s in line for a major contract.
#6 RHP Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks)
Gallen had a rough 2025, with his ERA ballooning to 4.83, but he was among the elite from 2020–2024. He closed last season on a strong note, so a 2026 rebound is very possible. At his peak he’s an ace, and even at his worst he’s a durable, above-average starter.
#7 RHP Merrill Kelly (Rangers)
It speaks to the weakness of this year’s pitching class that a 37-year-old cracks the top 10, but Kelly earned it. After being traded midseason, he still produced a 3.52 ERA over 32 starts. His deep six-pitch mix keeps hitters guessing, and he hasn’t shown major signs of decline. Until he does, he’ll continue landing high-AAV, short-term deals.
#8 RHP Robert Suarez (Padres)
The second-best reliever on the market, Suarez has been an All-Star in two straight seasons. Other than his injury-shortened 2023, he has never posted an ERA above 3.00 in MLB.
#9 RHP Chris Bassitt (Blue Jays)
Bassitt throws an incredible eight different pitches but leans heavily on his slider, cutter, and curveball. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, he has been consistently solid and rarely below average. Entering his late 30s, injuries are a concern, but he remains a reliable back-end rotation option.
#10 RHP Lucas Giolito (Red Sox)
After a disastrous 2023 and a completely lost 2024 due to injury, Giolito bounced back in 2025 with a 3.41 ERA across 26 starts. He has always been a volatile pitcher, making his long-term outlook unclear, but with teams desperate for pitching, Giolito still ranks as the tenth most valuable unsigned arm this offseason.
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