Top 20 MLB free-agent pitchers

We're looking at the top 20 free-agent pitchers with the offseason now underway (statistics from 2024, ages as of Opening Day 2025).

1. Corbin Burnes

Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $15.6M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Burnes isn't quite as dominant as he was when he won the 2021 Cy Young with Milwaukee - his K/9 fell from 10.83 in 2022 to 9.29 in 2023 to 8.38 this past season. But he remains extremely durable and productive, topping 190 innings with an ERA of 3.39 or better in each of the past three campaigns. His cutter is still extremely effective, allowing him to rack up quick outs to pitch deeper into games.

2. Blake Snell

Age: 32
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2024 salary: $32M
Qualifying offer: No

Snell appeared to be on his way to a disappointing, injury-riddled first season with the Giants before rediscovering his Cy Young form in the second half. Durability will always be a concern, but Snell unquestionably possesses some of the game's most lethal stuff when healthy. He posted the highest K/9 of his career (12.5) in 2024 while lowering his BB/9 to 3.8, a significant improvement from the season prior.

3. Max Fried

Age: 31
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2024 salary: $15M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Left-handed aces rarely hit free agency, so teams will take a good look at Max Fried. Over the last eight seasons, he's proven himself as a savvy command specialist who limits hard contact and excels at inducing groundouts. Best of all, he squashed the injury bug that plagued him in 2023 to pitch the second-most innings of his career. Interested teams should feel confident they're getting a reliable arm who profiles well in the long term.

4. Tanner Scott

Age: 30
Throws: Left
Position: RP
2024 salary: $5.7M
Qualifying offer: No

Scott is coming off a tremendous season split between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres - he posted a 1.75 ERA with 10.50 K/9 and 1.6 fWAR in 72 appearances. Left-handed relievers who throw hard and miss bats are always hot commodities, so Scott should be able to cash in coming off two straight excellent seasons.

5. Sean Manaea

Age: 33
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2024 salary: $14M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Manaea made a mechanical tweak with the Mets, resulting in his best campaign since 2021. The veteran southpaw posted a 3.47 ERA, 9.12 K/9, and 2.8 fWAR in a career-high 181 2/3 innings. Manaea emerged as a postseason star for the Mets, helping strengthen his case for a lucrative, multi-year deal.

6. Jack Flaherty

Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $14M
Qualifying offer: No

Flaherty picked the perfect time for a career renaissance. The once highly touted prospect had seemingly fallen off the map before proving himself in 2024 on a last-chance deal. He struck out the second-most batters of his career while limiting walks better than ever before (2.1 BB/9).

7. Shane Bieber

Age: 29
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $13.1M
Qualifying offer: No

Bieber looked to have fully returned to form in the two starts he made for the Guardians before suffering a season-ending elbow injury. Now, he enters free agency as a high-risk, high-reward gamble. At this stage in his career, it's hard to know whether Bieber is closer to being the pitcher who posted a 7.5 K/9 in 2023 or a 200-strikeout-per-season monster. Even if the answer lies somewhere in between, his upside should warrant plenty of suitors.

8. Yusei Kikuchi

Age: 33
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2024 salary: $10M
Qualifying offer: No

Much like Scott, Kikuchi's skill set is always in high demand in free agency. The left-hander misses bats at an elite rate with a fastball that can touch the upper 90s and a wipeout slider. Kikuchi was one of the best starting pitchers in the American League after he was acquired by the Houston Astros at the trade deadline, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.70 ERA, 76 strikeouts, and 14 walks across 60 innings (10 starts).

9. Nathan Eovaldi

Age: 35
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $17M
Qualifying offer: No

Eovaldi has been one of MLB's most consistent pitchers over the last few seasons - and he's a two-time World Series champion with a decorated playoff resume. While perhaps never the most exciting hurler, the righty is the kind of middle-of-the-rotation arm contenders are always looking to add.

10. Luis Severino

Age: 31
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $13M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Severino was another beneficiary of the Mets' pitching lab, rebounding nicely from a horrible 2023 season during which he called himself the worst pitcher in the game. He re-emerged as a workhorse, making 31 starts for the first time since 2018. While the new version of Severino doesn't strike out batters like the old one, he shouldn't have trouble turning his bounce-back campaign into a multi-year deal.

11. Nick Pivetta

Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $7.5M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Pivetta is a strikeout arm that gives up extremely hard contact when he doesn't miss bats. He struck out eight straight batters in a game twice in 2024 - and had just as many contests where he allowed three home runs. His fly-ball-heavy contact profile would likely fare better away from Fenway Park. Receiving a qualifying offer could hurt Pivetta's market, but several underlying metrics make him intriguing.

12. Jeff Hoffman

Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2024 salary: $2.2M
Qualifying offer: No

Hoffman proved his surprising 2023 campaign was no fluke, making his first All-Star team as a 32-year-old. The righty ranked 96th percentile in chase, whiff, and strikeoout rate while keeping his walks down - all strong indicators of long-term success. Several teams around the league have depleted bullpens and could use him.

13. Kenley Jansen

Age: 37
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2024 salary: $16M
Qualifying offer: No

Jansen is still a solid option in the ninth inning even as he enters his age-37 season. It wouldn't be shocking to see him end up back in Los Angeles to bring his career full circle with the Dodgers. If Los Angeles isn't interested in a reunion, other teams will surely be intrigued by Jansen's track record.

14. Clay Holmes

Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2024 salary: $6M
Qualifying offer: No

Holmes was often the target of Yankees fans' ire in 2024, and his struggles got him bumped out of the closer's role in favor of Luke Weaver. But Holmes still finished the season with a 3.14 ERA and 9.71 K/9 to go with a strong 56.3% ground-ball rate. It may not always be smooth sailing, but Holmes finds a way to deliver.

15. Walker Buehler

Age: 30
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $8.025M
Qualifying offer: No

Buehler's strong postseason performance included consecutive scoreless starts in the NLCS and World Series. He also closed out Game 5 of the World Series to earn the first save of his MLB career. The right-hander's stuff was much improved from the regular season as he leaned heavily on his knuckle curve. Injuries have definitely taken their toll, but Buehler proved in the playoffs that he can still get hitters out in big spots. That alone will make teams interested in giving him a contract that could lean heavily on incentives or performance bonuses.

16. Carlos Estévez

Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2024 salary: $6.75M
Qualifying offer: No

Estévez had the best season of his eight-year career in 2024, setting a new personal best with a 2.45 ERA in 55 innings with the Angels and Phillies. The veteran has struggled giving up home runs throughout his career, but he only permitted 0.82 HR/9 last season. There's an inherent risk in signing relievers, but Estévez is a decent bet to continue putting up productive numbers on a shorter-term deal.

17. Kirby Yates

Age: 38
Throws: Right
Position: RP
2024 salary: $4.5M
Qualifying offer: No

Yates is coming off consecutive excellent campaigns and returned to the closer's role for the first time since 2019, racking up 33 saves for the Texas Rangers. The veteran right-hander looks to have plenty left in the tank at age 38, and he would instantly help boost any bullpen in 2025.

18. Nick Martinez

Age: 34
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $14M
Qualifying offer: Yes

Martinez was quietly excellent for the Reds in a swingman role last season. Across 42 appearances (16 starts), the veteran accrued 3.5 fWAR while pitching to the lowest ERA (3.10) and FIP (3.21) of his career. While being attached to a qualifying offer may scare some teams away, he should nonetheless be an attractive target.

19. Frankie Montas

Age: 32
Throws: Right
Position: SP
2024 salary: $16M
Qualifying offer: No

Although his numbers don't jump off the page, Montas showed flashes of his old self after being traded to the Brewers midseason. He made 30 starts for just the second time in his career while striking out nearly one batter per inning. Nobody will mistake Montas for an ace, but he's a back-of-the-rotation starter with serious upside.

20. Jose Quintana

Age: 36
Throws: Left
Position: SP
2024 salary: $13M
Qualifying offer: No

Quintana quietly graded out as a slightly above-average pitcher in his age-35 season with the Mets. While his FIP suggests he isn't likely to post a sub-4.00 ERA again in 2025, he should nonetheless have a strong market as a proven back-of-the-rotation starter - or potential trade chip.

*Roki Sasaki, the wild card

Sasaki would be the top free-agent pitcher if his NPB team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, decides to post him this offseason. The 22-year-old would only be eligible to sign a minor-league contract similar to the one Shohei Ohtani inked with the Los Angeles Angels when he was posted in 2017. Sasaki has dominant stuff with a 2.10 ERA and 11.5 K/9 across four seasons in Japan's top league. The ability to get a pitcher of this caliber for a low cost would be a potential league-altering move. Sasaki's situation is worth monitoring in the coming weeks.