Offseason In Full Swing: 11 Intriguing Starting Pitchers That Remain In Free Agency

MLB free agency is beginning to speed up. Star free agents are flying off the shelves, though some still remain. There are a lot of teams in the market currently in the market for a big-time starting pitcher. Here are some of the remaining options.

LHP Framber Valdez

Valdez remains the "Grand Prize" for any rotation. Despite being 32, his Statcast profile is a masterclass in modern pitching: he led the league again with a 59.4% ground-ball rate in 2025. His sinker-curveball combination continues to generate elite Launch Angle suppression, making him virtually home-run proof. He finished 2025 with an xwOBA (Expected Weighted On-Base Average) in the 85th percentile, proving that his run prevention is no fluke.

My Prediction: San Diego Padres. I think San Diego is trying to improve its club by adding a formidable starter, given the team's willingness to deal from its current rotation.

RHP Zac Gallen

After a rocky start to 2025, Gallen found his form late, posting a 3.32 ERA over his final 11 starts. Statcast reveals why: his Chase Rate surged back into the 90th percentile during that stretch. Gallen’s four-seam fastball has elite rise (induced vertical break), and when he commands it at the top of the zone, his knuckle-curve becomes one of the most unhittable secondary pitches in the game (34% Whiff Rate).

My Prediction: New York Mets. The Mets need a solid starter, and the New Jersey native would fit them perfectly.

RHP Justin Verlander

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer is a Statcast darling for a different reason: his late-season adaptation. Verlander introduced a sweeper in late 2025 that transformed his profile, leading to a 2.60 ERA over his final 13 starts. His fastball velocity actually ticked up to average 95.3 mph in August, and his 2848 rpm curveball remains in the top 1% of the league for spin.

My Prediction: Houston Astros. It just makes sense for both sides to reunite.

More to Watch:

Chris Bassitt: The ultimate "kitchen sink" pitcher who used eight different pitches last year to maintain a top-tier Exit Velocity against.

Lucas Giolito: A high-ceiling bounce-back candidate with a 94th percentile Extension that makes his 94 mph feel like 97.

Zack Littell: A Statcast sleeper who avoids the heart of the zone and relies on a 24.5% Whiff Rate on his split finger.

Walker Buehler: Still searching for his peak form, but his 96.2 mph average heater suggests the arm talent is still there.

Jordan Montgomery: A reliable innings-eater whose sinker/changeup combo remains elite at inducing weak contact.

Nick Martinez: A versatile arm whose 34-inch vertical break on his changeup makes him an elite bridge-man or starter.

Jose Quintana: Despite his age, he remains in the 80th percentile for Hard-Hit % allowed.

Max Scherzer: Even at 41, his Strikeout-to-Walk ratio remains among the league's elite when healthy.