Skubal leads a thin MLB free-agent class, CBS Sports says

Tarik Skubal has been ranked the leading free agent for the 2026–27 MLB offseason, with CBS Sports describing the left-hander as the clear No. 1 in a class short on franchise-building options.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is ranked second, followed by Morejon, Seiya Suzuki, Randy Arozarena, Michael King, Freddy Peralta, Brandon Lowe, Casey Mize and Ryan Jeffers. The ranking is an early projection based on expected future performance rather than past results alone.

CBS Sports lists the Blue Jays and Dodgers as possible destinations for Skubal, while the Padres and Rangers are identified as potential landing spots for Chisholm. The publication stresses that these are preliminary possibilities, not reported negotiations.

The assessment of several players depends on unresolved assumptions. Morejon could move from the bullpen to a starting rotation, while King’s position assumes he declines a $28 million player option and returns to free agency. Health, defensive decline and changing roles also affect the rankings.

The market may be shaped by labour negotiations and a possible lockout on 2 December. With teams uncertain about the next collective bargaining agreement, CBS Sports says some clubs could be active in November while others may avoid free agency altogether.

Other notable names outside the top 10 include Luis Arraez, David Bednar, Kevin Gausman, Sonny Gray, Clay Holmes and Daulton Varsho.