The end of the World Series marks the beginning of the Hot Stove season, and many MLB players are more than ready to get started in free agency.
Several big-name veterans – including slugger Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets – are among the first players to exercise opt-out clauses in their existing contracts and take the plunge into the free agent market, according to multiple reports.
There aren’t many surprises among the players who were eligible to opt out. Teams have until Thursday to give their impending free agents a qualifying offer worth just over $22 million for the 2026 season. They have a week to either accept the one-year deal or become a free agent.
Here are some of the players who have chosen to opt out of their contracts:
1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets
RP Edwin Diaz, New York Mets
1B/OF Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
3B Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox
SP Michael King, San Diego Padres
RP Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres
SS Ha-Seong Kim, Atlanta Braves
SP Lucas Giolito, Boston Red Sox
SS Jorge Mateo, Baltimore Orioles
Here are some of the players who have chosen to opt into their contracts:
OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Arizona Diamondbacks ($13 million)
