Top 2026-2027 MLB Non-Tender Candidates
With Just Baseball's arbitration projections out now, which players stand out as ones who could soon be non-tendered by their teams?
As always, the regular season was an absolute blast around Major League Baseball, and we’ve now got our focus locked onto the Championship Series in both the American and National Leagues.
On one side, the AL’s best team, the Tampa Bay Rays, are taking on the Cleveland Guardians, who just recently wrapped up an improbable comeback over their division rival Chicago White Sox in the ALDS.
On the other end, you’ve got the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers, who somehow always find a way to face off late in postseason matchups. That series, to the surprise of nobody, has been excellent thus far.
Regardless of which side your favorite team lands on, these are some of the best matchups baseball fans can ask for.
After the postseason wraps up, it’s time for us all to turn our attention to the offseason, which is also full of action.
One of the early storylines to lock onto is salary arbitration, and what kind of raises your favorite players will earn, and whether or not they are even tendered contracts in the first place.
In collaboration with Just Baseball contributor Zach Cioffi and his ultimate 2026-2027 MLB Arbitration Salary guide, we’ve got a list of all of the notable non-tender candidates in the upcoming offseason. These are all of the players who we predict will be cut loose rather than given any sort of pay raise by their current organizations.
⚾ Just Baseball
MLB Teams
Top Non-Tender Candidates in the 2026-27 MLB Offseason
*Any teams not included did not have any non-tender candidates in our projections
American League
Baltimore Orioles
RHP Codi Heuer
Heuer, 30, has 97 big-league appearances under his belt across four seasons. The right-hander earned just eight appearances at the game’s highest level in 2026 (none with the Orioles) and struck out six while walking five in 9.2 innings. He’s a decent depth option and has a solid minor league track record, but the Orioles’ lengthy list of 40-man spots needed to protect Rule 5-eligible players means Heuer will be squeezed out.
RHP Albert Suarez
Suarez and the Orioles have a complicated relationship, one that resulted in a shocking number of break-ups and reunions throughout the 2026 season. The 37-year-old gave Baltimore a veteran innings eater that they needed this past year, but he’s another arm that doesn’t need to be guaranteed an MLB salary in the coming year. Will he be tendered a contract? No. Will he be in the Orioles organization in 2027? Highly likely.
We’ve got Taveras in-line for a $1.5 million raise in the coming year, but that’s a price tag that the Orioles aren’t likely to want to pick up. The switch-hitter made it into 130+ games for the third time in his seven-year career, but he also posted an 80 wRC+ and just 0.4 fWAR while his OPS sat all the way down at .633. Taveras has a strong throwing arm and is quick on his feet, but he’d be too far down on the 2027 Orioles’ depth chart to warrant another contract.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Orioles case and tender predictions, click here
Boston Red Sox
It wasn’t that long ago that Casas was viewed as Boston’s first baseman of the future. He finished third in the 2022 Rookie of the Year race but has seen his value significantly diminish thanks to three consecutive injury-plagued campaigns. The 26-year-old did not make a single appearance in the majors this past season. His inability to play anywhere other than first base makes him expendable, as the Red Sox now have other pieces to fill the 1B/DH role.
UTIL Romy Gonzalez
Even after turning in two straight above-average offensive seasons for the Red Sox, Gonzalez appears to be on the outside looking in in regards to the 2027 roster. The 30-year-old is extremely versatile on defense, but injuries severely limited him in 2026 and he’s fallen too far down the totem pole to be tendered a new deal.
OF Eli White
The Red Sox went out and acquired White at the trade deadline from the Atlanta Braves, and he was perfectly decent on his new team. While his skillset does have value in today’s game, White is not a whole lot more than a defensive specialist or a pinch-runner. He’s a great minor-league depth piece, but doesn’t seem to be a player the Red Sox give a raise to and bring back on a guaranteed salary in 2027.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Red Sox case and tender predictions, click here
Chicago White Sox
Once viewed as the Giants’ replacement for Buster Posey, Bart has failed to capitalize on the sky-high hype he had earlier on in his professional career. In 2026, he suited up for three different teams and limped to the finish line with an 85 wRC+ and just 0.3 fWAR. He’s out of minor league options and is one of many catchers vying for MLB playing time on the White Sox. The question is: did he really do enough to warrant a big league roster spot over Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, or Drew Romo? Not so much.
For an in-depth breakdown on every White Sox case and tender predictions, click here
Detroit Tigers
RHP Beau Brieske
In 2023 and 2024, Brieske was comfortably above-average by ERA+ and was an oft-used arm out of the Tigers’ bullpen. Two straight injury-shortened seasons have stalled his development, and the Tigers should have little trouble finding another body to fill his middle-relief role on their roster.
UTIL Matt Vierling
Another player who has previously been a legitimately useful piece in Detroit, Vierling has also battled injuries and doesn’t have a natural fit on the Tigers any longer. The 30-year-old can play all four corners on the diamond and has historically hit well against left-handers, but he’s been pushed out of a guaranteed spot on this team.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Tigers case and tender predictions, click here
Houston Astros
OF Jake Meyers
A veteran of six seasons patrolling the Astros’ outfield, Meyers is likely going to see his time on the club come to an end. He’s always been outstanding with the glove, but his offensive value is limited and a mid-season demotion to Triple-A by the Astros seemed to show that he had fallen out of favor with the club’s decision makers. A reunion on a minor league contract makes sense, as defenders of his caliber don’t exactly grow on trees, but not before he’s non-tendered.
After appearing in over 150 games across the past two years and hitting a combined .194 with a .627 OPS, Trammell’s an obvious candidate to be cut loose. He strikes out a ton and is never going to hit much, but he’s a solid defender in the outfield corners and at the very least should be able to find a job for the coming season, albeit not on a big league roster.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Astros case and tender predictions, click here
Kansas City Royals
RHP Alex Lange
A former closer who not so long ago was a valuable asset on the division rival Tigers, Lange made it into 59 contests for the Royals (his most since 2023), but his 6.75 ERA, 5.87 FIP, and BB/9 dangerously close to 5.00 don’t instill much confidence. The Royals could very simply find an alternative player who won’t cost them as much as the $1.55 million we project for Lange in 2027.
RHP Nick Mears
Mears, a perfectly fine middle-reliever, underwent season-ending surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome and is expected to miss most of, if not all of the upcoming campaign. The fact that he’s going to become a free agent following next year tells us that he’s not going to be worth his projected $2 million salary if there’s a chance he’s not even going to throw a single pitch.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Royals case and tender predictions, click here
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have a huge list of players eligible for arbitration this winter, but we’re only predicting one of them to be non-tendered. Heineman, a well-respected backup catcher, doesn’t hit much at all but is known around the league as someone pitchers love to throw to. The fact of the matter is, though, that there are a lot of catchers similar to him that won’t cost the same amount ($1.378 million) as we’re projecting him to bring in in arbitration.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Angels case and tender predictions, click here
Seattle Mariners
Rucker, 32, logged 37 games and struck out 50 batters while walking 17 in 43.2 innings of work. The right-hander had a respectable 3.90 FIP, but his 71 ERA+ suggests his overall performance was 29% below league-average. While his projected $825K arb number is hardly one that’d make a dent in the Mariners’ payroll, he simply hasn’t done enough at any point in his MLB career to warrant a guaranteed salary for next year.
A power-hitting corner bat who made his brief return stateside after a year in Korea, Wisdom logged just 50 plate appearances for this year’s Mariners and recorded only five hits while striking out 21 times. It’s been years since he’s been a productive bat at the big league level, but at this point in his career he’s a candidate for an MiLB contract more than the $1 million arb number we project for him.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Mariners case and tender predictions, click here
Tampa Bay Rays
Once a hyped prospect who has failed to capitalize on the potential, Madrigal remains a light-hitting middle infielder who is much more valuable to organizations as minor league depth than anything else. While he’s projected to earn just $875K in arbitration, a non-tender is the obvious way to go.
An injury-shortened season came at the worst possible time for Rodriguez, who enters arbitration relying solely on what he’s done in the past for the Rays. With this team being one that can churn out random elite relievers like it’s nothing, this 30-year-old is far likelier to be non-tendered and moved on from than being given a pay raise.
Scholtens, 32, is useful to have in the high-minors since he can fill a variety of different roles on a pitching staff, but he’s little more than an emergency injury replacement at this point in his career. The right-hander turned in a 4.34 ERA and 5.95 FIP across 12 games and 47.2 innings for the 2026 Rays.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Rays case and tender predictions, click here
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
A former first-round pick by the Diamondbacks (2017), Smith has been given a ton of opportunities across the past seven years, but he hit just .183 with a 55 wRC+ while sporting a much lower walk rate than he typically turns in. The 30-year-old and his -0.6 fWAR cleared waivers this past season, which tells you all you need to know about whether or not he’s a hot commodity around the league. It seems that an unceremonious end to a long tenure in the desert is on the horizon.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Diamondbacks case and tender predictions, click here
Atlanta Braves
By ERA+, Karinchak has never once been a below-average arm in the big leagues. His issue over the past handful of years has been durability, and that can harm a player’s value in today’s game. The right-hander was solid for Atlanta in both the major and minor leagues, but his nine-game showing for the Braves was his first since 2023. At this point, he needs to settle for MiLB contracts until he can prove he’s got sustained health on his side.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Braves case and tender predictions, click here
Chicago Cubs
Yet another player who received a ton of chances only to flounder at the big league level, Arias made it into just seven games for the Cubs after previously spending time with the Guardians and Mets earlier in the year. He’s a solid defender but he’s got little bat to speak of, and the fact of the matter is that the Cubs have way too many infielders that are better than Arias is.
Roberts, 29, has made 63 appearances for the Cubs across four years in the major leagues, but the vast majority of his results have been uninspiring to this point. Since he’s out of options and is far from a leverage reliever, a non-tender feels much more likely than any sort of guaranteed deal.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Cubs case and tender predictions, click here
Miami Marlins
Just a few years ago, Nardi felt like a legitimate piece of the Marlins’ bullpen puzzle, but underperformance and consistent injury issues have brought his value crashing back down to earth. He’s a high-strikeout southpaw who has experienced success in the past, but he hasn’t shown enough promise over the past year-plus to warrant a guaranteed deal in 2027.
Zuber, a five-year veteran in the big leagues, set new career highs in games, innings, and strikeouts, but the bar entering the year was already very low. The right-hander has no options, a 6.04 career ERA, and finished the campaign on the injured list. The odds are against him in his quest for a guaranteed deal in arbitration this winter.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Marlins case and tender predictions, click here
Milwaukee Brewers
Baddoo is still just 28 years of age, but he did not appear in a single MLB game this year. While he had an .818 OPS with 11 home runs in 66 minor league games, he’s simply not a player worth extending a guaranteed contract to this offseason.
Another 28-year-old, Wilson somehow already has parts of nine seasons under his belt in the big leagues. The right-hander has bounced around a ton over the past few years, but he’s best kept around as an emergency injury replacement at this point. To his credit, he’s got a 123 ERA+ across 100 games as a Milwaukee Brewer, so it’s entirely possible he’s brought back on an MiLB contract.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Brewers case and tender predictions, click here
New York Mets
Since the Mets don’t have any pending free agents on their roster, they’re going to need to make some non-tenders if any prospects worth protecting need spots. Morel, 27, is an obvious candidate to be sent packing because of that. Gone are the days of him slugging 20+ home runs on the Cubs, and he’s little more than a high-strikeout first baseman with little offensive promise and no home defensively.
Another player with no clear role on next year’s roster, Pache made it into just 15 games and earned eight plate appearances at the game’s highest level. He has never been much of a hitter at any level, but his defensive prowess will at the very least earn him a job somewhere in 2027, likely on a MiLB deal.
Pérez has appeared in a ton of games over the past handful of years, but his results have generally been mixed. The left-hander turned in a 103 ERA+ across 24 games on the Mets, but the team is not going to have much difficulty finding this same production at a lower price than his estimated $2.2 million arb number.
The 2026 campaign was Warren’s first full one in the big leagues, and he was right around average. The right-hander isn’t much of a leverage option and is a generic middle reliever. Occupying a spot in Triple-A is conceivable, but Warren is option-less and feels likely to be overtaken on the totem pole by a prospect needing R5 protection.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Mets case and tender predictions, click here
Philadelphia Phillies
Turning in a 6.19 ERA and 5.19 FIP is less than ideal when you’re going to be looking for a pay raise through arbitration. Banks, 35 in a few weeks, has some past success to his name, but his performance this year didn’t do him any favors moving forward, and he’ll likely be snagged on a MiLB contract this winter rather than earning anything guaranteed.
Dating back to 2020, Marchán has earned 116 appearances in the big leagues but has been more of a third-string/reserve catcher than anything else. To date, he’s accumulated just 0.5 fWAR and has hit .202 with a .585 OPS. He’s a solid defensive backstop, but is his role really one worth taking up a 40-man space?
A strict “vibes guy” who provides very little on the field but a ton in the clubhouse, Stubbs has been on the Phillies in multiple different stints dating back to 2022 and is extremely well-liked by his peers. He brings no value with the bat, isn’t a great defensive catcher, and simply shouldn’t be a lock for a guaranteed contract in the coming season. While he’s a major non-tender candidate, don’t be surprised to see him re-up on an MiLB deal.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Phillies case and tender predictions, click here
San Francisco Giants
No team has more non-tender candidates than the Giants, but that is largely due to the fact that they have a ton of spots in need of freeing up on the 40-man roster. Buttó, 28, has dealt with recent arm injuries and has no minor league options, so he is an obvious candidate to lose his current hold on a 40-man spot.
Doval, 29, made his way back to the Giants after a mid-season trade to the Yankees in 2025. The right-hander is at his best when he’s in a Giants uniform, and he recently made it clear he wants to spend the rest of his career in San Francisco. His overall performance in 2026 was off the mark from where he’s pitched at in the past, so the question is now whether or not he’s worth his projected $6.4 million arb number. Perhaps a non-tender and an eventual re-signing with the Giants would make more sense than giving him this raise through arbitration.
From 2022 to 2024, only eight relievers appeared in more games than Foley, who was an oft-used weapon of the Tigers for years. The right-hander missed last year due to injury and only made 24 appearances for the Giants in 2026. In that time, his H/9 and BB/9 increased, while his K/9 decreased from their usual levels. With a bunch of spots needing to be opened up, Foley didn’t do enough to warrant a guaranteed deal through arbitration.
Knizner has been floating around as a backup catcher for many years now, and he’s never hit all that well or defended his position at an above-average clip. The Giants’ decision to non-tender rather than guarantee him anything is a pretty clear and obvious one.
Wick was initially brought in by the Giants with the understanding being that he wouldn’t throw a pitch for them in 2026. The team couldn’t have foreseen needing this many spots on their 40-man this winter at the time, so it seems that they are destined to have Wick be one of many projected to lose his place. Since he’s shown potential in the past at the game’s highest level, it’s entirely possible he’s brought back into the fold on an MiLB deal.
For an in-depth breakdown on every Giants case and tender predictions, click here
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals had high hopes for Gorman early on in his big league career, and it’s not difficult to see why. The lefty slugger hit a combined 41 home runs while sporting a 113 wRC+ through his first two seasons. Since then, though, his numbers have cratered. At this point, he’s no longer of any value at all and is coming off of a year in which he posted a 62 wRC+ and was worth -0.5 fWAR. He’s still young and has plenty of time to improve, but it’s unlikely that improvement will come on the Cardinals.
Washington Nationals
Formerly a consistent piece of the Nationals’ starting rotation, a slew of injuries has resulted in Gray making just five big league appearances (12.1 innings) dating back to 2024. The right-hander is likely going to get passed up the Nationals’ depth chart, as the team needs to protect a handful of starting-pitching prospects from the Rule 5 Draft this winter.
Lovelady only spent part of his 2026 campaign on the Nationals, but he was an above-average producer during his time. The quirky left-hander performed decently enough, but this is an organization that’s going to be looking to take the “next step” as soon as possible, and a player who’s right around average can get passed up. The Nationals also have other left-handed relievers who can be freely optioned to the minor leagues if needed, while Lovelady cannot.
Become a Member of Just Baseball
Subscribe and upgrade to go ad-free!
* Save 25% by subscribing annually.
Written by
Eric Treuden (troy-din) has covered baseball for years for multiple different outlets including FanSided, Yardbarker, and Wisconsin Sports Heroics. He recently was the editor for Jays…