The 2026-27 MLB offseason is a bit more than a week old and already the hot stove moves and rumors are coming in. We've ranked the top 50 free agents and top 25 trade candidates, and built you a calendar of the important offseason dates and deadlines you need to know. Here now are Saturday's hot stove happenings.
Scherzer not yet decided on future
Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will pitch in "lockout games" this offseason to determine whether he will continue his career, reports the New York Post. The collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. Players on opposing teams work out together throughout the offseason and figure to put together games to stay sharp during the lockout.
Scherzer, 42, made 18 starts around injuries with the Blue Jays this season. If 2026 was his final season, he went out with a bang. Scherzer struck out seven in seven innings of one-run ball in Game 162. He is currently ninth all-time with 3,557 strikeouts, three behind former Tigers teammate Justin Verlander. We did not rank Scherzer among our top 50 free agents.
Multiple teams interested in Ty France
Multiple teams have interest in free agent Ty France, according to The Athletic. A deal could come together quickly. France had a career year in 2026 after opening his stance a bit, which unlocked more hard-hit ability. He's a terrific defensive first baseman as well. We ranked France as the offseason's 23rd-best free agent, and the second-best available first baseman.
It's unclear which teams are in the hunt for France, though there is no shortage of contenders who could use the 32-year-old. The Diamondbacks, Guardians, Mets, Rangers, and of course Padres stand out as potential landing spots. Given his career year and the surprising lack of right-handed power in the game right now, France could command a multi-year contract
Fubon Guardians post top reliever
The Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League have posted righty reliever Jyun-Yue Tseng for MLB teams, reports the Associated Press. Officially, Tseng has until Dec. 22 to sign, though the expected lockout means his signing deadline is really Dec. 1. We did not rank him among our top 50 free agents.
Tseng, 25, pitched for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic in 2023 and 2026. He saved 25 games with a 1.80 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 52 ⅓ innings this past season. Tseng's fastball typically sits in the mid-90s but has run as high as 100 mph in the past. His secondary pitches need work to carve out an MLB career as more than a middle reliever.
