Right-hander Alek Manoah became a free agent on Friday after the Atlanta Braves did not tender him a contract for the 2026 season, according to the team. Manoah was an All-Star in 2022 with the Toronto Blue Jays and finished third in the American League Cy Young voting that year, but things quickly fell apart for him the following season, and now he's a free agent this winter. The 27-year-old had UCL surgery on his right elbow in June of 2024 and spent most of this year rehabbing. Manoah had a 3.96 ERA and 1.53 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 23 walks in 10 starts over 38 2/3 innings at four minor-league levels in the Blue Jays organization in 2025 before he was cut in late September. The former first-rounder will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal somewhere as he looks to work his way back to the big leagues.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the Baltimore Orioles tendered a contract offer to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle for the 2026 season. Mountcastle was a non-tender candidate after hitting just seven home runs in 2025. The 28-year-old is projected to make more than $8 million in salary arbitration in 2026, but it looks like he's going to stick around in Baltimore for at least one more season. The former 36th overall pick in the 2015 draft hit .250/.286/.367 with a career-worst .653 OPS, 35 RBI, and 34 runs scored in 89 games played in his sixth year in the majors this past season. Since clubbing a career-high 33 long balls and driving in 89 RBI in his first full season in 2021, Mountcastle has regressed at the plate, especially in the power department. 2026 will be a make-or-break year for him, and he could be a trade candidate before the regular season even begins.

Right-handed reliever Felix Bautista and the Baltimore Orioles avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.25 million contract for next season, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Bautista will return to Baltimore for the 2026 campaign, but he's not expected to be available to pitch again until after the All-Star break after he had surgery to fix a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder back in August. The 30-year-old Dominican reliever also missed the entire 2024 season due to injury. The good news is that Bautista looked strong again in 35 appearances out of the O's bullpen in 2025 before his shoulder injury, posting a 2.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 19 saves, 50 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 34 2/3 frames. He had a career-high 33 saves in 56 appearances in his All-Star season in 2023.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt and the New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million deal for the 2026 season, a source told Robert Murray of FanSided. Schmidt probably won't pitch again for the Yankees until the second half of next season after he had an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow in mid-July. The 29-year-old former 16th overall pick in 2017 out of South Carolina was solid in 14 starts for the Yanks before his elbow injury this year, going 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 73:30 K:BB over 78 2/3 innings pitched. Schmidt was even better in 2024 before another injury ended his season early, as he posted a career-best 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 starts in pinstripes. In his six MLB seasons, Schmidt has a 3.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 23% strikeout rate, and 8.3% walk rate.