One year later, these 10 get another chance at free agency

Aaron Nola, Matt Chapman, Sonny Gray and Josh Hader are among the top stars experiencing free agency for the first time this offseason. Also part of this class? A group of players who just did this last year and are back for another spin on the free-agent carousel.

For various reasons, the 10 players below signed one-year contracts (or multiyear deals with options that allowed them to hit the open market after 2023) last offseason. All of them improved their stock this past season and now get a chance to test free agency again.

Cody Bellinger, 1B/CF
Bellinger would have been due to reach free agency for the first time this offseason if things had gone as expected, but his Dodgers tenure came to a premature end when he was non-tendered last November -- just three years after hoisting the NL MVP Award. Los Angeles’ decision to cut him loose came after Bellinger’s performance dropped off a cliff across 2021-22, to the tune of a .193/.256/.355 slash.

Bellinger caught on with the Cubs on a one-year deal that guaranteed him $17.5 million and was able to rejuvenate his value on the North Side of Chicago, reducing his strikeout rate to 15.7% (27.1% in 2021-22) and finishing with a .307 average, 26 homers, 97 RBIs, 20 steals and an .881 OPS over 130 games. He's considered the top position player in this year's free-agent class (non-Shohei Ohtani division).

Brandon Belt, 1B
Belt eschewed his chance to test the open market when he accepted a one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Giants in 2021, but his free-agent stock took a hit following a 2022 season in which he registered a .213 average and a .676 OPS over 78 games. Joining the Blue Jays on a one-year, $9.3 million contract, the veteran first baseman went on to post a .254 average with 19 homers and an .858 OPS over 103 games for Toronto in 2023, seeing most of his playing time as the club’s starting DH against right-handed pitchers.

Jeimer Candelario, 3B
Another player who was non-tendered last offseason, Candelario was let go by the Tigers after hitting .217 with 13 homers and a .633 OPS in 2022. Signing a one-year, $5 million deal with the Nationals, Candelario bounced back to hit .251 with 22 homers, 70 RBIs and an .807 OPS over 140 games between Washington and the Cubs, who acquired him in a Trade Deadline deal. With an above-average bat and capable glove at the hot corner, Candelario could be a popular alternative to fellow free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman.

Aroldis Chapman, RP
As a free agent in 2016, Chapman inked what was at the time the richest deal ever signed by a reliever -- a five-year, $85 million pact with the Yankees. The flamethrowing lefty’s second try at free agency went much differently last offseason -- coming off a 2022 campaign in which he posted career worsts in ERA (4.46), FIP (4.57), K-rate (26.9%) and K/BB ratio (1.54), he signed a one-year deal with the Royals for just $3.75 million.

Chapman, though, turned back the clock in 2023, showing increased velocity and ranking in the 99th percentile or better in expected batting average (.170), whiff rate (42.2%) and strikeout rate (41.4%) while notching a 3.09 ERA and 2.52 FIP. Chapman even won a World Series ring after being traded to the Rangers in June, and he seems poised to have a more robust market than he did a year ago.

Mike Clevinger, SP
After undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2021, Clevinger returned to post a 4.33 ERA, a 4.97 FIP and a 7.2 K/9 over 23 appearances (22 starts) for the Padres in 2022. It was a far cry from his pre-injury performance, which included a 2.96 ERA, a 3.39 FIP and a 10.2 K/9 from 2017-20. Joining the White Sox on a one-year, $12 million deal, Clevinger wasn’t able to regain the strikeout skills he showed during his heyday, but he nonetheless enjoyed a solid year with Chicago. Having posted a 3.77 ERA and a 4.28 FIP over 24 starts, he could be in line for a multiyear contract this offseason.

Jason Heyward, OF
Unlike 2015, when he reached free agency as a 26-year-old coming off a 6.9-WAR season (per Baseball-Reference) and signed an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Cubs, Heyward wasn’t exactly in high demand last offseason. The outfielder hit just .245 with 62 homers and a .700 OPS over 744 games in a Cubs uniform, and the club released him prior to the final year on his deal. There was hardly a ripple when the Dodgers signed Heyward to a Minor League contract last December, but he could draw more interest this offseason after a rebound season that saw him hit .269 with 15 homers and an .813 OPS over 124 games for Los Angeles.

Kevin Kiermaier, CF
Kiermaier is never going to be a premier hitter, but his elite glove work in center field gives him the potential to be a valuable player even if his bat is merely around league average. The problem for Kiermaier in 2022 was that he didn’t come close to that benchmark, posting an 88 OPS+ in 63 games before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left hip. After the Rays opted not to pick up his $13 million club option for 2023, Kiermaier jumped to the rival Blue Jays on a one-year, $9 million contract and proceeded to post a 3.9-WAR season, pairing Gold Glove-worthy defense with a 104 OPS+ over 129 games.

Seth Lugo, SP
After previously filling a swingman role, Lugo performed exclusively as a reliever for the Mets across 2021-22. However, the Padres signed him to a one-year, $7.5 million contract (with a 2024 player option) with the intention of giving him a chance to earn a starting job. Lugo seized the opportunity and went on to make 26 starts, showing he could handle the rigors of a full season in the rotation by recording a 3.57 ERA, 140 strikeouts and 36 walks over a career-high 146 1/3 innings.

Despite the increased workload, the righty finished the season on a high note, notching a 2.50 ERA over his final nine starts -- including 8 2/3 shutout innings in his last appearance of the year. Unsurprisingly, he declined his $7.5 million player option and is back on the market.

J.D. Martinez, DH
Martinez’s production slipped in the final season of a five-year, $110 million deal with the Red Sox, as the right-handed slugger went deep just 16 times while slugging .448 over 139 games. Entering his age-35 season, Martinez landed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $10 million contract. Although injuries limited him to 113 games, he experienced a power resurgence in Southern California, producing 33 homers, 103 RBIs and a .572 slugging percentage -- his highest since 2018 (.629).

Michael Wacha, SP
Although Wacha posted a sterling 3.32 ERA over 23 starts for the Red Sox in 2022, the memory of his poor performance over 2019-21 (5.11 ERA) was still fresh as he reached free agency last offseason. The right-hander ended up signing a one-year contract with the Padres that gave San Diego the opportunity to pick up a two-year, $32 million club option at the end of 2023. When the team declined the option, three separate player options became available to the 32-year-old pitcher -- $6.5 million in 2024 and $6 million each in 2025 and 2026.

Wacha, who validated his 2022 performance with a 3.22 ERA over 24 starts this past season, declined his player option for 2024 and will now look to find a better deal in free agency this offseason.