Texas outfielder Adolis García, catcher Jonah Heim and right-hander Josh Sborz became free agents on Nov. 15, after the Texas Rangers did not offer them 2026 contracts before Major League Baseball’s non-tender deadline.
Major League Baseball reported that 66 players became free agents through non-tenders on the same day. The league also stated that 34 arbitration-eligible players reached contract agreements before the deadline.
Kansas City infielder Jonathan India agreed to an $8 million contract for the 2025 season, the highest figure among the 34 players who settled arbitration-eligible salaries.
García entered free agency after playing a central role in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series season. Heim reached the open market after serving as Texas’ main catcher in recent years. Sborz became a free agent after completing multiple seasons as a right-handed reliever for the club.
The Rangers made their roster decisions ahead of the league’s deadline for teams to tender contracts to players under team control without long-term agreements. Each non-tendered player immediately gained the option to negotiate with any club.
The non-tender group joined players who already entered free agency through expiring contracts or declined options. Teams used the deadline to review projected arbitration salaries, roster needs and payroll plans for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Players who reached agreements before the cutoff secured their salaries for 2025 and avoided arbitration hearings scheduled for early next year. Non-tendered players such as García, Heim and Sborz entered a market where teams can pursue them without draft-pick compensation.
Agents began seeking opportunities for their clients once the league released the full non-tender list. Teams that non-tendered players can still attempt to re-sign them later in the off-season.
The list of 66 non-tender free agents and 34 contract agreements included players from clubs across both leagues. Negotiations are expected to continue as teams prepare for spring training in 2025.
