With the MLB offseason only a few weeks away, most of the league’s teams are already focusing on how to improve their rosters for 2019. Many of those clubs will look to free agency to repair their starting rotations, though only a few will land the top arms who are expected to be available in Clayton Kershaw (if he opts out of the two years and $65MM remaining on his deal), Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel. Nevertheless, as you’ll see below, there should be some intriguing starters on the market who may be able to offer solid production at lesser costs next year.

Following the method MLBTR’s Steve Adams came up with last year, here are the top free agents-to-be with respect to velocity, missing bats, limiting walks and inducing weak contact in 2018. The list includes Kershaw, who seems likely to opt out, and also features several hurlers who pitched out of their teams’ bullpens in 2018. However, the numbers they compiled in relief aren’t factored in here. (Special thanks to FanGraphs for providing such valuable, easily accessible information.)

Hardest Throwers (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 92.4 mph

Top Strikeout Arms (FanGraphs Leaderboard)

League average = 21.6 K percentage, 8.25 K/9

Fewest Walks (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 8.0 BB percentage, 3.03 BB/9

Highest Groundball Rates (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 43 percent

Trevor Cahill and Dallas Keuchel: 53.7 percent Wade Miley: 52.8 percent Doug Fister: 50.4 percent Lance Lynn: 50 percent Martin Perez: 49.4 percent Garrett Richards: 49.3 percent Adam Wainwright: 48.7 percent Patrick Corbin: 48.5 percent Francisco Liriano: 48.3 percent Clayton Kershaw: 47.9 percent

Least Hard Contact (FanGraphs leaderboard)

League average = 35.6 percent

Many of the starters above won’t fetch big-money contracts this offseason, nor did they land high-paying deals last winter. Eovaldi, who’s still pitching with the title-contending Red Sox, has posted encouraging production in his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016. Meanwhile, Lynn, Liriano, Cahill, Holland, Miley, Sanchez, Colon, Hellickson, Buchholz, Fister, Sabathia and Estrada are all coming off either one-year major league contracts or minor league deals. At least a few of those pitchers recorded quality numbers this past regular season, showing that you don’t necessarily need to splurge in free agency to upgrade your rotation.