The Midpoint of the Offseason: A Look at Team Spend
The New Year marks the symbolic midpoint of the MLB offseason. It’s been over two months since the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the World Series, and there are still six weeks until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. With 26 of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents off the board, including six of the top 10, the offseason is proceeding at a relatively normal pace.
Using MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, we’ll take a look at each team’s activity on the open market, starting from November 4, the date when free agents were first allowed to begin discussing contract terms with each team.
Here’s a breakdown of the top 26 teams’ spend:
1. New York Mets – Total Spend: $917.25MM
2. Los Angeles Dodgers – Total Spend: $287MM
3. New York Yankees – Total Spend: $235.5MM
4. Arizona Diamondbacks – Total Spend: $210MM
5. San Francisco Giants – Total Spend: $182MM
6. Texas Rangers – Total Spend: $130.5MM
7. Los Angeles Angels – Total Spend: $80.25MM
8. Baltimore Orioles – Total Spend: $71MM
9. Pittsburgh Pirates – Total Spend: $70.95MM
10. Houston Astros – Total Spend: $60MM
11. Boston Red Sox – Total Spend: $52.3MM
12. Cleveland Guardians – Total Spend: $42MM
13. Chicago Cubs – Total Spend: $40.5MM
14. Detroit Tigers – Total Spend: $30MM
15. Washington Nationals – Total Spend: $29MM
16. Philadelphia Phillies – Total Spend: $22.5MM
17. Cincinnati Reds – Total Spend: $21.05MM
18. Toronto Blue Jays – Total Spend: $15MM
19. Tampa Bay Rays – Total Spend: $8.5MM
20. Colorado Rockies – Total Spend: $8.5MM
21. Pittsburgh Pirates – Total Spend: $5MM
Why is it significant to track team spend during the offseason? It’s an indicator of a team’s commitment to its roster and its willingness to invest in free agency or retain its own players through extensions. It’s also a way to measure the competitive balance of the league, as teams with deeper pockets may have an advantage over those with more limited resources.
FAQs:
Q: What is the total amount of money spent by the New York Mets on free agents?
A: The New York Mets have spent a total of $917.25MM on free agents.
Q: Which team has spent the most money on free agents besides the New York Mets?
A: The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent a total of $287MM on free agents.
Q: Which team has spent the least amount of money on free agents?
A: The Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals have not spent any money on free agents.
Conclusion:
The midpoint of the offseason is a good time to assess the state of the league, and the numbers tell a story of teams making strategic decisions about their rosters. From the big spenders like the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers to the teams with more limited resources like the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers, each team’s approach is unique. As the summer approach, it will be interesting to see how these decisions play out on the field.
