{"id":292957,"date":"2025-11-19T09:26:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T09:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/292957\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T09:26:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T09:26:09","slug":"placing-all-30-mlb-teams-in-free-agency-tiers-from-biggest-spenders-to-broke-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/292957\/","title":{"rendered":"Placing all 30 MLB teams in free agency tiers, from biggest spenders to ‘Broke Boys’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The “Baseball Bar-B-Cast<\/a>\u201d is here to help guide you through this winter of MLB free agency, which began with a minor splash from the Seattle Mariners, who re-signed first baseman Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On top of that, a record four players across the league agreed to qualifying offers of one year, $22.025 million<\/a>. While the biggest fish in the free agency sea are still there<\/a> for the taking, only a small number of teams are realistically in play for prized players like Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman. Simply put, not many teams are willing or able to afford the mega contracts those players will demand.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s why, in the latest episode of \u201cBaseball Bar-B-Cast<\/a>,\u201d Yahoo Sports\u2019 Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz\u00a0divided all 30 teams into nine different tiers based on how they plan to approach free agency, from the biggest spenders (Funny Money) to the most frugal franchises (Broke Boys).<\/p>\n

Tier 1: Funny MoneyLos Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets <\/p>\n

These two teams are willing and able to spend with essentially no limit, luxury tax be damned. For the Dodgers, the strategy has already paid off massively with back-to-back World Series titles. Their enormous payroll has sparked conversations about the spending gap in baseball and could lead to heated collective bargaining negotiations and a potential lockout in 2027.<\/p>\n

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“I’m interested in how evil do they get, right?\u201d Mintz said of the Dodgers. \u201cThey have now won two in a row. The lockout is approaching. We could be operating under a new financial system in, you know, a year’s time. Does that impact the way the Dodgers approach this winter where they’re like, ‘This is our last chance to really go nut nut, and maybe Kyle Tucker’s contract is grandfathered in, let’s get him on our roster.'”<\/p>\n

\"TORONTO,<\/p>\n

Is a trilogy next for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and superstar Shohei Ohtani? (Photo by Daniel Shirey\/MLB Photos via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

(Daniel Shirey via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Mets, on the other hand, have spent big without much to show for it so far.<\/p>\n

“I’m most interested in which of the two guys do they bring back: [Pete] Alonso and [Edwin] D\u00edaz?\u201d Mintz asked. \u201cAnd beyond that, how do they seek to supplement the roster? They have some money coming off the books, but if they try and keep Alonso and D\u00edaz, it’s less money than you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Tier 2: Rich Men North of RichmondNew York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays<\/p>\n

While this group isn\u2019t afraid to open up the checkbook, they\u2019re a tier behind the Dodgers and Mets. For now.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet’s not pretend like the Yankees are not still capable of spending more than everybody but the Dodgers and Mets, and maybe even outspend the Dodgers and Mets in some circumstances,\u201d Shusterman said.<\/p>\n

If the Yankees want to sign a big name in free agency, they might have to compete with a Blue Jays team that came within one win of a World Series title.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo they act like a behemoth?\u201d Mintz asked of Toronto.<\/p>\n

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The Phillies, meanwhile, may have to spend all their money just to keep the band together.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of the state of the roster and kind of the direction of their franchise, [the Phillies] arrive at an interesting point here where [Kyle] Schwarber is, of course, the top priority. [J.T.] Realmuto as well,\u201d Shusterman said. \u201cIs there another move? Is there a move on top of that other than just keeping this group together? Is it a Kyle Tucker?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tier 3: Have Employed or Do Employ Rafael DeversSan Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n

By executing a massive midseason trade in June to acquire Rafael Devers from the Red Sox, the Giants showed they\u2019re willing to make aggressive moves to get better. Yet San Francisco missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season anyway, while Boston surged to the postseason.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Red Sox, from a roster standpoint and a free agency standpoint, I think is more compelling because the guys they need to try and keep,\u201d Shusterman said. \u201cAnd the Giants, it’s just like, what are you going to do to move this forward?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tier 4: You Have Spent But Where Are You?San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels<\/p>\n

This collection of clubs have handed out huge commitments to big-time players, with varying results, including San Diego\u2019s Fernando Tatis, Texas\u2019 Corey Seager, several extensions to Braves players or even the Angels\u2019 deal with Anthony Rendon. But for multiple reasons, Shusterman said he\u2019s confused and intrigued about where these teams are at.<\/p>\n

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The team in this tier that feels like it should be a notch higher? The Cubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis team should be a real behemoth with the amount of money they bring in,\u201d Mintz said. \u201cAnd until they start acting that way, they will be here grouped together with the Padres, Astros, Braves, Rangers, Angels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tier 5: Why Don\u2019t You Just Meet Me in the MiddleSeattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies<\/p>\n

As we mentioned, the Mariners already signed Naylor to a sizable deal. But if they don\u2019t make any other big moves beyond that this offseason, they\u2019re still firmly in baseball\u2019s middle class. Despite these teams slotting into roughly the same spending tier, there\u2019s clearly a wide range of on-field performance here.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThese clubs, five of them actually are in relatively similar points where they’re trying to contend and one team is the Rockies,\u201d Mintz said. \u201cBut we feel like the Rockies had to be grouped here because if [newly hired president of baseball operations] Paul DePodesta went out and signed Dylan Cease, I would be both surprised and I would be like, \u2018that’s the Rockies.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Tier 6: Too Smart To SpendMilwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n

They draft well, develop well and know how to get the most out of inexpensive rosters. But how do they get over the hump to succeed in the playoffs?<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey have earned both the benefit of the doubt and also kind of the collective frustration of, \u2018Hey, you’re doing a lot of these other things really well, what if you just spent some more money on, like, really good baseball players?\u2019\u201d Shusterman said.<\/p>\n

Tier 7: The RedsCincinnati Reds<\/p>\n

They were good enough to make the playoffs, but it ended quickly with a lopsided series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey at least have more good things going on that you can be like, \u2018Maybe you are just a couple players away.\u2019 I think that’s maybe the most complimentary way I can phrase the Reds\u2019 situation,\u201d Shusterman said. \u201cBut also, maybe they don’t want to spend any money because they’re the Reds and that also happens often.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Tier 8: Wrong Place, Wrong TimeMinnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals<\/p>\n

These are teams that have spent real money at various points in their histories, but that won\u2019t be the case this winter as they all embrace some degree of rebuilding.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s not going to be a whole lot of sexy stuff at the big league level this year,\u201d Mintz said of the trio of teams. \u201cThere’ll probably be some trades of veteran players away for prospects and as for that reason, anything beyond a one-year deal would surprise me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tier 9: Broke BoysMiami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Athletics<\/p>\n

Could one of these teams break out of the bottom tier? Maybe the A\u2019s signing Luis Severino to a franchise-record deal of $67 million<\/a> for three years last season is a sign of things to come. Or maybe it\u2019s an anomaly.<\/p>\n

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\u201cUntil they prove us wrong the way that the A’s sort of did last year with Severino, to some degree, we have to expect them to not spend money. \u2026 history tells us that they are not going to spend real money in free agency. So if they, if they want to change that, we’ll talk about it,\u201d Shusterman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The “Baseball Bar-B-Cast\u201d is here to help guide you through this winter of MLB free agency, which began…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":292958,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[7679,95200,485,3960,3966,3959,49,48,508,3961,491,4021,11713,490,16302,14108,1506,132329,19455,13992,474,510,3962,487,12321,3981,493,3965,462,475,3980,481,509,1493,1521,14556,477,5886,512,470,482,132328,82,3982,480,6525,3992,507,3968],"class_list":["post-292957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-alex-bregman","tag-anthony-rendon","tag-arizona-diamondbacks","tag-atlanta-braves","tag-baltimore-orioles","tag-boston-red-sox","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-cleveland-guardians","tag-colorado-rockies","tag-corey-seager","tag-detroit-tigers","tag-dylan-cease","tag-free-agency","tag-houston-astros","tag-jake-mintz-divided","tag-jordan-shusterman","tag-josh-naylor","tag-kansas-city-royals","tag-kyle-tucker","tag-los-angeles-angels","tag-los-angeles-dodgers","tag-luis-severino","tag-miami-marlins","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-minnesota-twins","tag-mlb","tag-new-york-mets","tag-new-york-yankees","tag-philadelphia-phillies","tag-pittsburgh-pirates","tag-rafael-devers","tag-reds","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-padres","tag-san-francisco","tag-san-francisco-giants","tag-seattle-mariners","tag-shohei-ohtani","tag-shusterman","tag-sports","tag-st-louis-cardinals","tag-tampa-bay-rays","tag-teams","tag-texas-rangers","tag-toronto-blue-jays","tag-washington-nationals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=292957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/292957\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/292958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=292957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=292957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=292957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}