The arbitration system for 3-5 service players is one of the most stable collectively bargained systems in baseball. We’re doing the meme where the PA and the league fully consent to handling pre-free agency salaries in this way but baseball writers who moved to Bluesky don’t as if anyone cares

Happy arbitration salary exchange deadline day, everyone! I'll be updating the payroll pages at RosterResource very expediently as deals come in, so follow along www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou...

It's another Monday Matrix Reloaded! Hopefully there'll be enough this week to be back on Friday 🤞

Updated FA Matrix with Okamoto docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Programming note: the next Matrix Reloaded at @fangraphs.com will be on Monday, despite this past Monday's saying that there'd be another one today. Just not quite enough for a second roundup this week!

Updated FA Matrix with Imai docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

It's a special Monday edition of Matrix Reloaded, and I'll be back at it for Friday!

Many (and probably a majority) of these guys are gonna sign MiLB deals or go unsigned, but still 180 FA left on the Matrix as we approach the New Year:

whatever 2026 holds i don't think anything next year will be funnier than Chicago Pope. 2025 was overall a huge stinker but Chicago Pope was an all time great B-plot

last effort: I run a baseball site with some of my best, smartest, and most talented friends. we do fun and engaging work all year long, and it's about to get more expensive to read that work as of 1/1. I'd much rather you get in the door as cheap as possible. It also makes for a great gift:

Updated FA Matrix with Fairbanks docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Updated FA Matrix with O'Hearn docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Updated FA Matrix with Murakami to the White Sox docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

I believe this is the longest Matrix Reloaded ever, and it included a whole lot of writing on deadline today. Give it a read!

Updated FA Matrix with King back to San Diego docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

RosterResource Live Chat with me and @jon-becker.com starts in 10 minutes over at FanGraphs. The queue is open for questions ... blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

RosterResource Chat – 12/18/25 blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

For anyone (nobody) wondering, I believe five contracts with unreported values is an FA Matrix record

Updated FA Matrix with HSK back to ATL

Our society only seems to promote people who think the point of art is to hold a finished product, rather than the process of creation. I'm ashamed to admit how much it bothers me that you can be so obviously ignorant and still be taken seriously.

against all better judgment I have decided to join tiktok. but only for hard-hitting content, I will never "renegade"

We're down to just three teams without an MLB FA signing: Red Sox (connected to seemingly everyone) Rockies (connected to exactly one player) Nationals (connected to exactly zero players)

Hell yeah

Updated Diamondbacks projected roster/payroll at @fangraphs.com with Merrill Kelly returning: • Roster projection: www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou... • Payroll projection: www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou...

Updated FA Matrix with Polanco to the Mets

Here's my recap of the last week of transactions AND my last four days of coffee consumption. (Mea culpa: I lost count at some point so it might be 148oz from Sunday–Thursday)

Here's my recap of the last week of transactions AND my last four days of coffee consumption. (Mea culpa: I lost count at some point so it might be 148oz from Sunday–Thursday)

Updated projected Royals payroll at @fangraphs.com with Maikel Garcia's extension, h/t to @annerogers.bsky.social for the yearly breakdown: www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou...

Getting started in 5 minutes. Stop by if you can and ask a question or two ... blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

If you happen to know Michael Keaton, please tell him there’s a way to know for sure whether the Pirates took a look.

Travel day for me and @jon-becker.com after Winter Meetings so the RosterResource Live Chat will happen tomorrow (Friday at 11 AM PT/ 2 PM ET) instead of today.

Forgot to post this after I updated from under the table at teppanyaki but the FA Matrix has been updated with Yastrzemski:

Updated FA Matrix with Pete to Bawlmer docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Updated Pirates projected roster/payroll at @fangraphs.com (also from dinner) with Gregory Soto agreeing to a one-year, $7.75 million contract: • Projected roster: www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou... • Payroll: www.fangraphs.com/roster-resou...

It's not a Winter Meetings unless I have to pull out my computer at dinner to update the Matrix at least once. This time it's Gregory Soto:

becker szn

Updated FA Matrix with Díaz and Schwarber

Updated FA Matrix with Soroka to the D'backs; updated coffee to transactions ratio: 21 ounces to one transaction:

Matrix Reloaded is back, and your comments are encouraged! If you think this is long, just wait until next week, where I'll be rounding up everything from Winter Meetings week. Please remind me (and more importantly @megrowler.fangraphs.com) to stay hydrated during such extensive brain exercise.

Wheels up imminently to Orlando! Please come find me if you’re there, just aim your sights low and look for the 5’4” guy who’s not Ken Rosenthal

Matrix Reloaded is back, and your comments are encouraged! If you think this is long, just wait until next week, where I'll be rounding up everything from Winter Meetings week. Please remind me (and more importantly @megrowler.fangraphs.com) to stay hydrated during such extensive brain exercise.

Even with the price change, Baseball Prospectus is underpriced considering all you get. Coverage that's free from the influence of the league, a sportsbook, or some private equity ghoul is so important, and it's exactly what you get when you support sites like BP.

Very glad I never missed a day

Pre-Winter Meetings Live Chat starting in 5 minutes. Stop by if you can ... blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

RosterResource Live Chat with me and @jon-becker.com starts in 20 minutes over at FanGraphs. The queue is open for questions ... blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

RosterResource Chat – 12/4/25 blogs.fangraphs.com/rosterresour...

Folks, this is a deal like you won't believe. A guy came up to me, a man, strong, tough cookie. I wouldn’t want to fight him, OK? And he said, "Jon" — he’s crying — "thank you for saving offering a FanGraphs membership at such a reasonable price." So many people say this.

Give the gift of a FanGraphs Membership this holiday season! Members get a bunch of exclusive features, among them: • No Ads • Unlimited Articles • Custom Player Page Dashboards • Platoon, Context Neutral, and Historical Projections • Our Weekly Mailbag Column More info at the link below:

The AP doesn't have Cease's *exact* payment schedule (apnews.com/article/ceas...) so I'm currently having to make inferences that it's half of each contract year's deferrals, in order (but it may not be!) which gets me very close to Rosenthal's reporting of just under $27M AAV

Updated FA Matrix with Pagán, Mullins, and Rojas: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...