In a recent podcast, Jack Flaherty shared insights into the current state of the MLB free agency market, noting a lack of formal offers despite interest from several teams. He suggested that many clubs appear complacent with their rosters, aiming primarily for playoff qualification rather than significant improvement. Flaherty's observations reflect a broader trend since the league expanded its postseason format in 2022, where the incentive for aggressive rebuilding has diminished, as teams now prioritize maintaining competitiveness to capitalize on expanded playoff opportunities.
It's not that I don't think teams want to win, I just think you have a lot of teams that look at their rosters and they're happy with it.
Since the league expanded the postseason to include 12 teams back in 2022, there's been a trend away from the tear-down method of rebuilding used by teams like the Cubs.
That guarantee of a postseason series for any club that can make the playoffs at all, when combined with the inherit randomness of baseball's playoffs, has arguably weakened the incentive for teams to maximize their odds of success.
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