2025 Fantasy Baseball: Free Agent Spending

One frustration I’ve had with fantasy baseball is watching teams burn through their free-agent budgets by midsummer. I can’t wrap my head around it—top managers in high-stakes leagues rarely exhaust their funds so early. Maybe it’s a lack of strategy or panic over a free agent that boxes them in. Meanwhile, I see others hoard cash, barely spending at all. Every team’s needs differ, opening up a wide range of bidding options.

Let me break down free-agent bidding and offer a season-long plan. In high-stakes, no-trade leagues, a fantasy team receives $1,000 in free-agent funds annually—same for everyone. Run out, and you’re done making moves. Home leagues might use $100, sometimes allowing zero bids for broke teams. With roughly 27 weeks in the season, you’ve got to size up the market weekly and set bids. Prices vary widely in the NFBC, and the key is to submit a fair bid that secures your target without overpaying. It’s a mix of gut, news, team needs, experience, and reading your rivals.

Say, I’m in two leagues, eyeing the same player. In one, I need to start him; in the other, he’s a bench option. I bid big where I’m desperate and low where I’m not. Knowing a player’s market value is required to hit the right range.

When I have roster issues, I act—I can’t take the money with me, but I need enough to last the whole year. FAAB dollars in August are useless if I’m out of the race. Working backward from Week 27, I aim to keep at least $10 for the final week. I won’t make 10 moves (minimum $1 each), but a few bucks ensure I win key bids. A savvy owner can roll with $40-$60 into the last month, enough for a big splash or two. At $20, I’m cutting it close—rivals could edge me out with slight overbids.

With two months left, I’d like to have $100-$200 in reserve. If my team’s healthy, I save; if not, I bid hard early. Early-season problems are the easiest to fix—random pitchers emerge, and call-ups grab roles. In April, I might skip rostering a hot hand player if I like my lineup. But by summer, when players hit their stride and injuries compromise the inventory, the pool thins out, leaving weaker options to fix fantasy rosters.

Every week, a player or two heats up, worthy of a short-term grab. Most fizzle fast, but some stick around as buy-and-hold gems. For hot hands, I weigh their track record. Is a 32-year-old part-timer suddenly playing more? His past resume says he’s no breakout star—bid light.

Situations vary. One week, my second baseman gets placed on the IL, and there’s only one solid replacement—I bid higher. Another week, same deal, but two other teams have issues at second base, so my previous bid might be at risk of losing. More eyes on a position jack up the price.

Early on, I don’t know my league’s drafters well. The draft hints at who’s sharp, but their bidding habits take time to read. I watch for managers targeting my kind of players—if they’re on my wavelength at the draft, they’ll likely chase my waiver targets as well. After a few bidding rounds, patterns emerge: Who’s stingy? Who’s aggressive? Who’s grabbing duds? The more I play, the better I become at recognizing their moves.

Once I’ve got a read on a competitor, I adjust my bidding. One wild bidder can inflate values, but they’ll fade as their budget dries up. Big moves are fine if I have a clear reason—panic buying can be detrimental. A couple of years back, I made 53 moves in an NFBC Main event, spending $773. I could’ve had them for $227—$5 each. Some bids were bold, some frantic, others misjudged. That league’s market was cheap—too many team managers held back their bids.

In 12-team formats, the free-agent pool is much stronger, leading to significantly lower bids, except for closer and stud players dropped by other teams due to injuries or slow starts.

Each week, I identify where I overpaid and adjust my approach accordingly. If I’m unopposed on buy-and-hold pitchers, I dial back. However, if my $30 bid barely beats the runners-up for a similar style player, I bump the next one. Hoarders who never spend need a new plan—free-agent cash won’t save you when you’re team falls out of contention. Stay active early to keep your team alive past the All-Star break.

Baseball’s a grind. Even runaway leaders can stumble late—I’ve got to play hard all year or miss my shot. The first half presents more buying opportunities but also increased competition. If my team’s struggling, I spend; if it’s tanking, I wait out slow starters. No issues? Having the most cash late is sweet. Too often, I see teams loaded with August money and no hope.

Reflect on your past spending for this season. Running dry by August? Stretch your budget. A $1 pickup can outshine a $400 bust. No cash kills your odds, so I pause before bidding big—don’t inflate a player’s price in my head. Be a week ahead on players—it saves money. Need the next Ryan Braun, Mike Trout, or Juan Soto for $400+? Draft smarter. If I’m flush in free-agent money midsummer and out of it, I didn’t fight hard enough when it mattered. Lastly, never run out of FAAB dollars if your team is in the hunt late in the season.