FanGraphs Weekly Mailbag January 3, 2026: MLB Offseason Questions Answered

Every new year kicks up a fresh wave of hope in the baseball world. FanGraphs is starting 2026 by doubling down on its spot as one of baseball’s sharpest analytical voices.

Their latest members-only mailbag mixes nostalgia, stats, and offseason reality. There’s plenty here for readers to mull over as Spring Training creeps closer.

FanGraphs Kicks Off the New Year With Deep Baseball Conversations

As fans flip their calendars and start eyeing Opening Day, FanGraphs keeps delivering the thoughtful coverage it’s known for. The newest mailbag, written by associate editor Matt Martell, jumps across a spectrum of topics—baseball history, modern analysis, and the wild current free-agent market.

Mailbags have always been a FanGraphs thing. Readers toss in nuanced questions, and the site answers with data-driven depth.

This edition covers everything from Hall of Fame debates to overlooked seasons that maybe deserve a little more love.

Pitchers Without All-Star Appearances and Other Thought Experiments

One question digs into which pitchers racked up the most Wins Above Replacement without ever making an All-Star team. It’s a quirky angle that shows how reputation, timing, and plain old luck can overshadow steady greatness.

The mailbag also circles back to the Hall of Fame’s meaning, especially now that advanced metrics drive so much of the conversation. These arguments never really go away, do they?

Rickey Henderson, the Marlins, and Baseball Memory

No baseball chat feels right without mentioning Rickey Henderson. This mailbag takes another look at his wild 1982 season, using today’s analytics to show why Henderson still feels larger than life.

The Miami Marlins get some attention, too. They’re a franchise that rarely grabs headlines, but FanGraphs treats every team as worth a closer look, whether they’re chasing a pennant or just trying to stay relevant.

The Free-Agent Market as Spring Training Approaches

The mailbag doesn’t ignore the present, either. With about two months to go before pitchers and catchers show up, a surprising number of top free agents are still unsigned.

Ben Clemens’ Top 50 Free Agent Rankings show that four of the top five—and six of the top ten—are still waiting for deals. These days, the offseason market just crawls along.

For fans, all this waiting adds a weird sort of suspense to the preseason. Every signing shakes up expectations, and FanGraphs’ tools help put each move in context—who’s gaining ground, who’s falling behind.

Why FanGraphs Membership Unlocks the Full Experience

This mailbag, like many of FanGraphs’ deeper dives, is for members only. A subscription brings a bunch of perks for fans who want more than just box scores.

• Ad-free browsing across FanGraphs and RotoGraphs
• Unlimited access to premium articles
• One-click data exports and customizable player cards
• Enhanced Steamer and historical ZiPS projections
• Dark and classic site modes, plus homepage customization
• FanGraphs Walk-off and personalized year-end usage reviews

The People Behind the Analysis

Matt Martell brings credibility and experience to every answer. He’s a former baseball editor at Sports Illustrated.

His bylines show up in several major outlets. You can sense his thoughtful tone—it’s clear he’s spent decades around the game.

Got a question for the next mailbag? Readers can submit questions by email, which keeps the conversation rolling.

 
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