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MLB GMs Engage in High-Stakes Deception at Annual Meetings
10 Nov
Summary
- GMs lie about team finances to gain leverage in free agent negotiations
- Owners claim losses but hide franchise value growth and record revenues
- Teams expected to spend big despite looming lockout
As of November 10th, 2025, MLB general managers are gathering in Las Vegas for their annual meetings, where they are notorious for engaging in high-stakes deception. These meetings are described as the "ultimate game" where GMs will go to great lengths to mislead their counterparts about their team's financial situation.
The GMs will publicly claim their ownership has no money, only to then fork over massive contracts to free agents like Kyle Tucker or sign top starters like Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease. They'll also try to downplay the abilities of players like Munetaka Murakami, while secretly bidding for his services. Meanwhile, they'll deny that stars like Tarik Skubal are on the trade block, when in reality they are actively shopping them around.
Despite MLB privately telling owners that teams lost $1.8 billion last year, this is merely "paper money" that doesn't reflect the true financial health of the league. Franchise values and revenues continue to soar, with some owners worth over $21 billion. However, the GMs will continue to bemoan their inability to compete with powerhouses like the Dodgers, all while planning bold moves to unseat the champions.
As the meetings progress, the true intentions of these GMs will slowly be revealed. But for now, the deception and gamesmanship remain the name of the game.
