Rays' Thompson: MLB arbitrators don't understand stats, basic rules

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ryan Thompson is the latest major leaguer to sound off on MLB's arbitration system.

In an in-depth Twitter thread, the 30-year-old right-hander broke down the entire process, pointing his distaste toward the system and the arbitrators while adding that he has "absolutely no ill will towards the Rays."

Thompson filed at $1.2 million for his 2023 salary but lost his hearing and will earn $1 million. He said that he and his representatives operated under the assumption that the three-person panel of arbitrators was "savvy enough to understand basic rules and statistics. I believe that assumption was incorrect."

In the 26-tweet tirade, Thompson argued that he excelled at metrics important to middle relievers, which are holds and leverage index. In presenting their case against him, Thompson said the Rays discredited those statistics and focused instead on blown saves and an unofficial FanGraphs metric called "meltdowns," which Thompson said he had "never heard of ... and maybe never will again."

Thompson said his representatives mainly focused on comparisons to other similar relievers, choosing Brusdar Graterol, Cam Bedrosian, Josh Staumont, and Jonathan Hernandez. Thompson's side articularly honed in on Graterol, who settled with the Los Angeles Dodgers before his hearing at $1.225 million. Here's how the two relievers, who are both in their first year of arbitration eligibility, stack up over their careers, using some of the statistics Thompson shared in his thread:

Thompson also found it "extremely disconcerting that the arbitrators are socializing, drinking, and using their (mobile electronic) devices prior to making a decision."

Last year, Thompson posted a 3.80 ERA and 3.42 FIP over 42 2/3 innings, recording three saves, though mostly serving as a setup man.

Among relievers with at least 40 innings pitched, he ranked ninth with 15 meltdowns but posted a 0.29 WPA/LI, which indicates a win-probability average in the context of the situation's leverage that's slightly above the mean.