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While the Yankees may be known for its prolific sluggers than for its hurlers, the organization does have a strong tradition of left-handed aces: CC Sabathia and Lefty Gomez have been enshrined in Cooperstown, and Andy Pettitte and Ron Guidry in Monument Park. In each of the past two seasons, a different southpaw took the ball on Opening Day — Max Fried this year, Carlos Rodón last year — a testament to the enduring legacy of the lefty starter in the Bronx.

Even among this great history, though, one pitcher stands alone: the “Chairman of the Board” himself, Whitey Ford, who came in at No. 8 in our Top 100 Yankees list two years ago — the highest among starters, and second among pitchers only to Mariano Rivera.

Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford
Born: October 21, 1928 (Manhattan, NY)
Died: October 8, 2020 (Lake Success, NY)
Yankees Tenure: 1950, 1953-67 (player); 1964, 1968, 1974-75 (coach)

Born in Manhattan and raised in Astoria, Ford came to the attention of the Yankees at an open tryout in 1947. A first baseman for the Manhattan School of Aviation Trades high school team, the Yankees scouts instead saw potential in his left arm, taught him a curveball, and watched him dominate the Queens-Nassau semipro league. After the Red Sox offered him $1,000 to sign, his hometown team offered him an initial $5500, upped their offer to $7000, and got him to sign the dotted line just like that.

After two years in the minors, during which time the man called Eddie’s blonde hair earned him the nickname “Whitey” from manager Lefty Gomez, Ford got the call to the Bronx halfway through the 1950 season. His first appearance, working out of the bullpen, was an absolute disaster, as he surrendered 5 runs on 7 hits and 6 walks in 4.2 innings. As it turned out, though, Ford was tipping his pitches, and after some work with the pitching coach, he settled in as a starter/multi-inning reliever: across his final 19 appearances, he posted a 2.52 ERA in 107.1 innings, earning him some down-ballot MVP votes and making him the runner-up in the Rookie of the Year vote. He made his postseason debut that October, throwing 8.2 innings to help the Yankees clinch a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The outbreak of the Korean War put Ford’s career on pause, as the young man was drafted into the Army. While he did engage in some real military work — he fell off a telephone pole not once, but twice, while working for the Signal Corps — much of his time was spent playing for the Fort Monmouth Signaleers baseball club. Although I’m sure the Yankees balked at his extensive usage, as he pitched four or five times a week, the arrangement was conducive for Ford: he was close enough to home to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in his Army uniform in 1951, and to marry his high school sweetheart, Joan, while on leave in New York.

Following his return from military service, Ford slotted back into the rotation, as the team’s fourth starter behind Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, and Eddie Lopat — already a fairly dominant rotation. Soon, however, it became clear that the real ace of the staff was the young southpaw. Manager Casey Stengel realized it and was often selective in how he used Ford, as he would skip a start here and there so that “Slick” was almost always starting against the American League’s toughest foes. Ford himself chafed at this, as he would’ve preferred to just have a consistent spot, which he wouldn’t get until Ralph Houk took over for Stengel in 1961 — perhaps not coincidentally the same year he won his first and only* Cy Young Award with a career-high 283 innings and 39 starts.

*Ford could have won more Cys, but the honor was first awarded in 1956 and it was an overall MLB honor until 1967, when the AL and NL began issuing separate Cys.

For a span of 13 years from 1953 through 1965, Ford was one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball. The numbers are, themselves, impressive: in this span, he posted a 2.77 ERA (a 131 ERA+), averaged 17.2 wins and 11.3 complete games per season; the accolades, even more so — eight All-Star appearances, the aforementioned 1961 Cy, 10 AL pennants, and five more championship rings. He won the 1961 World Series MVP against Cincinnati as well, as this was the Fall Classic that saw him break Babe Ruth’s then-record with 33.2 consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play.

But these don’t stats don’t do Ford’s performance justice. His left arm, consistent in its performance even as it battled injuries as his career progressed, served as one of the anchors of more than a decade of Yankees dominance — an anchor often overshadowed by other events on the team (e.g., the Maris/Mantle race for 61 in ‘61) and by other pitchers throughout the league (e.g., Sandy Koufax), but an anchor without which the dynasties of the 1950s and 1960s do not occur nonetheless.

By 1965, years of injuries — he had been dealing with circulatory problems in his left arm since his Cy Young season — had finally begun to truly take their toll, and he was scuffing the ball more and more while combining for only 177 innings between 1966 and ‘67. He retired at the end of May 1967, at 38 years of age. Seven years later, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame alongside his longtime pal Mantle.

While he stopped pitching, he never truly stepped away from the game: he had multiple coaching stints, saw his No. 16 retired on August 3, 1974, received a plaque in Monument Park in 1987, and was honored on the 50th anniversary of his original signing in August 2000. A local and familiar face at Yankees Old-Timers’ Day and spring training, Ford was also no stranger to ceremonial first pitches on Opening Day or in the postseason.

The last surviving key member of the mid-century dynasty, Ford passed away on October 8, 2020, watching Yankees southpaw Jordan Montgomery lead the Yanks past the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 4 of the ALDS — a fitting activity for one of the all-time greats. Today would be his 98th birthday, and we wish Whitey’s family well!

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Entering this season, only five teams had never won a World Series: the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, and Colorado Rockies. The Brewers already had to go through one of those teams to get to this point, defeating the Padres in four games in the NLDS. They then took out the Dodgers, who were going for a third consecutive World Series title. Now, they have to take out one more team to finish the job, and it’s another team that has never won a title before — the Rays.

Earlier today, Harrison looked at the current connections between these two teams. However, these two teams have been connected since the Rays were founded in 1998. They have had similar struggles, but also similar success. Over the past 28 years, these two teams have been building up to this moment, working through those struggles and that success to get here.

The connection between these two teams starts all the way back in 1995, when MLB was in the process of expanding from 28 teams to 30. They awarded expansion franchises to two cities — Phoenix and Tampa Bay. One was placed in each league, bringing each up to 15 teams starting in 1998. However, that caused a problem since interleague play was not part of the schedule yet. If they left it as is, one team in each league would be forced to be idle every day. Their solution was to move one team from the American League to the National League, and the Milwaukee Brewers were chosen to move. Instead of the Brewers and Rays both playing in the AL, they ended up in different leagues.

These two teams then saw their first modern success in the same season. In 2008, the Brewers ended a 26-year postseason drought when they clinched the NL Wild Card spot (only one was awarded at this time) on the final day of the season. In that same season, the Rays made a drastic turnaround. After rebranding and dropping the “Devil” from their name, they won a team-record 97 games and won the AL East, clinching the second seed. Prior to that year, they had not won more than 70 games in a year. Their drought was considerably shorter — this was only their 11th season in MLB — but it was still history for them.

That year’s postseason was drastically different for the two teams. The Brewers’ run was short, falling to the Phillies in four games in the NLDS. They did claim their first postseason win since 1982, but that was about it. On the other side, the Rays made a postseason run. They defeated the third-seed White Sox in four games, then the fourth-seed Red Sox in seven games. Their run would end against the Phillies in the World Series, losing in five games.

From there, the teams had different trajectories over the next few seasons. The Brewers only made it back to the postseason once in the next decade — in 2011, when they won the NL Central for the first time and made it to the NLCS, losing to the Cardinals in six games. The Rays made three more postseason appearances, winning the AL East again in 2010. They then claimed the AL Wild Card spot in 2011 and one of two spots in 2013 (the second Wild Card spot was added in 2012). However, they didn’t advance past the ALDS in any of those three years.

Both teams then entered a period of rebuilding. The Brewers didn’t make it to the playoffs for six straight seasons between 2012 and 2017 before breaking that streak in 2018, when they won the NL Central for the second time. The Rays missed the playoffs for five straight seasons between 2014 and 2018, but broke that streak in 2019 when they claimed one of the two AL Wild Card spots.

Since then, both teams have been regular participants in the postseason. The Rays made it to the postseason in five straight seasons from 2019 to 2023. They had another World Series run in that period, losing to the Dodgers in six games in the shortened 2020 season. The Rays also led the AL in 2021 with 100 wins, their only 100-win season in franchise history.

Meanwhile, following the 2018 postseason run to the NLCS, the Brewers clinched Wild Card spots in 2019 and 2020 (the latter as a 29-31 team in a season that featured five Wild Card teams in each league). They then won the NL Central in five of the next six seasons, only narrowly missing the postseason in 2022.

The Brewers and Rays now enter the 2026 World Series at the top of their leagues. The Brewers won the NL Central for the seventh time. It’s also their four straight title and fifth in the last six seasons. The Rays won the AL East for the first time since 2021, and it was their fifth division title. Both teams led their leagues in wins, with the Brewers also recording their first 100-win season in franchise history with 103 wins.

That sets up what will be a historic World Series. For only the second time in the last 100 years, the World Series will feature two teams that have never won a title. The only other occurrence happened in 1980, when the Phillies defeated the Royals for their first title. You have to go back to 1920 to find the previous occurrence before that one, when the Cleveland Indians faced the Brooklyn Robins. It’s also guaranteed to be a first-time winner for the first time since 2023, when the Rangers won.

It’s going to be a hard-fought series to get to that final goal. History will be made either way. It all starts in just two days in Milwaukee.

It’s a difficult task to follow a season like the one Kyle Schwarber had in 2025. He finished first in the National League and second across all of baseball with 56 homers, led all of baseball with 132 RBIs, tied his career best with a .928 OPS, played in all 162 games, and finished second in MVP voting. It was a tall order, but Schwarber looked well on his way to not only equaling that season but possibly passing it in the first half of 2026.

However, Schwarber was decidedly not himself in the second half, as his production dropped mightily after suffering a mysterious back ailment in late June that caused him to change his swing. His full season numbers still averaged out for him to finish the year in a tie for the MLB lead in home runs with 45, but Schwarber’s second half slump will lead to concerns slipping into 2027 as he gets another year older.

2026 regular season stats: 156 games played, .232/.354/.503, .853 OPS, 45 HR, 97 RBI, 130 wRC+,2.9 fWAR

What went right

Schwarber picked up right where he left off from 2025 in the early parts of 2026. He slugged 22 home runs through the season’s first 56 games at the end of May, just ahead of his pace from last year when he had 19 homers through 58 games by Memorial Day. By the end of the year, he had been personally responsible for 45 of the Phillies’ 182 total homers, placing the teams with the 17th most after ranking ninth with 212 last season. Outside of Bryce Harper, Schwarber was the Phillies only real source of consistent power, as no other Phillies player besides those two had more than 19 HRs in 2026.

With the All-Star game being held in Philadelphia for the first time at Citizens Bank Park, it was widely expected that Schwarber would take advantage of that prodigious power and take part in the Home Run Derby, especially after his performance in the swing off to end the 2025 All-Star game that earned him MVP honors. And take part he did, and Schwarber put on a show in front of a raucous home crowd before ultimately falling short as the runner up to Jordan Walker of the Cardinals.

Schwarber also finally broke the team’s three-year streak without a walk-off home run, as his mammoth blast on August 23rd that hit the batter’s eye in center field capped off a historic six-run comeback that preserved the Phillies then nine-game winning streak. In a season filled with frustration that ended with a whimper, that two-out rally was easily one of the highlights of the year for the Phillies.

What went wrong

It flew under the radar a bit as the Phillies offense as a whole struggled in the second half, but Schwarber fell off dramatically after the All-Star break. After slashing .254/.367/.560 in the first half, Schwarber slumped to a .199/.336/.416 batting line in the second half. The team routinely downplayed the impact of the mysterious back injury, but its existence coupled with his second half performance casts doubt on just how healthy Schwarber was as the season went on.

Schwarber also struck out at his highest career rate since 2017, as he punched out in 31.4% of his plate appearances in 2026, way up from the 27.2% mark from 2025. He chased at a higher rate than normal, offering at 26.1% of pitches he saw out of the strike zone, a notable increase from his 21.5% chase rate in 2025 and his highest since the shortened 2020 season. That combination led to Schwarber racking up 220 strikeouts, just seven shy of Colson Montgomery of the White Sox who set the new MLB single season record for strikeouts in a season, dethroning Mark Reynolds’ 223 Ks from 2009. Schwarber has always been one to rack up the strikeouts, but this much of a jump as he enters his mid-30s should be cause for some alarm.

Final Grade: B+

Schwarber was one of the only two above average hitters in the Phillies regular starting lineup and was a legitimate All-Star in the first half, but his crash in the second half keeps this grade from being any higher.

Fair or not, Schwarber and his counterpart Harper are judged to a higher standard than the rest of the offense as they are the two biggest threats in a lineup that severely lacks them. If they don’t perform, the offense suffers. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that the Phillies struggled in September as Schwarber bottomed out with a .172 AVG and .710 OPS in the month. The Phillies will need Schwarber to age well, as he is only entering the second year of his new five year, $150M contract. The absolute last thing the team needs is another anchor of a contract weighing them down.

The Tampa Bay Rays — the top team in the American League — has held its own to achieve the third pennant in franchise history, and their second this decade.

The Milwaukee Brewers are back in the World Series for the first time since 1982, and they’re doing it as the National League’s best team. The 103-win Crew swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and now host the Tampa Bay Rays in a matchup of two franchise-first title seekers. Game 1 is Friday at American Family Field.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Brewers as they prepare for the Rays.

Catcher

William Contreras is the lead backstop for Milwaukee, and one of the most popular Brewers, as he has been one of the more reliable all-around catchers in the National League in recent years and in the playoffs, as his bat has stayed productive into October. He posted a strong 1.157 OPS with three homers through the NLCS while handling a staff that mixes elite velocity with a deep lefty presence.

At backup, the more familiar Gary Sánchez provides a power-oriented option off the bench.

Infield

The Brewers’ infield blends elite defense, speed, and opportunistic offense.

• First base: Jake Bauers. The NLCS MVP has been the postseason story for Milwaukee. A well-known Rays prospect if you’ve read this site for any length of time, Bauers nearly retired but returned for what he considered one more season last year to keep his health insurance benefits after his wife became pregnant with their second child. Fast forward two seasons, and he has delivered lengthy at bats with power and timely hitting throughout October while providing solid enough defense at the corner. Veteran White Sox infielder Andrew Vaughn has also seen time at first and as a right-handed bat off the bench or at DH against lefties.
• Second base: Brice Turang. One of the best all-around second basemen in baseball and the No. 2 hitter. Turang combines Gold Glove-caliber defense with improved power (21 home runs and 100 RBIs in the regular season) and baserunning. He’s a clear mismatch advantage and not to be trifled with.
• Shortstop: Cooper Pratt. The 22-year old rookie shortstop has started the bulk of the postseason games. He’s shown a contact-oriented approach and improving glove work as the year has progressed, and pushing the previous starter Ortiz into a third base platoon.
• Third base: Joey Ortiz / David Hamilton. This has been a platoon/mix-and-match spot. The right handed hitting Ortiz and left handed hitting Hamilton now split time depending on matchups. If we are drawing comparisons, neither matches Junior Caminero’s power, but both offer speed and defensive flexibility that fits Milwaukee’s style.

Outfield

Milwaukee’s outfield is built on athleticism, defense, and a rising star.

• Left field: Jackson Chourio. This 22-year-old superstar has continued his rapid ascent in 2026. Already with multiple 20-20 seasons under his belt, Chourio brings power, speed, and improving defense. He’s the dynamic centerpiece of the lineup, their version of a Junior Caminero, and fun to watch.
• Center field: Garrett Mitchell. Strong defensive center fielder who has delivered several big hits in the playoffs, including a go-ahead home run in the NLCS clincher. He gets on base and covers ground.
• Right field: Sal Frelick. Elite defender with speed and contact skills. Luis Lara has spelled him against left-handers and provides another athletic option. The group ranks among the best defensive outfields in the league.

Technically also an outfielder, the Designated Hitter, Christian Yelich, remains in the lineup and was recently named club captain. While not at his peak production levels, his experience and ability to still impact games remain valuable, especially against right-handed pitching.

Rotation

Manager Pat Murphy has utilized short leashes and heavy bullpen support, but has a solid rotation heading into the World Series:

1. Jacob Misiorowski — The clear ace and yet to be crowned NL Cy Young winner (16-5, 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts in the regular season). He’s started Game 1 of both the NLDS and NLCS and will surely open the World Series. To say his high-velocity stuff that ranks among the best is an understatement. I half expected Misiorowski to mean fast in Polish, but apparently it’s something closer to bear.
2. Logan Henderson — The reliable No. 2. Solid second-half performer who has handled Game 2 duties effectively in his sophomore season as a homegrown talent.
3. Robert Gasser — Emerged as the preferred Game 3 option after strong late-season form and solid postseason outings (including shutout work in the NLCS). He was acquired in the Josh Hader trade with San Diego, over came a UCL surgery in 2025, and started the year in Triple-A, making his rise a bit unexpected. His dad’s best friend is evidently Vin Diesel.
4. Dustin May (with Shane Drohan as an Opener) — May has postseason experience but has been used carefully; Florida State alumni Drohan opened Game 4 in the NLCS, and the southpaw seems likely to get the nod again given how well that went last time.

No starter has gone particularly deep in October, which is by design. Milwaukee trusts its relievers to take over after four or five innings, limiting any time-through-the-order penalties.

Bullpen

This unit has been the difference-maker. The Brewers’ bullpen allowed just six earned runs across more than 40 postseason innings heading into the World Series and featured relievers earning the win in all four NLCS games during the sweep of Los Angeles.

• Trevor Megill — 6’8” Closer. Reliable late-inning presence, and a bit of an invention by the Brewers, having been added for a PTBNL in April 2023.
• Abner Uribe — Primary setup man. High-velocity right-hander who has been outstanding, despite blowing a save in Game 3 of the NLCS he’s been their best bullpen arm this month.
• Aaron Ashby — Left-handed workhorse who has been nearly unhittable in October (multiple scoreless multi-inning outings) and got the save in Game 4 of the sweep.
• DL Hall / JoJo Romero — Additional lefty depth options that each were credited wins in the NLCS.

Regular season starter Kyle Harrison will likely find his way into the mix as well. The group throws exceptionally hard on average and enters the series fully rested after the NLCS sweep and the Rays’ longer ALCS.

Conclusion

The Brewers’ formula is clear: elite defense, contact and speed on offense, an electric frontline starter, and a lights-out bullpen that can cover the middle and late innings.

Against a similarly constructed Rays team that also emphasizes pitching, defense, and small-ball elements, the series should be tight, low-scoring, and decided by the margins. Milwaukee holds home-field advantage and the deeper, harder-throwing relief corps—two factors that could prove decisive in a first-time-champion showdown.

Paul Goldschmidt was the ideal platoon first baseman for the Yankees in 2026: He mashed against lefties – more on that in a sec – and he was his usual reliable self defensively. 

But the Yanks have a decision to make this winter on the 39-year-old Goldschmidt, who is headed into free agency and has indicated he’d like to continue his terrific career. 

His dangerous right-handed bat would help balance a lefty-heavy position player group and the Yanks, as evidenced again in the playoffs, can always use a strong glove. 

But are there already too many first-base types on their roster? Perhaps that makes Goldschmidt, a probable Hall of Famer, expendable. 

Here’s a look at whether Goldschmidt should stay or go:

Why it could make sense to keep Goldschmidt

A sage veteran always fits on a team looking to win, especially when that vet fills his role so well. Goldschmidt destroyed left-handed pitching in 2026, notching a .967 OPS and slugging 11 home runs in 157 at-bats. His slash line against lefties was .299/.393/.573. Elite.

As a team, the Yankees hit 66 home runs against lefties and had a .733 OPS.

He hit more home runs against southpaws than famed sluggers such as Yordan Alvarez and Pete Alonso. Only eight MLB players had more homers against lefties than Goldschmidt, who made $4 million on a one-year deal. 

Overall, Goldschmidt totaled 18 home runs with a .765 OPS in 345 at-bats. If he’s back, he’d loom as a pinch-hitting option with serious pop or a defensive replacement on the days he did not start.

Goldschmidt also had the most appearances (77) and starts (70) at first base for the Yankees. He was not charged with an error. 

During his career, Goldschmidt has pocketed four Gold Gloves and is routinely among the best defenders at first base. It might be smart to keep someone like that, especially considering Ben Rice and Luis García Jr. are lesser gloves at first. Maybe Goldschmidt can help tutor both, a nifty investment in the pinstriped future. 

Why it could make sense for Goldschmidt to go

He’s 39 and the Yanks are clogged with options at first base and designated hitter. How would Goldschmidt fit on the roster?

Rice is such a good hitter that it’d be criminal not to play him every day and he’s too young (28 in February) to be pigeonholed already as a DH-only bat. So he’ll likely get time at first base, even when a lefty starts – he hit 11 home runs against lefties, too. Shouldn’t the Yankees see if he can improve defensively enough to be an everyday first baseman?

García rakes, but in his limited exposure to left-handers, his OPS was more than 200 points lower than it was against righties. García started at second base as recently as 2025 for the Nationals, which has led to some speculation that he could slide over there for the Yanks in ‘27 to replace a likely-gone Jazz Chisholm Jr. But that would be risky for a team looking to shore up its defense. 

Giancarlo Stanton made it back from injury for the playoffs. He’ll likely take DH at-bats next year against lefties. Aaron Judge might need more time at designated hitter, too. And is it fair to wonder if the Yanks should consider moving Judge to first base at some point in the near future?

Heliot Ramos, still under control, is another right-handed bat for Aaron Boone to deploy.

Verdict

Go.

It’s a tough call, because there’s a baseball universe in which Goldschmidt-on-the-Yanks clicks again. He’d beat up lefties, play good defense for a team that needs it, and keep a high baseball IQ in house. It’s also difficult to believe the Yanks, so awash in lefty hitters, should move on from a righty bat. 

But they need some roster flexibility as they reshape the club to try for that elusive World Series title. Goldschmidt’s bat speed slipped over the last year, according to Statcast, and he didn’t hit the ball as hard, either. While he nailed his specified role, he wasn’t great when he hit against righties (.590 OPS)

The Yankees might have to get more right-handed elsewhere (third base, perhaps?) and move on from Goldschmidt. 

Welcome to Wednesday, A’s fans.

The 2026 World Series matchup is set. The National League champion Milwaukee Brewers and American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, who posted the best records in their respective leagues this season, will clash for the Commissioner’s Trophy. The winner of the best-of-seven series, which begins Friday in Milwaukee, will capture its first title, while the losing team’s drought will continue.

The small-market standard-bearers rely on stellar coaching, player development and analytically driven, cost-efficient front offices to compete against big-market opponents with higher payrolls. Milwaukee and Tampa Bay’s success has led other teams to poach baseball operations executives from these organizations in hopes of replicating their success.

For example, on Monday, the Athletics announced Taylor Smith as their new president of baseball operations. The 31-year-old began his career with the Rays before serving as an assistant general manager with the Boston Red Sox since 2024. The A’s are not the only team looking to these well-run organizations for their next general manager. Brewers Assistant General Manager Matt Kleine is one of the leading candidates for the Houston Astros’ general manager opening.

The prospect of an owner-imposed lockout beginning on Dec. 1 will likely affect the pace of the free-agent and trade markets, with some players signing early and others choosing to wait until a new labor agreement is in place. The Athletics have an offensive core capable of making a playoff run, but desperately need pitching help. If he declines his player option and hits the open market, starter Clay Holmes could be a particularly good fit for the Green and Gold, given his elite ability to induce ground balls.

However, it remains unclear whether owner John Fisher will give Smith the financial resources needed to make a splash in free agency. Players may also spurn the A’s once again because they understandably do not want to play at a minor league ballpark.

If that happens, the team should turn to the trade market. From established players such as Zach Gelof and Shea Langeliers to less-proven youngsters such as Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Tommy White and Max Muncy, the A’s have a surplus of hitters, some of whom could be traded for pitching in the right deal.

What should Smith do first as he looks to help the Athletics go from last to first in the AL West? Who is your dream A’s acquisition this winter?

A’s Coverage:

• A’s bring in Taylor Smith to run baseball operations
• Dan O’Dowd Has Warning for A’s After Taylor Smith Hire
• Trade Candidate: Shea Langeliers
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Could a Former A’s First-Round Pick Be Their Next Pitching Coach?
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• A’s LHP prospect Richardson shows off health and resiliency during Fall League homecoming
• Zack Of All Trades Tries To Get One More Win: In Court
• Important Dates For The Athletics This Offseason
• 12 A’s Players Out of Options Heading Into 2027
• How MLB’s Proposed Changes Would Impact the A’s
• A’s part ways with assistant hitting, quality control coaches
• After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A’s Ryan Lasko
• Why 2027 Athletics Will Be Completely Different Team
• A’s Las Vegas ballpark cost rises to $2.1B, public funding delayed
• 2026: Year Of The “Didn’t See That Coming!”
• A’s Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay
• Where the A’s Plan to Use Zack Gelof in 2027
• Drafting The Top AL Graduated MLB Prospects From 2026
• 2026 MLB Farm System Statcast Rankings
• Devin Taylor: Athletics 2026 Minor League Player Of The Year
• Athletics 2026 MLB Draft Report Card
• Henry Bolte Is the A’s Next Budding Star
• Determining Athletics’ Offensive MVP for the 2026 Season
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Why this World Series is unlike any we’ve seen in some time
• How Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers can win World Series
• Back to the beginning: Both LCS MVPs face teams they debuted with in Fall Classic
• MLB’s Arizona Fall League outfield alignment experiment is a misfire: Law
• Rays finish off Guards to set up World Series clash vs. Crew
• NPB MVP, Triple Crown winner Sato to enter MLB posting system
• Orioles name ex-Cubs front office executive Banner as new GM
• Yankees manager Aaron Boone to return in 2027
• MLB qualifying offer for free agents rises to $23.15M, up 5.1% from last year
• Josh Bell Keeps Getting It Done
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

How should the A’s fix this problem before next season?

Construction continues at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark.

The 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays has a chance to be an all-time classic. Who do you want to win their first title?

Update on how some Athletics prospects are faring in the Arizona Fall League.

The World Series kicks off in two days. And some number of days after that, we will have debutant champion in Major League Baseball. Yes, for the first time since 1980, the World Series is being contested by two teams that have never won it before.

So who are you rooting for?

This is an easy decision for me. I’ve spent time in both Tampa and Milwaukee, and I’ve gone to games at both ballparks.

Milwaukee is one of my favorite mid-size cities in the whole country. It’s downtown is essentially a miniaturized replica of Chicago’s. It’s outer environs are dotted with great little neighborhood bars where patrons play a game called Stump, which entails nothing more than hammering a nail into a giant tree stump — it’s delightful. And, while it can feel way too dark and heavy on the grayscale, Miller Park is fun place to watch a game, thanks to fact that almost always filled to near capacity with fans who know baseball and are into it.

Tampa, on the other hand, is an overgrown strip mall with only one cool neighborhood that’s miles away from their perpetually empty dump of a stadium.

Let’s go Brew Crew.

Use this space to talk about the World Series, delightfully absurd bar gams, or whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.

Good morning everyone and happy Wednesday!

We’re still two days away from the start of the 2026 World Series, but we’ve got all of the latest news you need to know as you get your day started.

In Mariners news…

• Kate Pruesser spoke to Mariners players to get their take on what they’d like to see from the next M’s manager.

Around the league…

• The Astros have reportedly spoken to former big leaguers Josh Barfield and Randy Flores about their GM opening.
• Patrick Dubuque at Baseball Prospectus recapped an exciting Game 6 of the ALCS. ($)
• Timothy Jackson at Baseball Prospectus wrote about how Drew Rasmussen’s changeup turned him into the best pitcher of the 2026 postseason. ($)
• David Adler wonders if Jacob Misiorowski can rediscover his brilliance in the World Series.
• While they may seem similar at first glance, the Brewers and Rays are actually quite different, writes Bradford Doolittle at ESPN.
• David Schoenfield at ESPN ranked every World Series matchup since 2000.
• Dan Secatore at Over the Monster is appalled at how Major League Baseball has allowed advertising to get in the way of the baseball postseason experience.
• J.J. Cooper at Baseball America ranked all 30 farm systems by their Statcast performance in 2026. The Mariners rate…not favorably. ($)

It occurred to me recently that while I’d done an article in this series about most of the Cubs who will be free agents or who have options, I hadn’t done one on Shōta Imanaga.

So, here’s that article.

The Cubs had a complicated five-year deal with Imanaga signed before the 2024 season which they opted out of after his mediocre, injury-plagued 2025 season, making him a free agent. Then they made him a qualifying offer. Reports after he accepted it said the Cubs were “blindsided” by that; they didn’t think he’d take it. Supposedly this helped prevent the Cubs from (for example) signing free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease.

Cease had a really good year. Granted and stipulated.

Imanaga had… well, a good year. It wasn’t as good as his 3.0 bWAR 2024 season, but it was better than his 2025 season. He is who he is: A “crafty” left-hander who doesn’t throw really hard, but pounds the zone and doesn’t walk hitters (5.2 percent walk rate in 2026, 4.6 for his three-year MLB career). Even without great velocity, he still strikes out a fair number of hitters (24.6 percent in 2026, 23.6 for his career).

The home runs are what makes him frightening every time he takes the mound. He allowed 35 long balls in 2026, far more than he did (27) in 2024 in almost exactly the same number of innings.

The thing is, Imanaga goes through times of dominance and times of suck.

Look at this:

First nine starts of 2026: 2.32 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, five HR in 54.1 innings
Next four starts: 10.80 ERA, 1.523 WHIP, 12 (!) HR in 21.2 innings
Next 10 starts: 2.06 ERA, 1.112 WHIP, eight HR in 56.2 innings
Next four starts: 7.13 ERA, 1.528 WHIP, eight HR in 17.2 innings
Last five starts: 2.25 ERA, 0.792 WHIP, two HR in 24 innings

Out of Imanaga’s 32 starts, 24 of them were really good. Like, Cy Young contender good. The other eight were just horrific.

How does this happen? How can a guy utterly dominate hitters two-thirds of the time and throw batting practice the other third?

It’s not home vs. road. Imanaga posted a 3.90 ERA in 19 Wrigley starts and allowed 21 HR in 110.2 innings there. On the road: 3.53 ERA, 14 HR in 63.2 innings. He was somewhat better in day games (3.18 ERA, 11 HR in 68 innings) than night games (4.15 ERA, 24 HR in 106.1 innings). Those are more or less equivalent to his career splits.

So here’s the thing. If you have a guy like this on your staff and he’s the fourth or fifth starter, I think you could live with that. Personally, I think Imanaga (and Seiya Suzuki) help the Cubs’ profile in Japan and that’s not nothing; for one thing, it might help other NPB free agents choose the Cubs.

Imanaga’s original five-year deal was going to be worth $53 million, with incentives that could have brought it to $80 million — a $16 million annual average value. He has made $44.525 million over the three years he’s been with the Cubs. I would not be opposed to offering Imanaga a two-year, $36 million deal to return, an AAV of $18 million. That would bring his total Cubs earnings to just over $80 million, which I’d think would satisfy both parties. Imanaga was 100 percent healthy in 2026 and was the only Cubs starter who didn’t miss a start.

Bring him back, I say. What say you?

I’ve written about former Royal pitcher Roger Nelson on several occasions. For some reason, I’ve been fascinated with his career arc.

He was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1963. His minor league career with the Sox gave no clue to the magic hidden in his right arm. After five seasons moving through the Sox system, Nelson sported a 25-28 record with a cumulative ERA of 4.04, a record that hardly made him out to be a top prospect.

He made his debut on September 9, 1967, against the Detroit Tigers. He hit the first batter he faced, Bill Freehan, then retired Hall of Famer Eddie Matthews on an infield popup.

He made four more appearances that summer, the last coming on September 27 against the Kansas City Athletics in a game at Municipal Stadium. Once again, he hit the first batter he faced, pitcher Chuck Dobson, before retiring Ted Kubiak on a groundout to first.

In the offseason, Nelson was part of a six-player blockbuster trade with Baltimore, with the principals being Don Buford and Luis Aparicio. Future Royal John Matias went to the White Sox, while Bruce Howard, father of future Royal David, moved to Baltimore with Nelson.

Nelson got into 19 games with the 1968 Birds, throwing 71 innings, including six starts. He put up a sparkling 2.41 ERA, which was enough to catch the eye of Cedric Tallis. When Baltimore left him off its protected list, Tallis made Nelson the No. 1 overall pick in the 1968 expansion draft.

Nelson made the second start in Royals history, going five innings on April 9, 1969, against the Twins in what became a 4-3 Royals win in 17 innings.

Nelson was much better than his won-loss record indicated in 1969. Even though his record was only 7-13, he made 29 starts, throwing 193 innings to the tune of a 3.31 ERA.

Unfortunately, arm troubles beset Nelson, and he was only able to throw 43 combined innings in 1970 and 1971.

Nelson wasn’t even in the Royals’ plans for 1972 and had to make the team out of spring training. How long ago was 1972? Fifty-four years, if you’re counting.

Fifty-four years before 1972 would have been 1918, which marked the end of World War I. That makes me feel old.

The hit movies in 1972 were The Godfather and Jeremiah Johnson. The radio was playing “American Pie,” “Lean on Me,” “Candy Man,” and “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.” Richard Nixon was president, and the U.S. still had troops in Vietnam.

Nelson had a strong spring training and made the team as a bullpen arm. He was outstanding, making 15 appearances and throwing 25 innings while striking out 23 batters with a terrific 1.44 ERA.

Manager Bob Lemon finally gave Nelson a start on July 4 in a game against Detroit at Municipal Stadium, and he responded by throwing a complete-game, four-hit shutout. Somehow, someway, Nelson’s arm healed enough for him to harness his enormous potential.

The Detroit win kicked off a pitching run as good as any in Royals history.

Nelson made 18 more starts in that magical summer and finished with 10 complete games and six shutouts. Nelson blanked the White Sox on July 27 and the Angels on July 31 with a three-hitter. This gave him three shutouts in July alone. He threw a three-hitter against Texas on August 11 and a masterful one-hitter against the Red Sox on August 23. The Red Sox game scored a 93, which remains one of the top-scoring games in Royals history.

He closed out his tour de force with a two-hit amputation of the Rangers on October 4 in a game that was notable for being the last ever played at Municipal Stadium and the last game for Ted Williams, who was manager of the Rangers.

Nelson lost eight games in that stretch, with four of the losses coming by one run and two coming by two runs. The Royals scored only 20 runs in those eight losses, despite Nelson pitching brilliantly.

Nelson set four single-season pitching records that summer that still stand today. His record of six shutouts in one season will probably never be broken. He’s also in the top 10 in several other single-season categories.

It remains, arguably, one of the best pitching seasons by any Royal, ever, which is saying something when you look at some of the guys who have pitched for Kansas City. Drago. Busby. Splittorff. Leonard. Saberhagen. Cone. Appier. Greinke. Big names, all.

In the summer of 1972, Roger Nelson, a guy who looked like your high school science teacher, was as good as or better than all of them.

In the offseason, Cedric Tallis shocked everyone by trading Nelson and one of his best hitters, Richie Scheinblum, to Cincinnati for Wayne Simpson, a pitcher with enormous potential but a bum arm, and Hal McRae, a utility player who was still recovering from a gruesome broken leg.

Thank God the internet didn’t exist in 1972, because Tallis would have gotten roasted. Like most of his trades, this one worked out just fine. Nelson’s arm problems resurfaced, and Scheinblum lost his hitting stroke. Simpson had a couple of good starts in Kansas City, but his Royals career lasted only 16 games. The real prize was McRae, who not only developed into one of the game’s best hitters but also infused the Royals with some much-needed toughness. McRae, of course, was one of the Royals’ all-time greats and ended up in the Royals Hall of Fame.

Nelson appeared in 28 games for the Big Red Machine between 1973 and 1974, toggling between starting and relieving.

He even threw 2 1/3 hitless innings against the New York Mets in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series in 1973.

Nelson had another excellent but short run of success in 1974. On May 15, he held the Giants hitless for seven innings. He ended up going 8 2/3 innings and giving up only two hits. In his very next start, six days later, he gave up only three hits in seven innings of work against the Dodgers. He closed out that stretch on May 26 with a complete-game, six-hit win against the Padres. Alas, the arm woes returned, and Nelson was only able to throw 21 more innings before the season ended.

In October 1974, the Reds sold Nelson back to the White Sox, who released him in March 1975 before he ever appeared in a game. He hooked on with the Oakland Athletics but spent the summer with their Triple-A team in Tucson before being released.

He was out of baseball and driving a truck for UPS when the Royals called in March 1976 and gave him another shot. He started the 1976 campaign in Omaha, appearing in 52 games and racking up 16 saves before the Royals called him back to the big league club.

After all he had been through, it was a heartwarming reunion. The Royals were on their way to their first Western Division crown, and Nelson made three September appearances. The best came on September 19 at Royals Stadium, when Nelson threw 5 2/3 innings against the White Sox, allowing only three hits and one run. At one point, Nelson turned back the clock and retired 14 consecutive hitters. After the game, Nelson told Kansas City Times sportswriter Sid Boardman, “I ain’t that old. I can still throw it. When you’re 32, you’re not ready for the grave. I’m just glad I was able to contribute to a club going for the pennant. I felt I could pitch longer today, but why try to be a hero? My longest outing before was four innings in Omaha in May. I could feel myself losing something. Why mess around when you got guys like we have in the pen?”

Unfortunately, that game was the high point of Nelson’s reunion with the Royals. A few days later, his car caught fire in the Truman Sports Center parking lot. Then, on Sunday evening, September 26, the Royals flew to Oakland for a critical series against the A’s.

Nelson was mugged outside the team hotel, thankfully losing only his watch to the miscreants. Nelson did take a spill and sprained both wrists during the attack.

The injury ended Nelson’s 1976 comeback, as the Royals left him off their playoff roster.

Nelson returned in 1977 but spent the season in Omaha, making 58 appearances and recording 16 more saves. He never made it back to the majors.

After being released by the Royals, he signed with Pittsburgh and pitched for its Triple-A team in 1978 and 1979.

He called it a career after the 1979 season at the age of 35.

It’s easy to wonder what the Royals’ past might have looked like had today’s surgical techniques and rehab been available. What would the careers of guys like Nelson and Steve Busby, possessor of another electric arm, have looked like? Would Busby have thrown a couple more no-hitters? Would Nelson have remained a Royal for life, which would have meant no Hal McRae as a Royal?

With a healthy Busby and Nelson, would the Royals have displaced the Yankees in 1976, 1977, and 1978? Life is always a series of what-ifs.

There’s an old saying that goes: Life gives us children so death won’t be such a disappointment. I’m not sure I agree with that sentiment, but I do wonder what someone like Nelson feels about being so close to stardom, only to have it dashed by an injury. He’ll always have the summer of 1972, though.