Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong won his second straight Gold Glove earlier this week, perhaps the second of several such awards.
Friday night, PCA received another defensive award, this time the Platinum Glove for the best overall fielder in the National League. Here are some of the numbers that got him that award:
Platinum Pete đ¤Š
Pete Crow-Armstrong is your 2026 NL Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner đ pic.twitter.com/djjCTZ57S6
PCA is the second Cub to win the Platinum Glove (also Anthony Rizzo in 2016). In addition, the Cubs won the team Gold Glove for 2026:
Thatâs the power of glove đŽâđ¨
Congratulations to the @Cubs, winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Team Award as the Best Defensive Team in the National League for the second year in a row! pic.twitter.com/zRyJcXaPi5
The Cubs have proven over the last couple of years how much defense matters. They also put together the best offensive team in MLB in 2026. If only the pitching staff had matched the hitting and defense, we might be talking about a Cubs World Series appearance this year. Thatâs the job of Jed Hoyer this offseason â to put together such a pitching staff.
Congratulations to PCA and the Cubs team on these defensive awards. Here are six and a half minutes of PCA defensive highlights:
PHOENIX â Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll had surgery this week to remove loose bodies in his right elbow and should be ready for the scheduled start of spring training in February.
The team confirmed the surgery on Friday. A full recovery is expected to take about eight weeks.
The three-time All-Star hit .239 with 22 homers, 78 RBIs, 33 doubles and a league-high 17 triples last season despite battling multiple injuries, including hamate bone surgery that caused him to miss much of spring training. He also dealt with back soreness during the last few months of the season, which was part of the reason he struggled in the second half after a hot start.
The 26-year-old has been one of the D-backsâ best players since he won NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 and led the team to a surprise World Series appearance. He was awarded his first Gold Glove earlier this month for his work in right field.
Carrollâs elbow surgery was first reported by The Arizona Republic.
Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates with the MVP trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Since his arrival in a trade with Atlanta during the 2022-2023 offseason, William Conteras has been a rock-solid catcher for the Brewers. He has been one of the league leaders at the position for the past four seasons, earning two All-Star appearances and receiving MVP votes in 2023 and 2024. While his 2026 season took a bit of a hit, his leadership and play in the postseason were critical to the World Series run, culminating in him being named the World Series MVP this season. He is approaching free agency in 2028, and with the Brewers looking for a future catcher from there and beyond, an extension for Contreras has to be in play.
Entering 2027, Contreras is under team control for one more year. While he would have been arbitration-eligible, the Brewers signed him to a one-year contract with an option last offseason. They immediately picked up the option after the season was over, and he will make $15.5 million in 2027. The Brewers may have been able to save a little money by declining the option and heading to arbitration, but they elected not to go that route this time. That also sets up a baseline for what an extension would cost. At minimum, any extension would need to be above that $15.5 million in average annual value.
While the general expectation with the Brewers would be to prep for the next prospect, the state of the Brewersâ farm system means that isnât a viable option. Jeferson Quero was the prospect that they were hoping would take over at catcher following Contreras, but injuries have derailed that plan. In 2026 for Triple-A Nashville, he played just 48 games at catcher while serving as the designated hitter in 71 games. From July on, he only caught a total of three games for Nashville. Looking further down the minors, Marco Dinges is ranked No. 14 in the Brewers system on MLB Pipeline. However, he also faced similar problems, and served as a DH for most of the season between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi. He also only caught three games from June on, and his season ended early on August 12.
That puts the Brewers in a tough spot at catcher. They donât have a ready catcher waiting in the minors, and anyone they bring up would need time to develop. The only other option currently on the roster is Bo Naylor, who the Brewers acquired at the trade deadline from Cleveland. He spent a month in Nashville before spending September on the Brewersâ bench, barely playing at all. While he could be the Brewersâ backup catcher in 2027, he likely wonât be much more than that.
What that means is the Brewers will have to spend heavily in the near future at catcher. That could mean signing Contreras to a long-term extension, and hopefully find their future catcher during that time. It could also mean spending heavily with their prospect capital, trading players in their system to get a highly-ranked catcher. Even if the Brewers do that, whoever they bring up will still need some time to develop. They could also look at acquiring an established major league catcher by trade, but that would also require a high prospect cost, and potentially even higher than bringing in a prospect.
The pending lockout further complicates the situation as well. Even if the Brewers do acquire a catcher by trade, that catcher will likely need time to develop. For a minor-league player, it would be better to spend a season with Contreras in the majors. However, if the 2027 season is shortened due to a lockout, that takes away valuable development time. Depending on how much it is shortened, any prospect could be thrust into the primary role once Contreras becomes a free agent. This would be lessened by acquiring a major-league ready catcher, but thereâs still the consideration of time to integrate with the pitching staff. Itâs less of a time concern, but there still is one.
The solution that would be the most optimal is keeping Contreras around long-term. He can hold down the position for the next few seasons while the Brewers continue to search for that future catcher. Once they find him and heâs had time to develop in the minors, he can serve as a backup to Contreras for a year or two. As the contract hits the later years, and Contreras starts to feel the age from playing the position so long, he could transition to another position (likely DH or first base) while the new catcher takes over. Contreras can still serve as a mentor while providing value in the lineup to finish up the contract.
Looking at the extension, we have a baseline for Contreras at $15.5 million from his last year of arbitration. Hereâs a look at the current top contracts at catcher around the league (contracts from Spotrac):
Cal Raleigh (Mariners): six years / $105 million ($17.5 million AAV), signed in 2025 through 2030 with $20 million option for 2031
J.T. Realmuto (Phillies): three years / $45 million ($15 million AAV), signed in 2026 through 2028
Will Smith (Dodgers): 10 years / $140 million ($14 million AAV), signed in 2024 through 2033
Salvador Perez (Royals): 2 years / $25 million ($12.5 million AAV), signed for 2026 and 2027
Sean Murphy (Braves): six years / $73 million ($12.17 million AAV), signed in 2023 through 2028 with $15 million option for 2029
Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays): five years / $58 million ($11.6 million AAV), signed in 2026 through 2030
Samuel Basallo (Orioles): eight years / $67 million ($8.375 million AAV), signed in 2026 through 2033 with $18 million option for 2034
Contrerasâ option for 2027 will already make him one of the highest paid catchers in the league. It puts him ahead of Realmuto at $15 million, and Raleighâs highest earning years come later in his contract (he will earn $12 million in 2027 and $23 million in 2028). Smith will earn just $8 million in 2027, but he also has a total of $50 million in deferred money in his contract. By cash paid out, Contreras currently will earn the most of any catcher in 2027, pending any other deals this offseason. Raleigh is the player to beat here, with his 23.5 fWAR leading the position over the last five years. Contreras is 2nd in fWAR at catcher, posting a 19.5 fWAR in the last five years.
With that in mind, itâs reasonable to see that a contract approaching nine-figures may be needed to keep Contreras long-term. There is no chance he would sign a deal with a lower AAV than the $15.5 million he is making this season. Spotrac posted earlier this offseason that Contreras projects towards a six year, $86 million contract, but that is too low for an extension. It would only be an AAV of $14.33 million, and itâs highly unlikely that Contreras signs an extension with an AAV lower than what heâs making in 2027.
Pushing his AAV ahead of Raleigh might be enough to get it done. The team might have to push towards a nine-figure contract to make it happen. Six years at $110 million ($18.33 million AAV) would put him ahead of Raleigh in AAV, but the Brewers can also structure it to be more reasonable. With an infusion of money from the postseason run, it may make sense to include a higher signing bonus and lower the yearly salary. That would take him through his age 35 season, and by then there would be concerns on if the long career as a catcher is taking its toll.
Contreras has been an integral part of the Brewers for the last four seasons. He has become one of the best catchers in franchise history and one of the best currently in the league. With one more year until he becomes a free agent, the Brewers will need to make a significant investment at some point in the near future. Whether that is a big contract or a major trade, that moment is coming soon. Investing in Contreras may be one of the smarter moves they can make.
The last full week of games for the AFL finished Friday with the Peoria Javelinas playing to a 3-2 record after having their Monday game cancelled due to unplayable field conditions. The Javelinas finished the week with a 16-10 record, first in the league and a half-game up on the Surprise Saguaros.
All six teams begin the playoffs next Thursday but the Javelinas have a first-round bye due to their record. The two top finishers get to take Thursday off after all teams complete the regular season on Tuesday and Wednesday.Â
The six teams play a round-robin tournament that finishes with the championship game on Nov. 14.
HR Derby
The Fall League Home Run Derby begins today at 5:30 pm PST and will stream on MLB.com. Eight hitters from the six teams will compete, including three from the Javelinas.Â
Outfielder Alex McCoy, the Padres No. 26 prospect, joins two other sluggers from Peoria. McCoy is currently tied for second in the home run lead in the league and is first on the team (5). His 16 RBI is tied for second on the team. He also has the hardest hit ball of the Fall season so far, at 118.2 mph, and it traveled 435 feet.
The derby consists of three rounds, and each hitter has three outs for each round, with the top achievers advancing.
Fall Stars Game
The Fall Stars game will be played on Sunday at 5 pm PST on MLB Network and MLB.com. Ten of the top 100 prospects per MLB Pipeline will be playing in the game. The two teams, representing the National League and the American League, will face off at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
Outfielder Alex McCoy and RHP Kannon Kemp will represent the Padres and the Javelinas in the contest. McCoy will be one day removed from participating in the Home Run Derby. There are six Javelinas on the roster for the NL team.
Like the MLB game, the AFL game has the Final Two pick before the final roster is released. Padres prospect, infielder Justin DeCriscio, is one of the three NL players in the final vote. That winner will be announced on Saturday after fans were able to vote until yesterday.
The final AFL report for the 2026 season will come after the championship game next weekend.
Winter Leagues
The Latin Winter Leagues began in mid-October but no MLB or MiLB players joined in until after the end of the 2026 season. Multiple Padres minor leaguers are involved and Padres free agent outfielder RamĂłn Laureano is playing for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League.
A weekly update on the Winter Leagues will begin after the AFL season is complete.
Padres News:
Mason Miller was a lights out closer for much of the season, but he had some struggles. What grade did he receive from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball?
AJ Cassavell of Padres.com breaks down how Craig Stammen fared in his first season as Padres manager.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 27: Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Saturday, everyone, hereâs a quick little weekend news roundup. Things have still been quiet on the Tigers front with some minor news updates about award finalists and coaching staff that weâll touch on below, and then of course some updates on free agency and the looming lockout. So lots of fun stuff to keep you busy on a weekend morning. And of course, the BBWAA has selected none other than Kevin McGonigle as the Tiger of the Year, as if there was any other option.
So grab yourself a coffee and just peruse some fun baseball links to get your day going.
Detroit Tigers News
In case you missed our article about it, the Tigers unveiled their 2027 coaching staff.
The Tigers have finalized their 2027 coaching staff. Kyle Hudson and MartĂn Maldonado are the only new additions. Ryan Sienko becomes bullpen coach in addition to his duties as catching coach.
Scott Peters is the new medical director. Jeremiah Randall is head athletic trainer.
âTrying to find those things that keep you grounded help drive you throughout the season.â
From growing his love for sports at home to becoming a dad himself, Dillon Dingler's family has played a big role in his MLB journey.#DNMW@RocketOTDpic.twitter.com/CNRe9Zltyx
Was browsing Facebook and saw that there will be fake Phillies team in the Tom Hanks movie âThe Comebackerâ out next summer. pic.twitter.com/unkgEa3Zbk
Brewers are already getting poached by other teams.
The Athletics are hiring Cam Castro away from the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers as their general manager under new president of baseball operations Taylor Smith, league sources tell The Athletic.
Aug 27, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) walks back to the dugout after striking out against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Good morning Birdland,
There is very little ârealâ news around baseball right now. The GM meetings take place next week, so perhaps some interesting nuggets will come out of that. But for now, we are in a holding pattern.
While big moves rarely occur during those meetings, they can lay the groundwork for seismic happenings later in the offseason. It has been reported that the Orioles are open to trading just about anyone on the roster, so you would assume that they will be particularly chatty.
Back in the summer it was reported that the Orioles had discussed deals involving Jackson Holliday and Colton Cowser. This was prior to when the team ended up trading away Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward, so perhaps they were just keeping options open. But little has happened since then to indicate that they should be committed to any one on this team. They have underperformed for more than two years. Change of some significance is needed.
While it has been reported that the team is open to dealing anyone outside of Pete Alonso, that doesnât mean that everyone is equally easy to move. Gunnar Henderson, for example, would command a huge return. Yes, he has not lived up to his MVP-level talent recently, but he is still a Top 10 shortstop in MLB with two years of team control remaining. The likelihood he is dealt seems small. The same is true for guys that recently got extensions, like Samuel Basallo, Shane Baz, and Kyle Bradish. These are players you believe in, and you just gave them big raises. Moving on now wouldnât make much sense.
Then there is a chunk of the roster that would be broadly unappealing in a trade of any import. Tyler OâNeill, Ryan Helsley, Jeremiah Jackson, Christian Franklin, and Rece Hinds, among others, arenât going to be particularly interesting to good teams. They could be traded, sure, but that would be more about clearing space on the roster than attempting to get better in 2027.
Of course, there is a group of moveable players with upside that could be involved in a bigger deal. This group probably includes guys like Cowser, Blaze Alexander, and Coby Mayo. Not perfect players by any means, but with skillsets that would help most teams. If the Orioles want to upgrade in the outfield or on the mound, they may be able to package a major league talent like that with some minor leaguers to get a deal done, even if it hurts them in other ways.
But the type of player that seems most likely to be traded away is the one that might just need a new kind of scenery. They have been given some playing time, but itâs not working out. They are viable on the big league stage, but underwhelming. And the team might feel like they have some internal options to step in already. That is the bucket where Holliday would seem to fit.
The team has infield options in-house to replace Holliday. Alexander or a returning Jordan Westburg could probably step in at second base. At the same time, he has top prospect pedigree and has flashed enough to be worth something in a trade. Holliday alone wonât net the Oâs an upgrade somewhere else on the roster, but he could be a reasonable starting point in a deal.
The Orioles do seem poised to move a big name player this offseason. There is no guarantee it will be Holliday. But he certainly seems like the most obvious candidate.
Looking at Oriolesâ priorities for November | Baltimore Baseball I do not expect much to get done in November, not just in Baltimore but everywhere. Teams donât really know what the rules are going to be for 2027 yet, so how can then make moves of any significance? Seems tough!
Scouting Players From Asia: 2026-2027 Offseason Update | FanGraphs The Orioles have not been too active in this market under Mike Eliasâ guidance. But they did sign Tomoyuki Sugano a couple of years ago, and had Shintaro Fujinami for a bit, so it can be helpful to get familiar with these names.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Roansy Contreras turns 27 today. He pitched in one game for the Orioles in 2025.
Dariel Ălvarez is 38 years old. The outfielder played in 14 games for the Oâs between 2015 and â16.
Kris Benson is 52 today. He spent one season with the Orioles in 2006, tossing 183 innings and accumulating a 4.82 ERA.
The late Bob Hale (b. 1933, d. 2012) was born on this day. From 1955 through â59, he was a bench bat for the Oâs.
This day in Oâs history
1989 â Gregg Olson becomes the first relief pitcher to win AL Rookie of the Year. He finishes ahead of Tom Gordon and Ken Griffey Jr. in the voting.
2023 â Mike Elias is named major league Executive of the Year after the Orioles finish the season with the best record in the American League.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 25: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran #59 looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays on September 25th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This is based on nothing but pure speculation. The team gave up what at the time looked like a large haul to acquire the closer that has stabilized the back of their bullpen and probably wouldnât be too enthused to move him again.
Yet as the price for elite relief pitching is probably going to keep climbing higher and higher, so moving someone like Duran to help other areas of need is at least something worth talking about. Should the Phillies move Jhoan Duran this offseason?
For me, the answer is two fold. First, there is no reason to move him in the offseason as they still have the roster to make something happen in the playoffs. Losing their best reliever is shooting themselves in the foot for no real reason. Second, the idea for moving Duran probably rests with the ideas that someone like Alex McFarlane could step into the role of closer with the Phillies and be at least 85% of what Duran delivers, something that seems doubtful right now. There is the other idea that moving Duran would net the Phillies at least one top prospect that their system actually needs right now. As one of the worst farm systems in the game, they could use an infusion of talent, but the cost of doing so simply isnât worth it for a team with desires to make and compete in the playoffs.
Now, if they are doing poorly at the trade deadline, this question gets asked againâŚ.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 06: Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket on Allen Graves #22 of the Toronto Raptors during the second half of the Emirates NBA Cup Group Play at Fiserv Forum on November 06, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In their first NBA Cup game, the Milwaukee Bucks followed a terrific first half with a disappointing second half and lost to the wounded Toronto Raptors, 121-107. The Bucks led most of the game and at one point were up 15; their first-half defence was great, which let them get out and score easily in transition. However, the second half, in which the Raptors scored 70 points, was what got the home side. Now, it doesnât take much for me to get invested in the Bucksâwhatever stage theyâre atâbut for whatever reason, this loss made me feel pretty damn bleak. Against a team without most of its primary offensive engines, Milwaukee should have been able to pull it out, and losing was really disheartening. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Annnnnd weâre back to the bad version of Rollins. The issue in this one was obviously his turnovers; the Raptors like to apply heaps of pressure to the ball handler, so you have to stay composed with the ball. Rollins was rushed and, at times, just plain nonchalant; I mentioned in the Rapid Recap one instance in the fourth where he threw a left-handed whip pass across the middle of the floor that ended up in a layup down the other end. The other problem was Rollinsâ defence. There were a few instances where his positioning was off, and he allowed his man to reject the screen and knife into the lane; Jenkins threw his hands up in disgust on one of them.
Herroâs best playmaking game as a Buck, with five assists in the second quarter alone. The team had much more direction and flow when Herro was on the floorâevidenced by him being one of just two Bucks without a negative plus/minusâwhich they completely lost when he was off the floor.
Jaquez started like a house on fire, scoring half of his points in the first few minutes of the game. I liked his use of âstampede cutsâ in this one as well, where the player starts moving to the rim before the ball reaches their hands, catching their defender off guard. Jaquez had a few nice instances using stampedes to get into the lane and create. Unfortunately, his three-point shooting failed him for the most part.
Overall, Kuzma played a solid game and, in particular, a great first half; he scored all 13 of his points on 5/6 shooting in the first, which included some very instinctive tip-ins. I liked how active he was as a screener, sprinting into the screen and getting himself in the right spots to receive the ball and finish around the rim. Additionally, Kuzma was basically their only credible defender for RJ Barrett, and for the most part, he did a good job with that assignment. BUT, as I seem to say every game, Kuzma did some enraging stuff too. He did his nightly drive to the rim with no vision for what else was going on, and most of his turnovers seemed to be live-ball. Moreover, Iâve noticed a trend where he makes a mistake and then gets pissy at his teammates for some reason, as if it were their fault.
Good golly. I donât know, man, sometimes I want to shake Turner, but as Zac replied to me, âHeâd probably break; his hands seem to shatter on every rebound or catch attempt.â Like, why is it so hard for a seven-footer like him to play more physically? The Raptors made Turner look like a child last night, which I was hoping wouldnât happen because Toronto was meant to be one of the trade suitors for him! Myles, this was your audition, SMH.
Another rough game for Ware, who seemingly canât hit a three in a Bucks uniform, down to 20% on the year. Also not great to see him throw a fit on the sidelines after getting subbed off.
Kind of a nothing-y game from Jakucionis. Again, he didnât do much wrong, but his niche of finding angles and getting into the lane looked harder against a gritty squad like the Raptors. KJ did make a great cut in the first half for his only field goal, though, which I loved.
Burries had his âIâve arrivedâ game. I mean, we can talk about the scoring and athleticism around the rim, but Iâm more interested in how he seems to grab every rebound in sight. Itâs surreal to watch. Grabbing six boards in the first quarter, Burries had this âIâm not losing tonight, so jump on my backâ vibe about him. The kid just has this nose for the ball and a will to pursue it like very few players Iâve seen. Burries is showing heâs a winner, and I canât wait for him to gain confidence from this game and give us more like it in the future.
Whenever the Raptors looked like they were about to get the game out of reach, Green would hit a three. One thing I will always appreciate about Green is that, despite his unassuming nature, he is never scared of the moment. Hit two huge ones in the fourth.
Grade: B
Nate Ament
15 minutes, 7 points, 1 block, 3/5 FG, -11
Ament got two of his three buckets in transition, while the other came on a nice baseline cut where he smartly waited for the defender to jump, then calmly put in the and-one. Not many other notes, other than that I thought Amentâs minutes were generally quite positive.
Grade: B-
Jericho Sims
7 minutes, 0 points, 0/0 FG, -7
Sims was forced into extended minutes because Turner had early foul trouble and Ware looked borderline unplayable at times. He did his job defensively, but you could tell the Raptors were happy to double all on-ball screens Sims set because they didnât trust his decision-making out of the short roll, which is a strategy we saw from opponents last year too.
Grade: C
Taylor Jenkins
Based on Jenkinsâs postgame comments, the team clearly wasnât doing much of what they had been instructed to do in practice. His decision to close with no centre was the right one, but that then made it tough to rebound. Part of the issue is that the Bucks are leaning on flawed veterans; you donât want to turn to Kuzma to close as a two-way wing, but there arenât many other great options, especially when you needed someone beefy enough to deal with Barrett. Jaquez is a fine player, but heâs a seventh man on a good team. Turner is a great locker room guy, but he drives you mad with his lack of physicality. I say this to reiterate that Jenkins is working with a rough set of cards right now, and I struggle to think another coach could have got a different result with this same group of personnel.
Grade: C
DNP-CD: Ousmane Dieng, Caris LeVert, Gary Trent Jr.
Inactive: Kam Jones, Cormac Ryan, Pete Nance, Bogoljub Markovic,
What We Learnt
Milwaukeeâs centre rotation might be the leagueâs worst when both play poorly.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Jenkins was hot in his postgame presser, cutting off a reporterâs question about what he saw from his struggling offence in the second half: âWe were getting stops in the first half. We were playing fast. We didnât have to call sets. But then we just gave up second-chance opportunities, fouled them way too much, and they were taking the ball out of the net, so we couldnât play as fast as we needed to.â
Jenkins also mentioned that the Bucks didnât âtag up,â which means that when the shot goes up, all five players get to their man, which, when done right, impedes the opponentâs ability to advance the ball up the floor and score in transition.
Jenkins said that after the game, Turner owned his bad performance to the group.
The broadcast showed a stat that over the last three games, Herro had scored 0 points in the first quarter and 62 in all other quarters. Crazy.
Speaking of Herro, I noticed he subbed back in earlier than usual in the fourth, which resulted in him breaking the ~30-minute pseudo-limit he had seemingly been operating under previously.
Up Next
The Bucks return to Fiserv on Sunday night to face the Boston Celtics. Watch at 7:00 p.m. CST on MY24.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 27, 2025: Runners climb one of the many hills during the 5K run during the Los Angeles Dodgers 12th Annual "Sunset Run" around Dodger Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers this week hired a new chief operating officer, bringing aboard Caroline Perry as an executive vice president with the team after 16 years with the San Diego Padres. Perry will take over on November 30 for retiring COO Bob Wolfe.
Perry was instrumental in negotiating with the City of San Diego in bringing the All-Star Game to Petco Park in 2016; in the development of Gallagher Square just outside the stadium; and in sales of the Padres in both 2012 and 2026.
âIt is a tremendous honor to join the Dodgers,â Perry said in a statement. âOn the field, they have set an unparalleled standard of excellence in baseball under the current leadership. Off the field, their historic legacy, passionate fan base and service to the community speak for themselves. While I am incredibly grateful for my time with the Padres and for the colleagues who made those years so meaningful, I am excited to take my place with the Dodgers and to contribute to their continued success. Thank you to Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and the entire Dodger family for welcoming me.â
Perry has noted significant progress in her 14 years in sports when it comes to whoâs in the room. âWeâre right on the cusp of seeing so many of these young women start to move into more senior roles in sports, which is really great to see,â she says. âYou never want to create that world where women feel like thereâs only one spot and so everyoneâs got to fight for it and youâve got to tear other people down on your way to try and get it. Thatâs not how we grow as a sport, as an industry. We grow by creating more opportunities.â
Links
Pitcher Hideo Nomo, whose signing with the Dodgers in 1995 helped usher in a wave of Japanese players coming to Major League Baseball, was honored with a sports pioneer medal by the Asian Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday. Mark Langill at Dodger Insider has more on the honor.
Former infielder Andre Lipcius, who spent 12 days on the Dodgersâ 40-man roster during 2024 spring training and played that season for Triple-A Oklahoma City, retired as a player this year. Now the 28-year-old has a new role in baseball, as game-planning coach for the Colorado Rockies, working with general manager Josh Byrnes, who was in the Dodgers front office in 2024. J.P. Hoornstra at Sports Illustrated has more on Lipcius and his new career.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 12: Rafael Devers #16 of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run in the first inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, September 12, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Continuing on in our series looking back at some of the highlights of the 2026 San Francisco Giantsâ season, I would be remiss not to include this excellent video that the teamâs social media team put together of all 37 of Rafael Deversâ home runs!
And that is why I picked Devers as my Player of the Year!
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 15: Akil Baddoo #60 of the Detroit Tigers looks on during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Thursday, August 15, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a new member on the team, and his name is Akil Baddoo.
The 28-year-old infielder spent his first five MLB seasons with the Detroit Tigers, but was with the Milwaukee Brewers organization this past season. Baddoo never played in the majors, which means he wonât receive a championship ring, but he is hoping that a fresh start with the Pirates will send his career back on track.
âIt means a lot. It was a lot of chaos in a matter of a couple days, but Iâm looking forward to it,â Baddoo said via MLB.com reporter Aiden Stepansky. âA new opportunity, a great organization. A lot of character here with the Pirates. A lot of championships, a lot of that championship pedigree and everything, so I was honestly happy and I was looking forward to it.â
Baddoo was originally a top prospect after being selected 74th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2016 MLB Draft. After dealing with injuries, he did not make it to the majors with Minnesota, but he was selected as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft by the Detroit Tigers. That led him to make Detroitâs 2021 opening-day roster, and he remained a mainstay with the Tigers for five seasons.
Throughout his career, Baddoo has a .224 batting average, 28 home runs, and 104 RBIs. His numbers donât pop off the page, but he could be a solid veteran infielder who gives the team some depth going into the season.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Charlie Condon #66 of the Colorado Rockies rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of the spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, Purple Row! Hereâs whatâs going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.
Charlie Condon remains among the top first-base prospects in baseball, checking in third in Matt Heckmanâs projection-based rankings. Heckmanâs model projects Condon to develop into a .251 hitter with roughly 29-home-run potential, supported by impressive exit velocities and barrel rates. The concerns are familiar: strikeouts, inconsistent contact and difficulty handling sliders. Thereâs little doubt about Condonâs raw power, but whether he can make enough contact to consistently tap into it against major-league pitching remains the big question.
Joe Rutland floats Casey Mize as a potential target for the Rockies after the former first overall pick posted a 2.70 ERA with Detroit before unraveling in San Diego. Mize could be a worthwhile gamble for a Colorado rotation desperately needing reinforcements, but his projected two-year, $32 million contract makes a deal seem unlikely. Thereâs also no indication that Mize has any interest in coming to Colorado. Still, with Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes tasked with rebuilding the pitching staff, the Rockies should be kicking every tire this offseason.
Seth Dowdle explores a potential reunion with Cal Quantrill, who bounced back with a 2.86 ERA over 110 innings for the Rangers in 2026. I remember Quantrill as a fiery competitor during his time in Colorado, and his ability to pitch in multiple roles makes a return worth considering, even if the idea doesnât generate much excitement. His late-season injury raises some concerns, and thereâs no guarantee heâd want another crack at Coors Field. As with any free agent, it takes two to tango, but the Rockies should at least explore the possibility.
The Salt River Rafters had a rough week, losing four of five games, but several Rockies prospects turned in strong performances. Wednesdayâs 9-8 victory over Scottsdale featured Jared Thomas hitting a home run and a triple with three RBI, while Jack OâDowd collected three hits. Sean Sullivan tossed 3.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, and Fidel Ulloa earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings.
The weekend also offers some excitement for baseball fans. OâDowd will participate in todayâs Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby at 6:30 p.m.. The Fall Stars Game follows on Sunday, showcasing some of baseballâs top young talent.
Mike Petriello ranks all 30 MLB rosters heading into the offseason using FanGraphsâ projected WAR for 2027, and the Rockies find themselves in a familiar spot: dead last. Petriello acknowledges some encouraging developments in 2026, but pitching remains the organizationâs biggest problem. He also points out that improvements to the Rockiesâ pitching development process will take time to produce results. Thatâs a fair assessment, but Colorado canât afford to sit around waiting for those improvements without aggressively pursuing outside help.
Tarik Skubal is in line for an enormous payday, and Thomas Harrigan takes an interesting look at what history tells us about pitchers entering their 30s after similarly dominant stretches. Of the 11 comparable pitchers examined, seven missed significant time with injuries during the first half of their 30s. The group includes some pretty impressive names, including Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Johan Santana, but their careers took very different paths. Skubal is unquestionably one of the best pitchers in baseball, but committing hundreds of millions of dollars to any pitcher comes with plenty of risk.
Longenhagen delivers an extensive look at the Asian professional baseball market, including Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, hard-throwing pitcher Kaima Taira and NPB strikeout leader Hiroto Saiki, alongside dozens of longer-term prospects. Thereâs a tremendous amount of scouting information here, including statistics, video and detailed player evaluations. Itâs a paid article, but well worth checking out for anyone interested in international talent.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Albert Pujols talks with Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred prior to Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Howâs this for irony? The very man who once tormented Astros pitching, is now on the cusp of filling out the lineup card along Crawford Street. Itâs a head turner, itâs Albert Pujols. Back in the day, this would be the equivalent of letting Mean Joe Greene coach the Oilers or having Karl Malone in a Rockets uniform. Yet here we are. The future first ballot hall of famer is generating some serious buzz and could be introduced as early as next week.   Â
Itâs been 38 days since the Astros were knocked out of the playoffs. Now, Jim Crane is looking to deliver a knockout blow of his own. The Pujols resume is stacked, 22 seasons, 703 home runs, a trio of MVPs, with 11 All-Star appearances. Oh, thereâs also a pair of titles from 2006 & 2011. On the managerial front, heâs led Leones del Escogido to the Dominican Winter League title in a thrilling seven game series. Â
USA Todayâs Bob Nightengale has been covering baseball since 1986. He joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes as the rumor mill swirls around Prince Albert. Â
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Q: Was this the plan all along? Identify the GM and then follow it up quickly with a managerial hire?  Â
A: You definitely want the GM to be hired ahead of the manager since the GM will be the managerâs boss. It would have been extremely awkward to have Flores named after they name a manager in the upcoming days.
Q: Is it going to be a tough transition for Randy Flores working under Jim Crane and his various advisors? Â
A: Every GM wants to win, and the Astros have won as many as any team in baseball over the past decade. Itâs a coveted job with owner Jim Crane always aggressively wanting to win. They have plenty of assets to trade, as well, if they choose to go that route. But I would imagine that the Astros will keep the team largely intact from 2026.
Q: Would the Pujols hire energize the masses in H-Town? When we last saw this club, there were several thousand no-shows during the Sox elimination series.  Â
A: The interest is real and the Astros are moving fast. Everyone in that clubhouse respects him and with that, everything else falls into place.  Â
Approximately 90 seconds into Anchorman, The Legend of Ron Burgundy, actor Will Ferrell yells âCannonballâ diving into the pool, making a gigantic splash. This is the Astros âcannonball momentâ, and this might be their biggest move yet. It just happens to be the man who crushed 62 career home runs against them during his playing career.  Â
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: Justin Brazeau #16 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck against Mikey Anderson #44 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on October 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (5-9-2, 12 points, 7th place Metropolitan Division) @ Los Angeles Kings (5-7-2, 12 points, 7th place Pacific Division)
When: 9:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally televised game on ABTV and Sportsnet Pittsburgh, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pensâ Path Ahead: The Penguins have less than 24 hours from tonightâs puck drop before the teamâs next game starts at 8 p.m. ET Sunday in Anaheim. The Pens will then stick around on the West Coast for a Wednesday game against the San Jose Sharks before returning to Pittsburgh to play the Ottawa Senators next Saturday.
Opponent Track: The Kings opened the season on a six-game losing streak but have since gone 5-3, most recently claiming a 7-2 win Wednesday over the visiting San Jose Sharks.
Season Series: The Penguins will see the Kings again Dec. 17 in Pittsburgh.
Hidden Stat: The Kings were the last team in the NHL to record their first win this season after their 0-4-2 opening to the campaign, per The Athleticâs Eric Stephens.
Getting to know the Kings
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Artemi Panarin â Alex Laferriere â Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore â Quinton Byfield â Corey Perry
Andre Lee â Scott Laughton â Martin Chromiak
Erik Haula â Kenny Connors â Joel Armia
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Gustafsson / Brandt Clarke
Joel Edmundson / Drew Doughty
Mikey Anderson / Brian Dumoulin
Goalies:Â Darcy Kuemper, Anton Forsberg
Potential scratches: Alex Turcotte (day to day), Cody Ceci, Samuel Helenius
Injured Reserve:Â Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Fiala (LTIR)
The most dangerous part of the Kingsâ lineup is the first line, which has combined for more than a third of the teamâs total production so far this season. Adrian Kempe, in his first game back from an absence due to illness, scored his first hat trick of the season in Wednesdayâs win against the Sharks.
Kenny Connors, who was recently called up from the AHL, made his season debut and recorded his first NHL point during the Kingsâ Wednesday win over the Sharks.
There are a few ex-Penguins playing in Los Angeles. Brian Dumoulin, who is in his second season with the Kings, recently skated in his 800th career game. Cody Ceci has appeared in seven games but has become a regular healthy scratch from the roster.
Special teams notes
The Kings have struggled with one of the NHLâs least effective power plays early this season, but the unit might be bouncing back now that Kempe has returned to the lineup. Los Angeles went 3-for-5 on the man advantage Wednesday against the Sharks.
Penalty killing is still a problem for this team. The Kings allowed two power-play goals from the Sharks and currently rank last in the NHL with a 62.2 percent success rate on the man disadvantage. The Penguins will hope that sparks some life in their own power play, which has fired at just a 16 percent success rate over this 2-7-1 stretch.
There are a lot of similarities between the Kings and Penguin rosters at first glance. The Kings are one of the oldest teams in the NHL. Theyâre not getting much production outside of their veteran players. And theyâre stuck in the awkward spot between a retool and a rebuild after getting eliminated from the first round of last yearâs playoffs.
The Kings might still be hoping this team is one superstar away from contention. The Athleticâs Pierre LeBrun reported earlier this week the Kings have âalready talked aboutâ a potential trade for Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov and âwould be all over it if possible.â
And now for the Pens
Projected linesÂ
FORWARDS
Tommy Novak â Sidney Crosby â Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov â Ben Kindel â Evgeni Malkin
Ville Koivunen â Hendrix Lapierre â Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar â Blake Lizotte â Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Sam Girard / Erik Karlsson
Spencer Stastney / Kaeden Korczak
Declan Carlile / Kris Letang
Goalies:Â Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches:Â Andrei Kuzmenko, Ilya Solovyov
IR:Â Ryan Graves, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Elmer Soderblom, Bryan Rust
Jake Livanavage didnât see any action before he rejoined the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins for their Friday night game.
Both Penguins goaltenders will likely be in action this weekend given the upcoming back-to-back coming against the Anaheim Ducks.
Despite the Penguinsâ struggles, Nick Robertson has proved to be one of the most effective offseason additions in the NHL. Per Pens PR, he ranks fifth in goalscoring among players that joined a new team ahead of the season.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks are the only two teams in the NHL heading into Saturday with fewer standings points than the Penguins.
The Penguins are on their second four-game losing streak of the season. The Pens last lost more than four games in a row last December, when the team went 0-4-4 from Dec. 7 to Dec. 20 before rallying to win seven of their next eight games.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Weâve played âTake Your Pickâ with the Red Sox before, so letâs do it again.Â
OverTheMonster.comâs Matt Gross took an extensive look this week at the multitude of internal and external rumors about who could be starting shortstop for the Red Sox when baseball ramps up in 2027.Â
I believe there are four names Red Sox Nation would consider: two external and two internal. Who makes sense? Who can hold down and stay at the position? Who actually elevates the Boston lineup to actually win a playoff series and more?Â
As has been the story of the majority of his Red Sox career, Story had another gruesome start to 2026 and then found himself back on the injured list. He struggled to ever get going offensively outside of a few nice moments upon his return with Roman Anthony in late August. With the glove, his standout defense that maintained his value a few years ago is regressing before our eyes. It feels risky to run him back out for the final year of his contract in 2027, but can the Red Sox realistically find a trade partner for him? Especially since doing the same for Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran is already difficult.Â
Franklin Arias (Red Sox â Triple-A) 2026 Season (Double-A/Triple-A): 117 games, .323/.400/.557, .957 OPS, 25 HR, 91 RBI
Arias was worthy of attention in the system before last season. Then came a slugfest formerly unknown in his game.Â
MLBâs No. 2 prospect mashed 25 home runs and made power a greater part of his offensive profile, thus rewriting his ceiling upon his eventual arrival to the big leagues. He can grind out at-bats, consistently took his walks, and now impressed the organization with his newfound ability to do damage and impact the baseball.Â
He doesnât have the same publicly tracked defensive metrics like his MLB counterparts, but Arias does feature a 55-grade arm and a 60-grade field tool according to MLB Pipeline.Â
The Red Sox havenât gotten what they expected from the âBig Threeâ in that round of amplifying homegrown talent. That doesnât mean they shouldnât ride with Arias in 2027. Heâs certainly earned the opportunity. Do the Red Sox believe he makes sense over these other candidates?Â
Elly De La Cruz (Reds) 2026 Season: 143 games, .283/.365/.515, .880 OPS, 30 HR, 79 RBI, +7 OAA, -6 DRS
Iâm sure this is going to be the name that lights up the comments. And it should be.Â
Cruz is an electrifying player with real offensive firepower and a cannon for an arm at shortstop. He had his best season of his career in 2026 and did so in 30-30 fashion. I donât need to sit here advocating for this move â we know heâs a stud.
Hereâs what it comes down to: De La Cruz enters his first arbitration year in 2027 and can go to free agency after 2029. What do the Red Sox have left to trade for him and can they close the deal on an extension with a top-20 player in the sport?Â
Letâs look at another name that intertwined with the Red Sox at last yearâs trade deadline.Â
Abrams is a dynamic player with solid power and speed. Craig Breslow and Paul Taboni are comfortable trade partners, so another Red Sox-Nationals deal isnât crazy.Â
Abrams did have a rather rough defensive season in 2026 and may not stay at shortstop long term. So is he worth the investment of a blockbuster trade package in this era of the run-prevention Red Sox?Â
