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The last two years, the Dodgers’ pitching staff carried them to World Series titles –– with the bullpen doing the heavy lifting in 2024, and the rotation pitching at a superhuman level in 2025.

This season, the group couldn’t replicate that success, enduring adversity during an injury-plagued regular season and then failure against a relentless Brewers offense in the team’s National League Championship Series elimination.

Still, the Dodgers boasted a talented staff, finishing with the fourth-lowest team ERA in the majors this year.

In Part 2 of the California Post’s end-of-season report card for the Dodgers’ 2026 season, here’s a look at how each key arm performed, and where they stand entering 2027:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: A-

It’s worth remembering: Yamamoto entered 2026 coming off a career-high 30 regular-season starts in 2025, another 37 innings in his heroic postseason run, and an appearance this spring in the World Baseball Classic. You’d have been forgiven for thinking his right arm was about to fall off.

Instead, the reigning World Series MVP was even more productive in 2026, throwing more innings (185), collecting more wins (14-9 record) and lowering his WHIP (0.87) while posting a nearly-identical 2.53 ERA (fifth-lowest in the majors). The only disappointment: He didn’t replicate last year’s historic October, suffering the Dodgers’ shortest playoff start during a pivotal NLCS Game 2 loss. Still, he’s on the (very) short list for best pitchers in the game right now.

Tarik Skubal: B+

Another member of that short list, Skubal just about lived up to the billing following his blockbuster trade deadline deal, going 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in his 10 regular-season starts for the Dodgers. He also had the best postseason of anyone in their rotation, giving up three runs over 11 innings in two starts. 

Still, he took the defeat in his NLCS outing. And in the end, the team’s aggressive acquisition of the two-time Cy Young Award winner didn’t work out as intended, failing to help the team complete a World Series three-peat. The question now: Will the Dodgers be as aggressive in trying to re-sign him as a free agent?

Blake Snell: D

This was not the season Blake Snell was envisioning. He was limited to just nine starts by shoulder and elbow injuries. And though he did post a minuscule 1.90 ERA in the regular season, he suffered two disastrous playoff starts, failing to complete four innings against the Braves in one and giving up back-to-back seventh-inning home runs against the Brewers in the other. He showed he still has some of the best stuff in the sport when right. But after another abbreviated regular season, the Dodgers needed more from him in October.

Tyler Glasnow: D

Glasnow’s season was similar to Snell’s. He made just 13 regular-season starts because of back problems, going 5-2 with a 3.53 ERA. His performance also regressed in the playoffs, when he blew a four-run lead with the team facing elimination in Game 4 of the NLCS. The last couple years, the Dodgers have gotten away with limited workloads from both pitchers. But next year, they will be expecting more from each of them, in the regular season and the playoffs.

Justin Wrobleski: B+

Wrobleski was having an A+ season through mid-July, going from bullpen swingman to breakout rotation star with an 11-2 record and 2.62 ERA through his first 17 outings. However, the All-Star selection finished on a sour note, getting shifted to the bullpen after a serious bout with home run struggles down the stretch. He showed he can be a quality big-league starter. Now he needs to prove he can do it over the course of a full year.

Roki Sasaki: B

What started as a rollercoaster campaign for the second-year Japanese phenom finished with signs of tangible progress. In his first 15 starts, Sasaki had a 5.40 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. In his next seven starts after that, he had a 2.63 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, finding success with a reworked arsenal and improved command. A blister sidetracked that late-season surge, and prompted a shift back to the bullpen for the playoffs. But entering 2027, the Dodgers will be hoping he can take another step. Finally, they have real reason to believe he can.

Emmet Sheehan: C-

This was largely a lost season for Sheehan, whose first full campaign back from Tommy John surgery did not go according to plan. He was 5-8 with a 4.57 ERA in 23 outings. He battled inconsistent velocity and mechanics. He was sent back to triple-A for much of the final two months. He did seem to find something late in the year, giving up only one run over 17 innings in three September outings. But he has a big offseason ahead if he wants to re-cement himself as a long-term fixture in the Dodgers’ rotation.

Edwin Díaz: C-

For most of the year, nothing went right for the $69 million offseason signing. He battled elbow and neck injuries. He posted a career-worst 8.68 ERA in the regular season. He was nearly left off the team’s postseason roster. Despite all that, he did finish the year as the Dodgers’ expected, rediscovering his typically dominant form just in time to return to the closer’s role in October. But that was the only silver lining to take from an otherwise dismal debut Dodgers season.

Tanner Scott: B

The Edwin Díaz of 2025, Scott was significantly better in the second year of his $72 million deal. He had 25 saves and a 2.69 ERA, one of only 11 pitchers to do so this year. His 82 strikeouts were most of the Dodgers’ bullpen. However, he also gave up a pair of postseason home runs, including a go-ahead shot in their NLCS Game 4 elimination. In other words, while he was better in 2026, he still hasn’t lived up to his big contract.

Edgardo Henriquez: B+

Henriquez was a bit of a revelation in his first full MLB season, posting a 2.85 ERA in 61 outings while wowing with his 100.7 mph average fastball (second-hardest in the majors behind only Mason Miller). His postseason was forgettable. But, moving forward, he should be a key arm in the Dodgers’ bullpen long-term.

Alex Vesia: B+

The pending free agent had another solid season, posting a sub-3.02 ERA (2.64) for the fifth time in six years with the Dodgers. Before the playoffs, he expressed his hope of being back in Los Angeles next year. But, he should have plenty of other suitors on the open market this winter.

Evan Phillips: B

It took time for Phillips to knock the rust off following his return from Tommy John. But by the end of the year, his fastball was back in the upper-90s (even hitting 100 at one point). After re-signing with the Dodgers last year, he hits free agency again this offseason.

Brock Stewart: C

When healthy, Stewart was effective. But he continued his career-long battle with injuries, making only 28 appearances. He enters his final season of team control in 2027. 

Blake Treinen: C

Treinen never quite looked right this year, while spending extended time on the injured list for a second-straight season. A season-ending shoulder injury also put the 38-year-old’s future in question. At the very least, it’s possible the soon-to-be free agent might have thrown his last pitch for the Dodgers after a decorated seven-year tenure.

Will Klein: C

Last year’s World Series hero was good in the first half, but ultimately finished the year with a 3.67 ERA and elbow troubles. He should get another chance to prove himself as a high-leverage big-league reliever in 2027.

Jack Dreyer: B

It was a decent season overall for Dreyer (3.20 ERA). But a September slump cost him a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason roster. He’ll be trying to increase his role in 2027.

Eric Lauer: B

Lauer served his purpose this year, giving the Dodgers reliable starts amid a midseason injury crisis to the rest of their rotation. As a free agent, however, he will likely have to look elsewhere for starting opportunities in 2027.

Kyle Hurt: C

Once a highly-touted prospect who had dealt with injuries in recent years, Hurt made 44 appearances this year but had an up-and-down campaign that finished with a 4.14 ERA. He’ll be one of many fringe arms trying to earn a big-league job in spring training next year.

The Tampa Bay Rays have evened up the series thanks to a fantastic performance from Nick Martinez and the offensive big three coming alive.

Now the Guardians and Rays will basically play a best of three series to determines who will take the American League pennant and move on to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.

Standing in the Rays way this afternoon is southpaw Parker Messick, who the Rays faced and beat in the second game of the ALCS, mostly thanks to a well timed error by future Hall of Famer Jose Ramirez. Overall, Messick allowed three runs — zero earned — on six hits, while walking two and striking out three.

Meanwhile the ace of the Rays staff, Drew Rasmussen, returns to the mound after a solid performance in the first game of this series. Rasmussen battled the Cleveland lineup for the duration of his outing as the Guardians hitters grinded through each at bat and managed to collect eight hits. Still, the Guardians only managed two runs, both on solo homeruns, while striking out seven times and didn’t draw a walk. Rasmussen pitched into the 7th inning but was done for the day after Patrick Bailey tagged him for a homerun.

The Rays will need a lengthy performane from Rasmussen this afternoon after the bullpen’s hefty usage during game four, but there isn’t anyone else they’d rather have on the mound today.

With the Yankees’ season over for 2026, we here at Pinstripe Alley have been looking back at the campaign. With how it ended, a lot of our coverage has come through a lens of frustration, but we’ve looked back at some of the good and bad all the same. However, now it’s time to look back on some pure stupidity.

We’ve ranked things like the best and worst moments of the year. We’ve talked about some of the best individual performances of the season. However, I am a connoisseur of stupid baseball: games that go 15 innings, ones that feature game changing plays that are ridiculous errors instead of home runs, stuff like that. Every year, I like to take part in our end-of-season reviews by ranking the dumbest games of the year, and we’ve reached that point for 2026.

Now, it should be noted, this is not a worst games of the season list (or worst moments; check out Andrés for that). We’re not just ranking the most consequential losses, or biggest blown leads, or whatever. This is purely the games that were the dumbest in how they played out.

Honorable Mention

It didn’t feel right putting it in the rankings since there was no baseball actually played, but we’ll give a mention to the rainout on the final day of the regular season. With a nor’easter wreaking havoc and the game not meaning anything in the standings for either the Yankees or Orioles, it was obvious this game was never actually going to be played. However, the game was put into a delay and just stayed there for hours until it was finally called off. The Yankees never even actually released a lineup. Ridiculous.

5. September 25th – Orioles 10, Yankees 2

The aforementioned nor’easter messed with the entirety of the final series of the season, which had an impact on some other events. The Yankees were planning on holding the ceremony for CC Sabathia’s number retirement ahead of the game against the Orioles on Saturday, September 26th. However, the expected rain led to the teams instead forgoing Saturday’s game in favor of a doubleheader on Friday. The new plan was to hold Sabathia’s ceremony ahead of the opening game of the twin bill (in accordance with his wishes). However with it now being an afternoon game on a weekday, the crowd was not remotely as full as it could’ve or should’ve been for a moment like that.

Plus, when the game started, the Yankees got absolutely blown to smithereens. The Yankees gave Brendan Beck a spot start as they prepared for the postseason, and he got smoked for seven runs in five innings. We honestly weren’t far away from seeing if CC himself could eat some innings out of the bullpen.

4. August 3rd – Cardinals 13, Yankees 7

After a rare bad outing from Cam Schlittler, the Yankees found themselves down 6-0 going into the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back homers from Austin Wells and Trent Grisham cut into the lead, but they still trailed in the seventh. There, a trio of homers brought the Yankees all the way back, with a two-run moonshot from Luis García Jr. give the Bombers a very unexpected lead.

However, the good vibes from that comeback only lasted so long. Ryan Yarbrough allowed a triple to lead off the eighth, at which point Angel Chivili came in. Chivili’s final numbers for the season only look so-so, but that’s almost entirely because of this game. He had a 0.57 ERA in 15.2 innings coming in and wouldn’t appear again after this performance (at least partially due to injury). In this game, Chivili allowed seven runs on six hits, including three home runs. In one inning of work, he put up a -0.512 Win Probability Added. Losing games after big comebacks happen, but rarely do they happen in such an immediate and drastic way.

3. ALDS Game 1 – October 3rd – Rays 1, Yankees 0

As I said, this isn’t purely a ranking of the most meaningful losses, but as it happens, one of those was also especially dumb. After crushing the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, the Yankees then went to the Trop to take on the Rays. They then proceeded to get no-hit into the eighth inning by Rays’ ace Drew Rasmussen. Plus, when they finally did get it hit on an Austin Wells double, this happened, and it ended up being the only one they got:

2. July 29th – White Sox 6, Yankees 5 (12 innings)

In general, I’m not one to truly hate on a Yankee player. Sure, there are some bad ones that pop up every now and then, but usually any anger I have is to the front office/management for putting them in bad situations, rather than hating a player who is generally trying their best. However, one particular play made me something of a hater when it comes to backup catcher Ali Sánchez.

In one game in Chicago against the White Sox, the Yankees had already blown a late lead, sending it to extra innings. In the 11th, they got the lead back thanks to an Anthony Volpe sacrifice fly. In what turned out to be his final game as a Yankee, Camilo Doval entered for the 11th and got two quick outs, albeit one was a grounder that did allow the auto-runner to move to third. However, the Yankees were just one out away, and all they had to do was focus on Andrew Benintendi at the plate.

Someone apparently forgot to remind Sánchez that. Following a pitch during the next at-bat, he attempted to check back Munetaka Murakami at third. However, his throw got past Ryan McMahon, allowing Murakami to come home and tie the game.

Errors happen to even the best players and best defenders, yes. However, what was so galling about that one was that — to use a tennis term — it was unforced. Again, they were an out away from the win, you just needed to focus on the batter. Sure, throw to third if you catch the runner completely sleeping and a mile off the bag, but that wasn’t the case. The risk was too much considering the consequences if it went wrong, and it went very wrong. Naturally, the White Sox proceeded to win the game the following inning.

1. September 16th – Twins 5, Yankees 4 (13 innings)

The Yankees’ struggles in extra innings since the introduction of the automatic runner are often remarked on. Since that rule was introduced in 2020, the Yankees have gone 49-54 in extra inning games. While that’s not that far under .500, they actually went 25-18 in extras from 2020-22, so they have just a .400 winning percentage since then. They’ve also been the second-worst road team in extras in this time at 19-36. Arguably no game epitomizes those struggles than this one.

Having been shutout for eight innings at Target Field, the Yankees somewhat miraculously tied the game with two outs in the ninth on a two-RBI double from Anthony Volpe. Mind you, a lot of us, including Volpe himself, thought the ball was going over the fence for a two-run homer. However, it didn’t and the Yankees couldn’t score Volpe, sending it to extras.

In the top of 10th, Ali Sánchez, of all people, came up with a single to score the auto-runner and give the Yankees the lead. Despite having closer David Bednar on the hill, the Yankees couldn’t close the deal as Luke Keaschall hit a game-tying single on just the third pitch of the inning, and Bednar eventually needed a double play to escape the inning.

However in the 11th, José Caballero hit a sacrifice fly to restore that lead. Surely, they could hold on this time? No, Bednar again allowed a lead-off single, with a run then scoring on a Royce Lewis sacrifice fly.

To start the 12th, the Yankees put the first two runners on, adding to the auto-runner to load the bases. However, a Heliot Ramos double play and a Sánchez groundout caused the Yankees to put up a goose egg. Eventually all of that came back to haunt the Yankees. In the 13th, Victor Caratini singled off John Schreiber to win the game for the Twins.

This was also the game where Aaron Judge exited early with a calf injury, from which he never returned.

It wasn’t the most meaningful loss of the season — although with the Yankees still trying to chase down Tampa Bay in the division, it wasn’t nothing — however, it absolutely was the most ridiculous.

That’s my list, but what else should be on there?

There are, possibly, only six more MLB games left on the calendar for 2026. Ten at most. Baseball has been a part of our daily lives going back to March. But in a few short weeks it will be gone. Winter will come. And with a looming lockout, there’s no telling how long that winter will last. But while we don’t yet know when we’ll see MLB baseball next, we do when we’ll next see some banana ball. The Savannah Bananas released their 2027 schedule, which stretches from early February to late September, including international dates and games played in football stadia. As for New England, we get summer stops in Worcester and Portland. (Boston Globe)

But about that looming lockout. How will CBA negotiations be impacted by the fact that the three teams left standing represent three of the smallest markets in baseball? “Under the soon-expiring CBA that has governed the sport since 2022, spending had a correlation coefficient of 0.31 to team wins and losses — meaning, if carving the pie of what goes into successful team building, about 31 percent of it would go to how much a team spent. That’s a lot — and, in fact, is up from a 0.23 correlation coefficient in the prior two CBAs (2012-16, ′17-21). But the other things that go into team-building — scouting and drafting well, coaching and developing players to be their best, well-integrated analytics, culture, luck, and more — account collectively for a much larger share of the pie that determines team success.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

One of the small market Brewers’ keys to success this year has been the production of late-bloomer Jake Bauers. Could he be a good fit for the Sox this offseason? “Bauers may not be a household name. But a peek under the hood at his profile paints the picture of a late bloomer who doesn’t strike out often, works the count, and has a propensity for tearing the cover off the ball. Given Boston’s emphasis on bat speed and hard-hit percentages, a player like Bauers should hold plenty of appeal.” (Connor Ryan, Boston.com)

Even if the Sox do sign Jake Bauers in the offseason, the most intriguing new player at Spring Training next year will likely be super-prospect Franklin Arias. Everyone already knows about him, so here’s a look at a few other, more under-the-radar names making their way up the Red Sox organizational ladder. (Ian Browne, MLB.com)

The Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer experiences will perhaps lead the Sox to exercise additional caution with respect to Arias. But the fact of the matter is that he’s doing to determine a lot about how the 2027 Red Sox roster fits together. “I am 100 percent convinced that he’s ready to be their everyday shortstop,” said one MLB evaluator witha rival team.Initially, however, that could come with its own issues. To install Arias, untested, as the team’s starting shortstop, would mean displacing Trevor Story, who remains a hugely popular and respected figure in the Red Sox clubhouse.“ (Sean McAdam, MassLive)

The 1950s were an incredible era for the Yankees. They won six championships in the decade, and a few more in the years immediately before and after it. You can probably name the legends from that time: Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford. However, every team needs supporting pieces, and one of that era’s would be celebrating a birthday today.

Andrew Arthur “Andy” Carey
Born: October 18, 1931 (Oakland, CA)
Died: December 15, 2011 (Newport Beach, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1952-60

At birth, Carey was known as Andrew Arthur Hexem. However, his parents split when he was young and Carey didn’t have much contact with his biological father after that. His mother eventually remarried to Kenneth Carey — who had been her divorce attorney — and the future Yankee took on his stepfather’s last name.

Carey and his stepfather bonded over sports, and it became clear in his youth that the son was quite good at one. A star pitcher and third baseman in high school, Carey rebuffed several MLB teams and instead attended St. Mary’s College in the Bay Area. However, the school dropped their baseball program due to monetary issues after his freshman season, leading to Carey listening to major league offers. He eventually agreed to terms with the Yankees for $60,000 — a record for the franchise in the aftermath of the “Bonus Baby” rule being repealed.

With the Yankees, Carey had the reputation as a bit of a cocky young player. He made the team out of spring training 1952 after impressing in the Grapefruit League, but ended up spending the year going up and down from the minors. He stuck around starting in 1953 and would be a fixture for the team for years to come.

While he would spend most of his career at third base, the Yankees initially hoped to make him as flexible as possible in the field, as they looked to find a potential successor to Phil Rizzuto at shortstop. However, Carey viewed himself as a third baseman and pushed back against manager Casey Stengel. That would be a recurring them throughout Carey’s career, as he often was the subject of Stengel’s anger. Stengel heard from Carey’s minor league career that he could be motivated through anger. Carey was also winning to talk back himself, and the two would butt heads throughout the third baseman’s career.

On the field, Carey had his good years and bad. He broke out in 1954, hitting .302/.373/.423 in 122 games. He was credited with 3.6 fWAR that season, but only had two others where he was over even 1.5. However, he was still a fixture for the team in a highly successful era.

Despite being part of the team in 1953, Carey did not appear in that year’s victorious World Series. However, Carey did appear in four Fall Classics over his career, helping the Yankees win two of them: 1956 and ‘58. While he didn’t hit particularly well in either of those victorious series, he appeared in all and started six of seven games in 1956. He was also credited with making some key defensive plays to help preserve Don Larsen’s perfect game, and he later drove in a run during New York’s narrow 3-1 victory over Milwaukee in the 1957 opener.

He only recorded one hit in 1958, but it was an eighth inning single in Game 7, and he was on base for Bill Skowron’s three-run homer that basically put the series to bed.

For his career as a Yankee, Carey hit .266/.332/.397, which graded out to an exactly average 100 OPS+. However, with a new crop of youngsters coming through, Carey ended up being surpassed at third base by Clete Boyer. He only appeared in 41 games in 1959. After a handful of games the following season, the Yankees traded him to the Kansas City Athletics for Bob Cerv in May 1960.

Carey was traded a couple more times over his final years. He played for all of the A’s, White Sox, and Dodgers over the 1960-62 seasons. He also had been traded to the Phillies by the White Sox, but refused to report to Philadelphia. Eventually, Chicago worked out a deal with the Dodgers, where Carey would spend the final season of his career. He retired from baseball following the 1962 season.

Following his playing career, Carey settled back in the LA area and sold insurance (when he wasn’t scuba diving). He was married a couple times throughout his life, including one to actress Lucy Marlow. One of his children with Marlow — James — tragically died at the age of 23. Some sources cite his death as coming in a car crash, but SABR postulates that his name, location, and death date matches up with that of a man who was killed in a shootout with police following a robbery. Carey himself passed away in 2011 at the age of 80 due to Lewy body dementia.

Andy Carey doesn’t quite get the level of acclaim that a lot of other Yankees of that era do, but all of them played some role in one of the most impressive dynasties to ever grace the field.

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