When the Cubs signed Jon Berti as a backup infielder before the 2025 season, it seemed like a reasonable thing to do.
Berti had led the National League in stolen bases in 2022 with 41, and the following year posted a .748 OPS in 133 games with the Marlins, with 16 steals and 2.2 bWAR.
Even at age 35, it seemed like Berti would be a suitable infield backup. And, indeed, he started the season pretty well. On May 1 he was batting .306/.370/.347 (15-for-49) in 20 games, with seven stolen bases.
But yikes, after that Berti just stopped hitting. He didn’t play much, either, once Matt Shaw was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. After June 1 Berti started just four times and from May 2 until he was released in August, batted just .118/.151/.118 (6-for-51) with 11 strikeouts.
And so it was that Craig Counsell started using Berti as his mop-up pitcher in blowouts. Berti pitched four times in July:
The ninth inning of an 11-3 win over the Cardinals July 4
The eighth inning of an 8-1 loss to the Twins July 8
The ninth inning of a 12-4 loss to the Royals July 21
The eighth inning of a 12-5 loss at the White Sox July 25
Overall, Berti threw 3.2 innings and allowed four hits and four walks and three runs.
The most interesting of those outings was the one in the blowout win over the Cardinals July 4, the one in which the Cubs set a franchise record with eight home runs.
They led 11-0 going into the ninth so Counsell figured maybe he’d save the bullpen by letting Berti pitch. Whoops, bad idea. Berti got hit hard, allowing two hits and three walks. As noted, the Cardinals scored three times and had two runners on base (both in scoring position) with two out and they were probably one hit away from Counsell having to warm up a real pitcher.
Berti appeared in just four more games for the Cubs after his July 25 pitching outing on the South Side. No one picked him up after the release. It’s safe to assume his career is over — but he’ll always have that one year where he led the NL in steals.
Oh, and he used to absolutely kill the Cubs while with the Marlins. In 15 career games vs. the Cubs, Berti batted .319/.389/.532 (15-for-47) with three home runs, by far his best OPS against any team. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t hit as a North Sider.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 19: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on after grounding into a double play during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game six of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 19, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was very sad, he thought. The things men carried inside. The things men did or felt they had to do. -Tim O’Brien, “The Things They Carried”
There is a powerful Tim O’Brien short story, part of a larger eponymous collection, called “The Things They Carried,” which catalogues the physical weight of the individual items a group of soldiers in Vietnam carried, as a way to interrogate the mental weight of what their assignment demanded they carry.
Baseball is a far cry from the foxholes of war—part of the reason people are consuming sports content especially fervently right now, I think, as an escape from The Horrors—but just as the soldiers in O’Brien’s short story are forever changed by the psychological weight of the things they now carry, so too are the 2025 Mariners altered by the weight of promise fallen short. I was personally taken aback, at a post-season media event held in late October, at how fresh the wounds still felt: I was expecting the team officials in attendance (Jerry Dipoto, Justin Hollander, Dan Wilson) to still be feeling the sting of disappointment but overwhelmingly proud of how far the team came, farther than any other Mariners team ever had. Instead, it was clear the bones of heartbreak hadn’t quite knitted: eyes were wet, mouths were tight, and the hurt hung over the room palpably.
Three months later, that pain hasn’t dissipated, but it has calcified, hardened into a sharp point of purpose. This past weekend, the Mariners held the first Fan Fest the team has sponsored since 2019, and while the overarching theme of the weekend was a joyous riot of excitement, from players and personnel alike there was a distinct sense of a job not done and an acute awareness of the task ahead.
Cal Raleigh, now a (mostly) year-round Seattle resident, was in attendance both days, thrilling fans wherever the should-have-been MVP showed up. He brought fans to their knees as a surprise guest in the photo opp area, oversaw a gender reveal, and generally sent whoever was in his vicinity into transports of delight. But while enjoying the outpouring of love and support, Cal was contemplative about the year that was, focused on the year that will come.
“Obviously last year was great. I’m glad we got to celebrate that, it was definitely a special season,” he said. “But at the same time, you have to be able to turn the page and look forward to a new year and understand that what we’re trying to accomplish here is win a World Series and setting the standard, the bar, the expectations super-high, because that’s where we want to be.
I think everybody’s going to be excited going into camp. It’s going to be hard work, though. It’s not going to be easy. New years bring new challenges.“
From all the Mariners in attendance this weekend, the message was clear: job not finished. But there’s also an understanding of the weight of expectations, the bar that’s now been set. George Kirby delivered his expectations for this upcoming season in typical unflinching Kirby style.
“I feel like I can speak for a lot of the guys, getting to where we did,” said Kirby. “I feel like that’s the floor for us this year. And anything else just kind of doesn’t cut it. So being able to get a taste of that, and then losing and seeing Toronto go on to celebrate all that stuff puts a fire in your stomach.”
Getting so close, but falling just short: the confusing cocktail of should-be pride mixed with with the sharp metallic tang of disappointment. Josh Naylor expressed a similar sentiment, although with a typical Naylor pragmatic twist.
“Yeah, obviously the loss was not easy to take. It sucked, especially knowing that we had them,” said Naylor. “But it is what it is, and it wasn’t meant for us to win it. God has really weird plans for people, and I trust Him. So I’m just gonna go out there every day and try to win ballgames. But having that experience and getting that close, I hope it fuels everyone in the off-season to come back stronger: a little bit bigger, a little bit better, a little bit smarter. It has for me. I’m trying to grow every single day in the off-season, trying to get 1% better in some sort of area. Obviously not every day can be sunshine and roses, but you can pick a little area to grow in.”
If the expectations are heavier than they’ve ever been, there’s a comfort in the fact that those expectations are now matched by experience. Kirby spoke about finding “learning lessons” from specific situations in postseason games and using that as a focus for training, physically and mentally, during the off-season. Emerson Hancock took a broader view on how that post-season experience might shape the course of an entire season.
“I think ultimately it makes you better, the whole experience of being in the postseason, understanding what’s at stake, the pressure, it makes you better,” said Hancock. “It stings. It’s hard. You know, you get to right there and you’re just almost—but it makes you want to get back there even more. And I think the people that were a part of that, now know that we go through the 162 game schedule like, all right: we grind through it, we know what’s at the end of this thing. We know what we want to play for and what we want to do.”
But for all the looking forward, players were also open about the fact that this is the kind of pain that doesn’t ever really go away. It becomes part of your story, part of your elemental self, something that can be managed and transformed into something productive, but can never truly be eliminated.
“That’s something that you carry with you, an experience that you had” said Julio Rodríguez, reflecting on the loss. “That’s something that I will carry with me, the experience that I had in those games, and I feel like it has helped me to become a better player. And bring a little adjusted mentality for this new year.”
The weight of the loss is still palpable when Cal Raleigh reflects on the season: despite the new heights he’s reached in his career, going from a catcher who never made a prospect top 10 list to a household name and narrowly missing out on an MVP award, all his personal accomplishments are wrapped up in a season where the team fell short.
“It was hard,” said Raleigh, sighing heavily. “Part of me is like, I don’t know if you ever really move on. You’re going to be feeling that one for a long time. And it doesn’t matter if you eventually go on to win it or not, you’re still going to look back and be like, that season, it felt like we had a real chance, a real shot. So I think part of me will always feel that.
But at the same time you can’t dwell on it. You have to understand that chapter is closed, and we’re opening a new one. It’s going to be a lot of fun this year, and also very challenging. We’re going to have to do some things and make sure that we’re improving and staying on top of things, and not just being satisfied with where we’re at.“
Maybe no Mariner knows more about closing the book on a painful chapter than skipper Dan Wilson, who understands both the disappointment that is baked into the sport of baseball and the particular experience of a Mariners team falling short. But that experience puts him in a unique position in order to be able to lead this club into a year heady with expectations.
“I think every time you’re eliminated, it’s disappointing. I mean, this one was maybe extra disappointing, because we were so close, but at the same time, I think it’s part of being an athlete, it’s part of being a baseball player. We talk about baseball being that game of failure, and you have to move on in a lot of ways. So yes, it becomes part of your story,” said Wilson. “I think our guys do a really good job of taking that and making it a motivator rather than something that slows them down. And I don’t anticipate that being any different. These guys are determined, as we all are, to get back there and get all the way to where we want to go to, which is that World Series championship.”
For Wilson and his team, the trick will be taking the things they’ve carried over the off-season – the disappointment, the hurt, the desire – and crystallizing that into purpose in 2026.
“Postseason baseball is different. When you experience it, you want to do everything you can to get back there,” said Wilson. “I think that’s where this fire came from with these guys. They want to get back there. They want to be a part of postseason baseball for the foreseeable future. And that’s what Mariner baseball is going to be about.”
“When you get a taste of it, there’s nothing like it.”
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 01: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets at bat against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on July 1, 2011 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Carlos Beltrán will officially wear a Mets cap on his Baseball Hall of Fame plaque, according to a Tuesday afternoon announcement. Beltrán, who was elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on January 20 with 84.2% of votes, will be just the third Hall of Famer to wear a Mets cap in Cooperstown along with Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.
Over the course of his twenty-year career, Beltrán tallied 435 homers and 312 stolen bases, becoming one of just five players in baseball history with 400+ homers and 300+ stolen bases. Beltrán played for seven different teams, winning a Rookie of the Year Award with the Royals and a controversial World Series with the Astros in 2017, but he spent the bulk of his prime (from ages 27 to 34) in Queens. During his six and a half seasons in New York, Beltrán hit 149 homers, recorded 559 RBI, and stole 100 bases, while earning three All-Star selections, three Gold Glove Awards, and a pair of Silver Slugger Awards. In 2006, Beltrán helped lead the Mets to a division title with a stellar 8.2 bWAR, matching a Mets record at the time with 41 home runs.
Beltrán will be inducted at Cooperstown alongside fellow players Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent on July 26. Beltrán will also be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame alongside Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine at Citi Field sometime this summer.
The Mets will have a third former player representing the team on his Hall of Fame plaque.
Carlos Beltrán will wear a Mets cap on his plaque, the Hall of Fame announced Tuesday, joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza as the only players in the franchise’s history with such a designation.
Beltrán told The Post last summer that his plan, if elected, was to wear a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. A source indicated that Beltrán likely didn’t immediately announce his intention after his election last month as a show of respect to the Royals, for whom he spent 6 ½ seasons to begin his career.
Carlos Beltran playing for the Mets. Anthony J. Causi
Also, Mets officials have discussed the possibility of retiring Beltrán’s No. 15 this season, according to a source. Already, the organization has ceremonies planned to induct members into the Mets Hall of Fame (Beltrán, Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine will be enshrined) and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the franchise’s last World Series title in 1986. Team officials must decide if they want to have a third ceremony that would affix Beltrán’s number to the rafters.
Beltrán, now a special assistant with the Mets, played for the team from 2005-11 and produced an .869 OPS over that stretch. Some of his luster with the organization is obscured by the called third strike he took with the bases loaded against Adam Wainwright to end Game 7 of the NLCS against the Cardinals.
Later, Beltrán returned to the organization as manager. He was forced to resign after only 77 days as part of the fallout from the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme. Beltrán was named as one of the ringleaders.
If Beltrán’s involvement in the scheme stalled his Hall of Fame selection, the derailment was brief. This year, his fourth on the ballot, he obtained 84.2 percent of the vote by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to gain entrance into the Hall of Fame. A candidate needs to reach the 75 percent threshold for induction.
Andruw Jones will join Beltrán as a BBWAA inductee to the Hall of Fame in July. Also gaining induction was Jeff Kent, who was selected in December by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee.
ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 24: Detail view of baseball cap and glove belonging to Ted Lilly #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers on the right field grass before the interleague game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 24, 2012 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 season is his 40-man platform year, so the Dodgers have incentive to stretch him out to 110-ish innings and push him to Double-A at some point to stress test that slider against better hitters. He’s on pace to make his big league debut in 2027 as a spot starter and then establish himself as key rotation cog in the years beyond. Our grade in this instance leaves room for Zazueta’s fastball velocity and command to improve thanks to his build and athletic traits.
Thomas Nestico at his TJ Stats newsletter this week had high praise for the minor league right-hander, including him in the “stuff savants” category of prospects he expects to make the top 100 entering 2027.
“Christian Zazueta may be the top pitching prospect in the Dodgers system, combining strong strike throwing with electric stuff,” Nestico wrote. “His fastball sits 93-94 mph with 14 inches of [induced vertical break], a shallow -4.3° [vertical approach angle], and excellent whiff rates, while his slider and changeup round out a prototypical three-pitch starter mix.”
Zazueta made one shortened (one-inning) start for High-A Great Lakes in August to end his 2025 season, so it’s likely that’s where he starts this season.
Carlos Beltranwill wear a Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, becoming just the third player ever to have that distinction -- joining Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.
One of the best players in Mets history, Beltran made a leap this year to 84.2 percent of the vote to gain election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. It was his third year on the ballot.
"I didn’t do this alone," said Beltran in a statement that was released by the Hall. "Every team I played for shaped my journey, and I’m grateful to all of them. With the Mets, I experienced my greatest individual growth and success. I’m honored that my Hall of Fame plaque will feature the Mets logo, and I’m proud that every team I played for will be listed on the plaque."
There was a very easy case to make for Beltran wearing a Mets cap on his plaque.
Three of Beltran's best six seasons (2006, 2007, 2008) came for the Mets, while his other three came for the Royals (2001, 2003) and during a season he split between the Royals and Astros (2004).
Beltran had more home runs, doubles, RBI, and runs scored with the Mets than any other team, and also had his highest OPS during the years he spent with them (excluding the 44 games he played for the Giants).
Carlos Beltran / Tom Szczerbowski - USA TODAY Sports
In addition, Beltran made five of his nine career All-Star appearances while in Queens.
Beltran is set to enter the Mets' team Hall of Fame during the 2026 season, and it's possible to envision his No. 15 eventually hanging in the rafters.
The former center fielder and current member of the front office, Beltran signed in Queens ahead of the 2005 season, helping to usher in a new era for the team shortly after Pedro Martinez arrived.
In 839 games with the Mets from 2005 to 2011, Beltran slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 208 doubles, 559 RBI, 551 runs scored, and 100 stolen bases.
Beyond his offensive prowess, Beltran was one of the best defensive center fielders in the game during his peak, and won all three of his Gold Gloves while with the Mets (2006, 2007, 2008).
During his 20-year career, Beltran hit .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 565 doubles, 78 triples, 312 stolen bases, 1,587 RBI, and 1,582 runs scored.
In addition to his Mets stint (2005 to 2011), Beltran played for the Royals (1998 to 2004), Astros (2004, 2017), Giants (2011), Cardinals (2012 to 2013), Yankees (2014 to 2016), and Rangers (2016).
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 06, 2002: Carlos Beltran #15 of the Kansas City Royals looks on prior to a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park on June 6, 2002 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We’re trying a new series at Royals Review, a daily mid-day question of the day to hear about your opinions on a fun or pressing question affecting the Royals or baseball in general. Chime in and drop your answers below!
Royals’ history is full of great trades, and a few that still make you throw up in your mouth. There are the ones where they traded a minor leaguer that became an All-Star, but then there are the ones where they traded away a star simply because they didn’t want to pay him. There are many candidates for worst trade:
Cecil Fielder to the Blue Jays for Leon Roberts
Atlee Hammaker, Craig Chamberlain, Renie Martin, and Brad Wellman to the Giants for Vida Blue and Bob Tufts
David Cone and Chris Jelic to the Mets for Rick Anderson, Mauro Gozzo, and Ed Hearn
Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota to the Mets for Gregg Jefferies, Kevin McReynolds, and Keith Miller
David Cone (again!) to the Blue Jays for Chris Stynes and Tony Medrano
Kevin Appier to the A’s for Brad Rigby, Blake Stein, and Jeff D’Amico
Johnny Damon to the A’s in a three-team trade for Angel Berroa, Roberto Hernandez, and A.J. Hinch
Jermaine Dye to the A’s in a three-team trade for Neifi Perez
Carlos Beltrán to the Astros in a three-team trade for Mark Teahen, John Buck, and Mike Wood
Melky Cabrera to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Verdugo
Esteury Ruiz, Matt Strahm, and Travis Wood to the Padres for Ryan Buchter, Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer
But hey, the trade that haunts you the most doesn’t have to be a move that was that bad on paper. Maybe it was when they traded away your favorite player. Surely there is someone haunted by the Mike Aviles-for-Kendal Volz-and-Yamaico Navarro trade?
So let’s open the old wounds a little: what Royals trade still haunts you, and why?
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 19: Rafael Soriano of the New York Yankees speaks during his introduction press conference on January 19, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees signed Soriano to a three year contract. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s January 2011 and the Yankees have narrowly missed out on the opportunity to defend their World Series crown, having been bounced out of the ALCS by the Rangers in six games. One of the players most responsible for their demise — and a personal white whale for general manager Brian Cashman — has just spurned their top-dollar offer in free agency, Cliff Lee taking a significant discount to rejoin the Phillies.
Stung by the rejection and perhaps in a last-gasp bid to make the most of the remaining players from the turn-of-the-millennium dynasty, all of whom are in the twilights of their career, Yankees ownership pivoted. They already had a talented core in place after the offseason spending spree that netted them CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett, and a World Series title two winters prior. It was just a matter of adding in complementary pieces by diverting the money previously earmarked for Lee. Enter stage right, Rafael Soriano, and a moment of pure theater from a normally line-toeing GM.
Rafael Soriano Signing Date: January 18, 2011 Contract: Three years, $35 million
Rafael Soriano was born December 19, 1979, in San José de los Llanos, Dominican Republic, and was playing weekly baseball tournaments by the age of eight. However, after failing to impress in the Dominican baseball academy operated by the Cardinals, Soriano dropped out of school at the age of 16 to work full time in a carpentry shop. He caught the eye of a Mariners scout during a three-month tryout at the academy run by the Hiroshima Carp of NPB, and in 1996 signed for $5,000 as an outfielder.
After struggling for two seasons in the Arizona Rookie League, the Mariners coaches convinced him to convert to pitcher after noting his strong arm from the outfield. He could consistently throw between 87 and 90 mph and top out at 95, and in his first season at Low-A Everett, he led his team with a 3.11 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. A steady rise through the system in 2000 and 2001 resulted in Baseball America ranking him as the 30th-best prospect in baseball for the 2002 campaign, and he recorded a save in his MLB debut on May 10th.
Soriano was added to the big-league rotation, but after eight rocky starts he went on the disabled list with a sore shoulder and would not return to the majors that year, instead being held at Triple-A to work on developing a reliable secondary pitch. He returned to pitch well in 2003 — a 1.53 ERA in 40 relief appearances totaling 53 innings — but underwent Tommy John surgery in 2004, limiting him to just 10.2 innings in the majors between 2004 and 2005.
Soriano was traded to the Braves following the 2006 campaign and pitched well in primarily a setup man role, logging a 2.95 ERA, 39 saves and 188 strikeouts in 162 appearances and 161.2 innings. Atlanta dealt him to the Rays prior to the 2010 season, and he reached a new level as the Rays’ unquestioned closer. He earned the Delivery Man of the Month Award in May, July and August en route to his lone All-Star selection as an injury replacement for Mariano Rivera. He threw an immaculate inning on August 23rd and finished as the AL saves leader with 45, earning the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award and finishing eighth in AL Cy Young balloting.
That brought Soriano and the Yankees to that fateful winter, the Bombers still smarting from their ALCS exit to the Rangers. To understand the events that would follow, we have to go back six months to the 2010 MLB Trade Deadline. The Yankees were clinging to a narrowly-held lead atop the AL East, but had a serious problem in their rotation with both Burnett and Javier Vázquez performing worse than replacement level.
Cashman had long coveted lefty starter Cliff Lee dating back to the 2009 World Series when the southpaw won both of his starts including a ten-strikeout complete game in Game 1. The Yankees thought they had a deal in place with the Mariners to acquire Lee at the deadline, agreeing to send Jesus Montero, David Adams, and Zach McAllister to Seattle to complete the trade. However, the Mariners balked after viewing the medicals on Adams’ injured ankle, and when Cashman refused to include either Eduardo Núñez or Iván Nova in the amended trade proposal, the Mariners pivoted that same day, trading Lee to the Rangers on July 9, 2010, for Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke, Matthew Lawson, and $2.25 million.
Fast-forward three months, and once again the Yankees were matched up against Lee in the postseason. The southpaw authored one of the greatest starts in recent playoff history, striking out 13 across eight scoreless, two-hit innings as the Rangers trounced the Yankees, 8-0, to take a 2-1 lead in the ALCS. This only seemed to heighten Cashman’s drive to acquire Lee, and that winter the Yankees launched a full court press to land Lee in the Bronx. However, they were fated to be spurned again, Lee turning down the Yankees’ seven-year, $154 million offer to instead rejoin the Phillies on a five-year, $120 million pact.
This final rejection led Cashman to dig his heels in for his plan for the rest of the offseason — appearing to signal a shift toward building for the future — with Cashman declaring that “I will not lose our No. 1 draft pick. I would have for Cliff Lee. I won’t lose our No. 1 draft pick for anyone else.”
Ownership had other ideas. On the orders of the Steinbrenner family, team president Randy Levine went around Cashman and negotiated directly with Soriano’s agent, Scott Boras, the two sides aligning on a three-year, $35 million contract just over a month after Lee left them jilted.
Cashman, as you can imagine, was less than pleased at having been circumvented, and in a stunning departure from the usual boilerplate responses that come out of the Yankees organization, let his feelings be known directly following Soriano’s introductory press conference:
I didn’t recommend it just because I just didn’t think it was an efficient way to allocate the remaining resources we had. We had a lot of debate about it. Like everything on the free-agent market and trade market, you discuss it, make your recommendations to ownership, and they choose what direction they prefer to go given the circumstances. My preference was waiting. They obviously acted, and we are better… I think it’s certainly a sign at times if Hal wants to go different directions that could happen. I think that’s certainly the case. This is their team. Does that happen often? Will it happen a lot? I just think it depends on the circumstances what the comfort level is taking place at the time. Not to say it won’t happen again, not to say it will. It’s hard to say.
Soriano made his Yankees debut on March 31st against the Tigers, pitching a scoreless eighth to set up Rivera for the save. He recorded his first save in pinstripes on April 20th against the Blue Jays, but his first few months with the Yankees were far from smooth sailing. He endured several blowup outings including giving up four runs to the Twins while recording just two outs on April 5th, and landed on the 60-day DL in mid-May after suffering an inflamed ligament in his throwing elbow. He was reactivated on July 29th and pitched six straight scoreless appearances to set up a strong finish to the season, Soriano ending his debut Yankees season with a 4.12 ERA, 3.97 FIP, and 36 strikeouts in 42 appearances totaling 39.1 innings.
That brought Soriano to his second taste of postseason baseball after having lost to the Rangers in the 2010 ALDS with the Rays. He went unused in the first two games of the ALDS against the Tigers before being brought on in relief of CC Sabathia in Game 3. The contest was knotted at four runs apiece after Sabathia and Justin Verlander got knocked around and Soriano was tasked with stopping the bleeding. He entered with a runner on third and one out in the sixth and escaped the inning unscathed. However, he surrendered the game-winning home run to Delmon Young in the seventh to put the Yankees in a 2-1 deficit in the series.
Soriano rebounded in Games 4 and 5, pitching 1.1 scoreless to earn the hold in the former and recording five outs without giving up a run in the latter, but it wasn’t enough as the Yankees were eliminated in five. All the same, this provided Soriano with some positive momentum to roll into the 2012 season.
Soriano was once again slated to be the team’s seventh-inning reliever in front of setup man David Robertson and closer Rivera. However, when Rivera tore his ACL while shagging fly balls during batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on May 3rd, the Yankees had to designate a closer for the rest of the season. Robertson was initially slated to take over the ninth inning, but after suffering a minor injury himself, Soriano was handed the closer job and would not relinquish it for the rest of the season.
He converted his first 12 save opportunities and would grow to become one of the most dependable relievers in baseball that season. Soriano finished the year with the third most saves in MLB (42), pitching to a 2.26 ERA, 3.32 FIP and 69 strikeouts in 69 appearances totaling 67.2 innings. He did so with some swagger too, memorably untucking his jersey with fervor immediately after recording the final outs. Despite not having Rivera, the Yankees had to feel good about the man they had assigned to the ninth inning heading into the playoffs.
Soriano began that postseason by recording the final out of the ninth and pitching a scoreless tenth in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Orioles, setting up Raul Ibañez’s walk-off home run in the 12th. The next day, Soriano faced the minimum in the ninth and tenth innings, though the Orioles won in 13 innings to force a Game 5. The Yankees advanced to the ALCS where they faced a rematch with their vanquishers from the prior postseason. Soriano made just one appearance as the Yankees were thoroughly trounced by the Tigers in a four-game sweep, pitching a scoreless tenth in Game 1 of an eventual 6-4 loss in 12 innings.
After such a successful season closing games, Soriano opted out of the final year and $14 million of his contract to become a free agent. With the Yankees confident that Rivera could return to full strength from his knee injury, they never showed much interest in re-signing Soriano, and he wound up agreeing to a two-year, $28 million pact to become the Nationals’ closer. He completed a successful two seasons in Washington, saving 43 games in 2013 and 32 games in 2014, and finished with a 3.15 ERA, 3.38 FIP, and 110 strikeouts across 132 appearances totaling 128.2 innings. However, he was removed from the closer role at the end of the season and only managed to sign a minor-league contract with the Cubs that winter, ultimately making just six appearances with a 6.35 ERA for the Northsiders. He was designated for assignment and released at the end of the season, and after visa issues forced him to miss spring training after signing a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays, Soriano announced his retirement on March 20, 2016.
Soriano’s time with the Yankees was often overshadowed by the two fan favorites at the back of the bullpen in Rivera and Robertson, in addition to the odd circumstances of his arrival with Steinbrenner overruling Cashman. He also just missed their last World Series win, and was instead part of a period of Yankees history that is more remembered as the final years of the Core Four than for postseason success.
That being said, Soriano stepped up in a huge way when Rivera suffered his season-ending injury, and on the whole pitched admirably in his two years in pinstripes, making 111 appearances with a 2.94 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 44 saves, and 105 strikeouts across 107 innings. Between 2009 and 2014, Soriano was one of the most productive late-inning relievers in baseball, his 191 saves second only to Jonathan Papelbon. Filling the shoes of the greatest closer in baseball history is no small task, and for one season, Soriano made palatable the loss of the future unanimous Hall of Famer.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
DENVER, CO - JULY 20: A general view of the stadium as the Colorado Rockies face the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Coors Field on July 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
Last season, the Diamondbacks were the only NL West team with a losing record playing the Rockies at Coors Field. I’m confident the Diamondbacks can improve. How?
Runs at Coors When Playing the Rockies.
Focusing on the NL West, runs scored and runs allowed can explain why the Diamondbacks had a worse record when playing the Rockies at Coors. The Diamondbacks ranked lowest in runs scored per game, and they ranked highest in runs allowed per game. The following table provides details. Data from Baseball Reference.
Deciding on how to improve, let’s look at two questions:
Is batting or pitching more to blame?
What statistics provide insights that point towards how to improve?
Most of the Blame.
Batting at Coors. The following table shows two statistics. Although they batted better than the Rockies at Coors, the Diamondbacks batters were below the average of the other teams at Coors.
The following table has a broader focus; non-Rockies teams includes all teams in the Majors. Data from Baseball Savant.
Pitching at Coors. The following table shows two statistics. Although they pitched better than the Rockies at Coors, the Diamondbacks pitchers had better than average wOBA against, but average runs allowed per PA of the other teams at Coors. Data from Baseball Savant.
The Diamondback batting shouldered most of the blame for the poor win-loss record at Coors because the batting wOBA was much worse than non-Rockies teams (while pitching wOBA about the same).
Two reasons Diamondbacks’ batters need to make adjustments at Coors. One reason is last season’s poor batting at Coors. The other reason is that Rockies pitchers at Coors are expected to make adjustments to improve their results. “Every guy [pitcher] is one adjustment away from being one of the best in the game, and there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit [pitching at Coors Field] that can be changed.” — Michael Lorenzen, newly acquired Rockies pitcher
The Blue Jays Batters Had Success at Coors.
Of all the teams who played at Coors, the Blue Jays batters had the best wOBA and best runs scored per PA. How did they do it?
This article from The Athletic led me to think contributors to their success at Coors included their “…contact-dominant offense…” and in August had baseball’s “…lowest strikout rate….” To check that out, let’s look at Balls-In-Play (BIP) per Plate Appearance (PA) and strikeouts per PA.
Although the following table shows that for the whole season (and especially for the Rockies-Jay series on 4-6 August) the Blue Jays’ batters had a better Balls-In-Play (BIP) per PA and a lower strikeouts per PA than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story. Also, I’m uncertain how batters could put more balls in play and strikeout less. One thought is for Diamondbacks batters to swing more often than they usually do.
Did the Diamondbacks swing more (or less) often at Coors? In 2025, the Diamopndbacks swung at more pitches at Coors (48.9% vs 46.9% of pitches) per Baseball Savant. That 2% increase seemed great until considering that the Blue Jay increased their swing percentage by 4.1% (increased from 48.6% to 52.7% of pitches). Asking Diamondbacks batters to further increase their swing percentage is not likely to be realistic.
Swing Characteristic. For the entire season, the Blue Jays qualified batters had a swing characteristic that was significantly different than the Diamondbacks. While it is a characteristic of Diamondbacks batters that they intercepted the baseball farther than the average distance in front of the plate (per this AZ Snake Pit article), most Blue Jay batters intercepted the ball nearer than average to the front of the plate. The following table shows the difference between the teams. Data from Baseball Savant.
Because of Coors’ high altitude, the pitches move less. Therefore, the Blue Jay batters did not suffer a reduced contact rate that would typically occur in venues at a lower altitude. My opinion is that this was an important part of why the Blue Jays batted better than the Diamondbacks at Coors. Unfortunately, asking Diamondbacks batters to make such a large change in their swings is not realistic.
Summary.
Last season, the Diamondbacks were the only NL West team with a losing record playing the Rockies at Coors Field. The Diamondbacks ranked lowest in runs scored per game, and they ranked highest in runs allowed per game.
Based on wOBA and runs scored per PA, the Diamondback batting shouldered most the blame for the poor win-loss record at Coors.
Although the Blue Jays’ batters had better Balls-In-Play (BIP) per PA and lower strikeouts per PA than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story.
Although the Blue Jays’ batters increased their swing percentage at Coors more than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story.
Much of the difference between the teams is that the Blue Jays’ batters intercepted the baseball nearer than average to the front of the plate, while the Diamondbacks batters intercepted the baseball farther than average to the front of the plate. Because of Coors’ high altitude, pitches move less. Therefore, when the Blue Jay batters hit closer to the plate, they did NOT suffer a reduced contact rate that would normally occur in venues at a lower altitude.
Answering the question of how could batters improve at Chase remained elusive. My opinion is that it’s not realistic to ask for Diamondbacks batters to make significant changes to their swings to address the factors that I’ve mentioned. On the other hand as an optimist, I’m open to the possibility of batting improvement at Coors.
July 12, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; GreenJacket pitcher Cam Caminiti (59) pitches during the 19th annual Military Appreciation game at SRP Park. The Augusta GreenJackets faced off against the Salem Red Sox. Salem won 9-2. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With our minor league crew going through all of the trouble of doing their annual preseason prospect rankings, this seems like the perfect time for y’all to ask questions about it. So this Friday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET, we’ll be having another one of our Live Q&A sessions where our very own Gaurav Vedak, Matt Powers, Brady Petree and Garrett Spain will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the minor league system. I’ll also be on hand for any questions you may have about the Braves in general but also if you want to hear from any of our other writers, don’t worry — we will have another Live Q&A session later on this month so stay tuned for that as well.
In case this may be your first time experiencing one of these, here’s how it goes: We’ll throw up the post on Friday afternoon so you can get in your questions very early on. Once 7:30 p.m. rolls around, our writers will start answering questions and we’ll go for as long as the questions keep coming in. Maybe that’ll be an hour, maybe that’ll be 12 hours (not really) but yeah, we’ll try to answer as many questions as we can within a reasonable amount of time. Here’s a link to our Minor League Live Q&A session from January 2025, in case you want an example of how this goes.
So yeah, if you have any questions, start thinking of them and then once we throw up the post on Friday afternoon, get them in so you’ll be assured of us answering your question. This is a very fun opportunity to have a cha with some of the brightest minds in Braves Country when it comes to the farm system around here and we look forward to seeing you there on Friday night!
Outside of getting married, moving into a new house, and announcing he’ll pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets' right-hander has already made his way to Port St. Lucie, throwing a two-inning live batting practice session on Tuesday.
“It’s good to get out here and compete a little bit,” McLean told SNY. "Kinda got snowed in in North Carolina for a little while, so getting down south in the warm weather and (throwing) off a dirt mound is always great.”
A third-round pick of the Mets in 2023, the former two-way star at Oklahoma State decided to stick with pitching, which certainly appears to be the right choice.
Making his big league debut last August, McLean was sensational in eight starts with the Mets, posting a 2.06 ERA, a 1.042 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts in 48.0 innings.
Even with that terrific start to his career, McLean said he took time this offseason to “reflect on the season and see what I can get better at.” That includes working on a pair of pitches to make his already-electric repertoire even more dangerous.
“I think I’ve just got to keep developing my stuff. Go out there and compete every single time, control what I can,” McLean said. “Obviously, there are always pitches that can get better, and that’s at the forefront of what I’m trying to do with my changeup and cutter -- be able to implement those a little bit more into my arsenal.”
Ranked as Joe DeMayo’s top prospect in the Mets’ system, McLean is a virtual lock to break camp on the major league roster, and figures to slot in near the very top of the rotation, a group that was bolstered by the addition of two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta.
With Peralta and McLean anchoring a rotation that will also include some mix of Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga, and with Jonah Tong, Christian Scott, and Tobias Myers as potential depth pieces, the Mets’ 2026 starting rotation very well could be a strength of the club.
And McLean thinks the sky is the limit.
“I think [the ceiling is] very high,” McLean said of the Mets’ collection of starting pitchers. “Freddy’s been around and kind of introduced himself to everybody. Seems like a great dude and obviously a great pitcher, so should be awesome.”
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 9: Michael Busch #29 of the Chicago Cubs at bat against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 9, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Eighth in the series.Today we look at the Cubs’ third-year first baseman.
Michael Busch, drafted in the first round (2019) by the Dodgers (31st overall, from UNC), and later acquired by the Cubs for second-round pick Jackson Ferris and minor leaguer Zyhir Hope, has paid dividends since being installed as the Cubs first baseman. He has turned in 2.8 and 4.6 bWAR seasons (2.2 and 3.5 fWAR). In 2025, he turned in a line of .261/.343/.523, swatting 34 home runs and batting in 90 runs. His defense was splendid as well.
Busch isn’t yet a star, but he will be if he equals or beats last year’s numbers, which is certainly possible. He got some downballot votes for the league’s MVP award, coming in 16th.
He’s said to be looking at hitting more against left-handers, though that will likely be based somewhat on Spring Training results, as there are right-handed batters around that would like those at-bats as well. Projections have him in the 25/75 zone. Of course we’d like better numbers, but those would do, along with his 60 or so walks.
He leads off sometimes, in Craig Counsell’s liquid batting order, and also hits 3,4,5. Any of those spots are good — Busch doesn’t seem to change his game any, no matter where he hits. Third or fifth might be best, where he can hit ahead of/behind powerful right-handed hitters like Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ, our next subject, can lead off against right-handers and enjoy similar benefits batting ahead of Bregman or Suzuki or even Nico Hoerner, who in another era would be the pluperfect #2 hitter.
We’ll have to wait and see what the genius of Craig Counsell comes up with, but penciling Busch in for 25 long balls, 75 RBI, and a .330 or so OBP feels pretty good. I suspect he’ll do quite a bit better than that.
PHILADELPHIA - MAY 22: Relief pitcher Jose Contreras #52 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during a game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on May 22, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nationals won 5-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a successful career in Cuba, Jose Contreras finally came to the United States at age 31 in 2003. He was a decent mid-rotation starter for a few years and even made the All-Star Game in 2006 for the White Sox. But his performance steadily declined, and he spent most of 2009 in the minors.
The Phillies signed him before the 2010 season with the intention of using him in relief. He did well in his new role, serving as one of the team’s main setup men, and even filled in for closer Brad Lidge when he was injured. The Phillies re-signed him to a two-year deal after the season, but (and this isn’t terribly surprising since he was 39 at the time) he was often injured and ineffective after that.
— Philly Sports By Number (@philly_number) June 2, 2025
12. Ronny Cedeño, 2014
Ronny Cedeño carved out a decent career as a utility infielder, able to play every position on the infield, and even some outfield. Mostly due to an anemic bat, was never able to maintain a starting job – he only had two seasons with more than 500 plate appearances – but every season from 2005 to 2013, he would end up on some team’s bench.
Come 2014, the Phillies decided they would be that team, signing Cedeño to a one-year deal. Unable to promise him a spot on the major league roster, they released him towards the end of Spring Training. Cedeño found that no other team was going to offer him a major league deal, so he returned to the Phillies less than a week later and accepted a minor league assignment.
Cedeno was eventually called up for a six-game stint in June. Despite going 0-9 in that stint, the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted him enough that they sent an actual human being (the immortal Raywilly Gomez) to the Phillies in order to get him.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds blows a bubble during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 8, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It appears the Cincinnati Reds will not be carrying three catchers to begin the 2026 regular season. What they most certainly will be carrying, though, is one Eugenio Suárez.
The Reds made their signing of Geno official on Tuesday afternoon, designating catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment in the process in order to make room on the 40-man roster.
The #Reds today signed IF Eugenio Suárez to a one-year Major League contract with a mutual option for 2027 and designated for assignment C Ben Rortvedt.
Geno will wear #28 this time around, and he’ll once again do so while incredibly happy to be plying his trade for the Reds. When speaking to the media shortly after his 1-year, $15 million deal was made official, he noted that Cincinnati was ‘where you want to be,’ as ESPN 1530’s Mike Petraglia relayed.
"It wasn't about years. It was about where you want to be." Geno Suarez
As for Rortvedt, the out-of-options catcher was DFA’d to make room on the roster before ever actually appearing in a game for the Reds. He was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers back in mid-November, initially having been a Dodger in the first place after being dealt there by the Tampa Bay Rays in the very same three-team trade that brough Zack Littell to the Reds at the July 31st trade deadline.
He was never really expected to crack the Opening Day roster, and being out of options meant the Reds couldn’t simply stash him in AAA to keep him around. I’m assuming their hope is that he clears waivers and remains in the organization as a non-roster guy, but if he happens to get claimed after being DFA’s I would certainly expect the Reds to bring in another non-roster catcher before spring camp gets underway in Goodyear in a little over a week and a half.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies warms up prior to throwing a bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 13, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training will officially kick off for the Colorado Rockies on February 12 when pitchers and catchers report and it won’t be long before Cactus League action begins with games taking place on February 20.
As usual, a batch of games will be available for consumption thanks to the Rockies Radio Network and the return of Rockies.TV for another year. Courtesy of a recent newsletter from MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, we know the basic schedule of the anticipated broadcasts for the Rockies crew.
850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (All times Denver time) • Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks (1 p.m. pregame/1:10 p.m. first pitch) • Feb. 22 at Rangers (12:55/1:05) • Feb. 24 vs. Angels (1/1:10) • Feb. 28 vs. Royals (1/1:10) • March 1 at Guardians (12:55/1:05) • March 2 vs. Dodgers (1/1:10) • March 4 vs. Team USA (1/1:10) • March 8 vs. Guardians (2/2:10) • March 9 at White Sox (1:55/2:05) • March 13 vs. Rangers (2/2:10) • March 15 at Angels (2/2:10) • March 17 vs. Mariners (2/2:10) • March 23 vs. Tigers (7/7:10) Rockies.TV • Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks • Feb. 24 vs. Angels • Feb. 28 vs. Royals • March 2 vs. Dodgers • March 4 vs. Team USA • March 8 vs. Guardians • March 13 vs. Rangers • March 17 vs. Mariners • March 23 vs. Tigers (Games on March 4 and March 23 will feature Rockies TV broadcasters. All others are simulcasts with the KOA Rockies Radio Network)
It’s worth noting that the schedule above lists only the Rockies-centric broadcasts that will be available. It is worthwhile to check MLB.TV and the Gameday Audio feeds for broadcasts that are available from the opposing teams on a day the Rockies don’t have a dedicated broadcast. All MLB.TV streams have typically been free to watch or listen to during spring training if you have an MLB.com account, no purchase necessary.
One of the more notable games will be the match-up against Team USA on March 4 as they get a tune-up for the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, the Spring Breakout game featuring top prospects from the Rockies and the Diamondbacks will take place on March 21. Broadcast info has not been ironed out for that game yet.
The broadcasting crews have not officially been announced, but it is expected that Drew Goodman will continue his role as the primary play-by-play for the TV crew, while Jack Corrigan returns as the primary radio voice for KOA. It’s not yet known at the time of writing who will join Corrigan on the radio side, if at all, after long-time co-announcer Jerry Schemmel was laid off this offseason by iHeartRadio.
Rockies baseball is right around the corner. Who are you most excited to follow through the broadcasts this year? Carry on the discussion below!
