CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox had two chances to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time in more than a century.
Now they have one chance to avoid a frustrating end to a surprising season.
The White Sox are going to a winner-take-all finale in their AL Division Series against Cleveland after a pair of disappointing defeats. Their bullpen is staggering after a 9-5 loss, and their hitters struck out 31 times over the last two games.
Game 5 is back in Cleveland, with the winner advancing to the American League Championship Series against Tampa Bay.
“Of course it’s a little disappointing,” All-Star outfielder Tristan Peters said, “but if we keep thinking that way we’re going to take that into Saturday, and then it’s not going to end well. I’m just telling myself, and I think everybody else is, too, that we’re not done. This isn’t done.”
Chicago earned an AL wild card by going 84-78 this season. It became the first team in MLB history to reach the playoffs after losing 100-plus games each of the previous two years.
Then, with manager Will Venable making all the right moves, the White Sox swept AL West champion Houston in their Wild Card Series before winning the first two ALDS games in Cleveland. It was the first 4-0 postseason start in franchise history — and all four wins came on the road.
That gave the White Sox a great opportunity to wrap up a postseason series at home for the first time since the 1906 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. But they flopped.
“Certainly, that’s something that we wanted to give our fans,” Venable said. “I think we just want to win this series however possible, and wherever that is, we’ll take it.”
Venable has leaned heavily on his bullpen out of necessity. But it looks as though that’s catching up to Chicago.
Erick Fedde heard chants of “Fed-de! Fed-de!” from the crowd of 39,920 after he replaced opener Hagen Smith in the first inning of Game 4 and pitched shutout ball into the fifth. But he was pulled after pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey launched a leadoff homer and Steven Kwan singled with one out.
Jordan Hicks came in and allowed a two-run homer to José Ramírez that gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead. Anthony Kay got one out in the sixth and was charged with two runs, and Grant Taylor yielded four runs and four hits without retiring any of the six batters he faced.
“They’re making really good swing decisions,” Venable said. “They’re making contact. We talked about how good a job they do of doing that. When you walk guys, they make you pay.”
Taylor, Kay, Smith and Bryan Hudson have pitched in three of the four games in the series. The 24-year-old Taylor tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings over the first two games of the ALDS.
“I don’t think it plays any role that I’ve thrown more this series,” Taylor said. “It truly was just execution. I walked two guys, and they put the ball in play.”
Taylor threw 18 pitches, eight for strikes. He promised he would be ready for Game 5 if needed.
“I’m going to be available for anything,” he said. “If they want me to go nine, then go for it. I’m going to do everything in the next couple days to be ready to go.”
Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward (84) gestures from the field during a Major League Baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2026. (Photo by Peter Zhan/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
As you might have noticed, the two division series in the National League ended Wednesday night. The 103 win Milwaukee Brewers and the 100 win Los Angeles Dodgers — the two teams with the best records in MLB, and the top two seeds in the National League — each finished off their opponents in four games. So much for the “you don’t want a bye because you get rusty” theory.
The Dodgers are trying to make it to the World Series for the third year in a row. The Brewers are trying to make it to the World Series for the second time in their history.
MONTCLAIR, NJ - APRIL 29: Former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone attends the press conference announcing Mickey Mantle Signed Contract Auction To Assist Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund at Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center on April 29, 2013 in Montclair, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The period between the 1964 World Series loss and the return to the Fall Classic in 1976 is a bit of a wasteland in Yankees’ history. Thanks in large part to the disaster that was CBS ownership, the Yankees had some of their worst years during that time. Things started to turn around by the start of the 1970s, as young players like Thurman Munson began to develop.
However, it’s not as if the Yankees had no good players in that down era. It’s not as if the children following the team didn’t have their idols. One of them is Joe Pepitone, whose birthday we celebrate today.
Joseph Anthony “Joe” Pepitone Born: October 9, 1940 (Brooklyn, NY) Died: March 13, 2023 (Kansas City, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1962-69
Joe Pepitone was born on October 9, 1940, in the very city he would go on play in professionally. The oldest of three boys, he grew up in Brooklyn with his parents Willie and Angelina. Although Joe said he loved and admired his father, the elder Pepitone could be abusive, both physically and emotionally. In one particular incident, Joe telling his father “I hate you!” caused Willie to hurl an ash tray in the direction of his son. It didn’t hit Joe, but it smashed against the wall, causing shards to fly in his eyes. There was no permanent damage, but the physical abuse did end after that harrowing incident. His father passed away in 1958, just a day after Joe had told his mom that “I wish he’d die” after another blowup between the two of them.
Pepitone was introduced to baseball by an uncle, and honed his game playing in the sandlots of New York City. A star in high school at Manual Training High School (now John Jay High School), Pepitone also played for Nathan’s Hot Dog semipro team when he began to catch the eyes of scouts. However, he had another nearly life-altering incident before he began his professional career.
In March 1958, just weeks before Pepitone would begin in minor league career, he was shot in an incident at his high school. A classmate had found a gun on the docks, and had pointed it — possibly, hopefully jokingly — at Pepitone, who didn’t know what was happening, tried backing away. The gun accidentally went off, and Pepitone had been shot straight through the stomach. Thankfully, Pepitone somehow escaped mostly uninjured, and signed for the Yankees shortly after that.
After signing with the Yankees, Pepitone rocketed through the minor leauges, and made the majors after impressing following a spring training with the big league team in 1962. Early on, Pepitone’s playing time was sparse with Bill “Moose” Skowron entrenched as the Yankees’ first baseman. As the calendar turned to May, manager Ralph Houk began to use him more, often deploying him in the outfield. However, after struggles and a disciplinary incident, the Yankees sent the youngster back down to the minors. He put up big numbers there and got called back up, although he wouldn’t appear in the 1962 World Series, which would be the Yankees’ last Fall Classic victory until 1977.
The 1963 season would go on to be a breakthrough one for Pepitone. He slugged 27 home runs and was named an All-Star, starting the game at first base. Pepitone would end up making the All-Star team in 1964 and ‘65 as well, along with helping the Yankees to the 1963 and ‘64 AL pennants. They lost both those series, though and Pepitone would never appear in the postseason again.
Over the next couple years, Pepitone became a star for the Yankees. However, with the stars of the 1950s and early 60s dynasty aging out, the team began to go the wrong way in the standings. With a career 105 OPS+ while on the Yankees, Pepitone was hardly ever the problem on the field. However, he could often be a bit of one off it. He gained the reputation as a bit of a party boy and had a habit of showing up late and having disagreements with managers. Between that and the fact that he was one of the higher earners on a bad Yankees’ team, the decision was eventually made to trade him. In December 1969, he was sent to the Astros for Curt Blefary.
Pepitone had a couple stops after his Yankee career, most notably with the Cubs from 1970-73. After his MLB career ended, he had a brief stint with the Yakult Atoms in Japan. He eventually returned to the Bronx as a coach, and was credited with helping Don Mattingly master first base defensively. However, his off-field issues remained, and he even did prison time after a 1988 drug conviction. He later released a fairly candid autobiography, where he spoke at length about his issues, and how they led to the end of three marriages and kept him from being an even better player.
In later years, Pepitone became something of a pop culture reference point. He was mentioned on occasions on “Seinfield” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” with noted Yankee fan Larry David right in the age range to remember Pepitone’s peak.
He was also the subject of a mention in a flashback scene in “The Sopranos.”
Tree RBI.
In his later years, Pepitone settled in Kansas City, where he was living with one of his children. He often made time to return to Yankees alumni events though, including Old-Timers’ Day in the Bronx. Pepitone passed away in KC at the age of 82 in 2023.
Nobody will mistake Joe Pepitone for a Baseball Hall of Famer, his stats weren’t remotely there. However, for Yankees’ fans of the time, watching a local kid make good, you couldn’t have told them otherwise.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Jordan Lawlar #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the second inning at Petco Park on September 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You could never count the 2026 Diamondbacks team out. Even right up until the last weekend of the season when they were all but written off weeks earlier, this team was still giving us reason to be invested and watch meaningful baseball games. But how good was this team really? What went good? What went bad? And most importantly what needs to be addressed so that we are still watching baseball in the playoffs at this time next season? Lets get started.
Team Overview
First, lets look at the season stats. The 2026 Dbacks managed to win 86 games despite scoring about the same amount of runs as they allowed at 739 scored vs 730 allowed. This is good for a Pythagorean wins total of 81.9 wins so it could be argued that this team overperformed by about 4 wins. That 4 win overperformance vs Pythagorean is 5th highest in MLB. Lets start with the offense. If we look at the trends, the 739 runs was about 52 runs fewer than 2025, and 147 runs less than when they lead the league in offense with 886 runs in 2024. On the run prevention side we see the opposite trend with this team going from 26th in runs allowed in 2024 to 17th in 2026.
Simply put, the offense got worse and the run prevention got better and this team had the same result being a mid 80s win team and just missing the 3rd wild card spot. But lets dig a little deeper shall we?
What Went Right
1. Bullpen- Starting with what went best and perhaps the surprise of the season, the bullpen. There are many metrics used to evaluate relief pitchers, but I love win probability added (WPA) and this group went from 30th in 2025 to 5th. Part of WPA is timing and this bullpen was 4th in Clutch which was worth about 4 wins which is roughly the whole gap over Pythagorean. So when looking at reasons as to why this team was better than its Pythagorean, it could very well be this bullpen entirely making it the MVP of this season for me. The most surprising find I made was Juan Morillo, Brandyn Garcia, and Justin Martinez were worth more WPA (4.05) than the big 3 of Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, and Corbin Carroll (WPA 3.17). That speaks to how clutch this bullpen was and how not clutch the big 3 was. Maybe we have a new big 3 in 2027 and they come out of the bullpen? Garcia was elite against lefties with a .182 xwOBA and still good against righties with a .264. And his stuff+ backs up the results with a 130 sweeper and a 117 sinker. Martinez looked great in his return from 2nd Tommy John with a 101.8 avg fastball velocity in September, the highest of his career. He did spray the ball around a little bit more than you would like with an 18% BB, however it was only 13 innings so maybe we can chalk it up to some rust. Stuff+ tends to settle faster than many of the other metrics so his stuff+ of 127.5 for 2026 is both really encouraging and completely absurd. For context, among relievers with 10+ innings pitched, JMart’s 127.5 stuff+ ranks 3rd in all of baseball! Aside from the excitement of seeing JMart back, Juan Morillo and Jonathan Loaisiga were the backbone of the group and the glue that held it together giving this team a combined 131.1 innings of 2.33 high leverage relief innings. Worth about 2.7 fWAR combined. Absolutely huge.
2. The Defense- Next up for what went right, the defense. You noticed coming into this season that the front office started referring to ‘run prevention’ rather than pitching? That wasn’t by mistake. They doubled down on their inability to limit hard contact in years past by building an elite defensive team that likely propped up a below average pitching group that still allowed a lot of contact once again in 2026. The defense was +36 in Outs Above Average (3rd in MLB) which equates to about 29 fielding runs or roughly 3 wins. What propelled this defense vs previous seasons? An unsung hero of the defense this season was Geraldo Perdomo who alone was worth +18 Def. Bullpen and defense were difficult to rank which one was more critical to this team in 2026 especially when you consider the starters allowed the 3rd highest contact in baseball in 2026. One thing is for sure, this team would’ve looked a lot different without this defense.
3. Gabriel Moreno finally broke out! Ever since he was batting 3rd in the world series run in 2023, fans have been dreaming of what Gabriel Moreno could look like if things clicked and he was able to stay healthy, and in 2026 fans finally got to see just that! Aside from winning the batting title and being the first catcher to accomplish the feat since Buster Posey, Gabi lead the team with 5.4fWAR. Most importantly his breakout season is backed up by the numbers with a 141 wRC+ and a .363 xwOBA so this wasn’t a fluke by any means. And he was still the superb defender we have grown accustomed to. This was a player finally putting it all together and reaching his star potential. A huge development to add another player with star potential to the middle of this lineup and anchoring the defense with Perdomo.
4. Unlikely Rotation Heroes- The rotation was saved by the most unlikely of sorts. Eduardo Rodriguez was able to have a breakout season and earn almost the entirety of his contract in 1 year putting up 3.2 WAR with a 16-7 record and a sparkling 2.89 ERA in 189 innings. Another not fun exercise you can do with yourself if you want to get into the spooky season spirit a little early is where would this team have been without ERod? Now the only reason for me he is a little lower in this list is that I believe at least a significant portion of the ERod breakout was due to the defense being so good (4.27 xERA), but still you cant take anything away from what he was able to do. The other rotation savior was Michael Soroka. Perhaps the most important signing of the 2025 offseason, Soroka came in and was worth 2.7 WAR in just 116 innings, but lead the rotation with a 3.19 FIP. Without ERod and Soroka’s breakouts, this rotation would’ve sunk this season early in the season.
5. A strong Second Half Surge- For the second straight season this team seemed to surge in the second half going 37-29 after the break. However, it wasn’t for the reasons you maybe would’ve thought as it wasn’t really due to the reinforcements finally arriving, it was genuinely because this team was just playing better baseball. Specifically, the offense went from 4.33 runs/game (19th) before the allstar break to 4.89 runs/game (4th) after. This was the second biggest improvement in baseball over that span.
This was largely driven by the team’s xwOBA jumping from 26th to 5th due to a couple of factors: chase rate dropped 2.2 points, barells rose .9 points (2nd biggest rise) and hard hit rose 1.6 points (3rd biggest rise). About 85% of this improvement came simply from who was batting vs the same hitters improving. Guys like Lourdes Gurreil Jr, Adrian Del Castillo, Alek Thomas, and LuJames Groover saw significantly less PA while guys like Lars Nootbaar, Tim Tawa, and James McCann saw more. Of positive note here, Corbin Carroll’s fastball whiff rate fell from 27.6% to 21.9% while his xwOBA held so its likely the late “slump” was bad luck and nothing more.
Summary
All in all, despite missing the playoffs there was much to be excited about in 2026 and there is foundation to build upon for 2027. Was this team likely a little bit better than it should’ve been? Probably yes. And for that we should be thankful. The season definitely could’ve been much worse. Next week I will be bad cop and cover the dreaded what went wrong.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Los Angeles pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) gets high-fives in the dugout during the NLDS game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 6th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Last time:
Yoshinobu Yamamoto versus Chris Sale should be a duel of the ages. The problem is we saw that duel play out on August 27, when Sale made a first-inning home run stand up in a complete-game shutout. In order to retake control of this series, the Dodgers need to take advantage of their supposed depth to do something that they haven’t done all year: win in Atlanta.
They’ll have two tries to do it.
About that…Yamamoto did it in one, and then some. Now, like Godot, the Dodgers wait before heading to Milwaukee.
That’s Shogun Yamamoto, Bane of Toronto, to you
The last general to be this successful in Atlanta was arguably William Tecumseh Sherman. As for the Dodgers’ chances, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is what happened; that’s what.
Yamamoto tossed any thoughts of a 2022 redux out the window in another dominant performance. Moreover, he got run support on the road. Two amazing statistics popped up from Yamamoto’s Game 3 gem, mostly concerning Yamamoto’s dominance on the road when he actually gets run support.
Second, Yamamoto is the first pitcher in MLB history to earn the victory in his last five straight postseason appearances while not allowing more than a single run or walk in any of them. All five of these appearances have been on the road.
Game 2 ‘25 NLCS @ Milwaukee
Game 2 ‘25 WS @ Toronto
Game 6 ‘25 WS @ Toronto
Game 7 ‘25 WS @ Toronto
Game 3 ‘26 NLDS @ Atlanta
Third, per Baseball Reference, in 2026, he is 0-9 when the Dodgers fail to score more than two runs in his starts. But the main point is, on the road, he finds another gear. Remember, he didn’t have his best no-hitter/perfect game bids at Dodger Stadium; it was on the road (in the aforementioned Baltimore in 2025 and the South Side of Chicago in 2026).
Home (2026) .190/.247/.350 against in 16 games, 14 HR allowed, 106 K vs 24 BB
Away (2026) .171/.225/.255 against in 12 games, 6 HR allowed, 76 K vs 18 BB
At this point, the Dodgers could slot in the rotation for the NLCS to be:
Game 1 — @ MKE, Tarik Skubal
Game 2 — @ MKE, Yamamoto
Game 3 — vs. MKE, Blake Snell
Game 4 — vs. MKE, Tyler Glasnow
Game 5, if necessary — @ MKE, Tarik Skubal
Game 6, if necessary — @ MKE, Yamamoto
Game 7, if necessary — @ MKE, Blake Snell / Johnny Wholestaff
Still, it’s food for thought for later.
Chopped Atlanta’s season short
Turns out the actual cost I warned about last time was a single leverage game. Yes, the Dodgers ground down Chris Sale and outlasted Tyler Mahle. But had the Dodgers taken care of business, this series would have ended in a sweep.
Maybe it could have gone sideways; maybe it should have. But the fact is that it didn’t, and all my benchmarks for disappointment have been cleared.
Still, the extra, leverage game allowed the Dodgers to score by another method apart from home run. Errors and singles — in this economy?!? From Andy Pages, no less?!? Pages’ postseason splits were brutal before the last two games, and that description is generous. It’s worth noting that Pages’ single was a seeing-eye grounder, barely over 92 mph.
If I have said it once during this postseason, I will say it a thousand times: I don’t care how hard you hit into an out; I don’t care how hard you throw ball four. There is value in adjusting to what the defense gives you and passing the baton to sustain an actual rally.
In the best-case scenario, Game 4 might have provided an opportunity to smooth out some rougher edges before the seemingly destined rematch with the Milwaukee Brewers starting Sunday in Cream City.
One last note before switching gears: after Atlanta bested Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round, I stumbled across some footage of The ATL locals proclaiming that they wanted the Dodgers. It didn’t seem to get much traction when I posted it here.
They got the Dodgers alright. Mission accomplished. It doesn’t help that Atlanta matched a level of offensive futility with runners in scoring position not seen since the 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers, who were infamously swept by the Baltimore Orioles.
When you make the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series look like an offensive juggernaut with runners in scoring position (3 for 17 in Game 7 alone), something has gone awry.
Knowing the Senior Circuit
Meanwhile, in the two other series that concluded on October 7, there were matchups of Goofus (New York Yankees, San Diego Padres) versus Gallant (Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers). To the surprise of no one, Gallant eliminated Goofus on the same night in both contests.
The Yankees being bested by the same flaws that doomed them in 2024 is both unsurprising and funny. I have had my finger on the Padres’ pulse for a while now:
It’s this current group of [Padres] players who are as unlikeable and obnoxious as any bunch I can recall. The funny thing is that if they had actually done anything to justify the attitude, I would accept it as the winner’s prerogative.
Since they haven’t won anything, it’s just obnoxious.
Yes, they have been playing well in September, and their bullpen is formidable. I wanted the Dodgers to trade for Mason Miller last year. I even went to Sutter Health Park on his bobblehead day to get both the bobblehead and art for the subsequent Guide entry. Oh well.
The Padres have to get past the Cubs, which is an oddly compelling matchup that could easily fill a five-game or even seven-game series. Alas, it’s only three games as an amuse-bouche.
We don’t need extra playoffs; we need to savor what we have.
Seeing the Padres send the Cubs packing would likely be quite satisfying. In some respects, I am honestly rooting for every game to go to extra innings, and if a wayward meteor or an errant probe looking for whales happened by, who is to complain?
I was rightfully proud of that last reference that seemed to sail by without notice. If you can’t make a Star Trek IV reference, especially when I used to work right by Chinatown in San Francisco, then what are we all doing here? Once again, me:
The just reward of that hypothetical Padres’ victory is that the Brewers are waiting, looming, if not salivating, for the winner. Most likely, the Padres’ dreams are smashed in Cream City, but not until giving the Brewers all that they can handle.
I goofed slightly in thinking this series would go five games, maybe forcing wunderkind Jacob Misiorowski into Game 5 service. Alas, the forecasts of mice and men.
And then, as if to make my point a week after I made, YouTuber Steve Linkowski provided two minutes of distilled video ambrosia summarizing the last half-decade of San Diego failure.
A deeper write-up of the upcoming Dodgers/Brewers revenge matchup will come soon, but, per Sarah Langs, it’s the twelfth time since LCS play began that there has been the same pairing of LCS opponents in consecutive years. From 1976 to 1978, it was Groundhog Day for Kansas City in facing off with the New York Yankees.
Per my follow-up check, in five of the last six matchups, the loser of round 1 won the rematch, à la Rocky II. I noticed it; now you get to notice it. Of course, the one time where there was no revenge was the Dodgers getting flattened by the Phillies in 2008 and 2009, which feels like such ancient history that it bears no further mention.
I think Milwaukee is better this time around, both in personnel and in health. Anyone expecting another waltz to another Fall Classic likely will be sorely disappointed by the actual dogfight awaiting over the next week.
I have generally enjoyed these playoffs so far, even when the Dodgers are triggering past summer traumas. I have learned something so far: when it comes to Junior Circuit, I know somewhere between diddly and squat.
But when it comes to the National League, I generally know what I’m talking about.
Anticipating the Future…
Byes: Toronto, Seattle, Philadelphia, Dodgers
Wild Card: Texas over Detroit, Boston over New York, Milwaukee over Chicago, Atlanta over New York
Division Series: Toronto over Texas, Seattle over Boston, Philadelphia over Milwaukee, Los Angeles over Atlanta
Championship Series: Seattle over Toronto, Los Angeles over Philadelphia
World Series: Dodgers over Mariners in five — you say “Next year in Seattle” long enough, eventually you have to commit to the bit.
…Compared to what actually happened
As to the matchups, my NL bracket is looking significantly better than my AL bracket.
Wild Card: Boston over New York in 3 (oops), Houston over Chicago in 2 (oops), San Diego over Chicago in 3 (darn Cubs), Atlanta over Philadelphia in 2 (Philly had some life, huh)
Division Series: Tampa over Boston in 4 (right result, wrong opponent, wrong length), Houston over Cleveland in 4 (the White Sox building a 2-0 lead just to cough it up is so funny), Milwaukee over San Diego in 5 (bums!), Los Angeles over Atlanta in 4
Championship Series: Tampa over Houston in 6, Los Angeles over Milwaukee in 6
World Series: Los Angeles over Tampa in 5. It’s 2020 all over again, except this time, the Dodgers clinch at the Trop.
I don’t claim to be perfect, and I own up to when I make a mistake. However, my takes are never generally hysterical (see The California Post), and if one needs to feel better, or, at the very least, marvel at how some people somehow continue to work in this field for pay, we return to the predictive powers of Ben Verlander.
It’s arguable that when Dave Roberts calls someone his “pick to click,” it actually is a pronouncement of doom. But when Ben Verlander picks a team to win, that act truly is a figurative death sentence. His lack of predictive power is truly astounding. In 2025, in the preseason, he predicted Atlanta would beat Houston, before switching in the playoffs to the Phillies beating Seattle.
Behold what he came up with for this year.
On Wednesday night, the figurative champagne corks were popped as the Yankees were eliminated, putting the final nail in this bit and begging the question of whether he actually watches baseball.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts at second base after hitting a double in the first inning during the game against the Kansas City Royals at PNC Park on September 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates outfield in 2026 had a few consistent pieces, but overall this was a group that saw a lot of turnover and a lot of opportunities for young players to prove their worth.
The mainstays
One of the more impressive stat lines this year has to do with the former All-Star Bryan Reynolds. At age 31 Reynolds completed another season with consistent solid production, and he did all of that while also appearing in 162 games for the first time in his career. Reynolds was the first Pirate to play in all 162 contests since Jason Bay completed that feat in 2005. He was also just one of seven major leaguers to achieve that in 2026. As he tends to do, Reynolds once again quietly put together a solid campaign that included 17 home runs and a .261 batting average.
It’s unfortunate that Oneil Cruz dealt with the injuries that he did in 2026 because he was on pace to have an absolutely monster season. Cruz initially landed on the 10-day IL for a hand fracture but was then upgraded to the 60-day, thus limiting his action to just 97 games, his lowest amount of appearances since 2023. Despite the time he missed he still finished with one of his finest statistical seasons to date. Across the board his slash line was much improved as he hit .280/.368/.486 with a .854 OPS. Not to mention he hit 20 or more home runs for the third straight season and also had 30 or more stolen bases for the second straight year.
New blood to keep and build with
It was a huge surprise when Esmerlyn Valdez stepped on the major league scene and started tearing the covers off of baseballs. He quickly became a powerful fixture in Pittsburgh’s lineup notching 17 home runs in his rookie season. Be that as it may he did dramatically cool off after his hot July, and looked lost at times in August and September. However, very few have come out firing like that in their rookie year and there’s reason to keep Valdez around and develop him into a better every day hitter for the Pirates. Valdez took home National League Rookie Of The Month honors for July.
Jake Mangum proved to be a great spark plug at times for the Buccos. He was awarded the team’s Heart and Hustle Award in 2026, and certainly embodies the qualities that it takes to receive that honor. Mangum finished his second major league season with a slash line of .276/.331/.363 and set new career highs for homers, triples, doubles and total bases. He did strike out 29 more times this season compared to last with the nearly 20 more appearances, but overall Mangum was reliable down the stretch, and should certainly be brought back in 2027.
Additional pieces who may or may not be with Pittsburgh in 2027
Several other fringe players made appearances in the outfield for the Pirates in 2026, but outside of Jhostynxon Garcia many of them will likely be relegated back to the minor leagues or shipped off to other organizations.
Garcia remains the outlier because of his age. At just 23-years-old Garcia still has time to develop into the player that he was projected to be when the Boston Red Sox signed him in 2019 out of Venezuela. In 2026 he battled injuries and was up and down the Pirates’ organization, and only ended up appearing in Pittsburgh for 20 games. In that span he was unremarkable. While he was very successful at the minor league ranks this season, he had a lowly .167 batting average at the major league level and had 16 strikeouts in 48 at-bats. He’s shown that he has the pop and explosiveness to succeed at the next level, he just hasn’t been able to put all those pieces together to this point.
The real fringe players were guys like Tyler Calihan, Billy Cook and Ronny Simon. At this point in their careers something catastrophic would have to happen for them to be brought on as full time outfielders for a major league organization . Calihan and Cook are both already 27-years old and are largely career minor leaguers. Cook did appear in 87 games for Pittsburgh this season which is by far the most major league action he’s seen in his career, but he was overall a below average ballplayer.
Callihan was traded for in early March and saw action in 40 major league contests this year and was mostly average. He slashed .211/.283/.389 with a .672 OPS. Not a bad player, but certainly more of a rotational piece than a mainstay.
Simon is another career minor league player and only appeared in 21 games for the Pirates in 2026. He certainly wasn’t bad, and did seem to make the most of his opportunity, but he will not be viewed in the same light as a guy like Valdez who will almost definitely be on the big league roster in 2027.
Ryan O’Hearn, Jared Triolo and Nick Yorke also had their fair share of appearances in the outfield, but were more prominently used in the team’s infield.
The Pirates’s outfield has a good foundation, and could be viewed as great with one above average rotational piece and a fully healthy season from Cruz.
Another strong regular season, sure. But these Yankees again did not complete the final group project – win the World Series. What does that mean for their SNY report card?
Remember: Players are graded against their own standards and expectations, not against each other.
The Bronx Bombers will not win the World Series in 2026, so the general manager’s final grade gets dinged. "Running it back" was good enough to get to the playoffs and win a round, but the Yanks ended with the same ALDS exit as last season. Cashman tried to help at the deadline, but his biggest deal, for Luis García Jr., will have its real evaluation in 2027. The addition of Heliot Ramos didn’t really help. But Cashman also resisted an overpay trade for Adley Rutschman, leaving him chips to potentially use this winter, which will be a big one for a Yankee team trying to end a World Series title drought dating back to 2009. It may be frustrating that they haven’t won it all since then, but Cashman’s teams get to the postseason – 2026 was his 29th year at the helm, and his squad has missed out on October baseball just five times in that span.
Just like Cashman, the manager gets points off his final grade for failing to win the World Series. Still, he had a strong year as the Yankees went 93-68 and beat the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. Aaron Judge missed significant time during the regular season and was down for the playoffs. Giancarlo Stanton and Max Fried (among others) missed time, too. Boone helped create an effective bullpen after key pieces fizzled. In Game 2 in Tampa Bay, the Yanks experienced a repeat of the defensive disaster from Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. While Boone doesn’t wear a glove, that redux calls into question the club’s culture under his management. Could he have shaken up a snoozing October lineup sooner? Maybe. His job status is an annual debate this time of year, but at least two key Yanks – Judge and Cam Schlittler – offered strong public support for Boone following the final loss.
GRADE: B
Oct 5, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
BEN RICE
With Judge on the shelf for so long, Rice was the biggest threat in the lineup and continued his ascension as a hitter. He was third in the AL in OPS (.897) and fourth in homers (41) and RBI (97), and then went 8-for-19 (.421) with four homers in five postseason games.
GRADE: A
CODY BELLINGER
Bellinger's numbers dipped compared to last season (SLG down from .480 to .429) and he batted just .190 in the playoffs. However, he still led Yankee position players in bWAR, thanks to his all-around game.
GRADE: B
AARON JUDGE
Limited to just 66 games due to injuries, which kept him out of the playoffs entirely, Judge's numbers weren’t up to his usual lofty standards when he did play, with his .871 OPS being 273 points below his full season production in ‘25.
GRADE: C
JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.
High-ceiling talent didn’t produce equivalent results for Jazz, though he was third in the AL in steals (41). He slugged 19 homers, but his OPS fell 102 points to .711 and he batted just .182 in the playoffs. Chisholm also played a key role in the ALDS Game 2 defensive debacle, and was left out of the starting lineup by Boone against a righty (Nick Martinez) in a playoff elimination game.
GRADE: C-
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda (8) hits a single and slides to the base during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT
The ageless wonder performed perfectly in his platoon role, recording a .967 OPS and 11 home runs against left-handed pitchers. Only eight MLB players hit more longballs against lefties than Goldy. He added seven home runs against righties, too.
GRADE: A
RYAN MCMAHON
McMahon hit 11 homers in 124 games and had an uninspiring .635 OPS. His error in ALDS Game 2 and some ordinary defensive metrics sap his grade, given his reputation and past performance as a top-tier defensive third baseman.
GRADE: D+
GEORGE LOMBARD JR.
The promising 21-year-old shortstop could have a big future after notching a .699 OPS and seven homers in 42 games. Lombard showed the competitive makeup to handle rookie growing pains, including a fielding slump in which he made an error in six straight games. Like the rest of the infield, Lombard had a rough Game 2 against Tampa Bay.
GRADE: C+
SPENCER JONES
Yes, Jones strikes out too much (36.3 strikeout percentage in 2026, 14 points higher than MLB average), but he’s crazy athletic and powerful and could bloom into something special. 11 homers, 10 steals, and a .742 OPS in 86 games is very encouraging.
GRADE: B
TRENT GRISHAM
Grisham regressed in all facets from his 2025 season, finishing with 18 homers, a .211 average and .703 OPS. He also went 0-for-11 against the Rays in the Division Series.
GRADE: C-
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
AUSTIN WELLS
Wells had an odd season. He was dreadful offensively for so long that the Yanks were trying to trade for a catcher at the deadline, but he repaid Cashman's faith in him with an .800 OPS over his final 48 games. He was also the Yanks' second-best hitter in the playoffs (.333, four RBI), but inexplicably gambled on the basepaths trying to leg out a triple in Game 1 against Tampa Bay. As usual, he was very good defensively, including with ABS challenges.
GRADE: C+
LUIS GARCIA JR.
Garcia would have been the perfect deadline acquisition if he were a right-handed hitter. Still, he brought a power threat to a lineup that sorely needed it, even if the numbers weren’t overwhelming after he arrived (seven homers, .736 OPS in 43 games).
GRADE: C
JOSE CABALLERO
Caballero annoys opponents (trust us, that’s a compliment) and offers elite speed (34 steals) and versatility. He played six different positions and hit a career-best 14 homers. I think he should’ve gotten more playing time in the playoffs -- he might have really vexed his old team, the Rays.
GRADE: B
ANTHONY VOLPE
Volpe deserves kudos for his response to getting sent down – he returned with the ability to play second base, and ended up being a late-season contributor at the plate. In fact, he was one of the few Yankees who showed up against the Rays (3-for-7, nearly left the yard in Game 3). He’s not the shortstop of the future anymore, but he might be the starting second baseman should the Yanks let Chisholm walk this offseason.
GRADE: B-
HELIOT RAMOS
The Yanks needed a righty outfield bat at the deadline, but Ramos didn’t add much over 38 games, batting a paltry .198 with four homers and a .688 OPS. He was also a nonfactor during the playoffs, although Boone probably should've inserted him as a pinch runner for Goldschmidt in the eighth inning of Game 3 against the Rays.
GRADE: D
Aug 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Heliot Ramos (34) runs off the field after the top of the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
CAM SCHLITTLER
Schlittler's 1.95 ERA was the third-lowest single-season figure in Yankee history, and he became the 11th pinstriped starting pitcher to win the ERA title. Simply put, Schlittler authored one of the great pitching seasons in team history en route to a presumptive AL Cy Young award, and proved the Yankees have a new ace.
GRADE: A+
GERRIT COLE
The 36-year-old returned from Tommy John surgery and the results were mostly pretty good, from a 3.61 ERA in 22 regular season starts to a five-inning, one-run postseason start. There’s more in the tank here, and that's great news for everyone involved.
GRADE: B
MAX FRIED
He pitched very well when healthy (2.80 ERA in 20 starts), though his left elbow could be an ongoing concern. After allowing one run in six innings in the Wild Card Series, the Yanks needed that again in the ALDS, but Fried did not deliver, allowing four runs in 5.2 frames against the Rays, which dings his grade.
GRADE: B+
CARLOS RODON
Rodon was incredibly hard to hit all season, recording just 5.4 hits allowed per nine innings. With a 2.67 ERA in 16 starts, he was probably the Yanks' best pitcher late in the season excluding Schlittler, which makes it all the more weird that he did not pitch in the playoffs.
GRADE: A-
New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone during a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
WILL WARREN
Warren is a capable back-end arm who might have more upside, evidenced by his 3.92 ERA over 156 innings in 2026.
GRADE: B-
RYAN WEATHERS
Weathers was tremendous over his final six starts (1.29 ERA) before getting hurt. He returned to make two scoreless relief appearances in the playoffs, showcasing his versatility.
GRADE: B
DAVID BEDNAR
The Yankees couldn't ask for more from their closer. Bednar is dependable, difficult to hit (6.8 hits-per-nine) and suppresses home runs (0.5 HR/9). He saved 35 games in 39 chances and had a streak of 29 appearances without a blown save that lasted nearly three months. He also pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Game 3 against the Rays.
GRADE: A
BRENT HEADRICK
Headrick was the lefty relief revelation of 2026 in the Bronx. He was nigh-unhittable entering August (1.30 ERA), but regressed as his workload mounted, recording a 4.30 ERA over the final two months. Regardless, his final numbers in a strong setup season: 2.18 ERA over 81 appearances. Young by reliever standards (28 years old).
GRADE: A-
PAUL BLACKBURN
The former back-end starter was transitioned into an elite setup or multi-inning bullpen weapon in 2026. Blackburn notched more than three outs in a single appearance a whopping 32 times in 69 games, notched a 1.69 ERA, and was clearly the most-trusted October reliever (six shutout innings in four appearances). A career-changing year for the 32-year-old righty.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 24: Colorado Rockies fans wear bags over their heads as they watch the Rockies play the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Coors Field in Denver. The Rockies lost 12-8 in their final home game of the season. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Outside of losing 100 games again, another negative trend continued for the Colorado Rockies in 2026.
With the fourth-straight season of 100 or more losses in the books, the Rockies also logged their worst season of attendance since 2006 this year (not including no fans in 2020 and a fan-limited 2021 because of COVID).
In total, 2,245,426 fans walked into Coors Field this season. That number is the third lowest in team history, trailing only 2005 (1,914,389) and 2006 (2,104,362). It also marks the third consecutive season the total attendance has dropped, as the Rockies have fallen from No. 15, to No. 16 to No. 18.
The numbers for the last 25 seasons paint an interesting picture: one of an eager fan base, but also one that is slowing tapering off each year. Maybe that’s why it feels like there are more and more opposing fans, especially for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
Season
Record
Total Atten.
Total Rank
Ave. Game Att.
2026
58-104
2,245,426
18th
27,721
2025
43-119
2,404,613
16th
30,057
2024
61-101
2,540,295
15th
31,361
2023
59-103
2,607,935
13th
32,196
2022
68-94
2,597,428
10th
32,467
2021
74-87
1,938,645
9th
23,934
2020
26-34
—
2019
71-91
2,993,224
6th
36,954
2018
91-72
3,015,880
7th
37,233
2017
87-75
2,953,650
8th
36,465
2016
75-87
2,602,524
11th
32,130
2015
68-94
2,506,789
14th
30,948
2014
66-96
2,680,329
10th
33,090
2013
74-88
2,793,828
10th
34,492
2012
64-98
2,630,458
13th
32,475
2011
73-89
2,909,777
12th
35,923
2010
83-79
2,875,245
10th
35,497
2009
92-70
2,665,080
11th
32,902
2008
74-88
2,650,218
13th
32,719
2007
90-73
2,376,250
17th
28,979
2006
76-86
2,104,362
23rd
25,979
2005
67-95
1,914,389
26th
23,929
2004
68-94
2,338,069
15th
29,595
2003
74-88
2,334,085
15th
28,815
2002
73-89
2,737,918
9th
33,801
While the running joke of Coors Field being the best bar in Denver remains true, and people still come to 20th and Blake each year, the numbers are dropping. You can see that in the average game attendance, which dropped from 30,057 in 2025 when the Rockies lost 119 games to 27,721 this year. Sure, many of those fans were cheering for the other teams, but it still results in revenue for the Rockies.
It was not enough revenue, however, to avoid raising season ticket prices 12% (read more on Walker Monfort’s justifcation for the hike here).
Despite recording their eighth-straight losing season, the Rockies still had more fans in attendance in 2026 than four other teams with winning records, including three current playoff teams: the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays.
They also set a new record for least tickets sold — 16,301 — for a single game when they beat the Houston Astros 9-7 on Monday, April 6. While some games early in the season can have snow and freezing temperatures, that wasn’t the excuse that day. The high was 68 degrees and the skies were sunny.
Confirming that the #Rockies announced crowd of 16,301 Monday night was the lowest in franchise history (non-COVID seasons). @MaseDenver was the first to report that.
This has to hit the front office even harder because the overall attendance is up in Major League Baseball.
For the fourth-straight year, there were more fans who went to games. In the 2026 regular season, the total reached 71.75 million. That’s partially due to the Tampa Bay Rays being back at Tropicana Field, but still includes the A’s playing at Sutter Health Park — a Triple-A stadium — in West Sacramento.
Even though a lot seemed the same for the Rockies this year, it was the first year of a new front office and new philosophies, as well as manager Warren Schaeffer’s first full season in charge. Change doesn’t happened immediately. It takes time.
As much as the Rockies want to be like the Chicago White Sox, the chances of them righting the ship to the playoffs in 2027 doesn’t seem very likely. The turnaround did a lot for the White Sox fans, who went from 540,687 fans in 2025 to 1,986,425 in 2026.
The Rockies improved by 15 wins from 2025 to 2026. If they did that again in 2027, that would result in a 73-89 record. It’s not .500, but I would bet it would land more fans in seats. Hopefully, more of those fans would be cheering for the home team.
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 08: Dax Kilby #11 of the Saly River Rafters bats during the game between the Solar Sox and the River Rafters at Salt River Fields on Thursday, October 8, 2026 in Scottsdale, AZ United States. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The first week of the Arizona Fall League is now in the books. Since the league kicked off last Saturday, the Salt River Rafters have played five games and are full of big Yankees contributions through their 4-1 start. All eight of the representatives have gotten in games thus far with mixed levels of results. If you want a quick rundown on who’s in the desert this month, check here.
October 3 (Rafters 9, Desert Dogs 4): The AFL opener saw five Yankees get into the action. Kyle West looked the best, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and lacing a ball at 109.2 mph. Dax Kilby—the Yankees’ 2025 first-rounder and their star of the show here—ripped a 101.1 mph RBI double and drew a walk, while Core Jackson went 0-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts. On the pitching side, Anthony Mena allowed a hit in 1.1 scoreless innings, while Mack Estrada got on the mound and walked a pair in 1.1 choppy innings.
October 4 (Rafters 4, Saguaros 6): The lone defeat of the opening week, only West was in the lineup at first base from the Yankees contingent, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout and a stolen base. He has sneaky speed for a guy who only plays first, having stolen 20 last season. Chris Veach came out of the bullpen in the fourth and got two innings of work in his AFL debut, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. The highlight of his day was a successful pickoff of Sebastian Walcott to get out of a jam in the fourth.
October 5 (Rafters 10, Javelinas 7): It got even quieter in the Monday victory over Peoria, where only one Yankee got into the game. Kilby got his second start, leading off and playing shortstop, and was the best player on the field. After striking out in the first, he was perfect the rest of the day. He cracked a 105.1 mph single up the middle in the third, blasted a two-run double off the wall in the fifth, lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and capped his day with a 105.4 mph RBI double to end the day 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two doubles.
Kilby said in an interview that he’s “working on a swing change,” and the first looks are clearly promising.
October 6 (Rafters 7, Saguaros 2): Kilby got into another game on Tuesday, but went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Jackson smoked a 106.6 mph double in his second start at third base, but the star was West, who had a single and two RBIs. On the pitching side, we got a scoreless inning out of converted catcher Antonio Gomez, who had a walk and a strikeout. He was only up to 98.4 with less ride on his fastball than usual, but that could be for any number of reasons.
October 8 (Rafters 4, Solar Sox 3): West got another start at first base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Both singles were scorched 110 mph, with the latter being a walk-off single. Four different pitchers got into the game, with JT Etheridge tossing 2.2 solid innings to start before giving way to Estrada to finish the inning. Veach walked a pair, but struck out the side in a scoreless inning of his own. Mena finished things off with two innings of his own, allowing a run with two strikeouts. The star of this game? Kilby, who led off the game with a home run to finish off a spectacular first week in the AFL.
Jonah Tong of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 26, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
First Half Record: 38-37 (5/10 International League East)
Second Half Record: 43-31 (2/10 International League East)
The 2025 Syracuse Mets season started off poorly, but by the second half of the season, the team was beginning to find its footing. They ended the season as playoff contenders, just missing a playoff berth in the last week of the season, but as is almost always the case with Triple-A, roster moves over the course of the off-season almost completely reshaped the team and numerous players who helped spur that playoff push did not return. Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams were traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in January. Nolan McLean and Jared Young spent their entire season rostered at the major league level. Veteran free agents who had solid seasons, such as Pablo Reyes and Joey Meneses, were not re-signed. Further compounding matters, players who we expected to be good were, for various reasons, not. Jonah Tong and Ryan Clifford, both of whom were expected to potentially be major league contributors in 2026, both struggled.
Much like the 2025 season, the 2026 Syracuse Mets got some new life in the second half, in particular around the trade deadline. Players who deserved promotions were sent to Syracuse, such as D’Andre Smith, Billy Amick, Emilien Pitre, and Brian Metoyer, and had success. Players who had been scuffling, such as Tong, Dylan Ross or Tobias Myers, found their grooves. Syracuse went 5-6 in July following the All-Star break, 17-9 in August, and an impressive 13-5 in September to find themselves in the hunt for the International League second-half championship.
The Syracuse Mets fought tooth and nail until literally the last day of the season; they came into 2026’s final regular series game on a six-game winning streak and found themselves a half-game behind the Rochester Red Wings in the standings. Rochester, unfortunately, won their game against the Buffalo Bisons, ending Syracuse’s season.
MJ Melendez signed a one year, $1.5 million split contract with the Mets back in early February. With Carson Benge still a major unknown and Luis Robert representing an omnipresent health risk, Melendez gave them a player who could handle an outfield corner and was a left-handed bat with some pop. The former Royals prospect had unimpressive surface numbers from 2022 until 2025, but was roughly a league-average offensive contributor thanks to his power. In 2025, the bottom fell out on him, prompting Kansas City to demote him to Triple-A for the majority of the season, and then non-tender him.
He did not make the team out of spring training and began the 2026 season rostered with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, but by mid-April was called back up to Queens thanks to Luis Robert’s early season injury. He looked good in limited innings in April, but as the calendar moved into May and he began getting more playing time, it became increasingly clear that he was struggling. By the end of June, Melendez was hitting .192/.315/.350 in 120 at-bats over 56 games and the decision was made to outright him back down to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Tyrone Taylor on the Mets’ roster.
The slugging outfielder had no issues handling Triple-A pitching. In one game in June and 22 in July, he hit .247/.382/.616 with 3 doubles, 8 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 16 walks to 27 strikeouts. In 21 games in August, he hit .256/.307/.634 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 6 walks to 24 strikeouts. In 17 games in September, he hit .339/.458/.695 with 6 doubles, 5 home runs, and 13 walks to 15 strikeouts. All in all, after being sent back to Triple-A, he finished the season hitting .276/.378/.645 with 17 doubles, 1 triple, 20 home runs, 4 stolen bases, and 35 walks to 66 strikeouts. Combined with his time in March and April, Melendez hit a combined .264/.361/.604 in 75 Triple-A games with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 22 home runs, 5 stolen bases, and 40 walks to 79 strikeouts.
Melendez seems like the definition of a Quad-A player. Including this season, he has a cumulative .213/.298/.385 batting line in 491 games over the course of his five-year career, good for an 89 wRC+. In 248 games spent at the Triple-A level, with the Syracuse Mets and the Omaha Storm Chasers, he has a cumulative .259/.346/.527 batting line, good for a 121 wRC+. I would be interested in bringing the slugger back for the 2027 season and giving him another shot. His pop from the left-side seems legit, and by all accounts, he was a good dugout presence. Worst case scenario, if he is given some playing time in a limited capacity and sinks, he can be outrighted to Triple-A.
In 2019, when I saw that the Cleveland Indians drafted Xzavion Curry in the 7th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, I wish that the Mets had drafted him if no reason other than his name. Ultimately, it was not possible, as Cleveland gave him a $125,000 signing bonus, and while that was still an underslot deal as compared to the MLB-recommended slot of $197,300, it would’ve been way too much money for the Mets to give to a player, given that they were arranging picks carefully to be able to afford prep pitching star Matthew Allan. Ironically, the Mets might have been better off drafting Curry, as Allan was limited to just 30.1 innings over seven years due to repeated catastrophic arm injuries and their 7th round pick, Luke Ritter put in plenty of work to turn himself into a viable MLB hitter but simply wasn’t able to get over the hump.
Curry worked his way up the Cleveland minor league ladder quickly, making his major league debut in 2022. He spent the entire 2023 season on Cleveland’s major league roster, but spent 2024 bouncing up and down between their major league roster and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. He was left exposed to waivers that August and was claimed by the Miami Marlins. All in all, he appeared in 50 games with Cleveland, appearing in 50 games and making 15 starts, and posted a 4.53 ERA in 129.0 innings, allowing 140 hits, walking 41, and striking out 85.
The Marlins rostered him at the major league level for the remainder of the 2024 season, where he was solid, but after struggling at the beginning of 2025, Curry was optioned down to Triple-A Jacksonville. The 26-year-old continued struggling in Triple-A and was released in early June. In total, he appeared in 12 games for the Marlins, making 1 start, and posted a 3.43 ERA in 21.0 innings, allowing 13 hits, walking 5, and striking out 14.
He sat idle for roughly a month and then signed a contract with the Tigres de Quintana Roo in July. He had a solid few games in the Mexican League, and that prompted the Colorado Rockies to sign him to a minor league contract in early August. Curry made a few starts for their Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes, and then became a free agent at the end of the year.
The right-hander did not receive any offers from MLB clubs over the off-season and returned to the Tigres when the 2026 season began as a result. He did not remain there for long, as the Mets offered a minor league deal in early May. He spent the year bouncing up-and-down from Triple-A Syracuse to Queens and back, posting a 3.36 ERA in 72.1 innings with the Syracuse Mets over 16 appearances and 14 starts and a 5.48 ERA in 21.1 innings for the Mets over 9 appearances and 1 start.
If you look at his stats and the underlying metrics supporting them for both his time in Triple-A and his time in the majors, there are very few positives about Curry: his fastball is below-average, he doesn’t strike enough batters out, he gives up too many fly balls, when hitters make contact they barrel the ball with more regularity than you’d want…and yet, the right-hander managed to post a 3.36 ERA in 72.1 innings in the International League, a full run-and-a-half below the league average, and run a .256 BABIP. Just nine other players in the league threw at least 72.1 innings and had an ERA under 3.36, and most of them did so with much more impressive peripherals than Curry. And until his particularly dreadful final appearance of the season with the Mets that saw him give up 6 earned runs in 3.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles, the right-hander had a 3.44 ERA in 18.1 innings at the MLB level.
I don’t know exactly how he finagled all of that, but I’d bring Curry back on a minor league contract next season just to see if we might possibly figure out how.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Trea Turner #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies catches a fly ball during Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Given the nature of the third annual TGP off-season guide and when it will probably be released, I made the call to split this section into it’s own piece. A lot of decisions that will shape the Phillies’ off-season are going to be made quickly. To ensure this section does not quickly become outdated, it will be split from the rest of the guide entirely.
For the first time since the 2020, the Phillies did not increase their winning percentage from the year before. That season prompted the Phillies to hire Dave Dombrowski as the President of Baseball Operations and it’s ultimately been a success. They’ve made the playoffs for five years in a row, went to a World Series, and won the division twice with 95 and 96 win seasons.
2026 was not one of those seasons, they won just 88 games despite a rotation that featured Cristopher Sánchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Zack Wheeler. The offense ranked 28th in wRC+ and was propped up by timely hitting, ranking 6th in the same metric with runners in scoring position. They overperformed their Pythagorean record by five games and went 25-16 in one run games. If that is not enough, they nearly blew a four game lead on a playoff spot with five games to go and the Braves knocked them out of the wild card.
Then there is figuring out who the next manager is and what the coaching staff might look like. After Cora turned them down, they might consider just pivoting back to Don Mattingly, which would keep the entire coaching staff in order. This would continue to show their trust in the entire coaching staff and operation despite a down season that featured several red flags, a managerial change in April, and disappointing results. Maybe they run a full search but time is ticking.
Then this all goes down to the roster. What kind of upgrades will they feel are necessary?
Trea Turner’s season was a disaster both offensively and defensively. It’s not going to be easy to get him right at the plate but they can look for a position change, if he’s bought in. Turner finished with -17 Defensive Runs Saved and -8 Outs Above Average. Both rank right at the bottom among shortstops with at least 500 innings. Second base seems like the best fit, given that he has played there in the recent past with the Dodgers and looked solid there. It would really help slow the game down for him and likely make routine plays easier both mentally and physically. Maybe he goes to CF or LF if they want to completely change things up.
They then have to decide if Brandon Marsh is someone they want to trade, who had by far his worst season as a Phillie. If Justin Crawford is worth running out there most days again despite looking horrific both offensively and defensively for most of the season. What happens with Bryson Stott. Also, Bryce Harper probably needs to go back to first base.
Given that the off-season guide won’t come out until probably late October or early November, this section would’ve been very outdated. It was still worth discussing before we get into the meat and potatoes (and then the lockout).
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Xavier Neyens of the Houston Astros on the American League Team warms up at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This offseason, I’m bringing back a series that focuses on one notable statistic from an Astros minor league player during the 2026 season. The statistic could be good or bad, but it will be something worth highlighting.
STAT OF THE WEEK:
Xavier Neyens finished the 2026 season with a 24.5% walk rate.
Walk percentage (BB%) is a simple statistic that shows the percentage of a player’s plate appearances that end in a walk.
Among all Minor League Baseball players with at least 400 plate appearances, Neyens had the highest walk percentage. The slugger totaled 114 walks in 103 games while splitting time between Single-A and High-A.
The Astros selected Neyens out of high school in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft, and so far, he has lived up to expectations. The young hitter showed off elite exit velocities this season while also displaying tremendous patience and a good understanding of the strike zone.
Neyens did have his share of strikeouts, but some of those could be cut down with a slightly more aggressive approach on pitches he can hit. As he continues to develop, finding a balance between being patient and aggressive will be important.
Even with the strikeouts, the 19-year-old put together a strong first full professional season, finishing with a .874 OPS and 137 wRC+. He also connected on 20 home runs and stole 19 bases.
Overall, it was an impressive season for a teenager playing his first full year of professional baseball. With his combination of power, patience and athleticism, Neyens has one of the highest ceilings in the Astros’ system and gives fans plenty of reasons to be excited about his future.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a double against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning in game three of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians won both games in Chicago and now head home to see if they can solve their homefield woes and their inability to hit White Sox ace Sean Burke.
Make sure you read Jake’s great recap from last night here.
Patrick Bailey has a 145 wRC+ since I tweeted that his lack of offense probably made trading for him a mistake. (To be clear, this had nothing to do with the return for Bailey, which I always was clear was fine).
The Guardians internet sphere is going nuts about using Smith with a 5-run lead. I have to say I find that crazy as someone who has watched a lot of Matt Festa this season and who watched Espino in Chicago on Wednesday. In regards to reliever familiarity, also important to read this from Mike Petriello who does not find reliever familiarity to be that significant of a factor. I like Smith’s chances of being fresh with 48 hours of rest and Vogt went to Gavin Williams at exactly the right spot last night.
Zack Meisel has an article about the Guardians bullpen.
Jose was chirping back at a hostile White Sox crowd yesterday. He now has a 185 wRC+ in the ALDS for everyone who said he was washed and unclutch (language warning):
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 08: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Kauffman Stadium on September 08, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals made plenty of spectacular plays in the field in 2026, even as the season didn’t go the way they hoped. They finished tied for seventh in baseball in Outs Above Average with +19, with Bobby Witt Jr. standing out as a likely Gold Glove candidate, with Michael Massey, Maikel Garcia, and Kyle Isbel also standing out.
From diving catches to leaping grabs and game-saving throws, there were plenty of moments that reminded us just how much fun great defense can be. Here are the best defensive plays by the Royals in 2026.
May 5 vs. the Guardians – Bobby goes deep in the hole
We’ve almost become immune to how great Bobby is on defense now. The 2025 Platinum Glove Award winner showed why he’s the best in baseball several times this year, including this play in May where he went DEEEEEP in the hole to get Cleveland’s Rhys Hoskins.
May 31 vs. the Rangers – Carter Jensen’s sliding catch
Carter Jensen impressed in his rookie season, and will likely earn some support for Rookie of the Year. Most of his damage was done with the bat, but he had some highlights on defense behind the plate as well. On May 31, he showed his athleticism with a terrific sliding catch on a bunt attempt by Rangers outfielder Michael Helman.
June 19 vs. the Cardinals – Massey flips to Tolbert
Even when Bobby Witt Jr. takes the occasional day off, the Royals can still flash leather up the middle. Tyler Tolbert was Bobby’s understudy, and he learned a lot by watching the maestro. In June, he paired up with Michael Massey, who made an impressive diving stop, flipping to Tolbert for the out.
July 28 vs. the Twins – Isaac Collins protects the lead with a catch
The Royals were clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth against the Twins in a late July game when Luke Keaschall laced a line drive toward the line in left. Isaac Collins went all out to make the catch and preserve the lead.
Alex Lange would blow the game anyway (shocker!). But Collins did his part!
Remember Derek Jeter’s iconic jump-throw? Well Bobby Witt Jr. can do it too, only Bobby actually covers a ton of ground out there. He showed off his athleticism in an August game against the Cubs, ranging deep in the hole to retire Alex Bregman.
August 15 vs. the Angels – Tyler Tolbert full extension
Tyler Tolbert showed a bit of everything this year, from speed, to surprising power, to highlights on defense. In an August game against the Angels he was in centerfield, and went full extension to rob Denzer Guzman of extra bases.
