Category: Baseball

The drama is at least partly behind us. The Braves feel like they’re getting Full Strength Chris Sale for Game 3.

So, what does that mean? Or, more specifically, what does that mean in light of a game after an off day, but also after the Braves went Johnny Much-of-the-Staff in Games 1 and 2 of this series?

Sale went 6 1/3 in his outing against the Phillies. He averaged right around six innings a start over the course of the season. In his two starts against the Dodgers, he went seven and nine. Of course, the answer is, “He’ll go as long as something resembling prudent,” but I guess my question is, what’s that gonna be? Will it be another six-ish innings, or will the Braves feel compelled, if he’s rolling and stuff is close, to push him further than they otherwise would given the usage of the rest of the pitching roster earlier in this series?

I’ll say that he pitches into the seventh but doesn’t finish it, like his first postseason start. What about you?

The theme of this Phillies offseason is once again change. That could have been said for each of the last few offseasons except this time, it feels as if the team has no choice but to finally embrace it. There will be new faces in the lineup whenever the 2027 Phillies take the field, the question is how many.

At a minimum, it’s likely that there will be at least two new starters just based on the team’s impending free agents. The biggest possible exit is Alec Bohm, who after two years of the team reportedly trying to trade him, seems an almost lock to be playing elsewhere in 2027. That means the Phillies will have to find a new starting third baseman. Theoretically, that could be top prospect Aidan Miller, but expecting him to make the big league club in the spring despite missing practically all of 2026 with back issues is a foolhardy idea. Miller probably shouldn’t be considered an option until mid-season at best, therefore leaving the starting 3B job open with utility infielder Edmundo Sosa also scheduled to hit free agency. The Phillies will need to find someone to man the hot corner until July at the earliest.

Besides the impending hole at third, there is also the revolving door of corner outfielders to attempt to solve once again. The last two years the Phillies elected to sign a pair of veteran outfielders to one-year deals in Max Kepler and Adolis Garcia. Kepler was woefully ineffective and Garcia wasn’t doing much before being lost for the season with a shoulder injury in June. The options became so dire in 2026 that Derek Hill and Bryan De La Cruz were starting postseason games for the Phillies, especially in the wake of Brandon Marsh’s abysmal second half. The safe bet is that the Phillies will at least have a new starting right fielder next season.

Of course, this offseason is going to be the furthest thing from normal, with an impending lockout threatening the timing of free agency and the season itself. It will be hard to evaluate just exactly what options the Phillies will have in front of them for upgrades, but either way, they will have to find some.

So, how many new regulars will be in the Phillies lineup in 2027?

Good morning.

Kennedi Landry writes about her preseason 2026 Texas Rangers predictions and how no one could have predicted the 2026 Texas Rangers despite the 2026 Texas Rangers being exactly who everyone thought they were.

In other news, Jon Daniels’ Tampa Bay Rays are close to facing Will Venable’s Chicago White Sox in the ALCS if they each can win one more game, though it would take Chicago besting Nathaniel Lowe’s Cleveland Guardians to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time since 1906.

Meanwhile, Chris Woodward’s Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to Atlanta to take on Martin Perez’s Braves with their NLDS series tied at one game apiece while Grant Anderson’s Milwaukee Brewers are up 2-0 on A.J. Preller’s San Diego Padres.

And that’s all for today. How’s autumn looking for you? Spice any gourds lately?

Have a nice day!

When the Orioles acquired Blaze Alexander, Jordan Westburg was reportedly only suffering from mild oblique discomfort. The team did not yet know that the former All Star would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the duration of the season. Jackson Holliday, primed for a breakout year, suffered a broken hamate bone the day after Baltimore made the trade.

Mike Elias missed on plenty of things in 2026, but he was right to trust his instinct that the team needed more infield depth. Alexander was out of minor-league options, so he was always going to make the team, but many projected the 27-year-old to beat out Jeremiah Jackson for a utility spot. Instead, Alexander broke camp as the team’s starting second baseman.

As it turned out, Alexander needed some time to adjust to his new role. Craig Albernaz still leaned on his defensively versatility—Alexander appeared at second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield positions by the end of April—but he received at bats like an everyday player. The former Diamondback slashed a disappointing .177/.250/.210 over his first 25 games in Baltimore.

Briefly, fans wondered if Arizona had gotten the best of Baltimore. The Orioles sent right-handed reliever Kade Strowd and two prospects to the Diamondbacks, and the O’s could have used a reliever with Strowd’s 1.71 ERA from 2025.

That notion changed in a hurry. Alexander broke out in the month of May with a .365/.403/.508 line over 25 games. The team struggled to find its footing, but Alexander kept his foot on the gas. He slashed .359/.417/.547 over 23 games in June and carried a .375/.429/.531 line through nine games in July.

Alexander’s strong play helped get the Orioles somewhat back on track. They entered the All Star break riding their first four-game win streak of the season, and a playoff run still felt somewhat obtainable at 46-51. Unfortunately, Orioles fans cannot have nice things.

Royals reliever Lucas Erceg fired a quick-pitch fastball inside to Alexander. The ball struck Alexander and caused a non-displaced fracture in his left hand. The benches cleared, but no punches were thrown. Even after securing an elusive fourth consecutive victory, the 2026 Orioles took another gut punch.

Alexander remained out of the lineup until the end of August, but the team managed to tread water in his absence. Coby Mayo steadied his defense at third base while emerging as one of the league’s best hitters against left-handed pitching. Holliday heated up with a .368/.500/.421 slash line in the month of July. The lineup suffered when Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo went down with injuries, but the team avoided a complete collapse after the trade deadline.

Alexander returned on August 28. The O’s completed a sweep of the Athletics and returned to .500 when Colton Cowser made a game-saving catch against the Rockies. With Alexander back, and the Orioles sitting at 69-69, the postseason felt completely obtainable.

Of course, that’s not how things worked out. Baltimore suffered a letdown in Colorado before melting down against the Red Sox. Alexander, to his credit, attempted to generate a spark in the Boston series, but his teammates simply were not up to the task. The Sox essentially ended Baltimore’s playoff dreams with a four-game sweep. Alexander hit the injured list a few days later with back spasms and missed the remainder of the season.

Alexander ranked as high as Arizona’s 11th best prospect in 2023, and he posted 1.7 WAR with the Snakes in 2025. Baltimore enticed the Diamondbacks to part ways by offering Strowd, Wellington Aracena, and José Mejía. Aracena was ranked Baltimore’s 26th best prospect at the time.

In a surprising turn of events, Strowd made only two appearances for the Diamondbacks last season. He posted a 6.02 and 1.748 over 46.1 innings at Triple-A Reno. Aracena went 2-5 with a 4.83 ERA before posting a 6.91 ERA over six starts at Double-A. Mejía slashed .251/.367/.373 between Low and High A.

Alexander is still out of minor-league options, but he’s under team control until 2031. Baltimore’s infield faces plenty of questions with Westburg’s health, Holliday’s bat, and Mayo’s glove. There’s definitely room for Alexander on the roster, and he’ll continue to earn everyday at bats if he swings it like he did last season.

The path to playing time could be easier in the outfield, but Alexander’s glove plays better in the dirt. The Orioles need to get better defensively next season, and Alexander has yet to play like a plus defender in the outfield. Gunnar Henderson remains entrenched at short, and the O’s would love to see Holliday and Westburg lock up their positions. Will the Orioles look to get Alexander extra reps in the outfield next spring?

Either way, his defensive versatility balances out the lack of options. It took a little time, but Alexander emerged as one of Baltimore’s best hitters in the first half. It’s probably not fair to expect the same results next season, but there’s plenty to like with Alexander in 2027 and beyond.

Ernie Clement was picked up as a free agent signing in March of 2023, after his release by the A’s earlier that month. I wasn’t thrilled with taking a castoff of the A’s (one who only played 6 games for one of the worst teams in baseball). It wasn’t like we didn’t already have a couple of dozen utility/middle infielders who likely wouldn’t be able to hit their weight.

But Ernie had good 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Jays, hitting .271/.301/.402 with 21 home runs. 101 RBI, 38 walks and 102 strikeouts. Ok, getting two walk a month isn’t great, but the rest of his batting line was pretty good, especially when you add near Gold Glove defense into the mix. In the two years he’s totaled 7.6 in bWAR

In 2024 he played mostly mostly third base and shortstop. In 2025 he split time between third and second (with a few games at short).

So we were expecting a pretty good 2026 season.

Meet the Mets

Anthony DiComo examined five questions that will define the Mets’ offseason.

Danny Abriano asked whether the Mets should explore trading catcher Francisco Alvarez this winter.

Will Sammon explored how the Rays revived Freddy Peralta after a disappointing tenure in New York.

Bo Bichette has yet to announce a decision on whether or not he will opt out of his contract, but his decision is coming and it will have ripple effects for the Mets and their offseason plan.

Tomm Kelson looked at five under-the-radar free agents the Mets should consider signing this offseason.

Around the National League East

The Braves manager’s pitch-perfect plan of saving Chris Sale for Game 3 worked like a charm, and his team followed that plan to a Game 2 victory and a tied series.

With the split secured in Los Angeles, the Braves will now turn to Sale, their ace, in Game 3.

The Braves are not worried about Ronald Acuña Jr.’s postseason slump, saying he “doesn’t have to be Superman.”

Around Major League Baseball

The relentless Rays gave Cam Schlittler and the Yankees fits in a four-run fourth inning as they prevailed 5-2 in Game 2 of the ALDS. The victory has Tampa Bay one win away from the ALCS.

While the Rays won the game, the Yankees beat themselves with four errors to put them on the brink of elimination.

While the bunt isn’t quite as popular as it used to be, it’s been a key to the Rays’ winning ways.

Timely hitting and terrific work from the bullpen has the White Sox one win away from the ALCS after a 4-3 win over the Guardians in Game 2 of the ALDS.

The White Sox head home for Game 3 with a chance for their first home playoff clincher in 120 years.

The AL Central champion Guardians, meanwhile, are staring down elimination after three runs, seven hits, and no answers for their struggling offense.

Cleveland starter Gavin Williams did make some history with an 11-strikeout performance in a losing effort.

Buster Olney ranked the home field advantage for each of the remaining playoff teams.

Fangraphs’ Jon Becker provided a postseason report card for Joe Espada and Chad Tracy, whose respective teams were bounced in the Wild Card round.

Will Leitch asked some burning questions facing the teams that are heading into Game 3 of the NLDS tonight.

The qualifying offer is going up to $23.1 million this year, but it comes with a massive CBA question.

The Dodgers are facing some more Division Series drama, and the Dodgers aren’t thinking three-peat now, as Ken Rosenthal explains in his commentary for The Athletic.

Katie Woo wondered whether the Dodgers should have turned to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who takes the ball in Game 3, sooner in their series against the Braves.

Tyler Kepner has been a star for the Brewers, and the big moment has seemingly always seemed to find Milwaukee’s leadoff hitter.

The Padres have reinstated pitcher Walker Buehler from the paternity list ahead of Game 3 of the NLDS.

Padres’ closer Mason Miller blamed a lack of command for his blown save in Game 2.

Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor, both of whom had big years to guide the Mariners to the ALCS in 2025 and struggled mightily in 2026, underwent offseason surgeries and are expected to be ready for Opening Day, according to the Mariners.

Manny Ramirez is seeking a hitting coach job with an MLB club, according to his agent.

Zack Meisel recounted how disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong started an unlikely fraternity with MLB pitchers.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Steve Sypa reviewed the Florida/Dominican Republic Complex Teams for the Mets’ minor league systems.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets clinched their first ever National League pennant with a 7-4 victory over the Braves on this date in 1969.

The New York Yankees are facing elimination after dropping Game 2 of the ALDS to the Tampa Bay Rays.

And while drops are part of the story, they do not tell the complete tale of woe.

New York’s defense was not exactly fodder for Tom Emanski’s defensive drills video series on Monday night, as the Yankees made three errors in the first inning alone, were charged with four by the time the night ended, could have been given a fifth on a play that was initially ruled an error, and made a few other defensive miscues that were not charged as official errors by the scorekeeper due to scoring rules.

But on the brink of elimination, the bats are a bigger concern.

Let’s start with those errors, beginning in the bottom of the first inning. Tampa Bay leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz hit a chopper to third that ate up third baseman Ryan McMahon, gifting the Rays a leadoff runner:

Jonathan Aranda then singled off Cam Schlittler, giving Tampa Bay a pair of runners to start the inning.

Junior Caminero hit a grounder up the middle that George Lombard Jr. grabbed and flipped to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second to force out Aranda, but Chisholm then made a twisting, off-balance throw to first that found the dugout fencing, bringing Díaz around to score:

Schlittler then retired Liam hicks looking for the second out of the inning, giving the Yankees a chance to limit the damage.

Or so they thought.

After a replay review, it was confirmed that when Hicks started his swing it clipped catcher Austin Wells’ mitt. Catcher’s interference was the ruling, giving the Yankees three errors in the first four Rays hitters:

Schlittler managed to get out of the inning with just the one run, but even that was something of a defensive adventure. After Hicks was awarded first base on the Wells interference, Schlittler induced a tailor-made grounder to Chisholm that could have ended the inning. But the second baseman’s throw pulled Lombard off the bag, and the Yankees were forced to settle for just the out at second after a tremendous recovery from the shortstop:

The fourth New York error came in the bottom of the fifth, with Tampa Bay leading 3-1. Aaron Boone had pulled Schlittler at this point, after this play that was initially ruled an error on Lombard, before it was changed to a fielder’s choice:

The error-turned-fielder’s choice brought Caminero home, giving Tampa Bay the 3-1 lead. Boone then pulled Schlittler, opting for lefty Brent Headrick out of the bullpen. Headrick struck out outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. for the second out, giving New York a chance to get out of the inning and limit the damage.

After Chandler Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca rolled a grounder to Lombard, who had a chance to finally end the inning.

But the throw was off the mark:

DeLuca then stole second, and both he and Simpson scored on a single to center off the bat of No. 8 hitter Richie Palacios to make it 5-1.

Final score: Rays 5, Yankees 2.

The errors and miscues are the easy story, and headlines are filled with phrases such as “error-filled,” “error-fueled meltdown,” and worse. But on a night where the Yankees were charged with four errors, and could have been charged with more, they only gave up five runs.

And this is a team coming off a win in the Wild Card Series over the Boston Red Sox that scored nine runs in back-to-back games, sweeping the Red Sox by a combined score of 18-2. Five runs was not a tough ask for this New York lineup.

Yet, it was a tough ask on Monday night.

Designated hitter Ben Rice did what he could, as he belted a pair of solo homers to account for both of New York’s runs Monday night, finishing the game having gone 2-for-3. But beyond Rice, the rest of the New York lineup combined to go 2-for-28 from the plate, with just a double off the bat of Wells in the second inning, and single form Cody Bellinger in the fourth, after Rice’s first home run of the night.

Making matters worse, the Yankees were a dismal 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position on Monday night. That came in the top of the fifth, when the combination of starter Freddy Peralta and reliever Cam Booser managed to load the bases ahead of Bellinger, who came to the plate with two outs in a 1-1 game. A hit in that spot could have changed the course of the night.

He gave it a ride to the deepest part of the track, but DeLuca tracked it down on the warning track to end the threat:

This is a New York lineup that was among the league leaders in several offensive categories, including Slugging Percentage (.409 — sixth in MLB) and home runs (223 — second in MLB), and while the lineup does miss Aaron Judge who remains sidelined due to a right calf strain, that same lineup put up big numbers against Boston just a few days ago. This is a lineup that on many nights is good enough to overcome the defensive breakdowns, and score more than five runs.

But not right now.

Instead the Yankees are facing elimination having scored just two runs, both off the bat of Rice, in two games in Tampa Bay. Back in Game 1, New York did not record a hit until the eighth inning, a double off the bat of Wells, and the lineup combined to finish 1-for-27 on the night.

Making the Yankees a combined 5-for-58 — a batting average of just .086 — over two games against the Rays.

The errors are the easy headlines after Monday night.

But the struggles at the plate are the bigger concern.

After plenty of discussion before Game 2, there is no doubt who will be on the mound for the Braves in Game 3 of the NLDs. The Braves plan worked as the series is now split 1-1, and they now have their two best starters fully rested to try and close out the series in Atlanta. It will be much easier said than done vs. the defending champs, but at least the Braves have better than expected chances to get the job done.

Braves News

Matt Olson was named the Hank Aaron Award finalist for the Braves.

The Braves remain confident that Ronald Acuna Jr. will make the difference everyone knows he is capable of as the series progresses.

MLB News

Rays went up 2-0 on Yankees as they won Game 2 in Tampa.

White Sox got the job done on the road and are now up 2-0 on the Guardians.

The Guardians lost a game they really should have won last night and everything is bad.

Everyone is hating on Jose as he can’t get a hit.

Erik Sabrowski was supposed to be the one reliable pen arm besides Cade Smith and he gave up the crucial double to a guy with a 19 wRC+ against LHP.

Hunter Gaddis pitched well but is getting the usual hate for giving up a 73 mph soft liner single.

Stephen Vogt is getting hate for who knows what reason. I think his decision-making so far has been excellent. But, everyone is tired of playoff losses. I get it.

Maybe that will change on Wednesday at 4pm.

Around MLB:

The Rays beat the Yankees (yay!). Braves and Dodgers play at 6 PM ET tied 1-1 and the Brewers will try to close out their series against the Padres in San Diego at 9:30PM ET. I wish the Brewers were beating the Braves and the Padres were beating the Dodgers. A potential World Series of Rays vs. Brewers or Padres would be the best non-Guardians outcome for me.

Good morning, baseball fans!

The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue today with both NLDS games.

This is a rare time where I am not, necessarily, writing in the past. Which is pretty exciting for me. I mean, I am still writing this the day before, but there were no NLDS games on Monday so I can actually give up-to-date information for once! We gotta take our wins where we can.

So, let’s get into it!

First up, the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the Atlanta Braves at 3:00 p.m. PT. The series is currently tied 1-1. This game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1/Fox One with national radio coverage on ESPN Radio. As of the time this is being written, the Dodgers intend to start right-hander and reigning World Series legend Yoshinobu Yamamoto against Braves left-hander Chris Sale.

After that, the visiting Milwaukee Brewers hope to knock out the San Diego Padres at 6:30 p.m. PT as they currently have a 2-0 series lead. All broadcast information is the same as above. The Brewers will start right-hander Dustin May against Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta.

Personally, I hate rooting for the Braves but I am contractually obligated to root for the not-Dodgers and they fit the bill. I’m also rooting for the Padres, because more baseball!

Who are you rooting for today?

It’s rare for the Mike Elias-led Orioles to use a moderately high draft pick on a pitcher. But that conventional wisdom went out the window a bit in the 2025 draft, when they selected Joseph Dzierwa and JT Quinn with a pair of second round picks just 11 slots apart. Based on how the duo has performed in the pro ranks to this point, maybe it’s something the organization should consider doing a bit more often.

Dzierwa is the better known player at this point. The lefty is the highest draft pitcher of the Elias era. His big year has vaulted him up the prospect charts, and it is possible that he could help the big league squad as soon as next summer.

Quinn came out of the draft as something of a developmental arm. The Tampa native began his college career at Ole Miss. There, he was a starter as a freshman, then a reliever as a sophomore. The talent was evident, but the outcomes were not (6.83 ERA in 2023, 8.84 ERA in ’24). He went looking for a new home going into his crucial junior campaign, and found a spot at Georgia, where he would nestle into a swingman role.

Transferring to another SEC school unlocked something for Quinn. He maintained his high strikeout (12.3 K/9) and walk (4.3 BB/9) rates, but this time was also limiting hard contact (5.8 H/9). That created a bit of buzz for him going into the Cape Code league that summer, where he boasted a fastball that sat at 95 mph just before the draft and struck out 25 batters across 14 innings. The Orioles liked what they saw, plucking him with the 69th overall pick.

Quinn’s first professional action had to wait until this year, and boy was it a good showing. Across two levels he had a 3.39 ERA while striking out 129 over 116.2 innings. He appeared as a starter in 25 of his 26 outings and seems poised to continue his development in the rotation, for a while anyway.

The Orioles skipped Quinn right over Low-A Delmarva, and instead sent him to High-A Frederick to begin the season. That was already a sign that they expected this guy to move fast through their system, regardless of the role he eventually locks down.

Things came pretty easily to him with Frederick. His ERA by month from April through June was 2.70, 3.77, and 2.73. His batting averages against were similarly solid: .224, 220, and .185. It was in July where he hit the skids a bit. He allowed 20 runs (17 earned) across 18.1 innings. That was the result of a .321 batting average against, including six home runs.

But clearly that was a moment from which Quinn was able to grow. He bounced back to start August, allowed one earned run across 11.1 innings in his first two starts of the month. That was all the proof the Orioles needed to give him a promotion to Double-A Chesapeake for the final few weeks of the season. Quinn’s season totals with Frederick were quite good. He struck out 10.19 per nine and (crucially for him) walked just 2.69 per nine. Home runs were an issue for him at one point, but it didn’t seem to be a continual problem.

After his promotion, the 22-year-old cruised through his final five starts of the season with the Baysox, never allowing more than two runs in any one outing and pitching to a 1.96 ERA over 23 total innings. The walks did creep back up (4.70 BB/9), but he kept the ball in the park (0.78 HR/9) and laid a nice base heading into 2027.

Quinn’s repertoire is electric. He sits 95-97 with the fastball and has flirted with triple digits. His mid-80s slider is considered his best pitch, breaking hard away from right-handed hitters. There is an upper-70s curveball that isn’t particularly effective at this point, but serves to keep hitters off balance. And he has been working on a changeup throughout the season that is still in its early stages.

There are questions about whether Quinn can stick as a starter moving forward. Command was a concern for him coming out of college, and he will likely need to prove that at every level. And while his arsenal of pitches shows promise, it is still largely a fastball/slider mix where his fastball isn’t as dominant as you would expect it be given the velocity on the offering. The introduction of that changeup is a big deal for him because if he can make it into a weapon, then he becomes more viable against left-handed hitting.

The 116.2 inning workload he took on in his first pro season is a big one. It appears he came out of it healthy as well. He didn’t hit the IL at all this year and consistently made his weekly start all season long. An ability to get out to the mound with regularity is as important to his development as the pitch shaping. Recurring trips to the shelf would be another sign that his future could belong outside of the rotation.

For now, the Orioles are treating Quinn like a starter, and he has shown enough development in 2026 to keep him in that role for the time being. But there are prospect experts that believe he fits better in a relief role long term, mostly due to his lack of a third legitimate pitch and history of limited command. That decision is something the Orioles will likely hold off on for as long as possible. This is the organization that successfully turned Kyle Bradish into a starter despite some scouts thinking he fit best in the bullpen, and they also held off on moving D.L. Hall to a relief role for years before it was evident that it needed to happen. They won’t be rushed here.

Quinn is likely slotted for a return to Double-A Chesapeake to begin the 2027 campaign. He threw just 23 innings at the level in 2026, and his 1.35 WHIP would indicate that he has more work to do. If he can impress and stay healthy for a few months there, then he should be ticketed for a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk at some point. There is an outside chance that the Orioles would consider a big league debut for Quinn late in ‘27 as a reliever, similar to what they did with Luis De León this past season, but that shouldn’t be considered likely. His main goals for next season will be changeup development, improved command, and a promotion to Norfolk.

The last weekend of the 2006 season was magical for the Minnesota Twins. After chasing the Detroit Tigers all summer, they final caught—and overtook!—the Kitties on the season’s final day. This afforded the 96-66 AL Central champion Twins the opportunity to stay home and welcome in the 93-69 AL West champion Oakland Athletics for the ALDS.

As I began getting into the swing of my junior year at the University of Minnesota-Morris, I rearranged my entire schedule to make sure I was in front of my 21” dorm room TV for every pitch.

Game 1 (10/3/06)

Enthusiastically energized by the wild finish, 55,542 Dome denizens came out for the postseason opener—a premiere Johan Santana vs Barry Zito pitching matchup.

Undergoing a career-revitalizing season (39 HR, 114 RBI, 140 OPS+) after leaving the Chicago White Sox, the “Big Hurt” Frank Thomas gave the A’s an early lead with a T2 solo home run, followed closely by a Marco Scutaro RBI double. 2-0 OAK.

Rondell White returned the dinger favor with a B7 blast off Barry—but before much momentum could materialize it was Thomas again crushing Jesse Crain to keep Homer Hankies in laps. 3-1 OAK.

Fighting back in B9, Michael Cuddyer led off with a triple. Alas, nothing further than a Torii Hunter RBI groundout materialized as the Athletics nabbed a 3-2 win a 1-0 series lead.

The pitching matchup certainly lived up to the billing—with Zito (8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) just slightly better than Santana (8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) in the column that matters most.

Game 2 (10/4/06)

55,710 more of Twins Territory hermetically sealed inside the Dome for what would have been a Francisco Liriano bump turn if not for injury.

Instead, the baseball went to Boof Bonser—who coughed up RBI knocks from Scutaro (him again) & Jason Kendall in T5. 2-0 OAK.

This time, though, the Twins fought back almost immediately! In B6, back-to-back jacks from Cuddyer & Justin Morneau off A’s SP Esteban Loaiza knotted the score at two apiece.

But then came the moment that would define this series:

In T7 with one on and two out, Mark Kotsay roped a sinking liner into shallow CF. Torii Hunter raced in to snag it—the whole fanbase knew he would.

Until he didn’t…

In a short 5-game ALDS, this was the moment where it felt like things had slipped away. Oakland would add on another run for the 5-2 final margin.

Game 3 (10/6/06)

Shifting to the Coliseum, Minnesota sent Brad Radke to the bump. Gritting it out through a torn labrum, the longtime Twins vet gave it all he had—but it simply wasn’t enough (4 IP, 3 ER). Home runs from Eric Chavez and Milton Bradley proved the decisive blows.

A Hunter homer and White RBI single gave a gasp of hope—extinguished when the wheels came off in a 4-run B7 OAK inning off Dennys Reyes & Crain featuring a bases-loaded walk to Nick Swisher and a Scutaro 3-run double.

Athletics 8, Twins 3 was the last-out tally.

A season-long division title chase that lasted from Game 1 to Game 162 was snuffed out in just 96 hours.

The overriding feeling in Twins Territory at the time was “if only Liriano had been here” (and/or if Radke had a fully-intact shoulder) this would have been “the year”.

Adding insult to injury: the A’s would go on to be swept by the Detroit Tigers—the team the Twins eclipsed in the regular season—in the subsequent ALCS.

Having lost home-field advantage after a Game 2 defeat, the Dodgers head to Atlanta needing at least one win to bring the series back to Dodger Stadium. Following heavy bullpen involvement in the previous matchup, it is all about the starting pitchers—Chris Sale and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will meet each other for the first time since Sale’s complete-game win over the defending champs back in late August.

A hero in last year’s postseason, Yamamoto makes his 2026 playoff debut with his team already facing a tricky situation, especially if the offense can’t find a way to string hits together more successfully. The Dodgers visit Truist Park, having yet to record a hit with a runner in scoring position in the first two games of this National League Division Series.

One relevant factor in the decision to have Yamamoto pitch Game 3 of this series is just how dominant he has looked on the road this season, with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts away from Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto’s only road loss since the start of June came in that pitcher’s duel against Sale, in a game in which there was really no way of beating the Braves’ left-hander, who held the Dodgers scoreless through nine.

Assessing potential lineup decisions, the Dodgers sat Muncy against a lefty opener in Game 2; he came in during the game and homered in his second straight playoff appearance. It’s also worth pointing out that Miguel Rojas got a hit in his only at-bat, likely leading to another instance of Muncy coming off the bench.

NLDS Game 3 info

• Teams: No. 2 seed Dodgers at No. 3 seed Braves
• Series: Tied at 1-1
• Ballpark: Truist Park, Atlanta
• Start time: 3:00 p.m.
• TV: FS1 (Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal)
• National radio: ESPN Radio (Dave O’Brien, Jessica Mendoza)
• Local English radio: AM 570 (Charley Steiner, Rick Monday)
• Local Spanish radio: KTNQ 1020 AM (José Mota, Luis Cruz)

As the postseason rages on, other teams like the Colorado Rockies are already looking ahead to 2027.

This offseason will bring a lot of reflection on how the current roster is constructed and potential moves to help the 2027 squad. A major part of that is looking back at how 2026 went and the right process forward. For the first time in a long while, the Rockies will take an important first step with a press conference today from the front office.

Over the last several years the Rockies hid from the public after the season. When there were having press conferences with general manager Jeff Bridich and manager Bud Black, things always boiled down to, “The players need to just play better.”

Not exactly a model of accountability.

Well, the improved communication from Paul DePodesta and company this year has been refreshing. Now, they have a chance to address the media about what went well, what went wrong, and what needs to happen next as part of the climb to contention.

Now, let’s get to some news from the Rockies and the league!

Rockies News & Links

6 Realistic MLB Trades That Could Happen In 2026-27 Offseason | Bleacher Report — The offseason will be full of hypotheticals and mock trades. Kerry Miller proposes that the Texas Rangers try to trade for Hunter Goodman. In Miller’s trade proposal, the Rockies would receive right-handed pitching prospects Caden Scarborough and AJ Russell, and catching prospect Malcolm Moore.

One Internal Candidate to Solve One of the Rockies Biggest Problems | Sports Illustrated — Maddy Dickens tries to make the case for who could fill in as the regular DH for the Rockies in 2027. The best option could be moving Charlie Condon into the position in order to get him more regular playing time next season.

2027 Rockies Will Have One Major Strength That Might Surprise You | Rockies on SI — Dickens also pinpoints the outfield as a major strength for the Rockies heading into 2027. With Jake McCarthy and Cole Carrigg locked in, along with Mickey Moniak, and the option of Condon as an outfield option, there is a chance for a lot of production.

The cancer club: How cyclist Lance Armstrong started an unlikely fraternity among MLB pitchers | The Athletic ($) — Former Rockie Chad Bettis managed to connect with Lance Armstrong after his cancer diagnosis and that has continued to turn into a support group for pitchers with cancer. The group also includes Jameson Taillon and Liam Hendriks and has been a nice resource for all involved.

Affected by Altitude Episode 228: What We No Longer Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate | Rocky Mountain Rooftop — This week Evan Lang and I talk about Cole Carrigg winning Rookie of the Month and the All-MLB nominations. We then talk about the better communication from the front office this season before chatting about the postseason so far.

Around MLB

A’s Athletic Club Sells Out 17 Months Ahead of 2028 Ballpark Opening | MLB.com — The Athletics are planning on finally moving into Las Vegas in 2028, and part of their stadium plan is a premier hospitality area located behind home plate. Per the reports, 76% of buyers are from southern Nevada.

Clutch hitting, brilliant relief in Game 2 have White Sox on cusp of ALCS | MLB.com — The Chicago White Sox are on the cusp of an appearance in the ALCS after another inspiring win against the Cleveland Guardians. The pitching continues to be on point for the White Sox alongside some timely hitting. The miracle season lives on!

MLB insider says Cubs are ‘unlikely’ to re-sign .841 OPS outfielder | Yahoo! Sports — The Chicago Cubs have a pair of outfielders becoming free agents. Unfortunately, they are likely to only be able to sign one of them. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki will be popular free agents for teams and the Cubs are hoping to at least retain Happ if possible while potentially losing a bidding war for Suzuki.

Tampa Bay’s secret weapon? No outfield is harder to get a hit against | MLB.com — The Tampa Bay Rays do a lot of things right and one of the overlooked things is the spectacular outfield defense. As a unit the Rays outfield has +37 OAA, which is the best mark of any team in the Statcast era.

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The Cubs Looking Toward the Future:

• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): To Win in 2027, Chicago Cubs Need to Join the 300 Club. “The 2026 Chicago Cubs were (by far) the most expensive team in franchise history. Next year, they’ll have to spend even more just to maintain their standing. It’s time to see whether the Rickettses really care.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Four offseason questions facing Jed Hoyer, Cubs, who have pitching at top of lengthy to-do list. “The Cubs’ expectations won’t change for 2027; this will still be a team with World Series goals. But Hoyer’s front office has a lot to do to make next year’s team better equipped than the one that was rapidly bounced from the playoffs.”
• Doug Schwamb (Chicago Cubs On SI): Ranking the Cubs’ Biggest Offseason Needs After Wild Card Disaster. “Some changes need to be made, here are some of the biggest off-season needs the Cubs need to focus on.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Where do the Chicago Cubs go after falling short in the playoffs again? ‘We let it slip away.’ “Now they must conduct an autopsy on their season and course correct the areas that contributed to their postseason demise.”
• Cole Bair (Bleacher Nation): Position Player Plan, Pitching Problems, Non-Tender Candidates, and Other Cubs Bullets. “We’re left with Jed Hoyer’s end-of-season press conference and wondering how much baseball there will even be in 2027 when the lockout inevitably begins on December 1.”
• Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): Alex Bregman’s blunt 2026 Cubs assessment should serve as wake up call for Jed Hoyer. “Don’t let this fall on deaf ears.”

The Cubs Dwelling About the Past:

• Tony Andracki (CHGO): The most painful part of the early Cubs playoff exit. “In the wake of another Cubs playoff exit, we examine the painful part that will linger long after everything else.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Until Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts face hard truth, Cubs are destined to keep disappointing us all. “It’s time Cubs leadership acknowledges the elephant in the room.”
• Baseball Digest: PCA, Miz, Mason Miller honored by Baseball Digest. “Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs has been selected Baseball Digest’s 2026 MLB Player of the Year.

The Cubs and What To Do in Free Agency:

• Doug Schwamb (Chicago Cubs On SI): One Cubs Free Agent They Can’t Afford to Lose (And One They Can). “The Chicago Cubs must decide who to keep and who to let walk in free agency. Here are some players to consider.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Kevin Gausman Signing with Blue Jays “Seems Likely”. “They’re going to need to bring in multiple starting pitchers regardless, so retaining one or two, in addition to making a SIGNIFICANT external addition, could make sense.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Former Cubs bullpen project quietly elects free agency after brief turn as closer. “Yes, he was still around.”
• Justin Binkowski (Chicago Cubs On SI): Toughest Free Agent Decision Each Wild Card Loser Will Have to Make. “The offseason is now in full swing for these organizations.”

Food For Thought:

Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter. His revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on the succeeding generations, earning him comparisons to such seminal artists as Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix. His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners’ expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica. He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, the first and, to date, only artist to be inducted specifically as a harmonica player. He was raised in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, where he learned to play the harmonica. He quit school, and by the age of 12 had left rural Louisiana and travelled, working odd jobs and busking on the streets of New Orleans, Memphis, Helena and West Helena, Arkansas, and St. Louis. He honed his musical skills on harmonica and guitar, performing with older bluesmen including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Sunnyland Slim, Honeyboy Edwards, and others.

Arriving in Chicago in 1946, he occasionally found work as a guitarist but garnered more attention for his already highly developed harmonica playing. According to Chicago bluesman Floyd Jones, Little Walter’s first recording was an unreleased demo recorded soon after he arrived in Chicago, on which Walter played guitar backing Jones. Reportedly frustrated with having his harmonica drowned out by electric guitars, Walter adopted a simple but previously little-used method: He cupped a small microphone in his hands along with his harmonica and plugged the microphone into a public address system or guitar amplifier. He could thus compete with any guitarist’s volume. However, unlike other contemporary blues harp players, such as Sonny Boy Williamson I and Snooky Pryor, who had also started using the newly available amplifier technology around the same time solely for added volume, Walter purposely pushed his amplifiers beyond their intended technical limitations, using the amplification to explore and develop radical new timbres and sonic effects previously unheard from a harmonica or any other instrument.

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