Category: MLB

Yesterday one of my favorite free agent relief targets came off the board. Evan Phillips signed with the Braves on a 3-year $35 million deal. I was enamored by Phillips due to his track record and how good he looked coming off of Tommy John. Based on the deal he got, the league seemed to agree with me.

It is a bummer to miss out on Phillips, but the fact he signed with the Braves opens up another opportunity. This move means that long-time Braves closer Raisel Iglesias is unlikely to return to Atlanta. I would not be surprised if the Nats pursue Iglesias pretty heavily for reasons we will get into.

The first reason Iglesias would be a target is because of his performance. He is a grizzled veteran with a ton of experience in the 9th inning. Iglesias has 287 career saves, so the moment will never be too big for him. While he turns 37 in January, Iglesias has shown no signs of slowing down.

Last season, the right hander posted a 2.55 ERA in 59 outings, while converting 34 of his 37 save attempts. Iglesias has been a good closer for a decade now, but his time with the Braves was the best of his career. In five seasons, Iglesias posted a 2.39 ERA with 131 saves. 

In addition to the performance, there is one other factor that makes Iglesias uniquely attractive. Due to his age, he is unlikely to command a multi-year deal. Reports have come out that the Nats are hesitant to give out multi-year deals to relievers. With Iglesias, they can get the best of both worlds. He is still a highly capable closer, but he is also limited to a one year deal.

Do not get it twisted, this does not mean Iglesias will come cheap. Last offseason, he signed a 1-year $16 million deal to return to the Braves. After another great year, he is likely to command a similar sort of contract. That might make the Nats braintrust a little uneasy, but I would give Iglesias that sort of deal.

We saw what it was like not to have a real closer last year, and it was not pretty. If Paul Toboni and the Nats are unwilling to throw out multi-year contracts, this is the best closer available to them. It is just a move that makes a ton of sense.

Iglesias gets his results due to a combination of funk, movement and enough raw stuff. He is a master at getting hitters to chase. The right hander has ranked in the 90th percentile or better in chase rate every year since 2020. This season, he was in the 99th percentile, with hitters chasing 39% of the pitches Iglesias threw out of the strike zone.

The primary driver of this is his nasty changeup. It has been a major weapon in his arsenal for many years now. Iglesias’ changeup tunnels so well off his mid-90’s fastball. Hitters think the pitch is a heater before it tumbles outside of the zone. Iglesias also has impeccable command of the offering.

That changeup is his money pitch, but Iglesias also throws a 4-seamer, a sinker and a slider. All these pitches come out of a funky, low slot delivery. For most of his career, Iglesias has had healthy strikeout numbers while not walking many people. That was no different in 2026, with Iglesias striking out 26.8% of batters while only walking 7.1%.

There has been talk the Nats are looking for late inning experience, but do not want to offer multi-year deals. If that is the case, there is no better candidate than Raisel Iglesias. There is some risk due to his age, but even if it does not work out, it would only be a one-year deal.

Paul Toboni should offer Raisel Iglesias a 1-year $16 million deal to stay in the NL East and close games for the Nats. Iglesias has proven his skillset can age gracefully and he has a ton of closer experience. The Nats can get their 9th inning guy without committing to a multi-year deal. 

If the team is competing for the wild card, Iglesias can be a rock in the 9th inning. Even if they fall out of the race, Iglesias would likely be a valuable commodity at the deadline. The fit is just so clear here, now we have to see if it actually happens.

Veteran relief pitcher Evan Phillips was the first Dodgers free agent to find a home for 2027, as the right-hander signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

In terms of average annual value, Phillips at $11.67 million per year is right in line with the other notable relief signing this week, with Emilio Pagán getting $11.5 million on his one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. But Phillips, two years and four months younger than Pagán, got two more guaranteed seasons on his deal.

Phillips was ranked has high as the 29th-best free agent on the market at MLB Trade Rumors, was No. 34 at CBS Sports, 36th at FanGraphs, 46th at Yahoo Sports, and No. 48 at both NBC Sportsand Baseball Prospectus. Phillips was not among the 50 free agents ranked by Kiley McDaniel at ESPN, nor was Phillips in the top 40 for Keith Law at The Athletic, nor the top 50 from Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner at Fox Sports.

One transaction does not a market make, but a three-year contract for Phillips after pitching half a season upon returning from Tommy John surgery suggests a strong earning potential for relievers this offseason. Last offseason, only three relief pitchers signed three-year deals:

• Edwin Díaz (Dodgers): 3 years, 69 million
• Devin Williams (Mets): 3 years, $51 million
• Robert Suarez (Braves): 3 years, $45 million

Suarez saved 76 games in his two previous seasons before his contract, Díaz had 48 saves in his previous two years, and Williams saved 32 games in 2024-25 before joining the Mets. Phillips saved 42 games between 2023-24, but totaled two saves in his 38 total appearances over the previous two years.

Let’s see how some of these outlets projected what Phillips’ contract might have been:

• MLB Trade Rumors: 2 years, $24 million
• FanGraphs: 2 years, $20 million
• NBC Sports: 2 years, $20 million

Not getting ranked at ESPN, The Athletic (by neither Keith Law nor Tim Britton), nor Fox Sports really limited the contract projections for Phillips, compared to say Alex Vesia, who had a series of two-year projections and one three-year projection at near the AAV Phillips achieved with his deal.

If you didn’t like yesterday’s trade idea, Dylan Crews, here’s another outfielder who could be on the trading block and who could very well fit the Cubs’ need for an outfielder.

There are caveats here, so let’s look at them.

Jarren Duran had an outstanding 2024 season, posting 9.0 bWAR and leading MLB with 48 doubles and 14 triples. He batted .285/.342/.492, hit 21 home runs and stole 34 bases and finished eighth in AL MVP voting. The following year was good, but not at that level: .256/.332/.442, an AL-leading 13 triples, 16 home runs, 24 stolen bases and 4.9 bWAR.

Last year, Duran crashed to what wasn’t much more than replacement level: .207/.266/.361, a big decline in doubles and triples, though with 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases. His defense, which had previously been good, also suffered and he posted just 0.4 bWAR. Here’s an article that gives some good analysis of why this happened. Some of the decline came with a big drop in his BABIP, from .326 to .252.

Duran is 30 and made $7.7 million in 2026. He’s under team control for two more seasons. I’d think he could make a competent right fielder for a couple of years, perhaps until Josiah Hartshorn is ready. It should be noted that Duran didn’t play right field at all in 2026, though he has played the position in the past and at one time was a very good center fielder. If not right field, Duran could certainly play a competent left field.

There’s one other thing to consider regarding Duran, and that’s some controversies he’s been involved in. Before trading for a guy like this, you’d have to make sure those are in his past.

So why am I proposing this? Because I think there’s a match here of two disappointing players.

The Red Sox didn’t really have a regular second baseman in 2026. Matt Shaw’s best position is second base, and he’s obviously blocked there with the Cubs by Nico Hoerner. He can’t play third for the Cubs either, and his time in right field in 2026 was shaky. He doesn’t really have the arm for right field and would probably be better served as an infielder. Shaw is also a Massachusetts native.

So would the teams do this? A change-of-scenery deal, one-for-one, Shaw for Duran?

Who says no?

Mel Stottlemyre had the misfortune of being one of the best Yankees’ players during one of the worst periods in Yankees’ history. Through no fault of Stottlemyre’s own, the Yankees slide down the standings during his tenure, mostly as a result of the disastrous CBS ownership period. He has the status of being on the shortlist of best ever Yankees’ players who never won a World Series.

However, Stottlemyre then had a coaching career that more than made up for it. He later became the pitching coach on the Yankees’ 1900s and 2000s dynasty, arguably getting more fame for that than his playing career. However, he was great at both and on this — what would’ve been his 85th birthday — let’s remember a legendary Yankee.

Melvin Leon “Mel” Stottlemyre
Born: November 13, 1941 (Hazleton, MO)
Died: January 13, 2019 (Seattle, WA)
Yankees Tenure: 1964-74

One of five children born to Vernon and Lorene Ellen Stottlemyre, Mel Stottlemyre was born in Missouri 1941. His father was a pipefitter and moved the family around to various states around the country before they finally settled in Washington state. There, Mel developed a love of baseball from his father, who would take him and his brother to local semi-pro games.

Early in his life, Stottlemyre’s playing of the sport was mostly limited to games in the backyard with his brother. He didn’t really play much organized ball until high school. Stottlemyre began to shine as a pitcher and shortstop for Mabton High School, where he was a multi-sport start and the student body president.

His high school career got Stottlemyre a scholarship to Yakima Valley Junior College, but things did not start great there. His first season was supposed to be in 1960, but poor grades led him to be declared academically ineligible. He eventually got that straightened out and returned for 1961, where he impressed and caught the eye of major league teams.

The then Milwaukee Braves gave Stottlemyre a workout, but came away unimpressed and rejected him for “not throwing hard enough.” Their loss would be the Yankees’ gain. Yankees scout Eddie Taylor signed Stottlemyre to the pitcher’s childhood favorite team in 1961.

After making quick work of the lower levels of the minors, Stottlemyre struggled in Triple-A in 1963. Having previously been one of the hottest prospects in the Yankees’ system, that led to him not getting an invite to big league spring training for 1964. However, after starting the season in the Triple-A bullpen, he battled his way back into the rotation and put in a monster season. By the end of the year, with Whitey Ford dealing with injury issues, Stottlemyre got a big league callup. Making his debut in August, Stottlemyre appeared in 13 games in 1964, putting up a 2.04 ERA in 96 innings. He helped rejuvenate that Yankee team, allowing them to eke out the AL pennant.

In that year’s World Series, manager Yogi Berra entrusted the rookie to make three World Series starts. Stottlemyre outdueled Bob Gibson in a Game 2 victory. Gibson and the Cardinals would get the better of Stottlemyre and the Yankees in the other two — including Game 7 — but there’s no way to not be impressed by what the 22-year-old had done that year.

Unfortunately, those would be the only postseason games Stottlemyre ever pitched in, through no fault of his own. Over the course of his 11-year career, Stottlemyre put up a 2.97 ERA, a 3.36 FIP, 40.7 rWAR, and 34.0 fWAR. He was named an All-Star on five occasions and won 20 games on three occasions. However, he also finished with double digit losses on eight occasions, as the pieces of the 1950s/early ‘60s dynasty aged out and a lot of the young non-Stottlemyre players couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Eventually, the years of being one of the team’s few hopes and throwing 250+ innings caught up to Stottlemyre. Just as the team was beginning to turn the corner under a new crop of youngsters and was getting purchased by George Steinbrenner, Stottlemyre tore his rotator cuff. While he attempted to make a comeback, the team eventually released him in March 1975. He decided to end his playing career, just barely missing out on some great year in franchise history at either end of his years in New York.

Having moved back to Washington, Stottlemyre got into coaching with the Mariners in the early 1980s. The Mets eventually brought him back to New York as their pitching coach in 1984. Mentoring the likes of a young Dwight Gooden, Stottlemyre helped the Mets to their famous 1986 World Series championship. After that, he spent some years with the Astros before Joe Torre brought him back into the fold after being hired as Yankees’ manager in 1996.

Over the next many years, Stottlemyre finally got to be part of postseason success in the Bronx. As the Yankees’ pitching guru, he helped them to World Series championships in 1996, ‘98, ‘99, and 2000. He eventually retired after the 2005 season, in part likely due to frustrations over George Steinbrenner’s George Steinbrenner-ness. After a stint in the Diamondbacks’ organization, he returned to the dugout for one season as Mariners’ pitching coach in 2008 before retiring again.

Stottlemyre had two sons also make the big leagues as pitchers in Mel Jr. and Todd. Todd had a very solid 14-year career, winning the World Series with the 1992 and ‘93 Blue Jays. Mel Jr. only briefly played in the majors, but he followed his dad into the pitching coach field. He was mostly recently the Marlins’ pitching coach, departing that role after the 2024 season.

Mel himself returned to the pacific northwest after his baseball career was over. Having previously beaten the disease, Stottlemyre eventually passed away from cancer in 2019 at age 77. Thankfully before that, he got to return to Yankee Stadium on occasions. That included a 2015 appearance, where he gave an emotional speech after the team surprised him with a Monument Park plaque.

Mel Stottlemyre held two roles in his years with the Yankees and was great at both of them. He probably would’ve been great at other ones too.

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

To answer it right off the bat: no, Bryce Harper did not have an elite season. A good season, certainly. But not elite. There certainly will not be a repeat the rigamarole on the matter that followed the 2025 season, in part because the matter is somewhat tired at this point: you get one passive-aggressive t-shirt for a controversy, and no more, that’s in the collective bargaining agreement. Speaking of CBAs, that’s the other reason why we won’t likely be spending the offseason discussing the question of Harper’s eliteness. There are bigger fish to fry. And that frier may be located in a federal courtroom. But while the lawyers prepare to go to work, we can, and should, take a look at Harper’s 2026 season. We’ll look at the stats, and discuss, and provide a letter grade. We’re leaving adjectives out, though. You’ll have to provide one yourself.

2026 stats: 162 games, 269/.380/.485, 865 OPS, 29 HR, 87 RBI, 7 SB, 21.4 K%, 15.4 BB%, 135 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR

What went right

Much of the Phillies lineup struggled at the plate last year. Bryce Harper did not. He was just one of three qualified batters on the team to post a wRC+ above 100; his 135 in that category lead the team, and was 15th league-wide. He took a somewhat more patient approach at the plate, lifting his walk rate by 3.3%, while maintaining his power. And he did all this as an ever-present force in the lineup, playing in all 162 regular-season games. He also addressed a weak point from last year: in 2025, the best way to handle him was to throw him breaking balls(wOBA of .310 against, as compared to .405 for fastballs and .362 for breaking balls). His performance against the moving stuff was much better this year (wOBA of .342), chasing and whiffing on them less. The differences between Harper’s 2026 and his 2025 weren’t enormous. He was better in 2026, but not by a whole lot. Still, given that the baseline he was working with, slightly better than 2025 means “very good”. He received downballot MVP votes, finishing 15th in the Senior Circuit; that seems like a fair summary of his season.

What went wrong

Despite improvements at the plate, his 2026 fWAR wasn’t meaningfully different than the number he posted in 2025 (3.3 this season, 3.4 the year prior). That was due to a downturn in his glovework: he posted a -5 Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value that was -10 by FanGraphs’ numbers and -12 by Baseball Savant’s (vs. 1 OAA and -1 FRV a year prior). Among first basemen, only Spencer Torkelson of the Tigers posted a lower OAA, and none posted a lower FRV. His arm was good, but no first baseman was worse at receiving throws.

He also graded out as negative as a baserunner: his decisions on advancing and stealing ended up doing him more harm than good.

And while most of the news from his work at the plate was good, he did post a worrying downturn in his performance against offspeed pitches (wOBA of .294, down from .362). He swung at them less, but whiffed more often when he did. And when he did hit them, he didn’t hit them as hard as he had the year before. That’s part of a longer trend: his slugging percentage against offspeed pitches was .612 in 2024; now it’s .342. Not coincidentally, pitchers threw him more offspeed stuff than they had in 2025; he gave opposing hurlers an avenue of attack.

Final Grade: B

If we were grading by a universal standard, this would probably be higher. If you played well enough to pick up some MVP votes, you should probably be getting at least a B+/A-. But Harper, as a star and as the face of the franchise, is held to a higher standard, both by himself and those around him. His performance at the plate was good, though not on par with his best years. Fairly or not, Harper is expected to be superhuman and transformative for the team; him merely being very good with the bat in 2026 feels underwhelming, if only because we have so many memories of him being so much more. More fair is dinging him for his poor baserunning and lackluster fielding.

A Bryce Harper B-grade season is a better season than most players will ever produce. The B-tier work of an average player shows nothing to get excited about, while the B-tier work of a star shows the flashes of brilliance that remind us of their best work. You didn’t have to read this far to know that Bryce Harper wasn’t quite elite in 2026; not only did we state it at the top, but you saw it for yourself. But you’ve also seen enough to know he’s a player about whom the question will be asked. That’s an honor in itself.

A.J. Minter had an up and down Mets career. On one hand, he was effective as a leverage reliever across two seasons, and he had a 2.12 ERA in Queens in that time. On the other hand, he was limited to just 36 appearances and 34 innings pitched. Thanks to a significant lat injury suffered in late April 2025, he required surgery and came back in May 2026, over a full year later.

After being activated from the injured list this past season, Minter was as advertised. He had a 2.35 ERA in his 23 appearances for the Mets, making him a solid if unspectacular leverage reliever. His strikeout numbers tanked pretty significantly, sitting at 21.7%, compared to his career rate of 28.6%. With his age (33) and injury history, he likely will not be much of a strikeout guy anymore, but he did a good job limiting hard contact (36.8% hard hit rate) and not allowing free passes (2.2 % walk rate as a Met), allowing him to still be an effective pitcher as he ages.

As one would imagine, being a 33-year-old reliever on a team that is not even close to the playoff picture gives you a one way ticket to Tradestown, USA. Minter was indeed handed that ticket, as he was dealt to the Minnesota Twins on July 31 for Bruno Agbayani and Billy Amick. He continued to be successful for the Twins, finishing the season with a 2.78 ERA, paired with a slightly raised strikeout rate (22.3%) and significantly raised walk rate (6.4%).

Minter likely did enough to secure himself a one-year contract somewhere, where he will look to stay healthy and miss some more bats as he is a year further out from his lat injury. As for the Mets, they got a good performance out of Minter before trading him. While both parties would have wanted an outcome where the Mets were good and Minter was a seventh inning guy, the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry.

Good morning, A’s fans. Happy Friday!

Yesterday, the MLB general manager meetings in Las Vegas wrapped up following four days of discussions between executives from all 30 teams. For many general managers, reporters and other league personnel, it marked their first opportunity to see the Athletics’ ballpark under construction, which will begin hosting major league games in 2028.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America unveiled the 2026 award winners this week. Last night, the league MVPs received the spotlight. Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong were unanimously named Most Valuable Players in their respective leagues.

The GM meetings also officially kicked off hot stove season. The Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers announced their first signings of the winter. Both clubs bolstered their bullpens, with the Braves signing right-hander Evan Phillips and the Tigers agreeing to terms with right-hander Emilio Pagán.

With a potential Dec.1 lockout looming as the collective bargaining agreement expires, these transactions could be the first of many over the next few weeks. Most free agents will likely look to sign new contracts before the league potentially changes its entire economic structure during this winter’s labor negotiations.

If the owners and Commissioner Rob Manfred get their way, they will implement a salary cap and floor system beginning in 2028. Among the four most popular professional sports leagues in the United States, MLB is the only one that does not have such a system in place.

Team owners believe a salary cap will help bolster competitive balance by reducing the resource advantages possessed by big-market teams. For instance, the small-market A’s would benefit as a proposed $180.2 million salary floor, which would force owner John Fisher to significantly increase the team’s payroll through heightened free-agent activity and/or more lucrative contracts. Ideally, that would result in a greater amount of competitive seasons rather than dreary 100-loss campaigns.

However, players understandably oppose a salary cap out of fear that the system will limit the earning potential of elite talent. A’s designated hitter Brent Rooker echoed those sentiments during a podcast appearance this past spring.

With time running out to salvage an agreement, is there any hope of avoiding a lockout? And, are you on the owners’ or players’ side regarding the salary cap and floor debate?

A’s Coverage:

• A’s First 2 Off-Season Additions Bode Well
• New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
• New A’s front office already hitting the ground running at GM Meetings
• The A’s, with a big move to Las Vegas looming, look to be aggressive
• Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
• Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
• 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
• A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
• After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
• Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
• Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
• Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
• Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
• A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• Landlord of future A’s Vegas stadium may need to cover additional construction costs
• How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How to play in-5 Trivia on the SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• First-time MVP winners (both unanimous!) usher in new era of superstars
• GM Meetings lay groundwork for ‘crazy couple of weeks’
• Relief stalwart Phillips inks 3-year deal with Braves
• Here are the ’26 All-MLB First and Second Teams
• Here’s every ranked prospect that needs to be protected ahead of Tuesday’s 40-man deadline
• Baseball is booming. Scott Boras says that’s exactly why MLB doesn’t need a salary cap
• Astros hire Brad Ausmus as next manager
• Miz adds NL Cy Young Award to World Series title
• Schlittler caps 1st full season with Yankees’ 7th AL Cy Young Award
• Scouting Japan’s next wave of MLB talent: What to know about Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira, Hiromi Itoh
• Source: Tigers agree to 1-year deal with reliever Emilio Pagan
• Nationals, OF Jacob Young agree on 4-year deal with ’31 option
• Brewers’ Murphy 3-peats as top NL manager; White Sox’s Venable wins AL honors
• Giants’ Randy Rodríguez shut down after brief AFL stint
• Chris Martin Retires
• Hot Stove rumors: Jazz, Goodman, Sato, Suzuki, Abrams
• Mets Eyeing Left-Handed Relievers
• Braves GM emphatically shuts down Ronald Acuna trade speculation: ‘We need him’
• Cubs’ Ben Brown undergoes successful spine surgery, GM says
• Yankees Interested In Alec Bohm
• 4 known teams, 2 mystery clubs to meet with Skubal
• Dodgers Reportedly Prefer Short-Term Deal In Skubal Bidding
• Blue Jays eye Skubal, but how realistic is a deal?
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X

Las Vegas A’s ballpark continues to take shape.

How should the Athletics reallocate the money saved by declining Jeff McNeil’s and Jeffrey Springs’ club options?

Insightful video. What do you think of these free-agency predictions? Would you be happy if the A’s sign Nick Martinez?

Luke Little is a hard-throwing left-handed reliever who has major issues throwing strikes. He fits right in with the A’s 2026 pitching staff. It will be interesting to see if the club’s new front office can fix this reclamation project. #WildThing

As we wait for moves to be made and news to report this offseason, and with the Colorado Gives season in full swing, I figured we could look back at some of the positive impacts the Colorado Rockies had in the community in 2026. 

The Colorado Rockies Baseball Club Foundation is busy throughout the year, organizing events and participating in partnerships during the season that raise money for non-profits. Here’s a rundown of some of the good news off the field from 2026.

UCHealth and Athletics & Beyond

Each season, the red banner is draped over the left field tunnel at Coors Field. With its bright color and white mitt in the center, it acts as a target for Rockies looking to make a difference on the field and off. 

This season marked the eighth season the Rockies have teamed up with UCHealth for the Hit the Mitt fundraiser. Each year, a new partner teams up to be the recipient of a $5,000 donation per homer that lands on the banner. This season, it was Athletics & Beyond. A Denver-based non-profit that’s been operating since 2005, Athletics & Beyond works to create opportunities for youth, families, and communities through mentorship, education, sports, workforce development, and wellness programs. Using a trauma-informed approach, Athletics & Beyond has served more than 50,000 young people across Denver and Aurora.

This year, two homers hit the mitt, raising $10,000 for the organization. One of them came off the bat of Hunter Goodman on May 29 in the form of a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth against the San Francisco Giants. 

Rookie slugger Cole Carrigg hit the second and final homer for a good cause on the Fourth of July. His three-run shot took place in the first inning, but also happened to come against the Giants. 

UCHealth and Athletics & Beyond also joined forces, along with the Rockies, several Denver Broncos and celebrities like Blake Street Bomber Vinny Castilla, to host the eighth annual Healthy Swings Home Run Derby on June 4 at Coors Field. Former offensive tackle and Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris joined Rockies public address announcer Reed Saunders served to narrate the event. Derby participants included Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, reigning HR Derby champion wide receiver Courtland Sutton and more.

The event raised a jaw-dropping $260,150, which will help fund all the programming that is now taking place in their 25,000-square-foot facility that opened on July 1 in Aurora. 

Clothes to Kids of Denver

Another annual tradition is the Rockies Charity Night, which was held on Aug. 19. Each year, Rockies fans can purchase packages loaded with team merchandise and autographed memorabilia with the proceeds going to the Colorado Rockies Foundation. The foundation supports underprivileged and at-risk youth through programs for youth baseball and softball, education, literacy, drug and alcohol-abuse awareness and prevention. 

This year, the featured charity was Clothes to Kids of Denver, which helps students ages 5-21 in the Denver community feel more empowered and confident when they go to school because they are wearing quality clothing. Goodman lent a hand in the partnership when he and some Rockies staff went to volunteer at CTKD on Sept. 9. 

In addition to Goodman’s off-the-field good deeds, the Rockies All-Star catcher also inadvertently helped Clothes to Kids of Denver on the field on Sept. 26. That’s when Goodman hit two homers, which helped the Rockies defeat the Chicago White Sox 9-6. The victory led to the Cleveland Guardians clinching the American League Central Division. 

In an amazing alignment of true fandom and generosity, Guardian fans wanted to thank Goodman by donating to a charity of his choice. He pointed to Clothes to Kids of Denver, where he had volunteered not even three weeks earlier, as a place for the donations to go. Front offices for both teams and fans posted and shared messages on social media to spread the word.

Within days, the Cleveland Guardian community had combined to give over $22,000 through more than 700 donations. This is one of the coolest stories ever. 

Camps and more

In addition, the Rockies Foundation hosted its second annual Youth Softball Camp at Metro State University Denver and over 100 young athletes attended. Rockies staff, coaches and alumni also hosted their second Nike Youth Baseball Camp at Coors Field, providing coaching to 172 baseball players ages 8-13. 

As always, the Colorado Rockies Foundation also teamed up with the MSU Alumni Association to do the 50/50 raffle throughout the season, which helps raise funds for the foundation. The raffle extended to the two days Coors Field played host to Banana Ball, but the proceeds then went to Bananas Foster, its non-profit arm that supports education and participation in foster care programs.

While there might have been small steps forward in building a winning franchise, it didn’t show on the field as the Rockies recorded their fourth 100-plus loss season in a row. However, off the field, the Rockies organization did a lot of good to help the community.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The Sugar Land Space Cowboys had solid 2026 season including some good performances. Let’s take a look.

Sugar Land Space Cowboys 2026 Record: 74-75

Here are the team leaders (min 300 PA or 40 IP):

TEAM LEADERS
Hits – Cavan Biggio (99)
2B – Pascanel Ferreras (24)
3B – Cavan Biggio (6)
HR – CJ Alexander (21)
RBI – Cavan Biggio(64)
BA – Pascanel Ferreras (.305)
SB – Shay Whitcomb (23)
OPS – CJ Alexander (.850)
wRC+ – Pascanel Ferreras (121)

IP – Josh Hendrickson (113.2)
W – Josh Hendrickson (9)
SV – Roddery Munoz (12)
SO – Josh Hendrickson (106)
ERA – Roddery Munoz (3.06)

NOTABLES

Pascanel Ferreras, INF
Ferreras was the last pick of the 2023 draft, but he has made quite the climb as a prospect. After a slow start in Corpus Christi, he moved up to Triple-A where he really turned things on. In 71 games in Triple-A, Ferreras hit .305 with 24 doubles and 6 home runs. He would lead Sugar Land in batting average, doubles and wRC+. Ferreras did enough in 2026 that he could be a utility candidate in 2027.

Miguel Ullola, RHP
Ullola started the season as a starter but really struggled and the organization moved him to the bullpen. This move was a game changer for Ullola. Over his next 11 games he tossed 12 innings with 17 strikeouts allowing just 3 runs (all in one game). He eventually got some innings in Houston and performed well posting a 2.16 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 16.2 innings, allowing just 7 hits. He should be in the big league pen in 2027.

Cavan Biggio, INF
Biggio has been around the block for a while but ended up putting together a strong season for Sugar Land. The utility player batted just .230, but had a .387 OBP with 18 home runs over 123 games in Triple-A. He never received a call up, which was a little surprising given the issues in Houston, but he provided a pretty solid bat for Sugar Land in 2026.

Ethan Pecko, RHP
Pecko’s season got off to a slow start with injury but once he got healthy in Triple-A, he started to show why he was one of the Astros top pitching prospects. In June, the right-hander had a 2.48 ERA over 29 innings. He finished in Triple-A with a 4.94 ERA over 17 games and would eventually earn a call up to Houston. Pecko pitched in 8 games, 5 starts, for Houston and posted a 3.93 ERA over 34.1 innings.

Lucas Spence, OF
Spence, an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft, came into the season with pretty high expectations. He got off to a slow start but turned things on in the middle of the season hitting .316 with a .928 OPS over 35 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He eventually earned a promotion to Houston where he had a late surge including a three home run game. Spence could be a factor on the major league roster next season.

Good morning everybody and happy Friday!

With the GM Meetings now concluded, let’s dig into the latest from around baseball.

In Mariners news…

• Ryan Divish at The Seattle Times recapped what we learned about the Mariners’ plans from the GM Meetings.
• Nick Vitalis did some back-of-the-napkin math on the Mariners’ likely 40-man roster as we enter the offseason.
• James Johnston wonders if Seiya Suzuki’s bat could be expected to translate at T-Mobile Park.
• Tanner Swanson spoke about his decision to come home to coach the Mariners.

Around the league…

• Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez became the first full-time designated hitter to be awarded the American League Most Valuable Player Award, doing so unanimously.
• Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong ended Shohei Ohtani’s reign, winning the National League MVP Award without contest.
• The Braves agreed to a three-year, $35M deal with right-hander Evan Phillips.
• KBO outfielder Ja-Wook Koo is mulling over a jump to Major League Baseball at the age of 34.
• New Astros GM Randy Flores says it was his decision to hire Brad Ausmus, which is not a great thing to have to say out loud.
• Though they are not bringing him back as manager in 2027, the Angels are keeping Kurt Suzuki within the organization as a special assistant.
• The Nationals are unlikely to trade star shortstop CJ Abrams this winter.
• Former Mariners hitting coach Tommy Joseph has been hired by the rival Rangers to serve as their assistant hitting coach.
• Congratulations to former Mariner Wily Mo Peña, who found a coaching gig at a high school down in Tampa.

Good morning, LSB.

Evan Grant welcomes World Series champ Thad Levine in the latest episode of his Rangers podcast.

The Athletic scouts the new wave of Japanese talent coming to MLB, of which the Rangers have already shown interest.

And MLB Pipeline lists each top-100-ranked prospect who needs to be protected from next week’s 40-man deadline.

That’s all for this morning. Happy Friday!

Welcome to the 2026-27 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Today, we continue the series with one of the heros of the 2026 postseason.

Who is he and where does he come from?

He’s Jake Bauers and he was born on October 6, 1995, which was the very day that the Mo Vaughn and John Valentin-led Red Sox were swept out of the playoffs by the juggernaut Cleveland Indians. Does that mean anything? Does Craig Breslow need to consult an astrologist before offering Bauers a contract? Would signing him open up some kind of wormhole underneath the plate at Fenway Park that would allow passage directly between the Charles and the River Styx? Because, if so, maybe we can just say “pass” right now.

Is he any good?

If you’re one of those Scottish footy fans who saw a baseball game for the first in your life back in June, then you may well think that Jake Bauers is one of the best baseball players on the planet. He was the best hitter on the best team in the world this year, combining power and patience in the heart of the Brewers lineup.

In October, he broke containment and became one of the stars of the postseason, winning the NLCS MVP and doing so not necessarily with his power bat (he only hit one homer in the four-game sweep), but on the strength of his plate discipline. With 2 outs and 2 on in the bottom of the 3rd of game 2, as the Brewers trailed the Dodgers 2-1, it was Bauers who worked a 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It was the longest at-bat of Yamamoto’s career and it visibly tired out the Dodgers ace, leading to Christian Yelich’s subsequent go-ahead single and an early hook for Yamamoto. It was the turning point of the series, and if Bauers didn’t necessarily earn MVP honors on the back of that walk alone, he sealed it the next game when he worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Blake Snell, ending this one not with a walk but a go-ahead 2-run bomb.

But — as we heard many, many times during the playoffs — Bauers was an unlikely hero for the Brewers. Two years before, after posting a career bWAR of -1.9 over parts of 7 seasons, he had decided to give up baseball for good. Then his wife got pregnant and, unable to return to her job as a public school teacher, Bauers decided to return to life in the minors for one reason only: to get health insurance. (And, yes, this is one of those stories that corporate media tried to paint as inspiring, when all it really does is demonstrate one of the many ways in which American society is fucked.)

But something clicked late in 2025 for Bauers. After spending most of the season as a bench player and showing no signs of life (he was slashing just .188/.314/.338 at the beginning of September 2025) Bauers says he decided to completely stop thinking at the plate, while also slightly adjusting his stance and moving back in the box. He subsequently hit .360/.458/.560 in September, then exploded the following year.

Tl;dr, just give me the 2026 stats.

144 G, .266/.389/.484, 140 OPS+, 26 HR, 156 K, 94 BB

Why would he be a good fit for the Sox?

Bauers would have led the 2026 Red Sox in OBP and walks, while finishing just a touch behind Willson Contreras in home runs, slugging, and OPS+. Stick his bat in the lineup and suddenly the Sox are lengthening innings and hitting more long balls — the two things they couldn’t do against the Yankees in the playoffs.

Why wouldn’t he be a good fit for the Sox?

Well, let’s start with the fact that he almost retired two years ago, because the big question about Bauers is: is his transformation for real? Many people — including many of the analytically-inclined ilk — think it is. That’s because Bauers spent years as one of those players who put up big exit velocity numbers that didn’t translate into in-game power. If he could just make the right tweak to his swing, so the thinking went, he could turn into a real home run threat.

That type of thinking led to him getting chance after chance from a lot of really smart teams: the Rays, Guardians, Mariners, Yankees, and, of course the Brewers, who finally reaped the rewards of that patience. But let’s get real here: Bauers is 31-years-0ld and now has a career bWAR of just 2.0. Do you really buy that by simply “not thinking at the plate” he turned himself from a quad-A guy to an All-Star over night? And even if he did figure things out, well, he’s still 31-years-old. He is in the midst of his physical decline, and how much will the inevitable losses in bat speed and vision impact his game?

There’s also the issue of his fit on the Red Sox. Bauers is a first baseman and not a very good one, meaning he would likely be signed to be the full-time DH in Boston. He’s also a lefty, and while he does a pretty good job of spraying the ball to all fields and should be able to learn how to use the Monster, it’s quite possible that his power numbers would take a hit playing in Fenway.

What would it take to get him?

Because of his almost complete lack of a track record, it’s really hard to predict what Bauers will get on the open market. Ben Clemens of FanGraphs sees him getting nothing more than a 2-year deal for $19 million per year. Keith Law at The Athletic, on the other hand, thinks he’ll land a 4-year deal for closer to $25 million per year. Add in the volatility of the lockout and it’s anyone’s guess.

Smash or Pass?

The Red Sox already have a lot of high variance hitters in the projected 2027 lineup. Outside of Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, I don’t feel all that confident in anyone in the lineup, really. Is Ceddanne Rafaela still getting better or did we just see his career year? Was Curtis Mead’s strong half of a season for real? Can Roman Anthony stay healthy? Is Adley Rutschman the all-star he was with the Orioles or the sub-.700 OPS guy he was with the Sox? What will Franklin Arias do?

The last thing I want the Sox to do is add yet another question mark to the lineup. And with Seiya Suzuki sitting out there with a better track record and more defensive value, I’d much rather give him the extra dough than take a chance on Bauers. Pass.

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 which is the second largest playoff drought right behind the Los Angeles Angels. This year Pittsburgh had a solid season finishing 82-80 but missed out on the postseason. 

The team isn’t far out from making the playoffs but there are still some things that need to happen if the Bucs want to snap that drought. Let’s take a look at the three things the Pirates should do to make the playoffs in 2027.

Re-sign Brandon Lowe

Lowe is coming off a fantastic season where he had a .260 batting average, 96 RBIs and 35 home runs. Lowe was easily one of the best second basemen this season and he helped transform the Pirates’ offense from one of the worst to a top 10 unit this past season. 

Lowe is a free agent  who received a qualifying offer and the Pirates need to break the bank and re-sign him. The front office is notorious for not wanting to spend money but he would be worth it. 

Add a left-handed starting pitcher and stabilize the rotation

Adding a left-handed arm will round out the rotation and reduce the load on the bullpen. Paul Skenes had a down year with a loss of velocity and injuries plagued starters like Mitch Keller, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones. 

The pitching rotation is not terrible but if you get out and get a veteran lefty arm that will help the rotation and relieve pressure off of Skenes who will need to have a bounce back season in 2027.  

The Buccos need to go out and get a definitive closer. They didn’t have a reliable relief pitcher for the whole season and that affected them in late innings. I would love to see Pittsburgh go out in the offseason and get a reliable closer and another solid relief pitcher. With a revamped bullpen and another solid arm in the starting rotation the Pirates pitching unit could be back to elite status in 2027 which would be huge for a playoff run.   

Reinforce the bullpen and improve health/consistency

 I already talked about the bullpen but it is so important for the pirates to address the bullpen. Following the departure of key high-leverage arms and the need to back up backend pieces like Mason Montgomery and Luke Weaver, Pittsburgh must rebuild and deepen its relief corps.

There were some major injuries during the 2026 season so keeping the important players like Konnor Griffin, Esmerlyn Valdes, and Bryan Reynolds on the diamond is essential. Keeping star players off the injured list and converting close games against division and league opponents will be essential after missing the cut in 2026.

Other major league franchises regard the San Diego Padres’ pitching instructors as the gold standard because they have developed quality pitchers from prospects outside of the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before another organization poached one away. 

One of Ruben Niebla’s top lieutenants, bullpen coach Ben Fritz, was hired to become the Arizona Diamondbacks’ new pitching coach.

The unsung bullpen architect

Since arriving in San Diego a decade ago, Fritz had become one of the sport’s top bullpen coaches. He helped pitchers like Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, and others transition from off-the-radar prospects to solid contributors out of the ‘pen.

He fostered relationships by earning their trust, and Fritz heightened their skill level to help them reach their true potential on the mound. Following in Niebla’s footsteps, Fritz used data to diagnose and fix a pitcher’s struggles. 

The Padres’ bullpen outperformed the competition with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The unit carried the fourth-heaviest workload in the majors, but the group struck out the most batters (715) this season. 

Mason Miller anchored the bullpen, posting a dominant 1.67 ERA with a staggering 16.5 K/9. But the setup reliever, Adrian Morejon, is Fritz’s top pupil. He saw a young pitching prospect with a quality arm and molded him into one of the top left-handed relief pitchers in the majors.

The Friars will have a new voice in the bullpen. Keeping that late-inning dominance will be a challenge next season.

What does Fritz’s departure mean to the Padres?

His departure does not mean the end of the world for the Friars. Realistically, a promotion was the only path to keep Fritz in the organization. But the offer to run your own pitching staff is too enticing to turn down. 

The impact of Fritz’ loss will be felt next season. Clearly, he wanted to expand his role as a pitching instructor and took a job with the Friars’ division rival. His departure is not a cause for concern. The front office should have already identified bullpen coach candidates for such a move.

A new hire is on the horizon; the Padres will likely select an in-house candidate. But if the next bullpen coach comes from outside the organization, the front office cannot wait too long. Desired candidates will come off the board. 

Given the success of the minor league pitching pipeline, Niebla has his hybrid philosophy down to a science. This is why an in-house promotion is the best choice. 

Change is inevitable in baseball. Well, that day has come for the Padres coaching staff. It will look different in 2027. 

Fritz has found a new home in the desert. While the time is right for him to run a pitching staff, his departure leaves the bullpen without a leading voice.

Padres News:

• Padres closer Mason Miller was recognized as the top reliever in baseball. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball recaps what Miller’s accent to the top spot in 2026.

• Will Wagner was not someone many Padres fans thought about for much of the 2026 season, but he is on the 40-man roster and he received a grade for his contributions in 2026 from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball.

• Here are some Padres notes as provided by the San Diego Union-Tribune following the GM Meetings.

• According to a report from MLB Trade Rumors the New York Yankees have shown past interest in a piece of the San Diego bullpen.

Baseball News:

• Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs and Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros were both named unanimous MVPs in their respective leagues.

• There was not much activity at the GM Meetings with regard to signings or trades, but the expectation is they set the foundation for what could come over the rest of the month.

• Here are the latest rumors from the MLB hot stove.

• Reliever Evan Phillips signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Hey, we’re talking about the Braves here. Of course they do.

Or do they?

There are a few different ways to look at this. One, of course, is that they can’t help themselves. But, to what end? Right now, the bullpen is projected to have a strong-but-not-elite three-headed monster (Evan Phillips, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee), with one guy in the “pretty good” camp (Dylan Dodd) and one guy in the “I guess you can roster him” camp (Victor Mederos). That’s five of eight slots spoken for with an above-replacement guy.

Basically, there’s plenty of room to add. Not that it has to be a big reliever signing, but it could be.

Also, here are the Braves’ preseason bullpen projection ranks:

• 2026: 10th
• 2025: 6th
• 2024: 2nd
• 2023: 1st
• 2022: 4th
• 2021: 7th
• 2020: 8th
• 2019: 18th (this was the famous rebuild-the-bullpen-at-the-Trade Deadline year)

So, basically, ever since the 2019 bullpen tire fire, the Braves have aimed for a top-ranked bullpen. Right now, following the signing of Phillips, they’re somewhere in that range — currently ranking ninth. They could jump into the top five with a big signing; smaller signings won’t do it.

The veteran in the theoretical room is Raisel Iglesias. He’s been a Brave for four-and-a-half seasons now, and he’s been declining a bit relative to his early 30s, but he’s still been good. Based on his current projections, he probably doesn’t actually move the Braves into the top five, but a combination of him and a couple of smaller deals to fill those last two spots might. The Braves had no issue splurging on him last year, and then also adding Robert Suarez, with guys like Aaron Bummer and Joe Jimenez still on the books. Those latter two are no longer commitments, so… what do you think?