Here we are, awaiting the start of another postseason run. The Yankees’ season could be over in the next two to three days, or it could take us on a journey through October with the chance to finally deliver that elusive 28th title. Their run will begin as it did last year in the Wild Card Series against Boston, this time leading off with Cam Schlittler instead of bringing him out in Game 3 with Max Fried and Gerrit Cole waiting in the wings for Games 2 and 3 (if necessary). They’ll have to make it at least past this opening series without Aaron Judge, who after straining his calf has been shut down from baseball activities for the past few weeks, but the Yankee offense carries a decent amount of firepower heading into this matchup compared to where they were at during the summer.
Due to the potential of elimination, it’s hard to look much further ahead than the immediate when it comes to the mailbag going forward. There’s the possibility that by the time we reconvene to answer this week’s questions the Yankees have been sentenced to an early offseason, but there’s also the possibility that their run continues and some key stars were the reason why. To that point, the questions with the most relevance are going to depend on what happens in the coming days: will the Yankee rotation live up to their regular season pedigree, did the Red Sox expose any weaknesses that could come to haunt them against the Rays, what was the biggest takeaway from this season the Yankees can use to plan for 2027? All are viable questions depending on the results, but there’s nothing to do but wait and see which path these Yankees take us on.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of October 1st will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The Mets led 3-1 after three innings. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Two Mets are on the ballot for the 2026 ‘All-MLB’ team, Juan Soto and Nolan McLean. Voting opens today and runs through Friday, October 9. The team will be announced at the MLB Awards on November 11 in Las Vegas. For those unaware of how the All-MLB team gets selected, this is the description from the press release:
Fans and panelists will vote for their choices at catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, three outfielders (without regard for left/center/right) and designated hitter, along with five starting pitchers and two relief pitchers on both the first and second teams. All choices will be based on the 2026 regular season, without regard for American League or National League affiliation.
McLean, a Rookie of the Year contender, put up 3.0 bWAR in his first full season alongside a 3.16 ERA, 128 ERA+, 194 strikeouts in 179 and two-thirds innings, while making 31 starts. Soto, who missed 51 games due to injury, also put up 3.0 bWAR while hitting .275/.393/.515 with 27 home runs and a 154 OPS+.
Other outfield selections include Pete Crow-Armstrong, Mike Trout, James Wood, and Byron Buxton. Other starting pitcher nominees include Sandy Alcantara, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, and Tarik Skubal.
The full list of nominees can be found here, and you can vote here.
With just one day left before the Yankees take on the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, the rivals' third-ever meeting in the round and seventh-ever in the playoffs, New York's roster remains full of injury-induced holes.
Manager Aaron Boone gave an update on several players at a news conference Monday, speaking about Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and more.
Judge to take live batting practice
Although Judge has made it clear that his personal goal is to be back on the field for the playoffs, Boone was still hesitant to commit to any decisions Monday. He did, however, say that the Yankee captain has been taking part in various parts of practice over the last few days.
"He did some hitting underneath and threw yesterday, underneath," Boone said. "...I believe he'll be part of the live [batting practice] today, so he's making progress. We'll continue to see where he's at."
The Yankees placed Judge on the 10-day IL on Sept. 17 due to a calf strain, ending his regular season. The two-time reigning MVP received a PPP injection for the injury last Monday, forcing him to limit activity altogether for a few days, but has since returned to the weight and training rooms.
When asked whether or not Boone saw Judge returning to right field as opposed to playing solely as a pinch hitter or designated hitter, Boone gave a similarly inconclusive response.
"I don't know," he said. "We'll continue to evaluate, and I'll listen to trainers and medical and see where we're at."
Speaking with reporters after Boone's comments, Judge noted he hasn't tried running the bases yet. In fact, he only mentioned running on the zero gravity machine. Still, he's trying to work his way onto the Game 1 roster.
"I've been doing a lot of convincing, I feel like, so I'm going to keep doing that," he said. "We're all going to be smart, but I think they all know I want to be out there, especially in the first game."
Stanton's status still unclear
Boone's answer for Stanton was the same: No final decision has been made.
"I've talked to him a bit," Boone said. "I don't know if there's one definitive [thing] like, 'Oh! There he is, he's on.' It's more just letting the day unfold, seeing where we're at, and then making a final call one way or another."
Stanton has missed nearly the whole season due to three calf injuries sustained at various points throughout the spring and summer. Last Thursday, Boone seemed hopeful about the five-time All Star's potential return to the lineup, noting that Stanton had returned to the cage and was "trending in the right direction."
Weathers, Grisham making progress
Both Trent Grisham and Ryan Weathers missed roughly the last month of the regular season, and while Boone danced around a concrete answer regarding their postseason participation as well, he mentioned they'd both likely take part in training today.
"Grish very much in play," Boone said. "[Today's] a very important day. He'll be a part of the live as well."
He added that Weathers might warm his throwing arm up today.
Grisham was placed on the 10-day IL on Sept. 6 after tweaking his hamstring, which was declared a Grade 2 strain, less than three months after injuring the same hamstring in mid-June. His first stint on the IL lasted nearly three weeks. Weathers last pitched Aug. 22, missing the last month of the season due to a left forearm flexor strain.
So sitting in the Citi Field press conference room just two weeks later, the Mets’ president of baseball operations was asked if he had any regrets over the way things went down.
Alonso, of course, left the Mets this offseason for a big money five-year deal with the Orioles after not receiving an offer from the only organization he’d ever known.
In turn, Stearns attempted to replace his production by bringing in veteran Jorge Polanco, who ended up appearing in just 37 games after battling wrist and ankle injuries.
So after seeing Mets fans give their fan favorite ovation after ovation in his heroic Citi Field return, Stearns said it’s a fair question looking back on things.
“The truth is in this job I don’t get mulligans,” he emphasized. “I also recognize Pete had a tremendous year, and the totality of our production at first base wasn’t good enough, so my job now is to ensure that we’ve got better success across our roster, but for the entirety of the season better production at first base, as well.”
Alonso showed no ill-effects transitioning during his first year in the American League, as he became the first player in baseball history to lead both leagues in RBI in separate seasons (113).
He also launched a league-high 43 homers and posted career-best marks in OBP (.363) and OPS (.884), among several other offensive statistics, while missing just one game (Sunday’s rainout in the Bronx).
The Mets, on the other hand, struggled to receive much of anything from the position before Jared Young stepped up with his breakout second-half of the season.
Even with Young's production, it wasn't nearly good enough.
“I give Pete an enormous amount of credit, he went out and had a great year,” Stearns said. “Our entire season our first base production wasn’t neatly good enough, now it’s my job to put a group together that plays better.”
Sep 27, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Royce Lewis (23) runs the bases on his solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Twins ended the season on a high note, winning their last two series, including playing spoiler in the AL West race, taking two games from the Rangers. This wraps up the season with a 77-85 record, good for 3rd in the AL Central, a distant seven games back from the last wild card spot, and the 11th worst team in the majors. But now we look forward to a lengthy offseason that could get messy quick with CBA negotiations between players and owners.
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
The Twins have announced that they are switching up the staff, parting ways with pitching coaches Pete Maki and Luis Ramirez along with athletic trainer Jason Kirkman.
In the World of Baseball:
We have our playoff bracket! Ultimately, Tampa Bay and Cleveland earned byes to the Division Series in the AL. We have a marquee matchup between the Yankees and Red Sox on the Tampa side of the bracket and the White Sox and Astros will face off on the Cleveland side of the bracket.
In the National League, the Brewers and Dodgers earned byes, with Milwaukee facing the winner between the Padres and Cubs, and Los Angeles facing the winner between the Phillies and Atlanta.
Yordan Alvarez won the AL Batting Title, but Pete Alonso’s furious September (11 homers, 22 RBI), stopped Alvarez from winning the Triple Crown, finishing second to Alonso in both categories. Still, he’s the likely AL MVP, so can’t complain too much.
Gabriel Moreno finished with the best average in the NL, one point above Luis Arraez, while PCA led the league in home runs and Alec Burleson gave a silver lining to the Cardinals season, finishing first in RBI.
Jacob Misiorowski capped off his dominant regular season, leading the majors in ERA, strikeouts, and opponent batting average. He’ll now hope to lead the Brewers to their World Series title.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, right, celebrates with teammates after the team clinched their fifth consecutive National League West title on Sept. 17 in Cincinnati. (Tanner Pearson / AP Photo)
It seems like a simple equation: $338 million produces 100.
That’s the Dodgers season-ending payroll and victory total. But to assume a franchise can merely buy a playoff berth is a stretch.
The New York Mets sit at home — or more likely at lavish vacation destinations, given their perch at the top of baseball’s payrolls at $345.8 million. They finished last in the National League East with a 74-88 record.
The Cleveland Guardians also sit at home, but are quite pleased about it. They earned a first-round bye and berth in the American League Division Series this weekend despite a payroll of only $74.2 million — baseball’s lowest and barely one-fifth that of the Mets.
Twelve of the 30 MLB teams qualified for the postseason, with four best-of-three Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday. Eight of the dozen have payrolls in the top 10, with the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays joining the Mets as supreme underachievers given their No. 5-ranked payroll of $275.4 million.
Yet three playoff teams — the Tampa Bay Rays ($98.3 million) and Chicago White Sox ($98 million), in addition to the Guardians — rank among the six lowest payrolls, according to MLB Labor Relations Department’s (LRD) present-day salary calculations obtained by USA Today.
The combined LRD payrolls of those three overachievers don’t come close to the Mets or Dodgers, highlighting the enormous disparity between the haves and have-nots that team owners point to while demanding a salary cap during ongoing collective bargaining negotiations.
Oddly, only one playoff qualifier is among the 14 mid-range payrolls of roughly $100 million to $200 million — the Milwaukee Brewers, who achieved baseball’s best record at 103-59 while paying its roster $143.5 million. The Angels are also among that group, ranking No. 15 at $179.8, not enough to keep them from losing 100 games for the first time in franchise history.
The LRD payroll tracks a team’s real-time salary commitments for the current season, accounting for the 26-man MLB roster’s base salaries plus a prorated portion of signing bonuses. LRD differs from luxury tax payrolls, which are based on the average annual value of every player contract on the 40-man roster.
Luxury tax payrolls determine whether a team exceeds the league’s luxury tax threshold and owes financial penalties. MLB is using luxury tax payrolls in the CBA negotiations over a hard salary cap and floor, proposing a $245.3 million ceiling and $171.2 million floor for 2027.
Luxury tax penalties from clubs that exceed the thresholds funnel back to low-revenue clubs through revenue sharing. A record $402,637,907 was paid in luxury tax penalties last season, with the Dodgers paying the most at a record $169.4 million. This year the Dodgers’ luxury tax is projected at $180 million — higher than the LRD payroll of 16 teams.
The Dodgers also have the highest luxury tax payroll at $430 million, dwarfing the Mets’ $363 million number. Reasons? The Dodgers pay more in penalties because they have exceeded the luxury tax six years in a row, they have more players with massive average annual values and they took on additional penalties by acquiring starter Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline.
As we await the Cubs playing starting tomorrow in a Wild Card series against the Padres, let’s take a look back at the team’s long Modern Era postseason history. That history dates to 1906, when the team lost the World Series to the White Sox after winning a record 116 games during the regular season — a mark that still stands (though tied by the Mariners in 2001).
You know, of course, of the 108-year drought between World Series wins in 1908 and 2016, and the rest of the team’s post-1908 postseason history is, shall we say, not really very good.
Entering this year, the Cubs had participated in 22 postseasons with an overall record of 51-79-1. That’s a .392 winning percentage, equivalent to a 64-98 regular season. Yikes. Although, that is an improvement over last year at this time, when the winning percentage was .385. Baby steps.
The tie happened in the pre-lights era 1907 World Series, when Game 1 went 12 innings at West Side Grounds in a 3-3 tie and then was called for darkness. The Cubs won the next four games and the World Series, becoming the first team to win the championship series without losing a game.
Here are the Cubs’ records for each of the 22 postseasons in which they have participated before this year. Prior to 1984, all games are World Series games.
Obviously none of those records is very good, and it includes nine straight losses from 2003 through 2008 before the Wild Card Game win against the Pirates in 2015.
Now, if you’ll indulge me a bit, I present to you my personal records of attending Cubs postseason games. The Cubs have played 78 postseason games in my lifetime (the games from 1984 to now). Two of those games, the wild-card series vs. the Marlins in 2020, were during the pandemic season and not open to fans.
Of the 76 Cubs postseason games open to fans since 1984, I have attended 56 — all 37 played at Wrigley Field plus 19 road games, as follows: two in San Diego (1984), three in San Francisco (1989), three in Miami (2003), two in Arizona (2007), one in Pittsburgh (2015), two in St. Louis (2015), two in San Francisco (2016), three in Los Angeles (2016) and one in Milwaukee (2025).
Personal W/L record in all postseason games attended:
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 25: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers poses for a photo with his wife Kate Upton and his daughter Genevieve Upton Verlander while holding Bellamy Verlander during Career Celebration Ceremony prior to playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on September 25, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was an emotional weekend to be a Tigers fan. First, the team ended their season in September instead of making a repeat trip to the postseason, which was certainly a bummer after the year got off to a strong start. But 2026 was not meant to be the Year of the Tiger. This weekend also saw the return of Justin Verlander to the mound at Comerica Park, just in time to make his final MLB start ever. Verlander, who had announced earlier in the year he would retire at the end of the season, missed most of the year due to injuries. It was poetic to see him back in action just in time to take his final bow.
Friday saw a tear-jerker of a retirement ceremony before the game, including a charming first pitch from Verlander’s daughter Genevieve. Then Saturday he took the mound one last time, had a strong final outing, before AJ Hinch brought Genevieve in once more to go get the ball from her father. It was one of those baseball moments that proves how wrong Tom Hanks was in A League of Their Own when he insisted, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
There is, Tom, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house on Saturday.
There was a lot going on this weekend, so we’ve collected some of the social highlights in case you missed anything.
Marcus Semien had a poor first season with the Mets as he continued to regress offensively, struggled defensively at second base, and missed time due to a hip injury.
While his offensive issues continued to worsen as he finished with a career-low .620 OPS, even more alarming was Semien's falloff at second base.
Following a 2025 campaign where Semien won the AL Gold Glove for the Rangers after ranking in the 92nd percentile in OAA, he was in the fourth percentile in 2026 -- near the very bottom of the league.
Semien has two years remaining on his contract, counting for $24 million toward the luxury tax payroll each of the next two seasons. That could obviously complicate things if he continues to struggle near the level he did this past season, and president of baseball operations David Stearns is making no promises about Semien's playing time going forward.
Asked on Monday during his end-of-season news conference at Citi Field whether he was ready to declare Semien the Mets' starting second baseman in 2027, Stearns was non-committal.
Stearns also talked upBrett Baty as a second base option. Baty, whom Stearns mentioned as a first base option as well, closed the season on a hot streak at the plate, but still finished with an uninspiring .681 OPS.
"I think we're gonna have options there next year," Stearns noted. "Marcus didn't have the type of year offensively that he wanted, that we would expect. Again, I think Brett showed us for the last four-to-six weeks of the season what his ceiling looks like. And as I said, we need him to get to that ceiling more consistently.
"And then we have a host of really good minor league infielders who are knocking on the doorstep. And so sitting here right now, I'm not gonna commit to what second base looks like next year. But I do think we've got some really good players -- both at the major league level and prospects that are coming -- that can make that a productive position for us."
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect /
The minor leaguers Stearns is likely referring to are Jefferson Rojas, Mitch Voit, and Émilien Pitre.
After being acquired by New York, Rojas excelled, posting a .929 OPS in 29 games for Double-A Binghamton and homering in his first three games for Triple-A Syracuse following a late-season promotion.
Rojas might profile best at third base, but can also handle second.
Voit, 21, had a breakout season in 2026, slashing .347/.430/.517 for Binghamton after being promoted following a 76-game stint in the pitcher's haven of A-level Brooklyn. In 105 games across the two levels, Voit stole 45 bases and scored 80 runs.
Then there's the 23-year-old Pitre, a contact-first hitter the Mets acquired from the Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade.
Pitre hit .375 for Binghamton in 10 games after the trade, and hit .260 with a .357 OBP in 20 games following a promotion to Syracuse.
It remains possible that Semien rebounds following his down year. In the event he doesn't, the Mets could have a handful of in-house options ready to take over. And after listening to Stearns, it seems the ascension of someone like Rojas could come even sooner than initially expected.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 11: Manager Torey Lovullo (L) and general manager Mike Hazen of the Arizona Diamondbacks meet before Game Three of the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field on October 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 season is officially in the books, at least as far as the Diamondbacks go. For the third year in a row, it’s a case of, “Close but no cigar”, missing out on the playoffs by less than a handful of games. Of particular note this year, is the situation of manager Torey Lovullo, whose contract has now effectively expired. He signed a three-year contract after the run to the World Series in 2023, but the lack of any extension became an increasingly elephant-shaped object in the room, as we moved through this season. A decision on Lovullo’s future is likely to be made and announced in the next few days, so let’s chew over the possibilities.
The Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo connection
Perhaps the most obvious factor is, what happens with regard to Diamondbacks’ GM, Mike Hazen. He brought in Torey Lovullo in early November 2016, just a few after taking over, and that has been the situation ever since. It is easily the most stable partnership in franchise history. Lovullo is the longest tenured Arizona manager, and it’s not close: he has managed 1,518 regular season games, which is more than twice as many as anyone else (Kirk Gibson’s 728 is next). Indeed, across all of MLB, Lovullo has outlasted 27 of the other managers present when he was appointed. Only Dave Roberts in Los Angeles and Kevin Cash in Tampa have been in their positions for longer.
Hazen has four General Managers with more tenure than him, but may be on thinner ice than Lovullo. Despite franchise-record payrolls in 2024 and 2025, and not far short this year, the team has not reached the playoffs. There are legitimate questions to be raised about Hazen’s ability at constructing a major-league roster. While he is officially under contract through the end of 2028, it may be that the team is not willing to wait our those two further seasons, and opts to go in a different direction. If a new General Manager is brought in, it’s highly likely he will want the opportunity to pick his own manager.
Mike Hazen’s successes and failures
The bottom line is that, since his rookie success in 2017, the Diamondbacks have reached the post-season only once in the last nine years. Now, it’s undeniably a factor that being in the same division as the Dodgers makes things exponentially harder. They have won over 90 games (or equivalent) fourteen years in a row. Since 2013, they have won over a hundred games more than any other team. At $334 million per year, their TV deal alone is more valuable than all the D-backs revenue. Now resources aren’t everything. But the Dodgers are scarily well-run too, currently having the #1 farm system. Beating that? Good luck. Competing for a wild-card spot is the best-case scenario.
On that basis, Hazen has done well enough, keeping the team in the race four consecutive Septembers. It does seem that a lot of fans forget the horrors of the before times. In the five years before Hazen took over, the Diamondbacks didn’t have a single winning season. 2020-22 were pretty ugly as well. But since then? The D-backs have a .523 winning percentage, sixth-best in the NL, despite only one playoff appearance. Is “there or thereabouts, and hope things break our way” good enough? Many fans on social media would reject that, but I’m more pragmatic. I lived through 2004 and 2021. I have no desire to do so again.
That said, the current GM has failed in a number of areas, most notably on the pitching side. The big ticket free-agent signings in the Hazen era have largely been disastrous: Madison Bumgarner, Jordan Montgomery and (so far) Corbin Burnes, with Eduardo Rodriguez also terrible up until 2026. Even this year, we signed Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, both of whom underperformed. The farm system has been little if any help. The most productive prospect drafted or signed by Hazen is Ryne Nelson, at a total of just 5.1 bWAR. Next is… Drey Jameson and Brandon Pfaadt (2.2). Then there’s the Arizona bullpen, which until the second half of this year, has been an annual disaster.
The position players have been a better group. Corbin Carroll has been great, and the extensions signed by him and Ketel Marte have already repaid their value. Christian Walker, Geraldo Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno all definitely count on the plus side of the Hazen ledger. But there have been misses as well. While the Twitiots would tell you Pavin Smith is the worst player in baseball, resigning Lourdes Gurriel Jr was a far bigger mistake. Although I will agree, the debacle which was Arizona’s first-base this year might have been key in the team missing the playoffs. Watching Jake McCarthy bat .291 for Colorado was also annoying.
Torey Lovullo’s successes and failures
It’s a lot harder to assess a manager, because it’s very much an “iceberg” position. By which I mean, ninety percent of what managers do, is invisible to fans. We see the pitching changes and the line-up. But the vast bulk of the work that goes on in the clubhouse, forging 26 individuals into a cohesive unit, happens entirely out of sight. When it does come to the surface – as with KetelGate – it’s rarely a good thing. While we still don’t know everything that happened, I feel I can confidently say, that whole situation, from a managerial point of view, was an absolute no-win. There’s no way to navigate that minefield in a way where everyone was happy.
I do think there are times where Torey does seem to have a case of “foot in mouth” syndrome. Most recently, after Saturday’s key defeat in San Diego, Lovullo put rookie pitcher Jose Cabrera into a key game to protect a one-run lead. Cabrera imploded, allowing five runs while recording four outs. Asked afterwards why, Lovullo answered, “I just felt like I wanted to see what Cabrera could do.” This is either terrible bullpen management, or terrible public relations. I’m inclined towards the latter, and suspect he didn’t actually throw the pitcher in there on a whim. But that’s what it sounds like, and perception is often stronger than reality.
It is interesting that those closer to Lovullo typically think more highly of him. Jack, for example, often gets accused of being a Torey mouthpiece. But I think he genuinely does believe Lovullo does a good job, all things considered. This comes from seeing him much closer up than the Twitiots, so should certainly not be discounted. Team president Derrick Hall also publicly praised the manager, saying “This year is probably his best year… I mean, he’s won, six out of 10 years he’s had a winning record. So, I mean Torey’s done a great job for us and he continues to… There’s so many factors, but he’s done a terrific, terrific job this year.”
Of course, votes of confidence from higher up for subsequently fired managers are a dime a dozen. And Lovullo himself recently said he thinks he needed to make the post-season: “The realities of it, when I sit back and I think about it at night, we got to get to this big dance. If we do, things will take care of itself. If it doesn’t, I’m in a totally different evaluation space.” That hasn’t happened, and for now, we can only wait and see what the team decides needs to be done. But if you were in charge of the Diamondbacks, and looking to build for the future, what would you do with Mike Hazen and Torey Lovullo? And if the answer is to move on, who should replace them?
That’s what the poll below is for, and as always, please feel free to explain your reasoning in the comments.
San Diego, California - September 25: Craig Stammen #14 of the San Diego Padres high fives his players before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
From 2016 to 2024, San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller hired four managers.
Andy Green was the rebuild manager, never intended to be the guy. Then Preller hired his friend from the Texas Rangers, Jayce Tingler. They had their first successful season in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. From the start of 2021, it was clear that Tingler was in over his head and he reportedly lost the clubhouse before the end of the year.
Then there was Bob Melvin and a playoff season in 2022 but there were lots of rumblings about disagreements between Melvin and Preller. After the debacle of the 2023 season, Melvin quit to take a job with the San Francisco Giants.
Mike Shildt had been a special advisor to Preller during Melvin’s tenure as manager. He was a logical choice to succeed Melvin due to his knowledge of the organization and an already established relationship with players and team members. He also had a winning record as a manager but a clouded situation regarding his exit from the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
After two seasons of 90 or more wins each year, Shildt walked away from managing, citing the strain on his mental and physical health. After his departure, word came out about clashes with Preller and his coaching staff regarding his management style and his verbally abusive behavior.
A surprising choice to lead the way
After a lengthy process with multiple interviewees coming through San Diego, former Padre Craig Stammen was announced as the manager for 2026 season.
It’s not a stretch to say there were many surprised, and sometimes outraged, reactions. A good portion of fans and media thought future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols had the job in the bag. At the press conference introducing the new on-field leader, Preller revealed he had to talk Stammen into taking the job. He had originally been part of the interviewing process, not an interviewee.
Needless to say, hiring a first-time manager who had never coached before caused a flurry of anxiety-ridden outbursts from all over the city. The Padres had been to the postseason for two years running. They had two seasons of 90 or more wins along with those two playoff runs. They needed someone who had the experience to take them over the finish line, not start over from scratch.
Preller was betting on an unproven former player that he respected so much he hired him to join the organization as soon as he retired from baseball. Giving him a special assistant role and placing Stammen in the front office, Preller said he always believed that managing was in Stammen’s future, but the Ohio resident and family man didn’t seem to be on board.
It appeared that Preller valued Stammen’s character traits and personality above any coaching experience. He was known as a leader in the clubhouse and the bullpen when he pitched for the team. Preller was gambling that those same leadership qualities would carry him through his rookie season if he had enough support around him.
Stammen is as steady as they come. We saw it when he pitched for the Padres. As a middle reliever, he famously started the “Stammen Game” for the 2020 playoffs and his teammates valued him for that and his quiet leadership.
What went wrong with the other guys
Andy Green being named as the manager for the New York Mets after serving as their interim manager this season highlights the prove-it nature of managing jobs in MLB.
When he was hired in San Diego, Green was the development guy, brought in to guide as Preller built. He would not be given the opportunity to manage a better team and was let go after the 2019 season.
Tingler was definitely Preller’s choice, but the match wasn’t good. The players didn’t respond to his style, and he seemed overwhelmed at many points during the season.
The two experienced and proven managers that Preller hired after that were both very set in their ways. Old-school baseball guys resistant to analytics and to the front office team’s involvement in the clubhouse. Neither Melvin nor Shildt could adapt to what was asked of them.
Preller is unique
A.J. Preller thinks and works outside the box. Like him or not, he is unique in baseball for the way he does his job. There has been a lot of criticism of his approach and his non-traditional way of building a baseball team.
Whether or not you agree with his choices, the Padres are more successful under his guidance and late owner Peter Seidler’s vision than at any other time in Padres history. Much of the credit goes to Seidler for the influx of money into the team. For better or worse, the Padres have a core of players tied to the team for many years, and that is due to Seidler and Preller.
If you stick with Preller, then you stick with his approach.
What makes Stammen different
Stammen is done with his first regular season as the Padres manager. He has led the team to 90 or more wins for their third season in a row. They are going to the postseason for the fifth time in seven years.
His rookie season was not without its ups and downs, but he remained constant. His only showing of temper was with umpires.
Mistakes were made, absolutely. Strategy and bullpen management are never mastered and are always second-guessed. No manager does it right if you ask the fans.
An article written by Kevin Acee and published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on Sept. 22 outlined the meeting that occurred between Preller, Stammen, Josh Stein (Preller’s vice president), and Ruben Niebla.
In that conversation, the group developed the “pitching chaos” plan that got the team through the two weeks leading up to the trade deadline. The season was slipping away, and thinking outside the box was a must. They cobbled together a map that would take the pitching staff through the two weeks until trades could be made to acquire more pitching. It probably saved the season.
Stammen is not a traditional baseball guy; he is not a seasoned veteran of dugout strategy or coaching.
He brings his experience as a player, his personality and character, his already established reputation, and the respect he has from those around him.
Probably most importantly, Stammen brings flexibility in thinking. A willingness to go outside the box, try new things, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes, on the biggest stage possible. His ego is not a hindrance to admitting when he needs to improve. He encourages others to contribute to the whole while guiding the ship with a steady hand.
What the future holds
We don’t know how far this team will go this season. We don’t even know if Stammen intends to stay for another year.
The new ownership has expressed a desire to win it all. If they put their money where their mouth is, the future could be bright for this organization.
The people leading going forward will be Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones. They will decide who the leadership team will be for next season and beyond.
If Preller remains in charge, it seems likely he will want Stammen to remain. It is hard to argue with what this team has accomplished this season.
Manager Don Mattingly told reporters that Arraez, the team's prized acquisition at the trade deadline, will not be on the roster when the Phils play their best-of-three series against their NL East rival.
Arraez suffered a sprained left ankle during Philadelphia's Sept. 24 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He missed the rest of the final week and finished with a .310 batting average, the sixth time in his eight-year career that he has hit .300 or better in a season.
The injury may also have cost him his fourth career batting title. He finished second to Arizona's Gabriel Moreno, who won the NL crown with a .311 average.
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Bobby Witt Jr. #7, Carter Jensen #22 and Jack Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals look on during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Major League Baseball has announced its finalists for the All-MLB Team, with Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, and Carter Jensen among the nominees. Fans can vote on the nominees at www.mlb.com/all-mlb/ballot through October 9 with winners to be announced at the MLB Awards on November 11 on MLB Network.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is second among all players in fWAR with 7.0, and leads all shortstops with 23 Outs Above Average. He is tied for fifth among shortstops in runs scored with 94, and leads them all with 45 steals. Other nominees at shortstop include CJ Abrams (Nationals), Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Ezequiel Duran (Rangers), Elly De La Cruz (Reds), Otto Lopez (Marlins), Kevin McGonigle (Tigers), Colson Montgomery (White Sox), Zach Neto (Angels), Geraldo Perdomo (Diamondbacks), and Dansby Swanson (Cubs).
Catcher Carter Jensen set the record for most extra-base hits by a rookie catcher since 1947 with 64. He tied for second among all catchers with 27 home runs and is third in slugging percentage at .467. Other nominees include Drake Baldwin (Braves), William Contreras (Brewers), Dillon Dingler (Tigers), Hunter Goodman (Rockies), Liam Hicks (Marlins), Ryan Jeffers (Twins), Shea Langeliers (Athletics), Gabriel Moreno (Diamondbacks), and Adley Rutschman (Orioles).
Outfielder Jac Caglianone had a torrid August and was named American League Player of the Month then. He hit .289, good for sixth among all outfielders, and he is third in slugging at .494. Other nominees include Wilyer Abreu (Red Sox), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Randy Arozarena (Mariners), Cody Bellinger (Yankees), Byron Buxton (Twins), Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks), Jackson Chourio (Brewers), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Chase DeLauter (Guardians), Riley Greene (Tigers), Michael Harris II (Braves), Jake McCarthy (Diamondbacks), Jackson Merrill (Padres), Andy Pages (Dodgers), Tristan Peters (Brewers), Ceddanne Rafaela (Red Sox), Juan Soto (Mets), Chandler Simpson (Rays), Seiya Suzuki (Cubs), Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mike Trout (Angels), Jordan Walker (Cardinals), and James Wood (Nationals). Three outfielders will be selected, regardless of which outfield position they played.
Fans voting on MLB.com and a decorated panel of media members, broadcasters, former players and other officials throughout the game will have equal say in determining the first-team and second-team choices who comprise the 2026 All-MLB Team. All choices will be based on the 2026 regular season, without regard for American League or National League affiliation.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 13: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates a strike out during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We’ve known who would be starting in the Wild Card series for a while now, but we didn’t know in what order they’d pitch. And that matters in a short series — a lot. In Cam Schlittler, the Red Sox are going up against the best pitcher in the American League tomorrow night. They need someone who can match his ability to miss bats and quiet both the Yankees lineup and the Yankee Stadium crowd. That guy is going to be Payton Tolle:
Chad Tracy announces Payton Tolle as the Red Sox Game 1 starter 👀🎙️
It’s been an incredible season for Tolle who, lest we forget, wasn’t even on the Opening Day roster and didn’t make his first start until late April. But over the next five months he endeared himself to Red Sox Nation like few other Sox players in recent memory. He’s even won over Pedro Martinez. “I wish I could have taught myself at an early age how to be like Tolle,” Pedro said. “The guy laughs, the guy pitches, the guy’s a bully. The guy is big, intimidating. He’s got everything. He’s out there to beat you. He’s a bully. I love him.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Tolle is a lefty, of course, as is Ranger Suárez… and Aroldis Chapman… and Jake Bennett… and Garrett Crochet… and Erik Miller… and Jovani Moran… and Alec Gamboa. In fact, the Sox had — by far — the most left-handed pitching staff in baseball this year, and the most left-handed pitching staff in almost four decades. This could end up being huge for them this month. (Mike Petriello, MLB.com)
We likely won’t get the final roster until tomorrow morning. But we do know this intriguing nugget: Braiden Ward, the speed demon who has yet to appear in a single Major League game, has traveled to New York with the team. If he does make the roster, his role would likely be limited to pinch-running. But he’s more than ready for that. “If they put me on the bases, especially first base, ninth inning,” he said, “even if a guy’s 1.1 to the plate and a 1.8 pop time (from the catcher), it’s ‘Hey Ward, go steal it. Go figure it out.’ That’s why they put you out there — to go try to steal the bag. If I get the opportunity, obviously I’m going to try to steal it. The other team knows that. It’s no surprise why I’m going to be out there.” (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
As Ward’s quote about catcher pop time demonstrates, information about the opposing team becomes paramount in the postseason. Could the Red Sox be at a disadvantage in that department given their widely publicized smaller scouting staff? “The Sox, who have done all of their regular-season advance scouting lately by video and through in-office data analysis, started their in-person preparations last week when they sent two of their top scouts to New York for the four-game Yankees-Rays series, to check out their expected Wild Card and ALDS foes.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
If you want to do some advance scouting of your own, here’s the series preview from FanGraphs. (Jay Jaffe, FanGraphs)
And here’s what the writers and analysts at one prominent outlet are predicting for the series. (The Athletic)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees throws to first base during the sixth inning of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 24, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While the Yankees were ultimately unable to overtake the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East title and thus the AL’s number one seed, they put together a splendid month of September, finishing 15-8. They did so while navigating a roster that was often in flux, welcoming some players back from stays on the injured list while others took their place. That volatility meant that the team rarely looked the same defensively from night to night. The Yankees were up to the challenge. Here are five of the best plays we saw from the Bombers in the field this month.
September 2nd: Caballero and Goldschmidt get after it early
Here’s a nice way to start a list—and a ballgame. The first pitch Cam Schlittler threw in this start at Angel Stadium was hit hard by Zach Neto towards shortstop. With an eight-degree launch angle, it was sort of a tweener—not exactly a grounder, not exactly a line drive. José Caballero, though, read this tricky batted ball well. Somewhat off-balance, he was able to make a lunging stab on the first bounce, then aim a strong throw to first, where the veteran Paul Goldschmidt made a classic scoop to retire the hustling Neto and start the night off right. Schlittler would go on to complete eight superb innings.
September 11th: Lombard denies Bichette with slick pick at short
George Lombard Jr.’s defense has been an obvious talking point since the young man came up to the Majors last month. He made a spectacular first impression the first few weeks, then endured some odd struggles at shortstop not long afterward. In September, though, the polished defender who was essentially MLB-ready years ago was the version of Lombard we typically saw. I don’t think any play he made this month quite matches some of the stunners he made in his first week and change, but this robbery of Bo Bichette was still excellent. His advanced coordination, agility, and strong arm are all on display here.
When Anthony Volpe made his return from the minor leagues, he began playing games at second base instead of his traditional shortstop position, where Lombard, as we saw in the previous clip, had already begun establishing himself in his absence. But the Fox still showed plenty of agility at the keystone, like on this grounder from Brett Baty which hopped off the pitcher’s mound. With his momentum carrying him into center field, Volpe was able to read the bounce off the hill, leap, and throw an absolute seed to first to record the out.
September18th: Jones makes sliding snare in the gap
Spencer Jones made no trivial number of nice catches in the outfield this month, but for my money this was his best. Tim Tawa ripped what looked to be a sure double into the left center gap, but the rookie outfielder quickly came to the rescue. Jones covered 69 feet in short order, then perfectly timed his slide and secured the catch to take away extra bases. Defensive metrics have been a bit down on Spencer, particularly in center field, but his great instincts still allow him to make plenty of pretty plays.
September 22nd: Bellinger, García combine for 7-2 double play
I see no better way to round out the list but with your regularly-scheduled outfield assist from Cody Bellinger — who even after losing a full month to injury has made a great case for his first Gold Glove since 2019. With the Rays putting the hit-and-run on, Bellinger tracked down a looping liner from Richie Palacios, then came up firing to catch Victor Mesa Jr. on his frantic retreat back to first base. Granted, this wasn’t the most accurate peg we’ve ever seen from Cody out there, but that just set up the back end of the highlight. Luis García Jr. had to drift a bit off the bag to receive the throw, but was able to scoop the ball and apply the tag on Mesa in one fluid motion as he tumbled to the dirt. This twin killing gave Carlos Rodón an extra boost as he went on to twirl eight scoreless innings.
