SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 07: Reiver Sanmartin #48 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park on September 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Monday always figured to be a big transaction day for the San Francisco Giants, and Major League Baseball as a whole. With the World Series having been five days ago, Monday was the date when teams had to reinstate their players from the 60-Day Injured List … and, for many teams, cut other players to accommodate said players.
No team was more impacted than the Giants, who went into the offseason with roughly 109 players on the 60-Day IL (or 17, who’s counting). So, even though they made a handful of moves over the past week, they had a lot to get to today.
They made most of them in a big chunk, which Bryan covered earlier in the day. In one fell swoop, the Giants announced the departures of eight players: Shay Whitcomb, Brett Harris, Zach Morgan, Duncan Davitt, and José Buttó were claimed by other teams; Tristan Beck was released; and Joel Kuhnel and Seth Lonsway were outrighted to AAA Sacramento.
That left the Giants with 41 players on the 40-man roster, and one final move was needed. A few hours later, that move was announced: left-handed reliever Reiver Sanmartin was designated for assignment. Sanmartin, a 30-year old from Colombia, appeared in 24 games for San Francisco this past season, his first with the team. He was fairly nondescript in those games, posting a 4.22 ERA and a 4.41 FIP, with 16 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. Given how many names the Giants had to clear, and that Sanmartin was out of options, his departure seemed inevitable.
In addition to DFA’ing Sanmartin, the Giants announced that they declined the option for right-handed reliever Rowan Wick. The veteran, who turns 34 in a week, remains on the 40-man roster, and is now arbitration eligible. It’s an interesting move, since Wick — who was signed a year ago to a one-plus-one deal while he rehabbed a season-ending injury — was owed less money than he will get if the Giants tender him a contract through the arbitration process. My bet is that they are planning on non-tendering Wick and re-signing him to a Minor League deal, which would allow him to continue rehabbing with the medical team during the impending lockout. Had they waived Wick, he would have been eligible to be claimed by a rival team, whereas non-tendering him will allow him to go straight to free agency, and re-sign with them if they have a handshake agreement.
The Giants are now down to 40 players on the roster, and can lay low for a while, but more moves are certainly incoming. The date to make Rule 5 protections is November 17, so the Giants will need to clear a few spots by then, and also for any free agents they plan to sign.
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Retired managers Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Joe Maddon and Lou Piniella are among eight men on the ballot for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires that meets on Dec. 6 at the winter meetings in San Diego.
Former general managers Sandy Alderson and Brian Sabean also are on the ballot along with the late Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner and former player, broadcaster and National League President Bill White, the Hall announced Monday.
The identities of the 16 voters will be announced closer to the meeting, and 75% of the vote is needed for election. Anyone chosen will be inducted into the Hall next July 25 along with players voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 19.
Piniella received 11 votes in 2023, when Jim Leyland was elected, and 11 in 2018, when Harold Baines and Lee Smith were voted by the today’s game era committee.
The Hall in 2022 restructured its veterans committees for the third time in 12 years, setting up panels to consider the contemporary baseball era from 1980 on and classic baseball era from before 1980. The contemporary baseball era holds separate ballots for players and another for managers, executives and umpires.
Baker, 77, was a two-time All-Star outfielder who hit .278 with 242 homers and 1,013 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta, the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants from 1968-86, then managed the Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-06), Cincinnati (2008-13), Washington (2016-17) and Houston (2020-23). He had a 2,183-1,862 regular-season record as manager over 26 seasons, winning the 2022 World Series title. He was voted Manager of the Year in 1993, ’97 and 2000.
Bochy, 71, caught for the Astros, New York Mets and San Diego from 1978-87, then managed the Padres (1995-2006), the Giants (2007-19) and Texas (2023-25). He had a 2,252-2,266 regular-season record as manager over 28 seasons, winning World Series titles in 2010, ‘12, ’14 and ’23. He was voted NL Manager of the Year in 1996.
Maddon, 72, managed the Angels (1996, ‘99, 2020-22), Tampa Bay (2006-14) and Cubs (2015-19), leading the Cubs in 2016 to their first World Series title since 1908. He had a 1,382-1,216 regular-season record as manager over 19 seasons and won Manager of the Year awards in 2008, ’11 and ’15.
Piniella, 83, was 1969 AL Rookie of the Year and a one-time All-Star outfielder while hitting .291 with 102 homers and 766 RBIs for Baltimore, Cleveland, Kansas City and the Yankees from 1964-84. He managed the Yankees (1986-88), Cincinnati (1990-92), Seattle (1993-2002), Tampa Bay (2003-05) and the Cubs (2007-10), compiling an 1,835-1,713 regular-season record over 23 seasons. He won a World Series title with the Reds in 1990 and was voted Manager of the Year in 1995, 2001 and ’08.
Alderson, who turns 79 on Nov. 22, was Oakland’s general manager from 1983-97, helping the A’s win the 1989 World Series title. He was Major League Baseball’s executive vice president for baseball operations from 1998 to 2005, CEO of the San Diego Padres from 2005-09 and worked for the Mets as general manager from 2010-18 and as team president from 2020-23.
Sabean, 70, was head coach at the University of Tampa in 1983 and ’84, then joined the Yankees as a scout. He moved up to director of scouting in 1986 and vice president of player development/scouting in 1990, then joined the Giants in 1993 as assistant to the general manager and vice president of scouting/player personnel. He was promoted to senior vice president of player personnel in 1995 and was general manager from 1996-14, winning three World Series titles. Sabean was the Giants’ executive vice president of baseball operations from 2015-18.
Turner, who died on May 6 at age 87, bought the Braves in 1976 and led the team until 1996, when Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner. He was a broadcasting innovator, turning WTBS into a superstation with national distribution. His Braves won the 1995 World Series title.
White, 92, was an All-Star in five seasons as a first baseman and occasional outfielder, hitting .286 with 202 homers and 870 RBIs for the New York and San Francisco Giants, St. Louis and Philadelphia from 1956-69. He won a World Series title with the 1964 Cardinals, was a Yankees broadcaster from 1971-88 and NL president from 1989-94.
Each committee meets every three years. Classic baseball meets in December 2027 and contemporary baseball/players in December 2028.
Managers and umpires were eligible if they had 10 or more big league seasons and have been retired for five years, though people 65 and older are eligible six months after retirement. Executives must be retired for five years, but active executives 70 or older are eligible.
A candidate who does not receive at least five of the 16 votes is not eligible for the next ballot of that committee three years later. A candidate who does not receive at least five of the 16 votes on multiple ballots would no longer be eligible for that committee.
The ballot was picked by a historical overview committee that included Adrian Burgos of the University of Illinois, Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network, historian Steve Hirdt, La Velle Neal of the Minnesota Star Tribune, former The Athletic writer David O’Brien, José de Jesus Ortiz of Our Esquina Media, BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell, former Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Jim Reeves, former San Francisco Chronicle writer Glenn Schwarz, San Francisco Chronicle writer Susan Slusser and former Southern California News Group writer Mark Whicker.
Buster Posey, Jon Lester and Ryan Zimmerman are among players eligible for the BBWAA vote for the first time. Holdovers include Chase Utley, Andy Pettitte and Félix Hernández.
Texas Rangers primary center fielder Evan Carter had right hip surgery and is not expected to be ready for the scheduled start of next season.
Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, said Monday that Carter had surgery last week. Dr. William Robertson addressed a labral issue and hip impingement during the arthroscopic procedure.
Young said the hip likely affected Carter throughout the season, Carter played 141 games and made all 112 of his defensive starts in center field. He hit .194 with nine homers, 40 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
There is a likely recovery period of about six months, but Young said the Rangers expect Carter to play a majority of next season.
Young said the team thought during Carter’s exit physical that his discomfort was muscular and nothing major. The 24-year-old outfielder had further diagnostic testing after the soreness continued into the offseason, then saw two specialists who recommended the surgery.
“I do believe in light of what we’ve learned in this diagnosis for Evan, that it probably impacted him to some degree over the course of the season. It is impressive, his ability to play through this,” Young said. “I think it’s safe to say, given the extent of the surgery, that there was something in there.”
He played in only 108 out of a possible 324 games the following two seasons due to injures. Carter missed most of 2024 with a lower back injury and had three injured list stints in 2025, for a right quadriceps strain, back spasms and a season-ending fractured right wrist.
A speedy outfielder who plays stellar defense, Carter has hit .215 with 24 homers and 92 RBIs in 272 big league games.
“He still is a young player with a bright career ahead of him. Our doctors anticipate that he will make a full recovery,” Young said. “But it’s going to be an offseason of rehabbing versus an offseason of training for next season.”
Ezequiel Duran, who Sunday was selected a Gold Glove winner for a utility player, started 14 games in center last season, and primary left fielder Wyatt Langford made 13 starts in center. Young wasn’t ready to say how the Rangers would cover center without Carter, and said that could be impacted by any potential offseason moves.
Some coaching changes for the Rangers
Alex Cintron will not return as full-time assistant hitting coach on the big league staff, but will remain to work in the hitting department for the entire Rangers organization. Young said that was a choice made by Cintron, and that the search is underway to find his replacement on the staff.
Assistant pitching coach Dave Bush also will not return, but Young said there are no plans to fill that vacancy.
The rest of manager Skip Schumaker’s staff is returning next season.
NEW YORK (AP) — Infielder Teruaki Sato of the Central League’s Hanshin Tigers and right-handers Kaima Taira of the Saitama Seibu Lions and Hiromi Itoh of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the Pacific League are entering Major League Baseball’s posting system and will be available to teams to sign as a free agent from Monday until Dec. 16.
Infielder Si-Hwan Roh of South Korea’s Hanwha Eagles is entering the posting system and can sign as a free agent from until Dec. 1.
Sato, a left-handed-hitting 27-year-old third baseman and occasional outfielder, hit .306 with 39 homers and 106 RBIs this year, winning the Central League’s Triple Crown. He was the Central League’s MVP in 2025, when he batted .277 with 40 homers and 102 RBIs. Sato was 3 for 10 with two RBIs for Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic.
Taira, who turns 27 on Nov. 15, moved back into the starting rotation this season and was 12-5, leading the Japanese major leagues with a 1.36 ERA. He had 31 saves in 2025.
Itoh, 29, helped Japan win a a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics, pitching five scoreless innings over three games, and also pitched for the Samurai at this year’s World Baseball Classic. He was 10-10 with a 3.18 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings this year. He won the 2025 Sawamura Award, Japan’s version of the Cy Young Award.
Roh, a 25-year-old right-handed hitter, batted .283 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs this season.
While the posting period for players from Japanese clubs is 45 days, it is 30 days for players from South Korean teams. The deadline to sign is at 5 p.m. EST on the final day of the posting period.
MLB is likely to lock out the Major League Baseball Players Association when their collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1. During the lockout that began on Dec. 2, 2021, posted players were frozen during the work stoppage and signing windows continued after an agreement between MLB and the union was reached on March 10.
Under MLB’s posting agreements with Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organizations, the posting fee would be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 12: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 12, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Now that the World Series is over, baseball can start handing out hardware. On Monday, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was named a finalist for AL Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career.
Witt led the American League with 7.0 fWAR, and hit .281/.359/.441 with 18 home runs. He finished ninth in the league in hits (157), ninth in runs scored (94), sixth in doubles (33), second in steals (45), and ninth in Runs Created (95). He led all AL defenders with +24 Outs Above Average and was a finalist for a Gold Glove Award. Witt will be up against Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez and Rays third baseman Junior Caminero. Witt finished second to Aaron Judge in 2024. He finished fourth in MVP voting last year, and seventh in 2023.George Brett is the only Royals player to win AL MVP, taking home the award in 1980.
Carter Jensen was not named a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year, despite a strong season behind the plate. The Kansas City native hit .239/.323/.467 with 27 home runs and 65 walks, but was shutout in favor of Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers, Parker Messick of the Guardians, and Payton Tolle of the Red Sox.
The MVP Awards will be announced on November 12, at 6 p.m. CT on MLB Network.
Here is a complete list of finalists for MLB awards:
AL MVP: Yordan Alvarez, Astros; Junior Caminero, Rays; Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
The San Diego Padres enter the condensed free agent season before the expiration of the current CBA with multiple holes in their starting rotation. The five-day exclusive window for negotiating with pending free agents expired along with the deadline for setting each team’s 40-man roster on today.
Then the real fun begins with all free agents open to negotiate with any team they choose and deciding if they want to sign before the CBA expires or take their chances with the status of the game after the new contract is signed.
Bullpen losses
The news on Oct. 30 was the first blow to the Padres bullpen. Bullpen coach Ben Fritz, a member of the Padres coaching staff since 2015, was hired away by the Arizona Diamondbacks to be their pitching coach.
Fritz was the bullpen coach under Larry Rothschild until Rothschild’s firing in 2021. He assumed the primary job for the remainder of that season and then became the bullpen coach again when Ruben Niebla was hired prior to the 2022 season.
As the shepherd of one of the best bullpens in baseball over the past several seasons, the Padres gave Fritz a big raise last offseason to keep him on staff. He had reportedly been targeted by several other teams as their pitching coach.
LHP Adrián Morejón is a free agent. The Padres’ closer, Mason Miller, acknowledged Morejón’s value to the bullpen, saying he believed he was the most valuable reliever in MLB. In an article by Dennis Lin in The Athletic on Sept. 14, Miller stated, “He’s the most valuable reliever on our team and, I would argue, in baseball too.”
It remains to be seen if the Padres can offer the reliever a contract that will keep him in San Diego. His projected value, which ranges from 3 years and $42 million by Jim Bowden (The Athletic) to 5 years and $90 million by Joel Reuter (Bleacher Report), might not be in the budget for the Friars due to the lack of starting arms on the roster.
Morejón has stated on multiple occasions his desire to stay with the Padres but team-friendly free agent deals are mostly nonexistent in modern baseball. If the team can come up with a creative deal to keep Morejón, A.J. Preller will need to keep the top priority on the starting rotation.
Keeping Hart, Matsui, Peralta and Estrada
The Padres got very lucky when LHP Yuki Matsui opted to remain with the team. He had a player option to make himself a free agent but decided to accept his $6.5 million salary for 2027 and has another option in 2028.
After signing with the Padres before the 2024 season, Matsui posted a 3.86 ERA over the first two seasons with the team. Coming to MLB after dominating as a closer in Japan, Matsui was unable to replicate that success. He pitched well but wasn’t able to repeat his dominance. Making some adjustments to his pitch arsenal before the 2026 season, Matsui went back to featuring his slider and improved his effectiveness. In 64 innings of relief, Matsui lowered his ERA to 1.83 without a significant change in walk or strikeout rates.
By staying in the fold, Matsui saves the Padres the need to find a high-leverage replacement for the 31-year-old lefty.
LHP Kyle Hart had an up-and-down 2026. He had stretches of valuable effectiveness and a few blow-up appearances. He finished the season with a 4.92 ERA in 64 innings pitched. The Padres exercised his $2.5 million team option, keeping the 34-year-old in the bullpen for the 2027 season. This most likely represents the team’s need to keep the bullpen as intact as possible for the next season. His salary is reasonable for a pitcher who can pitch at any point in a game and for more than one inning.
LHP Wandy Peralta opted in for the third and final time in his four-year contract with the Padres. He signed a 4-year, $16.5 million deal before the 2024 season and has a sub-4 ERA with the Padres for his time in the bullpen. In 2026, he finished with a 3.61 ERA in 77.1 innings. Peralta was left off the postseason roster after losing effectiveness at the end of the season.
RHP Jeremiah Estrada is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason. He will need to be offered a contract by Nov. 20 for his first opportunity at arbitration. His 2026 season was injury-marred, and that will probably affect the offer he gets for his first contract year.
Only throwing 31 innings for the year, Estrada finished with a 3.48 ERA. He had both shoulder and leg injuries that limited his availability and effectiveness.
Arbitration-eligible
Closer Mason Miller is in his second year of arbitration eligibility and stands to earn a big raise from his $4 million 2026 salary. After posting 38 saves and a 1.67 ERA in 70 innings pitched, Miller is projected to earn $8.1 million, according to MLB TradeRumors.
RHP Bryan Hoeing, who again spent most of the season on the injured list with flexor tendon surgery, is projected to be offered $0.8 million in arbitration. He should be healthy to start 2027.
RHP Jhony Brito is arbitration-eligible and is projected to be offered $0.8 million for 2027. He spent part of 2026 on the injured list from his Tommy John surgery and then completed his rehab in time to log innings in El Paso and pitch nine innings for the Padres. He should be a contender for the either the bullpen or possibly as a starter in 2027.
The rest of the bullpen
RHP David Morgan, RHP Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP Hunter Stratton, and RHP Garret Hawkins are under contract and on the 40-man roster for the 2027 season. All should be in the running for bullpen spots when the 2027 spring camp begins.
Other options
The status of Joe Musgrove is undetermined but it would be a big surprise if he isn’t in the mix for the starting rotation in 2027. Pitching three innings from the bullpen in the 2026 postseason showed that Musgrove can still pitch. The questions are about his ability to bounce back from his outings. His health will most likely be determined during the spring of 2027.
These 11 players will be joined by the pitchers signed by the organization during free agency or acquired by trade. There are also several minor league pitchers who could be added to the roster before being left available for the Rule 5 draft.
As it stands, the bullpen only lacks Morejón from the dominant bullpen seen in 2026. It should remain a strength for the 2027 Padres.
BRONX, NY - SEPTEMBER 29: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees pitches during the New York Yankees game against the Boston Red Sox in game 1 of the American League Wild Card Playoff Series at Yankee Stadium on September 29, 2026 in the Borough of the Bronx, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Cam Schlittler was officially announced as a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award on Monday night as MLB Network revealed the finalists for all BBWAA end-of-year awards. Schlittler was the lone Yankee to finish in the top three for any of the honors.
The 25-year-old ace, who led the AL with a 1.95 ERA and 6.2 FanGraphs WAR, was named by the BBWAA alongside Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays and Parker Messick of the Guardians. The winner, along with the recipients of each league’s MVP, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, and the newly-created Reliever of the Year awards, will be announced next week on MLB Network. The Cy Young voting results in particular will be revealed on Wednesday, November 11th.
The NL Cy Young nominees are World Series champion Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers, Atlanta’s Chris Sale, and Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sánchez.
Seeing as 2026 was not a banner year for the Yankees’ position players, no Bombers were nominated for MVP. Presumptive winner and Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, Rays star Junior Caminero, and the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. are up for the award on the AL side. There was some hope that Schlittler or slugger Ben Rice might have an outside shot at third, but no dice; they’ll instead eye a top-10 finish.
Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs is likely to receive his first career MVP—Shohei Ohtani is nominated in the NL for the third straight year, while Brice Turang of the World Champion Brewers is also on the podium. The only year since 2021 that Ohtani hasn’t won an MVP is 2022, when Aaron Judge beat him out with 62 homers; this will almost surely be the second.
As for Rookie of the Year, New York was represented—albeit across town in Queens. Mets outfielder Carson Benge was nominated in the NL, along with JJ Wetherholt of the Cardinals and Sal Stewart of the Reds. The AL nominees are Messick, Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle, and Red Sox starter Payton Tolle.
Unsprisingly, Aaron Boone was not given the nod as a Manager of the Year finalist, but two of his division rivals were. Kevin Cash, who led the Rays to the World Series, was nominated alongside interim-turned-full-time Red Sox skipper Chad Tracy and upstart White Sox manager Will Venable. Yankee icon Don Mattingly was nominated on the NL side for his interim work in Philadelphia. He is up for consideration alongside Braves first-year manager Walt Weiss and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy (who is eyeing a MoY three-peat).
The Reliever of the Year finalists are unsurprisingly all closers: Bryan Baker, Cade Smith, and Louis Varland in the AL; and Jhoan Duran, Trevor Megill, and Mason Miller in the NL. Note that this a brand-new honor that the BBWAA decided to start giving out, and it is fully separate from the Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year awards, which are given by MLB itself alongside the Hank Aaron Awards, the Edgar Martinez Awards, the Comeback Players of the Year, and the All-MLB Teams.
Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter speaks during the team's World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium on Nov. 3, 2025. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
But keeping the Dodgers, right? “No matter what,” Walter told the California Post last week.
Wait a second, though. In August, Walter’s TWG Global holding company issued a statement that was definitive in two specific aspects: the Dodgers were “not being sold” and his company was “not considering exiting its stake in the Cadillac Formula 1 team.”
So I reached out to Walter’s company and to his personal spokesman, asking how to reconcile the definitive statement denying interest in a Formula One sale with the news of a possible sale and, in light of that development, whether the denials of interest in a Dodgers sale should remain credible.
No one at the company emailed me back, and the spokesman declined to comment. Someone in contact with Walter, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment, advised me to wait and see if a Formula One deal actually materializes and, if so, for what value.
Amid federal investigations into whether the insurance companies Walter controls might have violated laws designed to protect investors, and as he is a defendant in multiple civil lawsuits filed by investors that allege fraud and breach of contract, Walter is selling off assets from his sports empire.
He could generate a significant share of the more than $20 billion he might need to recapitalize the insurance companies and satisfy state regulators. It is uncertain how that might influence the federal investigations and civil lawsuits.
The Lakers sold for $12.5 billion — the valuation for the entire team, not for Walter’s controlling share.
Walter is seeking $3 billion for his interest in the Formula One team, according to Sportico, and $700 million for the Sparks, according to Bloomberg. The sale of the Chelsea stake, owned jointly by Walter and Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, generated about $1.27 billion, according to the Financial Times.
The sale of the Dodgers could generate $10 billion to $13 billion, The Times has reported.
None of this is to say Walter is not genuine in his proclamation that he is not selling the Dodgers. He said the Dodgers would win, and they have: three championships within six years, after three in the previous 56. The shine has been restored to an L.A. crown jewel.
“As always when we have an investigation — external, law enforcement, whatever — we monitor that,” Manfred said at the World Series. “That’s where we are right now. We’re just watching what’s going on right now.”
And that is indeed where we are right now: We don’t know what’s going to happen with the feds, and in the courts. For today, and for the immediate future, the Dodgers are not for sale. But plans can change, as Walter’s Formula One team just learned.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
Petco Park’s King of the Hill
When Michael King was traded to the Padres in 2024, he was the main piece in their return for superstar slugger Juan Soto. Up to that point, King had mostly been used out of the bullpen by the New York Yankees. He had produced phenomenal results in 2022 (2.29 ERA) and ‘23 (2.75 ERA). After coming over from New York, King anchored San Diego’s rotation with a 2.95 ERA across a career-high 173 2/3 innings pitched. An injury-plagued 2025 campaign caused King to re-sign with the Padres heading into 2026.
Overall Grade: A+
He immediately proved his value, anchoring the rotation after Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove spent most of the season on the injured list. King posted a 3.21 ERA across a career-high 185 innings of work. He was even better as the season went on, with a 2.84 ERA in his final 15 starts and a 2.53 ERA across his last seven.
San Diego’s ace found his biggest problem in something that wasn’t even his fault. King had the fourth-least run support among all starting pitchers (3.68 runs per game). Of the three pitchers with less run support than King, only one of them had more wins (Cam Schlitter, 14-6). In 14 of King’s 32 starts he surrendered one run or less. The right-hander was also ranked 11th in quality starts with 18.
King declined his $28 million player option earlier this week, making him a free agent. He’ll be one of the most sought-after pitching free agents on the market. King is predicted to land a five-year, $118 million deal this offseason. San Diego expects to be a major player to re-sign their ace. New ownership has stated that they’re all in. What that means will be tested by whether King remains with the Padres in 2027.
Cam Schlittler was must-see TV during the 2026 MLB season, posting an American League-leading 1.95 ERA with 239 strikeouts.
Now, the Yankees ace is one step closer to cementing his impressive in baseball history.
Schlittler was named a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award on Monday night, as the right-hander went 14-6 with a 0.919 WHIP over 33 starts.
The 24-year-old also posted a 7.0 WAR, second among all pitchers in the majors (only behind the Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez and his 8.1 WAR). Including position players, Schlittler was fifth overall in WAR.
His competition for the award are the Cleveland Guardians' Parker Messick and the Toronto Blue Jays' Dylan Cease.
Messick went 12-9 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.063 WHIP, and 193 strikeouts, registering a 6.3 WAR over 32 starts. Cease was strong in his first year in Toronto (5.5 WAR), going 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA, 1.101 WHIP, and 239 strikeouts across 29 starts.
The BBWAA will announce their winner for the 2026 AL Cy Young award on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gestures prior to game three of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani won’t win the National League MVP award this year, but will finish among the top three in MVP voting for a sixth year in a row. Ohtani was the only Dodger on Monday to be announced among the top three in voting for the five Baseball Writers Association of America awards.
Ohtani won National League MVP in each of his firsttwo years with the Dodgers, and before that won American League MVP in 2021 and 2023 with the Angels. He finished second in 2022 AL MVP voting behind Aaron Judge, who set an AL record that year with 62 home runs.
This year Ohtani will finish no lower than third place in NL MVP voting. Chicago Cubs center fielder extraordinaire Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to run away with the award, which will be announced on Thursday, November 12. Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang will also finish in the top three for the award.
Ohtani famously did not hit a home run after August 18 during the regular season, and not until Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, just as the Dodgers’ goose was nearly fully cooked, a career-worst drought of 155 plate appearances without a long ball. But though left knee inflammation and right biceps strain hampered him down the stretch, Ohtani still put together a fine campaign.
In total, Ohtani’s combined 6.6 fWAR was tied with Milwaukee Brewers ace pitcher Jacob Misiorowski for second-highest in the NL, behind only Crow-Amstrong (10.6). Ohtani’s 6.5 bWAR was tied for fifth in the NL, behind Crow-Armstrong (9.8), Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez (8.1), Turang (7.3), and Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno (6.7).
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 27: Walt Weiss #22 and Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on August 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off of the heels of two Atlanta Braves players receiving Gold Glove Awards (Matt Olson at First Base and Mauricio Dubón as a utility man), it looks like there’s a chance that they’ll have some company when it comes to bringing home individual hardware from the 2026 season.
2024 National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale is once again up for the award, as he’s been named as a Finalist for the 2026 Award as well. Manager Walt Weiss will also be waiting for a call from the BBWAA in a couple of weeks, as he’s been named as a Finalist for the 2026 NL Manager of the Year Award.
Sale continued to defy Father Time in 2026, as he delivered yet another great season on the mound for the Braves. He made 27 starts and threw 162.2 innings and finished the season with a 2.16 ERA (51 ERA-) and a 2.29 FIP (55 FIP-), good for 5.8 fWAR on the season as he served as the clear rock of Atlanta’s rotation. It’s really amazing to consider that two of Sale’s Top-5 seasons (according to fWAR) have come here in his mid-to-late 30s during this stint with the Braves. I’d be shocked if Sale won it this year (as the award appears to be Jacob Misiorowski’s to lose after he had an incredible regular season) but it’s still amazing that he’s even made it this far as a finalist following his age-37 season.
Your 2026 @officialBBWAA NL Manager of the Year Award finalists:
Meanwhile, Walt Weiss should also be applauded for the work he did in helping bring this team back to the Postseason in his first year as a manager since 2016. 2026 was by far Weiss’s best season as a manager, as Atlanta went from 76 wins in 2025 to 94 wins and an NL East title in his first season sitting in the manager’s chair for the Braves. Whatever consternation there may have been about the Braves going with an internal option to replace Brian Snitker following the 2025 season is surely gone now, as Weiss proved himself fully capable of being able to manage this team at a high level.
The Manager of the Year Award winners will be announced on the night of November 10, while the Cy Young Award winners will be revealed on November 11, so you can go ahead and circle those dates to check back in and see if Sale and Weiss can end up taking home some individual glory heading into the Winter.
Here’s the full slate of BBWAA Award nominees for 2026:
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 10: Nasim Nuñez #26 of the Washington Nationals slides past the tag of William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers after a sacrifice bunt by Drew Millas in the ninth inning at American Family Field on April 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2026 was the most successful season in Brewers history, culminating in the franchise’s first World Series championship. Still, even the best teams have off days.
Just like last year, I’ll be ranking the five best and five worst Brewers games of the season, and since there was a lot more good than bad in 2026, I’m starting with the worst and saving the best for last.
The Brewers fell behind early in this one, but took the lead in the seventh on a two-run double by Blake Perkins and an RBI single from David Hamilton. However, Angel Zerpa gave up a game-tying solo homer to Jahmai Jones in the eighth. Abner Uribe came on in the ninth and struck out the first batter he faced, but then fell behind Spencer Torkelson 3-1. Torkelson sent the next pitch over the fence for a walk-off home run.
On top of the pain of a walk-off, this loss makes the list because it came in the middle of a stretch of five losses in six games. There’s plenty of time to bounce back from April losses, but it’s never great to start the season with a losing streak.
For most of this game, it looked like the Brewers were going to escape with a win against Braves ace Chris Sale. Sale didn’t allow an earned run, but the Brewers scratched out two unearned runs against him on five hits. In the ninth, Aaron Ashby came in for what would have been his first save of the season and instead took his first loss. He got one out, then gave up a single to Matt Olson and a walk-off homer to Ozzie Albies.
This game was uniquely frustrating because Albies didn’t exactly square up Ashby. His homer traveled just 339 feet and had an expected batting average of .090, per Statcast. This was a game the Brewers should have won; instead, it became their third straight loss.
The two worst losses listed in last year’s article were both playoff games, which made sense given that the Brewers were swept in the NLCS. This year, their playoff run featured just two losses altogether: Game 3 against the Padres, and this one.
Milwaukee entered this game up 3-0 in the World Series with a chance to keep their foot on the gas and sweep the Rays for the first championship in franchise history. The Rays took an early lead, but the Brewers tied the game on a home run by light-hitting third baseman David Hamilton. Pat Murphy used closer Trevor Megill to get one out in the eighth, then brought in Aaron Ashby for what would be his last outing of the season, and Ashby delivered 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Unfortunately, by the eleventh inning, the bullpen was running on fumes. Antonio Senzatela came in for Ashby after the first out of the eleventh, and while he managed to send the game to the twelfth, the only pitchers left in the bullpen were Kyle Harrison, Brandon Woodruff, and Shane Drohan. Milwaukee finally took the lead in the top of the twelfth courtesy of a homer from Cooper Pratt, but a throwing error from Joey Ortiz put Junior Caminero on first to start the bottom half. Drohan then came in and gave up four straight hits to lose the game.
It was the only World Series game the Brewers lost on their way to a five-game series win, which certainly softens the blow. Still, it makes the list because of how painful it was in the moment and how great a win would have been. If the Brewers had swept the Rays on a twelfth-inning homer from their rookie shortstop, and Drohan, who’d made just one other playoff appearance, had closed it out, it would have made for an incredible story. Instead, Milwaukee needed one more game.
This one makes the list simply because it was, statistically, the worst loss of the season, a 13-run defeat. Starter Thomas Pannone allowed a three-run homer to Daniel Susac, but the Brewers clawed back to make it 3-2 heading into the sixth. Then things went off the rails. Chad Patrick and Ashby combined to give up seven runs in the sixth, and by the eighth, infielder Andrew Vaughn was on the mound. Just one of those days.
This game takes the top spot because, even more than the others, it was a game the Brewers should have won (or at least shouldn’t have lost this badly).
Going into the top of the ninth, the score was 3-3. Brewers manager Pat Murphy brought in his closer, Trevor Megill, to send the Brewers to the bottom of the frame with a chance to win. Here’s a chronological recap of the beginning of the ninth inning:
Megill hit leadoff man CJ Abrams.
Joey Wiemer reached on the first bunt hit of his career, partially because Luis Rengifo was playing way too far back.
Luis García Jr. singled into center field, scoring Abrams and sending Wiemer to third.
Jorbit Vivas laid down a safety squeeze but bunted it right back to the mound. Megill tried to get Wiemer at home but instead shoveled the ball past catcher William Contreras, and Wiemer scored on the throwing error.
Drew Millas laid down yet another bunt, right at Megill, but Megill, perhaps still rattled from the previous play, took way too long to throw it home. Pinch-runner Nasim Nuñez scored to make it 6-3, Nationals.
Murphy pulled Megill for Easton McGee, who gave up a 115.3-mph RBI double to James Wood.
For a team that preaches (and practices) sound fundamentals, this game was hard to watch. It was a very un-Brewers-like way to lose, which makes it, in my opinion, the worst loss of the season.
So, what do you think? Did I miss any losses that should have made the list? Let me know in the comments.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 23: Cole Young #2 of the Seattle Mariners gets set during the third inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on September 23, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the new GTA game drops in two weeks, don’t expect to find Mariners second baseman Cole Young in Vice City.
“I know it can be very addicting,” he laughed on a media call earlier today. “I don’t want to get addicted to that game.”
The disciplined Young has plans for his off-season that don’t involve boosting virtual cars (or, one presumes, collecting fairy bottles). Instead, he plans to build on the season that ended with a significant piece of hardware, as Young took home his first career Gold Glove yesterday.
A steady performer in the minor leagues who made an equally steady climb up to MLB, Young has gotten to where he is largely thanks to his ability to be the same person every day: never getting too high or too low, his gift is his consistency. But even Young couldn’t deny how much he wanted to win the Golden Glove when his name started emerging as a candidate mid-season, a vision that sharpened until becoming reality on Sunday night.
“Just talking with [Mariners infield coach] Perry Hill, we were talking about if I had a chance or not,” said Young the day after his big win. “Honestly, I had no idea. I knew it was a close close run, and I’m super grateful to be in that position.”
Young put himself into that position thanks to the same thing that’s propelled him steadily through his professional career: his top-tier discipline. In identifying areas he could improve in from his rookie year to his sophomore campaign, Young put refining his defense front and center, honing in on it as one of the things over which he could exert the most control in a sport that often feels out of a player’s hands.
“The thing I’ve noticed with defense is that you can control a lot of the stuff,” said Young. “You can control your pre-pitch routine. You can control where you think the ball is going to get hit. There’s just so many controllables on defense.”
Young was maybe a dark horse in the second base race compared to the other candidates, the Royals’ Michael Massey and Chase Meidroth, who went to the playoffs with the White Sox. Both had better numbers by MLB’s in-house stat, Outs Above Average (OAA), a range-based stat, but Massey had significantly fewer games at second base than the other two. However, Young outperformed Meidroth in Sports Info Solutions’ Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), racking up 17 – best among AL second basemen and eighth-best overall – to Meidroth’s 0.
For Young, the award is a partial reward for an off-season spent attacking and correcting the flaws that limited his playing time in his rookie season. Young realized that in baseball, everything begins with the body, and applied himself to both overhauling his conditioning and improving his feet and his hands, using as a basis Perry Hill’s “six Fs” of fielding (feet, field, funnel, footwork, fire, follow).
“The number one thing for me this past off-season was getting my body in good shape, just so I could move better, get my body in better position so I could make difficult plays. That was number one for me,” said Young, who said this year he felt like he could have gone on playing well past the end of the season thanks to a better focus on conditioning and taking care of his body to withstand the rigors of a 162-game season.
“The second one was improving my hands. So I did a lot of stuff I learned from ‘Bone’ (Hill), the six F’s, and worked really hard the past season so when I show up to spring training, I’m able to play every single day. Hold my own on defense and not be a liability.”
Young said he noticed the difference immediately upon arriving at spring training, and that confidence carried forward as he stacked strong innings in spring on both sides of the ball that carried over into the regular season.
“Once I got to spring training, that’s when I noticed – once I got out on the field I just felt like I was able to move better. I felt really good in spring and that gave me some confidence going into the season that I could play every day in the big leagues and be good defensively. But I think it started in spring training, getting a lot of reps and making myself feel comfortable, that’s when I noticed I made a leap forward and it gave me a bunch of confidence.”
That confidence was hard-fought and built over the off-season where Young focused intently on improving his turns at second base, trying to master the switch to the other side of the bag and the different body positioning needed. But even as a (now Gold Glove-winning) second baseman, Young says he still carries a shortstop mentality, trying to think about being rangy and having a strong arm, something he said he wants to focus especially hard on training this off-season just in case he’s needed at shortstop, as he was called upon to do a few times this season.
“I’m so used to the second base throws, so just making sure throughout the season that I’m maintaining my arm strength, and that starts in the off-season…just building the arm strength and being versatile.”
“It’s weird, because coming up in the minor leagues I was a shortstop, and you work on having a ton of range [at that position], so I feel like I’m always training like I am a shortstop, so when I do go to second base I can still have that range and have a strong arm. So deep down, I try to look at myself as a shortstop, just to like, not limit my range or anything like that.”
Positional versatility is something Perry Hill preached constantly, both in general and to Young as an individual. With the coaching staff overturn, the Mariners opted not to bring Hill back with one year left on his contract, so Young will have to make another adjustment this upcoming season after spending years building his relationship with “Bone” – although he’s quick to say this isn’t the end of their friendship.
“I feel like me and Bone in the past couple years have developed such a good relationship, and I know it’s not going to be the end of the relationship,” said Young. “I’ve talked to him a couple times this off-season, and I know we’re definitely going to stay in touch. But it’s just, I learned so much from him, and he’s changed me defensively in such a positive way, and I definitely would not have won this award if it weren’t for him. So we’re definitely going to stay in touch forever. He’s meant so much to me.”
Perhaps sensing that a coaching change was coming, Young allowed himself to want to win the Gold Glove – something over which he had no control, except with the defensive effort he put out on the field every day.
“It’s hard,” he admitted. “You have to come up every single day and have that mentality, and it takes a lot of discipline. So for me, I feel like I worked really hard on defense to make those improvements, and I feel like I was disciplined every single game, and I was on top of that, so it means a lot to win this award. I’m happy all the work I put in this past off-season paid off, and the discipline this whole year – I’m glad it paid off.”
Appropriately, the low-key sophomore second baseman had a low-key celebration at home with his dad in Pittsburgh, where he spends the off-season in the snow and the cold rather than retreating to Florida or Arizona like many of his other baseball peers. Rather than attending a fancy training academy, Young works out with two pitchers: Pittsburgh-born Mason Miller and Mariners farmhand Scott Effross.
His other training partner: dad Rick, who he says is always willing to hit ground balls or feed the fielding machine for him. That’s apparently where the Gold Glove trophy will reside, as well, with Young’s dad:
“He’s already got a spot picked out in his room,” said Young.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 29: Isaac Paredes #15 of the Houston Astros runs to first base in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Daikin Park on September 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today, the Houston Astros announced they has exercised their club option on 3B Isaac Paredes.
Paredes, 27, posted his second straight strong season with the Astros and his second career 4+ WAR season. Despite a slow start to the season, Paredes hit a career best .262 and posted a career best .360 OBP. His 27 doubles were also a career high mark, while his 25 HR and 94 RBI were the second highest totals of his career in those categories.
Paredes contract for 2027 is worth $13.35M. He is a free agent after the 2027 season.
