Boston, MA - July 18: Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu reacts to his go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on July 18, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It’s strange to look back at the 2026 season now that it’s over for the Red Sox. We’ve all seen graph after graph showing three sections of bad-good-bad play. We lived the ups and downs. We saw the grinding halt.
Wilyer Abreu won the AL Player of the Week award two times this season: the week ending July 18 was the first. During that “week” which was bridging the All-Star Break, Abreu hit four home runs. He went 0-4 in the first game, 1-4 in the second, then 2-4 (2 home runs), and finally 2-3 (2 home runs).
The multi-homer games were back-to-back with the first coming as part of a double-header against the Tampa Bay Rays to open the unofficial second half. The next on the regularly scheduled Saturday game. This was supposed to be the big test. The Sox had defeated the Angels, White Sox, and Mets and while no one can dispute the White Sox had a great season, even in July the question of “can Chicago keep this up?” was out there. To their credit, aside from the time playing Boston, the White Sox looked every bit the part of a contender until they just ran out of pitching in the ALDS.
Back to the Rays. Tampa Bay made the World Series in 2026. They were the Big Test for Boston in July. Thanks to a rain out the three games had become four against the best team in the American League. But the Red Sox wouldn’t slow down after the ASG, a problem they’ve had in the recent past.
The Red Sox took game one of the doubleheader 10-0, defying the wrath of the “save some runs for game two” gods. Well, they won game two 5-3. That made the winning streak 11 games strong. But they still had two more games against Tampa. And their record was 48-48. No one would blame them if they lost to a team that was 56-41.
And then Wilyer Abreu had a signature game. Yes, it was 2 home runs like he’d just hit the day before. But the stakes were now get the team over .500.
And Anthony Seigler delivered. Look at that energy! Look at that excitement!
Wilyer Abreu is tossing his bat.
He’s shouting.
Seigler is on the warning track, he’s celebrating.
The Red Sox have turned a 6-5 deficit into a 7-6 lead.
Dave O’Brien elevates the moment with a “you’ve got to be kidding me” call that finally puts him into the range of the great Don Orsillo. To be fair to O’Brien, there haven’t always been the moments to elevate, especially in the last few seasons. But this one was so big that Abreu had enough to bring Seigler, O’Brien, and Merloni into the action.
12 in a row for the team. Over .500. Two home runs in back-to-back games.
If he wins a third straight Gold Glove in right field we’ll keep taking about Wilyer Abreu this winter but we shouldn’t stop thinking of how big a part of the turnaround he was.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Max Muncy #13, Tommy Edman #25, Mookie Betts #50, Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on during a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Wednesday, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Freidman that surgery “is not on the table’ for Shohei Ohtani. Eric Stephen covers that development here.
Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times in his opinion piece thinks that the Dodgers should stop letting Ohtani pitch. He even floats the idea that if Ohtani continues to insist on pitching, the Dodgers should consider trading the modern Babe Ruth.
“Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side at the end of the year,” he said. “This year, I haven’t pitched and I haven’t pitched in the postseason. You know, I haven’t been able to really come to grips in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season. It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program. and see what I can come up with for next season.”
While trading the two-way player would be a nuclear option, it’s clear the team and Ohtani need to come to a better understanding about what best for the team.
A team that also needs to face the fact their team is aging, writes Maddie Lee of the L.A. Times. Freidman with his usual deprecating manner, commented on that and other issues, such as owner Mark Walter’s financial troubles and how he feels about the Dodgers being at the possible end of their dynasty. As usual, Freidman isn’t worried about any of it.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register also has comments from Freidman in his end-of-season press conference, including why they’re excited that Ohtani will be returning to the mound in 2027.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has an opinion piece saying that the small market teams are officially out of excuses is saying only big spenders make the postseason and the World Series. Good news for Dodger fans who have been blamed endlessly for the state of baseball today (she said tongue in cheek).
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 25: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals hits a single during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on September 25, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jac Caglianone had an impressive offensive season in 2026, but the focus is, what’s the next step?
Jac Caglianone spent much of the 2026 season making his mark at the plate for the Royals. But after establishing himself as one of Kansas City’s most productive hitters, his defensive future presents an interesting consideration heading into 2027 and beyond.
With much of the Royals’ lineup expected to return next season, Caglianone’s ability to play both right field and first base could provide some flexibility as Kansas City explores ways to improve its roster.
The 2026 season marked a significant turnaround for the 23-year-old, who struggled in his first taste of the Majors in 2025, battling just .157 with a .532 OPS across 62 games. This season, he led the Royals in batting average (.289), slugging percentage (.494) and OPS (.834), while finishing among the team’s top three in runs (72), hits (148), home runs (23) and RBIs (75).
Zion Rose was named the Royals top performer from the 2026 draft by MLB Pipeline.
A surprise pick to many at No. 6 overall, Rose was assigned to High-A Quad Cities out of the gate and was a part of the River Bandits’ Midwest League championship squad, hitting .241/.367/.299 with one homer and an 18/17 K/BB ratio over 23 total games between the regular season and playoffs. His 2026 isn’t done yet, however, and that’s why he’s the pick here. The Royals sent the former Louisville outfielder to the Arizona Fall League to make up for some of the at-bats he missed due to ankle and hamstring injuries in the spring, and entering Wednesday, he’s gone 7-for-23 (.304) with a homer, a triple, six walks through his first six games for Surprise.
Angeibel Gomez was named the 3rd best 17-year-old MLB prospect, by MLB Pipeline
Baseball fans rejoiced when the Royals challenged Gomez, who signed for $2.9 million as the No. 4 international prospect this year, with an Arizona Fall League assignment. Despite being the second-youngest player ever at the circuit, he’s held his own against much older competition and already looks much stronger than his listed 6-foot-2, 173-pound size. The Venezuela native could be a five-tool player down the line with plus plus speed, if he’s able to grow into more right-handed power, as scouts expect. His 1.119 OPS and .653 slugging percentage in the DSL both ranked third among qualified Minor Leaguers.
David Lesky put out part two of what he would do if he was JJ Picollo for a day.
Matthew Swigonski of Kings of Kauffman passed out starting rotation grades for the Royals.
Philip Ruo of Royals Keep points out why the Royals should keep Daniel Lynch IV.
Here is a breakdown on the Rays and Brewers bullpens, on how they are so effective, yet so different.
The story behind the Rays signing Jonathan Aranda.
TUSCON, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Ike Irish #10 of the Peoria Javelinas bats in the fifth inning during the game between the Javelinas and the Solar Sox at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 10, 2026 in Tuscon, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
With the 19th pick in the 2025 draft, the Orioles selected catcher Ike Irish. Except…not really.
Let me clarify. They did really select Ike Irish. But they didn’t really select a catcher, even if that was Irish’s announced position at the time.
The native of Grand Rapids, Mich., was a jack-of-all-trades defensively during his three-year career at Auburn University. Irish played 57 games in the outfield, 12 at first base, and, yes, 40 games behind the plate. But even then, one position made his life miserable, by Irish’s own admission.
“I’ve dealt with … the yips, catching, since I was a junior in high school,” Irish told FanGraphs’ David Laurila. “Junior year I had them. Senior year I had them. Freshman year of college. They would come off and on. … I was talking to mental performance coaches. I was doing brainspotting. I was doing everything I could to try to get rid of them. And I couldn’t.”
“When I was catching it was, ‘How the hell am I going to get this ball back to the pitcher?’” Irish continued. “I was throwing three-finger changeups back to the pitcher. I was throwing cutters. I was trying anything. It was awful.”
The Orioles abandoned the charade with haste. Irish made only five professional starts at catcher, with Low-A Delmarva in 2025, before giving up the tools of ignorance for good. This season with High-A Frederick, he played 41 games in the outfield, 23 at first base, and 12 as the designated hitter. And Irish’s eyes are smiling.
“With catching, it never felt like I could play the game with freedom,” Irish said. “As soon as I got away from that position, the game felt free again. … The game has opened up and I can just have fun. I can go out there and hit.”
And boy, can he hit.
Irish’s 2026 season was a revelation at the dish. There was nothing he couldn’t do. He hit for power (16 homers and a .528 SLG). He got on base (.388 OBP). He hit for average (.286). He was a burner on the basepaths (20 stolen bases). Irish came out of the gates hot, with five hits in his first two games of the season, on his way to a 1.039 OPS in April. He slumped to a .521 mark in May, but rebounded in a big way with OPSes of .956 in June and 1.142 in July.
It was a vast improvement over his brief pro debut in 2025, when he slashed just .230/.296/.297 in 20 games for Delmarva. That performance came when Irish was at least nominally still a catcher, which might explain his struggles.
MLB Pipeline, which ranks Irish as the #5 prospect in the Orioles’ system and #95 in baseball, praises his “mature approach” at the plate. “Irish makes hard contact to all fields and hangs in against same-side pitching. He handles velocity and spin, doesn’t need to sell out for power and projects to hit for average with 20-plus home run potential.”
Irish is proud of his ability to hit the ball the opposite way. “The plate’s what, 17 inches long? I feel like I can hit any ball that’s 17 inches the other way on the plate,” he told MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. “I mean, I like to pull baseballs, don’t get me wrong, but naturally speaking, [the opposite field] is where I’m good and that’s what I like to keep doing.”
Irish’s 2026 breakout earned him a selection to the MLB Futures Game during the All-Star break on July 12. As the starting DH for the American League prospects, he went 0-for-1 with a walk. He then returned to the Keys and started the second half on an otherworldly hot streak, going 14-for-27 (.519) with four home runs and 10 RBIs in five games. Nothing, it seemed, could slow down the luck of the Irish.
And then it all came to a devastating halt. On July 22, while running to second base, Irish tore his left meniscus. The injury required season-ending surgery, and just like that, his remarkable 2026 campaign was over. No warning. No fanfare. Just there one day and gone the next. It truly was an Irish goodbye. (Should I stop doing these?)
But while he didn’t return for the rest of the minor league season, Irish is back to playing baseball in 2026 in the Arizona Fall League. Through nine games for Peoria, he’s hitting .353/.421/.559 with a pair of home runs. Offensive stats tend to be inflated in the AFL, but it’s nice to see he’s swinging the bat well, and most importantly, that he’s fully healthy. “My knee recovered really well and recovered pretty fast, and so when I was running on it and rehabbing it, it felt really good and I felt confident in it,” Irish told Mayo.
Irish’s on-base ability and spray-to-all-fields approach give him the potential to be a top-of-the-order hitter, the kind of guy who’s a real table setter. Which, of course, would make him an Irish setter. (That’s my last one, I promise.)
With his surgically repaired knee doing well, Irish should be able to start the 2027 season with the Chesapeake Baysox for his first taste of Double-A, hoping to continue to produce offensively like he did this season. He’s got a hot bat, a clean bill of health, and he’s free from the burdens of catching. Ike Irish is ready to roll.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning!
The World Series is set to begin on Friday. The baseball media world is in full gear preparing their preview pieces and retrospectives on the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.
The clearest throughline connecting much of the pre-World Series writing is a sense that this matchup is between two clubs that any organization in the game could have afforded to field. The question everyone is asking is this: What are these low-payroll teams doing better than everyone else?
The Rockies, for their part, have started the long trek towards emulating the types of systems that have kept the Brewers and Rays competitive for years. Whether or not they will be successful in mimicking them will take years to determine.
In the meantime, let’s all settle in for some World Series baseball.
For years, the Brewers and Rays have been held up as model organizations in terms of front office decision making because they have been able to remain competitive without ever running above average player payrolls. Now that they are set to face off against one another in the World Series, Kyle Newman breaks down the areas that the Rockies could potentially look to learn from with these two teams. Spoiler alert: A lot of it comes down to allocating more money into the non-player payroll portions of the organization.
Sean Sullivan’s first short stint with the Rockies this season didn’t go as anyone hoped. The soft tossing left-handed pitcher appears to have taken the setback in stride and entered the offseason with a list of things to work on. This piece from Thomas Harding calls out specifically his need to adjust to the schedule of an MLB rotation, find ways to increase fastball velocity, and diversify his pitch mix.
Don Strouble weighs whether a reunion with the Rockies best starting pitcher from this past season would serve the team’s 2027 interests. Given their lack of alternative options and a need to provide some form of stability to the rotation, Strouble argues that another low cost contract with the veteran would be worthwhile.
Every once in a while, you need a fresh set of eyes you experience often to realize what you take for granted. David Young does just that in this love letter to the Denver sports scene. If you have any friends that you want to convince to visit Denver, send them this article.
Ken Rosenthal details how this season’s World Series matchup flies in the face of MLB’s insistence that their economic proposals for the upcoming CBA are motivated by competitive balance concerns. Rosenthal argues that the continued success of the Brewers and Rays should act as a deterrent for other teams trying to blame their own poor performance on the economic disparities in the league. Rosenthal argues that fans of other low payroll teams shouldn’t be asking for a salary cap and instead asking why their favorite team can’t follow the example of the Brewers and Rays.
If you want specific breakdowns of how the players on each World Series roster was acquired by their club, Jim Callis has got you covered. This piece breaks down both World Series team and identifies how they were built. This is the blueprint for lower-payroll clubs.
This is for anyone who wants to really dive into the nitty gritty numbers. Jonathan Vander Lugt compares the aging curves of catchers versus all other hitters and finds a distinct difference between the two. There’s a pile of charts working through the specifics, but what it comes down to is that catchers appear to peak about a year later than other hitters and then decline at roughly the same rate, just delayed by that year. This may be good news for a player like Hunter Goodman, who may end up maintaining his performance at an older age than you’d otherwise expect.
Lastly, just for fun, this is an insightful piece on how plugged into the sport MLB players are when they no longer need to work. Andy McCullough surveyed 101 MLB players and asked if they watched the playoffs when they weren’t in them. The large majority said that they did though with varying levels of attention.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: A general view outside American Family Field prior to Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 World Series is set between the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 is tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on Fox and Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
As of the time this is being written, only the Brewers have announced a starting pitcher, which will be right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski finished the regular season with a 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, with 252 strikeouts to 44 walks in 174.2 innings pitched. This will be his third start this postseason, with his last taking place in the Brewer’s 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 11th, in which he allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts in four and a third innings.
Since there’s not a lot of other baseball content going on, we’ll go ahead and use this BP for Friday as well so we can follow the game here. Personally, I’m rooting for the Brewers solely because they knocked out the Dodgers (and also, I don’t have a huge preference between either team since neither have won a championship before, so National League preference wins out as well.)
Good morning, everyone. I hope you are recharging in preparation of the upcoming World Series.
I appreciate your reading.
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Trade/Free Agency Stories:
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): 5 Pitchers Who Could Address Cubs’ Shortfall of Pure Stuff This Winter. “In the age of ABS, you can’t nibble and dot your way to glory on the mound. The Cubs need much better raw stuff than they had in 2026. Let’s consider some potential sources thereof.”
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Here’s why pitching is Cubs’ top priority this offseason. “Chicago’s front office may make a push to bring back at least one arm from that group, but the whole cast might very well hit free agency.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Expected to Retain Pitching Coaches, Which Should Not Surprise Anyone. “So unless you believe Hottovy was sneaking into players’ homes in the dead of night to place their arms at awkward angles, thus leading to issues when they threw the next day, it’s hard to blame him for the issues.”
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Cubs Don’t Need to React Harshly to Nico Hoerner’s Ugly 2026 Season. “The Cubs extended their homegrown second baseman ahead of the season for six years. Then, he seemingly struggled in 2026. Is this a sign of things to come? Or was bad luck to blame?”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Mentioned as Fit if Guardians Look to Trade Steven Kwan. “Those who’ve wished fervently for the end of Happ’s Cubs tenure will surely love the idea of Kwan replacing him because it looks like a huge upgrade to them on paper.”
Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Cubs Top Prospects Who Could Make an Impact in 2027. “Technically, a prospect could shoot up the ranks and debut every year, so this will focus on a few of their major league-ready players.”
Celso Salim is an exciting emerging talent in the blues-rock scene, making waves with his remarkable musicianship and electrifying performances. Known for his distinctive guitar style and outstanding slide guitar skills, Celso captivates audiences with exciting compositions and a soulful voice. Influenced by traditional blues and the iconic sound of the 1960s and ’70s, Celso began playing at age 6 and made his stage debut at 14, setting him on an unwavering path. Originally from Brasilia, Brazil, he moved to Los Angeles in 2014, where he swiftly became a highly sought-after guitarist in Southern California’s music scene, establishing himself as one of the region’s most respected artists.
Celso has shared the stage with blues greats Magic Slim, Larry McCray, and Jimmy Hall, and opened for legends such as B.B. King, Deep Purple and Joe Bonamassa. With six solo albums, he earned 3rd place at the 2019 International Blues Challenge and received 5 Independent Music Awards including one for best blues album. Recently, he has toured with Bull Y Los Bufalos and collaborated with guitarists Johnny Stachela and Artur Menezes. His album with Darryl Carriere, “About Time”, was named one of The Big Blues Chart’s Top 100 Albums of 2024. In Brazil, he has developed a robust solo career since 2001 and is also known for his acoustic duo with bassist Rodrigo Mantovani, in addition to collaborating with prominent Brazilian blues groups such as the Ari Borger Quartet and the Sergio Duarte Blues Band.
Lime says its e-bikes are ‘not for jousting’
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
That total is slightly larger than the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals, whose markets combined for 3.22 million television households. The 2006 matchup itself is the smallest since the Cardinals faced the Minnesota Twins in 1987.
“Obviously, on the margins, that hurts, right?” Victor Matheson, a professor at Holy Cross who studies sports economics, told USA TODAY. “Because again, you're likely to have bigger viewership numbers in the towns that are playing.”
The Rays’ previous World Series against the Dodgers in 2020 was the seventh largest since 2006. But pairing Tampa Bay with Milwaukee – the smallest MLB market – produces one of the smallest combined markets in decades.
The Brewers last reached the World Series in 1982, when they faced the Cardinals. With St. Louis having a television market of 1.28 million, that series barely eclipsed 2 million households by 2026 figures.
Milwaukee ranks as the 39th largest television market in the U.S. by Nielsen with an estimated 960,000 homes having a TV.
The Rays’ Tampa-St. Petersburg market, meanwhile, is over twice as large at 2.28 million and is 11th nationwide.
But Matheson said smaller markets can have an advantage of their own: pent-up demand. While fans in Los Angeles have enjoyed several recent World Series appearances, the Brewers haven’t reached the Fall Classic since their seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982.
For fans in Milwaukee, Matheson said, the chance to see their team win its first championship could feel like a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” which could potentially drive greater local interest despite the city’s small population.
That logic could apply to the Rays as well, as Tampa Bay is also searching for their first title, although it has made the World Series three times now in the past 20 years.
Other factors can come into play, too. For instance, star power like Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski could draw eyeballs that might otherwise tune out.
Do bigger markets mean more World Series viewers?
Yet despite natural concerns about a small-market World Series, the size of the participating teams' television markets has shown little relationship with how many people watch.
Indeed, the most-viewed World Series since 2000 had fewer than 4 million combined households – when the Boston Red Sox ended its 86-year curse by sweeping St. Louis in 2004.
A tighter correlation may be found when the series was played; World Series viewership has generally declined since 2000, meaning that modern editions have a tougher hill to climb.
“There's a million things people can do now that they couldn't a generation or two ago,” Matheson said. “In the old days, we only had three channels on TV when I was growing up.”
The 2023 matchup between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, which averaged just over nine million viewers per game – the lowest in World Series history – highlights that decline.
Matheson cautioned that if this year’s edition draws a similarly small audience, the Brewers’ and Rays’ home markets wouldn’t necessarily be the only reason. The increasingly fragmented television landscape could also play a role.
Regardless, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay can’t increase the size of their markets. But they do have something a ratings projection can’t measure: the chance to give baseball fans a championship story worth watching.
Methodology: USA TODAY obtained estimated television households for MLB markets from Nielsen Media Research. Toronto's market size came from Canadian audience measurement organization Numeris, which estimated 3.23 million households with TV access in the Toronto/Hamilton market for 2026-27. World Series viewership averages for 2000-25 were compiled by Nielsen and obtained via Baseball Almanac. For consistency, the same 2026-27 market estimates were applied to every historical matchup.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Don Mattingly, interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies, takes the ball from Andrew Painter #24 during a pitching change during a game against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you think whoever runs the social media graphics team at the Phillies knew exactly what they were doing with this post for the start of the Sixers season?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 01: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers steals second base as Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays takes the throw at American Family Field on April 01, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the first time since 1980, we have a World Series matchup of two teams without a title. While plenty of teams have claimed their first title since that time (the 2023 Rangers were the most recent), this is the first time in 46 years that we’re heading into a World Series where we are guaranteed to see a franchise claim its first title.
Let’s take a quick look at how both teams got here, starting with the American League’s Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays
While the Rays are in their 29th season, they’ve already claimed three AL pennants, though they haven’t yet captured their first championship. Their previous appearances in the World Series came in 2008, when they beat the Red Sox in seven games in the ALCS before losing to the Phillies in five games, and in 2020, when they took down the Astros in another seven-game ALCS before losing in a neutral World Series in Texas, as the Dodgers won 4-2.
After spending the entire 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field — the Yankees’ spring training home — due to Hurricane Milton’s damage to Tropicana Field, they returned home this year and turned in the best record in the American League, going 98-64. They’re back in the World Series after sweeping the Yankees in the ALDS and claiming the ALCS in six games over the Guardians.
Led by manager Kevin Cash, who won back-to-back AL Manager of the Year Awards in 2020 and 2021, the Rays outperformed preseason expectations behind one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball and an above-average offense.
There isn’t much homegrown talent in Tampa, but they’ve done an incredible job of scouting under-the-radar players from across the league. The ALCS roster was constructed as follows:
MLB Draft (3): LHP Ian Seymour, OF Chandler Simpson, SS Taylor Walls
International Signing (1): 1B Jonathan Aranda
Trade (16): RHP Bryan Baker (2025 trade deadline), 3B Junior Caminero (2021-22 offseason), OF Jonny DeLuca (2023-24 offseason), DH Yandy Díaz (2018-19 offseason), C Nick Fortes (2025 trade deadline), C Liam Hicks (2026 trade deadline), RHP Brody Hopkins (2024 trade deadline), RHP Griffin Jax (2025 trade deadline), OF Victor Mesa Jr. (2025-26 offseason), INF Richie Palacios (2023-24 offseason), RHP Freddy Peralta (2026 trade deadline), RHP Drew Rasmussen (2021 midseason), RHP Cole Sulser (2024 trade deadline), OF Ryan Vilade (2025-26 offseason), RHP Tyler Wells (2026 trade deadline), 2B Ben Williamson (2025-26 offseason)
Free agency (5): LHP Cam Booser, RHP Nick Martinez, INF Jorge Mateo, LHP Steven Matz, OF Cedric Mullins
Rule 5 Draft (1): RHP Kevin Kelly
As I said, just look at how good some of those trade acquisitions look in retrospect. Bryan Baker is one of the best closers in baseball, and they got him for the No. 37 draft pick in last year’s draft. Junior Caminero is an MVP candidate who they picked up from the Guardians for Tobias Myers. Yandy Díaz was also acquired from the Guardians in a three-team deal, where Tampa Bay departed with Jake Bauers and cash. More recent deadline acquisitions in Griffin Jax, Freddy Peralta, and Liam Hicks cost them Taj Bradley and six prospects (none of them in MLB’s top 100).
That’s what most in the industry would probably define as “fleecing.”
How has that roster fared?
On the mound, they’re led by starters Drew Rasmussen and Peralta — both former Brewers — as well as Nick Martinez, a familiar foe for Milwaukee from his time with the Reds. The aforementioned Baker led the majors with 41 saves and hasn’t blown a save since May 13, spanning 30 regular season and five postseason saves. In fact, all four of those arms have been great this postseason:
The rest of the bullpen — which includes Kevin Kelly, Tyler Wells, Cam Booser, Brody Hopkins, Steven Matz, Cole Sulser, and Jax and Ian Seymour in starter-reliever roles — has been good, not great, this postseason, with a 3.60 bullpen ERA and 32 strikeouts across 30 innings.
Offensively, they’re led by Caminero, Díaz, Hicks, Jonathan Aranda, and speedster Chandler Simpson, who gives Billy Hamilton vibes. Díaz has been the best hitter in the postseason, slashing .308/.341/.564 with 12 hits, including a pair of homers and four doubles. Caminero and Aranda have also homered, while Simpson has led a steal-happy squad (perfect 11-for-11 this postseason) with three steals. Other regulars include Victor Mesa Jr., Jonny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, and Richie Palacios, with Ben Williamson, Ryan Vilade, Cedric Mullins, and Nick Fortes rounding out the bench.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers had another great season under Matt Arnold & Pat Murphy, winning their fourth consecutive NL Central title and becoming the first team in the division to do so. They also won 103 games, breaking their previous franchise record of 97 wins set in 2025.
To get here, they had to go through two of the hottest teams in baseball down the stretch in the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres swept the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series and put up quite the fight against Milwaukee, as the Brewers eked out three wins in a 3-1 series victory. The Dodgers, who took three of four from the Braves in the NLDS, were the Goliath to Milwaukee’s David after sweeping the Crew in the 2025 NLCS. This time, the Brewers flipped the script, sweeping the Dodgers en route to their first World Series since 1982 and marking the first time they’ve made it as a National League team.
Per MLB.com, the Brewers got more out of the MLB Draft than every other playoff team with the exception of Cleveland. That includes first-round picks Brice Turang (2018), Garrett Mitchell (2020), and Sal Frelick (2021), as well as junior college finds in Jacob Misiorowski (2022), Logan Henderson (2021), and Aaron Ashby (2017). They also picked up starting shortstop Cooper Pratt in the sixth round back in 2023, pulling him away from a college commitment.
They have three international signees — Jackson Chourio (2021) and Luis Lara (2022) out of Venezuela, and Abner Uribe (2018) out of the Dominican Republic.
Shockingly, the only free agent on this team is catcher Gary Sánchez, who signed a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027 back in February.
The other 15 projected players on the team came via trade. This group includes Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Joey Ortiz, DL Hall, David Hamilton, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Antonio Senzatela, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich.
I should note that if Brandon Woodruff somehow miraculously makes the roster, he would add one more to the draft group, as he was taken in the 11th round out of Mississippi State back in 2014. He’d likely take the spot of either Harrison or Patrick, neither of whom has pitched this postseason.
The offense is anchored by Turang, Contreras, and Chourio, but the supporting pieces are solid too — Murphy has seemingly found the right mix this postseason, with Pratt, Bauers, and Mitchell joining those three as everyday players while Hamilton and Ortiz split duties at third base, Lara and Frelick split duties in right, and Vaughn and Yelich split duties at designated hitter.
On the mound, the Misiorowski-Henderson-Gasser combo has worked well atop the rotation, with May and Drohan next in line, though neither of them has been given all that long of a leash here in the playoffs. For the bullpen, the back end combination of Megill, Uribe, and Ashby has been fantastic; Hall has also been solid, and deadline acquisitions Romero and Senzatela have been better in the postseason than they were down the stretch.
Probable Pitchers
Note: Pitching matchups will be filled in as they’re announced
Game 1 (Milwaukee): Friday, October 23 @ 7:00 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (2 GS, 0-0, 3.24 ERA, 1.90 FIP) vs. TBD
Misiorowski is slated to get the ball in Friday’s series opener, and while he hasn’t been quite as sharp as he was in the regular season, he’s still been a solid presence atop the rotation. He’s made two starts thus far, totaling just 8 1/3 innings as he’s allowed three runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out 11. The likely NL Cy Young winner after a league-leading 1.80 ERA, 2.17 FIP, and 252 strikeouts, Miz went six innings in a no-decision against the Rays back in April, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. You can certainly expect him to come out the gates with the high heat on Friday night.
Game 2 (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 24 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 3 (Tampa Bay): Monday, October 26 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 4 (Tampa Bay): Tuesday, October 27 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 5 (if necessary) (Tampa Bay): Wednesday, October 28 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 6 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Friday, October 30 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
Game 7 (if necessary) (Milwaukee): Saturday, October 31 @ 7:00 p.m.: TBD vs. TBD
How to watch and listen
Friday, October 23: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 24: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Monday, October 26: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, October 27: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, October 28: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Friday, October 30: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, October 31: Nationally televised on FOX & FOX One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This is probably the most excited, but also the most anxious I’ve ever been as a Brewers fan. These are obviously two fantastic teams, and they match up pretty evenly on paper. It certainly won’t be a cakewalk for either side. Give me the Brewers to claim their first title in six games.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 23: A general view as Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
There are now 153 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game. You know the drill by now.
On the other hand, the World Series starts tomorrow. It will be over by, at the latest, Halloween. Between the Rays and the Brewers, there will be a first-time winner crowned. I think that’s fun. If all else is equal, I like to root for long droughts being broken. I think it’s good to put that kind of energy out there. Some day, maybe, it will be the Orioles turn to try to break a long drought, and it would be nice to be a sympathetic favorite at that time.
I know not every Orioles fan agrees, with some people preferring that teams ahead of the Orioles on the list not get scratched off to push the O’s closer to the top of the list of failure. It is not fun to be on those lists. Only five teams have gone longer than the Orioles without winning a title. If the Brewers win this World Series, that will be four.
The Padres and Mariners have also never won it, the Guardians last title was in 1948, and the Pirates haven’t won since (sigh) 1979. I wasn’t alive for that one, but I’ve heard enough about it, and I don’t think my “root for the longest drought to end” philosophy would ever apply to Pittsburgh. Wasn’t a whole lot of danger of having to think about that this year. Any of the other teams ahead of the O’s would probably be about as sympathetic as the Brewers, especially if they were facing another AL East team in the postseason.
The Orioles have not won the World Series as long as I have been alive, and I’m turning 43 next month. It’s a long time. Unless fortunes rapidly turn around, the O’s title drought is going to hit “get a colonoscopy” age pretty soon. It is not great that after two years in the postseason and zero postseason wins, that things stink again with no certainty of whether the people in charge can figure out how to stop that from happening. But there is quite a while yet before we will start to have any idea of whether their offseason turnaround plan is going to get results.
A look at a few Orioles that might not be back next year (Steve on Baseball) Trevor Rogers is the only name on the list that is going to make large numbers of Birdland fans sad in the strong likelihood that he does not return.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Nothing of particular interest has ever happened on this day in Orioles history. This is not likely to change until the team makes it back to a World Series, or at least deep in an ALCS series.
There are several former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2024 pitcher Corbin Burnes, 2012-18 pitcher Darren O’Day, 2005 catcher Eli Whiteside, 2003 pitcher Héctor Carrasco, 2004 catcher Keith Osik, and 1989 catcher Jamie Quirk.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: composer Franz Liszt (1811), baseball Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1907), author Doris Lessing (1919), actor Christopher Lloyd (1938), gold medal figure skater Brian Boitano (1963), and baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki (1973).
On this day in history…
In 2137 BC, a solar eclipse was recorded by Chinese astronomers. There were also reports that two astronomers who failed to predict the eclipse were executed. It wasn’t until 585 BC that an eclipse is known to have occurred as predicted.
In 1721 AD, following the Russian defeat of Sweden in the decades-long Great Northern War, Russia’s ruler Peter I proclaimed a Russian Empire, with himself as the tsar.
In 1883, New York’s Metropolitan Opera House opened. The first performance was an opera called Faust, by Charles Gounod, which had debuted in Paris in 1859.
In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy announced a naval blockade of the island of Cuba.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 22. Have a safe Thursday.
Bronx, N.Y.: New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge looks out from the dugout in the 4th inning as the Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York on Oct. 7, 2026. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
The World Series is just a day away, though with the Yankees having been out of the running for a while now it feels like a distant finish line unreached. Instead, hope resides in rooting for the spoiler — or in this case, the team playing against their rivals in the Milwaukee Brewers. They’ll take on the Rays tomorrow night in what might be the final bit of MLB play we’ll get for a while with the threat of a lockout looming large on the horizon, so enjoy it while it’s around. I’m sure we’ll all be missing it come March if games aren’t anywhere close to returning.
We’ve got a fairly busy day laid out for you, starting with Matt handing out our latest report card to Paul Goldschmidt in what might have been his final season in pinstripes. Jonathan follows up with a look back at Robbie Cano and his complex legacy on his 44th birthday, Peter previews the offenses we’re going to see tomorrow in the Fall Classic, and Jeremy hits cleanup with his thoughts on Brian Cashman getting to lead the way again on another winter revision with more of the same results trailing him.
Today’s Playoff Matchup:
Off-day
Questions/Prompts:
1. What are your thoughts on Brian Cashman’s expected extension that got announced yesterday?
2. Before the matchup gets underway tomorrow, get your picks in: will the Brewers or Rays win it all?
So much can change over 44 years. And in the case of the Milwaukee Brewers, an equal and perhaps excessive amount can stay almost exactly as it was.
The biggest city in Wisconsin will host a World Series for the first time in 1982, when the Brew Crew tips off Game 1 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday, Oct. 23 at American Family Field.
The ballpark is just across the lot but a generation removed from County Stadium, the city's multi-purpose ballyard that hosted the occasional Packers game and once witnessed the soon-to-be-crowned American League MVP pilot his motorcycle into the stadium to the delight of fans still mourning a loss in the 1982 World Series.
Since Robin Yount's ride in the wake of a crushing seven-game defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Brewers have switched leagues, left behind the ownership of the Selig family and established themselves as the most consistent postseason presence this side of Chavez Ravine.
And they've also brought an awful lot of lore with them to the new place.
From songs to slides, sausages to statues, Brewers culture is about to get a close-up thanks to its Fall Classic appearance. Here's a guide for what lore to look for:
Bernie Brewer and his slide
If Junior Caminero's extensive home run celebrations make you blush, a far quicker trip to glory is available in Milwaukee.
There are fewer more apropos mascots than Bernie Brewer, a keg of a man whose twirly mustache would've played well in Yount's era and seems destined to have a little beer froth flecked in it. He's got a little dugout looming high above left field where he just chills out, thinking Bernie Brewer thoughts, until a Brewer hits a home run.
Then, it's a windy, circuitous trip down his slide.
Fans can arrange to pay to take that trip down, but buyer beware: It can end painfully.
Then again, Bernie used to have a much frothier splashdown after his slides...
Bernie Brewer's Bavarian chalet
It doesn't get much campier than Bernie Brewer's Bavarian chalet, his little center field hideaway at County Stadium from 1973 through 2000, before the club moved into then-Miller Park. Back in the day, Bernie's slide would end with him disappearing into a gigantic beer stein.
The chalet did not make the cut when the Brewers moved to Miller Park, so the owner of Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery posed a simple question to the ballclub:
"You, uh, doing anything with that chalet?"
The brewery purchased the chalet for somewhere north of $15,000 and it remains at the restaurant near the banks of the Milwaukee River. The interior of the chalet is available for dinner reservations and fans sign their names - and other messages - on the chalet, not unlike the fouls poles and interior of the Green Monster at Boston's Fenway Park.
The Famous Racing Sausages
Long before Racing Presidents and Beat the Freeze, the Brewers rolled out their sausage race, first in animated form, at County Stadium. On occasional Sundays, they'd do a real, live race involving humans at County Stadium until their final year there, when the racing sausages would emerge from the left field corner to home plate.
You never know who might be in those costumes; an occasional Brewer or an odd visiting media member might be tapped to play one of Brat, Polish, Italian, Hot Dog or Chorizo.
On the night of July 9, 2003, Italian was portrayed by Mandy Wagner, a 19-year-old Brewers seasonal employee. The sausages were hopping along as usual when they passed the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates dugout. That's when Randall Simon Jr., their slugging first baseman, decided to take a whack at Italian.
Wagner was knocked over by the bat swing/tap/whack, though as she recounted in the days and years to come, the sausage costume was so cumbersome that a stiff breeze might've knocked her over.
The news cycle vacillated between "serious matter" and "hilarious moment" for several days, with Simon getting questioned by police and fined and suspended by Major League Baseball.
Wagner was OK. And since, the great sausage race has largely stuck to the script.
'Roll Out the Barrel'
You don't need to listen to a Tony Robbins audiobook for life-affirming inspiration. Simply gather with 40,000 like-minded individuals and declare, "We've got the blues on the run."
So it goes every seventh-inning stretch at American Family Field, when the Brewers play "Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel)," the lyrics on the big screen even though it seems every Wisconsinite might've had that playing in the mobiles hanging above their cribs after they were born.
Nearby Marquette University got into the spirit last week, chiming "Beer Barrel Polka" from Marquette Hall's Gothic bell tower. Maybe a little less uproarious, but pretty outlandish for the Jesuits.
Regardless, few franchises come harder with their theme strong than the Brewers. From mascot to song to the original name of the stadium, it seems the average fan will walk out of the place with a 0.15 BAC simply by osmosis.
Bob Uecker's statue(s)
There are two of them and it still probably isn't enough.
Bob Uecker called Brewers games for 54 years, the final two while battling small cell lung cancer in 2023 and 2024. He passed away at 90 on Jan. 16, 2025, leaving a massive legacy within the organization, from longtime executives to manager Pat Murphy and players nearly seven decades his junior.
But that was just how it was for arguably the most charismatic man in baseball history, a light-hitting catcher who rose to national and eventually global fame thanks to campy Miller Lite beer commercials and then several star turns on screen, most notably as announcer Harry Doyle in Major League.
A Cleveland-Milwaukee World Series might have been too much; that was the matchup in Major League, and a Fall Classic pitting those two teams one year after Uecker's passing might have been life imitating art just a little too hard.
Instead, this matchup should provide the perfect window for Uecker appreciation, beginning with his pair of statues in and around American Family Field.
The first one is typical, outside and joined by Yount, Hank Aaron and Bud Selig. Inside, though?
It's all Ueck.
Uecker's likeness is not on a concourse or anywhere visible, but rather high in the sky, amid the obstructed view seats, an ode to the greatest of his Miller Lite spots, where he gets evicted from Yankee Stadium box seats and relocated to the upper deck.
"I must be in the front roooooow," says Mr. Baseball, irrepressible as always.
This week, Ueck and the city that made him famous most definitely will be.
ALTOONA, PA - AUGUST 29: Murf Gray #23 of the Altoona Curve bats during the game between the Erie SeaWolves and the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Saturday, August 29, 2026 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bryce Mosmen/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
In just his first season of professional baseball, Murf Gray put together a campaign that made him the undoubtable choice to be named the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year award winner.
2026 was an incredible coming out party for Gray who led all Pirates’ minor leaguers in home runs with 32. Overall Gray put together a complete season and was not limited to slugging. Through Bradenton, Greensboro and Altoona Gray slashed .305/.402/.567 and had a .969 OPS. He had 143 total hits, 97 RBIs and earned 66 walks.
Gray was selected out of Fresno State in the Competitive Balance-B round in 2025 and more than exceeded expectations in 2026. During his time with the Grasshoppers he led the South Atlantic League in total bases and also had a hold on having the most homers in the league before his promotion to Double-A.
At 6’3” and 230 pounds, Gray is a lot of hitter when he’s at the plate. He showed in his last season at Fresno State that he swings a lot and tends to chase too much. Although he still has some refining to apply to his swing, his approach at the plate in 2026 was mostly solid. He still found himself chasing, but it was certainly down from his last year in college. The nice thing to this point is that Gray chases, but does not miss often. His approach will need some more fine tuning as well to adjust to major league pitchers, but Gray has proved at the very least that he’s been able to adapt over the course of a full major league season.
Despite being just 22-years-old, Gray is looking like a top prospect in Pittsburgh’s Minor League system. In his debut year Baseball America named him the Pirates’ top prospect for 2026, and MLB.com ranks Gray as the organization’s fourth highest rated prospect. He’s much more than a slugger too because Gray definitely has the arm to play third base for the Pirates. Third base of course was a position in transition in 2026 for the Buccos, and with a projected debut date of 2027, Gray could have a real shot at competing for that spot in Spring Training. With that being said he might lack the desired speed and first step agility to play the hot corner in the major leagues, but he’s got solid tools all around and could make an impact at the next level very soon.
All eyes will be on Gray in 2027 to see how quickly the Pirates decide to call him up and him to Pittsburgh’s lineup.
Tampa, FL: New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner speaks during a press conference regarding changes to the Yankees facial hair policy during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida on February 21, 2025. (Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images) | Newsday via Getty Images
New York Post | Grace McCarron: Hal Steinbrenner held court yesterday with members of the Yankee beat, albeit by Zoom which in and of itself is an interesting decision. The managing partner of the Yankees publicly backed GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone, proclaiming that both men did their jobs in the 2026 season and publicly announcing that Cashman’s new contract is all but signed. Hal placed the blame for a disappointing season at the feet of the players on the roster, especially a “detrimental” offense.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Continuing with the Steinbrenner Address, Hal was asked directly about comments made by current and former Yankees regarding the now-17 year World Series drought. In particular, he seemed to be a little chesty about Aaron Judge’s remarks that the team hasn’t gone “all in” and should, with George’s son pointing to the richest payroll in franchise history as evidence of his commitment. If Judge was more of an extrovert he might point across boroughs to another team that spends like mad and doesn’t have the results expected as an example that money misallocated is as bad as money unspent.
SNY | Danny Abriano: Finally, Mr. Steinbrenner set the table as one of the more powerful owners in baseball, admitting that he’d like to see a salary cap implemented in this round of CBA negotiations. It’s the most important thing for the group of thirty monopolists, and it needs to be the most important thing for the union to remember too.
NBC Sports | Eric Samulski: We also got news that Aaron Judge’s rib is still a bit of a question mark. The Yankee captain will have followup tests and surgery seems unnecessary, Brian Cashman telling us that he expects Judge to be ready in time for Spring Training, whenever that is.
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: We get a final piece that’s a little more pan-baseball, with the Fielding Bible Awards being announced today at 3 p.m. Eastern. Clemens gives us the breakdown of his ballot, with Cody Bellinger being his winner in left field, as a more-statistically-driven recognition of the best defender at each position.
