Category: MLB

The Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz. will be very busy beginning Feb. 10 as the San Diego Padres begin their 2026 season with pitchers and catchers reporting for physicals before their first workouts on Feb. 11.

The next day, Feb. 12, is the report date for all Padres players who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic. With the addition of three more relievers this past week, the group now totals eight players/pitchers who will be leaving the team early and reporting to their respective WBC teams. Those Padres are:

• Manny Machado – Dominican Republic team
• Fernando Tatis Jr. – Dominican Republic team
• Xander Bogaerts – Netherlands team
• Yuki Matsui – Japanese team
• Mason Miller – USA team
• Wandy Peralta – Dominican Republic team
• Ron Marinaccio – Italian team
• Alek Jacob – Italian team

There will also be three minor league participants, as well as special assistant Mark Loretta who was named as the third base coach for the Israel team.

• RHP Carlton Loewen – Canadian team
• LHP Miguel Cienfuegos – Panama team
• RHP Josh Mallitz – Israel team

The rest of the team is due to report for their first workout on Feb. 15. Jake Cronenworth stated at Padres FanFest on Jan. 31 that he had heard from many teammates who intended to report early to have more time together due to the WBC.

WBC/MLB exhibitions scheduled

There will be exhibition games played between MLB and WBC teams on March 3 and 4 before the WBC officially begins. The Padres will play Team Great Britain on March 4 at 12:10 p.m. PST in Peoria. There will be 28 games played over the two days at various locations.

The first official WBC games start in the Tokyo Dome on March 4 and 5 with other locations beginning March 6. Team USA plays its first game in Houston, Texas versus Brazil on March 6.

Media access on Feb. 10

Media availability for manager Craig Stammen will be Feb. 10 at 8 a.m. PST with coaches Steven Souza (hitting) and Randy Knorr (bench coach) following Stammen. The clubhouse will be open for media on Wednesday.

Spring Breakout games return

MLB will once again hold Spring Breakout games during Spring Training for teams to showcase their top prospects. Those games will take place March 19-22 with a 16-game schedule. The Padres prospects plays the Chicago Cubs prospects on Saturday, March 21 at 6 p.m. PST. Those rosters will be announced after minor league players arrive in camp.

Spring Training schedule

The Padres play their first Spring Training game on March 20 at 12:10 p.m. PST versus the Seattle Mariners in the yearly charity game played at Peoria Sports Complex. They will then play 30 games (split squad included) and finish on March 23. There are no exhibition games this year after they leave Peoria and return to San Diego. The home opener is March 26 versus the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park.

There are currently 38 players on the 40-man roster with the reported signing of Miguel Andujar not yet official. When that player is added to the roster, the Padres will have one spot available and then will have to make a roster move to add any other players.

Non-roster invites

The organization recently announced 28 players invited to Spring Training who are not on the roster. Those players (NRI’s) include 13 players who were recently added to the organization. There are 13 pitchers, four catchers, seven infielders and four outfielders in the group. It includes the Padres No. 1 prospect Ethan Salas who missed most of the 2025 season due to a stress fracture in his lower back. Following is the full list of NRI:

RHRP Francis Pena and RHSP Triston McKenzie as well as LHSP Marco Gonzales have the best chances to make big impressions from the group of pitchers. There are others who could be taking a step forward but those three have gotten the most mentions.

Catchers Ethan Salas and Blake Hunt should be followed closely. Hunt is presumably in competition for the backup catching job and was originally drafted by the Padres in 2017. He is a defense-first catcher who was most recently in the Seattle Mariners organization, playing in 25 games for the Mariners.

This will be a pivotal year for Salas, he needs to re-establish himself as a highly regarded prospect after struggling in 2024 and missing most of last season.

The Padres signed infielder Jose Miranda to a minor league deal. Entering his year-28 season, Miranda played in 12 games for Minnesota last season with a .417 OPS. He had a .569 OPS in Triple-A in the Twins organization. He is a candidate for a bounce-back year.

The Padres’ most advanced first base prospect, Romeo Sanabria, gets his first Spring Training invite at 24 years old. He needs to take a step forward this season to be considered an MLB player. 

Infielder Marcos Castañon appeared to make advances last season and might stand out this spring.

Outfielders Carlos Rodriguez and Nick Schnell could be auditioning as depth pieces for the Padres. Schnell is 26 and Rodriguez is 25, both are left-handed hitters.

New roster additions

Padres fans should also keep an eye on the two new additions to the 40-man roster from the minor league prospect list. Both righty reliever Garrett Hawkins and right-handed starter Miguel Mendez are likely to show well in Spring Training but probably need a little more seasoning in the minor leagues to begin the season. 

Mendez would benefit from added bulk to improve stamina and durability. He took a major step forward with command last year.

Hawkins was a standout with his dominant performance last year but was newly returned to baseball after Tommy John surgery. He has the potential to be a dominant late-inning reliever if he continues progressing on his current path.

I am still waiting for a couple more additions to the team from general manager A.J. Preller. The next few weeks should be an exciting time for Padres fans as we near the 2026 season and enjoy the WBC and spring games as we wait.

While I believe that many are very satisfied with what Chaim Bloom has accomplished with his many roster moves during the offseason, we’re about to begin the 2026 season with some fear and trepidation about how competitive or not the St. Louis Cardinals will be. Knowing what we know now, what do you think the St. Louis Cardinals win-loss record will be for 2026?

Before I share my guess, let’s look at what the latest professional projections say about the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals team. According to a share a week and a half ago by Fangraphs, the latest ZiPS projections say the St. Louis Cardinals will finish 4th in the National League Central with a record of 77-85 only 3 games ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. FanDuel and other Vegas odds say the St. Louis Cardinals are only a 70 to 71 win team. Bernie Miklasz shared what several other betting sites were predicting, but this was a week and a half ago and all of these predictions were posted before the Brendan Donovan trade.

I have a difficult time separating my emotions from my mind when it comes to trying to nail down what the St. Louis Cardinals 2026 record will be. My heart is thrilled that the team has finally stopped settling for mediocrity and made big changes to insure the St. Louis Cardinals will be perennial serious contenders at some point in the future, but my mind has to realistically accept the fact that we’re not built to win this year. My prediction is a 76-86 St. Louis Cardinals team that will be fortunate to finish above the Pittsburgh Pirates. I think that will look optimistic once the new projections are done post-Brendan Donovan trade, but I’m overall bullish on this team.

I do think there is a scenario (albeit an unlikely one) where the St. Louis Cardinals surprise everyone and become a .500 or better team this season, but that involves a lot of daydreaming. If Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman both wake up and live up to their potential, this could get interesting. JJ Wetherholt would need to have the type of season where he’s a legitimate rookie of the year candidate. We would need Michael McGreevy and Matthew Liberatore to go next level and the Cardinals bullpen to become something it doesn’t appear to be on paper. This daydream also requires Masyn Winn to remain fully healthy and add impressive offensive pop to his gold glove defense. Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera would also need to backup strong 2025 showings and remain healthy. If all of those elements line up, the St. Louis Cardinals could be much more than the predictions say they will be in 2026, but I think it’s best to embrace what looks like our reality for the next couple of years and that’s not what my heart hopes will happen.

We can revisit this once the St. Louis Cardinals break camp after Spring Training, but as of today, what is your guess of what the St. Louis Cardinals win-loss record will be in 2026 and how do you think they’ll rank in the National League Central?

This will be the last weekend without baseball, potentially until November, with Game 7 of the 2026 World Series scheduled for October 31. The Super Bowl is tomorrow (though we’re going to the RenFair), and football will then be done – mercifully, if you’re a Cardinals fan. The off-season is, effectively, over. So, before players start to show up at Salt River Fields next week, this is your change to say whatever you want. Be that about the Diamondbacks, baseball in general, or even random off-topicness. Though not too off-topic: the usual SnakePit prohibitions still remain in effect!

Open vent thread: Get it all out before pitchers and catchers report!

Have the Diamondbacks done enough? How thin ice are Torey Lovullo and Mike Hazen skating on this season? What is your go-to ballpark food and drink? Is the NL West a pointless procession to another Dodgers title? Why is Zac Gallen still unsigned? Has the way you watch baseball changed over the years? What’s your favorite baseball movie? Feel free answer absolutely none of these questions, and go your own way instead.

Terrance Gore, Royals postseason legend and three-time World Series champion, died last night. He was 34 years old. Gore is survived by his wife, Britney, and three children.

We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/qgZFkHRFSx

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 7, 2026

Gore leaves behind an incredible baseball legacy as one of the greatest baserunning specialists of recent memory. Despite rarely coming to the plate, Gore stole 48 bases across the regular season and playoffs at an 82.7% success rate across his eight-year MLB career. But when playing for the Royals across their 2014 and 2015 campaigns, Gore was otherworldly: during those two years, he stole 12 bases and was only thrown out once. One of those stolen bases came in the best Royals game of all-time: the 2014 AL Wild Card Game.

Gore went on to become a postseason fixture with multiple other teams, lending his legs to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2020 World Series campaign as well as the Atlanta Braves’ 2021 World Series season.

But Gore is equally well known within the game for being a kind and wonderful human. Gore’s wife shared a post on Facebook about Gore, who passed away from complications after a routine surgery.

This post is extremely tough to write. Last night, I lost my best friend/husband from complications after what was supposed to have been a simple procedure. Our hearts are shattered, my babies are shattered. Our whole family is lost. This was so unexpected. Everything Zane does is centered around his dad. Baseball, hunting, fishing. Skylyn said, “I don’t have a daddy anymore, he’s up in heaven in the stars.” I don’t know where to go from here. I feel like I’m living my biggest nightmare and feel so lost. He loved his children with everything in him. He loved coaching the youth and those boys absolutely loved him. Please keep our family in your prayers for the coming days and for the strength to get through this. Life is precious and is too short. What I would do to give you one more hug or kiss. We had so many more memories to make. I love you forever Terrance Gore and I’ll continue to watch over our babies.

Rest in peace, Terrance. Thank you.

Our latest roster preview heading into spring training looks at the Dodgers bullpen, which like the outfield was bolstered by signing the best free agent available.

40-man roster relievers

• Edwin Díaz
• Tanner Scott LHP
• Blake Treinen
• Alex Vesia LHP
• Brusdar Graterol
• Brock Stewart
• Jack Dreyer LHP
• Will Klein
• Edgardo Henriquez
• Kyle Hurt
• Bobby Miller
• Paul Gervase
• Ronan Kopp LHP

Things to watch

Swimming in the deep end: For the second offseason in a row, the Dodgers spent big on a reliever, signing Edwin Díaz for three years and $69 million, breaking his own record for highest average annual value for a reliever. Much like signing Kyle Tucker to improve the outfield, the Dodgers saw a weakness and plugged the hole with the best-possible (and most expensive) option on this year’s free agent market. Díaz’s ERA started with a one in four of his last seven seasons, and his xERA has been above 2.66 only once in his nine-season career. Díaz over the last two seasons is second among MLB relievers in both strikeout rate (38.4 percent) and strikeout-minus-walk rate (29.7 percent). That’ll play.

Turnaround Tanner? Last year was a nightmare for Tanner Scott, who led the majors with 10 blown saves and allowed nearly double the home runs (11) than he gave up during the previous two seasons combined (6). Leaving the ball in the middle of the plate doomed him, but he expressed confidence at Dodgers Fest last weekend that he’ll be able to improve this season. Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest looked at some ways to make it happen.

Bazooka loading: Since joining the Dodgers in 2020, Brusdar Graterol has been one of the team’s best relievers, with a 2.69 ERA and 3.06 xERA, thanks to a 61.9-percent groundball rate that ranks eighth in MLB in that time among pitchers with at least 150 innings. The problem is Graterol has only pitched 204 innings over the last six seasons, including the postseason. He only pitched 9 2/3 innings in 2024, and didn’t pitch at all in 2025 after shoulder surgery. Graterol is back and healthy now, so expect him to pitch important innings if he’s showing anything near his career norms.

Functional depth: With the out-of-options Brock Stewart likely to miss at least most of the first half after shoulder surgery in October, the Dodgers have five healthy relievers who can’t be sent to the minors on the 40-man roster. There were six such relievers before left-hander Anthony Banda was designated for assignment on Friday after two solid seasons in Los Angeles.

That still leaves three bullpen spots for the inevitable revolving door to fill innings as needed, a must in this current era of pitcher churning. The Dodgers used 39 pitchers in 2023, then set franchise records with 40 pitchers in each of the last two seasons. Expect something near that again this year. But to have seven pitchers listed above all with minor league options, plus starting pitching depth Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, and Landon Knack (before even considering River Ryan and Gavin Stone, each coming off surgery) in the same boat, the cupboard is well-stocked.

Strikeouts by the bushel: Díaz and his eye-popping numbers are the main addition this year, after the Dodgers bullpen went from 19th in MLB in strikeout rate (23.3 percent) and 16th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (14.6 percent) in 2024 to seventh (24.3 percent) and eighth (14.8 percent), respectively, in 2025. But a few other arms to watch are Paul Gervase, the 6’10 right-hander acquired at the trade deadline from the Rays, and 6’7 left-hander Ronan Kopp, who was added to the 40-man roster in November. Over the last two minor league seasons, Gervase had the eighth-best strikeout rate (35.9 percent) among pitchers with at least 100 innings, while Kopp was 18th at 33.5 percent. There’s still some honing to do to translate to major league success, but the stuff for both is definitely there.

*In an effort to make the nomination voting easier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.

Taking the ninth spot on our annual CPL is right-handed pitcher Steven Echavarria. The 20-year-old righty had some bumps on the road during his second full season as a professional pitcher on the lower end of the farm but also flashed his awesome repertoire at times. Echavarria has plenty of work to do in the lower levels of the system as a high-school draftee, especially in the control department, but luckily for him he’s still incredibly young for the level he’s at and could show some serious progress this coming season. The A’s clearly think very highly of him.

Taking the next open nominee spot is right-hander Mason Barnett. Considered the prize of the Lucas Erceg trade to the Royals, Barnett was one of the better pitching prospects in the system last year but has dropped down after a lackluster year at Triple-A and some additions to the system. That said he profiles as a back-end starter that could be a legitimate option for the A’s this coming season. He’s already made his big league debut with five starts in September for the A’s and now that he’s gotten his feet wet in the big leagues the righty will almost certainly be an option for manager Mark Kotsay during the coming summer. Will he be able to solidify a spot in the rotation is another matter, but the team is going to give him that chance at some point. You can count on that.

The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:

• Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
• In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
• If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.

Click on the link here to vote!

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A’s fans top prospects, ranked:

1. Leo De Vries, SS
2. Jamie Arnold, LHP
3. Gage Jump, LHP
4. Wei-En Lin, LHP
5. Braden Nett, RHP
6. Henry Bolte, OF
7. Johenssy Colome, SS
8. Edgar Montero, SS
9. Steven Echavarria, RHP

The voting continues! Who rounds out the top ten players in the farm system? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.

Nominees on the current ballot:

Tommy White, 3B

Expected level: Double-A | Age: 22

2025 stats (A+/AA): 395 PA, .275/.334/.439, 23 doubles, 0 triples, 12 HR, 51 RBI, 29 BB, 54 K, 3 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 45

White’s right-handed power is legitimate and he can hit the ball a long way to all fields thanks to his strength and bat speed. He might be known for his home run totals but he’s a better overall hitter than people think, finding the barrel consistently and limiting strikeouts. His knack for contact can lead to him expanding his strike zone, but he doesn’t swing and miss very often.

It will be White’s bat that carries him to the big leagues. He’s a well-below-average runner who likely lacks the range and tools to stick at third base, where he toiled as a sophomore and junior, earning praise for playing through a shoulder injury at LSU in 2023. He’s likely headed to first base long term, which could give the A’s a glut of serious offensive talent between him and first-rounder Nick Kurtz.

Shotaro Morii, SS/RHP

Expected level: Low-A | Age: 19

2025 stats (Rookie Affiliate): 188 PA, .258/.399/.384, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 36 BB, 47 K, 4 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades (hitter): Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Scouting grades (pitcher): Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Curveball: 45 | Splitter: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.

Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.

Devin Taylor, OF

Expected level: High-A | Age: 22

2025 stats (Single-A): 188 PA, .264/.388/.481, 5 doubles, 0 triples, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 21 BB, 37 K, 2 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Taylor shows the potential to become a plus hitter in terms of both average and power while controlling the strike zone. A left-handed hitter with plenty of bat speed and strength, he hits the ball extremely hard and generates power to all fields. He likes to swing the bat but has cut down on his chases this spring. He makes consistent contact and has no problems handling breaking pitches.

The majority of Taylor’s value will come from his offensive production. His speed, arm strength and defensive instincts all grade as fringy, which will limit him to a corner outfield spot in pro ball.

Mason Barnett, RHP

Expected level: Triple-A/Majors | Age: 25

2025 stats (Triple-A): 6.13 ERA, 23 starts (25 appearances), 119 IP, 124 K, 65 BB, 17 HR, 5.53 FIP

2025 stats (Majors): 6.85 ERA, 5 starts, 22 1/3 IP, 18 K, 11 BB, 3 HR, 4.88 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Barnett leads a four-pitch mix with his fastball. Though it may not reach the 99 mph it once did earlier in his career, he can still rev it up to about 96 mph while sitting around 94. His mid-80s slider has evolved into more of a sweeper with good bite and emerged as a strong secondary pitch, providing solid separation in velocity from his upper-70s curve. He also utilizes a mid-80s changeup that is especially effective against left-handed batters.

Listed at 6-foot and 218 pounds, Barnett is showing all the traits of a “bulldog” on the mound who goes right after opposing hitters. He demonstrated strong improvement in his overall strike-throwing ability with his cleaned-up three-quarters arm slot that at times got a little long in the past. If the improvements hold up at the next level, the A’s view him as a long-term starter and believe he could push his way up to the big leagues at some point in 2025.

Cole Miller, RHP

Expected level: Single-A | Age: 20

2025 stats (ROK, Single-A): 1.90 ERA, 12 starts (15 appearances), 52 IP, 45 K, 11 BB, 1 HR, 3.38 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The A’s were working on some mechanical adjustments with Miller prior to his injury. His electric fastball ticked up to 96 mph in high school and displayed excellent movement down in the zone. The mid-80s slider is a hard breaker and was showing signs of improvement. His low-80s changeup showed some potential as an average third pitch.

There was real excitement within the organization for Miller’s professional debut. His three-pitch mix and large 6-foot-6 frame give off the potential of a workhorse-type starting pitcher in the big leagues. The A’s also loved the competitiveness they saw from him on the mound while scouting him. After an unfortunate delay, he finally got his first opportunity to make an impression this summer.

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Programming Note: Each CPL vote will run for around 48 hours, so don’t delay in making your vote!

2025 stats: 81 G, 77.1 IP, 1.98 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 203 ERA+, 0.94 WHIP, 5.6 K/9, 0.8 BB/9, 2.4 bWAR

w/Giants: 53 G, 50 IP, 1.80 ERA, 2.64 FIP, 222 ERA+, 0.86 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 0.7 BB/9, 1.7 bWAR

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So much has already been written. So much praiseheaped. What more is there to write about Tyler Rogers other than it’s over? 

I did my part. I said my prayers each night, wishing the separation would be temporary, that after trading him, we’d re-sign him in the offseason. How could we not? Weren’t there still 8th innings to be pitched in 2026? And batters to be spun like tops? After seven years of scraping his knuckles on our mound, of inspiring a generation of little league submariners from Seaside to Sacramento…the story of Tyler Rogers and us couldn’t just end with a transaction. 

But our awkward bullpen bird had outgrown the nest. Rogers found a home in Toronto, bagging the first big contract of his career. Three years, 37 million dollars. Imagine: thousands of dollars for each 80 MPH fastball, for each rising slider, for each awkward swing, for each dink and doink cued off the end of a baseball bat. Worth every penny in my mind. Based on recent events, it’d be easy to feel sorry for Blue Jays fans — but I don’t, just a whole lot of envy and a dash of regret that this didn’t happen sooner. If only they had made a play for Rogers at the deadline…man, they could’ve used him in Game 7. 

We all could’ve used him in Game 7. As if Giants fans needed more incentive to pull for Toronto — but to see Rogers sling one of his saucers on the biggest stage in the sport with the game on the line against the hated Doogers would’ve been worth the heartache of watching him depart. A victory for the good guys! A triumph of weird over the forces of obviousness! Rogers would’ve come out on top in a string of hypotheticals. Would Max Muncy have lifted that solo shot in the 8th? No! Would Miguel Rojas have gained count leverage in the 9th? Double-no!

No doubt in my mind, Rogers would’ve sealed the deal — an instant Canadian legend. Those up-northerners probably would’ve named the whole dang stadium after him. It’s got a nice ring to it: The Tyler Centre. 

Alas…

Tyler Rogers last appearance as a Giant in 2025 came against Pittsburgh on July 29th. He got billed for the loss, the two earned runs he allowed providing the difference in score. A fitting end in one sense considering the rally mounted against him was a typical soft-contact coup: Five groundballs, four singles with just two of them getting out of the infield.

These have been the kind of fluky frames that have dogged him throughout his career, that have been used as proof rather than an exception to why he could never serve as a true closer. No matter how good he is at attacking the strike zone, at avoiding the barrel and dulling hard-hit rates, at keeping the baseball grounded and in the park, there is a solid underlying belief, grounded in fear of the inexplicable, that how he pitches shouldn’t work, that at any moment the luck will run out, and one of his levitating orbs will serve as a Proustian madeleine to a struggling .600 OPS hitter, and unlock some core memory of smoking wiffle balls in his backyard. 

We have seen this happen. Jake Cave in Colorado. Nick Ahmed in LA. That one-percent home run rate is seared into our brain, so much so it’s hard to insist that the results in the aforementioned alternate-2025 would’ve been any different. Rogers is so exciting to watch because he stares into the eyes of logic when he takes the mound. A mix of moxie, forgetfulness, and humor is required for a high-leverage submariner. Let us never forget Dan Quisenberry’s mustache — and the fact that he wrote a book of poetry.

Compare Rogers’s career 4.07 ERA in the 9th to his 2.35 ERA in the 8th, and it seems he himself lost faith in his quirk and frequently looked down on his tight-rope walk when it came to closing out a game. The most opportunities Rogers got in the 9th came in 2021, his breakout year, in which he earned 12 saves over 22 innings and 24 appearances. From late May to early June, Rogers appeared in 8 consecutive games in the 9th, and the team went 7-1 in them, despite a three run whoopsie against the Doogers (that was forgiven by a 3-run homer by Grand POBO Posey off of Blake Treinen). But more crooked numbers allowed against key opponents ultimately swelled his final frame ERA to 5.24. His ERA in the 8th: 1.24. That dominance, and the presence of much more traditional closer options (ex. Jake McGee, Camilo Doval, Ryan Walker), seemed to cement Rogers’s role for the rest of his tenure in San Francisco.  

 That final appearance as a Giant was the 392nd of Rogers’s career, placing him at 10th on the franchise list for relievers. If he had stayed in San Francisco, his 81 games on the year would’ve moved him past Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt, and Rod Beck to sixth on the list. His climb up the club rankings is over, but for the man with the rubber arm, it’s not hard to think he’ll keep gobbling up games. He led the Majors in appearances for a second straight year, and his 81 games was a career best (while his 77.1 innings pitched was second to his 81 IP mark set in 2021).

Rogers’s age 34 season was arguably his best. His 1.98 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 0.944 WHIP, and 203 ERA+ were all career marks — and those reflect a bit of a backslide in the second half as a Met. Over 50 innings pitched, Rogers owned a 222 ERA+. His 1.7 bWAR had already surpassed his final marks from the previous three full seasons. He didn’t get one, but he absolutely deserved an All-Star nod.

While the Giants got an impressive package of MLB-ready-or-near-ready talent (RHP Jose Butto, OF Drew Gilbert, and  RHP Blade Tidwell) for him, looking ahead to the state of the relief corps in 2026, you can’t help but feel there’s a hole. Erik Miller in the 8th? Joel Peguero? There’s firepower, sure — but just as much inexperience, errant command, and maddening walks in those arms.

For all the perceived unpredictably inherent to his style, Rogers has been consistent for a half-a-decade. We knew this, and we’re going to miss this. Hot take: It’s nice not to have to worry about your game plan in the late innings. Life with a lead is definitely better when there is a plan, rather than having first time manager Tony Vitello be-bop and scat in and out of dicey, late-and-close situations. Re-signing Rogers was an emotional-and-sensical move that didn’t happen. Considering the team’s needs, bringing him back would’ve made a bunch of people inside and outside (Rogers included) pretty happy. Given the brass’s reluctance around handing out a longer-term, six-figure deal for a starting pitcher, Rogers eventually moved out of the club’s determined price-range. Tough beans for the bullpen in 2026. Bittersweet for us fans. Selfishly, I wish he was still our little secret; but damn, I’m happy he’s getting paid. He’ll make nearly $9 million as a Jay next year, then $13.66 million through his age 37 season and be guaranteed $12 million in 2029 if he stays healthy and on the mound in the coming years.  

Hey, maybe the Giants will re-sign Rogers then. With his mechanics, he’ll be throwing 70 innings a season well into early 40’s.  

Instead of a question, today, we have an open thread to let out all your complaints about the Jays, or about the MLB if you want. (I’ll admit these topics aren’t my choosing, it’s an SB Nation thing).

Hmmm vent….

Well, I would have liked them to sign Bo, but I can’t blame them for not matching what the Mets offered, so that’s not really a rant. I mean, they could have worked harder to make a deal before he reached free agency, but then it takes two. And I wouldn’t have wanted them to go 14 years as they did with Vlad.

I thought the club would sign a closer, but they improved the bullpen. Edwin Diaz would have been nice, still I wouldn’t have tried to beat the Dodgers 3-year, $69 million deal.

I guess I will vent a bunch if MLB forces a stoppage next year.

I am happy that the club is replacing the stupid statue of Ed Rogers with a Joe Carter statue. It is hard to believe how tone-deaf Rogers Corp was in putting up that statue of Rogers in the first place, but someone has finally talked sense into them.

The beer at the park costs too much. There is something I could vent about.

Ok…..you get to vent…

Not that Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman make a bad double play combo to anchor your infield, but didn’t the A’s go into the off-season with different goals than their current outcomes? What is the method behind the madness?

The A’s off-season shopping list started with the rotation, where the team was statistically among the worst in MLB last season. Terrible production at 2B and 3B was also noted and the team was without a closer following the Mason Miller trade.

So what has the off-season brought so far? Need a SP? Well…….the most we can say about that is “Hey, pitchers and catchers haven’t reported yet…” Need a closer? The bullpen additions have been Mark Leiter Jr., a solid under the radar set up man and now Scott Barlow, he of the many walks, many strikeouts, and ERA consistently around 4.00. 3B and 2B? Meet Jeff McNeil and … Andy Ibañez, more of a utility infielder pick up than anything.

So as it stands, we hit February 7th with the rotation still looking like Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales, and perhaps Jack Perkins backed by several talented but unproven youngsters. The bullpen has gotten deeper but not demonstrably more dominant in any way. 3B still appears to belong to Max Muncy backed by Brett Harris now backed by Andy Ibañez with Darell Hernaiz potentially in the mix.

In other words, other than at 2B not all that different from how we left off in 2025. Now the good news is that the A’s weren’t necessarily a “76-86 team” in 2025 even though that was their record. The roster which finished the season went 34-24 over the last 60 games, good for a .567 winning percentage also known as a 92 win pace. Just look around the inexplicable 1-20 stretch and you see a team that was 9 games over .500 for the year.

But still, some key upgrades were identified as needed and as Super Bowl Sunday approaches with Valentine’s Day not far behind, the moves are … guys like Ibañez and Barlow. Why?

Reason # The First One: Opportunity

The meme is proving to be a reality: luring pitchers to a AAA facility that proved to be a launching pad in 2025 is nigh impossible. Pitchers who have multiple options and desirability simply are going to be hard pressed to select Sacramento no matter how lovable our team is. Offers have undoubtedly been made, and rejected, by starting pitchers we would have been glad to see added.

Reason # The Second One: The Best Moves

The cliche is also a reality: sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. The A’s best avenue for bolstering the rotation probably comes from the trade market and you can be sure David Forst has had umpteen conversations around available pitchers.

The issue becomes what other teams want in return for a starting pitcher worthy of slotting into the middle of a rotation. These are highly valuable commodities in what has been an extreme seller’s market — nearly every team identified adding starting pitching as a priority this off-season.

What that means is that teams offering pitching are looking more for a Tyler Soderstrom in return than a Colby Thomas, more for a Gage Jump prospect than a Mason Barnett. The A’s may have wisely “stayed the course” by not making these key players and prospects available just to try to improve the rotation for 2026.

Reason # The Third One: It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over

My Aunt Bertha has yet to sing (and that’s always a good thing) and out of necessity to some degree, the A’s might be “waiting out the market” hoping a quality player will sign who wasn’t willing to before. Pitchers and catchers may be reporting next week, but pitchers like Chris Bassitt and Justin Verlander have nowhere to report to. With each passing day, the possibility that a pitcher who said “no” before now sees Sacramento as viable becomes greater. Many of the best SP have come off the market, of course, but several quality arms remain and you only need one.

We also don’t know to what extent the A’s are trying to load up for 2026 or whether their sights are more to 2027 or 2028 — in which case their prized SP addition could be Gage Jump or Jamie Arnold, their missing infield Leo De Vries, and so on.

I have felt strongly all along that one way or another, one day or the other, this off-season the A’s are going to add a starting pitcher. I still believe that and still have no idea from where this pitcher will come. But if you want them to report on time, you had better get them on your roster before all the Valentine’s Day candy is sold. It’s almost “show time”…

Former MLBer Terrance Gore has passed away.

Gore died during “what was supposed to have been a simple procedure,” according to a post on social media from his wife, Britney. 

He was 34 years old. 

“Our hearts are shattered, my babies are shattered,” she wrote. “Our whole family is lost. This was so unexpected.”

Gore spent eight seasons in the big leagues, making a name for himself as a baserunning specialist for the Royals during their AL pennant-winning seasons in 2014 and 2015. 

In those two playoff runs, Gore stole four bases in five attempts and scored two runs across 10 appearances, culminating in Kansas City’s 2015 World Series win. 

He played in only 112 games and came to the plate just 85 times during his career, but he made a major impact on the bases, stealing 43 bags out of 52 attempts while often coming into the game in late pinch-run situations. 

Gore was also excellent in the outfield with his blazing speed, posting +6 Outs Above Average in just 188 1/3 regular-season innings in the field.

Drafted by the Royals in the 20th round of the 2011 MLB draft and debuting in 2014, Gore spent the first five seasons of his career in Kansas City.

After coming off the bench for those mid-2010 Royals teams, Gore bounced around the big leagues with stints on the Cubs, Dodgers, Braves and Mets. 

He won two more World Series rings with Los Angeles in 2020 and Atlanta in 2021. 

In 2022, Gore stole three bags for the Amazin’s before retiring after the season. 

The sports world came out in droves after news of his passing broke. 

“We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones,” the Royals wrote in a statement on X.

“We join the Gore family and the world of baseball in mourning the passing of Terrance Gore,” the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, wrote on social media. “Known for his great speed but even more so for his kindness and joyful smile, Terrance will be remembered as a tremendous teammate and a dedicated family man.”

On Thursday, the Yankees announced the group of 27 players who they are inviting to spring training as non-roster invitees. This cohort of NRIs consists of 13 position players and 14 pitchers, headlined by several of their top prospects in addition to some familiar veteran names. I’ll be taking a look at some of the more notable names on the position player side, while my colleague Nolan introduced you to the pitchers earlier today.

Catchers

Abrahan Gutierrez

The Yankees purchased the contract of Abrahan Gutierrez in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the Pirates. He is a right-handed hitting catcher who slashed .235/.316/.275 with one home run and six RBIs in 32 games between Low-A and Triple-A in 2025.

Payton Henry

Payton Henry signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees back in December after electing free agency from the Phillies’ system. The righty catcher was drafted by the Brewers in the sixth round in 2016 and was traded to the Marlins in 2021 for reliever John Curtiss. He made his MLB debut for Miami in 2021 and got 20 big league appearances between that season and the next, slashing .186/.314/.209 with no home runs, four RBIs, and a 58 wRC+ in 51 plate appearances.

Miguel Palma

The Yankees signed Miguel Palma to a minor-league contract in December after he missed much of the 2025 season to injury in the Astros’ system. He’s another right-handed hitting catcher who played 41 games between Rookie, Double-A, and Triple-A last season, slashing .155/.264/.264 with two home runs, 12 RBIs, and a 51 wRC+ in 148 plate appearances.

Ali Sánchez

Ali Sánchez is the fourth righty catcher the Yankees are inviting to camp, signed as a minor-league free agent after getting DFA’d and released by the Red Sox. The 29-year-old was signed as an international free agent by the Mets in 2013 and has since played for the Cardinals, Marlins, Blue Jays, and Red Sox. In 50 big league appearances across the last six seasons, he has slashed .183/.220/.233 with no home runs, four RBIs, a 24 wRC+, and -0.3 fWAR in 133 plate appearances. Presumably, he would be the emergency third catcher option if any of Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra, or Ben Rice get hurt in camp.

Infielders

Jonathan Ornelas

Jonathan Ornelas joined the Yankees last November on a minor league pact after getting DFA’d and electing free agency from the Braves. He was the Rangers’ third-round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, and he earned the organization’s 2022 minor league Defender of the Year honors. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and received an 18-game runout in 2024 as an injury replacement for Corey Seager before getting traded to the Braves the following year for cash considerations. In 32 games at the big league level, the righty-hitting shortstop and third baseman slashed .208/.263/.245 with no home runs, three RBIs, a 47 wRC+, and -0.2 fWAR in 58 plate appearances.

George Lombard Jr.

George Lombard Jr. was the Yankees’ first-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft and is their top-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline at No. 32 overall. The son of former major-league outfielder George Lombard, the 20-year-old shortstop played 132 games between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2025, slashing .235/.367/.381 with 32 doubles, 9 homers, 35 stolen bases, a 15-percent walk rate, 25.2-percent strikeout rate, and a 127 wRC+. He struggled initially at the plate upon his promotion and is unlikely to be called up to the majors in 2026 according to Brian Cashman, though the GM said in the same sentence that his defense was big-league ready. This is his second spring as an NRI after impressing last spring with a pair of home runs in 28 plate appearances.

Paul DeJong

Paul DeJong is a former All-Star shortstop with the Cardinals who is now with his seventh organization. He signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees on January 4th after missing half of the 2025 campaign with a fractured nose and cheekbone, sustained upon getting hit in the face with a 93-mph fastball. He spent the first seven seasons of his career in St. Louis, leading all NL shortstops with 25 home runs in 2017 en route to finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting behind Cody Bellinger, and slugged a further 30 in his lone All-Star season in 2019.

However, injuries sapped DeJong’s effectiveness not long after signing a six-year, $26 million extension with St. Louis, and he was subsequently traded to the Blue Jays and picked up off waivers by the Giants before signing a one-year deal with the White Sox, getting traded to the Royals, and finally signing a one-year deal with the Nationals. In 57 games for Washington last year, DeJong slashed .228/.269/.373 with six home runs, a 76 wRC+, and 0.2 fWAR. He seems to profile as infielder injury insurance should someone join Anthony Volpe on the IL to begin 2026.

Zack Short

Zack Short signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees in December after bouncing around the Tigers, Mets, Red Sox, Braves, and Astros. The 30-year-old infielder is primarily a shortstop, though he has logged a fair number of innings at second and third. In 243 big league games, Short has batted .172/.271/.296 with 15 home runs, a 59 wRC+, and -1.5 fWAR. Just to shoot from the hip, he’s probably more likely than DeJong to accept a Triple-A depth role.

Outfielders

Kenedy Corona

Kenedy Corona signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees last December after clearing waivers and electing free agency from the Astros. The 25-year-old righty outfielder signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2019 and was traded to the Astros for Jake Marisnick at the end of that season. He has just four big league plate appearances to his name, going hitless but drawing a pair of walks for Houston in 2025.

Duke Ellis

Duke Ellis was a surprising late addition to the Yankees’ 2024 ALDS roster despite having made just 11 big league appearances in his career. His speed has always been a threat in the minor leagues, with the 28-year-old outfielder having swiped 180 bags across the lower levels. He’s undoubtedly ticketed for a “Triple-A outfield depth” role (just like last year) unless something weird happens.

Utility

Ernesto Martínez Jr.

Ernesto Martínez Jr. signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees last December after electing free agency from the Brewers’ organization. The 26-year-old lefty is primarily a first baseman and played the entirety of the 2025 season at Triple-A, where he slashed .255/.357/.388 with six home runs and a 104 wRC+ across 80 games and 311 plate appearances. He offers perhaps the most intrigue of the Yankees’ recent minor-league signings to earn a spring training invite given the improvements he has made with drawing walks and limiting strikeouts to go along with the power upside he has flashed over the last three minor league seasons.

Seth Brown

Seth Brown was drafted by the Athletics in the 19th round in 2015, debuted in 2019, and spent the first seven seasons of his career in their organization. His best performances came in 2021 and 2022, when the lefty bat slugged at least 20 home runs and posted above-average production by wRC+ in both seasons, playing 150 games in 2022 with roughly equal reps at first base and in the outfield.

Brown has always graded out poorly as a defender though and is likely a primary DH at this point in his career. He lost his job as a starter in 2025 with the youth movement in Sacramento, and appeared in just 38 games, slashing .185/.303/.262 with one home run, three RBIs, a 64 wRC+. and -0.4 fWAR. If he can get back to some respectability with the bat, he could help, but it will have to be at Triple-A. Brown may take a ticket to Scranton, however, as he did get 161 PA at the level last year, accepting assignments there from the A’s and later the Diamondbacks.

Marco Luciano

Marco Luciano was long one of the prospect darlings in the Giants’ organization after they signed him to a $2.6 million signing bonus as one of the top international prospects in 2018. He was selected to play in the 2021 All-Star Futures Game and was the youngest player in the league as a participant in the 2021 Arizona Fall League. He ascended to become the Giants’ top overall prospect in 2022 and was added to their 40-man roster at the end of the season for Rule 5 protection.

However, Luciano’s development has stalled out after suffering a back stress fracture in the 2022-23 Dominican Winter League. Strikeouts and poor contact rates have always been a major issue at Triple-A and above, with strikeout and whiff rates hovering well above 30 percent between both levels since the start of 2023. He has bounced around quite a bit this winter, getting claimed off waivers and subsequently DFA’d by the Pirates, claimed and DFA’d by the Orioles, and finally claimed and DFA’d by the Yankees, passing through waivers and outrighted to Triple-A. New York will be hoping they can help him reclaim some semblance of that former top prospect pedigree.

Terrance Gore was known as one of the fastest men in baseball. He played in 14 games for the Cubs in 2018, mostly as a pinch-runner, and also appeared in the Wild Card Game that year against the Rockies. He was still in MLB as recently as 2022, with the Mets.

Today, I have sad news to pass along about Gore (Bluesky link):

Here is more from Gore’s wife (Bluesky link).

Here is a steal of second Gore made against the Nationals Sept. 6, 2018 [VIDEO].

In that clip, you can see just how fast Gore was, including some Statcast numbers.

It’s sad when anyone passes away, but age 34 is way, way too young. From all accounts Gore was one of the nicest, kindest people in the game. Sincere condolences to his family, friends, teammates and colleagues in baseball, and fans who enjoyed watching Terrance Gore play.

In our last matchup, we had yet another blowout (not surprising really considering how bad the lower seeds were), with Jose Contreras easily overcoming Ronny Cedeño.

Here’s our next matchup:

4. Jeff Hoffman, 2023

Jeff Hoffman came up with the Rockies in 2016, and as most Colorado pitchers do, he struggled. After a couple of decent seasons in Cincinnati, Hoffman was a free agent and spent 2023 Spring Training with the Blue Jays. They chose not to include him on their Opening Day major league roster, so he returned to free agency. The Phillies signed him to a minor league deal, and he was famously used to pitch to a rehabbing Bryce Harper.

Harper said that Hoffman was really good, so the Phillies added him to the major league roster, and he soon developed into a top setup reliever, making the All-Star team in 2024.

13. Chad Qualls, 2012

Chad Qualls had a lengthy career as an effective reliever. After a solid year with the Padres in 2011, signed him to bolster their middle relief for 2012. (Keep in mind, that the Phillies had gotten used to getting at least seven strong innings from their starting pitchers the year prior, and middle relief wasn’t thought to be an especially demanding job.)

Just like the rest of the 2012 Phillies, Qualls was a major disappointment. He was used as one of their primary setup men to start the season but largely faltered in that role. At the end of June, he had a 4.60 ERA and five blown saves, so the Phillies shipped him off to the Yankees. He was also bad in New York, so the Yankees traded him to the Pirates less than a month later.

Today in Relief Room history 2012 the #Phillies send Chad Qualls to the NYY as part of a conditional deal. 30 days later the Yanks did him dirty & sent him to PIT. The surprising part is that he didn't fall down when he played for either of those teams. #Upsetpic.twitter.com/5A8kjGYUjc

— TheReliefRoom (@TheReliefRoom) July 1, 2022

Annoyingly, Qualls would rebound to have a good season for the Marlins in 2013.

Who should advance? Vote now!

Terrance Gore, one of the last major leaguers to make an impact solely with the most exciting of the game’s tools – breathtaking speed – died Friday, Feb. 6, the Kansas City Royals announced.

Gore was 34 and, according to a social media post from his wife Britney, died following complications during a routine surgery. Gore is survived by his wife and three children

A revered teammate and dynamic personality, Gore’s tremendous speed kept him in the major leagues for parts of eight seasons and produced one of the most remarkable feats to which a player could lay claim: He was a 2015 World Series champion with the Royals in his second season in the bigs, but had not yet recorded his first major league hit.

We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/qgZFkHRFSx

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 7, 2026

In fact, it wasn’t until his fifth major league season – 2018 with the Chicago Cubs – that he got his first hit, a single up the middle off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer.

Yet his legs held immense value.

Gore was clocked at 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and the lower-revenue Royals, always seeking an edge, deployed him as a designated runner during their two-year run as American League champions that culminated in their 2015 title.

He was nearly impossible to catch: Gore was 17-for-17 in stolen bases to begin his career (though he was caught once in the postseason), finally getting nabbed by Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez in 2016.

By then, though, he was a cult hero in Kansas City, on a Royals team that in a powerball era somehow conjured up memories of its 1980s speed and defense dynasty. Led by All-Star Lorenzo Cain and buttressed by Jarrod Dyson and Gore, Kansas City found a way to topple bigger-market clubs and win its first championship in 30 years.

It was Dyson who famously coined the phrase “That’s what speed do,” yet even Dyson could not keep up with Gore, who stole a base and scored a walk-off run in his major league debut.

"I wouldn’t say I’m cocky," he told the Kansas City Star in 2014, "but I know I’m really fast.

"And it’s going to take a perfect throw."

Gore grew into a more fully-formed player in his second tour with the Royals, batting .275 with 14 hits in 58 at-bats in 2019, and swiping 13 bases in 18 attempts.

He’d latch on with the Dodgers, Braves and Mets in subsequent years, and got one more shot at postseason glory, appearing in the 2021 NLDS for Atlanta. Yet he showed how big his heart was once the Braves went on to win that World Series.

As the Braves celebrated closing out the Houston Astros in Game 6 of that Fall Classic, Gore made sure to pull out his phone and shoot a video call to pitcher Charlie Morton, who broke his foot in Game 1 and was home recuperating from surgery.

Terrance Gore = the ultimate teammate. The 3-time World Series champ video chatted Charlie Morton after the final out so he could celebrate with the @Braves.

You love to see it ♥️ pic.twitter.com/oErdOSHNck

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 7, 2021

Simply, he wanted Charlie to be part of the celebration. And somehow, wherever Gore went, a celebration – no matter how unlikely – of some sort was likely to follow.

Gore retired without a major league home run - or even a run batted in - yet managed to impact the game forever.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Terrance Gore death: Former Royals speedster dies at age 34

Looking back at the 2015 season, you can’t help but think of what was probably the greatest Cy Young battle in the modern era, as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Jake Arrieta delivered a memorable three-way race, with the award going to the Cubs’ ace. Greinke and Kershaw were the heart and soul of that Dodgers pitching staff, with Greinke making a run at the scoreless innings record still held by Orel Hershiser and Kershaw putting up his only 300-strikeout campaign, the first one baseball had seen since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling both did it in 2002.

Across their tenure as a one-two punch at the top of the Dodgers’ rotation, Kershaw and Greinke had probably their worst supporting cast that year, with them combining to accumulate 16.1 of the 18.1 bWAR the Dodgers staff had as a whole. Those two and the Dodgers’ staff as a whole met their match in an exciting five-game NLDS against the young and exciting Mets, but in Game 4, Kershaw reminded everyone who was the best in the business.

The upside of having two so dominant arms, particularly in the NLDS, was that if you showed the willingness to pitch one of them on short rest, you could have the two covering four out of the five starts of the series — that’s exactly what the Dodgers did. Finding themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing the series 2-1 and on the road, the Dodgers sent out Kershaw to start Game 4 in Queens, hoping to stay alive to give Greinke the ball back home.

A notorious Met killer in his career, Kershaw had fond memories of his last visit to New York, previously throwing a complete-game shutout against the Mets in 2015—part of an incredible run of form that saw him throw four straight scoreless appearances of eight innings or more. On the flip side, he had just been outdueled by Jacob deGrom in game 1 of this series, putting the Dodgers in this position of a must-win game just to stay alive. Kershaw’s Game 1 line was solid, as the sole blemish on his record through six frames had been a solo shot to Daniel Murphy. After a walk to Curtis Granderson loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, his third walk of that frame, Pedro Báez replaced him only to give up a couple of runs in what turned out to be a 3-1 loss with deGrom dominating on the other side of it.

While the individual numbers and the subsequent loss were disappointing, Kershaw did pitch well that night, including securing 11 strikeouts, and with a little more efficiency, he’d be able to limit a Mets offense riding on the backs of a Daniel Murphy’s hot stretch that did go down in Mets history. More importantly, he faced Steven Matz in Game 4 and not deGrom, who alongside Kershaw became the first duo of starters to both strike out 11 or more batters in a postseason game.

If we can point to Báez, perhaps letting Kershaw down by allowing those two pivotal insurance runs to score in Game 1, for as dominant as Kershaw was on short rest in Game 4, the outlook might’ve been completely different if not for Justin Turner. The Dodgers’ starting third baseman not only got one of the biggest hits of the game in a 3-1 win, with a double that drove in two, but the final out came on a terrific defensive play from him. Wilmer Flores was up with one on and two out in the seventh, and grounded one to third base that was headed down the line if not for a terrific diving stop from Turner.

The storylines are written, and then the narrative gets put in to fit whatever happens. This opportunity for the Mets came about in large part because Kershaw mishandled what would’ve inevitably been a tough play to throw out Cespedes on a squibbler towards third. Had the Mets seized this chance, the idea that that play had rattled Kershaw would’ve been in everyone’s minds, true or otherwise, but it didn’t happen. Kershaw got Travis d’Arnaud and Lucas Duda before Turner helped him out with Flores, as we saw above.

Much like in Game 1, Murphy was the biggest problem for Kershaw, as the Mets’ second baseman, previously not known for his power output, was that October hitting like Chase Utley in the 2009 World Series. The Mets’ only run off Kershaw came on a Murphy solo blast in the fourth, turning on a high-heater that caught too much of the plate.

Murphy alone couldn’t beat Kershaw, who managed to keep Yoenis Cespedes and other dangerous Mets hitters quiet throughout the evening.

Already then, dealing with questions about his postseason performances, coming into that game having lost his last five postseason starts, four of them against the Cardinals, Kershaw completed seven magnificent frames on three days of rest, a little shy of 100 pitches. History doesn’t remember that performance too much because the Dodgers went on to lose Game 5 at home in a brutal fashion, but that doesn’t erase what was done—even back then, performances of that caliber on short rest had long stopped being a regular occurrence, further enhancing the magnitude of this accomplishment.

In fact, Kershaw’s ability and confidence to start on short rest played a role in the decision to have him start Game 1 over Zack Greinke, as the possibility of a short-rest start was acknowledged right from the get-go. One could argue that Kershaw would’ve started Game 1 regardless, as both he and Greinke put up massive seasons; that differentiator between the two certainly helped make the decision easier.