"Humbly thankful that they thought that much of me to retire my number," he said before his ceremony five years ago. "I know I’m joining a great crew that's already had their numbers retired. I don't know that I deserve it, but I guess we're gonna get on with it."
Koosman's MLB career featured the Mets (1967-78), Minnesota Twins (1978-81), Chicago White Sox (1981-83) and Philadelphia Phillies (1983-84).
He was a two-time All-Star (1968-69) and key member of the Mets' 1969 World Series team alongside ace Tom Seaver .
"Jerry was so underrated because Seaver was there, too," Duffy Dyer, the former Mets catcher and Koosman's teammate from 1968-71, told SNY's Anthony McCarron in August 2021.
"His fastball had really good movement and he threw hard. I always thought he was tougher to catch because you didn't know how his fastball was going to move each time -- cut, sink or rise. It was such a great pitch."
"Seaver's wingman, Koosman -- whose No. 36 was retired in 2021 -- was a force in his own right during the 12 years he spent with the Mets from 1967 to 1978 -- posting a 3.09 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in over 2,500 innings," SNY's Danny Abriano wrote March 20.
"His most dominant stretch came from 1968 to 1971, and included tossing a complete game in Game 5 of the 1969 World Series as the Mets won their first title."
Koosman was born Dec. 23, 1942, in Appleton, Minn. He made his MLB debut April 14, 1967, with the Mets and last appeared in the bigs as a member of the Phillies Aug. 21, 1985.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 15: José Caballero #72 reacts as Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees dumps water on him to celebrate Caballero's walk off two-run hit in the ninth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We can all easily remember a bunch of big plays from the 2026 season that came at crucial moments, and either helped the Yankees win or cost them in a loss. However, there is another way to look back at some of those moments beyond just racking the brain to recall them.
Win Probability Added is a statistic that measures how every play in a game changes the statistical likelihood of a team winning. As we continue through our end-of-season obituaries on this most recent campaign, I wanted to see how our memories of the biggest plays match up with what WPA says were the most impactful ones. Here are two lists—one of the best plays and one of the worst—of the biggest WPA changes from the 2026 Yankees’ season.
Rosario ended up having a disappointing season considering all he was re-signed to do was be a platoon bat. However at the start of the year, it seemed like he could be that and more, and this was a major reason why. Having already homered on the day, Rosario stepped to the plate in the eighth with the Yankees down 3-2. Facing former Yankee Mark Leiter Jr., Rosario took a pitch into the second deck in left field, despite facing a pitcher opposite-handed from the ones he was supposed to crush.
For reasons I can’t entirely pinpoint, this ended up being the biggest play of the regular season according to Championship Win Probability Added, as it increased the Yankees’ World Series odds by 0.44 percent. However, I definifely understand how it changed this one game so much. Trailing the Nationals in the top of the ninth, Chisholm stepped to the plate with a runner on and one out against another former Yankee (albeit briefly), Matt Krook. He crushed one down the right-field line, as it stayed fair to give the Yankees a lead somewhat out of nowhere. Austin Wells chipped in with another homer later in the inning, as the Bombers hung on after that.
Having taken a 3-0 lead early, the Yankees had managed just three baserunners from the third through eighth innings, losing the lead to the Angels in the process. With familiar punching bag Jordan Romano on the bump for the Halos, however, they had a fighting chance. Chisholm singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and Wells drew a walk. Both were then going when Caballero dropped a single into center field. The hit-and-run ended up being quite helpful. Chisholm probably would’ve scored anyway, but thanks to some nifty sliding, Wells managed to just beat the tag, flipping the score on one play and giving the Yankees a walk-off win.
As you might be able to tell from the rest of these lists, most of the big WPA swings come on events in the eighth, ninth, or extra innings. This one, however, cracked the list despite coming in the seventh. Ryan Weathers had been excellent on this day, keeping Baltimore off the board for six frames. He came back out for the seventh and got one out, but also gave up a single to Adley Rutschman and a walk to Tyler O’Neill. Aaron Boone then went to Brent Headrick. While the southpaw had a very good season, this happened on the third pitch he threw, eventually costing the Yankees the game.
Even good closers blow games on occasion. While he’s not at a Mariano Rivera level or anything, David Bednar has been very good for the Yankees in his 1.5 years in the Bronx. However, this was a day to forget. Holding a three-run lead, Bednar allowed two singles to the Mets in the bottom of the ninth, but then bounced back by getting the next two outs. At that point, Bednar just needed one thing not to happen, it’s just that said thing then did. The Yankees got the game to extras after that, but ended up losing in the 10th.
The biggest WPA swing in a game involving the Yankees was in fact one that went against them.
After a pitchers’ duel left the game 1-1 going into extra innings, the Yankees did the somewhat impossible and scored a run off Mason Miller in the top of the 10th. They had already used closer Bednar to get the game to extras to begin with and sent out the normally reliable Paul Blackburn for the bottom of the inning. Blackburn started the inning by winning a six-pitch battle over Xander Bogaerts. However, on the very next pitch he threw:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves walks from the bullpen before the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Steve Avery. Kris Medlen. Craig McMurtry. Brandon Beachy. Multiple generations of nascent Braves starting pitchers saw promising — and at times, dominating, big league careers — destroyed by injuries.
Is it too early to apply that same label to Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider? Maybe, but his 2026 added another season of validation to that narrative. Once one of the most electric arms in baseball, 2026 just further clouded Strider’s outlook and viability as a useful big league arm going forward.
How Acquired
The Braves drafted Strider in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Clemson University. After an amazing rookie season in which he started in the bullpen and helped the Braves overcome a slow start with four months of dominant starting pitching, the Braves signed him to a hefty $75 million, six-year extension that includes a club option for 2029.
What were the expectations?
After making his MLB debut the season after he was drafted, finishing second to teammate Michael Harris II in the 2022 National League Rookie of the Year vote, and then being selected as an All-Star and finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award in 2023, Strider missed most of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury.
After dealing with a hamstring issue, he returned to make 23 starts in 2025. That season was much more of a mixed bag despite Strider being healthy-ish enough to throw 125 1/3 innings: Strider put together a 106 ERA-, 111 FIP-, and 102 xFIP-, which are basically fourth starter numbers. More frustrating was that he had a dominant eight-start stretch from mid-June through late July where it looked like he had turned the proverbial corner and returned to his high standard of effectiveness (67/75/69), but then horribly regressed the rest of the way (130/131/123 over his last ten starts).
As a result, the expectations were variable, uncertain, and headache-inducing. The hope was that he’d go back to something resembling 2022-2023, or at least that eight-start summer stretch. The fear was that he’d look like the aggregate fourth starter he was in 2025, or worse. And, of course, the possibility of missing a bunch of time with another injury also loomed.
Preseason projections kind of split the difference in terms of a point estimate of average-y starter performance, but that was an average of a bunch of highly disparate and volatile outcomes.
2026 results
Strider was on pace to start the season in the team’s rotation, but an oblique issue landed him on the Injured List prior to the end of Spring Training. He was activated on May 3, but managed just a month and a half on the active roster before inflammation in his pitching elbow sent him to the shelf on June 13. Four days later, the Braves transferred him to the 60-day IL and the writing was pretty much on the wall, as Strider didn’t return.
This wasn’t a story of a promising return cut short by another injury. Rather, Strider largely struggled, with a 126 ERA-, 129 FIP-, and 104 xFIP-. Again, fourth starter numbers pitching-wise, with a finger pushing down on the scale given how homer-prone he ended up being across his eight starts and 39 innings.
By FIP, he had four good starts and four horrendous starts. By xFIP, he had three dominant starts, one meh outing, and really struggled to pitch well four times. Thanks to all the homers, he finished with just 0.1 fWAR.
What went right?
His strikeout rate went up a bit from 2025. A lot of people clamored for Strider to add more pitches to his arsenal; in 2026, he (perhaps, because he was forced to) threw his curve and changeup a combined 25 percent of the time, setting career highs in usage for both.
It’s hard to pick a highlight from his season. Perhaps it was his third of the year, where the Braves won 3-2 while Strider put up a 4/3 K/BB ratio in 5 1/3 innings — no Red Sox runs scored while he was in the game (though he was charged when an inherited runner scored). Perhaps it was his start against the Reds, where he flashed a great 8/2 K/BB ratio… though got BABIPed en route to getting saddled with a bunch of singleton runs (one in four of the five frames he pitched) and the Braves lost 6-4. Or, it was when he actually looked a bit like his old self with an 8/2 K/BB ratio in a six-inning scoreless effort in a blowout win over the Dodgers. Those were really the only highlights.
What went wrong?
Getting labelled as injury-prone isn’t something any player wants, but Strider’s past three seasons have been littered with arm, core and leg issues. In 2026, Strider saw his fastball velocity dip to basically 95 mph which was two ticks below his 2023 average. He struggled with walks and allowing home runs. He also failed to average five innings in his starts. His arm angle was three degrees below what he managed in 2023, though at least it was three degrees higher than in 2025. The pitching models rated his stuff as third- or fourth-starter quality. He struggled to miss bats, and to hit the zone. It was, in aggregate, kind of a mess.
Things all came to a head in his last start of the season, on June 12 against the Mets. He pitched three innings, gave up three homers, and the Braves were in a giant hole by the time he departed. It was more frustrating because after he gave up back-to-back homers to Bo Bichette and Juan Soto in the first, the Braves battled back to tie the game… only for Bichette to pop him for a grand slam in the next frame. It was an ignominious end to a poor season.
After Strider was lost for the season, the Braves attempted to make a Trade Deadline deal with the Texas Rangers for starting pitcher Jacob DeGrom, according to multiple reports. The prevailing rumor was that Strider would have been the package heading to Texas, or at least part of it. DeGrom voted the trade, thus Strider remained with the Braves. While we don’t know if the rumors are true or just reporters trying to connect nonexistent dots… to the extent they are, it suggests a substantial turnaround in how the Braves think about Strider, as well as Alex Anthopoulos’ prior stated commitment to not trading players that received long-term extensions. It’s a pretty disappointing state of affairs either way.
2027 outlook
As noted, Strider is inked through 2028 at $22 million per season, with a team option (also at $22 million) for 2029 (with a $5 million buyout). There are substantial questions about his future, both in terms of health and expected performance, that will be present whether the Braves have him in their 2027 plans, or decide to move on via a trade of some capacity.
A great as Strider was in 2022 and 2023, he’ll have started only 33 games across the last three seasons, with a disappointing 114/116/103 line in aggregate, whenever the 2027 regular season begins. Should he finally be able to pitch at the level he did earlier in his career, the Braves will have one less question about their rotation. But — and that is a but as massive as Strider’s quads — it is fair to question if his injury issues would allow him to be either durable or dominant, much less both.
There’s always the possibility he could transition to the bullpen, but given the financial commitment the team has in him and the starting rotation’s needs, that seems more like a last-gasp move versus an optimal one. It’s not like Strider has pitched so well recently that the issue is just leveraging his effectiveness in shorter stints, given that he hasn’t showcased much effectiveness.
Furthermore, given the team’s rumored willingness to include him in a trade, it is fair to wonder if Atlanta might try to use him and his salary in an attempt to improve elsewhere, given that Strider is only 28 years old and there is still the tantalizing potential that another organization might gamble on.
Unfortunately, this comparison of Strider and Medlen is one that seems more apt with each passing year.
Projections haven’t counted out Strider yet, given that 2026 was a relatively small sample. Still, he’s now slipping into below-average territory with a central estimate of being a shorter-stint starter over about 20 starts. Even that seems pretty optimistic given that he’s only managed 1.0 fWAR in his last 170 innings, but given how good he was, you can see how some deference is being paid to his earlier-career performance.
When I got this photo, it had the filename “1969wrigley.”
I knew with 100 percent certainty, even before beginning sleuthing, that this photo was not taken in 1969. How did I know that? Because the Astroturf tarp that covered up the empty center field bleachers and became a hitters background was installed in 1967, not to be removed until Tribune Co. bought the Cubs in 1981.
Okay, definitely not 1969. Let’s narrow things down, then. Here’s a larger version of the photo (tap or click to enlarge further):
It’s almost certainly a Sunday because there are no “NITE GAME” indications on the board. Could be a Saturday, as most games in that era on Saturdays were day games, but occasionally there were a few Saturday night games in other cities, so I began with the assumption that it’s Sunday.
The clock shows just before 1:30, but the game has already started. My Wrigley game time history article shows you that weekend games didn’t start before 1:30 until 1965.
All right, now we’ve got it narrowed down to 1965 or 1966. It’s the bottom of the first inning. The visiting team has a hit, but didn’t score in the top of the inning. There’s no one on base and nobody out, so the leadoff hitter is batting. That has to be Don Landrum (1965) or Adolfo Phillips (1966). I couldn’t quite read all of the board matchups, except that it was clear that the White Sox were in New York. So I sent the photo to Mike Bojanowski. Here’s what he sent me back:
Sox are definitely playing in NY, first inning complete, Yankees did score in the first. I think the Cubs’ opposition is the Braves. The Mets are in LA; St.Louis, KC, Detroit, Cleveland, are all at home, looks like Boston is at Washington, Baltimore at KC, Pittsburgh is a road team.
That narrowed it down. There was only one game that matched all of those in this time frame. It happened Sunday, May 29, 1966. The Cubs were hosting the Braves. Felipe Alou singled for Atlanta in the top of the first, the one hit shown on the board.
Adolfo Phillips is the batter for the Cubs. He has clearly just made a hit to left field; the baseball-reference play-by-play indicates that he doubled. So that’s what we’re looking at here. Phillips took third on a throwing error by Braves left fielder Rico Carty (who would play for the Cubs briefly in 1973). He scored on a ground out by Glenn Beckert. Phillips also scored in the seventh for the Cubs after being hit by a pitch, stealing second and going to third on a wild pitch. Another Beckert ground out made it 2-0.
Fergie Jenkins started this game for the Cubs. He had been acquired (along with Phillips) in that big trade with the Phillies just a few weeks earlier. Of note: This game was Jenkins’ first start as a Cub at Wrigley Field (he’d started against the Braves in Atlanta eight days earlier for his first start with the team). Atlanta scored its first run in the top of the eighth when Mack Jones stole home, and tied the game in the ninth on an inside-the-park home run by Eddie Mathews. Mathews had hit a ball down the line in right field, but Billy Williams, playing right that day, had thought it hit the wall on the fly and was foul. But first-base umpire Bob Engel called it fair, and by the time Billy caught up with it, Mathews had circled the bases.
The game went to extras and Ron Santo led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk-off home run — the second day in a row he’d done that. The Cubs won 3-2. The win improved the team’s record to… 12-27. They were, as you know, pretty bad that year (59-103).
So this was a game filled with interesting happenings. Just another little slice of Cubs history from 60 years ago.
1996: Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos pitches during a 1996 season game. Pedro Martinez played for the Montreal Expos from 1994-1997. (Photo by Jeff Carlick/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The biggest story of this offseason is the impending lockout. In exactly one month, the MLB collective bargaining agreement will expire and no deal between the owners and players is in sight. That means we are likely to get a work stoppage. The only question is how long will it last and how many games will be lost.
Major League Baseball has a long history of CBA disputes, and there was actually a World Series cancelled because of one. That was back in 1994, and that is exactly what we will talk about today. The 1994 work stoppage is a big reason why the Washington Nationals even exist in their current form.
All of baseball was hurt by the 1994 stoppage, but no team suffered more than the Expos. At the time of the August 11th stoppage, the Expos had the best record in baseball at 74-40. This was the Expos best shot at winning a championship in franchise history, and 1994 had been the year the team was building towards. Here is a great thread on the story of that 1994 season.
In 1994, it seemed that the stars were aligning for the Montreal Expos. They had the best record in baseball, and a World Series title was a real possibility. Then…it all ended with a players' strike. This is the story of the Expos 1994 season.
— Craig Baird – Canadian History Ehx (@CraigBaird) August 12, 2025
The roster was absolutely stacked with young talent. That team featured the likes of Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Marquis Grissom, Moises Alou and John Wetteland, who were all 27 years old or younger. As a smaller market club, they would not be able to hold on to all these players forever, but the mid-1990’s was setting up to be the golden age of Expos baseball.
However, the lockout killed all of Montreal’s momentum. There were no playoffs that season, which played a role in the Expos having a bit of a firesale. Larry Walker left as a free agent, while Grissom, Wetteland and key starting pitcher Ken Hill were all traded. In 1995, the Expos went 66-78, and the franchise never recovered. They never made the playoffs before moving to DC following the 2004 season.
It is a sad story, but it is also a big reason why the Nationals exist today. I am sure a team would have come to DC at some point, but who knows what that would have looked like if the Expos won the 1994 World Series. When you talk to players on that team, they are convinced they would have gotten over the top. This topic was discussed in the Who Killed the Montreal Expos documentary that came out on Netflix.
“They had the best chance of winning the World Series (in 1994).”
As we enter a work stoppage, that 1994 strike is a cautionary tale. The players and owners were actually fighting over a salary cap, just like they are going to do now. In that negotiation, neither side budged for months and it cost baseball dearly. At the end of the day, we did not get that salary cap. Hopefully this lockout can be worked through much quicker.
Baseball is in a much better spot than it was about 5 years ago. Rob Manfred is far from a perfect commissioner, but most of the rule changes he has implemented are working very well. The pitch clock was truly revolutionary in my opinion. It would be a huge blow to see all that progress wiped out due to a lockout.
Make no mistake, if the 2027 season is shortened in a serious way, or god forbid it is wiped out, the sport would suffer massively. It would hurt the smaller market teams the most as well. We saw that with the Expos in 1994.
Just over 10 years after their magical season was prematurely cut short, the franchise was playing its last ever games. Of course, this worked out very well for DC sports fans because it led to the Nats. However, there is still an element of tragedy involved as well.
Sept. 29, 2004: MLB team owners officially voted to move the #expos to Washington. The move sent shock waves throughout the baseball world. 31,000+ showed up for the last home game, about 20,000 on short notice. Tears flowed before, during and after the game. pic.twitter.com/37hS15iR4j
If there is a long term lockout, there are definitely franchises who could go down a similar death spiral. As we enter another CBA feud, the owners and players need to look at the history and see how painful this can be.
Even though the franchise did not exist in its current form, the 1994 work stoppage is a defining moment in Nationals history. It set the stage for the Expos moving to DC and becoming the Washington Nationals. At 11:59 PM on December 1st, the MLB CBA expires. This will be the story of the offseason, and as the years go by, we will see what the long term consequences of this clash will be.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 19: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians looks on during Game Six of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hey, there isn’t really any baseball news going on right now but Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz start their trial tomorrow, so that’s fun.
Make sure to check out Matt Seese’s article and Jakhob Clady’s article and Jake Brahney’s article from yesterday..
Kelly Martin (right) of Fort Worth, Texas talks to her husband Steve Martin before Game 4 of the World Series at Rangers Ballpark on Sunday, October 31, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. It took Kelly Martin 9 hours to make the costume of a World Series ticket the day before. (Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Isaiah Drake #4 of the Glendale Desert Dogs bats during the game between the Scorpions and the Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Steve Chadwick/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Saturday was a memorable Halloween for one Atlanta Braves prospect, as Isaiah Drake had a monster game at the plate. In addition to hitting his first AFL home run, Drake went a perfect three for three and drew a walk as he continues to have a good week. Drake was one of five Braves prospects to contribute to Glendales 9-8 victory.
Glendale Desert Dogs 9, Peoria Javelinas 8
Tate Southisene, DH: 1-4, BB, 2 R, .851 OPS
Owen Carey, RF: 0-4, .853 OPS
Isaiah Drake, LF: 3-3, HR, BB, R, 2 RBI, .815 OPS
Tyler LaPorte, RP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1.13 ERA
Logan Samuels, RP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2.70 ERA
Isaiah Drake reached base in all four of his plate appearances, collecting three hits including his first Arizona Fall League home run, and a walk as he batted in two runs. Drake’s home run went 403 feet with a 102.4 MPH exit velocity.
Tate Southisene came to the plate five times as the DH, and his results were also strong. Southisene was credited as going one for four with a walk and scored twice, but he had three of his four at bats result in exit velocities of 93+ MPH along with one soft ground out.
Owen Carey got the start in right field and was hitless in four at bats, with just one of his at bats producing an exit velocity above 90 MPH.
Tyler LaPorte and Logan Samuels also appeared in the game. LaPorte went an inning and two thirds of scoreless ball, allowing no base runners and striking out one. Samuels pitched an inning, allowing a hit and recording one strikeout as he picked up the win for the second time in AFL play.
Jarold Rosado’s second run at mastering Double-A ended the same as his first, with a demotion back to High-A. | (Photo by Emma Bair/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Welcome to another year of our prospect profiles!
We have been publishing a Top 100 for EIGHT years now, and you may ask yourself: Why 100? Seems excessive.
Sure, it is. Only a portion of the players we’ve profiled over the years have made it to The Show, much less made a major impact there. But a much bigger number have seen Triple-A, the doorstep of the majors. And still more have contributed at Double-A. And given that we’ve seen the White Sox promote players directly from Double-A, once a player makes it to the high minors with the Barons, they are a player to watch, and 100 profiles starts to look more like a minimum than a luxury.
This is another way South Side Sox tries to provide you the most comprehensive reports on the White Sox minor league system. And if these turn about to be some of the only shine a player ever gets as a professional, so be it. It’s well deserved.
The White Sox currently roster (per each team’s web roster, not always accurate to be sure!) 25 players in Triple-A, 28 in Double-A, 39 in High-A, 32 in Low-A, 44 in the ACL and 33 in the DSL, for a total of 201 — including all 20 signed draft picks and UDFAs from this past summer. That means we are diving pretty deep into half of the White Sox system.
Our Top 100 will time itself to wrap up just as the White Sox report to Camelback Ranch in February, so feel free to take the full ride through the White Sox system with us!
Jarold Rosado Right-Handed Relief Pitcher 6´4´´ 215 pounds Age: 24 2025 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking45 2026 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking80 2026 High Level Birmingham (AA) Age relative to high level -1.4 years SSS rank among all right-handed relievers in the system 19 Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AA) 4-4 ⚾️ 39 games (6 finishes) ⚾️ 43 1⁄3 IP ⚾️ 6.85 ERA ⚾️ 1.962 WHIP ⚾️ 48 K ⚾️ 36 BB ⚾️ -0.4 WAR
Jarold Rosado was acquired by the White Sox in July 2024 as the return from Kansas City for shortstop Paul DeJong. After signing with the Royals in February 2020 and pitching in the DSL in 2021, Rosado missed the entire 2022 season due to injury. Upon his return in 2023, the righty really struggled, walking 23 batters in 26 innings and pitching to a 10.38 ERA (5.73 FIP).
However, things really clicked for Rosado in 2024. Before the trade, Rosado was with Low-A Columbia, where he pitched to a 1.85 ERA (2.53 FIP) with four saves. He struck out 45 in 39 innings while dropping his walk rate from 16.7% in 2023 to 7.2% in 2024.
This night-and-day difference piqued the interest of the Sox, looking for lottery tickets. After he was acquired, Rosado was assigned to High-A Winston-Salem, picking up where he left off through the first half of the season; he even increased his strikeout rate to 35.4% with the promotion.
Rosado finished his 2024 season as a whole with a 2.11 ERA (2.51 FIP) with 68 K and 15 BB over 55 1⁄3 innings, and he was looking like an absolute steal.
The White Sox used Rosado’s success in High-A at a young age as an excuse to be aggressive with his assignment out of camp in 2025, promoting him to Double-A Birmingham. That turned out to be a promotion too far, as the righty was walloped over 14 games (a 6.61 ERA and 1.898 WHIP, with more walks than Ks) and demoted back to the Dash in July.
Rosado recovered back in Winston-Salem (2.25 ERA and a weak but reasonable K/BB) but then spit the bit to finish his season, with 13 BBs to seven Ks in the Arizona Fall League.
The righthander basically followed his 2025 footprints in 2026, starting in Birmingham and getting mauled (8.49 ERA, 2.229 WHIP, failing to either miss bats or hit the plate), then being demoted back to High-A in August to finish out the season. Rosado’s consolation prize with the Dash was another strong finish to the season, this time including a contribution of a scoreless inning in postseason opener of Winston-Salem’s title run. In fact, over 8 ⅓ innings including the postseason, Rosado didn’t allow a run and gave up just two hits and seven walks against 11 Ks.
While his 2024 dominance is getting more distance in the rear-view mirror, Rosado was still even (fractionally) young for High-A, much less Double-A. His persistent control issues are a grave concern, however, and he has now hit a high-minors “ceiling” in two straight seasons.
There’s a slight chance that rather than just dumping Rosado in Double-A to begin 2027, they work a little psychology and give him some runway in April at High-A, then move him up. But there’s no doubt that the righty will be getting his third and likely final shot to master Double-A this coming summer.
Full 2027 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox ProspectsStorystream
The victory celebration for the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers lasted yet another day as the Commissioner's Trophy made its way onto the stage at NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
Still basking in their five-game victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on the field and their raucous parade on Friday, Oct. 30, through the streets of Milwaukee, Brewers manager Pat Murphy, along with second baseman Brice Turang and designated hitter Christian Yelich, made a cameo appearance with "Weekend Update" host Colin Jost and Bobby Moynihan's "drunk uncle" character.
"Hey, we have something in common, Drunk Uncle," Turang told Mounihan. "We've also been drinking since Wednesday."
Murphy chimed in, "I'm the manager. And that's kinda like being the drunk uncle of the team."
As the segment closed, Moynihan, who spent nine seasons on SNL from 2009 to 2017, made a passing reference to Yelich somewhat resembling another former SNL cast member, Pete Davidson. Which ... OK, perhaps.
The Brewers set a franchise record with 103 wins during the regular season, then went 11-2 during the playoffs to secure the first World Series title in franchise history.
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The fourth week of the Arizona Fall League resulted in the Peoria Javelinas winning four out of their five games and taking over first place in the league. The games on Friday were rained out in Arizona and not rescheduled.
The Javelinas sit with a 13-8 record overall and are a half game ahead of the Surprise Saguaros. The offense has racked up a +41 run differential so far.
The Padres playing for the Javelinas:
Alex McCoy
The 6-6 outfielder leads the league with five home runs and has 16 RBI in 14 games. His batting line is .275/.377/.647 and gives him a 1.024 OPS. His power has never been a question, while his ability to make good contact has been the reason he has not moved up the prospect ranks. His power ranks out as a 70, but his hit tool sits at 30 (Fangraphs).
In 57 plate appearances with the Javelinas, McCoy has 20 strikeouts. He carried a 26.2% K rate for the 2026 season between Single-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio.
After having missed much of the 2025 season with injury, it isn’t surprising McCoy is getting extra work in the AFL but improving his contact ability while decreasing his swing and miss could significantly elevate him as a prospect.
Justin DeCriscio
The 23-year-old infielder has played all over the dirt with the Javelinas as a Padres prospect. A talented shortstop, DeCriscio is being groomed as a utility player with good defense, especially on the left side.
The season began for DeCriscio with Lake Elsinore and he was promoted to Fort Wayne and then San Antonio as the season progressed.
Drafted in the 10th round of the 2025 draft, he played in 13 games for Lake Elsinore before the end of the season.
Starting with 28 games at Low-A in 2026, DeCriscio then played 73 games for Fort Wayne and finished the season with 20 games in Double-A.
Over the three levels, he totaled a .270/.358/.425 line, with 29 doubles, two triples, three home runs and finished with 59 RBI.
Ty Harvey
The catcher suffered multiple injuries in the 2026 season and missed significant time. At 20, Harvey should benefit from development in the AFL. When not catching, Harvey also serves as a DH. The Padres’ No. 4 prospect, Harvey should develop more power but has lacked extra-base hits with the Javelinas. He has two doubles and eight RBI in 10 games with a .229 average and a .622 OPS.
The Padres pitchers on the Javelinas:
RHP Kannon Kemp
The 22-year-old has started five games with a 6.23 ERA for Peoria. In 13 innings, he has eight walks and 14 strikeouts. He also missed time during the season and needed some makeup development work. He is the Padres No. 13 prospect.
RHP Winyer Chourio
Chourio, 22, has started four games for the Javelinas with a 3.86 ERA in 11.2 innings with nine walks and nine strikeouts. Chourio struggled with command at times during the regular season but had 122 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched. The Padres No. 15 prospect had a tick up on his velocity over this past season and is Rule 5 eligible after the 2027 season.
LHP Igor Gil
Gil, 25, finished the regular season with San Antonio but was limited to 52 innings over two levels due to injury. He has made six appearances for Peoria and 6.1 innings pitched. He has a 5.68 ERA with eight walks and eight strikeouts.
RHP Jordan Valenzuela
Valenzuela, 21, pitched in 35 games during the regular season with a 4.63 ERA. He totaled 44 walks and 70 strikeouts in 46.2 innings. With the Javelinas, Valenzuela has appeared in five games and 4.1 innings but things have not gone well. He has a 14.54 ERA with five walks and three strikeouts so far.
RHP Francis Peña
Peña, 25, had a disastrous 2025 season after excelling in 2024. In a bounce-back year, Peña is trying to re-establish himself as a dominant reliever in the Padres system. He finished the regular season with a 3.05 ERA in 59 innings with 36 walks and 71 strikeouts.
For Peoria, he has pitched in seven games and 8.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA. He has a save in one game and has eight strikeouts with two walks for his appearances.
Peña features an upper-90s fastball with a plus cutter and should be added to the major league roster if he can maintain good control.
Padres News:
Pitcher Garrett Hawkins did not pitch in the big leagues for the Padres in 2026 but he still received a grade from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball because he is a part of the 40-man roster.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 1975: Third-baseman Mike Schmidt #20 of the Philadelphia Phillies swings at a pitch during a game against the San Diego Padres in August of 1975 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by James Drake/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You’re waking up more refreshed today since the clocks have been turned back one hour.
Quick, go change your stove and microwave.
In that same vein, let’s think about some of the top eras of the team’s history. We’ve all pretty much lived through the (arguably) second best era in the team’s history, most of us vividly remember the 2008 World Series run and subsequent glory days while still others fondly think of the Mike Schmidt years that included their initial championship.
If you had to go back to certain era in the team’s history and re-live that era, which would it be?
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 05: Atlanta Braves radio announcers Joe Simpson (left) and Ben Ingram (right) during the championship parade for the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves on November 05, 2021, on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I’m not an old guy. Well, old enough to like radio. Always have. I love the convenience and choice that comes with the internet. But radio is accessible, free, and fine when you can’t or won’t devote your eyes to a screen. And then you see this from a former Marlins executive during most of their worst seasons.
@DavidPSamson says MLB no longer needs radio: "We don't need baseball on radio anymore." The former Marlins president predicts on Nothing Personal that "radio will go the way of Kodak and Blockbuster." @JohnMamola has more. #MLBhttps://t.co/QoDpYa5mEo
I’ll save you two clicks and show you a pulled quote:
The difference between TV and radio is disappearing before our very eyes. We don’t need baseball on radio anymore. The only reason we have baseball on radio is so people can feel better about what baseball means to them.
Baseball and radio goes together like peanut butter and jelly. It goes together like cookies and cream. You require to have baseball and radio because everybody hasn’t died yet who grew up listening to baseball on the radio. But guess what? That generation is going to die at some point. Then you will have people who are older, who they grew up on their device, listening through the internet, listening to the audio of the video.
First of all, take the name of Blockbuster out of your mouth. We need physical media right now more than ever. I’d give up 99% of what’s left of the mall and chain stores to have it back and some decent bookstores. Secondly, I’m not ancient and I still listen to the Braves on radio all the time. I probably do it at least once a week. I almost always listen to Braves games if they’re on if I’m in the car. Having the 680 The Fan app during this postseason was a lifesaver. Imagine having John Smoltz as your favorite player for 15 years and feeling that you would rather listen to a radio broadcast than him. But that’s where I am. If you were around when baseball was America’s favorite sport, John Smoltz on the TV call is who you want to hear. Third, it’s also very weird to ignore how baseball clearly covets the older generation’s attention and money. And lastly, if baseball can do without something, the Marlins are at the top of my list.
So you’re still listening to the Braves on the radio, right? Or at least the stream? I mean, this is clearly trolling or trying to traffic to something and I would typically ignore it for that reason. But with everything available on the internet now, you can’t be falling all over yourself to listening to his podcast.
AMARILLO, TX - APRIL 05: Mason Molina #18 of the Springfield Cardinals pitches during the game between the Springfield Cardinals and the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Hodgetown on Sunday, April 5, 2026 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by Elisa Chavez/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Happy November! I am writing this after overtaxing my daughter in the dad tax for Halloween so my fingers may be working faster than my brain. Before getting into baseball, it was such a cool experience to see my daughter teach her sister and friends how to Trick-or-Treat. To baseball!
Even when using the Dealin’ the Cards GM tool, I could not get myself to go all in on the upcoming offseason just because I do not like to predict unrealistic scenarios: See Tarik Skubal to STL. I believe the St. Louis winter activity will be slow, and would have been slow regardless of the impending lockout. The current lineup 7/9 complete and the rotation has plenty of options for innings. The most intrigue for me is how the starting pitching frames will be divvied up and for that reason, I want to use this Sunday spot to ask what the VEB community would do.
In most of my writing, I try to stay realistic to what the team would actually do in their offseason and current state, not what I would do in MLB The Show. This weekend, we talked to Bernie Miklasz (coming at your podcast feed tomorrow) and Jake asked me about my rotation preference for 2027. I am on the record for using the fifth spot as a revolving door for prospects last season, a year that was used to get answers on the future. This upcoming season, there are guys ready to prove themselves for sure, but the Cardinals set a 77-win baseline for me, so they could also invest in a veteran to anchor their rotation for a competitive stretch.
As you will hear me say on the VEB podcast, I do not have a preference in either direction for next year so I figured you could take the time to sound off in the comments instead of just a black and white poll. I will do my best to cover the basics of both options so those who feel strongly one way or another, share your case!
Option 1: Higher floor Dustin May with more team control
The Dustin May signing worked out exactly as both sides planned all along. May shows his health and value, a contender pays St. Louis, May wins a title. Bada bing bada boom. That strategy allowed the Cardinals to use the first few months of the minor league season to see if there was a rotation arm ready to take over and Hunter Dobbins pitched his way into that role. Now that May and Dobbins are both gone for now, there is a spot available for an established veteran to again slot in.
I am pretty out on bringing back May, not because he is not a good starter, but because I want the Cardinals to shoot higher if they go the free agent route. The likelihood of standing pat means we should expect another battle with .500 instead of the postseason, so going into the top tier for arms is an unlikely option. Again, trying to speak to what the Cardinals could actually do.
With Skubal out, I have thought of someone like Kris Bubic mostly because he is one of the few free agent arms under the age of 30. Patrick Sandoval has also been of interest, but I would also be a fan of the Cardinals again aiming higher. The free agent starter class has a pretty wide talent gap this offseason, so the mid-tier arms may end up going for more money than usual anyway, depending on CBA negotiations.
Since spending should increase, the Cardinals can afford to go to a two or three-year deal for a higher upside arm than May. Someone with more potential of sticking around if the timeline is accelerated, but will also maintain trade value if the team goes the wrong direction. In this option, a deadline trade would again open up a rotation spot for a second half tryout that could allow someone like Richard Fitts to get an extended look after returning to full health to start the year.
Option 2: Cycle through MLB-ready (or close to) arms and preserve innings
The other choice that I would have been up for last year is if they used either a six-man rotation or maneuvered the option timeline to get a few extended looks at MLB capable arms. In a six-man rotation, younger arms would still be on a regular starting schedule but have their innings limited organically as opposed to pitch counts placed onto starts. For my option idea, the Cardinals could keep the same prospect up for a 3-5 start span before sending them down to preserve innings and work on what they learned at the major league level. Since an optioned player needs to spend minimum time after the demotion, there is no rush for them to have to prove themselves again.
Looking at 2026, I thought that could have been the strategy for guys like Dobbins and Quinn Mathews, pitchers bouncing back after injury or down seasons but would serve the team better being in the majors than in Memphis. In certain circumstances, I would like to see teams “rush” pitchers who are considered close to MLB ready and at least get a look of what they can do at the major league level, hopefully before injury or a severe downturn (Tink) occurs.
For 2027, this could easily point to Fitts, health willing, and extend to AAA arms like Mason Molina, Cooper Hjerpe, Jurrangelo Cinjtje, and Tekoah Roby. Those five guys could form some type of rotation of their own, spending a few weeks at a time learning the major league game before heading back to Memphis to fine tune things without the bright lights.
Those guys all have some things to work on but also have the stuff to compete on a major league mound at some level. I think each of them would benefit from getting their feet wet in St. Louis and give the organization an opportunity to see what they can do.
As you can see, I can see arguments for both sides. This also assumes that Matthew Liberatore and/or possibly one other arm are moved out of the rotation in some way. These options exist only if there is a clear vacancy in the rotation where the Cardinals could intrigue a free agent with a starting role or provide more than spot starts to their upper level prospects.
Let me know which option you would prefer or predict your 2027 rotation, assuming a normal offseason.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 18: Luis Robert Jr. #88 of the New York Mets celebrates a solo home run during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on August 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Danny Abriano evaluated the pros and cons of the Mets signing Tarik Skubal this offseason.
Around the National League East
Former Astros general manager Dana Brown is joining the Atlanta Braves front office as a senior advisor to the amateur scouting department. Brown previously served as the Braves’ vice president of scouting from 2019 -2022.
The Good Phight continued their series on how to improve the Phillies by turning their attention to the outfield.
Federal Baseball previewed the 2027 season of Connelly Early, who the Nationals acquired from the Red Sox for Curtis Mead at the trade deadline.
Around Major League Baseball
Will Leitch of MLB.com took a look at the 13 teams (including the Mets) who have not won a World Series since MLB expanded to 30 teams in 1998 and ranked them by how likely it is that they will follow the Brewers by ending their drought. The Mets were ranked fifth.
The Orioles declined Luis Robert’s $20 million team option, making him a free agent.
Meanwhile, not surprisingly, the Rays picked up their $20 million club option on Drew Rasmussen, which makes him the highest-paid player in a single season in franchise history.
Speaking of the Rays, the Astros acquired 27-year-old Evan Reifert from Tampa Bay. Reifert put up a 2.48 ERA in 46 Triple-A appearances in the Rays organization in 2026.
Emilio Pagán declined his $10 million player option with the Cincinnati Reds and will become a free agent with a decent chance of earning a multiyear deal.
The Padres declined their $14 million club option on Nick Pivetta’s contract.
