BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 24: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Keegan Akin (45) pitches during the Cleveland Guardians versus the Baltimore Orioles on June 24, 2024 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As a player who arrived in the organization in the 2016 draft, Keegan Akin is one of the longest-tenured Orioles. We have been hearing about him as a prospect and then seeing him as a major league player for more than a decade. After all of that, Akin came into 2026 as a platform year heading into free agency. His up-and-down Orioles tenure is likely ending on a down note after a season where he was pretty bad until a June injury turned out to require season-ending Tommy John surgery.
One thing that I take as a given when considering relievers in general is the concept of year-to-year volatility. At least one guy is going to be better than people thought, and at least one guy is going to be worse than people thought. You might be able to make an educated guess which ends up being which, but you never really know. The same guy can fit both of these descriptions across multiple seasons.
Akin, over his time with the team, has embodied this about as well as anybody. After he failed his way out of the rotation in 2021, he was a speculative reliever conversion heading into 2022. He was pretty good! Then, out of nowhere, he was terrible in 2023, all while keeping pretty good peripheral stats. Akin returned to good results in 2024 – though the team had zero trust in him and was almost fanatical in only using him in low-leverage situations – and was also good in 2025, with concerning peripherals last year making him more of a question mark heading into 2026.
The alarm bells that were sounding in his under-the-hood metrics a year ago turned out to be for real. Akin missed the first month of the season due to a groin strain, then as he made his way back from the injured list, he showed how his season was going to go by giving up six runs in the span of an inning during a 17-1 blowout loss to the Red Sox on April 25. That was the first that we saw of Akin this season. What a disaster.
Every fan has their guys where what you mostly remember about them are the times that they stunk. I’ll be honest with you: Akin is one of those guys for me. The idea that Akin had three separate seasons where he had an ERA of 3.41 or lower escapes from my brain every time it goes in. I remember all of the times that he was bad. Akin giving up six runs in an inning is basically what I expected every time. He did it again this year, turning a close contest against the Nationals on May 16 into a 13-3 laugher by giving up six runs while getting only one out.
In a classic of the “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” genre, Akin was fine if you take out those two outings. He pitched 22 other games and allowed just four earned runs in those games. Maybe if he had July, August, and September to keep pitching, he would have been able to turn around the unsightly 5.68 ERA.
The Orioles probably would have given him chances to do that, following the pattern they established over multiple years with Cionel Pérez, who bombed early on only to keep sticking around on the roster and salvage his numbers somewhat. There are some good things on his Statcast page, namely that batters weren’t hitting the ball hard off of him because they were so infrequently squaring him up. There are also some not-so-good things: Akin was not making batters swing and miss, posting the lowest K/9 of his career, just 6.0. Some relievers can do well without that many strikeouts; teammate Albert Suárez is one of them. Many do not do so well.
Akin did not get to pitch the last three months to see whether he could improve things. His season was cut short when he injured his elbow at the end of June. This led to mid-July Tommy John surgery that will probably knock him out of action for nearly all, if not all, of the 2027 season as well. Akin will be 33 years old by the time he gets to seriously pitch again.
The injury in combination with the poor 2026 performance probably means that Akin will not end up ever getting the opportunity to get a real free agent contract. That was rough luck for him. Even one year for a few million would have been better than he got for most of his arbitration seasons.
Some team will probably at least extend Akin a minor league contract with a spring training invitation when 2028 rolls around. Maybe it will even be the Orioles. If he really liked it here, he might take it. There’s not much risk in handing out spring training invitations to see whether a guy has something left in the tank, as long as you correctly assess what he’s got in the tank before potentially giving him a big league roster spot again.
By season’s end, the role that the Orioles went into the season thinking would be Akin’s had been taken over by a completely different age-31 lefty, Josh Walker. Camden Chat colleague Andrea wrote about Walker yesterday. Somebody stinks or gets hurt or both and the roster moves on. Akin ended up on the wrong end of that for 2026 and that may be the final memory that we have of him as an Oriole.
Ryan Yarbrough’s four-seam fastball averaged 87.1 mph in 2026, in the 1st percentile of all major leaguers. His strikeout and whiff rates are also mediocre. Chase and groundball percentages? Also blue in Statcast. Yet the left-hander managed to post a 3.69 ERA in 63.1 innings for the Yankees in 2026.
Yarbrough got a much-deserved B in our Report Cards this season, although it arguably could have been a bit higher because it was also a B in 2025 when he posted a 4.36 ERA and a 5.04 FIP. The southpaw is who he is at this point, but he has found a home with the Yankees as the organization has encouraged him to pitch to his strengths. And it has worked.
Despite limited velocity and bat-missing ability, Yarbrough excels at one thing: contact management. Hitters just can’t find the barrel of the bat against him with any semblance of consistency.
Yarbrough ranked in the 96th percentile with his 3.6 percent barrel rate this year, and led the league with his 25 percent hard-hit rate. A whopping three-quarters of his batted balls left the bat at 94 mph or lower and, as you can imagine, it’s much easier to field an 84 mph soft liner than a 102 mph line drive.
The contrast between his average fastball velo (and percentile ranking) and his average exit velocity is one of the funniest things you will see today:
How does Yarbrough get away with such an underwhelming repertoire velocity-wise? Smarts. Command. Pitching know-how. Good coaching. A plan and perfect execution. A varied arsenal. And so on.
The left-hander uses five pitches almost evenly: a cutter (28.7 percent), changeup (22.7 percent), sweeper (19.8 percent), four-seamer (15.6 percent), and sinker (13.1 percent). The one chosen for every occasion will depend on a number of things, but only the ‘heater’ had a wOBA over .312 at .446, and it had a much lower .352 xwOBA. Every offering serves its purpose, and nothing goes to waste. That sums up his pitching philosophy of maximizing resources to get hitters out.
As things stand today, Yarbrough will enter the 2026-27 offseason as a free agent after the one-year, $2.5 million deal he signed before the 2026 campaign expires following the conclusion of the World Series. It will certainly not be a normal winter in baseball, but regardless of the looming lockout and what happens with the next CBA, a reunion makes sense for both the pitcher and the organization.
Will they reach a new agreement to extend Yarbrough’s stay in the Bronx? Nobody knows, but the Yankees should entertain the possibility. He is New York-proven, cheap, and highly effective in his multi-inning relief role. He is also highly versatile, having shown through the years the ability to adapt to various roles ranging from starter to a traditional one-inning bullpen piece.
Yarbrough won’t get you a strikeout per inning or triple-digit velocity. Heck, he won’t even crack 90 mph on the radar gun. But he performs, and he delivers when needed. That kind of profile deserves a spot on the roster.
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
San Diego Padres SP Randy Vasquez (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In 2026, the San Diego Padres’ starting rotation was the roster’s weakest link. The group ranked 21st in the majors after posting a 4.40 ERA, a 1.335 WHIP, and 37 quality starts. Among the Padres’ top starters was Randy Vasquez, who emerged with a breakout season.
Vasquez exceeded expectations
The right-hander recorded his first double-digit win total, finishing 10-6 with a 3.90 ERA in 32 appearances. The biggest difference from prior seasons was a rising strikeout rate and a declining walk rate.
Vasquez raised his strikeout rate from 13.7% in 2025 to 14.8% this season. This shift allowed the young starter to shave his walk rate from 9.1% to 6.3% in 2026. The result left his strikeout-to-walk ratio at 2.35 for the season.
Becoming a more complete starting pitcher
Another area of growth for Vasquez was shifting away from a cutter-heavy pitching approach to throwing more high-velocity four-seam fastballs. He paired it with a heavy sinker; together, they accounted for 50% of the pitches thrown in starts.
The starter’s four-seamer became his go-to out pitch to end potential scoring threats. A velocity jump (mid-90s) convinced him to rely on the pitch more frequently. Still, Vasquez found himself in tight scoring jams when the velocity of his four-seamer waned. His sinker was terrific in bailing him out and limiting damage.
It turned into a dominant secondary pitch, inducing ground balls at a 39.1% rate in 2026. His baserunner strand rate was strong (81.5%) at the start of the 2026 campaign, but it dipped to 77.4% by season’s end.
He scaled back his cutter usage but found great success throwing the pitch away and outside the strike zone. The sharp movement kept hitters out in front, consistently yielding strikeouts or weak ground-ball outs.
The lone negative was that opposing teams’ batting average against him rose from .247 to .262 in 2026. However, Vasquez kept the ball inside the park. His home run rate went from 2.8% to 2.7% this season. Both numbers are well below the major league average of 3.1%.
His breakout 2026 campaign has vaulted Vasquez into a primary role for the Padres’ starting rotation next spring. To prove last season was no fluke, he must sustain this level of consistency on the mound.
Padres News:
Freddy Fermin came to the Padres as a much needed upgrade at the catcher position. However, in 2026 he struggled at the plate and became a defense-only backstop. See how Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball graded Fermin’s season.
Signing free agents is the easiest way to fill holes on a team, and the Yankees have plenty of them.
However, with most of the starting positions on the 2027 roster locked in, where can the Yanks look to improve? The bench needs a boost, and there are still questions surrounding second base and third base.
Not to mention the annual bullpen rebuild New York has become known for.
While the Yanks should be looking to bring back some of their own free agents, like David Bednar and Paul Blackburn, we'll make this list more interesting by including only players who were not in pinstripes this past season, starting with the bullpen, then catcher and finally the infield.
Raisel Iglesias
The Braves' closer for the last four seasons, Iglesias would make a great Bednar replacement if he were to get away.
Despite putting up 30-plus saves every season as Atlanta's closer, he was a first-time All-Star in 2026 while pitching to a 2.55 ERA -- his third sub-3.00 ERA in the last four seasons -- with 34 saves and a 1.08 WHIP.
The 36-year-old did miss some time this past season with shoulder inflammation, which isn't great, but he finished strong, helping the Braves win the NL East and make it to the NLDS.
Adrian Morejon
The name seemingly on every team's lips. Morejon has dominated in his time with the Padres, especially most recently setting up for Mason Miller.
Morejon pitched his third consecutive season with a sub-3.00 ERA and while he wasn't as unhittable as he was in his lone All-Star season in 2025, he had a career-high in strikeouts (107) and in K/9 (11.2).
With Brent Headrick already in the bullpen, Morejon would be a luxury as a southpaw, but would serve nicely as the setup man for whoever closes for the Bombers in 2027 and beyond.
Alex Vesia
A pursuit of Vesia should not be impacted by potential pursuits of Blackburn and Bednar.
Tim Hill, the once lockdown lefty specialist in the 'pen, is going to hit the market and Vesia would be an upgrade. Vesia pitched to a 2.64 ERA and struck out 74 batters across 58 innings for the Dodgers in 2026. The one bugaboo about him is his walk rate, as he averaged five walks per nine in 2026 and has a career walk rate of 4.3 per nine.
But the Yankees could perhaps overlook it, especially if you consider his postseason numbers. Vesia pitched 3.1 scoreless innings this postseason and was dominant in 2024, allowing just two hits and two walks across 5.2 scoreless innings, en route to a World Series title over the Yankees.
Pete Fairbanks
This would be a reclamation project. Fairbanks had a down 2026 with the Marlins, pitching to a 6.31 ERA (4.42 xERA) and a 1.35 WHIP after a magnificent 2025 with the Rays, when he locked down 27 saves and pitching to a 2.83 ERA.
The right-hander was also injured, missing a few weeks due to a shoulder issue, but he should be looking for a prove-it, one-year deal and the Yankees could use him after the departures and question marks surrounding some of their relievers.
Fairbanks' velocity was still in the 90th percentile per Baseball Savant, and he struck out batters at a 31.1 percent clip, so the stuff is there -- he just needs to execute. His 11.5 percent walk rate was his highest since 2020.
Jul 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) on deck in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Tyler Stephenson
The former first-round pick of the Reds is heading to free agency. While Cincinnati could extend the qualifying offer, the Yankees should still do their due diligence and see if Stephenson would be right for their club.
Stephenson's overall offensive numbers have declined, but he is still elite when he barrels up the ball. In 2026, he was in the 82nd percentile in barrel percentage, 80th in exit velocity and 71st in hard-hit percentage.
The 30-year-old is a good blocker behind the plate, but he isn't great at framing or holding runners on. It may be a necessary trade-off to get a competent bat.
Ryan Jeffers
The biggest name among the free agent catchers, the Yankees looked into acquiring Jeffers at the deadline, but the Twins weren't willing to trade him. Now with Jeffers on the market, the Yanks can pursue Jeffers to bring that pop from the right side.
Although Jeffers, like Stephenson, isn't the strongest behind the plate, the offense is a must. If the Yankees can get him at a reasonable deal, it would be worth it.
Alec Bohm
Made the pitch in our third base candidates list, but Bohm gives the Yankees a right-handed bat to play the hot corner on most days -- with McMahon coming in for late-game situations for defense -- and could replace Paul Goldschmidt, who is also a free agent,as the right-handed first base option.
Sep 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (5) hits a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Bohm is durable, playing in at least 140 games in four of his last five seasons, and has been solid at the plate. He's one of only seven right-handed hitters to drive in at least 85 runs in three of the past four seasons.
While his defense leaves a lot to be desired (-11 OAA playing third and first in 2026), it may be a worthy sacrifice to round out the lineup.
Eugenio Suarez
Another third base candidate from our list, Suarez could be the power option the Yankees could grab on the cheap after the veteran had a down season with the Reds.
Suarez's 2026 was so down that no team wanted him when he was put on waivers toward the end of the season. Perhaps that can motivate Suarez to recapture some of his prolific power. Suarez hit 26 bombs a season after smashing 49, but slashed .212/.307/.433 with an OPS of .740. It could be worth the risk for the Yanks if the money is right.
Like Bohm, Suarez's defensive metrics are not great. He played 50 games at third base in 2026 and had -7 OAA. His arm strength is also in the bottom 25 percent in the league, so a straight platoon with McMahon would be a must.
Luis Arraez
Speaking of players who can round out a lineup, Arraez is a hit machine, one the Yankees can surely use.
Arraez has improved defensively at second base, so that would be the only worthwhile position for him, so admittedly, this would be a luxury signing. His left-handed bat would replace Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s, but his market could be more robust than in years past.
If the Yanks can swing a one-year deal for Arraez's services, it can change the lineup and even influence other hitters to be more contact-oriented.
Brandon Lowe
Lowe was arguably one of the best acquisitions last offseason. Coming from the Rays after an All-Star 2025 season, the veteran infielder helped the Pirates become one of the more prolific offenses in baseball in 2026.
Now a free agent, Lowe could be the low-key steal of the offseason for the Yankees.
His offensive numbers were better across the board from his All-Star season, as he slashed .260/.331/.493 (.824 OPS) to go along with his 35 home runs and 96 RBI. And his defense is pretty solid at second base. He posted a career-best +12 OAA, playing 138 games at second in 2026. While not as athletically gifted as Chisholm, he has proven he can handle the position.
Lowe's career splits against left-handers (.220/.274/.410) are similar to Chisholm's, so the same pitfalls that made the Yankees susceptible to southpaws are there. But it could be worth it for the production Lowe brings, especially if they feel Luis Garcia Jr. isn't a fit to play second base.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 24: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts to flying out in the seventh inning during Game 7 of the NLCS between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One of the first lessons you learn as a fan of sports is that you can’t win em’ all. It’s become a hackneyed phrase, but it is an unalienable truth one must accept if you’re going to emotionally invest yourself in a team, especially in a sport like baseball where even the best teams still lose roughly 60 games a year. That doesn’t mean that certain losses don’t sting, and some may even leave emotional scarring that could take years to heal if ever.
But what if you could undo the result of one of those games that still haunt you to this day. There are of course numerous examples from Phillies history, with perhaps the most famous being Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Who knows what would have happened if Mitch Williams successfully locked down the save and forced a decisive Game 7 over the Blue Jays? Maybe the Phillies would have ended their Cinderella season with a ring. At the very least, an entire generation of Phillies fans would have been spared trauma.
There are some more recent examples too. The 2023 NLCS will go down in infamy in Philadelphia, but what if the Phillies were able to close it out in Game 6 or even in Game 7 to win their second straight NL pennant? It’s not hard to see them possibly going on to win their elusive third championship in their franchise history and making it easier to look back on this era fondly.
So, if you could change the outcome of one Phillies fame, which would it be? Would you undo Joe Carter? What about making it so that you never have to think about Kevin Ginkel again? Or maybe there’s one particular regular season loss that has lived in your head for your own personal reason.
With the Mets seemingly set at all three outfield positions, shortstop, third base (if Bo Bichette opts in), and catcher -- and with the long-term answer at second base likely coming soon in the form of one of their top prospects -- it's not the worst thing in the world that this year's free agent market is quite weak when it comes to position players.
If the Mets pursue a full-time first baseman, the selection will be limited. But it's possible the biggest noise by New York this offseason will be made with starting pitching additions -- whether they come via free agency, trade, or both.
On the free agent market, one of the best starting pitchers in recent memory is available. There are also a handful of strong rotation anchors a tier below that, and plenty of middle of the rotation starters as well.
There are some high-upside relievers available, too, and the Mets could certainly use one of them.
With free agency set to begin soon, there's every reason to believe there will be a spending frenzy over the next month with the lockout looming on Dec. 1 when the CBA expires. So the Mets, and every other team, could be in a race to that theoretical deadline.
Here are the 10 players the Mets should have highest on their list of targets, ranked:
10. Bryan Abreu, RHP
Abreu has been a stalwart in the Astros' bullpen since 2022, with a 2.56 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 12.4 strikeouts per nine over 344.1 innings. In addition to generating strikeouts at a huge clip, Abreu has been adept at limiting hits, with a H/9 of 6.8 or better each of the last five seasons.
Walks were an issue for Abreu in 2026, but that might have been a one-year blip given his steady walk rates in recent seasons.
9. Alex Vesia, LHP
With Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter set for free agency after this season, the Mets traded both of them ahead of the deadline as part of their bigger summer sell-off. Once Raley and Minter were gone, left-hander Nate Lavender made his MLB debut and excelled, showing that he deserves a spot in the 2027 bullpen. But New York should be seeking another left-hander to pair with him.
To that end, Vesia -- who has spent the last six years dominating for the Dodgers -- would be a strong fit. Vesia will be entering his age-31 season in 2027 and is coming off a year where he posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while continuing to miss bats at an elite rate. In addition to his effectiveness, Vesia has been extremely durable, pitching in 56 games or more five seasons in a row, including a career-high 72 appearances in 2026.
San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France (25) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a one run home run during the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park. / David Frerker - Imagn Images
8. Ty France, 1B
As is noted above, the group of position player free agents is not terribly strong. That includes the first base options, which feature some platoon guys (Paul Goldschmidt among them) and two players who are coming off late-career breakouts. One of them is Jake Bauers, who had a .675 OPS in eight seasons as a part-time player before erupting to smack 26 homers with an .874 OPS this season for the Brewers. The other player who had a breakout is France.
Unlike Bauers, France had excelled in a regular role before, from 2020 to 2022 with the Padres and Mariners. Following a few down seasons offensively, France slashed .295/.363/.502 (.865 OPS) in 133 games in 2026. France, who won the Gold Glove award at first base in 2025, continued to excel defensively this season, landing in the 93rd percentile in OAA.
France also hits from the right side of the plate, which could be a plus for a lefty-heavy Mets lineup that includes Juan Soto, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing as key cogs.
7. Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP
After becoming one of the key pieces in the Yankees' bullpen, Loaisiga's seasons in 2023 and 2024 were seriously impacted because of Tommy John surgery. He returned for the Yanks in 2025, but didn't round back into form until this past season.
In 67.0 innings for the Diamondbacks in 2026, Loaisiga had a 2.42 ERA (2.88 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP while allowing just three homers all year and walking a minuscule 1.7 batters per nine. Loaisiga relies mainly on a sinker that averages a tick under 98 mph and a changeup that averages 91 mph. He doesn't strike out a lot of batters, but is phenomenal when it comes to limiting hard contact and generating ground balls.
In 2026, Loaisiga was in the 93rd percentile or better in average exit velocity allowed, chase percentage, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, and ground ball percentage.
One of those two main rotation adds should be an ace, with the other filling more of a mid-rotation role -- something that Gausman profiles in at this point of his career. Gausman's ERA was a tick high in 2026 (4.51), but his FIP (3.74), WHIP (1.27), walk rate (2.4 per nine), and strikeout rate (9.3 per nine) indicate he's still a quality starter. He is also one of the most reliable pitchers in the majors, having pitched 174.2 innings or more six seasons in a row.
Ahead of his age-36 season, Gausman -- who has hinted at retiring soon -- could possibly be had on a one-year deal.
Apr 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Citi Field. / Gregory Fisher - Imagn Images
5. Clay Holmes, RHP
Holmes is one of David Stearns' biggest free agent hits, with him excelling in the rotation after the Mets signed him and transitioned him back to being a starting pitcher. Before he was traded to the Cubs at the deadline in the deal that brought top infield prospect Jefferson Rojas to New York, Holmes was viewed as one of the clubhouse leaders.
Given Holmes' ability, clubhouse presence, and familiarity with the New York market, it should be a no-brainer for the Mets to consider a reunion -- something SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes recently reported Holmes would be open to.
Since Holmes is about to enter his age-34 season, it's possible he can be snagged on a two- or three-year deal.
4. Michael King, RHP
It feels likely that King will opt out of the final two years of his deal with the Padres and attempt to cash in this winter -- something that would be wise coming off a huge 2026 season.
In 32 starts over a career-high 185.0 innings, King had a 3.21 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while allowing just 148 hits. King's strikeout rate was down this past season, but his stuff -- a five-pitch mix that includes a sinker, changeup, and sweeper -- graded out near the top of the sport.
There have been some serious injury issues during King's career, including a thoracic nerve issue that impacted him in 2025, but he was healthy for all of 2026. And a healthy King is a top of the rotation starter.
Another plus is that King grew up in the Northeast and has familiarity with the New York market, having played with the Yankees from 2019 to 2023.
But even if the Mets are confident Williams will bounce back and envision Senga back in the bullpen, they should still be attempting to bring in a dominant force to close -- or to at the very least step in for Williams if it's deemed he's best suited for a setup role.
Enter Morejon, who will be in his age-28 season in 2027 and has been pretty much injury-free since 2023. Over the last three years, Morejon has a 2.58 ERA (2.46 FIP) and 1.08 WHIP in 223.1 innings while striking out 248 (a rate of 10.0 per nine). In 2026, Morejon was in the 90th percentile or better in hard-hit percentage, xERA, average exit velocity against, xBA, fastball velocity, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, barrel percentage, and ground ball percentage.
One downside here is that Morejon will almost certainly be saddled with the qualifying offer.
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers right fielder Teruaki Sato (8) poses for a photo after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita - Imagn Images
2. Teruaki Sato, INF/OF
Speaking shortly after the season ended, Stearns said the expectation was that the team would look externally for first base help.
Whether that means a platoon partner to share time with Jared Young or someone who profiles as a full-time player remains to be seen. But if the Mets are searching for a regular first baseman whose presence would slide Young to a bench role (they should be), Sato would be the most logical choice.
The Mets haven't made a splash with a Japanese position player since they signed Kaz Matsui ahead of the 2004 season, and the club didn't seem terribly interested in either Munetaka Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto last offseason. So a strong pursuit of Sato would be a bit of a surprise. But that doesn't mean it wouldn't make sense.
Primarily a third baseman in Japan, the belief of many experts is that Sato profiles as a first baseman in the majors. And he has thunder in his bat, having won the Central League MVP in 2025 and the Triple Crown in 2026. In 143 games this past season for the Hanshin Tigers, Sato hit .306/.383/.609 with 39 home runs, 40 doubles, 100 runs scored, and 106 RBI.
There are some strikeout concerns with Sato, but his upside is sky high, the Mets have a glaring need at first base, and it's time for them to take a swing.
1. Tarik Skubal, LHP
Surprised?
With a young starting staff that includes Nolan McLean and Christian Scott, and could also feature Zac Thornton and eventually Jonathan Santucci, the Mets need a finishing piece -- a true ace who slides in at the top of the rotation. Skubal should be that guy.
And it can be argued that the stars are aligning for Skubal to the Mets.
There's the aforementioned need, the fact that Skubal won't be attached to a qualifying offer, the fact that the Mets have a huge chunk of money coming off their payroll after 2027, and the likelihood that there will not be another starting pitcher like this hitting the free agent market until after 2029 -- when Paul Skenes could theoretically be available.
Put that all together and the question becomes this: If Stearns isn't willing to make an exception for Skubal, it's fair to wonder if the Stearns-led Mets will ever bend their philosophy when it comes to megadeals for "older" starting pitchers. And if they don't, they'll continue to be left out in the cold.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout prior to Game Four of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — The World Series ended on Wednesday, which brings the official start of the offseason. First up was 6 a.m. PT on Thursday, with scores of players across the sport now officially free agents. Nine Dodgers are free agents, headlined by ace pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Because Skubal switched teams during the season, he’s not eligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers. Same goes for Eric Lauer and Kris Bubic, but they weren’t going to get a qualifying offer anyway.
The Dodgers got Lauer from the Toronto Blue Jays in May to fill in once Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell made their annual stops on the injured list. Lauer lasted six innings in seven of his first 11 games with the Dodgers, and didn’t allow more than three runs in each of his first nine appearances before fading. In all, Lauer had a 4.50 ERA in 14 games, including 12 starts, with 46 strikeouts and 19 walks in 72 innings with the Dodgers.
Bubic was an All-Star starting pitcher in 2025 with the Kansas City Royals, but this year missed three and a half months on the injured list, first with elbow soreness then with shoulder soreness suffered while on rehab, and was acquired by Los Angeles on August 3. The left-hander joined the Dodgers in September and pitched 5 2/3 scoreless frames in his six appearances. Bubic pitched twice in the postseason and gave up a run both times, taking the loss in Game 2 of the NLDS and surrendering the tying run in Game 2 of the NLCS.
Bullpen mainstays now free
Vesia led the Dodgers with 72 appearances and put up a 2.64 ERA and 2.68 xERA with three saves, 74 strikeouts and 32 walks in 58 innings. After appearing in five games for the Miami Marlins in 2020, the Dodgers acquired Veisa that offseason and he’s spent the last six years as a stalwart in the back end of their bullpen, with a 2.66 ERA while averaging 61 innings, 54 2/3 innings, and 73 strikeouts.
“Looking back, getting drafted was a very big goal for me, and obviously Miami took a chance on a kid in the 17th round, and then the Dodgers liked what they saw. I definitely give a lot of credit to the coaching staff and the players and personnel in this room,” Vesia said on October 15. “I would not be where I’m at if it wasn’t for all of them. I’ve had very hard conversations, very happy conversations, a lot of great conversations that molded me into who I am and how I go about my business. The standard that is set here, to be great day in and day out is something that’s very motivating, and it’s been a great journey.”
Treinen has been with the Dodgers for seven years, with each of the last five years interrupted by injuries. In 2026 Treinen missed two and a half months with elbow inflammation, then suffered a shoulder injury during the last weekend of the regular season that removed any possible temptation for manager Dave Roberts to use Treinen in key situations this October. In between, Treinen had a 3.64 ERA and 5.07 xERA in 36 games, with 31 strikeouts and 13 walks in 29 2/3 innings. He turns 39 next June.
Brusdar Graterol has been with the Dodgers since 2020 but hasn’t pitched since 2024, missing most of that time after shoulder surgery. This year Graterol made four rehab appearances in May before getting shut down with a back injury that eventually required surgery.
Treinen, Graterol, Vesia, and Phillips were the four longest-tenured pitchers on the Dodgers 40-man roster. With all four now free agents, that distinction currently belongs to Gavin Stone, who debuted three weeks earlier than fellow 2020 draftee Bobby Miller.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to me personally moving forward for next year, but this team is well-positioned to keep winning, keep competing until October,” Hernández said on October 15. “Not only is this locker room very talented, but there are a lot of guys in the minor league system that can really be impactful players. The organization is in good hands.
“I love this place. I’ve played for three other teams, but every time I look at my career, I kind of obviously go back to this place,” Hernández said. “I hope I get back, I feel I have a lot left to serve.”
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 28: Fans of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after the Brewers won the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One in Game Five against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well, the Brewers won the final game of the 2026 MLB season. Now, it’s the offseason.
What does that mean for you?
Maybe you’re looking forward to pre-lockout free agency and similar activities. I imagine they’ll be very muted as teams await a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that they anticipate reshaping spending, but I could be very wrong and maybe there’ll be a flurry of meaningful pre-lockout activity.
Maybe you’re a sicko who loves MLB labor relations discourse. I can’t help you if that’s the case.
Maybe you need a break from baseball.
Maybe you’ve been dreading the lockout and related stuff so much you’re happy that it’s now rushing upon us in a way that will ultimately, eventually, get resolved.
Los Angeles, CA - March 25: Los Angeles Dodgers chairman Mark Walter during a press conference announcing a new partnership between the Los Angeles Dodgers and UNIQLO at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Dodgers’ principal owner Mark Walter has been all over the news lately, as he is under investigation for alleged misrepresented loans. He has sold his stakes in the Los Angeles Lakers and Chelsea Football Club, and is reportedly looking to sell the Los Angeles Sparks.
On Tuesday, Walter said that in regard to the Dodgers, in an exclusive interview with the California Post, he’s “keeping the team no matter what.”
“I certainly hope we can look forward to winning another World Series next year under my ownership,” he said. “And I think we’re just trying to win consistently, and do so for not just next season, but for the next decade and decades beyond that.”
Many articles have been written about the Dodgers and their offense that continued to diminish as the season went on. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic points out that usually the simplest explanation is what has really happened – the Dodgers just got tired. And going forward, the main cast of characters are still going to be around next season, (if there is a next season).
One player who will not be on the team next season of course is Miggy Rojas, who retired after the Dodgers lost the NLCS. Miggy was on Fox before Game 4 and said that he owes everything to the Dodgers.
“They gave me the opportunity to go back home in LA where I made debut 12 years ago …where I had where I had the opportunity to live the best four years of my life in baseball,” Rojas said.
Thomas L Murray of the California Post has more of the details from that appearance here.
Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate winning the 2026 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays after game five at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Royals new stadium will have a new food and beverage provider.
Here are some important offseason dates for the Royals.
Royals catching prospect Brooks Bryan is off to a great start in the Arizona Fall League.
Justin Lamkin, who also was hurt for most of the season, is off to a great start in the AFL.
17-year-old outfielder and soon to be Royals top prospect, Angeibel Gomez is also tearing up the AFL.
David Lesky wrote a guide for 2026/27 offensive free agents for the Royals.
Lesky also wrote his third part of what he would do if he was JJ for a day.
Caleb Moody of Kings of Kauffman claims Randy Arozarena would solve one of the Royals major problems, but not the biggest.
Moody also writes about three low-cost acquisitions who could help the Royals bullpen next year.
The Brewers beat the Rays last night, winning their first ever World Series title in franchise history.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Cristian Arguelles #26 of the Colorado Rockies catches a fly ball during the sixth inning of the Spring Breakout game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, Purple Row!
Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.
Cristian Arguelles (No. 5 PuRP) made a name for himself in the Rockies farm system in 2026. As it turns out, however, he’s had another Rockies name on his mind since he was a kid when Carlos González was his favorite player. The 19-year-old outfielder has modeled his game after former All-Star and is starting to see results reminiscent of a young CarGo with high a high batting average and a mixture of speed and power. If you weren’t already excited to watch Arguelles progression through the minors, this piece from Thomas Harding will make you a fan.
If you want a comprehensive, one-stop-shop overview of the current state of the Rockies roster needs and possible goals this offseason, Tyler Paddor has you covered. This lengthy piece digs into the current state of the roster as well as sorting through all the different avenues the front office could take in order to address its biggest needs. It’s a bird’s-eye view but one that provides a wonderfully all-encompassing view of the Rockies goals and options this winter.
The 2026 MLB season is officially over with the Milwaukee Brewers having earned their first championship in franchise history. Do yourself a favor and take a moment to soak in the joy and relief present in the recap and game thread comments over at Brew Crew Ball. That feeling of decades of waiting culminating in a triumphant moment of celebration is what all sports fans are in search of and it’s remarkably easy to lose sight of the goal when mired in the day-to-day minutae.
With the AFL in full swing, prospect evaluators have assembled enough data to start making adjustments to the reports on players that are showing changes to their skillsets. Eric Longenhagen does just that in this piece that combs through the most notable prospects present in the AFL and gives updates on how their stock has shifted. No Rockies made the cut for inclusion in the piece, but it’s still a useful glimpse at the state of prospects across the game.
As is tradition, Jim Bowden over at the Athletic has released his free agent contract predictions. The former GM has historically had a knack for getting the dollar figures pretty close to where they end up, though in recent seasons other publications may have caught up to his accuracy. Interestingly, Bowden lists the Rockies among the best team fits for two free agents: outfielder Taylor Ward and NPB starting pitcher Kaima Taira.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 25: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals warms up before a game against the New York Mets at Nationals Park on September 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to a new series that I will occasionally run between the free agent profiles and random nonsense: plugging holes in the roster with trades. These trades might be unlikely because the Cardinals won’t pay the price, they may be unlikely because the other team is not actually interested in trading them, or a much more depressing possibility is the Cardinals are not actually that interested in improving the team this offseason.
My stance this offseason, which I don’t believe the Cardinals share, is that the Cardinals should try to actually win in 2027. I will bring up a past example, unfortunately a rival, but in 2014, the Cubs won 73 games. They had an emerging core with Jake Arrieta turning into an ace, Kris Byrant about to have his service time manipulated, Anthony Rizzo standing on top of the plate on the way to multiple All-Star appearances, and a very good farm system not very far away (led by Bryant, Baez, and Contreras). They signed Jon Lester, Jason Hammel, and traded for Dexter Fowler. They won 97 games.
So yes, I am going to spend most of this offseason acting like the Cardinals may make moves, both because it gives me something to write about and also to get it out there that some Cardinals fans want the Cardinals to make moves. Don’t sit on your ass. Please. Abrams is just one possibility, but please do something this offseason to show you care about winning. Rant over.
Let’s get the difficult part of this trade out of the way. I saw Abrams as a name that might be traded on the em el bee website and the rationale was that Abrams wanted to stay at SS and the Nationals are trying to move him away from SS. Which would obviously present a problem for the Cardinals if Abrams really is hung up on playing SS. The problem is that he’s one of the worst defenders in baseball at SS. He legitimately has no range defensively. He was 1st percentile in range this year, 2nd percentile last year, 1st percentile the year before, 3rd percentile in his first two seasons – like he just can’t play SS. He has never at any point looked like can play SS.
I feel like if I am delusional about my ability to play my position and then I’m traded specifically because of my stubborness about playing that position and I go to a team where the position I want to play is manned by a back-to-back Gold Glove winner – okay fine I’ll change positions. Abrams is going to face that reality at some point, probably next year quite frankly, and the Cardinals situation is about as smooth as you can ask for – it would be impossible to argue that no, actually, I deserve to play over the Gold Glover. So big hurdle, but should be the kind of thing you can figure out before you agree to a trade.
The bad news is that he has zero professional games at 3B – I hate that I keep proposing players with no experience at 3B, 3B is not in a good place right now across the league. The good news is that it’s hard to see how he could have much worse of a defensive impact than is already baked into his value. Range is less important at 3B than it is at SS or even at 2B and he has a strong enough arm for 3B, with 53rd percentile arm strength. Hardly a strength but he throws harder than either Blaze Jordan and Thomas Saggese. I think even without the presence of JJ Wetherholt, 3B might be the better move for him.
I don’t even think I have to do much work to figure out his value. He was worth 3 fWAR in 2025 and 3.7 fWAR last year. Last year came with what looks to me a bit of an elevated offensive line from what I would expect. He had a 17.6 HR/FB% (career 11.6%) and a much lower xwOBA than actual wOBA (.333 compared to .358). So he’s an above average hitter, but I think the current 109 wRC+ Fangraphs has projected for “rest of season” is basically right. He derives a lot of value from his baserunning too – 143 stolen bases to 25 caught stealing in his last four seasons (average of 35 a season). So he might be worth half a win from his baserunning.
So terrible defender, great baserunner, above average hitter – again I’ll defer to the Fangraphs rest of season projection, which is actually just a full season, but it has him with 3 WAR. That seems right to me. He will be 26 next year and has two years of team control. Because he’s 26, I’m relatively comfortable saying he’s a 3 WAR player in 2028 too. Even if that’s not what the projections will say, that’s probably his trade value. How much is he getting paid? According to MLB trade rumors, $10.2 million in 2027. Which means his 2028 value should be around $15.3 million.
That means in prospect value, valued at 6 wins across two years while getting paid $25.5 million, Abrams will be valued at $34.5 million. Fangraphs has posted an updated evaluation of prospects and that is almost exactly what a 50 future value pitcher is worth. The other option, at least by this system, is to give the Nats a 45+ future value pitcher ($15 million) and a 45+ FV hitter ($18.5 million). The numbers work out weirdly well.
Okay what do the Nationals need? Probably not a catcher. Keibert Ruiz is going to be in year 5 of an eight-year-deal and he was actually decent for the first time since 2022 last season. Top 100 prospect Harry Ford is behind him. They already traded for a big catching prospect, they probably are going to let Ford sink or swim before trying the next solution.
Look no further than the Nationals actually if you want to throw some cold water on relying on prospects. Dylan Crews sure looks like a bust. Daylen Lile had a promising rookie year and… then had a below average season in his first full season. Brady House took some big steps in his second year and was worth 0.6 fWAR in 95 games. Both Ruiz and Ford haven’t really justified their prospect ranking at all yet. Josiah Gray has been pretty underwhelming five years in.
Anyway, to answer the question of what they need? It’s kind of complicated, because of the above paragraph. You can never go wrong with pitchers and outfielders though and the Nationals could definitely use a 1B. Alec Burleson makes no sense on either side quite frankly, because the Cardinals would give up all the gains they made by getting Abrams and the Nats would presumably not want someone with two years of team control, cause if they thought they were close, they wouldn’t trade Abrams.
In theory, Blaze Jordan is perfect, except I don’t know if the Nationals are actually interested in him. He’s largely not expected to be able to play 3B (I know the small sample said he could, I am skeptical), and I’m not sure his bat is good enough for 1B. The Nationals probably think the exact same thing. Jack Gurevitch is also an option. If you’re wondering the Nats do have two top 100 prospects in the middle infield in AA, but maybe they’d be interested in one of the Cardinals utility players to replace Abrams in the short term. So with my two premises and a few possible proposals within that premise, here is what I came up with
50 FV Pitcher Proposal
CJ Abrams andRiley Cornelio for Jurrangelo Cjntje and Blaze Jordan
Yeah I tried to justify a different pitcher, but this is the prompt. I’m using Fangraphs, and of course other sources may think other pitchers are 50 FV, but the two options given by Fangraphs are Cjintje and Liam Doyle. There is just about no way Brandon Clarke or Tekoah Roby or Cooper Hjerpe have the value of a 50 FV prospect at this point. Tanner Franklin might but he’s no easier to stomach than Cjintje to be honest. I wanted to put Daniel Eagen here because I don’t have an attachment to him, but I don’t think he’s a 50 FV pitcher either.
Because Jordan is a bit too much technically, I wanted the Nats to throw in a reliever too. But holy hell are their relief options terrible. They had a worse bullpen than the Cardinals. Cornelio struck out 37% of batters in AAA and had a very strong September (31.3 K%), so maybe there’s something here. Clayton Beeter is a possibility too. Luis Perales would effectively be a Rule 5 guy, but he’s going to be 24 with no options and according to Fangraphs has a 65 fastball, 60 slider, and 70 cutter… with 30 command.
The specific relief pitcher is not important. Pick your most promising guy. And if the Nats aren’t interested in Jordan, I’ll give them Bryan Torres.
I already know most of you are saying no to this.
45+ FV Hitter and Pitcher Proposal
CJ Abrams for Brandon Clarke and Jesus Baez
I’m not setting out to trade Clarke or Baez… but if an opportunity presents itself, I’m cashing in my chips. I think most Cardinals fans are vastly overrating the likelihood that Baez is going to be good, which is funny because I was definitely the high man on him entering the year. But he was not good in High A for half the year before destroying the ball in Springfield, he doesn’t walk, he has always had low BABIPs, and the home run ball in the minors makes his numbers untrustworthy. Clarke speaks for itself, to the point that I’m not sure he’s actually considered a 45+ prospect at this point.
If Clarke is a no go in a trade, sorry Daniel Eagen, I have no attachment to you, you’re found money at this point. If you work out, I don’t think I’d care in the same way as the other 45+ FV guys.
Conclusion
Yeah I largely expect a pretty healthy dose of nos in response to my article. Just for the record, this is what it would take. If you theoretically want Abrams, but not any of these trades, you don’t want Abrams. You aren’t going to get Abrams for prospects that don’t hurt to give up. And granted, I’m sure a lot of nos are going to be of the “doesn’t make sense where this team is at right now” and yeah fair enough. I’m actually not crazy about making these trades either. I just thought it was interesting to explore.
Book Corner
One of my first comments about Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow was that I was simultaneously listening to a history podcast on Aaron Burr. The contrast was interesting. The podcast was more or less from the Burr perspective. Obviously, the book was from the Hamilton perspective. I suppose this had a negative effect on the book, because I kind of don’t buy into the book’s take on Burr or the duel itself. I have my own issues with the podcast, but this is the book corner.
I want to say this delicately but Chernow is clearly a Hamilton fanboy and I don’t think people who love the book would disagree with that. But I think the duel is a lot less clear than he portrays it. I happen to think it’s very possible Hamilton accidentally made a really bad shot, I think it’s very possible if he ended up dying, he knew he would come out looking the best if he acted like he would miss on purpose. Both sides agreed they fired at very similar times. I think Nathan Pendleton’s account is straight up unreliable because he wanted Hamilton to look good and Burr to look bad.
I just am making the point that the picture we get of the duel, and not just from this book to be fair, is almost entirely one-sided in Hamilton’s favor and it’s because he died. Everything Burr had ever done at that point was completely erased or colored with that fact. People with no ill thoughts of Burr prior to the duel suddenly might have bad things to say about things Burr did in the 1790s.
And I’m aware Hamilton is not the only one with negative things to say about Burr, but given the time period and the animosity of the Federalists and Republicans, it’s so incredibly easy to find negative quotes. I realize he never got along with Thomas Jefferson, but Burr was able to be vice president for a reason. He was reasonably well-liked. It’s tricky because I know his bias and overwhelming love of Hamilton is part of why people love the book, but when it came to Burr, it genuinely felt like Hamilton rose from the dead and inhabited his body to write those passages, which kind of just made me not trust anything he said about Burr.
Fundamentally, I believe both entered the duel for political reasons. I don’t agree with dueling of course, but if both parties agree to it, then I can’t view either side as the “villain” but Chernow so clearly portrays him as one. Like yeah he probably had murderous intent, kind of the whole point, kill or be killed and all? If Hamilton missed on purpose, how the hell was Burr supposed to know that? Both sides agreed both shot within a few seconds of each other.
Anyway just my two cents, I enjoyed reading it, didn’t love the Burr stuff. (I am aware he was later accused of treason, but that’s a combination of trusting the slimeball James Wilkinson and being an opponent of Jefferson, cause there was no real evidence for it)
I will be on vacation the next two weeks. I want to thank Al, Ashley and Josh who will be filling in for me.
I just love small ball! What a great game!
I’m someone that is just watching the series for fun, not cheering for either team. I’m of course missing the emotional stress, but the general excitement was extremely contagious for Tampa Bay’s extra-inning comeback win in an elimination game Tuesday.
A 22-year-old rookie, Cooper Pratt, hit the go-ahead home run for Milwaukee in the top of the 12th, his fourth hit of the game. And in one of the great things about baseball, the Rays one-uppped the Brewers in the bottom of the inning. After a Brewer error, a single to left and a single to right tied the game. After a single to center loaded the bases, pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s first-pitch single to right drove in the winning run. Four singles after an error, two runs, and it was beautiful.
I appreciate your reading. See y’all in a couple of weeks!
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PCA Fully Kicks Off the Award Season in a Big Way:
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Which Cubs can take home hardware? “Happ is the only outfielder in Cubs history with more than two career Gold Gloves.” (I didn’t know that — guess I missed that fact and thought I’d share)
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Offseason Primer: A State of the Union on the Cubs’ Bullpen. “As the offseason prepares to kick off, what is the State of the Union in the Cub’s bullpen? Will it be a strength or a weakness of the 2027 club?“
Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): Cubs Free Agents: Who Stays and Who Goes? “The Chicago Cubs face several free-agent decisions this winter. Here’s who they should bring back and who’s more likely to move on.”
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): How Active Will the Chicago Cubs Be Before the Lockout Begins? “Will the Chicago Cubs be aggressive early in the offseason, given their robust set of needs on the pitching side (plus some questions in the corner outfield spots and behind the plate)? Let history be our guide.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): As Cubs Consider Buying Low on a Bat, These 5 Names Stand Out. “The Cubs have a lot of work to do on their lineup as they look toward 2027, but much of their money and prospect capital will need to be spent on pitching. That could leave them shopping for bats in the bargain bin.”
Paul Niemiec (North Side Baseball): Corner Outfield Conundrum: What to Do with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. “The Cubs have decisions to make regarding their outfield, with both of Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ set to become free agents. There’s no obvious, easy way forward, so which path should they take?”
Samuel John “Lightnin'” Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The musicologist Robert “Mack” McCormick opined that Hopkins is “the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act”. He influenced Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams, Jr., and a generation of blues musicians such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose Grammy-nominated song “Rude Mood” was directly inspired by the Texan’s song “Hopkins’ Sky Hop”. In his own lifetime, Hopkins was one of the initial inductees in 1980 to the Blues Hall of Fame.
As a child, Hopkins was immersed in the sounds of the blues. He developed a deep appreciation for the music at the age of eight, when he met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic in Buffalo, Texas. Hopkins began accompanying Jefferson on guitar at informal church gatherings. Jefferson reputedly never let anyone play with him except Hopkins, and Hopkins learned much from Jefferson at these gatherings. In the mid-1930s, Hopkins was sent to Houston County Prison Farm, but why he was imprisoned is unknown.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) raises the World Series MVP trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Meet the Mets
After the Mets considered going after hitting coach John Mallee, the Cubs reworked his contract to keep him in Chicago.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with the Commissioner's Trophy during the trophy presentation alongside teammates after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to win in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After preventing the sweep on Tuesday, the Rays faced a massive challenge in surviving another game. The 12-inning affair burned out both teams’ bullpens making their starting pitcher selections crucial to making it through Game 5, and the Brewers were running out their ace in Jacob Misiorowski. Opposite him would be Tampa’s ace in Drew Rasmussen, but he was on a day shorter rest after starting Game 2 as opposed to Misiorowski opening up the Fall Classic in Game 1. The leash was noticeably shorter on the Rays’ side, and as it turned out things went south quickly once they dug into their bullpen.
World Series Game 5
Milwaukee Brewers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 1 (Brewers win series 4-1)
Milwaukee went down 1-2-3 against Rasmussen to start the game, but had better luck in the second inning. Brice Turang hit a one-out double and Sal Frelick was hit by a pitch to put runners on for Cooper Pratt, who singled right up the middle to plate Turang. Pratt ended up gifted the Rays an out trying to take second base on the relay throw, and the Brewers couldn’t make it a crooked number because of that, but they still struck first. As it turned out, it would take a while for Tampa to respond.
The Miz worked around two-out baserunners in the first and third inning to coast into the fourth, where he faced a jam after hitting Liam Hicks. Chandler Simpson singled and a fielding error on Frelick moved both runners into scoring position with two outs, but Misiorowski got Ben Williamson to ground out to strand them both. By that point, Kevin Cash had tested his ace’s arm enough and decided to go to his bullpen to start the fifth inning. He brought in Kevin Kelly, who got the first out before a barrage of three straight singles scored a second run. The wheels were starting to fall off of the AL Champions, and the sixth only brought more problems.
Garrett Cleavinger was summoned to get the final out of the fifth and stayed out to start the sixth. He hit Christian Yelich to put the leadoff man aboard, and William Contreras made him pay with a loud double that bounced off the left field wall bringing in Yelich. Turang singled to put runners on the corners, and Cash made another move to the ‘pen calling on Tyler Wells, but the fires were too tough to put out. Pratt lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0, and Milwaukee was well on their way to the title.
Misiorowski continued cruising throughout this, and though he wasn’t racking up strikeouts the Rays couldn’t do anything with what he was offering. At 86 pitches, the Miz got the second out of the sixth inning but felt something funny on his delivery, prompting the training staff to come out. It turned out he was cramping, and though he’d try to shake it off they ultimately pulled him after his warmup pitch looked off. JoJo Romero entered and finished the inning, putting them nine outs away from the Commissioner’s Trophy. The final line on Misiorowski was 5.2 innings, two hits, one walk and two strikeouts with no runs allowed — far from what most would’ve predicted, but had he not cramped up he probably could’ve kept pitching into the seventh with excellent results. The likely NL Cy Young Award winner didn’t have the flashiest postseason performance, but he saved his best for the finale.
The march to closing the game out continued with Romero to start the seventh, and though Contreras allowed a man to reach on an error Abner Uribe took the baton and doused the embers of a rally. Then it was time for Trevor Megill to enter for the final six outs, and he got through the eighth with ease. The ninth proved a little more stressful, as Tampa got doubles from Hicks and Simpson to finally plate a run, but it was too little too late. Richie Palacios grounded one to second, Turang tossed it over to Jake Bauers in time at first, and the celebration was on.
The Brewers are your 2026 World Series champions, and the season is at an end. Contreras was named World Series MVP for his marvelous performance on both sides of the ball, including eight hits with four RBI throughout the five games. Oh, and congrats to old friend Gary Sánchez (his backup) on winning a ring!
Now that the offseason is in full effect for everyone, the looming specter of the CBA negotiations and a lockout are moving from the horizon to the forefront. It’ll likely be a long time until we can feasibly talk about moves being made, rosters being finalized, and the gathering of players towards Florida and Arizona once more. Strap in folks, this winter will be a long one.
