David Robertson, who recorded 179 saves over a 17-year major league career while pitching for eight teams, announced his retirement Friday.
“Baseball has given me more than I ever dreamed possible over the last 19 seasons,” Robertson posted on social media. “... Saying goodbye isn’t easy, but I do so with deep gratitude for every opportunity, challenge, and memory. I’ll forever be thankful for the game and for everyone who made this journey extraordinary.”
Robertson, who also went 68-46 and had a 2.93 ERA, made the All-Star Game in 2011 while pitching for the New York Yankees. He totaled at least 34 saves from 2014-16 playing for the Yankees and Chicago White Sox.
The right-hander was part of 10 playoff teams, including the 2009 Yankees club that won the World Series.
Robertson, 40, pitched for Philadelphia last season, making 20 appearances with two saves.
After signing with the Astros ahead of the 2019 season, it didn’t take long for former All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley to hear about his new organization’s top prospect.
“They were comparing this kid to Ted Williams,” Brantley recalled. “And I was like, ‘Well, that’s kind of special.’ I want to see this.”
The kid, Brantley would soon learn, was named Kyle Tucker.
It didn’t take long for former All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley to hear about top prospect Kyle Tucker in 2019. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect“They were comparing this kid to Ted Williams,” Brantley recalled. “And I was like, ‘Well, that’s kind of special.’” AP
And the comparison, he still marvels at now, was shockingly apt.
“It made me laugh at first, because he does a lot of things that are unorthodox,” Brantley said. “But when you actually break down his swing, he gets into such great positions.”
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Long before he became a touted young talent, then a four-time All-Star slugger, then a blockbuster $240 million signing with the Dodgers this offseason, Tucker’s baseball career began in the backyard of his Tampa-area home — where childhood games of stick and Wiffle ball with his older brother, Preston, first helped mold one of the most complete hitters in Major League Baseball today.
The origin story is simple. Growing up, Tucker would emulate Preston (who was six years his elder, and destined for his own MLB career) in their backyard games. Because Preston hit right-handed, Tucker would mirror him from the left side of the plate. And because Preston had a similarly unusual swing, Tucker’s mechanics naturally followed suit.
Some days, the boys would pitch a small ball of cork to each other, letting natural instinct take over as they whacked at it with the handle of a broomstick. Other times, they used a standard-issue Wiffle ball set, learning how to adjust to the serpentine movement of the perforated plastic sphere.
“All they had time to do was just use their hands,” said Dennis Braun, Tucker’s high school coach at Plant High in Tampa. “That’s how they learned how to hit.”
Growing up, Tucker would emulate older brother Preston (who was six years older, and forged his own MLB career). IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
For Tucker, the result was a swing with seemingly flawed fundamentals.
He’d step up to the plate with the wrong foot. His hands would drop low as he started to attack the ball. His bat path had an atypically sweepy motion. He would drop his back knee and almost scissor his legs as he made contact and completed his follow-through.
Years of practice, however, had taught him how to sync it all together; giving him the ability to hit for power, adjust to breaking pitches and most importantly keep his hands inside the ball consistently on every pitch.
“You can’t teach somebody to do it,” Braun said. “But I told him, ‘Don’t let anybody tell you you can’t hit that way, because I think it’s a thing.’ ”
All along, the comparisons to Williams — who earned the moniker of “the greatest hitter who ever lived” with an eerily similar swing — steadily grew.
When Tucker was a high school freshman, one of Braun’s coaches first gave him the “Ted Williams” nickname. AP
When Tucker was a high school freshman, one of Braun’s assistant coaches, former Yankees catcher John Ramos, first bestowed him with the “Ted Williams” nickname.
“I said, ‘Wait a minute,’ ” Braun recalled with a laugh, “the kid’s got nowhere to go but down.’ ”
As Tucker became a top draft prospect in the 2015 class, eventually going fifth overall to the Astros (who also had Preston in their organization), scouts began drawing parallels in their reports, too.
“I’m not one of those guys who thinks anybody’s gonna be a first-rounder when they show up as a freshman,” Braun said. “But as we went along each year, he got bigger and bigger. By the time he got to his senior year, the amount of people that were out here watching BP was in the hundreds.”
In 2018, a few months before making his highly anticipated MLB debut as a 21-year-old, Tucker was even enlisted to impersonate Williams in a PBS documentary about the late Hall of Famer, donning a 1950s-era uniform as filmmakers captured slow-motion shots of his swing.
“He’s tweaked it a little bit over the years,” Tucker’s mom, Lisa, said. “But if it’s gotten you to where you’re at, it’s like, ‘Why change?’ ”
That was also Brantley’s initial impression after meeting Tucker for the first time and watching him swing up close.
In 2018, a few months before making his highly anticipated MLB debut as a 21-year-old, Tucker was even enlisted to impersonate Williams in a PBS documentary about the late Hall of Famer, donning a 1950s-era uniform as filmmakers captured slow-motion shots of his swing. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“It doesn’t always look as pretty as a normal swing would,” Brantley said. “But if you really break down the science of the swing, and see where his hands get to, his foot is at the time of contact, and the position at contact, it is very special.”
In 2020, he cemented himself as an everyday player for a contending Astros team, flashing plus outfield defense and an ability to steal bases to go along with offensive production. In 2021, he received MVP votes after batting a career-best .294 with 30 home runs. In 2022, he earned what would become the first of four consecutive All-Star selections. And now, he has established himself as one of the most consistent players in the sport, one of only four big-leaguers to post at least 4.5 wins above replacement every year since 2021, per Baseball Reference.
For that, Tucker has given much credit to Brantley.
When the veteran first arrived in Houston, he made a point of taking Tucker under his wing, becoming his catch partner, his hitting cage confidant, and his locker-mate in the clubhouse.
During spring training, he’d challenge Tucker to beat him to the facility in the mornings. “I’d usually get to the field around 7 a.m.” Brantley joked. “And Tuck’s not a morning guy.” Yet, Tucker would be there, ready to warm-up in the gym and get to work early on the field.
Brantley retired from the majors at the end of the 2023 season. Tucker left Houston a year later, getting traded to the Cubs in his final season before free agency. But the two remain close. So much so, Tucker said he will wear Brantley’s old jersey number, 23, with the Dodgers as a nod to his former teammate.
To Brantley, that was a “very special” gesture. However, he emphasized that Tucker’s success has been all his own doing — going back to the superstar’s five-tool skillset, a deep “passion” for the game that goes overlooked by his outwardly quiet demeanor, and of course the Ted Williams-esque swing that remains universally admired and largely unchanged.
“He just settled into his own, and took the world by storm,” Brantley said. “As he should have, because he was such a big prospect. But he panned out because of the hard work he put in.”
PEORIA, AZ - OCTOBER 30: Leo Balcazar #17 of the Peoria Javelinas fields the ball during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Peoria Javelinas at Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, October 30, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Look at Leo Balcazar running away with the vote for spot #13 in this year’s edition of the Community Prospect Rankings!
Perhaps that’s an indictment of which prospects I included in this particular round of voting. Or, perhaps it’s an indication that you fine voters here at Red Reporter are awfully high on Balcazar’s prospects as, well, a prospect once again.
There was a time when that was something of a no-brainer. He mauled Dominican Summer League play with an .882 OPS in 2021 at just 17 years of age, and he backed it up the following year with an equally impressive .886 OPS in Arizona Complex League play in his first season in the states. Then, in a 19 game sample to begin the 2023 season with Class-A Daytona in the pitching-friendly Florida State League, he roared out of the gate with an .897 OPS only to tear his ACL and miss the remainder of the year.
When he returned in 2024, he was a shell of his former self. He’d been an athletic shortstop whose quickness helped make up for an average arm, but his quickness had been sapped. His work at the plate slumped, too, and suddenly there was wonder whether he’d be able to work his way back.
2025 was a much more positive step in the right direction. He posted a modest .720 OPS as he reached AA Chattanooga, but the athleticism began to return – as did some of the excellent exit velocities off his bat. He finished the year with a positive showing in 24 Arizona Fall League games, and he still won’t even turn 22 until this summer.
There’s beginning to be some buzz again about Balcazar, and I think it’s warranted, even if he’s destined to stick at 2B long term.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 01: Blooper dancing during the pre-game players parade before the MLB opening day game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs on April 1, 2019 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I hope everybody has a lovely start to their weekend. Please stay warm and safe out there if you’re in the path of the second winter storm in as many weekends! Here’s a random clip for you:
The 40-year-old reliever announced his retirement Friday following 17 seasons and 881 games in the big leagues, during which he won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009, posted a 2.93 ERA and recorded 179 saves.
“I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my spikes and retire from the game I’ve loved for as long as I can remember,” Robertson wrote in a statement posted to social media. “Baseball has given me more than I ever dreamed possible over the last 19 seasons. From winning a World Series, to pitching in an All-Star game, to representing the United States and bringing home a World Baseball Classic Gold and an Olympic silver.
“I’ve had the privilege of playing alongside amazing teammates, learning from outstanding coaches, and being welcomed into organizations that felt like family. To the trainers, clubhouse staff, front offices, and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for all that you do. And to the fans who supported me, thank you, your passion fueled me every single day.”
New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson pitches during the game as a New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox in New York City at Yankee Stadium for Game 4 of the ALDS on October 9, 2018. Anthony J Causi
The Alabama native said he was looking forward to being home with his family and focusing on their farms.
In parts of nine seasons in The Bronx — including a return there in 2017 following a midseason trade from the White Sox — Robertson appeared in 501 games.
He made the All-Star team in 2011 while recording a 1.08 ERA in 70 games, and later succeeded Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera as the Yankees closer in 2014.
Robertson pitched for the Mets in 2023, posting a 2.05 ERA in 40 games before they dealt him to the Marlins in a trade deadline sell-off.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 20: Dylan Moore #25 of the Seattle Mariners bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey! A signing that helps the Phillies shore up their infield depth, but maybe doesn’t move the needle much.
Dylan Moore and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a minor league contract that includes an invitation to major league spring training, league sources said. He can make up to $3.25 million with plate appearance and active roster bonuses.
The Yankees are projected to have 87 wins in 2026, the second-fewest in the division behind the Blue Jays (90), Red Sox (90) and Orioles (88).
Only the Rays (75) are being pegged for fewer victories.
That number would be the Yankees’ fewest over a full season since 2023, when they went 82-80 and missed the postseason, and second-fewest over the last decade.
Fangraphs is giving them just an 18.9 percent chance to win the division and a 41.4 percent chance at grabbing one of the three AL wild-card spots.
The underwhelming win estimate comes after a relatively quiet offseason for the Bombers.
The Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million deal and brought back Trent Grisham after he accepted the qualifying offer, but did little else to improve the lineup.
New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman speaking at a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Left-hander Ryan Weathers, acquired in a trade from the Marlins, will provide rotation depth, though being able to stay on the field has been a question for most of his career. The starting staff has plenty of other questions elsewhere, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt all coming off surgeries and returning at various points post-Opening Day.
In the bullpen, the Yankees lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency to the Mets.
Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger will both be in the Yankees’ outfield in 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I’ve been openly willing to challenge anybody that we don’t have a championship caliber roster [and] team,’’ Cashman said. “And it’s our job to try to make it better along the way.”
Oct 3, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson (30) reacts as catcher Gary Sanchez (not pictuted) is hit by a foul tip against the Minnesota Twins during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins during the 2017 American League wildcard playoff baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Earlier today, former Yankees reliever David Robertson took to his social media platforms to officially announce his retirement from baseball. At 40 years old entering what would have been his age-41 season, this news hardly comes as a surprise, especially considering how the past few years went for the former Olympian. Still though, for anyone that’s familiar with me, this news is devastating.
Robertson was first drafted by the Yankees in the 17th round of the 2006 MLB draft and worked his way through the minors before eventually making his MLB debut in 2008. In 2009 is when he truly made his mark during that playoff run when he pitched out of a bases-loaded-nobody-out jam in the 11th inning of the ALDS against the Twins. I remember telling someone then “this guy’s going to be good.” And my love affair had begun.
Since that playoff run, I was D-Rob’s #1 fan and maintain that title to this day. His best season came two years later in 2011 when he finished with a 1.08 ERA, earned his only All-Star nod, and received down ballot Cy Young and MVP votes. He was the heir apparent to Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer ever, and he served that role well for one year before Brian Cashman ruined my life. He finished his first stint with the Yankees with a 2.81 ERA across 402 games before joining the White Sox in the South Side of Chicago in his first dalliance with free agency.
He spent two and a half seasons there before Brian Cashman made attempted to make amends with me personally and brought him back for the 2017 playoff push and run. That postseason we saw something truly remarkable out of Robertson when he came in and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings as the Yankees clawed their way back to steal victory out of Luis Severino’s hands in the one-and-done Wild Card game. His second stint in the Bronx ended after the 2018 season when Brian Cashman once again ruined my life.
His first stint with the Phillies would also be quickly forgotten as injury forced his two-year deal come down to just seven games in 2019 before he was shutdown and unable to return to the mound until 2021, missing the COVID-shortened 2020 season completely. However, he had an opportunity to suit up for Team USA at the Olympics, where he appeared in three games and helped the US Team earn the Silver Medal after losing to Japan in the finals.
His Olympics stint and overall resume was enough to earn him a flyer from the Rays to help bolster their bullpen for their own playoff push and run. Unfortunately, that Rays stint did not go great for him, but he was able to secure a free agent contract for his second stint in the city of Chicago, just this time he’d pitch for the Cubs. They eventually traded him to the Phillies for his second stint there and since then he’d bounce around to the Mets, Marlins, and Rangers until ultimately signing a midseason contract with the Phillies in 2025, which we now know would end up being his final season as a major leaguer.
The tail end of his career will likely soil some memories of him, but he really should be remembered fondly for a truly impressive career. It’s not often that someone gets drafted with the pedigree of a reliever and actually makes it to have a 15-year career. Not only that, but he’s a World Series champion, a World Baseball Classic gold medalist, and an Olympic silver medalist. He finishes his career with a 2.93 ERA, an ERA+ of 143, 179 saves, and 1176 strikeouts across 881 games. He’s not going to be a Hall of Famer (though he’d have my vote….which is only partially why I don’t have a vote), but he’s the pinnacle of what a truly good and stable relief pitcher should be.
Sure there were some bumps, but overall more good than bad and again a 15-year career as solely a relief pitcher is something truly remarkable in my books. That’s the most volatile position in the game and for him to have done that for as long as he did should be remembered fondly. I wrote his entry into PSA’s Top 100 Yankees series as well, and every year I’d show back up to plead my case to Brian Cashman to either sign him in free agency or trade for him at the deadline. This is why, even though I don’t show up often around here anymore, I jumped at the chance to write his retirement post. He helped me fall in love with the game when I was just getting into it, and he’s why relief pitchers are my favorite players and why I’ve been obsessed with them.
Thank you, D-Rob, for letting this one baseball fan fall in love with you. I’ll cherish the memories of wearing my socks high during those playoff runs you were part of, and sometimes even channeling your spirit for the ones you weren’t a part of as well. I’ll miss my annual tradition Congratulations on an amazing career and I wish you nothing but the best in retirement and on your next venture.
I knew this day would come, but I still think back to just commenting about D-Rob in the old PSA comments section before I even joined the staff year. Age comes for us all, I guess. But today we wear our socks high with pride for this Yankee that was, tomorrow, we hang them up even higher.
The Athletics took another step Friday toward securing their potential opening-day Las Vegas lineup in 2028 by reaching an agreement with All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson on a seven-year, $70 million contract.
That contract takes Wilson through the 2032 season with a club option for 2033.
By signing him now, the A’s avoid salary arbitration after the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons. Wilson also would have been eligible for free agency after the 2030 World Series.
Wilson and A’s management scheduled a news conference for Monday in Las Vegas to sign the deal.
The 22-year-old is the fourth player the A’s have signed through at least 2028 when the ballpark is scheduled to open on the Strip.
The usually economical A’s have signed some notable deals going back to last offseason. Those include a seven-year, $86 million contract for left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, a five-year, $60 million contract with designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker and a seven-year, $65.5 million deal with outfielder Lawrence Butler. Soderstrom’s deal is the richest in team history.
Manager Mark Kotsay signed an extension that takes him through 2028 with a club option for 2029.
This offseason, the A’s traded with the New York Mets for veteran second baseman Jeff McNeil.
The A’s will play at least the next two seasons at a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California.
Wilson hit .311 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI last season and was the first fan-elected rookie All-Star starting shortstop. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind teammate Nick Kurtz, who was a unanimous selection.
The A’s selected Wilson sixth in the 2023 amateur draft.
A trio of Red Sox fans has filed a class-action lawsuit against the team for alleged “junk fees” and “drip pricing” on ticket purchases.
A suit filed in Massachusetts earlier this month accuses the franchise of false advertising to “bait-and-switch” ticket buyers for games and events at Fenway Park from 2022 to at least 2024.
“Specifically, the Red Sox would advertise illusorily low prices for their tickets,” the lawsuit alleges. “When purchasers attempted to buy those tickets, however, the Red Sox would add mandatory fees at the last minute, such as ‘Per-Ticket Fees’ and ‘Order Fees,’ that could increase the cost of a purchase by as much as 150 percent.
“In other words, the Red Sox’s advertised tickets were not actually available for purchase at the advertised prices.”
A general view during the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. MLB Photos via Getty Images
The plaintiffs allege the practice has cost purchasers millions of dollars.
“The Red Sox’s use of drip pricing and junk fees was both unfair and deceptive,” the lawsuit states. “It was also illegal under the consumer protection laws of Massachusetts and other states.”
The Red Sox gave a short statement to WCVB Channel 5 in Boston, stating, “While we don’t comment on pending litigation, we have always complied with applicable state and federal laws.”
Boston is one of three Major League Baseball teams to be dealt a similar lawsuit in the past few months.
In September, the Nationals were accused in federal court of cheating “customers out of millions of dollars” through junk fees.
The Red Sox celebrate a win over the Yankees at Fenway Park in 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post
“Rather than disclosing the full cost of purchasing tickets upfront, the Giants tacked on last-minute “Service” fees, “Convenience” fees, “Handling and Convenience” fees, and “Order” processing fees that increased the cost of the purchase, exceeding the price initially advertised to the consumer, often by more than $50 per transaction,” the lawsuit against the San Francisco franchise read.
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 27: Logan Evans #73 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mariners’ starting pitching depth took a hit today, as the Mariners announced starter Logan Evans had UCL reconstruction surgery with the internal brace procedure. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Texas.
Evans, 24, made his debut last year and pitched in 16 games for the Mariners, accruing 81.1 innings. He started 15 of those 16 games, filling in for a Mariners rotation that suffered a spate of injuries. While Evans didn’t pitch in the playoff run, his contributions down the stretch helped the Mariners patch together a workable rotation while the regular starters healed, allowing the team to go on a deep playoff run.
The highlight of Evans’ season was a May 27th start against Washington where he went eight innings, the longest start by any Mariners pitcher all season. He surrendered just one run over those eight innings, a solo home run to James Wood. That game was also remarkable because the Nationals ran out an Oops! All Lefties! lineup against the righty Evans, who became the first Mariners pitcher in decades to face an all-lefty lineup.
Evans did spend some time on the IL this past season with right elbow inflammation, missing a month starting in mid-August after being diagnosed with VEO, or “pitcher’s elbow.” However, imaging at the time did not show structural damage. Evans first felt the pain on an August 14th start against Baltimore; he was moved to the IL and underwent a treatment plan of rest and cortisone injections. Evans returned to the club late in the season and threw three innings in a game on September 27th against the Dodgers, but was left off the playoff roster as the team progressed into October.
The timeline for recovery for an internal brace procedure is closer to 12 months than the 18 months of traditional Tommy John surgery, so if all goes well in recovery Evans could return as soon as spring training 2027. That doesn’t ease the sting of losing him for this year, though; Ryan just did Evans’s 40 in 40, dissecting the curious nature of Evans the first time vs. second time through the order, and what adjustments could be made to bridge the two performances. Now we will have to wait an extra year to find out the answer to that question.
The Mariners have done an admirable job building depth so far this season, with the addition of Cooper Criswell as well as some stalwart minor-league signings like Dane Dunning and Randy Dobnak. But Evans was a known quantity and proven performer, and the loss stings. This shifts pressure to Emerson Hancock to continue figuring it out at the big-league level, and also turns up the temperature somewhat on top prospect Kade Anderson, who is yet to throw a professional pitch but is almost certain to be a quick mover once he does. In the meantime, we wish Logan Evans well in his recovery, and hope to be back to two Big Logans soon.
Just 13 months after its precursor officially emerged from bankruptcy, time is running out for Main Street Sports. A cash crunch and the flight of nine MLB partners has put the owner/operator of the FanDuel-branded RSNs on a collision course with insolvency.
As Main Street execs scramble for a financial lifeline, it appears increasingly unlikely the company will be able to secure a game-saving infusion of cash before an in-house deadline of Feb. 1. While the date isn’t necessarily binding—the discretionary target may present an opportunity for Main Street to continue its fundraising efforts into next week—the situation is a source of great concern for the 29 MLB, NBA and NHL franchises whose local TV rights are tied to the RSN group.
While there’s been some chatter about the possibility of a zero-hour reprieve, as talks with potential investors are ongoing, the recent cancellation of the nine MLB contracts is said to have made the unmistakable sound of the other shoe dropping. On Jan. 8, the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays terminated their legacy deals with Main Street, a split precipitated by a series of missed payments.
Some of the teams are said to have entertained the notion of reuniting with Main Street in the event it can cut a deal with an investor/buyer, but with pitchers and catchers due to report for the first of their spring workouts in three weeks, time is tight. On the most quotidian level, advertising commitments must be procured ahead of the 2026 MLB campaign, and while many sponsors have multiyear deals in place, the RSNs cannot afford to stagger into the coming baseball season with anything less than a 90% sell-through rate.
Earlier this month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league would backstop the teams that elected to cut ties with their RSNs. “We are prepared,” Manfred said. “Even if all nine end up without an alternative, MLB will have them. They will be available on cable in the markets, and there will be a digital alternative.”
MLB’s in-house media arm currently handles local TV and streaming distribution for seven clubs: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. While the prospect of taking responsibility for another nine teams isn’t necessarily ideal, MLB has the infrastructure in place to provide a seamless transition. (Any such emergency measures would be temporary, as Manfred plans to bring MLB’s local rights to market ahead of the expiration of its national deals in 2028.)
“No matter what happens, Major League Baseball is in a position to put all of the games on locally and to make a digital streaming product available in-market for those fans,” Manfred said a few weeks ago. “They will never miss a game.”
Barring a last-minute reprieve, Main Street could find itself in full-on liquidation mode as early as next week—or well into the second halves of the current NBA and NHL seasons. The NBA is said to have begun war-gaming for such a scenario even before Main Street missed payments to a number of its teams at the top of the year, while the NHL also has fleshed out a backup plan. Both leagues are eyeing a mix of in-market TV arrangements with local station owners and streaming via their respective subscription platforms.
Unlike the Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy saga, which spanned 20 months and erased more than $9 billion in debt, another drawn-out reorganization effort isn’t in the cards for Main Street. Should the company fail to find a buyer, the next stop is Chapter 7.
Unfortunately for the RSNs and the teams under contract to Main Street, the endemic conditions that derailed Diamond haven’t abated. Subscribers continue to flee the legacy pay-TV bundle, and at last count the total number of U.S. homes paying for a traditional cable/satellite package had fallen to 43.2 million, bringing penetration down to just 34%. Even when virtual MVPDs are thrown in along with the old-school providers, the overall tally (64.8 million subs) represents just 51% of homes that use television.
As it happens, the Diamond court proceedings made it clear that a post-reorg cash crunch was all but inevitable. In one projection, Diamond estimated that total linear TV revenue would decline 19% in 2025 from $2.17 billion to $1.75 billion, while this year’s haul was expected to drop to $1.65 billion. According to an unaudited projected income statement filed in April 2024 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Diamond anticipated that carriage fees would plummet 28% in the next two years, resulting in a net loss of $498 million in distribution revenue.
In spite of that steady drumbeat of subscriber churn, the FanDuel RSNs in 2025 saw their MLB ratings improve by 18%, with in-game coverage averaging 1.5 million viewers across all platforms. Per internal Main Street estimates, MLB games last season accounted for more than 2.8 billion minutes of consumption, good for twice the engagement earned in 2024.
The fact that MLB deliveries grew in the face of the steady exodus from the pay-TV model certainly would seem to indicate that sports fans are keeping the bundle from disintegrating altogether, but that and $3 gets you a ride on the F train. When cable was at the height of its powers in 2010, approximately 105 million Americans bought into the bundle. But for ESPN, the RSNs commanded the highest carriage fees on the dial; thus, tens of millions of consumers who only flipped past their local RSN while on their way to a non-sports destination were passively subsidizing the channels they never watched.
But that was 16 years ago, an eternity in media time. Unless a deep-pocketed savior arrives within the next couple of days, the Main Street RSNs are about to go the way of the infield shift.
The roar of the crowd at Dodger Stadium returns this weekend, albeit briefly.
On Saturday, the third-oldest stadium in Major League Baseball will open its gates and let the noise spill out for DodgerFest 2026 — the annual, unapologetic love letter between the Dodgers and the city that lives and dies with them.
The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. until the afternoon as the historic stadium transforms into a giant playground for fans. MediaNews Group via Getty ImagesOn Saturday, Dodger Stadium will open its gates for DodgerFest 2026. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
But this year’s rendition isn’t a pep rally. It’s a victory lap.
Fresh off back-to-back World Series championships in 2024 and 2025, the Dodgers are hosting DodgerFest presented by Budweiser as both a celebration of dominance and a warning shot aimed at the rest of baseball. The past will be honored. The future will be stared down. All in one sun-soaked day in Chavez Ravine.
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The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. until the early afternoon as the historic stadium transforms into a giant playground for fans that bleed Dodger Blue. Fans will be able to roam the Field and Reserve Levels, purchase tickets for autograph sessions, meet and greets, selfies, live chats with players, and VIP experiences that will last a lifetime.
The annual DodgerFest is an unapologetic love letter between the Dodgers and the city that lives and dies with them. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
VIP experiences run from 9:20 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering clubhouse tours, Vin Scully Press Box access, Jackie Robinson legacy tours, and photos with the 2024 and 2025 World Series trophies. Yes, both of them.
Additionally, there will be interactive games, sponsor activations, ballpark food, live music, and exclusive merchandise.
At 12:30 p.m., the centerpiece arrives. Hosted by Joe Davis and Stephen Nelson, the 90-minute seated stage show brings out the heavy hitters — literally and figuratively. MVPs Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani. World Series Game 7 heroes Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas, and Will Smith. Manager Dave Roberts and architects Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes, all peering ahead at a three-peat that suddenly feels very real.
VIP experiences offer clubhouse tours, Vin Scully Press Box access, Jackie Robinson legacy tours, and photos with the 2024 and 2025 World Series trophies. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Tickets are more expensive this year, but that’s the price you pay for the highest payroll in MLB after the back-to-back champs added All-Star closer Edwin Diaz and slugger Kyle Tucker to their already vaunted roster.
Auto gates open at 8:30 a.m. Stadium entry follows at 9. Parking is separate. Tickets are available at dodgers.com/dodgerfest.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Anderson Brito #36 of the Scottsdale Scorpions throws a pitch during an Arizona Fall League game against the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on October 31, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list. Baseball Prospectus describes him as having “Shohei Ohtani’s stuff with Johnny Cueto’s body.”
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
NA
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
Brito is arguably a top-5 prospects based on stuff, but with the projected outcomes so varied, he slots in to 11 on our list. It was a very close vote, with four prospects getting at least 5 votes. Brito narrowly edged X-man, who just got an invite to Spring Training, by one vote — a player that received a vote as far back as the first vote in our polling.
Testers suggested Chandler Simpson for this upcoming round, but he exceeded rookie limits during 2025 season, and I’m feeling grateful I don’t have to write up his profile this year. Simpson could be the fastest man in baseball, but his bat completely disappeared at the AAA/MLB level. Tough projection! Instead, we’ll add Aidan Smith.
Candidates
Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to 60 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Nathan Flewelling, C 19 | L/R | 6’2” | 200 A | .229/.393/.336 (126 wRC+) 439 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 20.3% BB, 27.6% K A+ | 22 PA, 4 H, 5 BB, 6 K
The 94th overall pick from 2024, Flewelling made his debut at 18 years young and caught a full season (75 C, 26 DH), plus a five game cup of coffee (3 C, 2 DH). Taking the longview, he could grow into 50-60 grade power with 50 grade defense, which makes him one to follow. His plus zone awareness at the plate offsets his lagging contact, and most importantly for the position his ability to call games and frame pitches are already plus. A strong season with the bat at High-A could vault him into Top-100 consideration.
Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)
Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 6 BB, 5 K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler) and was drafted 42nd overall, but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. Even if the power doesn’t materialize, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
Jose Urbina, RHP 20 | 6’3” | 180 A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB
Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.
Since his MLB debut in 2023, Patrick Bailey has been — without a doubt — one of the best defensive catchers in the majors, as backed up by his consecutive Gold Gloves the last two seasons.
And on Friday, MLB analyst Mike Petriello took the recognition one step further, declaring the Giants backstop the current No. 1 defensive player among all major leaguers.
“If you look at [Bailey], he’s been in the league for three years — wasn’t even here the full year the first time — he has led in Statcast Fielding Run Value every single year,” Petriello explained on MLB Now. “That’s three years running.
“I know the bat isn’t there, but that’s not what we’re talking about. Elite framer, elite blocker, actually has improved his blocking … . He’s elite.”
1. Patrick Bailey 2. Pete Crow-Armstrong 3. Ceddanne Rafaela 4. Denzel Clarke 5. Ke'Bryan Hayes 6. Bobby Witt Jr. 7. Alejandro Kirk 8. Jacob Young 9. Nico Hoerner 10. Steven Kwan pic.twitter.com/yKcwJz7mvb
For additional context on just how dominant Bailey has been in the Fielding Runs Value stat, he has +79 runs in his three MLB seasons. The next closest player, Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk, comes in at just +50 runs.
Much of Bailey’s dominance in this metric is a result of his framing, which accounts for 65 of the 79 runs. Of course, with the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system being added full-time in MLB for the upcoming season, it remains to be seen whether that neutralizes the effect of Bailey’s framing.
However, Bailey also ranks highly in other fielding aspects behind the plate. His +16 throwing runs are five more than any other catcher since his 2023 debut; Bailey has thrown out 55 attempted base stealers in that frame with a 29-percent caught stealing rate.
And finally, as Petriello noted, Bailey’s blocking — which was once a weakness — now ranks above average, too. After recording -2 blocking runs in his rookie season, he improved in that category to an even 0 in 2024 and +1 in 2025.
So even if Bailey’s framing isn’t as impactful in 2026, he still should remain one of the top defensive catchers — and overall players — across MLB.
