BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 25: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox makes a throw to first base during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Fenway Park on September 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Proximal interphalangeal joint reconstruction is a pretty intimidating way to say that Caleb Durbin finally got his pinky fixed. Durbin initially dislocated his pinkie way back on June 24 — literally the day before the Red Sox’ 15-game winning streak began — but the injury didn’t really effect his play and he obviously remained on the field for the rest of the season. “It doesn’t quite straighten or bend all the way,” Durbin told the media back in September. “There really is kind of a joint understanding [with the team] that we’ll get it looked at at the end of the season if we have to, because [whatever the diagnosis is], it’s not going to impact my decision to play at all.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Durbin’s pinky didn’t end up being a major injury, but the Red Sox had plenty of those nonetheless. And the fact that a few of those injuries — particularly the injuries to Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony — were initially misdiagnosed as minor indicates this offseason might be a good time for the Red Sox to review the training and medical staff. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
Given that Crochet and Anthony both essentially had lost seasons, it isn’t surprising that they both landed on this list of six payers with the biggest questions entering the offseason. “[Anthony’s] potential remains sky-high, but he still needs to show what he can produce in a full, healthy season. Will the hand injury linger? Will it fully heal? Does he continue to split time between left field and designated hitter? What does a full season of Anthony look like?” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
Trevor Story also appears on the above list. But, unlike Anthony and Crochet, Story won’t the the only one who dictates how his season goes next year. That’s because Franklin Arias’ timeline for promotion will have a major domino effect on the whole roster. “If Story were to move positions, it would be to second, where he has experience. But where would that leave Curtis Mead?” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Arias is not participating in the Arizona Fall League this year, but a handful of other Sox prospects are, including Antonio Anderson, who hit a grand slam over the weekend and who has been one of the league’s top hitters so far. (Jim Crowell, Soxprospects.com)
And while we’re still a long way off from free agency, the news about Sonny Gray’s return to baseball has a lot of people already thinking about next year’s rotation. If Gray doesn’t re-sign with the Sox, here’s an early look at some free agent options to replace him. (Justin Leger, NBC Sports)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a sacrifice fly in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was no shortage of problems for the Dodgers in a Game 2 loss that has seen the reigning champs return home trailing 2-0 in the NLCS. We might focus on the no-challenge that derailed Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s struggles; we could discuss the bullpen’s shortcomings, having been asked to carry the load after Yamamoto didn’t get out of the fourth—it is all pertinent. Nevertheless, the simple reality is that the Dodgers haven’t hit, and they’ve done that in the worst possible way, securing all of one extra-base hit through 18 innings.
Following Game 1’s loss, we talked here about the silver lining of consistently putting people on against a talented Milwaukee staff. And that if you’re able to sustain that, you’ll eventually run into a big hit or two that can change a game—this lineup is too deep to project otherwise, or so we thought.
Instead of building from the positives of Game 1, the Dodgers offense took a step back in the second game of this series. Were it not for the self-inflicted wounds of Brewers starter Logan Henderson, they could’ve easily produced nothing the whole game—nothing, which summarizes their output in five innings of work against the Brewers bullpen.
It’s well established that to get anything going against the likes of Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby, and Trevor Megill is a lofty task. That’s now a secondary issue because, again in Game 2, the Dodgers offense had their shots against more vulnerable pitchers and produced very little out of it.
Brewers starter Henderson was nowhere near his most polished version, and multiple errors, including one of his own, contributed to the Dodgers scoring four runs off him in 4.0+ innings. It could’ve been far worse, though, had they been just the tiniest more effective in capitalizing on a clearly rattled arm. Two innings in particular deserve special attention: the third and fifth frames.
In the third inning, Freddie Freeman came up to bat after the first two reached with bullets off Henderson, and he hit one that looked headed to the gap before Sal Frelick ran it down in a phenomenal defensive play (Savant put it at an .840 xBA). The same defense that made errors to put the Dodgers in the game also made up for it with difficult plays that many others would not have made. Still, the Dodgers scored a run in that inning after a wild pitch—with only one out and hard-hit balls after hard-hit balls against Henderson, you’d figure Teoscar Hernández and Shohei Ohtani would capitalize on a runner in scoring position, but neither could, stranding Mookie Betts.
Shortly thereafter, Henderson came back out there for the fifth and allowed one more run due to an errant throw that left a runner in scoring position with one out. With the score tied at 3-3 and the Brewers up in the series, Pat Murphy did not push the envelope and bring one of his key guys in against the top of the order; instead, he went to Dustin May. And before you ask, no, the Brewers haven’t turned May into a dominant arm since acquiring him. In fact, May’s record in Milwaukee has been especially bad, with an ERA north of 5.00 and two runs allowed in three innings in his only playoff appearance, a start against the Padres in the NLDS.
Against May, the Dodgers played for the one run, and a couple of sacrifices later, they led 4-3, but the feeling of leaving May off the hook was evident—knowing full well how much tougher things would get as the Brewers brought in their top arms. One run to take the lead is not the worst thing in the world, far from it, but in that moment with that matchup—still needing five innings out of your bullpen and facing one of the worst arms the Brewers will throw your way—playing for a single run was underwhelming. And that’s factoring in the struggling offense.
Following that inning, the worst-case scenario set in for the Dodgers, as their bullpen had a few hiccups here and there, while the Brewers’ was, by all accounts, perfect—so much so that it gave itself the luxury of not utilizing Megill, adding two insurance runs in the eighth to go up 7-4. In an alternate reality, we might come here and complain they didn’t drive that run in off May on their way to losing the game 4-3, but you required more in that situation—particularly when the other side’s top relievers have done what we’ve seen against this Dodgers lineup.
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 2: Manager Warren Schaeffer #4 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates after a 6-5 win against the Baltimore Orioles at Coors Field on September 2, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two weeks ago, I spoke on the phone with Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer about the 2026 season.
Below are excerpts from that conversation, which has been lightly edited for clarity.
On the last weeks of the season for Schaeffer and his staff
You continue on with how you prepare for a game, and you are trying to win every night. Just the day leading up to the game looks a little different because you’re having exit meetings.
So, for instance, we would meet with the hitting coaches (Brett Pill and Jordan Pacheco) and Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes and go over what we want the offense to look like in the offseason, what the individual plans (are) for these guys.
And then Paul, Josh, and myself meet with the players individually, and then the hitting coaches meet with that player as well to make sure that they’re on the same page.
The same thing happens with the pitching.
So every day, I would say that whole last home stand, which was a couple weeks long, there were about five exit meetings a day with those guys. It’s more you’re preparing for something that is ultra important, getting them ready for the offseason, and at the same time, you can do you can do two things. You can prepare for tonight and prepare for those as well.
On preparing with a possible lockout in mind
I don’t think so because we just make sure that we communicate very, very well with these guys through the month of October. You give them a couple weeks off, and then you call them, and then through November (until) December 1, if there’s a lockout, that’s when the communication has to stop.
So we have to make sure we’re all on the same page before that, which we already are. But Pill and Pacheco in the month of November, I believe, are going to travel to see each one of these guys offensively and make sure we’re on the same page, and everything’s going correctly before the lockout kicks in, if it does.
On making communication adjustments
I think if you go through a season and you’re not trying to make adjustments positively for the next year, you’re really not doing your job. So, I do think that there are a list of things that I want to do better, and the way I communicate is definitely one of them.
I mean, I think specifically with the staff, there needs to be from my end just more communication, just different meetings set up on a daily basis, making sure that I’m touching base with the pitching more often as opposed to what I did this year — the coaches I’m talking about — so that we’re all on the same page more often. It’s not that we weren’t, but you can always get better on that.
I guess you can always improve the communication with the minor leagues, I think, because you get into a season, and you always want to do that. But then what’s right in front of you usually takes precedence in a daily operation. So I think improved communication with the minor leagues to make sure that we’re all on the same page, you can always get better at that.
So those are probably two big ones.
On working with the new front office
Oh man, it’s been awesome — those two guys (DePodesta and Byrnes) specifically.
I mean, it’s been a whole slew of new people in there, but specifically the two that I work with most often are Paul and Josh, and those guys have been great. I mean, it’s just an even-keel headspace that they’re in at all times. There’s no overreaction. There’s a real perspective that they bring in terms of where we want to go and what we have to go through to get there.
The communication is great. Just the vision is very good. It’s just a pleasure to go to work with those guys every day. I can’t explain that enough, how much of a pleasure it is. It’s always about the people that you go to work with, and to have two very good human beings that you work with on a daily basis that communicate well, it’s a pleasure.
On things the 2026 Rockies did well that got overlooked
I’d say — what six weeks? — it just wasn’t good, and we didn’t finish the way we wanted to for a myriad of reasons, I think.
But if you step back and look at the season as a whole and see the progress that we made, I think offensively it was absolutely incredible. The turnaround was unbelievable from last year, just in terms of pretty much every offensive category, the the level of competition that we brought every night, the belief in each other that those offensive players brought every single night. Late-inning comebacks all the time, never giving in. That’s what they did better than anybody.
Every offensive statistic and category, it was improved — and improved in a dramatic way. The personnel was better. Just everything overall offensively, I thought was better.
And then, if you look at individual pitcher performances, pushing towards our future, I think you saw a lot of a lot of promise there and a lot of good things moving forward.
Trade acquisitions like Mark Manfredi and Nick Frasso, part of a young core in that bullpen that are going to be really good. You saw Mason Adams be extremely good out of the starting rotation. You saw some steps forward with Gabe Hughes, with Tanner Gordon, even though it didn’t end well. Juan Mejia went through his struggles, but I think there’s argument that you would rather him go through his struggles right now. We believe in him a ton. Like next year when we’re in a playoff push, he can learn from him and get better now.
Brennan Bernadino had an unbelievable season as our left-hander in a bullpen in a lot of time, which is a very difficult situation, being the only left-hander in a bullpen and having to succeed down there like that. He was absolutely awesome, and he’s part of our future for sure.
I think we saw, obviously, there’s a ton of areas where we need to get better. There’s no doubt about it.
On some of the disappointments and focused areas for improvement
Winning is absolutely a byproduct of how you go about your business, and I do believe that our defense was not even close to where it needs to be going forward.
Infield, I would say in general, the defense was below the bar this year. Now, we have the personnel for it to be very, very good. It just wasn’t.
Obviously, we have a shortstop that has won a Gold Glove already. We have a third baseman that can win a Gold Glove. We have a first baseman that can win a Gold Glove. But I think just overall as a unit, I think it’s a no-brainer that we need to be better defensively.
We did get better in the base-running category this year, no doubt about it. Put more pressure on teams with guys like Jake McCarthy, guys like Cole Carrigg, and just the overall, I guess, atmosphere that they brought to our offense. But, overall, we can exploit another team better with our base running on a nightly basis.
Our pitching has to get better. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. The run differential shrank a ton this year with the offense getting much better, and the pitching was better. But, overall, we need to keep more runs off the board in order to win more ball games. All that stuff matters and is big.
There’s a couple things. We lost a ton of one- and two-run ball games. I don’t know the exact number, but it was a lot. That, for me, that’s where the experience comes in. I think guys learning from this year and going through that. I think something similar happened to the White Sox last year. They played a ton of one- and two-run ball games and lost (them). With an extra year under the belt and learning how to control the emotion, control the at-bat more, focus on the ability for a player to control the count on both sides of the ball takes some experience in the big leagues.
We’ve had a lot of young guys that are learning and finding their way, and it takes some time, and you have to have some patience with that. But I do believe that next year with the lowering of the heart rate in big moments on both sides of the ball, will prove very, very helpful for us.
It’s hard when at the end of the year it didn’t go well, but we were right there all year — one- and two-run ballgames. The year before, not even close.
On addressing defensive issues
Me being a defensive coach before, there’s a couple ways you need to go about this, and Andy Perez does a really good job. You need to attack individual performances, and then you also have the ability to look at it as a unit, as a unit that’s accountable to each other in terms of the infield guys, the personnel that makes it up, and belonging to a unit and how important that is to the success of a team.
But individually, I think each guy goes through something different in the year. I think Tovar’s defense was down — I think in large part because his offense was so down. He did a good job of not taking it out in the field, but it’s a really difficult thing to go through the offensive season he had and it to not affect his defense.
Kyle Karros goes through different things, individually. He can be a very, very good defender. He is a very, very good defender, but there are certain things that he needs to improve upon, no doubt about it, and he knows it.
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Adael Amador, he needs to improve his range. He needs to improve side-to-side movement, which is definitely a physical (issue). Really, the only time you can improve it exponentially is in the offseason. It’s very difficult to improve it during the season when you’re playing every day.
But Kyle Karros, it’s not physical. Kyle has all the physical ability to move side to side. He’s got arm strength. He’s got ability to throw from all different angles. It’s just a matter of being consistent throughout the year, which comes with experience.
So everybody has something different. Like Kyle’s not going to go into this offseason saying, “I need to field a ground ball differently.” That’s not how you go about that. It’s a guy you trust immensely. You trust this guy. When you work with him every day, you trust him that his improvements are going to happen based on how he goes about his business on a daily basis with experience moving forward.
TJ Rumfield could use side to side. He knows this. Even though he’s a plus defender, he can improve side to side and getting more range.
I think if you were to pick one thing as a unit, other than making the routine play, I think it’s the improvement of range based on where we play in altitude. You don’t want runners getting on base, and the range is the biggest area of improvement overall as a unit, I would say.
On his role during the offseason
That’s a hard one to answer because last year, I was going through interview processes and and hiring a bunch of people, and doing that whole thing, and we didn’t have much time to get it done, so it was very intensive.
This year, we’re going to attack issues that we think held us back this year that we can improve directly this year.
So, obviously, you take I think at least a couple weeks, maybe a week or 10 days off here, and I’m going to go camping with my son this weekend. But we’re going to have Zoom calls. Who knows what’s going to happen with the lockout?
But my goal is to have the staff clicking on all cylinders, ready to roll all winter long, and try to just put more work and time into the off-season than any other club because we need it — whatever that is: exercises, in-game exercises that we can simulate, conversations with players. A lot of discussion on philosophy and how to move forward with what we got. Just basically brainstorming and ideas and getting together and trying to have everything ready, so when we get ready to go in spring, we’re all clicking on the same wavelength because you can always get better at that.
And just having plans in place that we all believe in that is going to help us moving forward.
But what you don’t want to do is go into the offseason and just say, “Hey, this is time off” because we can’t afford that. We have to spend this time wisely, and we’ve got a lot to do to push this thing forward.
On his role prior to the lockout
It’s very limited. Just calls asking my opinions on players, probably. That’s Josh and Paul’s job. But if I have anything on players, if I’ve heard anything about players that they’re talking about via connections in the game, all that sort of thing, but just offering up opinions.
My job is more involved with my staff through November, even through December, January. It’s just pushing the staff forward.
I have hope no matter what because I’m with these guys every day.
But it’s just proof that it can happen. You can go from a 100-loss season to a winning season and a playoff season the very next year. The Arizona Diamondbacks did it not long ago, and the White Sox did it this year. There’s a lot that goes into that. You don’t just snap your fingers. That’s why we have to get to work immediately to get this thing still moving it forward.
I think it was a huge step forward this year, but we need to push it forward again next year.
But you look at the White Sox and what they’ve done and how they acquired their players and the style of play that they play, and their pitching has gotten so much better.
It’s a good formula for sure, and those guys should be proud of themselves.
Final thoughts
I was struck by Schaeffer confirming — like other staff we’ve talked with — the chaos the Rockies organization waded through during the last offseason as they hired new staff. For myself, I am interested in seeing the steps they take to improve this season. (And I’m already irritated by a probable lockout that will delay the progress.)
In addition, I appreciated Schaeffer’s description of how they are preparing players both for their offseason work and a lockout. (That Pill and Pacheco are planning to visit players seems very positive.) And I thought his comments on improving the defense were interesting as well.
I know you all will have thoughts on this, and I look forward to reading them in the comments.
(Original Caption) Four catchers of the New York Yankees pose together for the first time during spring training, in the Yankees camp at St. Petersburg. In front, left to right:Charlie Silvera, Yogi Berra, and Jim Robertson. In rear: Ralph Houk.
As far as non-stressful jobs in sports go, backup catcher to an established star would be a pretty good one to have. For nine years in New York, Charlie Silvera got to fill that role, and not just behind any old star — he was the backup to Yankees icon Yogi Berra. For his career in the Bronx, Silvera made less than 500 plate appearances, yet he still got to play a role on one of the most successful eras in the history of the most successful franchise.
Charles Anthony Ryan “Charlie” Silvera Born: October 13, 1924 (San Francisco, CA) Died: September 7, 2019 (Millbrae, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1948-56
Silvera was born in San Francisco in 1924, going on to become one of a number of Yankees of that era to hail from the city. In his youth, he played sandlot baseball with fellow future Yankees Bobby Brown and Jerry Coleman. In 1942, he caught the eye of the Yankees, who signed him to a deal.
Silvera debuted in the minors as a 17-year old in 1942, playing for the Class D Wellsville (NY) Yankees as an outfielder. However after 75 games there that season, he joined the military, serving in the Air Force in World War II. Silvera would miss the entirety of the next three seasons while serving, although he did play on a military team during that time.
Upon returning to baseball, the Yankees converted Silvera into a catcher. He spent the next three seasons in the minors before earning a call-up to the Yankees late in the 1948 season. He appeared in four games, recording three hits in both of his first two games, and going 8-for-14 in total.
After that cameo, Silvera earned the Yankees’ backup job for the 1949 season. He would spend the next nine seasons filling that role. The most games he ever appeared in a season came in his full debut year in ‘49. Starter Yogi Berra missed some time through injury and Silvera hit decently enough in his 58 games that season, putting up a .315 batting average and a .403 OBP. However, he was never going to fully replace the budding star in Berra, and never would. The Yankees also advanced to the 1949 World Series. Silvera came off the bench in Game 2 of the series, as Berra again had to exit due to injury. He went 0-for-2, as the Yankees lost that game but won the series. Despite playing in an era where the Yankees were winning and playing in the Fall Classic a lot, that was the only postseason appearance Silvera would ever make.
Over the next seven seasons, Silvera played in just 18, 18, 20, 42, 20, 14, and seven games respectively. Despite that, he would win five more World Series rings during his time with the Yankees. Opposing players would often try to trash talk Silvera for his lack of playing time, but the catcher was never bothered. He later said “the opposition would call me ‘Jesse James, the payroll bandit.’ I’d tell them, ‘Go ahead and give it to me, but Yogi Berra tips me more than you make.’”
Having only appeared in 21 games over his last two seasons in the Bronx, the Yankees traded Silvera to the Cubs ahead of the 1957 season. Silvera put up a completely respectable — for a backup catcher — 86 OPS+ with the Yankees, he was just never going to replace Berra.
Upon going to the Cubs, Silvera was given the No. 8 that Berra wore in New York. He appeared in 26 games for Chicago that season, but struggled and missed time with injury. The Cubs released him after that season. Silvera played a couple more years in the minors but never made it back to the bigs, leaving the playing ranks after 1960.
Silvera stayed in baseball in various roles after his playing career ended. He joined former teammate Billy Martin on the coaching staffs of the Twins, Tigers, and Rangers when Martin was beginning his managerial career. He served as the bullpen coach for those teams, although Martin didn’t bring him back to the Bronx when Martin went back there.
After coaching, Silvera got into scouting with the Cubs and Marlins. He received a seventh World Series ring for his work for the 1997 Marlins. He often came back for Yankees Old-Timers’ Day but he did return to the San Francisco area in his later years, where he resided until his passing in 2019. Prior to his death, he had been the last surviving member of the Yankees dynasty to win five championships in a row from 1949-53.
Had he played in the modern era, Silvera very likely could’ve gone to another team in free agency to get more playing time. However, the rules at the time were what they were, and the Yankees were plenty happy to keep him around as a backup. Ending up with more than a hand’s worth of World Series rings would be a nice consolation prize.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Something about the Dodgers’ championship run last year bothers Blake Snell.
“It’s always how you finish,” Snell said.
Snell made two starts in the World Series a year ago, and he didn’t pitch well in either one. The pair of losses robbed him of the satisfaction he felt after winning each of his three previous starts of that postseason.
His only solace was that he contributed 1 ⅓ innings of relief against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series.
“If I could do it in the CS,” he said, “I could have done it in the World Series.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) sits in the dugout during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Snell understands what’s at stake in October.
Reputation.
Legacy.
And that matters to the 33-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner who will be entrusted by the Dodgers to save their season when he starts for them against the Brewers on Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers are behind in the best-of-seven series, two games to none.
Snell knows how the public views him.
He’s painfully aware that people think he’s a video-game-addicted slacker who emerges from hibernation in August to begin preparing for the playoffs.
“It’s not like I’m just having surgery because I want to have surgery,” Snell told The California Post. “I want to pitch. I want to win Cy Youngs.”
A year after he was sidelined for four months because of shoulder problems, Snell missed three months this season to recover from a procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow.
He said he feels misunderstood, disrespected even.
He’s particularly offended by the perception that he doesn’t take baseball seriously.
“When it comes to me as a pitcher, I know how good I am,” he said. “I haven’t been able to prove it as much (as I would like). It’s just short sample sizes, and that’s been the frustrating part.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell points to the first base umpire for a call against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the NLDS in Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
He pointed to how he’s only made one All-Star team and that was as a replacement player.
“I’ve never been selected as an All-Star straight up,” he said. “That’s the craziest thing. I got selected when someone got hurt. That’s not making the All-Star team.”
The son of a former minor-league pitcher and longtime coach, Snell said he would like for his baseball acumen to be as appreciated as his ability to throw a baseball.
“I just wish people would watch me pitch and then understand the work that I put into being a good pitcher, great pitcher, is a lot more than they’ve ever experienced or give me credit for,” he said. “Because I watch the game, I understand the hitters. I understand who they are right now in the present. I understand who they are as a hitter.”
He said he doesn’t just like baseball.
“Love it,” he said. “Love it.”
When he’s not training in the offseason, he said, he’s coaching players from the youth baseball program he founded.
“My offseason,” Snell said, “is baseball the whole time.”
His long-term ambition is to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He also wants to pitch until he’s 45 years old.
“I have a lot to do to make sure my body can hold,” Snell said. “The last two years, I’ve gotten 10 starts a year. That’s not Hall of Fame in my mind. So this offseason is super important. How do I attack it? How do I get my body right? How am I able to make sure I can pitch 30 games, and then on top of that, the postseason? There’s a lot of stuff to prove for myself.”
Before that, he has a critical game to pitch on Wednesday.
His postseason didn’t start the way he wanted, as he pitched just 3 ⅔ innings of a loss to the Atlanta Braves in the Divisional Round.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of Game 2 of the NLDS, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
But, like he said, how he finishes the playoffs will be more important than how he started them. To ensure his next start won’t be his last, he has to win. And if he can get the Dodgers back on track and lead them to a third consecutive championship, perhaps fans will start seeing him the way he sees himself.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 27: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays catches a fly ball on the warning track during the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field on April 27, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Outlaw is back!
The best center fielder in franchise history will make his return to Tropicana Field later tonight to toss out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the second game of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians.
Kevin Kiermaier was taken by the Rays in the 31st round of the 2010 draft. However, Kiermaier was a gifted athlete who had already had a commitment to Purdue, which led to many teams passing over him. The Rays took a shot in the 31st round and almost immediately signed him. It quickly became apparent that the Rays had made the right choice as Kiermaier excelled during first impressions and Baseball America stated that he “could prove to be one of the biggest late-round steals from the 2010 draft.”
As Kiermaier rose through the system, his defense became a standout tool and eventually paved the way to him making his Major League debut during game 163 in 2013. After starting the 2014 season in the minor leagues, Kiermaier earned his way onto the big league roster and eventually forced himself into the starting lineup due to his extraordinary defense and solid offensive capabilities.
Over the next nine seasons, Kiermaier would be a staple in center field for the Rays, dazzling most every day with a new incredible catch or an offensive hustle that caused defensive chaos. Overall, Kiermaier spent 9 seasons with the Rays (plus 1 game in 2013), and he hit .248/.308/.407 with 82 HR, registering 97 wRC+ and accruing 23.6 fWAR over 914 games.
Kiermaier received three Gold Glove awards during his time with Tampa Bay, plus a Platinum Glove in 2015 which is given to the best defender overall in the league. FanGraphs has Defensive Runs Saved data going back to 2003. Since that time, Kevin Kiermaier has the 5th highest DRS of any player in baseball and the highest among outfielders. Kiermaier would finish his career with the 5th highest bWAR all-time of a player selected in the 31st round or later.
After leaving the Rays via free agency following the 2022 season, Kiermaier joined up with the Toronto Blue Jays and picked up another Gold Glove award. In 2024, Kiermaier announced he would retire following the season and would split the year between Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers, mainly serving as a defensive replacement. With the Dodgers winning the World Series, Kiermaier received his first and only ring of his career.
Kevin Kiermaier makes his return to Tropicana Field tonight as the Rays hope to even out the series against the Cleveland Guardians.
It's why, with the their season on the brink, the Dodgers are suddenly confronting a question that would have seemed absurd just weeks ago: Are they be better off right now without Ohtani in the lineup for Wednesday's pivotal Game 3 in Los Angeles.
"He hasn't been who he is," Roberts acknowledged recently.
Here's the latest update on Ohtani's status and what the Dodgers are saying about the situation:
For the first time, they appear to be considering it.
Roberts told The Athletic following Game 2 that he would have "a conversation" with Ohtani on Tuesday, Oct. 13 to "try to figure out what’s best for him, what’s best for us." Josue De Paula is considered the leading candidate to replace Ohtani as the team's designated hitter if he were to sit.
Ohtani's poor performance in the NLCS comes on the heels of him hitting .154 (2-for-13) with four strikeouts and no extra-base hits in the four-game NL Division Series against Atlanta. The decision to remove him from the Dodgers' lineup altogether would nonetheless be a dramatic turn of events.
Ohtani helped the Dodgers advance past the Brewers in the 2025 NLCS with a Game 4 performance of the ages nearly one year ago. He pitched six scoreless innings as the Dodgers' starting pitcher and became just the 12th player in MLB postseason history to hit three home runs in the same game.
It sounds as if his teammates aren't sure what to make of his struggles considering how rarely it's happened in the past.
“I mean, it’s tough,’’ Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández said following Game 2. “We obviously need him. You know, he’s a big, big part of this team, and he’s really important. I feel bad for him. You know what he’s capable of. He’s been dealing with some stuff in the past. We don’t know if it’s still there, but you know, it’s Shohei. Any moment he can come through.’’
“It’s hard, it’s hard to see,’’ added Mookie Betts. “We know he’s working, but that’s a big one. We need him. We need him for sure.’’
Shohei Ohtani injury update
Though the Dodgers haven't disclosed exactly what's ailing Ohtani, Roberts said before the postseason began that his star was "not 100%" to start the playoffs. The sore left knee that forced him to stop pitching this season and a strained bicep that could be lingering were mentioned as possible health concerns by USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale after Game 2 of the NLCS.
Ohtani has looked noticeably uncomfortable at the plate and has not spoken to reporters since Oct. 2 before the Dodgers' division series against the Atlanta Braves began. His production has been in decline for two months and he last hit a home run on Aug. 18 at Coors Field.
Ohtani told reporters before the playoffs began, after getting rest during while the Dodgers waited out the wild-card round, that it feels really good overall. "I do feel like my swing is in a better place, feels smooth, and just little tweaks here and there, and I'll be ready for (Saturday).’’
He also may have offered a clue into how his talk with Roberts ahead of Game 3 might go.
“I do pride myself on playing every day,’’ Ohtani said. “I do see it as an obligation as a professional to be on the field every single day. Just being on the IL has taught me a lot. … I haven't been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this. I think that process is going to happen during the offseason when I'm going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it's something I'm just going to have to manage.’’
Dave Roberts discusses Shohei Ohtani's struggles
Roberts' reported admission that he's finally considering leaving Ohtani out of the lineup arrives after weeks of him defending Ohtani's presence as a potential positive even if he wasn't producing. Roberts said Ohtani is still being pitched carefully based on his MVP reputation, despite struggles at the plate that date back two months at this point.
"If he's in the batter's box, he's still a threat. He's swung the bat well against these guys last postseason," Roberts said before the NLCS began. "Those pitchers, their memories are long, and so now it's just up to Shohei to understand that and control the strike zone. They're just not going to give into him, regardless of how he might be swinging the bat over the last couple months."
Shohei Ohtani postseason stats
Ohtani has a .150 batting average during the 2026 MLB postseason after the first two games of the NLCS vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. He has yet to produce an extra-base hit over six games. He entered this postseason with a career .248 batting average, .940 OPS, 11 home runs and 24 RBIs over 33 playoff games during back-to-back World Series runs with the Dodgers in 2024 and 2025.
It's a battle of National League heavyweights as a pair of 100-win teams stage a rematch of last year's NLCS with the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers looking to avenge their loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers will have to break through on the road once again if they hope to make it three titles in a row.
Meanwhile, the American League matchup offers the complete opposite, with the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays looking to get back to the World Series for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season – and hoping to win it for the first time in franchise history. They take on the upstart Cleveland Guardians, who rallied to defeat the Chicago White Sox in five games in their division series.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: Washington Nationals prospects Seaver King, Miguel Sime Jr., Eli Willits, and Maxwell Romero Jr. stand with assistant general manager Devin Pearson while being recognized as the organization's 2026 Minor League Award winners before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on August 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Paul Toboni took over as Nationals President of Baseball Operations last year, one of his main goals was to build a “scouting and player development monster”. We saw plenty of development at the MLB level, but the minor leagues is where we really saw the fruits of Toboni’s labor. The Nationals farm system is the healthiest it has been in a long time.
The system may have had more blue chip talent in the 2023-2024 days, but we have never seen this kind of depth. Having a deep farm system allows you to do a lot of different things. You can replace players easily, but you can also use that depth in trades to fill holes that way. It is a luxury the Nationals have not often had.
While the depth is the strength of this farm system, the Nats do have a blue chip prospect at the top. Even though he was the first overall pick in the 2025 draft, Eli Willits still exceeded expectations in his first full pro season. He hit .265 with an .869 OPS across three levels and reached Double-A as an 18 year old. Willits also slugged 14 homers despite not being known as a power hitter.
Eli Willits hit his first Double-A homer yesterday.
Willits established himself as a top 10 prospect in the sport this year, and should be the Nats shortstop of the future. As the son of a big leaguer, Willits has an extremely high baseball IQ, hardly ever makes errors and puts together great at bats. He also runs very well, has good bat to ball skills and is growing into average power. You can see the path to 5 WAR seasons for Willits. His game reminds me a lot of Geraldo Perdomo on the D-Backs.
However, this Nats system is a lot more than just one player. In fact, I think the most impressive part of this year at the minor league level is how many players just came out of nowhere. Several players who either weren’t on my radar or had fallen off the radar had ultra impressive seasons.
A great example of that is Maxwell Romero Jr., who had a breakout year. The 25 year old catcher was a 9th round pick in 2022, who was having an unremarkable pro career in the Nats organization. He was closer to being released than making the big leagues. The arrival of the new regime changed everything for him though.
Romero started the year in AA, where he used his power and patience to destroy the competition. Once he got to AAA, he just kept on rolling. For the season, Romero hit .253 with an .879 OPS and 23 homers. His .881 OPS in AAA was nearly identical to his .878 mark in AA.
maxwell romero jr. with his fourth multi homer game of the season !!!
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 19, 2026
Despite the great season, Romero is not even a top 30 prospect in the Nats system according to MLB Pipeline or Baseball America. Despite his production, Romero strikes out a ton, nearly 35% of the time on the season. There is a decent chance he does not turn into anything at the MLB level. However, before this season, he did not look anywhere near a big leaguer. Now he has a path to being a power first backup catcher.
Cayden Wallace is another one of these older prospects who broke out. Given Wallace’s previous pedigree and contact skills, I am probably higher on him. The point is that the Nats are developing a lot of bodies who deserve looks in the big leagues. Not all of them will work out, but some of them will. That is why you build depth.
Another reason to build farm depth is for trades. Whether it is this offseason, next deadline or in windows to come, the Nats now have plenty of ammunition to make trades. If the Nats are in the playoff mix in July of next year, they have the chips to make a deal and still have a healthy farm.
Honestly, I think the system could take further strides in 2027. There are a lot of players who seem to be right on the cusp of breaking out if they can fix one or two things. An example of that is Miguel Sime Jr., the Nats 4th rounder from 2025. Sime has a triple-digit fastball and a pair of nasty breaking pitches with his slider and curveball. When he is at his best, Sime is devastating.
Miguel Sime Jr.’s final line ⬇️
5 IP 2 H 1 ER 0 BB 10 K
The @Nats_PlayerDev No. 10 prospect generated 21 whiffs on 68 pitches at High-A tonight.
In his first pro season, Sime did a lot of great things. He pitched to a 2.99 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. Batters only hit .153 against Sime this season. However, he walked 64 batters in those 72.1 innings. He will never have great control, but if he can drop his 20% walk rate down to 12-15%, he can become a top 100 prospect. Ronny Cruz, Coy James and Landon Harmon are also good examples of prospects on the cusp of fully breaking out.
Not all of these guys will hit, but Toboni has collected such a stockpile of talent, the odds are that enough of them will. He is also not leaving this purely to chance either. The way the Nats have improved their player development system has been really impressive. Minor League results are not everything, but you can see the improvements in those results.
In 2025, the Nats had a .463 winning percentage in the minors and a -377 run differential. As of August 25th of 2026, which is the most recent data I could find, the Nats had a .520 winning percentage and a +124 run differential. On the pitching side, no organization had allowed fewer runs than the Nats. Hopefully that starts to translate at the MLB level as well.
We also got to see Paul Toboni’s first draft as the Nats POBO this year. The first player he selected was Chris Hacopian, a local kid with an elite bat. Hacopian only played 13 pro games, but we got a glimpse of his exciting offensive toolset. He has a great combination of contact skills, plate discipline and raw power. The key will be to tap into that raw power more consistently in games.
I am excited to see how this first class of Toboni recruits performs next season. We could be watching them very closely given the lockout situation. If we can only watch the minor leagues to start next year, there are certainly worse farm systems to be monitoring.
It is only year one, but we are already seeing Paul Toboni make a serious mark on this organization. I touched on some of the standouts on the farm, but there are so many others. We wrote about Seaver King’s rise the other day and there are many more exciting players in the system. Hopefully these prospects can link up with the Nats existing young nucleus and make up the foundation of the next great Washington Nationals team.
Milwaukee Brewers third baseman David Hamilton (6) celebrates scoring with Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) of their National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field on Oct 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The trade for Caleb Durbin was mutually beneficial for the Red Sox and the Brewers. But, it’s easy to see the impact that David Hamilton’s speed has on this Brewers team. The 29-year-old utility infielder started at third as he has much of the season on Tuesday night, and, more importantly, batted ninth. He ended up on base three times, and was able to score each of those times. His biggest moment came in the eighth inning, when Brice Turang took Edgardo Henriquez into the perfect spot of the outfield and scored Hamilton. The Dodgers then brought in Justin Wrobleski, who was fantastic for them in 2026, to face Jake Bauers with Edgardo Henriquez’s inherited runners hanging in the balance. For the second consecutive at-bat, the ball was driven exactly where it needed to be, and the score was 7-4. The Dodgers are now down two games in a series for the first time in six years… though, yes, they did come back to win that series.
The Guardians are getting scorching hot at the right time, and that’s usually a formula for deep October run. It’s even tougher for Tampa knowing they used Drew Rasmussen, who went six-plus innings and struck out eight, and now still face a deficit after one game. Rasmussen came out for the seventh even after allowing a home run to Chase DeLauter in the sixth, and promptly allowed a second solo shot to Patrick Bailey to tie the game at two. The Rays would then piecemeal together a six-man pitching staff to finish this one out while trailing, and although Cedric Mullins hit a homer of his own, the Rays couldn’t climb out of the hole. The Guardians have now won four straight, thanks largely to scoring late. And don’t look now, but Jose Ramirez is looking every bit of a signature clutch player, as he has an OPS well over 1 in October and added three hits on Monday.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 14, 2026: Bryse Wilson #48 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 14, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. The Phillies beat the Yankees, 6-4. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
After a shaky beginning to his major league career, Bryse Wilson spent 2023 and 2024 as a decent middle/long reliever for the Milwaukee Brewers, recording a 2.40 ERA in 87 games across the two seasons. He moved to the White Sox for 2025 and was far less effective, with a 6.65 ERA in 20 games.
The Phillies signed him, thinking they could make him a starting pitcher in the minors, and he would serve as rotation depth. He began the year with Lehigh Valley and had a rough start to his season, though he did show some improvement in June, throwing 12 consecutive scoreless innings.
Bryse Wilson starts today for the Phillies and may be called upon to start for them at some point in 2026.
He talked about what went right for him in Milwaukee, the struggle of last season and his role here. https://t.co/fxYxPJHr6A
There were some roster machinations – presumably due to an upward mobility clause in his contract – where he was released, re-signed, and eventually promoted to the big-league team.
He finally appeared in a game with them on June 18th, with the Phillies trailing by three runs. Wilson was brought in to absorb a couple of innings and hopefully keep the game within reach. He did his job, delivering two scoreless innings, though the Phillies weren’t able to complete the comeback.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough to impress the team. He was optioned after the game and claimed by the Cubs.
The stats: 1 game, 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 1 BB
What went right
Two innings pitched, zero runs allowed certainly isn’t the worst performance by a Phillies player in 2026. While his overall numbers at AAA were bad, he was striking out a lot of batters, and was victimized by awful batted ball luck.
What went wrong
His poor numbers as a starter in the minors (even if they were somewhat due to bad luck) gave the Phillies no confidence he could be used in that role in the majors. That says a lot considering that the Lehigh Valley rotation was largely a wasteland in 2026.
The future
He’s on his second team since leaving the Phillies, and might even get a World Series ring with the Brewers. So he’s got that going for him.
Final grade: Incomplete
The Phillies hoped that Wilson could serve as rotation depth, but he was simply not good at being a starter in the minors. He’s been passable for the Brewers in a low-leverage role, and that might be his ultimate fate.
Colby Shelton crosses the plate after crushing a grand salami, pulling the Dogs even and giving the scoreboard operator some catching up to do. | (Arizona Fall League/Instagram)
The White Sox prospects are suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs, sharing the dugout with hopefuls from the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chicago ties Los Angeles for sending the most Top 30 prospects (five) to the AFL.
Salt River Rafters 9, Glendale Desert Dogs 4 (10/3/26) Despite the loss, Chicago’s prospects brought some life to the bats. Bonemer went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, coming through with a two-out, bases-clearing double in the bottom of the ninth to cut the deficit to 9-4. It was too little, too late, but we’ll take the clutch knock.
He also patrolled center field, getting the outfield reps that are a big reason for his AFL assignment. Unfortunately, the defensive side wasn’t quite as pretty. The 21-year-old made a throwing error after a fifth-inning sac fly that helped drive in three unearned runs. Yikes.
Shelton finished 1-for-4, with his lone hit kicking off the ninth-inning rally.
Scottsdale Scorpions 5, Glendale Desert Dogs 2 (10/4/26) This one had a little good, a little bad and a whole lot of free passes — nine from Chicago’s pitchers. Bonemer kept the bat rolling, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a walk while Shelton added a single in four trips and backstop Magill went 0-for-3 in his AFL debut.
On the mound, five Sox hurlers got their turn, with mixed results. Altermatt earned a hold with a scoreless, hitless fourth, although the 27-year-old issued two walks. George followed with a messy fifth, surrendering a run without allowing a hit. Three walks, a wild pitch and a hit batter will do that. He got tagged with a blown save before LaCombe secured the final out of the frame. Unfortunately, the righthander ran into his own trouble in the sixth, allowing two runs on three hits, including a homer, and two more free passes.
Wright took over with two outs and stopped the bleeding, then worked around a leadoff single and a two-out walk in a scoreless seventh. Clark handled the final two frames, allowing one last run on a walk, wild pitch and single. The bats offered some promise, but the pitching made Glendale work awfully hard for its outs.
Surprise Saguaros 8, Desert Dogs 7 (10/5/26) The Desert Dogs are still hunting for their first victory after an 8-7 walk-off loss in this one. It was a quiet day for Chicago’s prospects, with almost everyone getting the day off, but Shelton made his brief appearance count. After entering as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the eighth, he came up in the ninth with a runner on second, one out, and the Dogs trailing 7-6. Shelton smashed an RBI single to center to tie it up, giving the Dogs a little hope of finally cracking the win column. Unfortunately, the Saguaros had other plans, walking it off in the bottom of the ninth and keeping that first W just out of reach.
Desert Dogs 4, Mesa Solar Sox 3 (10/6/26 — 10 innings) The Dogs finally got their first win, and Chicago’s prospects had their fingerprints all over this one. After a wild pitch brought home their first tally in the fourth, Shelton plated the second run with a sac fly in the sixth. With the game still tied after nine, Bonemer played hero in the top of the 10th, knocking an RBI single to bring home what proved to be the winning run.
Shelton and Bonemer drove in the contest’s only two earned runs, while Magill chipped in a pair of hits, going 2-for-4. Altermatt handled the final bit of business, getting the last out in the bottom of the 10th to earn his first save and finally put a W next to the Dogs’ name.
Peoria Javelinas 10, Desert Dogs 2 (10/8/26) This was an ugly L, but the South Siders supplied some of the few bright spots. Bonemer was the only Chicago hitter to see action and accounted for two of the team’s six hits, going 2-for-4 with a double. LaCombe and Wright did their part on the mound, each tossing two scoreless innings amid the mess. LaCombe allowed no hits, walked two and struck out one, while Wright surrendered a pair of singles and one free pass, fanning four. A rough day for the Dogs, but at least the Sox contingent did their part.
Salt River Rafters 13, Desert Dogs 9 (10/9/26) The Dogs landed on the wrong side of a football score in this loss, but Bonemer and Magill did their best to keep the offense rolling. Bonemer kept finding his way on base, swatting a triple to center in the fifth and finishing 1-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a walk.
Magill brought the hottest bat of the bunch, going 2-for-3 with a bases-clearing double, four RBIs and a run scored. Shelton couldn’t join the hit parade, finishing 0-for-4 with a punchout. On the mound, Altermatt worked the sixth, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two. Plenty of offense, just too much of it on the other side.
Surprise Saguaros 5, Desert Dogs 4 (10/11/26) A close one, but Surprise spoiled the party with a walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. Shelton was the lone White Sox prospect to see action, entering as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the sixth. He went 0-for-2 in his two trips to the plate, dropping his average to .176 as he continues searching for a spark with the bat.
Scottsdale Scorpions 6, Desert Dogs 6 (10/12/26 — suspended) The AFL website had the Dogs down for a 6-2 loss in seven innings, but apparently nobody told Shelton the game was over. MLB’s highlight clips showed him crushing a grand slam in the top of the eighth to tie it at 6-6 before play was suspended. His grand salami was the lone hit from Chicago’s prospects, as Shelton went 1-for-3 with the homer and a walk, while Bonemer finished 0-for-2 with a walk and a punchout. The scoreboard may need some work, but the video doesn’t. Enjoy the salami.
Mar 30, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt (12) talks with media members before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Welcome to Tuesday A’s fans.
The Cleveland Guardians won the first game of the ALCS, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 thanks to some late offense. That’s put the Guardians just three games away from the World Series. Since the Cubs’ record-breaking World Series win 2016 (over Cleveland of all teams), the Guardians’ franchise is the holder of the second-longest championship drought across all four major American sports leagues at 78 years(!). Only the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals have gone longer since their last ring. Lots of the baseball world is pulling for them because no city should have to wait that long for a parade.
A’s fans are also rooting not only for their fellow low-spending club, that team’s skipper is longtime Athletic and beloved member Stephen Vogt, who suited up for the A’s from 2013 to mid-2017, and then wrapped his career with one more season in the Green & Gold. Though he’s retired, he hasn’t left baseball, the dugout, or A’s fans hearts.
Always regarded as a future manager, he got that first gig faster than a lot of people probably expected, only spending one year with the Seattle Mariners as their bullpen coach before getting the Guardians’ gig, replacing another strong manager in Terry Francona. High expectations when you’re taking over for a Hall of Fame manager like Tito but his time guiding the Guardians has been nothing short of exceptional. He’s now got his team just three wins away from the World Series in his third year managing the ballclub. A’s fans don’t have much to root for left in these playoffs except for some good baseball, but seeing our beloved Vogt win a ring would be nice to see. Just wish he was the one managing the A’s.
While the Fall Classic is fast approaching and with it the offseason, the A’s still don’t yet have their next voice in the front office selected. Former Athletic Sam Fuld reportedly was offered the President of Baseball Operations role but rejected that and will stay second-in-command in Philadelphia. Red Sox executive Taylor Smith is rumored to be the pick but until there’s confirmation we can’t say for sure one way or the other. It’s going to be really interesting to see which direction the A’s go. Do they stick with experienced options like Mike Rizzo or do they go after a young guy like Smith? Still lots of candidates to choose from and with the postseason getting closer to its end the A’s will need to be making this decision soon. Perhaps even today.
Second game of the ALCS starts at 5:00 West Coast time. Have a great day guys.
Former San Francisco Giants executive discusses the A's front office opening, how he'd approach the role, and some key questions he'd want answered. https://t.co/CVmpXqmKBC
Watching the playoffs tonight with my kids and here's the rundown: – Megan Fox selling ED pills in a red bodysuit – The scariest movie trailer you've ever seen – Sydney Sweeney in zero clothes…
The get-in price for Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday were $176 on Sunday morning. They have dropped about 50% tonight on @TickPick after the Dodgers lost to trail the Brewers 2-0. The NLCS get-in prices are now:
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Parker Messick #77 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after a strike out against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning in game four of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One down, three more wins to make the World Series.
The Guardians surprised many people by taking the Drew Rasmussen game. Longtime Guardians fans likely know that Nick Martinez is the one who truly owns Cleveland, but that’s a game three problem. Tonight, the Guardians look to get a good performance from Parker Messick and hit Freddy Peralta.
Let’s talk about some keys to winning tonight:
Get the Signature Messick Moment: Messick may be tiring as he is now at 193 innings-pitched for the year. But, during the season, he was the sixth best pitcher in MLB. The Guardians need him to be that again, playing in his old stomping grounds growing up, to have a chance at really flipping this series upside down. He will need to navigate the lefty mashing Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero danger spots in the Rays order effectively to have a good outing tonight.
Get Steven Kwan, Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez and/or Brayan Rocchio to Have THE Game: Kwan and Bazzana have had some singles and some walks, while Rocchio has yet to do anything notable for the past three games and Martinez got his first playoff hit last night. It feels like any one of these four are always on the verge of breaking out and that could give the Guardians an edge any given night.
Don’t Get Dominated by the Peralta Changeup: Freddy Peralta has pitched much better since joining the Rays (putting up an 0.96 ERA in September) and his changeup has been his most effective out pitch. Changeups give the Guardians trouble but they did just enough to score a couple off another effective changeup artist in Drew Rasmussen last night. The Rays are aggressive and go right after hitters in the zone, so the Guardians were aggressive last night to great effect. They need to continue being aggressive on strikes early in counts and fight off changeups late. The Rays pen, outside Bryan Baker, SHOULD be vulnerable and made more so if the Guardians can, again, force them to use multiple arms from it.
Don’t Get Caught in the Chaos: The Rays are going to lean into hit-and-run, bunting, basestealing and chaos baseball tonight to try to shake up a rolling Guardians’ team. Defense needs to be sound and mental states need to be especially sharp to survive the onslaught approaching.
I would assume Austin Hedges gets the Messick start again, but would not oppose riding the incredible Patrick Bailey heater going on right now. What a fun game last night – let’s do it again. Go Guardians!
Ian Happ is one of the most underappreciated Cubs — maybe ever.
He’s played 10 seasons with the team, producing 25.3 bWAR. That ranks 27th among all Cubs position players — ever. He has hit 197 home runs with the team, which ranks 11th in team history — one behind Hank Sauer for 10th. He’s won four Gold Gloves and is likely to get a fifth when those awards are announced next month.
And yet, Happ seems disliked by many Cubs fans. Why? Maybe it’s the batting average. He hit a career-low .218 in 2026 and his career BA is just .243.
As most of us know, batting average is not a good way to make a complete evaluation of a player. Happ walks. A lot. His 621 walks rank 15th in franchise history and his .341 career OBP is pretty good, as is his .442 career SLG, which ranks 43rd in team history.
Is Happ a great player? No, he’s not. Is he a solid building block any team should be happy to have? Absolutely, and beyond that are the compliments his teammates gave him after the season ended, starting with Dansby Swanson:
“He’s meant a lot to me,” Swanson finally continued. “I think he truly embodies what it means to wear the jersey. And I know he would probably never say that himself, but the tradition and legacy that I feel like he’s carried on from that ’16 team, just the lessons that he has learned, he’s taught me a lot.
“He’s one of my longest friends that I’ve had here, so yeah, that probably speaks enough for itself. He embodies the Cubs more than anyone I know. He’s a big reason why I’m here, and I’m very thankful for him.”
“Happer, he is the Chicago Cubs,” said center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. “I know he loves this place and he kind of helped teach me how to love this place and play here. He’s played a very big role in this version of me so far up to this point.”
You might not think those things matter. I think they do. Clearly players think they do.
Now, having said all that, I would think the Cubs would hesitate signing a guy coming off a pretty bad year to any sort of long-term extension. Yesterday I wrote about Seiya Suzuki and how much I think he means to the Cubs and how they should bend every effort to keep him.
Happ and Suzuki are almost exactly the same age — Happ is six days older. My personal feeling is that Suzuki will age better than Happ will and that Suzuki is more worth a long-term deal.
The most I would give Happ is a one-year deal with a vesting option. If he has a good year in 2027, then sure, extend him into 2028. The Cubs will almost certainly make him a qualifying offer and he just might take it. I’d be okay with that, too.
The alternative might be some sort of combination of Kevin Alcántara, Pedro Ramírez and Matt Shaw in left field for the Cubs in 2027, and personally, I think that would be a significant downgrade.
