MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 24: Yandy Diaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after striking out for the final out against the Milwaukee Brewers to end the ninth inning in game two of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Monday, everyone. It was quite a weekend for those who watched the World Series get underway in Milwaukee. While the match ostensibly pairs the two strongest teams in baseball, the Rays have been struggling mightily against the Brewers, making some truly egregious defensive gaffes that would look bad during the regular season but are doing them no favors in the World Series, especially. We’ve got more on that below, plus a look at the players proving to be difference-makers this postseason, a new World Series pitching record, and Stephen Vogt puts to bed any rumors he might be heading West.
Let’s get right into it!
Detroit Tigers News
Not surprising at all. Just wish they’d been able to see some more wins.
Comerica Park saw the largest attendance increase from 2023 to 2026 (+44.0%).
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 24: Aaron Ashby #26 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches in the ninth inning during Game Two of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After winning Games 1 & 2 of the World Series in Milwaukee, the Brewers are now in St. Petersburg as they’re set to take on the Tampa Bay Rays for Games 3, 4, & 5 (if needed). In Sunday’s workout day press conferences, Pat Murphy, Aaron Ashby, & Brice Turang all chatted with the media. Here’s what they had to say.
Pat Murphy
Pat Murphy — in typical Pat Murphy fashion — started his press conference with some icebreaking, as a reporter let Murphy know that Mike Vasallo figured out he moved past legend Casey Stengel for managerial wins in his first three seasons, with plenty of other legendary names on the list. Murphy, never one to toot his own horn, was then asked what traits he likes about some of those other guys, including Joe Torre.
“I like about Joe Torre that he looked like he was sleeping in the dugout. I’m like, are his eyes open? He told me all about it. So I’m grateful for that friendship. He was at Game 1, did you know that? He was there, and I got to see him,” Murphy deadpanned.
When it came to “real” questions, as Murphy called them, he was asked about potential check swing challenges, specifically in regard to Yandy Díaz’s controversial swing call to end Game 2.
“I can say this in general, that’s why the league is testing this opportunity to maybe be having a check bat and have a definition of what it really is because it is so tough to see and tough to judge,” Murphy said. “We’ve had a couple like that go against us, and you see the barrel at some point — stop action, you see the barrel out in front of the plate, and you’re like, wait a minute. If he hits that ball, it’s maybe half pulled, and you can tend to see that. The one that I saw last night, from the view that I saw last night, I’m like, no, he didn’t go. He did it so nicely, so quick, then brought his hands up. I didn’t feel like where I’m standing — I’ve got a pretty good view, but I didn’t think they were going to call it. Now, when you slow it down, sure enough, his barrel’s in front. That’s why we’re getting into these rule changes and ways to make the game even better.”
Despite the seven-day layoff between the NLCS and World Series, Milwaukee has come out strong in the first couple of games, and Murphy explained that he chatted with several former managers who went through these long layoffs previously.
“I’ve talked to a lot of managers that have went through it. They all had great things to add. Everybody has a different makeup of a team. Everybody’s team makeup is different. I try to blend it all together and see what works,” Murphy said. “The one thing I arrived at is contrived antics to create a game probably has to come from within. The players would have to kind of make it that competitive themselves. So bringing in fans and doing things like that, I didn’t feel like was going to feel organic. And I just wanted — I wanted the guys to rest and I wanted them — and we’re still — you can see the rust that we still have from being off that long.”
He went on to add that he’s been impressed with the team’s competitiveness even with that long layoff.
“We went out yesterday and saw 184 pitches. That’s abnormal, and that’s what — now, we left 12 guys on base. When you see 184, you usually score more than whatever number of runs we scored. So it’s one of those things where the competing part, but the layoff is a real deal,” Murphy said. “I’m sure MLB has had this on their plate for a long time.”
Murphy ended by answering a question about how to help his team avoid looking ahead too far with a 2-0 series lead.
“These guys are Major League players. They’ve been through all sorts of ups and downs over the last seven months, all sorts of, oh, my career is going this way, oh, injuries, adversity, stuff off the field, whatever it might be. These guys go through it, and they know the reality of playing today in the now. What can I get out of today? Tomorrow will take care of itself. What do I get out of today? I think that’s number one. Hopefully we reiterate it or they reiterate it to each other. Hey, take care of business today. It really becomes a team sport, and they let each other know like, hey, you got the responsibility in me, I have it to you. So that starts up here. The mentality is crucial,” Murphy said.
Aaron Ashby & Brice Turang
Building off of that last question Murphy answered, both Aaron Ashby and Brice Turang addressed the key to avoiding looking ahead to begin their joint press conference.
“I think we just go out and continue to play our game, just trying to win tonight. Like that mentality of winning tonight is so big for us. It’s been big for us during the season as well. I think with that mentality moving forward, trying to win every pitch, win every game, it doesn’t matter what happened the previous days, it matters about tonight and winning tonight,“ Turang said.
“Yeah, just kind of this mindset of like 0-0. We know they’re going to come out and fight us hard. Just got to keep our head down and play as hard as we can as many games as it takes,” Ashby said.
They were also asked about William Contreras’ game management and the impact he’s had on Milwaukee’s postseason run.
“I feel like I’ve been blessed to have him as kind of our back stop for three years ago now. So I get to see it night in and night out,” Ashby said. “He’s certainly one of those guys that locks it in and just seems to do those extraordinary things in the bigger moments, which is special. Not everyone has the ability to do that. He’s just kind of our captain out there, man, especially for the pitchers. He’s in control. You trust what he sees behind the plate with hitter swings and maybe what our stuff looks like, if it’s good or not as good as the night before. Easy guy to follow from a pitcher’s standpoint for sure.”
“The confidence he carries, the — I mean, just the weight of being a catcher is already hard, having to deal with the pitching staff and then your offense and your defense, and he does a great job at all three,” Turang said. “The way he handles the game and takes control is really impressive. It speaks for himself. He’s one of the best catchers in baseball. It’s been a pleasure to have him on the team and see him work. Yeah, I’m excited to see how things continue for him.”
Ashby was also happy to answer a question about Brewers fans traveling to Tampa for the series.
“Maybe this postseason is just — you know, with the craziness and ticket prices maybe in Milwaukee, and then for some of those fans to be able to get down here, that’s super special for them. I hope we can make them happy and make it worth their trip to come down here and support us,” Ashby said. Any time you can get some of your home fans on the road, it makes a huge difference when they’re on your side.”
Both players were asked about what it will be like to face former teammate Freddy Peralta in Game 3.
“Yeah, it will be fun. We’ll be having some fun going to compete against him. It’s part of his story. Part of everyone’s kind of story is learning, and it makes you better. Going through some rough times makes you better. But I think it will be fun being able to go out there and compete against him,” Turang said.
“I’m sure you’ve heard it from everyone, but everyone in our clubhouse was around him last year for the most part, and he’s like one of the best teammates you can have. He’s an unbelievable pitcher, but maybe another — like just the same, exact, awesome, fun dude every single day. He was a huge part in our organization’s success, and everyone over there in our clubhouse loves that dude,” Ashby said. “Excited for him and what’s to come for him. I hope we compete our butts off against him tomorrow.”
In one of the funnier moments of the day, Ashby and Turang were both taken aback with pleasure when they found out about the stingray tank in Tampa Bay’s outfield concourse.
Ashby: “They have stingrays in the outfield here? I didn’t know that.”
Turang: “I think it’s cool. Can you touch them, like the two-finger touch? Yeah, that’s cool. That’s really cool.”
Ashby: “Maybe we should have a brewery.”
Turang: “I think we have some. I think we’ve got some, right?”
Ashby: “We have a brewery in the stadium? … We need a bigger brewery and more in sight so I can see it; I guess, it would probably help.”
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 24: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during Game Two of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the 2026 major league season is going to end this week. It might not happen until Saturday. Or it could be as soon as tomorrow. But by this time next week, MLB will have crowned a first-time World Series champion and will have begun a potentially very, very long and painful offseason.
Exactly how many more days of baseball we’ll get depends on whether the Tampa Bay Rays can find a spark and climb their way out of their 2-0 series hole against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Rays didn’t exactly get blown out in the first two games in Milwaukee, losing each game by one and ending with the potential tying run at third base in both cases. One swing of the bat in each game could’ve made this a 2-0 Tampa Bay lead. But the Rays — like most teams this postseason — have had no answer for the Brewers’ dominant bullpen, and have squandered the opportunities they’ve had, going 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position so far.
The good news for the Rays is that the next three games will be at friendly Tropicana Field, where their 55-26 mark this season was tied for the best home record in baseball with — you guessed it — the Brewers. The Rays also figure to have the starting pitching advantage for Games 3 and 4, sending former Brewer Freddy Peralta and Griffin Jax to the mound against Milwaukee’s lesser-tier starters and bullpen games. With Jacob Misiorowski looming for the Brewers in Game 5, it would behoove the Rays to win the next two games and even up the series before dealing with the Miz.
I’ve said before that I’m rooting for the Brewers to win it all, but that doesn’t mean I want this series to end in a clean sweep. Sweeps are boring (unless it’s the Orioles doing it). I want a seven-game World Series, and I want every moment of every game to be exciting. Both games have been decided by one run so far — why not make it all seven? Is that too much to ask?
This might be the last time we get to watch Major League Baseball for a long while, so we need to make it count. Let’s stretch this thing out as long as we can before we delve into the bleak reality of an extended baseball hiatus.
If you happened to attend an Orioles game in Minnesota, Kansas City, or Texas in the early 1980s and still have your ticket stub, maybe you can help Rick Taylor complete his truly impressive collection.
I like what I’ve read about Mike Shildt and his emphasis on fundamentals. I just wish there was some evidence that it was actually working.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day, including outfielder and MLB The Show aficionado Dwight Smith Jr. (34), left-hander Danny Coulombe (37), and righty Wayne Garland (76).
On this day in 1998, Hall of Fame Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar declared free agency after three seasons with the Birds. He certainly had an eventful tenure in Baltimore. The O’s stunned the baseball world in December 1995 by signing Alomar, one of baseball’s most coveted free agents, to a three-year, $18 million deal (which was a lot of money at the time). Production-wise, Alomar was one of the best signings the Orioles ever made, earning an All-Star nod all three years and winning two Gold Gloves, and boasting a potent .862 OPS and 50 homers as he helped the O’s make the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. But his tenure was forever stained in September 1996 when he spit on umpire John Hirschbeck, turning him into an oft-booed pariah among baseball fans. After leaving the Orioles, Alomar signed with Cleveland to join his brother, Sandy Jr.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Philadelphia interim manager Don Mattingly (8) talks with infielder Alec Bohm (28) prior to the start of the Philadelphia Phillies versus the Atlanta Braves in game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series on October 1st, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Remember when Cowboys week actually meant something to the Eagles? Those were fun times. Now, tonight, we have to see which team stinks less.
At least there is the World Series, which has been very good so far.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 06: Boston Baro #3 of the Surprise Saguaros bats during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
1934 – The Boston Red Sox acquire shortstop Joe Cronin from the Washington Senators for his counterpart Lyn Lary and an estimated $250,000. Senators owner Clark Griffith needs the money to keep his franchise afloat during the Great Depression and is willing to see his best player leave in order to do so. Cronin will hit .295 with 95 RBI in 1935, the first of his 11 seasons as a Boston player.
1940 – Detroit Tigers outfielder Hank Greenberg is named the American League MVP with Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller finishing second. Greenberg hit .340 with 41 home runs and 150 RBI, while Feller posted a 27-11 record with a 2.61 ERA. Having won the award in 1935 as a first baseman, Greenberg becomes the first player to win the MVP again playing a different position.
1985 – The Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the World Series, thanks in part to a controversial ninth-inning call by Don Denkinger. The umpire rules the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe at first base, when replays show he was out. The Royals will go on to score two runs to win, 2-1, forcing a seventh game.
1991 – OutfielderKirby Puckett prevents two Atlanta runs with a leaping catch in the third inning and then lofts a sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Twins the lead in Game 6 of the World Series. The Braves tie it in the seventh, but Puckett turns out the lights in the 11th with a home run to force a seventh game. (Jack Buck: “”And we’ll see you ..… tomorrow night!”)
1997 – Edgar Renteria ends one of the most thrilling Game 7 in World Series history, singling with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Florida Marlins their first World championship with a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians. The five-year-old Marlins become the youngest expansion team to win the Fall Classic. Pitcher Livan Hernandez wins the Series MVP award. Following the 2010 season, a panel of experts at the MLB Network will vote this game the 13th greatest game of the past fifty years.
2004 – Prior to Game 3 of the World Series, Edgar Martinez receives the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team. A native of Puerto Rico, the Marinersdesignated hitter, like the award’s namesake, is involved in a number of charitable causes.
2005 – In the World Series, the Chicago White Sox complete a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 1-0 victory in Game 4. Freddy Garcia pitches seven solid shutout innings. Series MVPJermaine Dye connects for an RBI single off Brad Lidge in the eighth for the only run of the game, as Juan Uribe adds strong defensive support at shortstop. Garcia becomes the first Venezuelan starter to win a World Series game. He also accomplishes the feat with good friend and fellow countryman Ozzie Guillen at the helm, who manages the White Sox to earn the franchise’s first World Championship since 1917.
2018 – The Dodgers win a marathon Game 3 in the World Series, 3-2 over the Red Sox, on a walk-off homer by Max Muncy off Nathan Eovaldi to lead off the 18th inning. The game lasts 7 hours and 20 minutes and begins with a great start by Walker Buehler, who shuts out the Sox for seven innings. But Los Angeles can only score one run on a solo homer by Joc Pederson in the third, and in the eighth Boston ties the score on a two-out homer by Jackie Bradley off Kenley Jansen. The two teams trade runs in the 13th when the Dodgers manage to score on a two-out error by 2B Ian Kinsler. The score remains at 2-2 until Muncy ends the game as Eovaldi begins his seventh inning of work. The game’s total time and the 18 pitchers used are both postseason records.
1774 – First Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia.
1776 – Benjamin Franklin departs for France on a mission to seek French support for the American Revolution.
1824 – First presidential election in American history where the popular vote is important with 18 states choosing presidential electors by popular vote. Andrew Jackson wins the most votes but is short of a majority, forcing a contingent election in the House of Representatives which John Quincy Adams wins.
1861 – The Pony Express (Missouri to California) ends after 19 months.
1881 – Gunfight at the O.K. Corral: The most famous shootout in the Wild West occurs between lawmen, including Wyatt Earp, and the Cowboys, with Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton killed.
1951 – Future world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano defeats former champion Joe Louis by TKO in the eighth round at Madison Square Garden.
1962 – Nikita Khrushchev sends note to JFK offering to withdraw his missiles from Cuba if US closes its bases in Turkey. Offer is rejected and JFK warns Russia that the USA will not allow Soviet missiles to remain in Cuba.
1968 – Future world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman wins the Olympic heavyweight gold medal when the final against Jonas Čepulis (Soviet Union) is stopped in round 2 at the Mexico City Games.
1970 – The “Doonesbury” comic strip debuts in 28 newspapers.
Today in music history:
1927 – American jazz vocalist Adelaide Hall makes her 1st recordings – “Creole Love Call” and “Blues I Love to Sing” – with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, for Victor Records in Camden, New Jersey.
1956 – Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis leads his new quintet — Paul Chambers (double bass and cello), John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Red Garland (piano), and Philly Joe Jones (drums) — in the second of two marathon sessions at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Hackensack, New Jersey; released by Columbia as the classic albums ‘Cookin'” (1957),”Relaxin'” (1958),”Workin'” (1960), and “Steamin'” (1961).
1965 – Queen Elizabeth decorates The Beatles with medals making them members Order of the British Empire (MBE) at Buckingham Palace.
Oct 13, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) reacts after defeating the against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
We got a breather after a breathless first two games of the World Series, with the two teams returning to action tonight as the series shifts to Florida. The Brewers only outscored the Rays by a total of two runs in Games 1 and 2, but they won both games, and the pressure is on Tampa Bay to turn this into a series back at home. They’ll have Freddy Peralta on the mound in service of that effort, with the righty coming off an ALCS MVP award and the team looking for him to continue what he’s done since he came over via trade from the Mets.
It’ll be a light day on the site ahead of the Game 3 matchup, which will go off at 8 pm eastern and will see the Brewers counter with lefty Robert Gasser against Peralta. In the morning, you can catch Nick’s review of Tim Hill’s disappointing 2026 campaign, while Matt profiles Snuffy Sternweiss, not a household name as far as Yankees history goes, but the author of a couple of the greatest seasons we’ve ever seen from a lower-profile Yankee.
Today’s Playoff Matchup:
World Series Game 3 (Brewers lead 2-0)
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Milwaukee Brewers (RHP Freddy Peralta vs. LHP Robert Gasser)
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
TV: FOX/FOX One/Fox Deportes
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Questions/Prompts:
1. Who do you think has the pitching advantage tonight between the Brewers with Gasser and the Rays with Peralta?
2. As he’s set to become a free agent after the World Series, do you think Freddy Peralta has resuscitated his free-agent value with what he’s done down the stretch and in the playoffs?
TAMPA — Mike Rizzo, the architect of the Washington Nationals’ World Series championship, now would like to turn around the fate of the franchise the Nationals defeated to accomplish their historic feat.
Rizzo is interviewing for the Houston Astros’ vacant general manager job Monday in Houston, two persons with direct knowledge told USA TODAY Sports. The persons spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Astros want to keep their search private.
The Nationals beat the Astros in 2019 in seven games for their first World Series title in the nation’s capital just weeks before the Astros’ sign-stealing cheating scandal was revealed, and two months before they were punished.
Rizzo, 65, has since informed friends of his deep desire to work for the Astros since the firing of GM Dana Brown in August. Rizzo has strong respect for Astros owner Jim Crane, believing they’ll continue to spend money to be a contender having reached the postseason nine times in the past 10 years – including eight division titles. Rizzo and his family also live in West Palm Beach, Florida, site of the Astros' (and Nationals) spring-training complex.
Rizzo, lauded for his strong scouting acumen, nearly singlehandedly turned the Nationals from a laughingstock to one of baseball’s most successful franchises during his tenure as their general manager and president of baseball operations.
He joined the Nationals in 2006 as an assistant general manager, replacing Jim Bowden as GM in 2009, and becoming president in 2013. The Nationals had almost instant success under Rizzo. He inherited a team that won 59 games in 2009, and increased their win total by at least 10 games each season for three years, winning 98 games in 2012. They won four National League East titles in six years, culminating with their World Series title.
Rizzo, who drafted Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg in back-to-back years with the No. 1 overall pick, engineered a trade that set up the Nationals’ future when he traded Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in a six-player package that included future All-Stars James Wood and CJ. Abrams, along with starter MacKenzie Gore.
Rizzo’s tenure ended after 19 years when he and manager Dave Martinez were fired on July 6, 2025, after going 37-53 and missing the postseason five consecutive years.
Rizzo became a candidate for the Athletics’ opening this off-season, but pulled himself out of the running after his interview, saying his preference was to join the Astros.
The Astros, who began their job search after losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago White Sox, have also interviewed Matt Klein, assistant GM of the Milwaukee Brewers. They have had three GMs since Jeff Luhnow was fired in the wake of their cheating scandal in 2020. Their preference is to have a GM in place by the time of the GM meetings on Nov. 9 in Las Vegas.
How will this year's World Series play out? Using the Dynasty League Baseball online simulation, USA TODAY Sports' Steve Gardner and DLB designer Mike Cieslinski will pre-play each game to provide some insight into the key matchups and strategy fans can expect to see in the Fall Classic.
There was something hauntingly familiar with the way Game 3 of USA TODAY Sports' annual Simulated World Series played out.
The Tampa Bay Rays jumped out to a quick early lead, but the Milwaukee Brewers slowly and methodically chipped away before finally recording a 5-4 victory − one that wasn't decided until after some wild ninth-inning drama. Sure sounds an awful like the actual Game 2, doesn't it?
Here's how our Game 3 simulation played out:
Rays vs Brewers World Series Game 3 simulation
With the home field advantage shifting in Tampa Bay's favor, the starting pitching advantage figured to follow suit with Nick Martinez getting the call for the Rays in our simulation − against lefty Robert Gasser of the Brewers. (Tampa Bay's actual starter in Game 3, Freddy Peralta, started and won Game 2 of our simulation.)
One of the unique features of Tropicana Field is the short 315-foot distance down the left-field line. The Rays took advantage almost immediately, with center fielder Jonny DeLuca and catcher Nick Fortes hitting solo home runs down the line in the bottom of the second inning, neither of which cleared the wall with a whole lot to spare.
The Rays added another solo shot in the fifth, as Yandy Diaz blasted one 375 feet to right center.
But the Brewers had an answer. After a Brice Turang walk in the top of the sixth, Jake Bauers followed with a two-run blast off Martinez to cut the Rays lead to 3-2.
Tampa Bay scored a run in the bottom of the inning on Richie Palacios' pinch-hit RBI single off Abner Uribe to go up 4-2.
Then in the eighth, the Brewers staged their winning rally. After singles by David Hamilton and Jackson Chourio put runners on the corners with no outs, the Rays called on lefty Cam Booser to face the left-handed bats of Brice Turang and Bauers.
Turang stunningly laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Hamilton to make it 4-3. After a walk to Bauers and a wild pitch by Booser put two runners in scoring position, William Contreras put the Brewers ahead by plating both runners on a two-run single to left, with Bauers easily beating the throw to the plate from Chandler Simpson.
Up 5-4, the Brewers turned to closer Trevor Megill to face the heart of the Rays order in the bottom of the ninth.
With one out, the ever-dangerous Junior Caminero crushed a Megill fastball deep to right field that looked like a potential game-tying home run. But the ball died when it got to the warning track and it fell into the glove of rookie Luis Lara. Dodging that bullet, Megill then struck out Simpson to end the game.
▶ Gasser vs. Rays lefty bats. The Brewers' Robert Gasser held left-handed hitters to a .163/.259/.293 slash line during the regular season. That could be important with lefty hitters Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson hitting high in the Rays order.
Tampa Bay countered with Ryan Vilade, who had a .341 on-base percentage and slugged .477 against left-handers during the regular season, by starting him in right field over Victor Mesa Jr. (Although ... the lefty-swinging Mesa slashed .333/.385/.483 against southpaws in just 66 plate appearances.) In Sim Series Game 3, Vilade tripled against Gasser in the second inning, but finished 1-for-5 with a strikeout. Mesa walked as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
▶ The bunt is back! The Rays and Brewers ranked first and fifth in the majors during the season in number of sacrifice bunts. They also ranked first and second in bunt hits (Rays 49, Brewers 32).
The bunt has been a frequently used weapon already in the Sim Series, especially in Game 3. Tampa Bay's Taylor Walls collected a bunt single in the second inning, Nick Fortes successfully executed a sac bunt in the sixth, and Chandler Simpson bunted for a hit in the seventh − though none eventually resulted in the runner scoring.
The Brewers did make it count when Turang's squeeze bunt plated a run in the eighth. David Hamilton also bunted for a hit in the ninth, but was later caught trying to steal third.
▶ Risk of overuse? The Brewers staged their winning rally in the eighth against Rays lefty reliever Cam Booser (.123/.157/.231 vs. left-handed batters during the regular season), working in his third consecutive game. Although Dynasty League Baseball does account for relievers tiring early when making back-to-back appearances, the off day between Games 2 and 3 had Booser working on full rest.
Still, seeing a reliever several times in a playoff series usually reduces that pitcher's effectiveness. The Rays would love to be able to use another lefty reliever to face Brewers lefties Turang, Bauers, Garrett Mitchell and Christian Yelich, but Steven Matz (.573 OPS vs. LHB) and Ian Seymour (.789) are nowhere near as effective.
▶ Megill's stinginess on long balls. Brewers closer Trevor Megill allowed just one home run in 61 2/3 innings during the regular season. That ridiculously low rate gives him a special advantage in Dynasty League Baseball that turns home runs on hitters' cards into deep drives (which require additional dice rolls to determine the outcome).
In Caminero's case, his A power rating gave him an excellent chance (76%) of hitting a home run anyway. But in this particular instance, he just didn't get enough to hit it out.
Simulate your own World Series. Get a FREE one-month subscription to Dynasty League Baseball online by going to DynastyLeagueBaseball.com, selecting the monthly option and entering code USA2 at checkout.
Newsday | Erik Boland ($): “… there should have been an attempt by the club hierarchy to acknowledge and understand — or, at the very least, pretend to understand — the anger of that fan base, spoiled as it may act at times, after yet another sooner-than-expected October exit.”
So sayeth Boland, in a scathing critique of how Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman, and Aaron Boone addressed yet another disappointing Yankees’ season this past week. Steinbrenner was happy to pin the blame on the players (as he should) but the Yankee brain trust decried any notion that there are larger structural or philosophical issues with the organization. It’s incredibly insulting to a fanbase whose members tend to live and die with the club. As Boland said towards the end of his piece, “In the end, Yankees fans deserved better.”
MLB Trade Rumors | Charlie Wright: Would the real Austin Wells please stand up? Because how the Yankees feel about their backstop has the potential to shape their approach to the position in free agency. If first-half Austin Wells is the real deal, the Yankees need to explore taking a swing at catcher – perhaps Tyler Stephenson or Ryan Jeffers, or a trade for Hunter Goodman. But if second-half Austin Wells, who was a better hitter by orders of magnitude, is here to stay, then perhaps the Yanks tinker around the edges at the position. Any moves the Yankees make at catcher this offseason will likely tell us everything we need to know about how they view Wells moving forward.
NJ.com | Randy Miller: Speaking of the offseason. The Yankees have $71.9 million in payroll coming off the books, which might suggest increased flexibility to build a roster without blowing past last year’s $296.4 million Opening Day payroll. Raises to returning players, however, could account for $26.4 million. Now start accounting for potential returns for David Bednar and Paul Blackburn. Those two could easily eat up close to $35 million in 2027. All of a sudden, much of that money is gone. There are non-tender moves the Yankees could make (and likely will) to find some more spare change with which to tinker with the offense.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 2: Manager Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning of the game at Target Field on September 2, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the biggest names remaining in the Mariners’ managerial search has reportedly withdrawn from contention, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic: Rocco Baldelli has reportedly taken himself out of the running, citing “family considerations.”
Baldelli, 45, is originally from Rhode Island, and spends part of his time there, but also has a home in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was based during his seven-year professional playing career as a member of the Rays. For the past year, he’s been working with the Dodgers as a special assistant/advisor to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Perhaps that was enough being cross-coastal for Baldelli, who has three children under age five, including three-year-old twins.
Baldelli has been a popular name in the Mariners’ coaching search thanks to a strong reputation for facility with analytics. He joined the Rays front office shortly after his playing career ended and was with the organization – arguably the most analytics-friendly front office in the sport – until he departed to take the Twins’ managerial vacancy. Baldelli was with Minnesota from 2019-2025, overseeing the Twins in three playoff appearances but also a deeply disappointing 2024 where the team finished fourth in the AL Central despite being favored in preseason odds. The Twins parted ways with Baldelli after 2025, when the Twins again finished fourth in the Central.
Baldelli’s playing career was unfortunately cut short because he battles mitochondrial channelopathy, a rare genetic condition that affects how mitochondria in your cells produce energy, which can cause a host of issues, from fatigue to diabetes to persistent muscle weakness or pain.
The Mariners will now turn their attentions elsewhere as they continue to narrow their pool of candidates, as reportedly they were hoping to make a hire before the end of the month. They’ll have plenty of competition in attracting said candidates even in just the AL West, with both the Astros and the Angels looking for new managers. The Astros made a hiring move today, hiring Conner Watson away from the Cleveland Guardians, to be hitting director. Watson served as the Guardians’ assistant director of hitting development for the past two years; previously he was with Driveline in their Arizona location, serving as the Hitting Lead for four years after coming out of the small-college coaching corps.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Griffin Canning #17 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout during the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on September 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
The Padres’ Failed Starter
As the Padres’ general manager A.J. Preller tends to do each offseason, he went bargain hunting. in 2026, this came in the form of several lower-tier free agents being signed to ridiculously low contracts with the hopes that one or two of them would pan out. One of these was Griffin Canning. Canning was coming off of a career year with the New York Mets, posting a 3.77 ERA across 76 1/3 innings pitched. Unfortunately, a ruptured tendon in his left Achilles ended his season prematurely. That allowed San Diego to pick him up on a measly one-year, $2.5 million deal.
Overall Grade: C
He performed roughly to those expectations. In 30 appearances (11 starts), Canning posted a 5.68 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and .276 opponent batting average. Putting it kindly, he struggled to limit runs. Putting it less kindly, he pitched like a guy who didn’t want to play baseball any longer. Canning simply couldn’t record outs.
His first start was quite good, surrendering just one run across five innings against the Chicago White Sox. Then the illusion came crashing down. Canning would surrender three or more runs in seven of his ten starts. He surrendered more runs than innings pitched seven times. He also surrendered more runs than strikeouts recorded five different times. It was tough going for quite some time.
However, those early struggles make it hard to discern his later success. After failing to pitch in the starting rotation, Canning transitioned into a bulk relief role, where he flourished. The righty pitched his final start for the Padres on July 18 against the Kansas City Royals. After that, Canning only surrendered more than two runs twice with a 2.70 ERA after July 23.
Junior Caminero doesn't say much in the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse. He lets his bat do the talking.
So, when the 23-year-old third baseman started screaming in the visitors' dugout during Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night, his teammates noticed.
"When he speaks, everybody listens," Rays infielder Richie Palacios said Sunday.
Fox cameras caught the outburst after the sixth inning of Game 2. Moments earlier, Chandler Simpson had a Christian Yelich fly ball bounce off his glove for what should have been the third out. A 4-0 Rays lead was gone, and the clip spread fast.
So did the assumption that Caminero was tearing into Simpson.
Junior Caminero was fired up back in the Rays dugout after the Brewers tied up the game in the 6th pic.twitter.com/QmJljvYFMo
"Yesterday, he was just encouraging us to lock in, lock in and not worry about what's behind us but to worry about what's ahead of us," Palacios said. "We all took it as a positive."
Simpson certainly wasn't the only one not doing his job. Jonathan Aranda let a routine grounder go through his legs in the fourth inning with a runner on third, costing the Rays a run. In the sixth, Simpson's misplay was scored a single, not an error, but it put runners on the corners and forced manager Kevin Cash to pull Ian Seymour. The play didn't directly lead to a run, but the Brewers tied the game in the sixth anyway.
Caminero said his goal was "trying to create some energy and get some life back into us."
What Kevin Cash said about Junior Caminero
Cash didn't see a problem
"I think more than anything else, Cammy was trying to fire the guys up, fire the dugout up," Cash said Sunday. "He knew we weren't playing our best baseball."
Cash explained that those moments happen often during the season. The World Series stage just put it in front of a bigger audience.
"Cammy cares a lot," Cash said. "The players care a lot and we want to play good behind our pitchers without a doubt."
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 24: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning in game two of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s no doubt that the first two games of the 2026 World Series have been nothing short of incredible. The City of Milwaukee has waited 44 years for this and is now two wins away from its first World Series in 69 years.
With any team that’s making a run to a championship, many different factors go into a team’s success; for the Brewers, it’s so difficult to narrow it down to just one. Of course, you’ve got the bullpen, the relentlessness of the offense, and a manager’s trust in the midst of adversity.
For once, the Brewers’ starting pitching, clever defense, and small-ball approach aren’t holding down the fort. Rather, the monotonous, tedious at-bats mixed with the ability to feed off one another have been driving the boat, and that’s what we saw in last night’s tumultuous 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Of the many storylines to come out of last night, it was the Brewers bullpen once again, dominating the mound. Specifically, Aaron Ashby improved his postseason line to a whopping 15.2 innings pitched, five hits allowed, and 17 strikeouts, the best line of anyone on the team. He is now second in MLB history with the most consecutive scoreless innings pitched to start the postseason, trailing only 2016 Andrew Miller with the Cleveland Indians by .1 innings.
While the Brewers pitching got 27 outs in a high-stress volume, the Brewers offense put far more pressure on the Rays pitching staff by prolonging at-bats. Beginning at surface level, the Brewers were retired in order just once last night, which came in the bottom of the second inning. Outside of that, the Brewers sent at least four batters to the plate in each inning.
The at-bats that jolted the Brewers offense awake weren’t lengthy, which is astonishing. But the punches that were landed, meaning at-bats where runs were scored, batters took longer in the box. Chourio and Bauers saw a collective of five pitches to get the offense started; after that, each at-bat that resulted in a run, the Brewers offense saw at least six pitches.
From that point on, the narrative wasn’t just Bauers’ ability to put together long at-bats but rather the entire lineup. During those long innings for the Rays pitching staff, they struggled to put away the Brewers hitters. Even in the “shortest” inning of the night for the Rays pitching staff, the Brewers forced Drew Rasmussen to throw 18 pitches to go 1-2-3. A large chunk of those pitches were thrown to Jackson Chourio, who quickly fell into a 0-2 count before fouling off five pitches, mixed in with three balls. Not that Rasmussen had his A+ stuff last night, but this at-bat was quietly underrated despite it resulting in a groundout, as that had pushed his pitch count to 48 through two innings.
Once Logan Henderson settled into the game, the Brewers offense began chipping away, slowly and methodically. After a lengthy bottom of the second inning, none other than Bauers stepped in and picked up right where the offense left off. Bauers went to the plate and saw seven pitches to open the bottom of the third. Christian Yelich followed up with a six-pitch at-bat himself.
To some, seeing Rasmussen come out for the fourth inning was a bit of a shock, but to the Brewers, they saw an opportunity: to break into the Rays bullpen before hitting the halfway mark of the game. Cooper Pratt settled into the game nicely after his first-inning error and proved it after his not-so-rookie-looking at-bat. After a called strike to open his plate appearance, he swung at a pitch quite far outside of the zone, then came three straight takes. All three were on a fastball, until he fouled one off before walking. After a few quicker at-bats from the bottom of the lineup, Bauers landed the final blow to Rasmussen with another six-pitch at-bat to load the bases.
Throughout the 2026 postseason, the Brewers have faced a handful of the best pitchers with the highest Whiff percentages in baseball. Whiff% measures how often a batter swings and misses the ball compared to the total number of swings they take. So far in the postseason, they have faced five pitchers that all rank in the top 50 among qualified starters. Rasmussen was one last night, Nick Martinez the other, and of course Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the NLCS.
If you lower the Whiff% to a minimum of 50 innings pitched, the number of pitchers that the Brewers have seen in the postseason spikes to 10 out of the top 100. This goes to show that the quality of pitching that the Brewers have seen throughout this run, with all the comebacks involved, is among the top in baseball.
Cam Booser had the most efficient inning from any Rays pitcher that we’ve seen at any point in the World Series, as it took him just 10 pitches to get through the fifth inning, and that’s with allowing a one-out walk. The next inning, though, you could see the tide change. Sal Frelick isn’t known for his power, until it comes to tying the game in big moments. First, in college, when Boston College trailed by three, what’d he do? Take Auburn deep to right-center field to tie the game. The next? Game three of the 2024 Wild Card Series to extend the Brewers’ lead over the New York Mets. Finally, in the biggest and best at-bat of his career, he hits a home run straightaway to center field to tie the game.
How’d he get there? By making Ian Seymour throw eight pitches. After getting ahead 0-1, Seymour threw him two straight balls. Then the foul barrage came. Four of them, all by just a flick of the bat. Then, he got a gift of a fastball left over the plate, and he didn’t miss. It was his first home run since July 11th. This season alone, most of his hits were either pull-side or opposite-field; his hits up the middle were groundballs, rarely line drives; he had five total all season.
Seymour couldn’t find a way to get rid of the Brewers; Hamilton followed up with a nine-pitch at-bat, then Chourio saw eight pitches, and Bauer saw six. The Brewers were in control.
The seventh inning wasn’t as lengthy as what we saw, but it was still effective as Cooper Pratt hit the go-ahead single. The bottom of the eighth inning was the final blow. The Rays needed two pitchers to get through the inning; three of the five batters to appear in the inning saw five pitches or more.
Overall on the night, the Brewers fouled off 44 pitches; 22 of those were with their backs against the wall in two-strike counts. The series is far from over, and the Brewers still have yet to face a couple more of the Rays pitchers who are high in Whiff%, that being Freddy Peralta and Griffin Jax.
Patience has been a key approach for the Brewers all season, and it somehow has gotten better in the postseason among the league’s best. The Brewers will seek to continue their success in this department Monday night against their former teammate.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Cam Schlittler #31 and Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees look on during MLB All-Star Week at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! With the untimely end of the Yankees season now more than a week and a half behind us, we begin to settle into what looks to be a long, long, loooooong winter. The offseason doesn’t mean that life stops, however, and this week, we have a jam-packed social media roundup. And so, without further ado, let’s get started!
Raise the Banner
This past Tuesday, the 2026-2027 NBA season went underway, and with it came one last celebration for the New York Knicks. The 2026 NBA Champions received their championship rings and raised a banner at Madison Square Garden, before unfortunately losing to the 76ers in the first game of the new season. A pair of Yankees fan favorites, Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, were in attendance.
They weren’t the only ones from the Yankees family there, though. YES researcher James Smyth was also in the Garden, although since he didn’t mow down the Red Sox lineup or lead the league in postseason home runs and RBI (seriously, that’s how dominant Rice’s postseason was), he didn’t get a seat on celebrity row.
Two Best Friends
Former Yankee infielders Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela, along with their wives, were spotted on vacation together in Europe. Although they no longer don the pinstripes (and although Urshela has retired from the sport entirely), it’s nice to see they still find time to hang out.
The Somerset Patriots, as always, take great pride in the big league performance of their former players; this week, they celebrated the season totals of Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr.
Two weeks ago, Luke Pettitte — not only the son of a Yankee legend, but himself now a Yankee prospect — celebrated his wedding. This past week, his mother Laura took to Instagram to reflect on the occasion. She and Andy also went on a hike.
End-of-Year Reflections
Brendan Beck sat down with the Somerset Patriots to discuss his Major League debut and his dominant season with the Triple-A Scranton RailRiders.
The Scranton No-Longer-The-RailRiders are hosting a yard sale on November 1st, if anyone is in Scranton, PA, and interested in buying RailRider merchandise.
