Category: MLB

Another strong regular season, sure. But these Yankees again did not complete the final group project – win the World Series. What does that mean for their SNY report card? 

Remember: Players are graded against their own standards and expectations, not against each other. 

Here are my grades for the 2026 Yankees...

BRIAN CASHMAN

The Bronx Bombers will not win the World Series in 2026, so the general manager’s final grade gets dinged. "Running it back" was good enough to get to the playoffs and win a round, but the Yanks ended with the same ALDS exit as last season. Cashman tried to help at the deadline, but his biggest deal, for Luis García Jr., will have its real evaluation in 2027. The addition of Heliot Ramos didn’t really help. But Cashman also resisted an overpay trade for Adley Rutschman, leaving him chips to potentially use this winter, which will be a big one for a Yankee team trying to end a World Series title drought dating back to 2009. It may be frustrating that they haven’t won it all since then, but Cashman’s teams get to the postseason – 2026 was his 29th year at the helm, and his squad has missed out on October baseball just five times in that span. 

GRADE: B

AARON BOONE

Just like Cashman, the manager gets points off his final grade for failing to win the World Series. Still, he had a strong year as the Yankees went 93-68 and beat the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. Aaron Judge missed significant time during the regular season and was down for the playoffs. Giancarlo Stanton and Max Fried (among others) missed time, too. Boone helped create an effective bullpen after key pieces fizzled. In Game 2 in Tampa Bay, the Yanks experienced a repeat of the defensive disaster from Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. While Boone doesn’t wear a glove, that redux calls into question the club’s culture under his management. Could he have shaken up a snoozing October lineup sooner? Maybe. His job status is an annual debate this time of year, but at least two key Yanks – Judge and Cam Schlittler – offered strong public support for Boone following the final loss. 

GRADE: B 

BEN RICE

With Judge on the shelf for so long, Rice was the biggest threat in the lineup and continued his ascension as a hitter. He was third in the AL in OPS (.897) and fourth in homers (41) and RBI (97), and then went 8-for-19 (.421) with four homers in five postseason games. 

GRADE: A

CODY BELLINGER

Bellinger's numbers dipped compared to last season (SLG down from .480 to .429) and he batted just .190 in the playoffs. However, he still led Yankee position players in bWAR, thanks to his all-around game.

GRADE: B

AARON JUDGE

Limited to just 66 games due to injuries, which kept him out of the playoffs entirely, Judge's numbers weren’t up to his usual lofty standards when he did play, with his .871 OPS being 273 points below his full season production in ‘25. 

GRADE: C

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.

High-ceiling talent didn’t produce equivalent results for Jazz, though he was third in the AL in steals (41). He slugged 19 homers, but his OPS fell 102 points to .711 and he batted just .182 in the playoffs. Chisholm also played a key role in the ALDS Game 2 defensive debacle, and was left out of the starting lineup by Boone against a righty (Nick Martinez) in a playoff elimination game. 

GRADE: C-

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT

The ageless wonder performed perfectly in his platoon role, recording a .967 OPS and 11 home runs against left-handed pitchers. Only eight MLB players hit more longballs against lefties than Goldy. He added seven home runs against righties, too.

GRADE: A

RYAN MCMAHON

McMahon hit 11 homers in 124 games and had an uninspiring .635 OPS. His error in ALDS Game 2 and some ordinary defensive metrics sap his grade, given his reputation and past performance as a top-tier defensive third baseman.

GRADE: D+

GEORGE LOMBARD JR.

The promising 21-year-old shortstop could have a big future after notching a .699 OPS and seven homers in 42 games. Lombard showed the competitive makeup to handle rookie growing pains, including a fielding slump in which he made an error in six straight games. Like the rest of the infield, Lombard had a rough Game 2 against Tampa Bay.

GRADE: C+

SPENCER JONES

Yes, Jones strikes out too much (36.3 strikeout percentage in 2026, 14 points higher than MLB average), but he’s crazy athletic and powerful and could bloom into something special. 11 homers, 10 steals, and a .742 OPS in 86 games is very encouraging.

GRADE: B

TRENT GRISHAM

Grisham regressed in all facets from his 2025 season, finishing with 18 homers, a .211 average and .703 OPS. He also went 0-for-11 against the Rays in the Division Series. 

GRADE: C-

AUSTIN WELLS

Wells had an odd season. He was dreadful offensively for so long that the Yanks were trying to trade for a catcher at the deadline, but he repaid Cashman's faith in him with an .800 OPS over his final 48 games. He was also the Yanks' second-best hitter in the playoffs (.333, four RBI), but inexplicably gambled on the basepaths trying to leg out a triple in Game 1 against Tampa Bay. As usual, he was very good defensively, including with ABS challenges.

GRADE: C+

LUIS GARCIA JR.

Garcia would have been the perfect deadline acquisition if he were a right-handed hitter. Still, he brought a power threat to a lineup that sorely needed it, even if the numbers weren’t overwhelming after he arrived (seven homers, .736 OPS in 43 games).

GRADE: C

JOSE CABALLERO

Caballero annoys opponents (trust us, that’s a compliment) and offers elite speed (34 steals) and versatility. He played six different positions and hit a career-best 14 homers. I think he should’ve gotten more playing time in the playoffs -- he might have really vexed his old team, the Rays. 

GRADE: B

ANTHONY VOLPE

Volpe deserves kudos for his response to getting sent down – he returned with the ability to play second base, and ended up being a late-season contributor at the plate. In fact, he was one of the few Yankees who showed up against the Rays (3-for-7, nearly left the yard in Game 3). He’s not the shortstop of the future anymore, but he might be the starting second baseman should the Yanks let Chisholm walk this offseason.

GRADE: B-

HELIOT RAMOS

The Yanks needed a righty outfield bat at the deadline, but Ramos didn’t add much over 38 games, batting a paltry .198 with four homers and a .688 OPS. He was also a nonfactor during the playoffs, although Boone probably should've inserted him as a pinch runner for Goldschmidt in the eighth inning of Game 3 against the Rays.

GRADE: D

CAM SCHLITTLER

Schlittler's 1.95 ERA was the third-lowest single-season figure in Yankee history, and he became the 11th pinstriped starting pitcher to win the ERA title. Simply put, Schlittler authored one of the great pitching seasons in team history en route to a presumptive AL Cy Young award, and proved the Yankees have a new ace. 

GRADE: A+

GERRIT COLE

The 36-year-old returned from Tommy John surgery and the results were mostly pretty good, from a 3.61 ERA in 22 regular season starts to a five-inning, one-run postseason start. There’s more in the tank here, and that's great news for everyone involved.

GRADE: B

MAX FRIED

He pitched very well when healthy (2.80 ERA in 20 starts), though his left elbow could be an ongoing concern. After allowing one run in six innings in the Wild Card Series, the Yanks needed that again in the ALDS, but Fried did not deliver, allowing four runs in 5.2 frames against the Rays, which dings his grade.

GRADE: B+

CARLOS RODON

Rodon was incredibly hard to hit all season, recording just 5.4 hits allowed per nine innings. With a 2.67 ERA in 16 starts, he was probably the Yanks' best pitcher late in the season excluding Schlittler, which makes it all the more weird that he did not pitch in the playoffs.

GRADE: A-

WILL WARREN

Warren is a capable back-end arm who might have more upside, evidenced by his 3.92 ERA over 156 innings in 2026.

GRADE: B-

RYAN WEATHERS

Weathers was tremendous over his final six starts (1.29 ERA) before getting hurt. He returned to make two scoreless relief appearances in the playoffs, showcasing his versatility.

GRADE: B

DAVID BEDNAR

The Yankees couldn't ask for more from their closer. Bednar is dependable, difficult to hit (6.8 hits-per-nine) and suppresses home runs (0.5 HR/9). He saved 35 games in 39 chances and had a streak of 29 appearances without a blown save that lasted nearly three months. He also pitched two scoreless innings of relief in Game 3 against the Rays.

GRADE: A

BRENT HEADRICK

Headrick was the lefty relief revelation of 2026 in the Bronx. He was nigh-unhittable entering August (1.30 ERA), but regressed as his workload mounted, recording a 4.30 ERA over the final two months. Regardless, his final numbers in a strong setup season: 2.18 ERA over 81 appearances. Young by reliever standards (28 years old).

GRADE: A-

PAUL BLACKBURN

The former back-end starter was transitioned into an elite setup or multi-inning bullpen weapon in 2026. Blackburn notched more than three outs in a single appearance a whopping 32 times in 69 games, notched a 1.69 ERA, and was clearly the most-trusted October reliever (six shutout innings in four appearances). A career-changing year for the 32-year-old righty.

GRADE: A

Outside of losing 100 games again, another negative trend continued for the Colorado Rockies in 2026.

With the fourth-straight season of 100 or more losses in the books, the Rockies also logged their worst season of attendance since 2006 this year (not including no fans in 2020 and a fan-limited 2021 because of COVID).

In total, 2,245,426 fans walked into Coors Field this season. That number is the third lowest in team history, trailing only 2005 (1,914,389) and 2006 (2,104,362). It also marks the third consecutive season the total attendance has dropped, as the Rockies have fallen from No. 15, to No. 16 to No. 18.

The numbers for the last 25 seasons paint an interesting picture: one of an eager fan base, but also one that is slowing tapering off each year. Maybe that’s why it feels like there are more and more opposing fans, especially for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.

Season	Record	Total Atten.	Total Rank	Ave. Game Att.
2026	58-104	2,245,426	18th	27,721
2025	43-119	2,404,613	16th	30,057
2024	61-101	2,540,295	15th	31,361
2023	59-103	2,607,935	13th	32,196
2022	68-94	2,597,428	10th	32,467
2021	74-87	1,938,645	9th	23,934
2020	26-34		—
2019	71-91	2,993,224	6th	36,954
2018	91-72	3,015,880	7th	37,233
2017	87-75	2,953,650	8th	36,465
2016	75-87	2,602,524	11th	32,130
2015	68-94	2,506,789	14th	30,948
2014	66-96	2,680,329	10th	33,090
2013	74-88	2,793,828	10th	34,492
2012	64-98	2,630,458	13th	32,475
2011	73-89	2,909,777	12th	35,923
2010	83-79	2,875,245	10th	35,497
2009	92-70	2,665,080	11th	32,902
2008	74-88	2,650,218	13th	32,719
2007	90-73	2,376,250	17th	28,979
2006	76-86	2,104,362	23rd	25,979
2005	67-95	1,914,389	26th	23,929
2004	68-94	2,338,069	15th	29,595
2003	74-88	2,334,085	15th	28,815
2002	73-89	2,737,918	9th	33,801

While the running joke of Coors Field being the best bar in Denver remains true, and people still come to 20th and Blake each year, the numbers are dropping. You can see that in the average game attendance, which dropped from 30,057 in 2025 when the Rockies lost 119 games to 27,721 this year. Sure, many of those fans were cheering for the other teams, but it still results in revenue for the Rockies.

It was not enough revenue, however, to avoid raising season ticket prices 12% (read more on Walker Monfort’s justifcation for the hike here).

Despite recording their eighth-straight losing season, the Rockies still had more fans in attendance in 2026 than four other teams with winning records, including three current playoff teams: the Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays.

They also set a new record for least tickets sold — 16,301 — for a single game when they beat the Houston Astros 9-7 on Monday, April 6. While some games early in the season can have snow and freezing temperatures, that wasn’t the excuse that day. The high was 68 degrees and the skies were sunny.

Confirming that the #Rockies announced crowd of 16,301 Monday night was the lowest in franchise history (non-COVID seasons). @MaseDenver was the first to report that.

— Patrick Saunders (@psaundersdp) April 7, 2026

This has to hit the front office even harder because the overall attendance is up in Major League Baseball.

For the fourth-straight year, there were more fans who went to games. In the 2026 regular season, the total reached 71.75 million. That’s partially due to the Tampa Bay Rays being back at Tropicana Field, but still includes the A’s playing at Sutter Health Park —  a Triple-A stadium — in West Sacramento.

Even though a lot seemed the same for the Rockies this year, it was the first year of a new front office and new philosophies, as well as manager Warren Schaeffer’s first full season in charge. Change doesn’t happened immediately. It takes time.

As much as the Rockies want to be like the Chicago White Sox, the chances of them righting the ship to the playoffs in 2027 doesn’t seem very likely. The turnaround did a lot for the White Sox fans, who went from 540,687 fans in 2025 to 1,986,425 in 2026.

The Rockies improved by 15 wins from 2025 to 2026. If they did that again in 2027, that would result in a 73-89 record. It’s not .500, but I would bet it would land more fans in seats. Hopefully, more of those fans would be cheering for the home team.

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First Half Record: 38-37 (5/10 International League East)

Second Half Record: 43-31 (2/10 International League East)

The 2025 Syracuse Mets season started off poorly, but by the second half of the season, the team was beginning to find its footing. They ended the season as playoff contenders, just missing a playoff berth in the last week of the season, but as is almost always the case with Triple-A, roster moves over the course of the off-season almost completely reshaped the team and numerous players who helped spur that playoff push did not return. Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams were traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in January. Nolan McLean and Jared Young spent their entire season rostered at the major league level. Veteran free agents who had solid seasons, such as Pablo Reyes and Joey Meneses, were not re-signed. Further compounding matters, players who we expected to be good were, for various reasons, not. Jonah Tong and Ryan Clifford, both of whom were expected to potentially be major league contributors in 2026, both struggled.

Much like the 2025 season, the 2026 Syracuse Mets got some new life in the second half, in particular around the trade deadline. Players who deserved promotions were sent to Syracuse, such as D’Andre Smith, Billy Amick, Emilien Pitre, and Brian Metoyer, and had success. Players who had been scuffling, such as Tong, Dylan Ross or Tobias Myers, found their grooves. Syracuse went 5-6 in July following the All-Star break, 17-9 in August, and an impressive 13-5 in September to find themselves in the hunt for the International League second-half championship.

The Syracuse Mets fought tooth and nail until literally the last day of the season; they came into 2026’s final regular series game on a six-game winning streak and found themselves a half-game behind the Rochester Red Wings in the standings. Rochester, unfortunately, won their game against the Buffalo Bisons, ending Syracuse’s season.

TEAM MVP

MJ Melendez: 75 G, 265 AB, .264/.361/.604, 70 H, 20 2B, 2 3B, 22 HR, 40 BB, 79 K, 5/11 SB, .293 BABIP

(Runner Up: Yonny Hernandez)

MJ Melendez signed a one year, $1.5 million split contract with the Mets back in early February. With Carson Benge still a major unknown and Luis Robert representing an omnipresent health risk, Melendez gave them a player who could handle an outfield corner and was a left-handed bat with some pop. The former Royals prospect had unimpressive surface numbers from 2022 until 2025, but was roughly a league-average offensive contributor thanks to his power. In 2025, the bottom fell out on him, prompting Kansas City to demote him to Triple-A for the majority of the season, and then non-tender him.

He did not make the team out of spring training and began the 2026 season rostered with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, but by mid-April was called back up to Queens thanks to Luis Robert’s early season injury. He looked good in limited innings in April, but as the calendar moved into May and he began getting more playing time, it became increasingly clear that he was struggling. By the end of June, Melendez was hitting .192/.315/.350 in 120 at-bats over 56 games and the decision was made to outright him back down to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Tyrone Taylor on the Mets’ roster.

The slugging outfielder had no issues handling Triple-A pitching. In one game in June and 22 in July, he hit .247/.382/.616 with 3 doubles, 8 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 16 walks to 27 strikeouts. In 21 games in August, he hit .256/.307/.634 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 6 walks to 24 strikeouts. In 17 games in September, he hit .339/.458/.695 with 6 doubles, 5 home runs, and 13 walks to 15 strikeouts. All in all, after being sent back to Triple-A, he finished the season hitting .276/.378/.645 with 17 doubles, 1 triple, 20 home runs, 4 stolen bases, and 35 walks to 66 strikeouts. Combined with his time in March and April, Melendez hit a combined .264/.361/.604 in 75 Triple-A games with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 22 home runs, 5 stolen bases, and 40 walks to 79 strikeouts.

Melendez seems like the definition of a Quad-A player. Including this season, he has a cumulative .213/.298/.385 batting line in 491 games over the course of his five-year career, good for an 89 wRC+. In 248 games spent at the Triple-A level, with the Syracuse Mets and the Omaha Storm Chasers, he has a cumulative .259/.346/.527 batting line, good for a 121 wRC+. I would be interested in bringing the slugger back for the 2027 season and giving him another shot. His pop from the left-side seems legit, and by all accounts, he was a good dugout presence. Worst case scenario, if he is given some playing time in a limited capacity and sinks, he can be outrighted to Triple-A.

TEAM CY YOUNG

Xzavion Curry: 16 G (14 GS), 72.1 IP, 68 H, 27 R, 27 ER (3.36 ERA), 18 BB, 41 K, .256 BABIP

(Runner Up: Jonah Tong)

In 2019, when I saw that the Cleveland Indians drafted Xzavion Curry in the 7th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, I wish that the Mets had drafted him if no reason other than his name. Ultimately, it was not possible, as Cleveland gave him a $125,000 signing bonus, and while that was still an underslot deal as compared to the MLB-recommended slot of $197,300, it would’ve been way too much money for the Mets to give to a player, given that they were arranging picks carefully to be able to afford prep pitching star Matthew Allan. Ironically, the Mets might have been better off drafting Curry, as Allan was limited to just 30.1 innings over seven years due to repeated catastrophic arm injuries and their 7th round pick, Luke Ritter put in plenty of work to turn himself into a viable MLB hitter but simply wasn’t able to get over the hump.

Curry worked his way up the Cleveland minor league ladder quickly, making his major league debut in 2022. He spent the entire 2023 season on Cleveland’s major league roster, but spent 2024 bouncing up and down between their major league roster and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. He was left exposed to waivers that August and was claimed by the Miami Marlins. All in all, he appeared in 50 games with Cleveland, appearing in 50 games and making 15 starts, and posted a 4.53 ERA in 129.0 innings, allowing 140 hits, walking 41, and striking out 85.

The Marlins rostered him at the major league level for the remainder of the 2024 season, where he was solid, but after struggling at the beginning of 2025, Curry was optioned down to Triple-A Jacksonville. The 26-year-old continued struggling in Triple-A and was released in early June. In total, he appeared in 12 games for the Marlins, making 1 start, and posted a 3.43 ERA in 21.0 innings, allowing 13 hits, walking 5, and striking out 14.

He sat idle for roughly a month and then signed a contract with the Tigres de Quintana Roo in July. He had a solid few games in the Mexican League, and that prompted the Colorado Rockies to sign him to a minor league contract in early August. Curry made a few starts for their Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes, and then became a free agent at the end of the year.

The right-hander did not receive any offers from MLB clubs over the off-season and returned to the Tigres when the 2026 season began as a result. He did not remain there for long, as the Mets offered a minor league deal in early May. He spent the year bouncing up-and-down from Triple-A Syracuse to Queens and back, posting a 3.36 ERA in 72.1 innings with the Syracuse Mets over 16 appearances and 14 starts and a 5.48 ERA in 21.1 innings for the Mets over 9 appearances and 1 start.

If you look at his stats and the underlying metrics supporting them for both his time in Triple-A and his time in the majors, there are very few positives about Curry: his fastball is below-average, he doesn’t strike enough batters out, he gives up too many fly balls, when hitters make contact they barrel the ball with more regularity than you’d want…and yet, the right-hander managed to post a 3.36 ERA in 72.1 innings in the International League, a full run-and-a-half below the league average, and run a .256 BABIP. Just nine other players in the league threw at least 72.1 innings and had an ERA under 3.36, and most of them did so with much more impressive peripherals than Curry. And until his particularly dreadful final appearance of the season with the Mets that saw him give up 6 earned runs in 3.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles, the right-hander had a 3.44 ERA in 18.1 innings at the MLB level.

I don’t know exactly how he finagled all of that, but I’d bring Curry back on a minor league contract next season just to see if we might possibly figure out how.

Given the nature of the third annual TGP off-season guide and when it will probably be released, I made the call to split this section into it’s own piece. A lot of decisions that will shape the Phillies’ off-season are going to be made quickly. To ensure this section does not quickly become outdated, it will be split from the rest of the guide entirely.

For the first time since the 2020, the Phillies did not increase their winning percentage from the year before. That season prompted the Phillies to hire Dave Dombrowski as the President of Baseball Operations and it’s ultimately been a success. They’ve made the playoffs for five years in a row, went to a World Series, and won the division twice with 95 and 96 win seasons.

2026 was not one of those seasons, they won just 88 games despite a rotation that featured Cristopher Sánchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Zack Wheeler. The offense ranked 28th in wRC+ and was propped up by timely hitting, ranking 6th in the same metric with runners in scoring position. They overperformed their Pythagorean record by five games and went 25-16 in one run games. If that is not enough, they nearly blew a four game lead on a playoff spot with five games to go and the Braves knocked them out of the wild card.

With some parts of the roster aging, mainly the lineup, the firing of Rob Thomson in April, and how the 2026 season went, the Phillies are at a crossroads. They seem to know what path they’re taking with that, Dave Dombrowski is probably signing an extension and they were about to double down with Alex Cora, but he turned them down for a second time.

This crossroads may lead to other paths. Sam Fuld is one of the top candidates for the Athletics (should still be in Oakland) lead baseball operations job. The Phillies clearly liked Fuld a lot as he came through the organization. One of Dave Dombrowski’s first moves was making him the General Manager, he then went to Penn’s Wharton School to eventually become the Phillies President of Business Operations, and potentially to become their Team President when Dombrowski retires. The fact that he even took the interview for the Athletics job is pretty telling on Dave Dombrowski’s leash and probably how long he thinks he can do the job.

Then there is figuring out who the next manager is and what the coaching staff might look like. After Cora turned them down, they might consider just pivoting back to Don Mattingly, which would keep the entire coaching staff in order. This would continue to show their trust in the entire coaching staff and operation despite a down season that featured several red flags, a managerial change in April, and disappointing results. Maybe they run a full search but time is ticking.

Then this all goes down to the roster. What kind of upgrades will they feel are necessary?

Trea Turner’s season was a disaster both offensively and defensively. It’s not going to be easy to get him right at the plate but they can look for a position change, if he’s bought in. Turner finished with -17 Defensive Runs Saved and -8 Outs Above Average. Both rank right at the bottom among shortstops with at least 500 innings. Second base seems like the best fit, given that he has played there in the recent past with the Dodgers and looked solid there. It would really help slow the game down for him and likely make routine plays easier both mentally and physically. Maybe he goes to CF or LF if they want to completely change things up.

They then have to decide if Brandon Marsh is someone they want to trade, who had by far his worst season as a Phillie. If Justin Crawford is worth running out there most days again despite looking horrific both offensively and defensively for most of the season. What happens with Bryson Stott. Also, Bryce Harper probably needs to go back to first base.

Given that the off-season guide won’t come out until probably late October or early November, this section would’ve been very outdated. It was still worth discussing before we get into the meat and potatoes (and then the lockout).

This offseason, I’m bringing back a series that focuses on one notable statistic from an Astros minor league player during the 2026 season. The statistic could be good or bad, but it will be something worth highlighting.

STAT OF THE WEEK:

Xavier Neyens finished the 2026 season with a 24.5% walk rate.

Walk percentage (BB%) is a simple statistic that shows the percentage of a player’s plate appearances that end in a walk.

Among all Minor League Baseball players with at least 400 plate appearances, Neyens had the highest walk percentage. The slugger totaled 114 walks in 103 games while splitting time between Single-A and High-A.

The Astros selected Neyens out of high school in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft, and so far, he has lived up to expectations. The young hitter showed off elite exit velocities this season while also displaying tremendous patience and a good understanding of the strike zone.

Neyens did have his share of strikeouts, but some of those could be cut down with a slightly more aggressive approach on pitches he can hit. As he continues to develop, finding a balance between being patient and aggressive will be important.

Even with the strikeouts, the 19-year-old put together a strong first full professional season, finishing with a .874 OPS and 137 wRC+. He also connected on 20 home runs and stole 19 bases.

Overall, it was an impressive season for a teenager playing his first full year of professional baseball. With his combination of power, patience and athleticism, Neyens has one of the highest ceilings in the Astros’ system and gives fans plenty of reasons to be excited about his future.

The first week of the Arizona Fall League is now in the books. Since the league kicked off last Saturday, the Salt River Rafters have played five games and are full of big Yankees contributions through their 4-1 start. All eight of the representatives have gotten in games thus far with mixed levels of results. If you want a quick rundown on who’s in the desert this month, check here.

October 3 (Rafters 9, Desert Dogs 4): The AFL opener saw five Yankees get into the action. Kyle West looked the best, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and lacing a ball at 109.2 mph. Dax Kilby—the Yankees’ 2025 first-rounder and their star of the show here—ripped a 101.1 mph RBI double and drew a walk, while Core Jackson went 0-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts. On the pitching side, Anthony Mena allowed a hit in 1.1 scoreless innings, while Mack Estrada got on the mound and walked a pair in 1.1 choppy innings.

October 4 (Rafters 4, Saguaros 6): The lone defeat of the opening week, only West was in the lineup at first base from the Yankees contingent, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout and a stolen base. He has sneaky speed for a guy who only plays first, having stolen 20 last season. Chris Veach came out of the bullpen in the fourth and got two innings of work in his AFL debut, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. The highlight of his day was a successful pickoff of Sebastian Walcott to get out of a jam in the fourth.

October 5 (Rafters 10, Javelinas 7): It got even quieter in the Monday victory over Peoria, where only one Yankee got into the game. Kilby got his second start, leading off and playing shortstop, and was the best player on the field. After striking out in the first, he was perfect the rest of the day. He cracked a 105.1 mph single up the middle in the third, blasted a two-run double off the wall in the fifth, lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and capped his day with a 105.4 mph RBI double to end the day 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two doubles.

Kilby said in an interview that he’s “working on a swing change,” and the first looks are clearly promising.

October 6 (Rafters 7, Saguaros 2): Kilby got into another game on Tuesday, but went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. Jackson smoked a 106.6 mph double in his second start at third base, but the star was West, who had a single and two RBIs. On the pitching side, we got a scoreless inning out of converted catcher Antonio Gomez, who had a walk and a strikeout. He was only up to 98.4 with less ride on his fastball than usual, but that could be for any number of reasons.

October 8 (Rafters 4, Solar Sox 3): West got another start at first base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Both singles were scorched 110 mph, with the latter being a walk-off single. Four different pitchers got into the game, with JT Etheridge tossing 2.2 solid innings to start before giving way to Estrada to finish the inning. Veach walked a pair, but struck out the side in a scoreless inning of his own. Mena finished things off with two innings of his own, allowing a run with two strikeouts. The star of this game? Kilby, who led off the game with a home run to finish off a spectacular first week in the AFL.

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AFL totals thus far

Dax Kilby: 5-15, HR, 6 RBI, 3 2B, BB, 2 K
Core Jackson: 1-9, 2B, BB, 2 K
Kyle West: 5-16, 4 RBI, 4 K
JT Etheridge: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Mack Estrada: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Chris Veach: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 K
Anthony Mena: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Antonio Gomez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K

Despite being at night, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ clubhouse celebration after winning the NLDS included more moon than one might have imagined.

Broadcast cameras exposed one Dodgers player’s bare butt during the celebration. The unidentified player clearly wasn’t aware that cameras were rolling, and was trying to get out of their game uniform as quickly as possible.

An initial video on Wednesday night captured the moment, but if you weren’t looking for it, you likely missed it. That was not the case with the latest video to surface on the internet.

Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, seen in the new video, was keenly aware of the situation as it unfolded.

His baffled reaction to the bare butt went viral on social media in the wake of the Dodgers’ win.

Tanner's reaction lmao pic.twitter.com/DzKI7CzXzc

— _yama (@yestosehunn) October 8, 2026

Hilariously, another Dodgers teammate took a different approach, walking up to the bare naked player and poking him in the cheek.

Scott, who made three appearances against the Braves during the NLDS, could be seen walking into the clubhouse, seeing the bum, recognizing it was on camera, pointing it out, then walking away, as if deciding it was not his problem to deal with.

The Dodgers would probably prefer that whoever this player was remains unidentified as they advance to the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Perhaps Scott will address the situation at some point. But he has bigger fish to fry with the Brewers’ lineup, which includes star 22-year-old Jackson Chourio.

It Los Angeles manages to beat Milwaukee and advance to their third World Series in as many years, hopefully there’s some more discretion about what’s being shown on camera during the victory celebration.

The Guardians won both games in Chicago and now head home to see if they can solve their homefield woes and their inability to hit White Sox ace Sean Burke.

Make sure you read Jake’s great recap from last night here.

Patrick Bailey has a 145 wRC+ since I tweeted that his lack of offense probably made trading for him a mistake. (To be clear, this had nothing to do with the return for Bailey, which I always was clear was fine).

The Guardians internet sphere is going nuts about using Smith with a 5-run lead. I have to say I find that crazy as someone who has watched a lot of Matt Festa this season and who watched Espino in Chicago on Wednesday. In regards to reliever familiarity, also important to read this from Mike Petriello who does not find reliever familiarity to be that significant of a factor. I like Smith’s chances of being fresh with 48 hours of rest and Vogt went to Gavin Williams at exactly the right spot last night.

Zack Meisel has an article about the Guardians bullpen.

Jose was chirping back at a hostile White Sox crowd yesterday. He now has a 185 wRC+ in the ALDS for everyone who said he was washed and unclutch (language warning):

Jose Ramirez is loving the chants from @OhioTatepic.twitter.com/UdwLECbhKC

— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) October 9, 2026

All of baseball now waits for game five on Saturday at 8pm ET.

Good morning, LSB.

Evan Grant says the Rangers have three options for what to do with Corey Seager in the offseason, and all of them have their complications.

Jeff Wilson sums up the disappointing season of Wyatt Langford.

MLB Pipeline lists each team’s prospect of the year.

And MLB is weighing a 154-game schedule and the ability to pick your own playoff opponent.

That’s all for this morning. Happy Friday.

The Royals made plenty of spectacular plays in the field in 2026, even as the season didn’t go the way they hoped. They finished tied for seventh in baseball in Outs Above Average with +19, with Bobby Witt Jr. standing out as a likely Gold Glove candidate, with Michael Massey, Maikel Garcia, and Kyle Isbel also standing out.

From diving catches to leaping grabs and game-saving throws, there were plenty of moments that reminded us just how much fun great defense can be. Here are the best defensive plays by the Royals in 2026.

May 5 vs. the Guardians – Bobby goes deep in the hole

We’ve almost become immune to how great Bobby is on defense now. The 2025 Platinum Glove Award winner showed why he’s the best in baseball several times this year, including this play in May where he went DEEEEEP in the hole to get Cleveland’s Rhys Hoskins.

Bobby Witt Jr. makes tough plays look routine 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/IAkVzjezXc

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2026

May 31 vs. the Rangers – Carter Jensen’s sliding catch

Carter Jensen impressed in his rookie season, and will likely earn some support for Rookie of the Year. Most of his damage was done with the bat, but he had some highlights on defense behind the plate as well. On May 31, he showed his athleticism with a terrific sliding catch on a bunt attempt by Rangers outfielder Michael Helman.

CARTER JENSEN WHAT A CATCH 🤯#FountainsUppic.twitter.com/VHVWMT4L2J

— Milb Central (@milb_central) May 30, 2026

June 19 vs. the Cardinals – Massey flips to Tolbert

Even when Bobby Witt Jr. takes the occasional day off, the Royals can still flash leather up the middle. Tyler Tolbert was Bobby’s understudy, and he learned a lot by watching the maestro. In June, he paired up with Michael Massey, who made an impressive diving stop, flipping to Tolbert for the out.

Flippin' unreal. pic.twitter.com/dSaI19ERsL

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 20, 2026

July 28 vs. the Twins – Isaac Collins protects the lead with a catch

The Royals were clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth against the Twins in a late July game when Luke Keaschall laced a line drive toward the line in left. Isaac Collins went all out to make the catch and preserve the lead.

Alex Lange would blow the game anyway (shocker!). But Collins did his part!

Isaac Collins makes a full-extension diving grab 😯 pic.twitter.com/o9ScMmsgnA

— MLB (@MLB) July 29, 2026

August 8 vs. the Cubs – Bobby’s jump throw

Remember Derek Jeter’s iconic jump-throw? Well Bobby Witt Jr. can do it too, only Bobby actually covers a ton of ground out there. He showed off his athleticism in an August game against the Cubs, ranging deep in the hole to retire Alex Bregman.

An INCREDIBLE jump throw from Bobby Witt Jr. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/UwDxhlA73l

— MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2026

August 15 vs. the Angels – Tyler Tolbert full extension

Tyler Tolbert showed a bit of everything this year, from speed, to surprising power, to highlights on defense. In an August game against the Angels he was in centerfield, and went full extension to rob Denzer Guzman of extra bases.

What. A. Play. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/hgxzti5zyi

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 16, 2026

As all of us know, pitching was the Cubs’ downfall this year.

Not in the postseason’s two games, really — those games were largely lost because the offense stopped hitting.

Right now I’m going to share this chart yet again because, well, it points out the problem in stark numbers.

WAR by Team pic.twitter.com/YfnYk8NfKo

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) September 28, 2026

The Cubs had one of the worst pitching staffs in all of Major League Baseball in 2026. As you can see, they lapped the field offensively. If they’d had an even league-average pitching staff they likely win 100 games and we’d still be watching Cubs postseason games today.

Cubs President of Baeball Operations Jed Hoyer, in his season-ending presser, acknowledged part of this problem:

About the Cubs bullpen, Hoyer said: “I did a poor job on the bullpen this year, full stop.”

The thing is, that’s not the only issue with the Cubs pitching this year. The starting rotation, as I detailed in yesterday’s article praising Craig Counsell for doing as much as he possibly could with it, was also pretty terrible.

And so the pitching issues don’t end with the bullpen, and that calls into question the entire way Chicago Cubs pitching is put together.

I wrote an entire article on that topic here in early September. That article mostly focused on what the Cubs could do going forward the rest of the season. What I left out, and what I want to focus on now, is how Cubs pitching is put together.

You have likely noticed the long streams of pitchers throwing 98, 99, 100 miles per hour or more coming out of most other teams’ minor league systems. The Cubs don’t have that. This year’s bullpen included just two guys who can do that, and one of them (Ryan Zeferjahn) wasn’t even in the organization until the trade deadline. The other, Daniel Palencia, spent much of the 2026 season on the injured list.

Meanwhile, other teams — I’m looking at you in particular, Brewers — seem to have an endless line of guys who can throw triple digits, beginning with Jacob Misiorowski, but also including multiple guys in their bullpen.

To me, that’s an indictment of two parts of the Cubs organization. First is pitcher development. They just don’t seem to have the right infrastructure to even take guys that they do have, who can throw this hard, and make them into good MLB pitchers.

As Josh wrote in his Arizona Fall League preview, the Cubs have a guy like this right now on the Mesa Solar Sox roster. Jhon Cabral was signed after the Marlins let him go, because:

Cabral is a fireballer who can hit 100 miles per hour with regularity. He also has no idea where the ball is going, which is why the Marlins released him. In the 82.2 innings he’s thrown in his minor league career, he’s struck out 82 and walked 121. But it’s hard to give up on triple digits.

I have my doubts as to whether the Cubs have the right pitching infrastructure to fix this. They had a guy like this in the AFL last year, too, JP Wheat, who wound up walking 16 of the 37 batters he faced in AFL play. He wasn’t much better at South Bend this year, with a 30.1 percent walk rate.

An even better example is Trevor Megill, who the Cubs acquired in the 2019 Rule 5 Draft. Megill pitched in 28 games for the Cubs in 2021, posting an 8.37 ERA, but striking out 30 in 23.2 innings. Gotta be something there, right? Well, the Cubs didn’t think so because they exposed him to waivers. The Twins claimed him and he pitched for them in 2022, and eventually they traded him to the Brewers for a minor leaguer.

As you know, the Brewers helped Megill figure something out and he’s posted 81 saves for them over the past three seasons, and he just doesn’t walk guys (7.5 percent walk rate in 155 innings from 2024-26).

Now what kind of secret sauce do the Brewers have? It’s clear they know something about pitching development, because they “fixed” Megill, and also graduated Misiorowski, Abner Uribe and Logan Henderson from their minor league system over the last couple of years.

Another example is Jeremiah Estrada, who had good velocity but not good results in parts of two years with the Cubs. He was let go on waivers after the 2023 season and was claimed by the Padres. Here’s how the Padres “fixed” Estrada:

Ruben Niebla, Estrada’s new pitching coach, wanted to see him throw in hopes of identifying a pitch that might complement his dynamic-yet-overused four-seam fastball.

They tried cutters, curveballs, changeups and sliders, continually altering the grips on most of them, and then Estrada unveiled the pitch that would change the trajectory of his entire career: a split-changeup, one he developed out of desperation and now sheepishly calls a “chitter.” He held it with an altered version of what’s called a “Vulcan” grip, lodging the baseball between his middle and ring fingers, and Niebla didn’t think he could command it. Then he threw it. It traveled in the mid-80s with hellacious sink and arm-side run. The first remark came from the catcher:

“Holy s—.”

Then Estrada threw another one.

“I was like, ‘Oh god,'” Niebla said. “I looked at the numbers, the characteristics, and I was like, ‘That’s actually not bad. Do it again.'”

What was initially supposed to be a 15-pitch bullpen session stretched out to about 70. By the end of it, Niebla became convinced that Estrada, 25, had identified the type of secondary offering he had spent his entire career searching for.

“He said, ‘OK, your splitter’s your f—ing pitch,” Estrada recalled. “It felt good because I worked hard for that pitch. I made that pitch.”

Now why couldn’t the Cubs have done that? Why aren’t they doing that with other pitchers in their system? Am I saying Jed Hoyer needs to dump Tommy Hottovy and the rest of the Cubs pitching infrastructure and start over? Yeah, probably so. Whatever Hottovy and Tyler Zombro are doing just isn’t working. For example, look what they did to Edward Cabrera’s pitch mix. Here’s what Cabrera threw in 2025 with the Marlins:

That produced the best year of Cabrera’s career — most starts, most innings, best bWAR. Now look at the mix he threw for the Cubs this year:

More changeups and curveballs this year and fewer sliders, and the changeup, which was supposedly Cabrera’s signature pitch, showed a drop in velocity. Did this lead to poor performance? Did it lead to more blisters, which put him out for several weeks? I don’t know the answers, but the question is: Why change something that was working?

Some of you are going to say that the way to start to fix Cubs pitching is “Sign Tarik Skubal.” Which, okay, but… who’s to say that they wouldn’t mess him up like they apparently have with some other pitchers? Sure, sign and trade for good pitchers … but also, the infrastructure needs to be overhauled.

The other part of the Cubs organization that needs to change is scouting. Hoyer absolutely needs to get a budget line back for scouting and either hire back the scouts who were let go in the recent purge, or get new ones, or both. Hoyer’s front office has become known for relying only on analytics to evaluate players. Now, let me say right now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with evaluation through analytics. They are a necessary part of modern baseball. But sometimes, there’s nothing wrong with a good scouting evaluation from a pair of human eyes. Scouting is the reason, for example, that the Cubs traded for Jake Arrieta, who had posted a 7.23 ERA in Baltimore in five starts in 2013. A Cubs scout saw something in Arrieta and helped convince Theo Epstein to make that deal. I’m pretty sure you remember how that worked out.

The bottom line here is that something’s not working with Cubs pitching, and it might be that they have to tear things down and start over. Your move, Jed Hoyer.

Good morning everyone! Happy Friday!

The 2026 League Championship Series matchups are almost set!

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face the Milwaukee Brewers for a second consecutive October. Fans of every team except for the Dodgers will be rooting for the Brewers to spoil the defending champions’ bid for a third straight World Series title. That semifinal series begins Sunday night, with a potential marquee pitching matchup between Milwaukee right-hander Jacob Misiorowski and Dodgers left-hander Tarik Skubal

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays swept away their division rival, the New York Yankees, to advance to their first ALCS since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. They await the winner of the Chicago White Sox-Cleveland Guardians Division Series, which will be decided on Saturday night’s Game 5 in Cleveland. The White Sox failed to capitalize on two chances to clinch a postseason series at home, which would have been the first time since 1906.

Baseball fans should savor the final few weeks of the postseason, as the owner-imposed CBA lockout could lead to a prolonged hiatus between the end of this season and the start of next season.

While the salary cap is the main issue, it will not the only change brought up in negotiations. Ideas to shorten the season and implement an international player draft are just two of the additional topics that the league and the players union will discuss at the bargaining table.

It will be interesting to see how active the free agency and trade markets will be in November before the Dec 1. lockout freezes all league activity. Normally, MLB free agency is spread out, with player signings happening occasionally throughout the offseason. However, some free-agents could sign sooner this winter to secure their futures. As a result, the Athletics must give their new general manger the resources to bolster the team immediately.

What do you think will come out of the latest lockout? Of the remaining teams, which would you most like to see win the World Series?

A’s Coverage:

• Phillies, Cubs executives reportedly among top Athletics GM candidates
• Matt Kleine, Rob Cerfolio Candidates In Athletics’ GM Search
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• Zack Of All Trades Tries To Get One More Win: In Court
• A’s mulling a few names to fill David Forst’s vacancy as GM
• Important Dates For The Athletics This Offseason
• 12 A’s Players Out of Options Heading Into 2027
• How MLB’s Proposed Changes Would Impact the A’s
• A’s part ways with assistant hitting, quality control coaches
• After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A’s Ryan Lasko
• Why 2027 Athletics Will Be Completely Different Team
• A’s Las Vegas ballpark cost rises to $2.1B, public funding delayed
• 2026: Year Of The “Didn’t See That Coming!”
• A’s Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay
• Where the A’s Plan to Use Zack Gelof in 2027
• Devin Taylor: Athletics 2026 Minor League Player Of The Year
• Athletics 2026 MLB Draft Report Card
• Henry Bolte Is the A’s Next Budding Star
• Determining Athletics’ Offensive MVP for the 2026 Season
• Notes From Star-Studded Rockies-A’s Instructional League
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
• Billy Beane comments on the job Mark Kotsay has done this season.
• Should Mark Kotsay return in 2027? A’s Players Weigh In
• What the A’s Hiring Mike Rizzo would Signal and the Questions it Would Raise
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Guards ride 6-run 6th to set up winner-take-all ALDS Game 5
• MLB proposes 154-game schedule, new playoff features
• 2026 postseason schedule, results and how to watch
• Dodgers return to NLCS as Pages delivers clutch October moment
• Here we go again: Brewers advance to NLCS rematch with Dodgers
• All signs pointing to a dream Skubal-Miz showdown for NLCS Game 1
• Rays sweep their way past Yankees to reach 3rd ALCS in franchise history
• Judge wants front office to go ‘all in’ — with Boone remaining in charge
• J-Ram shows off all his tools as Guardians refuse to go quietly
• Report: Alex Cora again declines chance to manage Phillies
• Phillies Considering Keeping Don Mattingly As Manager
• Trump says he’ll award Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• MLB Sends Memo To Teams Outlining Lockout Procedures
• Report: 2026-27 Qualifying Offer To Be $23.15MM
• Here are each organization’s Prospects of the Year
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Construction continues at the Athletics Las Vegas ballpark.

The highest point of our future ballpark is now complete, making it the tallest roof truss structure in Major League Baseball ✅

Learn more at https://t.co/V2I5sEe1Ah! pic.twitter.com/QGw7vpKCJ2

— Athletics (@Athletics) October 8, 2026

What do you think of MLB’s latest proposal?

MLB has proposed returning to a 154-game Regular Season, best-of-seven Division Series, and opponent selection in the Wild Card and Division Series

Starting in 2029, shortening the season to a 154-game schedule would create a standard weekly off day benefiting player health, and… pic.twitter.com/Zp5zO6xSGr

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2026

Should Mark Kotsay get another season to lead the A’s, or is it time for a new manager in the dugout?

Of all Managers (active) in the MLB, where would you rank the A’s Mark Kotsay out of 30?🤔👀 pic.twitter.com/fwzwHfeB3W

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) October 8, 2026

(1-4) Glendale Desert Dogs 2, (2-3) Peoria Javelinas 10

• Isaiah Drake, DH: 1-4

box score

It was another bad day for the Glendale team all around. They have been struggling to get any sort of good play from the team. and after allowing six runs in the second inning of this game it was a quick decline to a 1-4 start. The positive for Braves fans is that Isaiah Drake is healthy and has now recorded a hit in each of his first three games this fall. Drake may be stuck down at the bottom of the Glendale order but he’s gotten substantial playing time early this season, and that’s going to be massive for him after he missed so much time at the end of the year. He has been consistent with putting up a hit and a stolen base in each game, and this most recent outing was his best of the trio as he hit the ball harder than his prior two outings. He had a 100 mph single for his lone hit and impressively has been doing a great job at making contact with everything thrown at him. He only has two whiffs in 24 swings in the first three games, and though he was a tad aggressive in his first two appearances in this game he didn’t have any bad chases. So far Drake’s presence and performance is a highlight for Braves prospects from this fall and if he continues to get this amount of playing time we should have a decent sample of games to review at the end of the year.

Just over 24 hours from being knocked out of the National League Division Series by the Milwaukee Brewers the San Diego Padres are left to wonder what might have been while at the same time changing gears to start looking toward the future. How soon that future arrives is unknown as MLB prepares for what for what appears to be an unavoidable lockout in the offseason. Work can still be done prior to a lockout and that has surely already started.

Padres fans have several questions about multiple players on their roster. Some hold all the control and have the option to opt out of contracts, while some must wait for the team to decide if they are going to retain their services. Others will have the option to hit the open market and see what other teams would be willing to pay for their services.

One of the players who will be discussed throughout the offseason up to and likely even after a lockout is resolved is first baseman Ty France. The Padres have struggled to find a reliable player at that position who can provide both offense and defense and the likely 2026 team MVP was a revelation for San Diego this season. He signed a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training prior to the season, but has earned a pay raise and a contract that will give him some piece of mind for at least a couple years. People who question whether the Padres should bring France back will say he needs to prove he can perform at the same level in consecutive seasons before they are willing to endorse his return.

According to an MLB Trade Rumors report there is mutual interest in France returning to San Diego in 2027. Do you want the Padres to bring back the former San Diego State Aztec?

Padres News:

• The top Padres to be potential free agents in the offseason say they want to remain in San Diego for the foreseeable future.

• The Padres continue to have winning seasons but they continue to struggle in the postseason.

Baseball News:

• The Cleveland Guardians used the strength of a six-run sixth inning to beat the Chicago White Sox and force Game 5.

• MLB announced the broadcast schedule for the remaining rounds of the postseason.

• MLB proposed a shortened season in latest volleyball to MLBPA.

• The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers announced their Game 1 starters.

• Aaron Judge backs Aaron Boone and wants the front office to add to the New York Yankees roster.

With the season over, rosterbation is the only recourse as far as Braves baseball is concerned. Of course, the pending lockout will put a damper on offseason proceedings for a while, but leaving that aside… which pending free agent(s) do you think the Braves will bring back?

Let’s start with Ha-Seong Kim. He was super-bad. He’s probably looking at a small pillow deal, if he even sticks around in MLB. On the one hand, the Braves don’t really need anything to do with him given how bad he was. On the other hand, the lower that price gets, the more it becomes a “why not?” I don’t think it’ll happen, though — easier for him to get a new start elsewhere.

Raisel Iglesias is interesting, at least insofar as the Braves not immediately hitting the “sign” button on a costly reliever can be. The Braves gave Robert Suarez a multiyear deal, possibly to protect against an Iglesias decline (and eventual departure). But, Suarez was the one that ended up getting hurt and missing a bunch of time, and Iglesias was pretty good (and only missed a bit of time): 61/76/82 ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-, which is basically identical to his career composite of 68/76/80. If the Braves were willing to re-add Iglesias last offseason, I don’t see why they wouldn’t this year, since he basically did the thing he does. He’s definitely aging, but he did some interesting things with pitch sequence and location this year, too.

Mauricio Dubon is, I think a tough discussion. He’s definitely a clubhouse fit and I think the other guys would rejoice if he were brought back. But, it’s unclear what kind of deal he would be looking for, to add to the overall uncertainty of what free agent spending even looks like if and when the lockout ends. On top of that, Dubon didn’t hit well (.304 xwOBA, outhit it a fair bit), and his style conflicts with a lot of the rest of the roster. (It’s not necessarily meaningful, but kind of funny, that Dubon had a monster June as the rest of the team fell apart offensively.) I think the Dubon question is partially subsumed by the “what kind of team do the Braves want to be in 2027?” question. In theory, if the Braves add legitimate full-timers at short and left field, then Dubon really can be the ultimate handcuff for a bunch of guys with not-so-great outlooks (including Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies), but I don’t see them adding two legitimate regulars and Dubon, so… I dunno.

There’s a bunch of non-factors, like Joe Jimenez and Kyle Farmer, that would technically be “brought back,” so have at discussing those if you want. Lane Thomas, sure, throw his name in — he’d neither cost much nor be a huge impact either way at this point. Brent Suter is super-fun, but would not be a major move. This is the low stakes rosterbation corner, and you can be here for it if you want.

And then we come to Tyler Mahle, who has already said he’s interested in continuing his great run after being traded to Atlanta over the summer. Lots of guys say stuff like this, especially before the bidding opens. The market for free agent starting pitching has been a head-spinning whirlwind for years. Mahle got $10 million coming off a half-season where he benefited from a low HR/FB. He’s now coming off a full-ish season where he pitched decent in aggregate but amazingly well as a Brave. Does that move his price point outside of where the Braves are comfortable, like pretty much every other free agent starter? I imagine Mahle would take something like $26M/1 to sign, at least under the current paradigm. The Braves could do that, but if some team just adds more years at the same or a similar, not-very-diminished annual price point, they’d probably bow out.