Category: MLB

The Dodgers could have used a player like Miguel Vargas this year.

Their lineup was starved for power at times and Vargas homered 31 times. Their team was old and Vargas was a 26-year-old All-Star.

Here’s the irony: Just two years ago, the Dodgers had Vargas on their roster.

But the Dodgers didn’t have an open corner-infield position for him. When they failed to turn him into an outfielder, they traded him.

Dealing Vargas wasn’t a mistake.

In the three-team trade that sent him to the Chicago White Sox, the Dodgers received Tommy Edman, who helped them win two World Series. And it’s not as if a position for Vargas would have opened up. Max Muncy remains at third base, Vargas’ primary position. Freddie Freeman is at first.

Talent is only one factor in replacing one generation of players with the next. Timing is equally important.

This will be particularly relevant for the Dodgers as they attempt to turn over their roster in the coming years.

They had the oldest team in the major leagues this year. And while their farm system is considered to be one of the best in baseball, they have a disproportionate number of outfielders among their top prospects, further complicating an already-difficult process.

“A lot of the major-league onboarding is hard,” general manager Brandon Gomes said. “You can only get guys in Double A or Triple A up to the five- or 10-yard line. It’s hard to get them into the end zone to fully understand how to hit the ground running in the big leagues.”

A number of the Dodgers’ minor leaguers are already at the metaphorical red zone.

No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula was called up to the major leagues directly from Double A in September. In 11 regular-season games, he displayed an advanced knowledge of the strike zone for a 21-year-old, which led to him being included in the Dodgers’ postseason roster.

De Paula is an outfielder, as are the organization’s No. 2 and 3 prospects in the MLB Pipeline rankings, 21-year-old Eduardo Quintero and 23-year-old Mike Sirota.

Quintero spent most of this year at High A. Sirota started the season there, too, but finished in Triple A.

The Dodgers’ No. 6 and 7 prospects are also outfielders. Charles Davalan, 22, had a 24-homer season at High A. James Tibbs III, 24, homered 30 times at Triple A.

The major league team currently doesn’t have a vacancy in their starting outfield. Left fielder Teoscar Hernández and right fielder Kyle Tucker are under contract for next season. Center fielder Andy Pages remains under team control.

Tucker has three years and $175 million remaining on his contract, which makes him unmovable. Pages could be rewarded a $5 million salary next season in the arbitration process but would still be a major bargain at that price.

That makes Hernández as the likeliest player to be traded, as he will be entering the final season of his three-year contract. Shipping out Hernández would clear a spot for De Paula, but what about the team’s other outfield prospects?

Gomes pointed to how Davalan has been playing second base in the Arizona Fall League, which is basically a finishing school for top prospects. Increased versatility can better prepare players to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.

“A lot of it is there tends to be injuries or other things that happen where you look up and, ‘Oh, now we’re calling guys up from Double-A to Triple-A to fill time,’” Gomes said. “I think it’s going into a season having a plan and being able to adjust off of that.”

With experience at first base, Tibbs could be an insurance policy of sorts for 37-year-old Freeman.

De Paula, who is a notoriously weak defender, projects more as a designated hitter at this point and could be a backup for Shohei Ohtani.

“Things work themselves out,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “We’ve talked about this a lot. There are times where you wake up one day and you’re too left-handed. You start to address it. Wake up another day and say, ‘Wow, we’re too right-handed now.’ Things happen. Like right now, we have a really talented group of outfielders coming through our minor league system. There have been times where we haven’t. We also have a lot of really talented infielders coming as well, but for us it’s just about having as many many talented players as we can, and things tend to sort themselves out.”

Sometimes they work themselves out with a future All-Star being traded for a player who could be a solid contributor on a championship team.

That happens, Vargas’ case a prime example.

Happy Monday, everyone! The World Series got underway this weekend, and it hasn’t felt particularly close at all so far. While the Rays did take an early lead in Game 2, they seemed to drop the ball (literally) after the first inning with lacklustre defense and silent bats. The Brewers now have a 2-0 series lead as the games head to St. Petersburg for the week, so we’ll see if the Rays have another series comeback in them.

We have a lot about the World Series below, plus some Blue Jays insight, and Stephen Vogt shooting down rumors that he might be leaving Cleveland. So let’s just jump right into it.

• Michael Baumann looks at what’s been working (and not working) for the Brewers and Rays so far.
• Ben Clemens checks in on the unlikely hero who helped push the Brewers to a 2-0 series lead.
• Adam Berry offers three ways the Rays can come back and force the series to return to Milwaukee.
• Ranking all 52 players in the World Series. (SI)
• Rob Manfred says a small-market World Series is good for baseball, but a salary cap is still necessary. Story by Jesse Rogers.
• Jacob Misiorowski threw the fastest pitch in World Series history this weekend. (AP)
• Kiley McDaniel thinks players like Jackson Chourio and Junior Caminero bring much-needed excitement to the postseason.
• Ken Rosenthal looks at how the Rays seem to be falling apart in the World Series. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Wisconsin has money to burn, it seems.

• Matthew Roberson takes a look at some of the terrible defense we saw in Game Two of the World Series.
• Anthony DiComo has some key takeaways from Game Two.
• Adam McCalvy spotlights the Brewers fan who walks to every single home game.
• Tom Verducci looks at how Aaron Ashby has played it cool and come in very handy for the Brewers this postseason.
• Tim Kurkjian compares the 2026 Brewers to the 1982 Brewers.
• Cody Stavenhagen shares how the memory of Bob Uecker is making this Brewers postseason a bittersweet one. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Things to love this postseason: Payton Tolle as a correspondent.

• Jon Becker delivers a postseason report card for Stephen Vogt.
• Jared Greenspan looks at the major velocity jump taken by Freddy Peralta this offseason.
• Keegan Matheson determines how returning injured players could impact the Blue Jays’ offseason plans.
• Bryan Hoch spotlights the Rays’ clubhouse attendant who helped make a custom glove for a Buccaneers player.
• Stephen Vogt insisted Mariners interview rumors at hokum and he will return to the Guardians next season. (AP)
• Grant Brisbee ranks the worst commercials of the MLB postseason. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Can’t say this was on my bingo card…

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

Good morning, baseball fans!

The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue tonight with Game 3 of the World Series between the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Tonight’s game will start at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on Fox/Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.

As usual, this is being written in the past, so I don’t yet know who has won the previous two games. Additionally, neither team has announced a starting pitcher for tonight’s game as of the time this is being written. I’ll try to hop in on Monday and add more information.

Who are you rooting for in Game 3?

The Milwaukee Brewers took a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night on a check swing call to end the game. They, of course, came back from a 4-0 deficit and ended up winning 5-4. Now, the Series heads to the Trop as the Rays will look to even the series.

In Arizona, the Fall League is about half over. Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) continues to tear up the desert, and is making a push for the Fall Stars Game in two weeks. Jared Thomas (No. 8 PuRP) turned up the heat this week with five hits, nine RBI, two doubles and three triples. Fidel Ulloa and Konner Eaton (No. 28 PuRP) continue to keep runners off the board, as neither has given up an earned run yet. Earon has racked up three strikeouts across seven innings of work, while Ulloa has seven across 5.1 innings.

But here’s what’s going on in the baseball world this week:

Rockies News & Links

O’Dowd power surge turning heads in Fall League | MLB.com

Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) has been gaining a lot of well-deserved attention in the Arizona Fall League, as he leads the league in numerous categories halfway through the season. Thomas Harding is the latest to chronicle O’Dowd’s Arizona experience, and includes interviews with some Rockies coaches about his incredible 2026 season.

Strike 3: Will there be positive changes to the way the Rockies handle pitching? | Mile High Sports

Mark Knudson has been calling for the Rockies to fire Alon Leichman since the day he was hired, and got his wish last week. He once again suggests Jason Hirsh as a replacement, and recommends that the Rockies employ “piggybacking” more, especially with players like Tanner Gordon and Ryan Feltner.

It Still Makes Sense for the Rockies to Trade Hunter Goodman | Just Baseball

The Rockies made a few moves at the 2026 trade deadline, but ultimately decided to retain two-time All-Star Hunter Goodman. It was a debated move at the time — both leading up to the deadline and in the immediate aftermath — but the noise hasn’t quieted down, especially after Goodman became the first Rockie since 2019 to hit 40+ home runs. Cristian Crespo makes his case for why the Rockies should trade Goodman.

Around MLB

Jennie Finch Empowerment Award recipients take center stage at World Series | MLB.com

Former Olympic medalist Jennie Finch started the Empowerment Award in 2019 as a way to honor girls who excel at MLB’s softball events. Each winner receives a $10,000 scholarship and recognition during the pregame ceremony ahead of Game 2 of the World Series. This year, Alina Elias, Kayleigh Allen, Janiya Pillow and Amarianna Hill (who was unable to attend) were honored.

Manfred: Rays-Brewers World Series good for game, but salary cap still needed | ESPN

While we’re in the midst of an excellent World Series, there is still an unfortunate cloud hanging over it as the labor dispute and lockout are still expected in a little over a month. Jesse Rogers asked MLB commissioner Rob Manfred his thoughts on the small market World Series and while Manfred thinks it is good for the sport, he still believes the owners should pursue a salary cap. Interim executive director of the MLBPA also offered his thoughts, saying any team can accomplish what Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have, but also noted that winning might not be sustainable without spending.

How the Rays can send the World Series back to Milwaukee | MLB.com

The Milwaukee Brewers are up 2-0 as the World Series heads south to Tampa Bay. Adam Berry breaks down how the Rays can even the series and push it back to America’s Dairyland:

1. Ride the rotation
2. Clean it up
3. Build the bridge

Brewers’ Aaron Ashby thrives in World Series as a reliever, dreams of being a starter | The Athletic ($)

Aaron Ashby has been thriving in the Brewers’ bullpen, despite wanting to make a push for the starting rotation. Across 15.2 innings in eight appearances in October, Ashby has yet to allow a run and has given up just five hits and three walks while punching out 17. That is the second-most in MLB history to begin a postseason behind Andrew Miller in 2016 for the Cleveland Guardians.

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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.”

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.

Links

For decades, he’s hunted tickets from Cal Ripken’s ‘Iron Man’ streak. Just 8 elude him. – The Baltimore Banner

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.

Should Orioles give Mountcastle a try in the outfield? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Rich Dubroff fields a question from a reader who clearly has no memory of the Ryan Mountcastle outfield debacle of 2020-21. I envy that reader.

A hope for the O’s farm: Teach young players more situational awareness – Steve Melewski

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.

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.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Hey look, another piece about Alec Bohm and the decision to offer him a qualifying offer. Fortunately, this one makes more sense.
• Is it possible that the key piece to the 2027 roster rests on the suddenly sketchy back of their top prospect?

MLB news:

• Quinn Priester had the same type of surgery as Zack Wheeler and though he’s watching the World Series from the dugout, he’s on track to return earlier than expected in 2027.
• Stu Sternberg would tell you he tried to win with the Rays in Tampa Bay. Now, they’re moving forward trying to win without him ($).
• Brandon Woodruff has come full circle with the Brewers, hoping to win a title in the stadium he made his major debut in.
• Who have been some of the top performers in the Arizona Fall League this past week?

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 (8-4)

MESA 7, SURPRISE 4 (BOX)

• 1B COLE MATHIS: 0-4, K

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 (8-5)

GLENDALE 10, SURPRISE 3 (BOX)

• 2B BRUIN AGBAYANI: 0-4, BB
• SS BOSTON BARO: 1-3, RBI, BB, K
• RHP BRENDAN GIRTON: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP RYAN LAMBERT: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21 (9-5)

SURPRISE 9, MESA 2 (BOX)

• 1B COLE MATHIS: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, SB (1)
• 2B BRUIN AGBAYANI : 1-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, 2 K
• RHP CALVIN ZIEGLER : 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, HBP

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 (9-6)

PEORIA 12, SURPRISE 11 (BOX)

• DH BOSTON BARO: 2-5, 2 R, HR (1), 4 RBI, K

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 (9-6)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 (10-6)

SURPRISE 5, SALT RIVER 3 (BOX)

• 2B BRUIN AGBAYANI: 1-4, RBI, K, SB (2)
• RHP PEYTON PRESCOTT: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP IRVING COTA: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, HBP, H (2)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 (10-6)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE SEASON TO DATE

BRUIN AGBAYANI: 10 G, 34 AB, .118/.268/.176, 4 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 7 BB, 13 K, 2/2 SB, .190 BABIP

BOSTON BARO: 8 G, 22 AB, .227/.452/.364, 5 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 9 BB, 7 K, 3/3 SB, .286 BABIP

COLE MATHIS: 8 G, 32 AB, .156/.289/.281, 5 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 4 K, 1/1 SB, .148 BABIP

IRVING COTA: 4 G (0 GS), 11.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER (3.27 ERA), 3 BB, 14 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 0 BLK, .200 BABIP

BRENDAN GIRTON: 4 G (0 GS), 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HBP, 0 WP, 0 BLK, .286 BABIP

RYAN LAMBERT: 4 G (0 GS), 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 2 BB, 5 K, 0 HBP, 1 WP, 0 BLK, .000 BABIP

PEYTON PRESCOTT: 4 G (4 GS), 7.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER (3.68 ERA), 5 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, 0 BLK, .348 BABIP

CALVIN ZIEGLER: 4 G (0 GS), 3.0 IP, 2 H, 6 R, 5 ER (15.00 ERA), 5 BB, 3 K, 2 HBP, 2 WP, 0 BLK,

.222 BABIP

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Steve Ontiveros, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1971 – Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics wins the American League Cy Young Award by a 98-85 margin over Mickey Lolich of the Detroit Tigers. Blue was 24-8 for Oakland, posting 301 strikeouts, eight shutouts and a 1.82 ERA, becoming the youngest pitcher to win the award. In the National League, Ferguson Jenkins* of the Chicago Cubs receives the honor, and 2016 – The Cubs tie up the World Series with a 5 – 1 win over the Indians in Game 2. Jake Arrieta does not allow a hit until the sixth, while the Cubs score against Trevor Bauer in the top of the first and add runs in the third and fifth. Anthony Rizzo scores twice while Kyle Schwarber, who has missed almost the entire season with an injury, drives in a pair, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1911 – Danny Murphy of the Philadelphia Athletics has four hits as the A’s beat the New York Giants, 13-2, to win the World Series in six games. Philadelphia puts the game out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning.
• 1931 – Charles Comiskey dies at age 72. The Chicago White Sox owner and pioneer player never recovered from the betrayal of the 1919 World Series.
• 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.
• 1950 – The Baseball Writers Association of America selects New York YankeesshortstopPhil Rizzuto as the American League MVP. He posted a .324 batting average with 200 hits and 125 runs scored, but drove in just 66.
• 1960 – After his family has been operating the team in the nation’s capital ever since Clark Griffith took over as manager of the club in 1912, Calvin Griffith, president of the Washington Senators, makes the decision to move his club to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
• 1982 – Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies becomes the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards, taking National League honors. The 37-year-old lefthander, who led the National League in wins (23), innings pitched (295.2), strikeouts (286) and shutouts (6), was a previous winner in 1972, 1977 and 1980.
• 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!”)
• 1996 – The New York Yankees clinch their 23rd World Series by defeating the Atlanta Braves, 3-2, in Game 6. Joe Girardi‘s RBI triple keys a three-run rally against Greg Maddux. John Wetteland is named Series MVP after posting his fourth save.
• 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.
• 2000 – In Game 5 at Shea Stadium, the Yankees win their third consecutive World Series, their fourth title in five years, and record their 26th World championship, by defeating the Mets, 4-2. Luis Sojo‘s ninth-inning two-out, tie-breaking single off starter Al Leiter is the decisive hit. Yankees shortstopDerek Jeter becomes the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP and the Series MVP honors in the same season. Joe Torre becomes only the fifth manager to win four World Series championships, joining Hall of FamersJoe McCarthy (7), Casey Stengel (7), Connie Mack (5) and Walter Alston (4) .
• 2004 – In Game 3 of the World Series at Busch Stadium, Manny Ramirez hits a two-run home run as the Boston Red Sox defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1, for their third consecutive victory. Pedro Martinez is the winning pitcher, helped by relievers Mike Timlin and Keith Foulke as Jeff Suppan is the loser.
• 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.
• 2011 – New Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein announces the appointment of Jed Hoyer, who worked with him with the Boston Red Sox, as the team’s new general manager.
• 2014 – 22-year-old outfielder Oscar Taveras is killed in a car crash near his hometown of Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic. Only ten days ago, the promising prospect was playing for the Cardinals in the NLCS.
• 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.
• 2019 – Major League Baseball honors the best relief pitchers in the game before Game 4 of the World Series. Aroldis Chapman wins the Mariano Rivera Award for the first time, while Josh Hader is a repeat winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award.

Cubs Birthdays:Steve Ontiveros, Otto Vogel, Tommy Griffith, Harry Chapman, Andy Sommers.

Today in history:

• 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.
• 1973 – Wings release single “Helen Wheels”.
• 1981 – British rock band Queen and David Bowie release their serendipitous collaborative single “Under Pressure.“

*pictured.

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 8pm ET 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.

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:

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.

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.

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.