MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Morning, all!
The Brewers and the Rays have gone to the World Series on a budget, but there are ways the Rangers can change their approach on the field to get more out of what they have.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 07: Matt Borgschulte#72 and manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals look on against the Minnesota Twins on May 7, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This morning, Spencer Nusbaum broke the news that the Nationals will be retaining their entire coaching staff. After an 11 game improvement from 2025, this is not much of a surprise, but I wanted to break things down. The hitting coaches enter 2027 under no pressure after an exceptional offensive season. However, the pitching coaches need to show results.
The Nationals plan to bring back all 12 coaches who ended the season on Blake Butera’s staff, but did not renew the contracts of five of the big-league team’s training and strength coaches, per sources.
In my opinion, the pitching coaches are the more interesting talking point here, so I will start with them. The pitching braintrust consists of assistants Dustin Glant and Sean Doolittle, as well as the main man Simon Mathews. Doolittle was the only one who was in the organization before 2026.
This season was a mixed bag for them. The surface level stats were not pretty, with the Nats 4.67 team ERA ranking 5th worst in baseball. Infamously, the Nats bullpen set the all time blown saves record in 2026 as well. While the offense took a massive step forward, progress for the pitching staff was slower.
However, there was some progress that took place. The Nats team ERA went from 5.35 in 2025 to 4.67 in 2026. This took place without a massive leap in team talent as well. Even the bullpen, which set the wrong types of records, had a lower ERA in 2026 than 2025.
There were also a few pitchers who took major strides, most notably Cade Cavalli. The Nats right hander was a popular breakout pick due to his stuff, but he still exceeded all expectations. He posted a 3.02 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 169.2 innings. The sweeper that the pitching coaches taught him played a large role in that success.
Getting the best out of Cavalli is a big feather in the cap for Simon Mathews and company. It shows that they can have success when the requisite talent is at their disposal. However, 2027 will be a big prove it year for the pitching coaches.
With Cavalli, Connelly Early and Andrew Alvarez in the rotation, the talent is beginning to come together. Now, Simon Mathews will need to prove that he is the right guy to get the most out of these arms. He enters next season with a little bit of a target on his back. If the pitching improves, that target will go away though.
While there are some questions on the pitching side, the Nats hitting coaches are riding high. The Nats offense blew past expectations this season, finishing as a top 5 unit in most metrics. Matt Borgschulte, along with his assistants, Andrew Aydt and Shawn O’Malley did a remarkable job in 2026. I wrote about what made this Nats offense special, and the coaching staff played a big role in creating this offensive monster.
The Nats offense was an absolutely elite unit in 2026. I broke down what made this offense special https://t.co/sY3oVEtjya
So many Nats hitters made huge improvements, and did so in tangible ways. Keibert Ruiz became an air pull machine, while Jacob Young elevated the ball more to get to another level. Stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams were also better than ever. There is really nothing to complain about here.
Another coach who I want to shout out is Bobby Wilson. The Nats catching coach helped turn Keibert Ruiz from arguably the worst defensive catcher in baseball to an above average backstop. Whenever I was at the ballpark, I saw Wilson working with the catchers on the finer details.
Overall, I have zero issues with running back this staff. The pitching coaches will have some pressure on them, but they earned a shot at working with more talented arms. At the end of the Davey Martinez era, the coaching staff was a massive issue. However, I have plenty of confidence in Blake Butera’s staff entering their second season.
In the midst of a most disappointing season, the Royals received some hope in the form of catcher Carter Jensen.
Jensen, the 23-year-old local kid out of Park Hill, emerged as the team’s primary catcher in 2026 and looks to play even more games behind the plate going forward. This year, he started 97 games at catcher while appearing in another nine. His bat played so well that he appeared in an additional 42 games as the DH, of which 40 were starts.
While he won’t win the Rookie of the Year Award, he gives the Royals another building block for the future, another piece of the core around which the front office can build. No longer will the Royals have to rely on the aging Salvador Perez to suit up every day. Instead, it’s the young man with the fresh legs and lively bat. He’s a piece of the lineup for years to come, joining Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, and (probably) Vinnie Pasquantino.
Only five players in MLB history have met the following thresholds in their rookie season…
Jensen picked up a cup of coffee in 2025, but he made the team out of the gate in 2026. He had some issues during the season, of course, including allowing a league-leading nine passed balls. As of June 6, which was the 80th game of the season, his batting average dipped to an ugly .211. His other numbers weren’t a whole lot better—.288 on-base percentage, .368 slugging, add that up and what do you get, why it’s an abysmal OPS of .657.
After that, though, he improved, first gradually, then suddenly. He finished the season by capturing the September American League Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month. He broke the Royals record for home runs by a rookie with 27, which also led the team. With 64, he broke Witt’s record for most extra-base hits by a Royals rookie. In the midst of that, he set a team record for most consecutive hits for extra-bases with a cool dozen.
Double the honors! 🤩
Carter Jensen has been named the American League September Rookie of the Month AND the American League September Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/tqYV2UICst
Kevin Gausman was acquired by the Cubs, ostensibly, because of his extensive postseason experience and in particular, how he starred for the Blue Jays in 2025.
Gausman’s regular season numbers for Toronto this year weren’t that great, though some of his peripherals suggested he could return to his 2025 form.
Welp. That didn’t work out too well, did it? In nine starts for the Cubs Gausman was measurably worse (4.83 ERA, 1.232 WHIP) than he was for the Jays (23 starts, 4.38 ERA, 1.288 WHIP). In particular, Gausman fell victim to the same thing many other Cubs pitchers did in 2026 — the long ball. In 50.1 innings for the Cubs, Gausman allowed 11 home runs. He’d allowed 15 homers in 127.1 innings for the Jays.
Whatever’s causing that for Cubs pitching, they need to get it fixed before 2027.
Gausman started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series and it did not go well, as he allowed five hits and three runs in 3.1 innings.
Gausman is an unrestricted free agent — no options of any kind. He turns 36 in January. He loved playing in Toronto:
The Gausman family full of gratitude and love for Toronto and the Blue Jays ❤️ pic.twitter.com/V2fQSIQ5nr
Seems possible, if the right-hander wants to continue playing, that’s the likely landing spot.
It was, I think, a worthwhile attempt, the deal bringing Gausman to the Cubs. Brett Bateman, the key piece in the deal, played 41 games for the Jays and batted .329/.402/.424, producing 2.2 bWAR. That’s quite good. But Bateman was blocked in Chicago by Pete Crow-Armstrong and so this was a good opportunity for him. The other player in the deal, Ty Southisene, is only 20 and has yet to play above A ball.
We should all wish Gausman well. I don’t think the Cubs should bring him back, though.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Umpire Stu Scheurwater #85 argues with manager Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics after Kotsay was ejected during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 20, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Thursday everyone!
The World Series is nearly upon us. Just one more day before baseball fans are treated to Game 1 of the Fall Classic between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither team has won the World Series so one way or another, one organization is going to taste the sweet feeling of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy within the next two weeks.
And for A’s fans, there aren’t any major former Athletics on these teams (sorry Jorge Mateo and Chad Patrick). Still, there is a sense of comradery among the fanbases. Tampa and Milwaukee have been low-spenders for the majority of their existences, much like the Athletics. Getting to watch one of these low-payroll franchises lift that final trophy will be awesome to watch for A’s fans. A remind that even against the highest-spending teams like the Dodgers and Yankees, any team can win on any day in baseball.
Anyway, now that the A’s have their top voice in the front office, it’s time for Taylor Smith to begin staffing that office. And that’s something that the team is starting on immediately. And based off the comments from yesterday’s presser, it sounds like Smith will be hiring a GM to work under him. That’s not a shock considering that’s how most front offices work in baseball these days. Now we have to see who Smith will tab as his second-in-command.
Furthermore, from that same presser it sounds like manager Mark Kotsay’s job is safe, at least for now:
Taylor Smith and A’s manager Mark Kotsay will have dinner tonight in Vegas. Smith: “From my conversations with Mark so far, he seems like a great guy. Someone who's hungry for all the information we can get [the coaching staff], and I think it'll be a great partnership.”
That doesn’t sound like someone who is getting ready to make a change in the dugout. There wasn’t a huge expectation that Kotsay would be given his walking papers after the hiring of the next POBO but it was still a possibility. Based off those comments we can expect to see Kotsay in the dugout this spring. How long he lasts will depend on how quickly the team can begin turning things around.
No baseball today but the World Series tomorrow! Have a great Friday Junior A’s fans.
The 1st name that came out of Taylor Smith’s mouth when talking about the pitching staff was Jacob Lopez.
He was more deliberate when mentioning the other guys on the staff, but the way he blurted out ‘Lopez’ with that kind of enthusiasm was definitely interesting
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Honeywell (40) reacts during the fourth inning of game five of the NLCS against the New York Mets during the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Wednesday was light in Dodgers action in the Arizona Fall League, as the Glendale Desert Dogs were shut out in a game shortened by rain to only six innings. Against the Peoria Javelinas, Glendale managed only four hits, all singles, one of them by second baseman Charles Davalan.
So let’s expand our offseason minor league scope a bit, and turn to the Dominican Winter League (or LIDOM, if you prefer). As far as I can tell, shortstop Emil Morales is the only Dodgers minor leaguer currently active in the league, which started its season last Friday. Morales, who by season’s end was ranked the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and ranked 29th by Baseball America, did not play on Wednesday, but has played in two of five games thus for for Gigantes del Cibao.
Morales, who turned 20 in September, has a single, double, and two walks in his seven plate appearances thus far. He’s the second-youngest player on the Gigantes, with Rockies prospect Ronny Brito, a switch-hitting infielder/outfielder five and a half months younger than Morales.
Honeywell for the Gigantes on Wednesday pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief. This is the second time in his career the 31-year-old right-hander has played in a winter league, having also pitched in seven games and 28 innings for Escogido in the 2022-23 season.
San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Offseason media speculation has suggested the San Diego Padres are leaning toward extending Adrian Morejon a qualifying offer. The lefty pitcher earned consideration with a dominant second half. No question, Morejon should be brought back for the 2027 campaign.
It is rare for a setup reliever to receive a qualifying offer, but this news should not come as a big surprise. Morejon is considered the top left-handed reliever in this winter’s free-agent class, and should command plenty of interest on the open market.
What is a qualifying offer?
Every organization has five days after the World Series ends to extend a qualifying offer to an impending free agent. It is a one-year contract offer, and this year’s price tag is $23.15 million.
However, all players must have spent the entire season on the club’s roster and have never received a qualifying offer in their career. If they decline the contract offer and sign elsewhere, their former team receives a compensatory draft pick.
Why extend a qualifying offer
Re-signing Morejon should be the Padres’ top priority this offseason. The club has no internal left-handed bullpen option to replace him. In fact, it is hard to find a reliever who can take on his workload: he averaged over 70 appearances over the last three seasons.
In 2025, Morejon posted a 2.83 ERA over 86.0 innings pitched. Pairing an outstanding 30.4% strikeout rate with a solid 8.0% walk rate, Morejon struck out 107 batters. Perhaps his most impressive underlying metric, Morejon surrendered just four home runs last season.
If he rejects the offer, his suitors will have to consider the cost of pursuing him. Fortunately for the Friars, they receive compensation if their premier setup reliever signs with another team.
If accepted, Morejon would receive a massive salary increase from his $3.9 million mark a year ago. San Diego keeps its late-inning bullpen tandem for another season.
Extending the qualifying offer puts the ball in Morejon’s court.
Morejon has a life-changing decision
At 27, Morejon is in the prime of his career. Most free agents would decline the qualifying offer to seek a multi-year, big-money deal. Morejon’s potential suitors do not need a reminder of his value to the bullpen.
Still, a conflicted decision looms. While accepting the qualifying offer is a foolish business decision, Morejon has openly expressed a desire to remain in San Diego. A deep-seated loyalty to the franchise could play a role in his decision.
To extend a qualifying offer, the Padres have to be confident Morejon is open to a long-term extension. It would not be a surprise to see the Padres and Morejon come together on a new deal.
Time will tell what occurs.
Padres News:
Ramon Laureano was supposed to be the answer in left field for the Padres in 2026. Unfortunately, a pre-existing injury and a corresponding surgery cut his season short and now San Diego has to decide if it wants him back.
You could use many words to describe the Yankees’ first seven seasons of the 2020s. Consistent is one. The team has made the postseason in six of those seasons, winning the division twice and qualifying four times as a Wild Card. Disappointing is another. The Bombers are still hunting for that elusive championship—their best chance to this point came in 2024, in a World Series where they fell far short of the standard.
One word you could not use to describe these results is “surprising.”
For several years running, Yankee regular seasons have taken on a familiar structure: a strong, sometimes dominant start followed by the so-called ‘June swoon’, a protracted period of ugly losses and unconvincing wins which throws their season off course. The swoon is generally followed by a second-half resurgence in which they flash some of their best team baseball—right up until they face a higher seed in a playoff series, who quickly and soundly trounce them, providing the rest of the baseball world ample time to unite in derision and mockery.
As the Yankees have played at a caliber no greater and no lesser than their roster’s true talent level, the positions of manager and general manager have remained occupied by the same men: Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman. They will remain in their posts for 2027—Boone’s return was announced by the club on Monday, followed by Cashman’s on Wednesday. Once again, no surprises here.
The coming offseason presents a fairly unique challenge for both men, but particularly Cashman. The Yankees’ roster, despite star turns from a few of their youngsters, is one of the most veteran-heavy groups in the league. A huge chunk of the team’s payroll is invested in four long-term contracts for Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodón. All four players missed significant time in 2026, and Judge, of course, did not play in the postseason.
Furthermore, many of the team’s largest holes in the roster have remained liabilities despite Cashman’s various attempts to address them. The free agent market is thin and the farm system is depleted from the various trades the Yankees have generally needed to make to shore up massive roster holes which pop up every season.
Then, of course, there’s the looming specter of the lockout. The very existence of the 2027 season is at the very least not an absolute sure thing.
Then again, there’s virtually nothing in this sport that Cashman hasn’t seen. He’s had the top job running baseball ops since 1998, and has managed to keep the team above the .500 water line every single year—with precious few absences from the postseason. And this is far from the first time has had to navigate an aging core. It’s easy to take this for granted now, but a decade ago he executed a much-lauded soft reset, turning the Yankees from a sputtering group of underachieving veterans to the Baby Bombers: the electrifying young stars-in-the-making who oozed boundless possibilities.
The dream of another homegrown core in the same style of the 1990s dynasty, however, proved more elusive this time around—and pretty soon, Cashman was increasingly looking for outside help to build around Aaron Judge. In so doing, he was steering a sort of middle course. One one hand, he and owner Hal Steinbrenner have shied away from the tippy top of the free agent market. Superstars like Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Corey Seager, and, yes, Juan Soto went to higher bidders once the asking price got too high. On the other hand, the Yankees didn’t cry poor the way so-called “small market” teams do, leaving their homegrown players to flounder without help.
Lesser GMs would not be able to pull off this balancing act: they would have paid the wrong guys, or not had the player development infrastructure in place to turn little-regarded prospects into household names. But Cashman has, to the point that fans have come to expect that he should have a salve for every last ill.
The reality is that nobody can build a perfect roster—given the circumstances in which he operates, Cashman has almost always built a roster that can compete for the ultimate prize. That ability cannot and should not be handwaved by recency bias, no matter how tempting it is. Frankly, nothing in the way he has built these teams suggests that they should be so routinely tossed aside by higher-seeded opponents. In each of the last two years, I sincerely believed that they matched up well against their ALDS opponents, warts and all—until first pitch, at which point it quickly became clear the team wasn’t prepared to win.
We can certainly quibble with individual moves Cashman has made. For instance, I feel like he’s never really gotten third base right since A-Rod retired, and his prospect-hugging tendency with former Top 100 guys like Clint Frazier and Jasson Domínguez has burned him plenty of times. But at the risk of being reductive, I feel the biggest issues facing this team are either Steinbrenner problems or Boone problems. Cashman doesn’t control the purse strings, and he doesn’t step between the foul lines. He’s kept doing his thing, giving Boone a perfectly good group of players to compete with while convincing Steinbrenner to pull the trigger on no small number of large contracts.
Two weeks ago I went to ALDS Game 3 and watched the Yankees’ season end with thousands of others who, probably like me, purchased their seat riding the high of smashing Boston in the Wild Card. They, like me, begrudgingly honored their commitment with the team facing near-certain doom and got what they expected to see: a game of close calls, near misses, and ultimately defeat. In talking with other fans on the long walk out of the stadium, a good number of them called for an all-or-nothing approach to 2027. Push all of the chips to the center, make a ton of moves to make the roster as competitive as possible, and then blow it up if it doesn’t work.
All-or-nothing approaches sound appealing when you haven’t had to consider the “nothing.” Yankee fans have not, in recent memory, experienced a true “nothing” season—because Cashman by and large hasn’t let them. The devil you know has given you some particularly sour postseason memories, it’s true. But they were postseason memories. The devil you don’t know could push them over the top… or it may just bring the whole operation crashing down.
Still, while I don’t agree with these fans’ overall outlook, the facts that led them to feel that way are unavoidable. If your team keeps choking in the big moments and the same guys stay in charge all the while, it signals complacency. It signals that the Yankees don’t really care all too much whether they win a championship: they’re just happy getting a place in the dance. Aaron Boone-managed squads perennially look overmatched and underprepared yet he stays aboard. Brian Cashman hasn’t built a champion in close to two decades, yet he stays aboard. There’s a palpable feeling in the air that the standard has been lowered. Even if nobody in the organization feels the same, it’s not really their place to say. Perception, at a certain point, becomes reality.
So as Brian Cashman prepares for another pivotal winter as general manager, he’ll be battling not just the attrition of his aging roster, a shrinking list of viable reinforcements, and the possibility of a lengthy work stoppage—but also a fanbase that is by and large losing its belief that this group can bring title number 28 back to the Bronx. That’s a hefty mandate, and as the past several years indicate, success is not a guarantee. But you likely won’t find a GM better equipped to handle what comes next. For better or worse, the Yankees are sticking to their guns.
As the Yankees look to retool their roster for the 2027 season, there's a massive hole they will need to fill.
Second base, manned by Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the last two seasons, will explore free agency and it's likely he will not return to the Bronx. While the team had a seamless transition to Chisholm -- who came up as a second baseman -- from Gleyber Torres when the infielder left in free agency following the 2024 season, the same can't be said for the Yankees' second base situation this offseason.
GM Brian Cashman may have to get creative to address the position, as financial restraints and a bloated roster filled with redundant pieces could make it difficult to get a proven second baseman on the team.
But it's not impossible, as internal and external candidates pop up.
Here's a breakdown of the internal and external candidates to be the Yankees' 2027 second baseman.
Anthony Volpe
This is the natural fit.
Volpe has already made the transition to second base from shortstop this season and was effective at the new position. While he did make two errors in 12 games (11 starts) at second base during the regular season, those hiccups are expected for someone who is asked to play multiple positions. But a full offseason practicing second will do Volpe well.
And then there's his bat. The demotion seemingly unlocked something in Volpe as he hit .265 in 14 September games -- after hitting .240 up to that point -- and that carried over into the postseason.
In two postseason starts, Volpe was 3-for-7 with a near-season-saving home run against the Rays in the ALDS.
Jose Caballero
Caballero is another internal option that could easily become the everyday second baseman if he wins it in spring training or if Volpe falters. The super utility man can play a number of positions, which makes him a better fit to come off the bench, but Caballero provided a spark when the Yankees needed it this past season, albeit at shortstop.
While Volpe was recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Caballero hit a respectable .267 through April and was hitting .263 by the end of May, even when Volpe returned. However, Caballero began to struggle offensively, the risk of playing a historical utility bench player every day. Nonetheless, Caballero proved to be a valuable piece to the 2026 Yankees and could be the starting second baseman to start next season.
Luis Garcia Jr.
This option would be a project.
Garcia was acquired at the 2026 deadline for his bat and to play first base. Garcia was better than advertised playing first base, but there's currently a logjam between first and DH.
Ben Rice played first base for most of the season before Garcia arrived, but the youngster shifted to a primary DH to give the Yankees more offensive firepower with Aaron Judge on the shelf.
With Judge and Giancarlo Stanton returning, presumably healthy in 2027, the Yankees need Rice to play first base to get his bat in the lineup. The best option is to put Garcia at second base, where he has the most major league experience. In seven MLB seasons, Garcia has 508 games (480 starts) at second base.
Garcia did not play second all of 2026, and for good reason. Garcia was a negative in OAA in four of six seasons playing the position, including a -7 at second base in 2025. To Garcia's credit, he had a 5 OAA in 2024, so perhaps the Yankees can get him to play at that level this offseason.
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca (21) reaches on an error during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
CJ Abrams
When we talk about external candidates, Abrams would be the biggest swing Cashman could make to address second base.
Abrams is coming off a career year where he slashed .261/.336/.497 with an OPS of .833, to go along with 33 home runs and 106 RBI. While Abrams has played shortstop his whole career, the Nationals began transitioning him to second base at the end of 2026. He finished playing 14 games (12 starts) at the position and made every play hit to him.
While not a large sample size, Abrams showed he can be at least serviceable at second. That, with what Abrams offers offensively from the left side, is hard to pass up if he's available.
The Yankees reportedly checked in at the deadline for Abrams and they have the pieces to give the Nationals an intriguing package. Washington needs major league ready starters, which the Yankees have in abundance (Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, Clarke Schmidt). Jasson Dominguez, a former top prospect, could use a change of scenery, and the Nationals could also want flamethrower Carlos Lagrange.
Cashman has a knack for making trades that no one sees coming (see: the Chisholm and Juan Soto deals), so it's not out of the realm of possibility if the Yankees can convince him to play second full time.
Another downside would be Abrams' struggles against lefties. He batted .240 with eight home runs and 63 strikeouts in 192 ABs facing southpaws. While it's better than Chisholm's .218, five home runs and 56 strikeouts in 147 ABs from this past season, it still makes the Yankees' everyday lineup susceptible to left-handers.
Luis Arraez
Any external option should be a left-handed bat, and Arraez is set to be one of the biggest free agents this offseason.
Arraez took a one-year, $12 million deal to sign with the Giants last offseason and was worth every penny as he finished second in the batting title race in his fourth All-Star year.
While Arraez's 2026 could lead to a multi-year deal, perhaps he'd take another one-year contract as he enters his age-30 season.
Arraez provides the contact-first bat the Yankees need, and his defense has improved leaps and bounds. He had a 12 OAA in 2026 after being a -9 a season ago while playing second and first with the Padres. It's a risk banking on Arraez's defense to remain consistent, but his offense adds another dimension to the team.
The one problem is that the starting lineup would be too left-handed heavy, as it was in previous seasons. But Arraez's numbers against lefties was very good. He hit .314 with a .341 OBP while striking out just 14 times, the same amount he did against righties.
If the money is right, Arraez could fit right in.
***
The Yankees roster regarding second base is tough to pin down.
While you want to make a splash by adding Arraez or Abrams, the smarter move would be to use what's already on the roster. Abrams, while an upgrade from Chisholm, has the same pitfalls the team faced in previous seasons while trying to get the All-Star to acclimate to a new position. For his faults, Chisholm's athleticism allowed him to play outstanding defense at second when he was locked in.
Arraez, while a better hitter, could be too expensive depending on the market and there's no guarantee his defense would hold up.
Letting Volpe win the job outright in spring and then easing Garcia in as a left-handed platoon feels like the best play for this team. It gives Boone flexibility while getting his best hitters in the lineup, especially if the DH spot is open with a potential Stanton departure.
TORONTO, ON- JUNE 16 - For Father's Day, Toronto Blue Jays first base Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) wore a pair of shoes that featured his Montreal Expos father Vladimir Guerrero as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Cleveland Guardians at Rogers Centre in Toronto. June 16, 2024. (Photo by Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series. For years, before a change in their ownership situation and an agreement for a new ballpark that will likely increase attendance, there was the latent threat of relocation, though. Would that relocation have come with a rebrand — a new team name and identity that fits where team moved to? Who knows. Montreal Rays… or a resurrection of the Montreal Expos? Who can say.
On the flip side, we have the Athletics. They’ve moved, they’ll move again, they’ve moved many times before. But they stayed the Athletics.
And, of course, expansion is coming… but that’s not the same thing.
Even recent relocations in other sports haven’t seen this kind of makeover (though maybe some have, I can’t recall). The Rams, Chargers, and Raiders are still the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders. There used to be more relo-and-rebrand, like the Oilers-into-Titans and Hornets-into-Pelicans-but-wait-the-Hornets are back.
But, I think the last one in baseball was Expos-into-Nationals in 2005, and before that, it was… Senators-into-Rangers, right?
Anyway, do you think we’ll see this in baseball again? Or will everything become chained by nostalgia/continuity with only new teams getting new brands?
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 31: Fans celebrate after Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays strikes out Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning in game six of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on October 31, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This year’s World Series has multitudes of compelling angles to it. That could be said any year, but this year it feels more significant as we await the beginning of the series tomorrow when the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Milwaukee Brewers.
Obviously, the biggest storyline is that neither of these two teams has ever won the World Series in their franchise’s history. Therefore, we are guaranteed to be crowning a first-time champion. There’s the relative “obscurity” of the two teams to some casual observers, but in reality, they were the two best teams in baseball throughout the regular season, and both entered the postseason as the number one seeds in their respective league. Some may look and see a lack of “star” players on the roster, but that downplays their collective talent as juggernauts and the budding stardom of younger players like Jackson Chourio and Junior Caminero.
No matter how you look at it, it’s shaping up to be a great series, at least on paper. However, it has big shoes to fill, as last year’s series was one of the most compelling in recent memory and has been called one of the best ever, as it was a back-and-forth affair that ultimately went to extra innings in Game 7. It was likely pure torture for both fan bases involved, but it was riveting entertainment for the rest of us. Sometimes, it’s fun to just sit back and enjoy a great World Series even if your team is not involved. Sometimes the level of play is just so entertaining to watch that it reminds you why you love baseball in the first place.
So, what was your favorite World Series to watch as a neutral observer? Where would you rank last year’s edition? What does this year’s series need to do to top last year?
BRADENTON, FL - MARCH 20: Jude Warwick #94 of the Detroit Tigers hits a one-run single in the seventh inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Alright, every year we consider going back and reviewing our preseason prospect reports to see how well the player did, and whether they’re trending up, down, or neutral at the end of the year. This happens as a matter of course as we study each player’s season and consider what we got right or wrong before diving into the next full system collection of scouting reports for next year, but maybe it’s worth a quick look back right now while memories are fresh.
We’ll start with the 11 players at the bottom of the list, and then switch to 10 players each over the four review articles to come. Keep in mind that we’re starting at the bottom with the fringe prospects. These are all longshot bets, so don’t be discouraged. Most of these players struggled, and that’s generally how it goes. On the other hand, the Tigers had a lot of young players break out of the Complex League this year, while a few others came out of nowhere. The farm system doesn’t boast the true blue chip prospects now that Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark have graduated, but it’s also a much deeper prospect pool than the Tigers have had before with a lot of positive signs finally from the international free agent side of the ledger.
Obviously, this is a review of our preseason reports, so this brief series won’t touch on some of the top prospects the Tigers acquired at the deadline nor in the 2026 amateur draft. We also don’t really get a good look at anyone until they reach Single-A Lakeland, so 2026 breakout players from the Complex League like RHP Jhonan Coba, OF Jesus Pinto, SS Angel de los Santos, LHP Carlos Rodriguez, and others won’t come up here either. Those names will be prominent in our next round of preseason scouting reports, however. Likewise, Zyhir Hope, LHP Kash Mayfield, and RHP Brady Smith were all nice additions to the farm system from the Skubal/Mize trades, but we’re just going through the preseason rankings right now. Hope and Mayfield in particular could be a big part of the Tigers future, and we’ll certainly cover them in depth this offseason.
This is mainly just to see how each player trended by season’s end. The original preseason report is linked to each player’s name here for comparison.
Of this group, Sanchez was the only one in the 40 future value tier and that was a risky bet on his potential. The rest are in the fringe 35+ FV tier of players.
Sanchez’s stock was in decline after struggling to make the jump to Double-A in 2025. His control needed to show improvement, and some minor injuries and inconsistent velocity led us to point to this season as the year in which the now 25-year-old needed to make something happen.
Unfortunately, it was another year of struggle. Sanchez couldn’t get back to the 99-100 mph that got him on the radar originally, and he continued to struggle with control. He stumbled to a 5.89 ERA/5.13 FIP with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves as a result. Sanchez is still typically in the high 90’s with solid fastball shape, and his slider is still flashing above average, but with subpar extension he really needs to be comfortably 98-99 mph to really overpower hitters. Unless his fastball command really progresses, there just isn’t enough margin for error with the heater to consider him a future high leverage relief prospect.
Sanchez gets a solid share of both strikeouts and ground balls, and he’s still young enough to have a shot at a breakout that could get him quickly to the major leagues, but after two years of minimal progress it looks unlikely at this point.
There’s a reason these guys are deep down on our list. They’re longshots, but they do have a developing major league caliber tool or two. Southpaw Gabriel Reyes was another minor disappointment this season, continuing an unfortunate trend over the past two years and spending much of the year on the injured list.
Reyes was signed by the Tigers out of the Dominican Republic in 2020 as an 18-year-old. It took some time for him to get to A-ball after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. He returned with strikeout rates over 30 percent, solid control, and fairly impressive stuff for the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers in 2024. His slider was nasty, if erratic, and the fastball was starting to pop mid-90’s from an angle that seemed to give young hitters a lot of trouble. That was all enough to put a 40+ grade on him. I really liked his potential as a future backend starter or reliever. Reyes then had a tough 2025 where he struggled in camp and was held back in extended spring training for a little while. Needing to get a move on and show better control, he failed and couldn’t even crack the High-A level in his age 21 season.
The 2026 season was even worse for Reyes. He got to High-A but was really wild and his velocity was more erratic as well. That proved a precursor to injury and in late May he hit the injured list and never returned. That early peak when he was 20-21 and touching 95 mph with a funky angle, a filthy sweeping slider, and consistent strike throwing was really promising, but everything has backed up over the past two seasons, including his health. He was always on the small side and while he’s added a little muscle he hasn’t really filled out as hoped. He’s still only 23 years old, but a major transformation is going to have to happen to get him back on track.
This right-hander was acquired for reliever Andrew Chafin at the 2024 trade deadline in a deal with the Rangers. Montalvo’s fastball was a little light at that point, but he boasted a good slider-changeup combination, advanced command, and good extension, while his slender frame and good overall athleticism pointed to future stuff upgrades as he filled out. He had the look of a future backend starter as he filled out a little more and added a little velocity to his typically 93 mph fourseam fastball.
He was an arm well worth taking a chance on for a reliever rental, but again things have gone pretty poorly here. Montalvo struggled in 2025 and eventually had Tommy John surgery. Presumably, if things have gone well we’ll see him back on the mound in 2027, but there isn’t much else to report. He’ll be 25 next May, so if there’s going to be a bump in velocity it’s going to have to show up next spring after his rehabilitation. Montalvo has a pretty good mix of secondary pitches, and it’s certainly possible he returns from rehabilitation with a little more velocity and durability both and eventually takes the next step, but it’s been a rough go since the Tigers acquired him.
This 22-year-old center fielder was the Tigers 8th round pick in 2025, and showed really good plate discipline and solid raw power in his brief post-draft debut. There were a ton of questions about the hit tool, so despite the speed-defense-raw power combination, we could only give him a nod as a fringe prospect considering the tiny sample of games played. That turned out to be pretty accurate during his full season debut with the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, though Dumensil missed plenty of time to injury as well, appearing in just 59 games.
Dumensil’s plate discipline proved worse over a full season. His 24.3 O-Swing percentage in 2025 turned into a 32.3 percent mark in 2026. He still took his walks, posting a solid 11.6 percent mark, and his 23.2 percent strikeout rate wasn’t bad, but he got himself out on a lot of pitcher’s pitches and put the ball on the ground too much to tap into his power. He’s still very likely to reach average or a little better raw power, but his approach, discipline, and ability to pull more balls in the air all need to improve in 2027 as he makes the jump to High-A to get to it in-game more consistently.
He was a bit of a speculative addition to our list back in the spring and will be on the cutline when we re-rank the Tigers prospects this winter. Still, he’s another example of the Tigers finding a few undervalued, athletic players in each draft with some hitting ability and solid all around tools. The system is deep in this type of player, and if just 1-2 break out they’ll have a pair of solid all-around major leaguers. If not, they should at least build a deep homegrown bench. Dumesnil just has a long way to go to reach a point where he looks like one of the likelier candidates.
Now 24 years old, Howey attracted some minor attention in 2025 as he suppressed home runs really well and saw an increase in velocity from the 92-94 mph he arrived in pro ball with, up to 94-96 mph with a bit more in the tank when needed. The problem was that he didn’t miss enough bats and his cutter was pretty inconsistent. However, he showed solid control for a first year player, got a ton of pop-ups, and kept the ball in the park. That was fairly impressive for a college reliever who the Tigers were experimenting with in a starting role.
Unfortunately, the experiment ended as Howey worked exclusively as a reliever this year, and the upgrade in breaking stuff and whiffs didn’t arrive. While Howey is out working in the Arizona Fall League, the lack of progress will see him bounced off the list this winter. Once again, we’re dealing with wild cards this far down the rankings in the first place. This one didn’t hit, but he’ll have the 2027 season to try and make progress and break through into the upper minors. Right now he’s trending like his best, realistic outcome is a middle reliever but that feels very unlikely at the moment.
One player who did take a step up this year was utilityman Woody Hadeen. The 24-year-old switch hitter broke into Double-A this season and continued to hit and steal plenty of bases while playing quality defense pretty much anywhere you want to put him, though he played less center field this season and was mostly deployed at shortstop and second base.
Hadeen posted a 15.2 percent walk rate and a 17.9 percent strikeout rate in 57 games at High-A this year. He then moved up to Double-A Erie and his marks held up reasonably well. He walked 11.9 percent of the time, striking out 19.5 percent of the time with the SeaWolves.
Hadeen puts the ball in play quite a lot, plays pretty good defense in the middle infield, and has enough speed to wreak some havoc on opposing defenses with soft tappers, choppers, and if the Tigers decide to lean into trend finally, more bunts. He’s an okay candidate to become the type of pesky hitting, versatile defender with speed that the Brewers and Rays are rounding out their rosters with if he can continue working on those pure hitting elements. Still, he does all his best work left-handed, negating the switch-hitting angle, and his lack of power makes this a very hard road. If can maximize his strengths and just find his way to more gap power, he may yet make a nice 26th man on someone’s roster for a while.
I kept this 23-year-old, Venezuelan right-hander on the list this season because I’ve always liked his mechanics, his strike-throwing, and his sinker. His 2025 season was plagued by a shoulder injury that cost him several months of the season. However, he returned late in the year throwing 95-97 mph sinkers, a significant uptick in velocity. With a solid changeup and mediocre breaking stuff, Marcano still had plenty of work ahead but looked like a potential depth starter, or role reliever in development. Not exciting, but the extra gas and good sink gave him a major league caliber weapon to work with.
Unfortunately, his control was suddenly the problem in 2026, and he didn’t make any notable progress with his breaking stuff. His outings were kept short, and that felt like a bad sign. Eventually he hit the full season injured list with an apparent arm injury in late July. We don’t have specifics on the injury, but either way Marcano is another who will probably slip off the rankings this winter unless some positive news about his status emerges. He’ll be 24 next season, so there’s time but for now the development trendline is heading the wrong direction and he was on the fringes of the system to begin with.
Eric Silva was the Tigers return in 2024 when they traded Mark Canha to the San Francisco Giants. The reliever has shown a nasty, high spin curveball along with flashes of improving velocity, but despite good strikeout rates he’s battled injury and control for two seasons now. In 2026, he moved up to Double-A and spent a little time at the Triple-A level as well, but despite a healthy season, his results continue to be wildly erratic.
There have been short stretches where Silva has been close to sitting 95 mph, but for most of 2026 the 24-year-old was right back in the 92-93 mph band where he was sitting when the Tigers acquired him. Like most of the low ranked prospects here, he has a weapon that could carry him to the major leagues if the rest of the package came together, but there’s really been no progress of note in two seasons. I’d say his time is up without a truly stunning breakout in terms of velo and command of his fastball.
One player who does continue to look interesting is the now 21-year-old middle infielder. As mentioned in his profile, Warwick was one of the earliest examples of the Scott Harris led front office supplementing their overslot bonuses by taking inexpensive, undersized but athletic types with some feel to hit. The Tigers were able to land the Downers Grove High School grad in 2024 for just $247,500. Snatching up talented prep shortstops with speed and a quality bat is wise policy at that price.
Of course, there was also a reason Warwick wasn’t a big bonus prep shortstop. He handled the Complex League really well last year, but through 129 games at the Single-A level he’s still trying to deal with the pitching and striking out quite a lot. On the plus side, the juice started to show up this year as he posted several balls over 109 mph off the bat. Warwick has plus speed and now looks like he should get to average power. He also plays a pretty decent second base and shortstop, though there’s plenty of work ahead to refine his defensive game.
With an O-swing rate over 30 percent and a strikeout rate of 28 percent this year, it’s going to take a nice breakout in his hitting ability to keep progressing up the chain as a legit prospect. Still, if he’d gone to college he’d be on draft boards for next summer. Warwick is ahead of the curve as a result and his secondary tools are pretty nice. We’ll have to see if he can take the next steps with his bat, but he’s starting to fill out with some good muscle and will be well worth keeping tabs on next year.
The now 22-year-old Santana has been slowly bouncing down through our rankings for a half decade. As a teenager he was a potential third baseman with power who showed good control of the strikezone. That’s still the case, but Santana’s pull happy, uppercut approach just hasn’t been refined much at all the past few years. He finally reached High-A this year and mashed 16 home runs, but he continues to strike out a lot while making a ton of weak outs in the air.
Santana’s 15.3 percent walk rate at High-A illustrates his solid discipline, and his 26 percent strikeout rate isn’t egregious. He continues to post good on-base numbers but his batted ball profile rarely results in singles, and he’s consistently been just under the Mendoza line. The Tigers have tried to level him out at the plate, but Santana continues to hit over 50 percent of his balls in the air, with 30 percent of them pop-ups.
He has raw power, plate discipline, and a solid enough glove to be alright at third and first base, where he played this year for the West Michigan Whitecaps. But this extreme three-true-outcomes style of hitting has resisted the Tigers attempts to improve his swing mechanics and quality of contact. Hopes of a big breakout are pretty faded at this point, but he did just enough this season to stay tuned for 2027.
Diaz’s fascinating ride to getting drafted back in 2023 left me with a soft spot for him. He was so raw coming out of high school, where due to COVID red tape he was unable to play and instead trained himself to pitch on his own through instructional videos, that I figured he deserved two years just to actually learn how to pitch. Progress has been really slow, unfortunately.
Diaz’s muscular, six-foot-four frame promised velocity, but while he was occasionally touching 96-97 mph in high school max effort side sessions, his cruising speed in pro ball is still typically in the low-90’s. He does get a lot of weak contact and keeps the ball on the ground with a mix of sinkers and fourseamers, along with a fringy curveball that needs to be thrown harder, but his control is still missing in action. Efforts to develop a changeup are going better, but the slider they’re working on with him is still a work in progress.
Diaz’s limited experience was a good reason to give him a few years to settle into pro ball and really just to learn how to pitch, but there’s really nothing to write home about happening at this point. If he starts repeating his delivery, throwing more strikes, and fulfills the promise of his physique with significantly more velocity, he’ll become interesting again, but at this point he’s a pretty non-descript young org arm and really needs to make major progress next year to keep his pro career afloat.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: Albert Suárez #49 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, August 20, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the 36-year-old Albert Suárez, it’s a minor miracle that he’s still with the Orioles’ organization. And that’s not because we’re now two years removed from his breakout 2024 campaign. Nor is it due to the fact that he’s only pitched 64.2 innings in two seasons since 2024, less than half the innings he put up in ‘24 alone. No, it’s a minor miracle that Suárez is still with the O’s because Baltimore has tried to get rid of him so many times.
Fine, that’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek explanation of the Orioles’ relationship with Suárez and how the two kept coming back to each other in 2026. And yet, usually when a player is designated for assignment five times in his career, it’s because teams are not particularly fond of that player. In Suárez’s case, the O’s DFA’d him five times just this season.
The veteran right-hander from Venezuela still managed to pitch in every month of the Orioles’ season, but his stints with the big league club came in bursts. Suárez began the season in Norfolk, but was recalled on April 1st. He then made five multi-inning appearances across the first month of the season before his first DFA on April 26th. He briefly became a free agent, was resigned to a minor league deal on April 30th and then recalled back to the big leagues on May 1st.
Thus began the yo-yo nature of Suárez’s season, with him constantly bouncing between Baltimore, free agency, Norfolk and back. He pitched 2.2 innings in a 7-2 loss to the Yankees on May 1st before being sent to Norfolk for the next three weeks. The 16.2 innings he tossed for the Tides this year were the most innings he’d thrown in the minors since 2018.
Suárez had two fairly long continuous stretches on the major league roster. A whirlwind end of May saw him recalled on May 19th and make one appearance on May 24th before his second round of DFA. He returned to the Orioles on May 29th for a long while. Between May 30th and August 20th, Suárez pitched 17th times for Baltimore, racking up 34.1 IP, a 4.72 ERA, a .263 BAA and 28 strikeouts.
The reason Suárez continued to be an unsung hero for the Orioles was his willingness to eat innings in games that were often lost causes. Between June 3rd and August 6th, the industrious Venezuelan made 12 appearances for Baltimore. In those 12 games, Suárez entered as early as the 4th inning and as late as the 8th inning. Eleven of the 12 times he pitched more than one inning. However, the Orioles lost all 12 games, though Suárez did not take the loss any of those times. Across the whole season, the O’s were 6-22 in games when Suárez pitched, though the 36-year-old had a personal record of 3-0.
Suárez took one last round trip on the Norfolk Express to end the season. The veteran was designated for assignment for the fifth and final time on September 6th before ultimately resigning with the Tides on September 12th. The O’s would recall him one last time on September 24th, when he pitched four scoreless innings in the Orioles’ 10-2 win over the Yankees. It was the righty’s best outing of the season, as he helped see out the Orioles’ last win of 2026.
Whether we’ve seen the last of Albert Suárez in Orioles black and orange is hard to know. The pending possibility of a lockout for the 2027 season could punish Suárez more than most. Should the labor dispute cancel all or most of his age-37 season, we could see Suárez simply retire after a largely fruitful three-season stretch in Baltimore.
Should we have a season in 2027, Suárez still has value to the Orioles. With Keegan Akin and Andrew Kittredge potentially heading out the door as free agents, Suárez’s workhorse nature is something the O’s should still welcome in their bullpen. Gone are the days when Suárez was in consideration for a spot in the rotation, as all 28 of his appearances in 2026 came out of the bullpen. Still, a reliever who can always throw multiple innings is a valuable piece.
And yet, Suárez also feels like a player the Orioles should naturally outgrow as the team evolves. The right-hander feels like the pitching version of Jorge Mateo. Like Mateo, he had one impressive season for Baltimore, one that earned him a longer tenure on the roster. But also like Mateo, Suárez lacks the upside the Orioles need in their players to push the team over the barrier of contention.
No one in Birdland will be upset if Baltimore brings Suárez back in 2027. The same way no one was upset each time the Orioles DFA’d, resigned and recalled him in 2026. But the hope is that the front office will address the pitching staff in such a way that Suárez is no longer a necessity. The hope is also that the Orioles win enough games next year that the role of designated mop-up pitcher isn’t required.
Colson Montgomery isn’t about to change his swing — but after a record 227 strikeouts in 2026, there are times he should. | (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Colson Montgomery wasn’t about to change his swing.
Not when the Chicago White Sox shortstop was approaching a record no batter wants. Not when his strikeout total climbed past some of baseball’s most notorious free swingers. And certainly not when the same approach that produced all those swings and misses had also delivered 31 home runs.
The 24-year-old believed one swing could change a game. Shortening his stroke, even with two strikes, wasn’t part of his plan.
“I’m not a finished product by any means,” Montgomery told MLB.com in September. “It’s one of those things you have to accept.”
By season’s end, Montgomery had struck out 227 times, surpassing Mark Reynolds’ previous major league record of 223 set in 2009. It was a dubious distinction in an otherwise memorable season that helped carry Chicago into October.
But Montgomery’s record was only part of a much larger story.
Across Major League Baseball, strikeouts have transformed from an outcome hitters once desperately tried to avoid into an increasingly accepted consequence of an offensive philosophy built around power, patience and hitting the ball in the air.
For the White Sox, that philosophy produced one of the American League’s most productive offenses.
It also helped bring their season to an abrupt end.
In five American League Division Series games against Cleveland, Chicago struck out 75 times, the most ever in a Division Series. The Guardians recorded 21 strikeouts in a 2-0 victory in Game 5, setting a major league record for a nine-inning game. Not a playoff record, but a record never matched in any nine-inning MLB game, ever.
The White Sox had gone from chasing a championship to chasing pitches they couldn’t hit.
THE PRICE OF POWER
Montgomery’s record-breaking season illustrated the complicated relationship between strikeouts and offensive production.
His 31 home runs and 87 RBIs made him a dangerous presence in Chicago’s lineup, even as his .197 batting average and 227 strikeouts demonstrated how difficult consistent contact had become.
For Montgomery, the solution wasn’t necessarily changing the mechanics of his swing. It was changing how he approached each opportunity.
“You get what you focus on,” Montgomery says. “I feel like if you sit there and you are focusing on striking out all the time, you are probably going to get more of that stuff.”
The reasoning reflects a broader philosophical shift in baseball.
Rather than simply trying to put the ball in play, many hitters prioritize pitches they can drive with authority. Modern hitting instruction emphasizes exit velocity, launch angle and swing decisions — the combination of recognizing a hittable pitch and delivering a swing capable of producing damage.
A fly ball hit at an optimal launch angle can clear the fence. A weak ground ball, even when successfully put into play, frequently becomes an out.
But the pursuit of harder contact can create a difficult trade-off. Hitters trying to elevate the baseball may develop swings with more upward movement, while pitchers increasingly attack with high-velocity fastballs, breaking pitches and changing speeds.
The result can be more home runs, but also more empty swings.
White Sox hitting coach Derek Shomon acknowledged the concern while explaining that the reasons behind strikeouts matter as much as the totals.
“I would be sitting here lying to you if I’m OK with strikeouts,” Shomon told MLB.com in September. “No one is.”
Shomon said the organization evaluates whether strikeouts result from chasing pitches outside the zone, missing hittable strikes or making poor decisions with two strikes.
The challenge is reducing those failures without eliminating the aggressive approach that made Chicago’s offense successful.
A CENTURY OF CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
For much of baseball history, striking out was relatively uncommon.
Hitters were expected to protect the plate, shorten their swings with two strikes and make pitchers rely on their defense. Contact was considered a fundamental part of offensive success.
That philosophy gradually changed as hitters and organizations began placing greater value on walks, extra-base hits and home runs.
Statistical analysis reinforced the importance of reaching base and hitting for power. Meanwhile, improvements in pitching velocity, pitch design and bullpen specialization made simply putting the ball in play increasingly difficult.
In 2026, major league teams averaged 8.38 strikeouts per game, compared with 8.36 in 2025, according to Baseball-Reference. Although the increase was small, the modern figures remain substantially higher than those of earlier generations.
The distinction is important: Baseball is not necessarily experiencing a new annual strikeout record, but it continues operating in an era in which a team striking out eight or nine times per game is ordinary.
For an individual hitter, that environment has changed the definition of an acceptable offensive performance.
A player can strike out 200 times and still provide significant value through walks and home runs.
For the White Sox, nobody embodied that contradiction more dramatically than Munetaka Murakami.
MURAKAMI’S DISAPPEARING CONTACT
Murakami’s first season in Chicago offered a striking example of how tremendous power can coexist with prolonged offensive struggles.
The Japanese slugger finished with 35 home runs, 77 RBIs and 92 walks, helping anchor a White Sox lineup that scored more runs than any other American League team.
But he also struck out 196 times in 454 at-bats, a staggering total for one of Chicago’s most important hitters.
His struggles became especially pronounced during August.
Murakami struck out 46 times that month while hitting five home runs. From August 5 through September 3, he recorded 45 strikeouts in 101 at-bats, meaning nearly 45% of those official at-bats ended without a ball being put into play.
By mid-September, the slump had deepened. Murakami was hitting .095 with 50 strikeouts in his previous 95 at-bats — more than half.
Yet he continued drawing walks, demonstrating that patience and the ability to make contact are not necessarily the same skill.
“There’s always good times and bad times throughout the season,” Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi in September. “It’s really important just to keep focusing on the approach every single day.”
The numbers raised a difficult question for Chicago: How much swing-and-miss can an offense withstand before its power becomes insufficient?
During the regular season, the answer appeared to be quite a lot.
In October, it was considerably less.
WHEN CONTACT BECOMES EVERYTHING
The White Sox entered the postseason with 776 runs, 211 home runs and an American League-leading 589 walks. Their offense was built to create opportunities, work counts and deliver game-changing swings.
Against Cleveland, however, those opportunities increasingly disappeared.
In Game 3 of the ALDS, seven Guardians pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, then a postseason record. Three days later, Cleveland shattered that mark with 21 in Game 5, as Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out 12 batters over 5 2/3 innings, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth.
Chicago finally threatened when Miguel Vargas drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Murakami stepped to the plate with an opportunity to change the game.
Instead, Cleveland reliever Erik Sabrowski struck him out on five pitches.
It was one of four strikeouts for Murakami that night. Andrew Benintendi also struck out four times.
Chicago finished the series with 75 strikeouts, an average of 15 per game. Cleveland’s pitchers surpassed the previous record for a five-game postseason series … by 11.
For White Sox manager Will Venable, the issue wasn’t simply hitters expanding the strike zone.
“I thought it was less about chase and more about being attacked in the zone and swing and miss in the zone,” Venable said after Game 5.
The difference is significant.
Plate discipline is frequently measured by whether hitters swing at pitches outside the strike zone. But a hitter can make the correct decision to swing at a strike and still fail to make contact.
Against Cleveland, Chicago’s inability to connect with pitches inside the zone became a defining problem. Venable acknowledged that the outcome ultimately came down to the most basic element of hitting: putting the ball in play.
For a team built around power, patience and offensive production, it was a painful reminder that none of those strengths matter when the bat never meets the baseball.
A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO TWO STRIKES?
The question facing Chicago heading into 2027 isn’t whether Montgomery and Murakami should abandon their power, but whether the White Sox can preserve that power while developing a more adaptable offensive approach.
Situational hitting becomes especially important with runners in scoring position, when a productive out, sacrifice fly or ground ball to the right side can help manufacture a run.
A strikeout provides no such opportunity.
With two strikes, some hitters shorten their swings, widen their stances or focus on making contact rather than producing maximum exit velocity. Others refuse to sacrifice the mechanics that generate their power.
Montgomery has made his position clear: His game is built around the possibility of changing the scoreboard with one swing, and he believes that ability is worth protecting.
Venable has supported that outlook, emphasizing Montgomery’s contributions rather than allowing his strikeout record to define his season. But Cleveland exposed the limitations of relying on damage without enough contact.
After the season-ending loss, Murakami acknowledged that the White Sox would need to learn from their first postseason experience together.
“We are still a very young team,” he said through Yagi. “We have to learn from our experience here and then bring that to next year.”
That education may begin with a deceptively simple lesson: Baseball’s modern offensive revolution has demonstrated the value of hitting the ball harder, higher and farther — but when a season comes down to one swing, sometimes the most valuable thing a hitter can do is simply make contact.
Apr 8, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; Exterior shot of Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Meet the Mets
What does the Mets’ offseason timeline look like now that the World Series and offseason are almost upon us?
Shohei Ohtani won’t require surgery on his knee or arm and the Dodgers expect him to pitch next season.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman agreed to a contract extension since owner Hal Steinbrenner believes the players are the reason for the team’s playoff failures.
A sports bettor in Ohio has been banned from all state gambling facilities after he made violent threats against Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
