Category: MLB

Twelve Royals farmhands became minor league free agents, including reliever Alex Lange, who had been outrighted off the 40-man roster last week. The other minor league free agents include Scott Alexander, Christian Chamberlain, Grant Gambrell, Isaiah Jackson, Connor Kaiser, Luke Little, Alejo López, Elih Marrero, Matt Moore, Abraham Toro, and Vince Velasquez. Players become eligible for minor league free agency after six seasons if they have not been added to a 40-man roster. A total of 504 players around baseball became minor league free agents this offseason, free to sign a minor league or Major League contract with any team.

Scott Alexander is a familiar name to Royals fans. The 37-year-old left-hander was originally drafted by the Royals in the sixth round in 2010 and made his MLB debut with Kansas City in 2015. He was traded to the Dodgers in 2018 and has pitched for the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies since then. He has a career 3.36 ERA in 349 big-league appearances over 11 seasons. He returned to the Royals organization in July after pitching in the independent Atlantic League and had a 2.08 ERA in 14 games for Omaha.

Christian Chamberlain was a fourth-round pick by the Royals in 2020 out of Oregon State. The 27-year-old left-hander has spent his entire professional career in the organization, making 130 appearances with a 4.90 ERA. He was pitched in just seven games at Northwest Arkansas this year due to injury.

Grant Gambrell was a third-round pick by the Royals in 2019 out of Oregon State. He was traded to the Red Sox in the Andrew Benintendi trade, but was signed this year after pitching for the Kansas City Monarchs in the American Association. The 28-year-old had a 6.13 ERA in 39.2 innings at Double-A this season.

Isaiah Jackson is a 25-year-old right-hander who signed with the Royals in February 2025 after previously pitching in the Brewers organization. He has had difficulty staying healthy, spending much of the 2025 and 2026 seasons on the injured list. The former undrafted free agent has appeared in just 14 minor league games in his career, with a 7.53 ERA.

Connor Kaiser is a 29-year-old shortstop who signed with the Royals last November. The Blue Valley West grad has appeared in 22 MLB games with Colorado and Arizona in his career. He appeared in just 26 games for Omaha this season, hitting .118 before injuries ended his season.

Alex Lange appeared in 59 games for the Royals in 2026, posting a 6.75 ERA. He has pitched in six MLB seasons, and had 26 saves with the Tigers in 2023, before suffering injuries in 2024 and 2025. He has a career 4.45 ERA in 244.2 MLB innings, with 10.4 strikeouts-per-nine innings.

Luke Little is a 26-year-old left-hander who was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round in 2020 out of San Jacinto College. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and has appeared in 40 big-league games, posting a 2.97 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. He was claimed by the Royals organization this summer, and gave up 21 runs in 11.2 innings for Omaha.

Alejo López is a 30-year-old infielder who has appeared in 54 big-league games, hitting .265/.309/.329 with one home run. The Royals acquired him this summer after the Mariners released him, and he hit .307/.375/.404 in 38 games for Omaha.

Elih Marrero is a 29-year-old catcher originally drafted by the Red Sox, and the son of former Royals outfielder Eli Marrero. He was invited to spring training with the Royals, and hit .240/.275/.376 in 41 games for Omaha.

Matt Moore is a 37-year-old left-hander with 13 years of Major League experience with the Rays, Giants, Rangers, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers, Angels, Guardians, and Marlins. He was once the top prospect in baseball and made the American League All-Star team with the Rays in 2013. He has a career 4.39 ERA in 483 big-league appearances and signed a minor league deal with the Royals in June. He appeared in 16 game for Omaha with a 5.00 ERA.

Abraham Toro is a 29-year-old infielder who appeared in 449 big-league games with the Astros, Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics, hitting .223/.285/.356 with 41 home runs. After appearing in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada, he hit .270/.351/.478 with 19 home runs in 123 games for Omaha.

Vince Velasquez is a 34-year-old right-hander who spent ten years in the big leagues with the Astros, Phillies, Padres, White Sox, and Pirates, making 144 starts and posting a 4.86 ERA in 193 career appearances. The Royals signed him after he was released by the Cubs, and he had a 6.36 ERA in 52.1 innings with Omaha.

Other notable minor league free agents include CJ Alexander, Kolby Allard, Orlando Arcia, Tyler Austin, Cavan Biggio, Will Brennan,  Chandler Champlain, Daz Cameron, Tucker Davidson, Clay Dungan, Dane Dunning, Scott Effross, Alex Faedo, Stuart Fairchild, Dominic Fletcher, Carson Fulmer, Garrett Hampson, Robert Hassell, Jon Heasley, Tink Hence, Andy Ibáñez, Edouard Julien, Jarred Kelenic, Dallas Keuchel, Heston Kjerstad, Jackson Kowar, Anthony Misiewicz, Eli Morgan, James Outman, Zach Pop, Jakson Reetz, Sebastián Rivero, Jesús Sánchez, Yolmer Sánchez, Austin Slater, Pavin Smith, Collin Snider, Lou Trivino, Joey Wiemer, Bryse Wilson, Patrick Wisdom, Simeon Woods Richardson

The Mets continue to add to their major league coaching staff, adding another former player.

SNY's Chelsea Janes confirms that New York is hiring A.J. Ellis as the team's strategy coordinator. 

Ellis, who played 11 seasons as a catcher with the Dodgers, Phillies, Marlins and Padres, will join Andy Green's staff days after the team promoted Mariano Duncan, who was the bench coach for Double-A Binghamton. 

The 45-year-old former backstop previously worked as a special assistant for the Padres front office. He also played 66 games behind the plate for San Diego in 2018 when Green managed.

The Athletic's Will Sammon first reported the hiring and notes that Green and the Mets are looking to fill one more coaching position.

Heading into this offseason, there was some light speculation when it came to whether or not the Atlanta Braves would change up their coaching staff a bit. In his press conference following Atlanta’s elimination from the Postseason, it didn’t seem like Alex Anthopoulos had any plans of shaking things up with the coaching staff — though there was always the possibility of that being “GM speak.”

Sure enough, it ended up being for real. Jesús Cano of The Athletic is reporting that the Braves are indeed bringing back the entire coaching staff for the 2027 season.

The Atlanta Braves will retain their entire coaching staff for the upcoming season, sources tell me.

Read more — https://t.co/UqanVqhaVs

— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) November 4, 2026

Here’s the relevant part about Tim Hyers, where it was actually confirmed that Hyers had signed a two-year deal to be the hitting coach for the Braves. It’s now confirmed that he’ll be back for a third season.

The most significant holdover is hitting coach Tim Hyers, who joined the Braves on a two-year contract before the 2025 season and shepherded a group that scored the eighth-most runs in MLB in 2026. Hyers, who was formerly on the Texas Rangers’ coaching staff that won the 2023 World Series, will continue working alongside assistant hitting coach Darnell Coles.

Overall, it’s clear that the Braves as an organization really do value continuity — they went with an internal managerial hire ahead of the 2026 season and now they’re keeping the same coaching staff together for the next season. It’s also clear that they think that this coaching staff still has a lot to offer moving forward.

I’d imagine that we’re going to hear zero complaints about Jeremy Hefner returning as pitching coach and it’ll also be interesting to see how first base coach Antoan Richardson and third base coach Tommy Watkins continue to go about figuring out ways to improve the running game alongside Walt Weiss. Tim Hyers will certainly be the one with the microscope focused on him, as the offense still has yet to even come close to returning to the lofty heights that they reached back when Kevin Seitzer was the hitting coach.

Either way, everybody’s got something to prove and hopefully it’ll lead to some improvements across the board. We’ll see what happens going forward.

The offseason has arrived, but there’s no rule against watching a few White Sox highlights to get us through it. Each week, I’ll pick a player and revisit five plays worth another look. No homework, no deep dive. Just a little baseball to fill the void.

Another week without White Sox baseball, another excuse to watch some highlights. Last time, Chase Meidroth handled the glove work. This week, Munetaka Murakami gets to handle the property damage.

From his first big league homer to a pair against the Cubs, Mune gave us plenty of reasons to stop what we were doing and watch the baseball leave the yard.

Grab your morning cup of joe and settle in. The outfielders can watch these with us.

Here are five favorites listed in chronological order:

1. Hello, Major League Baseball
March 26 at Brewers

Opening Day came with a souvenir. Murakami introduced himself with his first big league home run, giving Sox fans a swing worth remembering from his debut. Welcome aboard, Mune. We’ll take more of those.

2. Make yourself at home
April 4 vs. Blue Jays

The home crowd deserved an introduction, too. Mune’s first homer at Rate Field traveled 431 feet to center at 111.1 mph off the bat — a two-run blast and a pretty convincing way to settle into the neighborhood.

3. The batter’s eye had a front-row seat
April 17 at Athletics

Bases loaded? Might as well clear them all. Murakami’s first big league grand slam sailed 431 feet over the batter’s eye in center, leaving his bat at 114.1 mph. Somewhere between contact and landing, checking the distance became mandatory.

4. One for each side of the family
May 16 vs. Cubs

One bomb against the Cubs is a treat. Two is being considerate of everyone who needs something to bring up at the next family gathering. Mune went deep twice in an 8-3 Sox win. Sorry, Cubby hubby. This one deserves another watch. It was also his first career mult-homer game.

5. Bring out the brooms
August 16 at Tigers

A tie game in the seventh needed a little Mune intervention. His two-run homer put the Sox ahead, 6-4, and Chicago finished off a 7-5 win to sweep Detroit. A go-ahead blast and a division rival sent home unhappy? That’ll do nicely.

Those are my five, but Mune gave us plenty of baseballs to track. Which homer was your favorite? Did another blast deserve a spot? Drop yours in the comments, and let me know who should get the replay treatment next.

I genuinely mean this as no slight to today’s birthday honoree, but he’s not the most famous person we’ve looked back on this year. At least for me, when you Google the name “Ryan Thompson,” you do get a baseball player. However, it appears to be the reliever who spent this past season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just in sports alone, there’s two baseball players, a basketball player, and a soccer player all named Ryan Thompson who are notable enough to have gotten their own Wikipedia page.

However, none of them were Yankees, so today, we look back on the nine-year MLB veteran who did don the pinstripes.

Ryan Orlando Thompson
Born: November 4, 1967 (Chestertown, MD)
Yankees Tenure: 2000

Thompson was born in 1967 in Chestertown, MD, which is in the Eastern Shore region of the state. He was raised in the area by his grandparents and attended Kent County High School. He was a standout on the baseball field there, later being inducted into both his high school’s and the Eastern Shore Baseball Foundation Hall of Fames.

Thompson’s career there led to him being selected in the 13th round of the 1987 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He went just 11 picks after fellow future Yankee Mike Stanton. Thompson signed with Toronto, working his was up to Triple-A by 1992. However, later that year he was sent to the Mets as a player to be named later in a trade from a couple weeks earlier. It was a notable trade though, as it sent David Cone to Toronto, who he then helped win the 1992 and ‘93 World Series championships.

The Mets quickly brought Thompson to the big leagues, giving him his MLB debut on September 1, 1992. Thompson would become a regular for the Mets over the next couple seasons, appearing in 283 games from 1992-95. He was solid, but never quite lit the world on fire in that stint, accumulating 3.4 rWAR over those four seasons. Ahead of the 1996 season, he was then traded to Cleveland.

With Cleveland, Thompson hit well, albeit in just eight games in the 1996 season, spending most of the season in the minors. He couldn’t crack the big leagues in 1997 either, even getting traded back to Toronto. For 1998, he went overseas, playing for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks of NPB, where his manager was the legendary Sadaharu Oh.

Thompson returned back to the states for 1999, joining the Astros’ organization. He again spent most of the season in the minors, appearing in 12 games for Houston. For 2000, he signed with the Yankees. While he was briefly released in April, he ended up spending the year in New York or with their minor league affiliates.

Thompson had a couple different stints for the Yankees in 2000, going up and down between the minors. His most memorable moment in the big leagues that season probably came on July 14th, when he hit a three-run homer to break open a game against the Marlins.

In total, Thompson hit pretty well in his stint with the Yankees, putting up a .260/.339/.500 slash line in 33 games. He didn’t appear in any postseason round, but was awarded a championship ring after the Yankees beat the Mets in the 2000 World Series.

After that, Thompson journeyed around several more organizations. He played in the big leagues with the 2001 Marlins and the 2002 Brewers and kept on in the minors through the 2004 season. He left baseball after that.

Not every player who makes the big leagues is going to have a memorable career, never mind reach something like Hall of Fame status. Ryan Thompson appeared in parts of nine major league seasons, and that is something to be proud of.

---

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

It’s that time of year again, with the 2026 season in the books. Free agent season!

Only this year, it’s different, because only a few weeks from now, MLB owners are likely going to lock out MLB players and all transactions, along with everything else in MLB, will stop. This could lead to a lot of signings over the next few weeks, as I noted in this article last month.

In this series I’m going to look at some players who the Cubs could target in free agency, guys who could be useful to the team in different areas. I’ve already done that for the Cubs’ own free agents in this series from last month. For this series I’m going to be working off of MLB Trade Rumors’ Top 50 free agent list, though I won’t write about absolutely everyone on the list.

So, Tarik Skubal. Clearly the top free-agent pitcher, clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball. He turns 30 in a couple of weeks and has had three outstanding seasons in a row, after missing some of the 2023 season with elbow issues. (He also had some of those this year, but came back from a “loose bodies” elbow procedure with no apparent ill effects.)

Various sources have projected him to get a contract between eight and 10 years with a total value of $350 million to $500 million. MLBTR says nine years, $425 million, or an AAV of $47.2 million.

Let’s stop right here. You know the Cubs aren’t going to do that. I know the Cubs aren’t going to do that.

I’m here to argue that the Cubs shouldn’t do that, even if they could.

Well, that’s provocative. Let me explain.

All five of the pitchers in the Cubs’ rotation at the end of the 2026 season — Shōta Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd — are free agents. Beyond that, the next-up group, Ben Brown, Cade Horton and Justin Steele, all had various forms of injuries in 2026 and what they can contribute in 2027 is uncertain.

So that leaves… Javier Assad and what army?

With Skubal expected to get an AAV of at least $40 million and perhaps $50 million, what would that leave for the Cubs to sign other pitchers? Skubal can’t pitch every game.

Should the Cubs spend that much on free-agent pitchers (or on those they acquire by trade)? Absolutely, positively yes. They need to invest in pitching infrastructure and stop trying to patch the sinking ship, as they did this year. And in my view, the best way to do that — if they’re going to invest $50 million in that infrastructure this winter — would be to use it on multiple pitchers. Guys who might not be Cy Young candidates, but maybe No. 2 guys. I’ll talk about some of those guys in upcoming installments in this series.

Maybe you don’t agree with me or believe me. Maybe you’ll believe ESPN’s Jeff Passan:

The Chicago Cubs badly want Skubal. They also are skeptical that they will be willing to compete at the sort of dollars Skubal is expected to get — well in excess of $300 million, potentially in the $400 million-plus range.

And that’s exactly my point. The Cubs don’t have to sign the guy who makes the most money to succeed. In fact, they did spend quite a bit of money last offseason on Alex Bregman, and after a slow start for the third baseman, that worked out just fine.

If the Cubs do want to compete, spread out that money over multiple pitchers. Don’t put it all on one guy.

I’m sure you’ll tell me why I’m wrong, so have at it. But my stance is: Pass on Skubal. Spend the money? Absolutely. Just do it elsewhere.

The Phillies signed Brad Keller before the 2026 season with the vision of the breakout reliever being the set-up man for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. The two-year, $22M deal the Phillies gave Keller was by far their biggest signing of an offseason that otherwise was met with something between tepid skepticism or outright hostility from the fanbase. It was the only move Dave Dombrowski made in the last year that was widely met with approval, as Keller was one of the top relievers on the market after turning in a career season with the Cubs. The then 29-year-old moved to the bullpen and became an elite reliever, featuring strong surface numbers and underlying indicators that not only was his performance real, but it should also be sustainable.

However, sometimes you just get unlucky. Now 30, Keller was very uneven in his first year in Philadelphia before suffering a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery, likely ending his Phillies tenure just as soon as it started in a way that was eerily reminiscent of David Robertson’s first tenure with the Phillies in 2019.

2026 stats: 32 games, 31.1 IP, 4.02 ERA, 113 ERA+, 4.15 FIP, 0.2 fWAR

What went right

It is admittedly quite difficult to find something that went right for Keller in 2026. He regressed in just about every category before suffering the injury that ended his season. With all of that said, one can squint and see that he was at least a serviceable reliever when he was on the field even if he wasn’t the lock down back of the bullpen option the Phillies thought they were getting. That is something the Phillies desperately could have used later in the season when their bullpen was falling apart. If you want a number to feel good about, Keller at least mostly held his increased velocity he found once being converted to the bullpen, as he averaged 96.9 MPH on his fastball in 2026 after averaging 97.1 in 2025.

What went right

Again, Keller regressed in practically every major category. His strikeout rate dropped from 27.2% to 23.7%, his walk rate increased to 9.6% from 8%, and his WHIP ballooned to 1.34 from 0.96. Keller’s whiff rate fell back to around his career norms (22.5%) of when he was a mediocre starting pitcher rather than when he was an elite reliever in 2025 (27%). As a result, Keller gave up more base hits, with his opponents’ batting average climbing to .242 from .181. He was likely victimized a bit by the Phillies poor defense, but Keller’s elevated FIP and expected numbers show that he did not pitch all that well regardless of the defense behind him. The most glaring evidence of this was his groundball rate plummeting to 44.3% from 56.6% while his flyball rate jumped to 35.2% from 29.8%.

Keller’s disappointing season started to go fully off the rails on June 16th when he was first placed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis. He didn’t return to the Phillies until July 8th, but he didn’t stay with them long, as Keller was once again placed on the IL eight days later. This time however he would not return, as it was revealed that Keller had suffered a UCL tear in his right elbow and required Tommy John surgery, thus costing him the rest of 2026 and very likely all of 2027.

Final grade: F

Perhaps an F is too harsh of a grade considering that neither Keller nor the Phillies can be blamed for not foreseeing the injury that effectively ended his time in Philadelphia after just 32 appearances. However, it’s hard to argue that the signing and therefore Keller’s season wasn’t a total disaster considering the results. Keller underperformed and then was lost, leaving the Phillies with a hole in their bullpen that they were never able to fill despite a revolving door of relievers that were used in setup roles throughout the season.

That hole in the bullpen is still very much waiting to be filled, as the Phillies and Dave Dombrowski enter another offseason in search of a bridge to Jhoan Duran. Dombrowski went outside of his usual M.O. of offering only single year contracts to veteran relievers in order to get a coveted one in Keller and was burned for it. It will need to be determined if the Phillies president of baseball operations falls back into old habits or opts to take another riskier swing in order to replace Keller. Regardless, the Phillies once again need to rebuild much of their bullpen.

It’s been about a week since the Brewers hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy at Tropicana Field, and some bettors are already sprinting to bet on the 2027 World Series winner as free agency gets started. Personally? I’m in no rush to let a sportsbook hold onto my money for a year, especially with free agency and trades set to reshape rosters and a potential lockout hanging over everything.. But lines are live, so let’s break down the top favorites on the board and see where things stand heading into the winter. 2027 World Series Lookahead

World Series Odds

World Series Favorites

Los Angeles Dodgers (+360)

2026 Record: 100-62

Notable Free Agents

Tarik Skubal, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips

Biggest Needs

Bullpen Nobody should be surprised to see the Dodgers at the top of the odds board once again. They won 100 games in 2026 despite their rotation racking up injuries. Shohei Ohtani battled through shoulder/arm and knee injuries as his three-year MVP run was snapped. LA’s lineup began showing its age. Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker were their only lineup regulars under the age of 30. It didn’t help that Tucker didn’t begin hitting until the postseason. Top prospect ​​Josue De Paula did make his debut. The 21-year-old should inject speed and pop, while looking at an everyday role in 2027. It’s safe to expect the Dodgers to spend in free agency or at least be a part of the Skubal suitors. Even without the two-time Cy Young award winner, the Dodgers will have the best rotation in baseball once again. With a fully healthy Ohtani, it’s tough to talk you out of betting LAD at any point, given this might be the best number we get. However, you’re not going to be profitable often betting the chalk a year in advance and having your money sit there in hopes of a little CLV.

Milwaukee Brewers (+650)

2026 Record: 103-59

Notable Free Agents

Jake Bauers, Dustin May, JoJo Romero

Biggest Needs

Replacing Jake Bauers The defending World Series champs should return with most of their roster intact. They won’t be big free agent spenders, as it’s unlikely they will join the bidding on their former first baseman Jake Bauers. 19-year-old Jesús Made is the top prospect in baseball and is likely to join the Show in 2027. 3B Andrew Fischer should also make his MLB debut, as he hit 48 home runs in AA for Milwaukee. The Brewers will continue down the path of developing their own talent. While their pitching staff should lead the way again, upgrading the backend of the rotation would give them a boost. Aaron Ashby anchored the pen, dominating for 107 innings including the postseason. I’m curious if they give him another shot at the rotation and maybe have DL Hall take over his fireman role. It will also be interesting to see if their offense can stay near the top of the BABIP leaderboard next season. I have a hard time betting on Milwaukee’s offense to lead the majors in runs per game again in 2027, making a repeat bet tough to justify at the current number.

New York Yankees (+800)

2026 Record: 93-68

Notable Free Agents

David Bednar, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham

Biggest Needs

Bullpen, Lineup Depth Do the Yankees deserve the third-shortest odds on the board? Maybe, but their starting rotation is doing all the heavy lifting. The current lineup looks nothing like a true contender. Outside of 27-year-old breakout Ben Rice pacing the offense, New York found few answers in a year where Aaron Judge was limited to just 66 games in his age-34 season. Their pitching will clearly remain their calling card, they have a number of bullpen arms to replace but that’s never been a challenge. New York can’t afford to enter next season with another top-heavy lineup. Unless Brian Cashman signs a big bat, they’ll be gambling on year-two leaps from Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr.

Boston Red Sox (+1600)

2026 Record: 87-75

Notable Free Agents

Sonny Gray

Biggest Needs

Bats I’m not entirely sold on this run of AL East teams sitting near the top of the board, especially one that hasn’t shown success in luring high-end free agents. Boston finished 23rd in runs per game at 4.21 and desperately needs offensive punch at several spots across the diamond. Promising 20-year-old shortstop Franklin Arias, who slashed .331/.388/.506 in AAA, should get the call at some point in 2027. Their rotation will clearly be their anchor with Payton Tolle and Garrett Crochet leading the way, but the bullpen shouldn’t be far behind. Boston’s relief corps led the majors in ERA and FIP while ranking top five in both SIERA and K-BB% in 2026. A dominant run that was boosted by Brayan Bello’s bulk-inning efforts out of the pen. We’ll see if the Red Sox end up regretting buying high as they extended Craig Breslow and Chad Tracy thanks in large part to a 30-5 run. I’m not sold on the duo.

Tampa Bay Rays (+2000)

2026 Record: 98-64

Notable Free Agents

Nick Martinez, Freddy Peralta

Biggest Needs

Bats, Bullpen Depth Tampa Bay’s 98-win campaign led a weak American League, standing as one of only two AL clubs to cross the 90-win mark. However, Kevin Cash’s lack of trust in his relievers was glaring in the postseason; expect them to patch up the bullpen via trades and bargain signings. Getting Ryan Pepiot back healthy should soften the blow when Nick Martinez, who led them in innings thrown, walks, but the offense still desperately needs real pop in the bottom half of the order. I don’t hate the Rays at 20/1, but you’re paying a premium tax on their 2026 pennant run. Tampa should bring back a similar roster but not many teams entered last season with longer World Series odds than the Rays, as they were around 50/1.

Atlanta Braves (+2000)

2026 Record: 94-68

Notable Free Agents

Mauricio Dubón, Raisel Iglesias, Tyler Mahle, Martín Pérez

Biggest Needs

Starting Pitching, High-Leverage Bullpen arm Atlanta is once again projected to field one of the most explosive lineups in baseball. I’d bite on 20/1 in a heartbeat if you guaranteed Ronald Acuña Jr. plays 130-plus games, but the 28-year-old superstar has been limited to just 251 games over the last three seasons. They had a deal in place at the deadline to acquire Jacob deGrom, but the righty used his no-trade clause to nix the deal. Which makes me think they could make a run at Tarik Skubal, but either way they desperately need arms to lead the rotation with Chris Sale. I’m not sure how many innings they can pencil Spencer Strider in for. They certainly can’t keep Grant Holmes in the rotation, who features a career FIP over six when facing a lineup for a second time. I could see Atlanta bringing back Mahle and maybe a back end of the rotation arm to eat some innings, like a Martín Pérez. It’s probably safe to expect Didier Fuentes to take the closer’s role and sure-up the back end of the bullpen But the Braves could try him in the rotation if they’re able to bring back Iglesias. Alex Anthopoulos’ top priority has to be adding a top-of-the-rotation arm. I assume teams that miss out on Tarik Skubal will shift their attention to Trevor Rogers; maybe Atlanta is where Rogers ends up?

2027 World Series Best Bet

I don’t bet many futures, however my editor threatened me into making a bet here. I’m not running to bet on flawed teams or an early long-shot with limited information we have. The Braves are probably the team that I would bet on if I had to. However, shop around if you’re going to fire. Bet the Braves if you’re itching to have a position in this market. I’m saving my click until free agency reshapes the board.

Alright, now I get to write the fun version of Monday’s article. Let’s reflect on some of the best games of a magical season.

#5: August 18, 2026 — Brewers 22, Mariners 0

The other four entries on this list are all playoff games, which is to be expected in a season that ended with the first World Series championship in franchise history. Still, this blowout earns its spot because it matched the modern-era MLB record (since 1901) for the largest margin of victory in a shutout. The only other 22-0 wins were by Pittsburgh (against the Cubs on Sept. 16, 1975) and Cleveland (against the Yankees on Aug. 31, 2004).

A three-run homer from Christian Yelich made it 6-0 in the fifth, but the Brewers were far from done. In the sixth, David Hamilton hit a three-run shot of his own to make it 9-0, and Jake Bauers followed with a homer to make it 11-0. Milwaukee added two runs in the seventh, then nine more in the eighth off Mariners’ infielder Leo Rivas, for a final score of 22-0. The highlight of the game was probably Luis Lara hitting the first home run of his career off Rivas, then looking mildly disappointed as he rounded the bases.

¡Primer jonrón en Grandes Ligas para Luis Lara!

Tablazo de tres carreras para poner el juego 16-0. Se lo conectó al también venezolano, Leo Rivas. #ThisIsMyCrew | #ElExtrabase⚾️🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/UweJCwyCeY

— El Extrabase ⚾️ (@ElExtrabase) August 19, 2026

#4: October 26, 2026 (WS Game 3) — Brewers 10, Rays 1

After two straight one-run victories, this game was expected to be a dogfight. Up 2-0, Milwaukee was in good shape, but the series was far from over.

Ultimately, the Brewers wouldn’t let Tampa Bay claw its way back into the series. With Milwaukee up 2-0 and two outs in the fifth, William Contreras grounded a ball to Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, who threw to second for the force out on Yelich. It initially looked like starter Freddy Peralta and the Rays had escaped the inning, but Brewers manager Pat Murphy successfully challenged the call, loading the bases and forcing Peralta out of the game.

Milwaukee then hung eight straight runs on relievers Cam Booser and Cole Sulser, all with two outs, and never looked back en route to a 10-1 win and a commanding 3-0 series lead.

#3: October 14, 2026 (NLCS Game 3) — Brewers 6, Dodgers 2

After being swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS the year before, the Brewers expected a tough series. In many ways, it was, but Milwaukee eked out come-from-behind wins in the first two games and took a 2-0 lead to Dodger Stadium.

Milwaukee once again fell behind early, entering the seventh inning down 2-1. Aside from a leadoff home run by Jackson Chourio, the offense couldn’t get much going against Dodgers starter Blake Snell, who came back out for the seventh. Andrew Vaughn started the inning with a walk, Yelich pinch-ran for him, then Bauers battled through an incredible 11-pitch at-bat that ended with a deep drive over the right-field fence for a go-ahead home run. The next batter, Garrett Mitchell, homered too, and Milwaukee was on its way to a 6-2 win and a 3-0 series lead.

Every pitch from Jake Bauers’ masterful 11 pitch at-bat vs. Blake Snell…

And it ended with a bang 💥 pic.twitter.com/ibGscZwK6R

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) October 15, 2026

#2: October 4, 2026 (NLDS Game 2) — Brewers 4, Padres 3

Milwaukee won the first game of the series, but San Diego carried a one-run lead into the ninth inning of Game 2. With flamethrowing closer Mason Miller in for a six-out save, things looked dire for Milwaukee, but with one out in the ninth, Miller lost the zone. Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick both walked to put runners on first and second. Murphy went to his bench for Andrew Vaughn, who flew out to center, then Gary Sánchez, who worked a third walk to load the bases for Jackson Chourio. Chourio capped an incredible at-bat with a two-run single up the middle for a walk-off win, sending the series to San Diego with the Brewers up 2-0.

FULL AT-BAT: Jackson Chourio vs. Mason Miller 🍿

The Brewers walk it off to take a 2-0 lead in the NLDS! pic.twitter.com/muBNJw1YKw

— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2026

#1: October 28, 2026 (WS Game 5) — Brewers 4, Rays 1

I can’t pick any other game. On its own, this game wasn’t quite as exciting as a couple of the others on this list, but it ended with Milwaukee winning the first World Series championship in franchise history.

Despite not racking up the strikeouts like he usually does, ace Jacob Misiorowski put together his best outing of the playoffs, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings before calf cramps cut his night short. Meanwhile, the Brewers scored a run in the second (a Cooper Pratt RBI single), a run in the fifth (a David Hamilton RBI single), and two in the sixth on a William Contreras double and a Pratt sacrifice fly. That was all the run support Misiorowski and the bullpen would need.

Although the Rays managed a run in the ninth, Trevor Megill recorded the final out, setting off a celebration 57 years in the making, and Contreras was named World Series MVP.

THERE IT IS! The final out!

The @Brewers are your 2026 World Series Champions@MLBONFOXpic.twitter.com/9z890xay2o

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) October 29, 2026

Honorable Mentions:

September 11, 2026: Milwaukee clinched a postseason berth with a 20-0 rout of the Reds.

October 7, 2026 (NLDS Game 4): Garrett Mitchell robbed Manny Machado of a potential game-tying home run in the eighth as the Brewers moved on to face the Dodgers in the NLCS.

October 15, 2026 (NLCS Game 4): The Brewers came back from a 4-0 deficit to win 6-4, becoming the first team ever to sweep an opponent that had swept them the previous postseason, and the first to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series while trailing in every game. Jake Bauers was named NLCS MVP.

So, what do you think? Were there any games I missed? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Wednesday A’s fans!

It’s been six days since the end of the World Series. You know what that means. Free agency is officially open!

Players and their agents can begin negotiating with teams, deciding whether to stay with their current clubs or embark on a new adventure with a different franchise.

Next week’s MLB General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas will set the stage for what’s to come. All 30 teams will conduct preliminary trade talks and initiate discussions with free agent representatives as they look to improve their roster for next season. This meetings will provide the first opportunity for the Athletics’ new president of baseball operations, Taylor Smith, to network with his counterparts as he looks to mold the Green and Gold into a perennial American League contender.

While Smith will aim to improve the A’s league-worst pitching staff through offseason additions, the team’s owner, John Fisher, will have other responsibilities this winter. He is among a group of owners pushing for a salary cap and floor system, something the MLB Players Association adamantly opposes.

If no deal is reached before the current labor agreement expires Dec. 1, the owners will lockout the players until both parties reach a compromise on a new collective bargaining agreement. Given how divided the two sides currently are over the league’s economic structure, a worst case scenario would involve the lockout delaying the start of the 2027 season or cancelling it entirely.

Knowing how brutal the 1994-1995 strike was for the players and the sport’s popularity, another extended work stoppage could be the nail in the coffin, potentially ruining all the good vibes generated by the Milwaukee Brewers proving that small-market teams can win championships. Additionally, it would be a shame if a lockout deprived A’s fans of the opportunity to watch the historic franchise play its final season in California before moving to Las Vegas in 2028.

The rebuilding Athletics need to be smart in navigating this offseason’s free-agent and trade markets. Which players are the best fits for the team? Also, how long do you think a potential lockout will last?

A’s Coverage

• A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
• Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
• After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ’27 plans
• Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
• Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
• Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
• A’s Considering Hiring GM Under Taylor Smith
• Realistic Shea Langeliers trade offers the Yankees, Cubs and Reds can make
• A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• A’s LHP prospect Richardson shows off health and resiliency during Fall League homecoming
• Zack Of All Trades Tries To Get One More Win: In Court
• Important Dates For The Athletics This Offseason
• 12 A’s Players Out of Options Heading Into 2027
• How MLB’s Proposed Changes Would Impact the A’s
• A’s part ways with assistant hitting, quality control coaches
• After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A’s Ryan Lasko
• Why 2027 Athletics Will Be Completely Different Team
• 2026: Year Of The “Didn’t See That Coming!”
• A’s Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay
• Where the A’s Plan to Use Zack Gelof in 2027
• Drafting The Top AL Graduated MLB Prospects From 2026
• Devin Taylor: Athletics 2026 Minor League Player Of The Year
• Athletics 2026 MLB Draft Report Card
• Henry Bolte Is the A’s Next Budding Star
• Determining Athletics’ Offensive MVP for the 2026 Season
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Here are the finalists for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, more
• Mariners hire Jason Kanzler as next manager
• Biggest offseason needs for all 30 MLB teams for the 2026-27 offseason
• Baker, Bochy, Piniella headline Baseball Hall of Fame contemporary ballot
• Evan Carter Unlikely To Be Ready For Opening Day, Rangers To Explore Center Field Market
• 1 snub for each BBWAA Award who deserves recognition
• Who opted out? Every 2027 option decision
• Bednar, Suzuki, Arozarena among eight to get qualifying offers
• 2026-27 Top 50 Free Agents With Predictions
• This team ‘badly’ wants Skubal (report)
• Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira & Hiromi Itoh MLB Scouting Reports For 2027
• Red Sox, Diamondbacks lead Gold Glove winners with 3 apiece
• Parker Messick Earns PPI Pick For Guardians
• Buttó, Beck among 9 players departing from Giants

Best of X:

This is a cool simulator tool. Check it out and post your final roster in the comments.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who used our GM Simulator tool on day 1! We are blown away by the support for the site, and we can't wait to keep it going throughout the offseason and the lockout!

Try it here: https://t.co/92twrqga6npic.twitter.com/PVaSa0GaJH

— Dealin' the Cards (@DealinTheCards) October 30, 2026

What do you think about MLB’s new labor proposals to the MLBPA? If approved, they could be beneficial for the Athletics, as they would require owner John Fisher to invest more resources into the team, potentially increasing the likelihood that the Green and Gold will be annual contenders in the American League.

MLB’s new proposals to the MLBPA:

– Salary Cap of $258.2M (Would start 2028)
– Salary Floor of $180.2M
– Min salary of $1M
– Players enter free agency after 5 years (instead of 6)

(@JeffPassan) pic.twitter.com/uGC8CI6Ene

— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) November 3, 2026

What this means for the A’s:

• Double in spending ($90-> $180 Mil)
• $140 Mil in remaining space
• Young core will get a raise💰
• Fisher will be FORCED TO SPEND‼️

Exciting times, ahead of our move! https://t.co/Oi3IKLMHrb

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) November 3, 2026

Not so fast!

In response to the league's revised salary cap proposal, the MLBPA says "MLB owners continue to propose blowing up the current system and replacing it with one designed to line their pockets and increase their franchise values." pic.twitter.com/D8sIgMuFcR

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) November 3, 2026

Of all the available free-agent pitchers, whom should the Athletics pursue most aggressively to strengthen their rotation?

A’s have loads of young LHP talent. Really hope they try to add some impact RHPs before the move to Vegas in 2028…maybe a Casey Mize signing? If possible, Michael King?

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) October 31, 2026

Bobby Witt Jr. is the best defensive shortstop in baseball. Last year’s Platinum Glove Award winner, Witt has the speed, arm strength, and refined technique to make the unthinkable plays and send everyone’s jaws dropping to the floor. Everyone expected Witt to pick up another Gold Glove this year, and maybe a second consecutive Platinum Glove. He’s that good.

But Witt did not win. This year, the winner of the American League Gold Glove Award at shortstop was Tampa Bay Rays defensive whiz Taylor Walls. Now, Walls is a good defender; otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have a big league job because he doesn’t hit at all. Fortunately for Walls, you shouldn’t have to be able to hit to win a Gold Glove. It’s not the 90s anymore.

Unfortunately for Witt, Walls winning wasn’t a case of the better player winning. Witt was robbed.

Defense is famously one of the more difficult things to measure in baseball. Still, the industry has gotten better at it, and there are two widely-respected publicly available metrics that attempt to measure overall defensive contributions. One is Defensive Runs Saved, which is calculated by Sports Info Solutions. The other is Fielding Run Value, which is a Statcast-based statistic calculated by league itself. Both stats are presented as runs saved above or below average.

Sometimes, the two metrics grade players very differently because, again, measuring defense is hard. That’s true for Walls, who is a DRS darling but not seen particularly well by FRV. Which should you value, though? I think players should get credit if a stat thinks they are doing well. And so if you’ve read some of my writing about defensive stats, you know that I like to use a little house stat of mine; I call it AVGDEF. This simply averages DRS and FRV. I also like to prorate it over 1,000 innings—not unlike ERA—which I call AVGDEF/1000.

Overall, there were a dozen players with at least 600 innings. And lo and behold, Witt ranks the highest at AVGDEF and AVGDEF/1000. He was also the only player who had at least +8 DRS and FRV.

Name	Team	Inn	DRS	FRV	AVGDEF	AVGDEF/1000
Bobby Witt Jr.	KCR	1209	8	17	12.5	10.3
Taylor Walls	TBR	1036.2	21	-2	9.5	9.2
Andrés Giménez	TOR	1179	2	16	9	7.6
Corey Seager	TEX	827.2	6	-1	2.5	3.0
Colson Montgomery	CHW	979	-4	9	2.5	2.6
Brayan Rocchio	CLE	1253.2	-4	10	3	2.4
Zach Neto	LAA	1340.1	9	-4	2.5	1.9
Jacob Wilson	ATH	637.1	-6	8	1	1.6
Kevin McGonigle	DET	675.2	2	0	1	1.5
Gunnar Henderson	BAL	1311.1	-2	0	-1	-0.8
Jeremy Peña	HOU	904.1	-5	-5	-5	-5.5
J.P. Crawford	SEA	720	-12	-10	-11	-15.3

Walls had a great year. But Walls didn’t play as much as Witt did at short, and it’s at least a yellow flag that FRV thought that Walls was a below average fielder. Witt is consistently great by any metric, and by these metrics he was the best, because of course he is.

But Witt’s defensive stats only go so far. Per Rawlings themselves, defensive stats only account for a quarter of the overall vote. The other 75% of the vote comes from 210 total voters—the manager and six coaches from every team. You can’t win the Gold Glove if those voters don’t think that you’re better.

So how on earth did Walls draw so much of that vote? I think part of it is simply that the Rays were great and the Royals stunk. I know that team success isn’t supposed to be a part of votes like this, but I just can’t help that it was a contributing factor in a situation like this when you have two good candidates. Royals pitching gave up so many runs and the team itself lost so many games, and when you compare that to a Rays team that won their division (and then the pennant) while allowing fewer runs than Kansas City, well, maybe some biases creep in.

In any case, a Witt win would not have changed anything about the Royals’ 2026 fortunes or 2027 fortunes. But it would have helped Royals fans to feel a little better.

Welcome to the offseason!

Tuesday marked the day that free agency is officially open after teams became 40-man roster compliant. Now, teams begin the process of wheeling and dealing because the collective bargaining agreement expires in less than a month, and a lockout is looming, freezing the market.

The hope is that the Colorado Rockies are going to be busy shaping the roster and trying to plug holes through trades and free agency. The obvious area of need is starting pitching. After a league-worst 5.59 ERA as a team last season and a 6.28 ERA in the rotation, the Rockies are clearly in need of some pitching help. Due to injuries, shifting of roles, and free agency, the Rockies really only have two presumed locks in the rotation to start the year: Mason Adams and Gabriel Hughes. Even then, those aren’t necessarily the headliners of a rotation at this point in their careers.

The job of the front office and new pitching coach Ethan Katz is to fortify the starting rotation with experience and talent, as they tried to do last offseason. While a superstar like Tarik Skubal is well out of the question, there could still be some intriguing free agents that could be helpful for the coming season.

Today, let’s take a look at a couple of arms that I find could be helpful.

Foster Griffin

With the departures of José Quintana and Kyle Freeland in free agency, the Rockies are lacking left-handed starting pitching options. So, why not take a shot at a southpaw who had a fantastic 2026 season?

After a lack of opportunity and success at the big-league level, Foster Griffin headed to Japan, where he spent three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. While in the NPB, Griffin posted a 2.57 ERA with 318 strikeouts against 70 walks in 315.2 innings of work. That success finally landed him another MLB opportunity, and he signed with the Washington Nationals on a one-year $5.5 million contract.

Over 22 starts with the Nationals, the 31-year-old logged a 3.06 ERA with 116 strikeouts and 30 walks over 129.1 innings and was named an All-Star. The Nationals then traded him to the Cleveland Guardians for a four-player package, where he struggled a little bit more down the stretch, posting a 5.19 ERA in 43.1 innings across nine starts with 42 strikeouts against 15 walks. His ERA was a little skewed, however, because of one bad start in which he allowed eight runs in only 2.1 innings. He was effective in the postseason, where he pitched 10.1 innings and gave up four runs on 11 hits with no walks and 15 punchouts.

By the end of the season, Griffin pitched 183 innings (playoffs included) with a 3.59 ERA, a 22.6% strikeout rate, a 5.9% walk rate, a 44% ground-ball rate and 1.13 HR/9.

Those numbers are enough to make the Rockies interested, but it’s also the fact that Griffin has a deep arsenal of pitches. Statcast recorded seven different pitches used in 2026, with heavy emphasis on the use of his cutter (32.5%).

Griffin lacks a power arsenal, averaging 91-92 mph on his fastball, but he has a deep arsenal, can throw strikes and pitch to contact for groundballs, and has a league-average strikeout rate. Those traits are worth exploring if the Rockies want to help stabilize the rotation. The hard part is figuring out a contract, as sites like MLB Trade Rumors predict a three-year, $39 million deal for Griffin. If the Rockies want better pitching, they are going to have to pay for it, but is one great year worth that kind of commitment to pitch in one of the hardest venues in baseball?

Colin Rea

The Rockies are going to likely add some experienced starters to the roster, much like they did last offseason. One name that immediately stuck out to me was 36-year-old right-hander Colin Rea.

A former 12th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2011, Rea was an okay backend starter across two MLB seasons in 2015-16. He then had to get Tommy John Surgery and missed the entire 2017 season and wouldn’t make a return to the big leagues until a nine-game stint with the Chicago Cubs during the 2020 season. He spent most of the 2021 season in Japan before returning to the big leagues, where he made one appearance with the Milwaukee Brewers.

He then returned to Japan for the 2022 season, where he fared much better this time around and secured a deal with the Brewers again for the 2023 season. He proved to be a decent depth piece over two seasons with the Brewers in the rotation, which led him to sign with the Chicago Cubs in 2025 and again in 2026.

Rea was originally slated to serve as a long reliever for the Cubs this season, but the role was short-lived as injuries ravaged the Cubs’ rotation. He returned to the bullpen after the Cubs made reinforcement trades later in the season, and he ended up compiling a 4.34 ERA across 137 innings, making 19 starts and 15 relief appearances.

In those 19 starts, Rea posted a 4.47 ERA in 100.2 innings with 75 strikeouts against 37 walks. He generally falls in line with other starting pitchers the Rockies have had over the years. He doesn’t strike out many batters (17.2% in 2026) but also doesn’t walk a ton (7.3% in his career) and had a 42.8% groundball rate in 2026.

Much like Griffin, he has a deep arsenal that includes seven pitches. He primarily workes off a 94 mph fastball, but compliments that with a heavy mix of sliders, sweepers, and changeups. Overall, he has shown both command and control of his arsenal. Plus, the added advantage of his swing role capabilities would give the Rockies some flexibility in game planning and how they want to attack Coors Field with the pitching staff.

Rea could be had on a deal close to Tomoyuki Sugano. A one-year deal in the $5-6 million range is well within the realm of possibility for his services, something the Rockies could easily afford. The main area of concern would be limiting how much damage is done from the abundance of contact he can tend to give up.

More to come

We’ll have plenty of time to revisit this topic with other arms, but it’s quite clear that the free agent market is quite as robust as in year’s past. There are definitely pieces worth the Rockies time, but won’t exactly tip the scales towards contention. Once again, it’s a lot of filling holes until a better path forward is established for success.

I like the idea of Griffin and Rea, but there are a lot of unknown risks with both when it comes to Coors Field like any other pitcher. Are the Rockies willing to take those risks or will they look in other, cheaper directions?

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Kaima Taira was born on November 15, 1999 in Ishigaki, a city in Okinawa. In high school, he attended Okinawa Prefectural Yaeyama Commercial and Technical High School, a public vocational high school located in Ishigaki. A catcher in elementary school and a pitcher in junior high school, Taira joined his school’s baseball team but almost quit, balking at how hard the team’s manager was pushing players during practice, but he remained, first as an outfielder and then as a pitcher. The school failed to make summer Koshien in any of the three years he attended, but scouts and evaluators began making the trip to Okinawa anyway because word was slowly getting out about a third-year senior who was setting school velocity records, hitting the mid-90s with his fastball.

When Taira entered high school, the hardest he had ever been recorded throwing was roughly 80 MPH, which is why his coach had him play in the outfield. He added a new weight training regimen to his normal workout routine that strengthened his hips and lower body during his second year of high school, and the results became noticeable as his fastball velocity began creeping up higher and higher and higher.

The right-hander graduated in 2017, and a few months later, when the 2017 NPB Draft took place, he was selected by the Saitama Seibu Lions with their 4th draft selection. He made his professional debut in 2018, appearing in 10 games for the Lions’ ni-gun minor league squad in the Eastern League and posting a 5.40 ERA in 16.2 innings, allowing 11 hits, walking 17, and striking out 21. He remained in the Eastern League when the 2019 season began, posting a 1.13 ERA in 16.0 innings over 7 appearances with 9 hits allowed, 7 walks, and 22 strikeouts, and in late July, the 19-year-old was promoted to the main club. He ended up pitching in 26 games for the Lions and posted a 3.38 ERA in 24.0 innings at Japan’s highest level, allowing 29 hits, walking 9, and striking out 23.

Coming into the 2020 season, Taira wanted to transition from pitching in relief to starting, and altered his workout regimen to focus on increasing muscle mass, giving the 5’8” right-hander the strength and endurance to compete as a starter. He was let down during spring training and was told that he would continue to be used as a reliever, so after the start of the season was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he switched his focus from endurance to pure strength, looking to hit 99 MPH and beyond with his fastball. On July 19, he achieved that goal and became one of six Japanese players in NPB history to throw an official pitch that was recorded at 99 MPH or higher. All in all, Taira ended up appearing in 54 games and posting a 1.87 ERA in 53.0 innings, allowing 22 hits, walking 29, striking out 62, and recording 33 holds. Despite pitching 40.0 innings in 2019, the right-hander retained rookie eligibility, and at the end of the season, was voted Pacific League Rookie of the Year, receiving 144 votes to the Rakuten Golden Eagles’ Hiroto Kobukata, who received 125.

In 2021, the reigning Rookie of the Year was given a more prominent role in the Seibu bullpen, serving as set-up man for closer Tatsushi Masuda. When Masuda was in effective early in the season and eventually placed on the disabled list because of lower back problems, Taira stepped up in a big way. Game after game after game, save opportunity or not, the right-hander put up zero after zero after zero. By the end of June, he logged 38 consecutive appearances without allowing a run, tying the NPB record held by Kyuji Fujikawa. A day later, Taira surpassed Fujikawa with a 39th consecutive scoreless inning, setting a new NPB record. The right-hander would go on to be named to his first NPB All-Star Game and posted a 0.90 ERA in 60.0 innings, allowing 36 hits, walking 28, striking out 70, recording 21 holds and saving 20 games.

Taira began the 2022 season on the disabled list, infected by coronavirus, and his absence, combined with Tatsushi Masuda being fully healthy and effective, led to the veteran regaining his role as closer. Masuda would end up contracting COVID-19 over the summer, and Taira took over closing duties. Overall, the right-hander was elected to his second All-Star team and posted a 1.56 ERA in 57.2 innings, allowing 36 hits, walking 18, striking out 75, logging 34 holds, and saving 9 games. That off-season, the 22-year-old argued with Seibu management during salary negotiations that he would be best used by the team as a starting pitcher. The right-hander made his case and was used as a starting pitcher in 2023. Making 23 games, he posted a 2.40 ERA in 150.0 innings, allowing 115 hits, walking 55, and striking out 153, getting nominated to his third consecutive All-Star Game, this time as a starting pitcher.

Taira’s season began similarly in 2024, but in early May, he was placed on the disabled list with right forearm tightness. He missed roughly two months, and shortly after he returned, was used as a reliever to limit the stress put on his forearm for the remainder of the season. In 22 games, he posted a 1.66 ERA in 48.2 innings, allowing 44 hits, walking 21, striking out 43, and logging 9 holds. Over the off-season, Seibu manager Fumiya Nishiguchi informed Taira that he intended to use him as the team’s closer following the impending departure of incumbent closer, Albert Abreu, who was in contract negotiations with the Cincinnati Reds. The 25-year-old returned to the bullpen without argument, and when the season began, was almost immediately involved in history, combining with Tatsuya Imai to throw a combined no-hitter on April 18 against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Taira would go on to make his fourth All-Star Game and posted a 1.71 ERA in 52.2 innings in 2025, allowing 43 hits, walking 21, striking out 53, logging 8 holds, and saving a league-leading 31 games.

In 2026, the right-hander was set to participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but a left calf injury forced him to give up his spot on the team. The Lions had him return to their starting rotation due to the departure of Tatsuya Imai, and the 26-year-old appeared in 23 games, posting a 1.36 ERA in 146.0 innings, allowing 95 hits, walking 45, and striking out 141. His ERA led the league, and the right-hander made history by becoming the first player in NPB history to have won Relief Pitcher of the Year (2022), led the league in saves (2025), and led the league in ERA.

The right-hander stands 5’8” and weighs 210-pounds, which would tie him with fellow countryman Yuki Matsui for being the shortest pitcher playing for a Major League Baseball club. Despite his short stature, Taira has a squat, solid frame and eclipsed 150 innings in both years that he was healthy and used exclusively as a starting pitcher.

The right-hander throws from a three-quarter arm slot with a long arm action through the back. He drops and drives off the mound with a slide step, getting an extreme amount of extension, which is partially what allows him to hit the upper-90s with his fastball. With the almost 7-feet of extension that he averages, Taira throws from a much lower release point and flatter vertical approach angle. There is a definite amount of controlled violence and effort in his mechanics, which forgo some common NPB pitching traits, such as a hitch or a wrist wrap.

Taira throws a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, cutter, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. In 2026, he threw his four-seam fastball 32% of the time, his slider 19.9% of the time, his cutter 17.8% of the time, his changeup 11% of the time, his splitter 9% of the time, his two-seam fastball 8.4% of the time, and his curveball 1.9% of the time. These trends more or less match his 2023 trends, when he was last a full-time starter. In 2024 and 2025, when he was a reliever, he used his four-seam fastball about 10% more and his cutter and splitter less. He has good command of all of his pitches.

The right-hander has one of the best fastballs in Japan, sitting 95-97 MPH as a starter, one of the highest average fastball velocities since 2014, when the NPB began tracking velocity data. When pitching out of the bullpen, he was able to eek out a few extra MPH and hit 99 MPH, and as a starter, he has been able to hold his velocity deep into games. The pitch does not have a particularly high spin rate, with fringe average induced vertical break, but Taira makes up for it with pure velocity, his long extension, and his flat vertical approach angle. His two-seam fastball similarly sits in the mid-90s, possessing a bit more arm-side movement at the expense of a little velocity.

Taira’s cutter is his best pitch. It averaged 91 MPH in 2026, sitting in the high-80s-to-low-90s. Working it away to right-handers and to both sides of the plate against left-handers, he pounds the zone with the pitch, challenging batters to hit it, which they generally have been unable to do with authority. The pitch has averaged an almost 50% groundball rate, and while its swinging strike rate was just pedestrian against right-handed hitters, it produced an above-average swinging strike rate against left-handed hitters.

The right-hander throws a gyro slider and a sweeping slider. The two pitches averaged 82 MPH last season, his sweeping slider sitting in the high-70s-to-low-80s and his gyro slider sitting in the mid-80s. His sweeping slider was thrown in the zone more often than his gyro slider, with the former resulting in a higher called strike percentage inside of the zone and the latter resulting in the higher swinging strike percentage outside of the zone. The two pitches combined resulted in a lot of poor contact, with a combined groundball rate around 50% and combined slugging percentage around .250.

Taira’s changeup sits in the mid-to-high-80s, averaging 87 MPH last season, and was used almost exclusively against left-handers to negate their platoon advantage. A circle changeup, the pitch the pitch induces more bad contact than it does whiffs because of its high velocity, relying more on his ability to fool batters by maintaining his arm speed and disguising the pitch as his fastball than its actual horizontal and vertical movement.

His splitter sits in the mid-80s, averaging 86 MPH last season. As a starter, he has used the splitter less in lieu of his changeup, and like his changeup, mainly uses the pitch against left-handed hitters. The pitch rarely stays in the zone, but results in a high number of swings-and-misses. When batters do make contact, it is extremely poor contact, evidenced by an 82% groundball rate and a .057 slugging percentage.

His curveball sits in the low-70s, averaging 73 MPH last season, and regularly exceeds 3,000 RPM. It features 30-35 inches of vertical break, which is on the lower end of the spectrum for a curveball, but because of its tight break and Taira’s ability to command it, it has become a very effective strike stealer. He landed it in the zone roughly 50% of the time last season, and the pitch had a 48% CSW%. Problematically, because of the lack of velocity and the fact that it was in the strike zone half the time, batters slugged .800 against it when they were able to make solid contact.

He is nicknamed “Sea Demon” due to his Okinawan heritage, his love of fishing, and the fact that the historical Taira clan is highly associated with seafaring culture and fantastically associated with onryō and funayūrei sea demons. Taira describes himself as a data-driven player, often critical of members of the Japanese media who are more likely to push narratives than actually conduct scientific and statistical analysis. He ascribes to modern-day pitch optimization philosophy, going as far as to purchase a Rapsodo baseball monitoring device in 2020 and utilize the data that he gleaned from it to help him in his quest to achieve a 99 MPH fastball. He understands how to pitch, sequencing his arsenal and pitching strategically with a plan, as opposed to just throwing pitches.

The most dangerous hitter for the Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League, it is no surprise that Chase Harlan was right in the middle of the action, making the most of his one hit in a 10-5 win. As the Desert Dogs led 4-1 in the seventh inning, Harlan helped put the game out of reach with a three-run bomb, his fifth home run. Harlan leads the team in several key offensive categories, including but not limited to runs (15) and RBI (17).

Harlan’s getting warmed up for Saturday!

The @Dodgers No. 9 prospect climbs into a tie for the second most homers this Fall with his fifth. Harlan is now batting .281 with a 1.004 OPS. pic.twitter.com/PkaWpV9Xq9

— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) November 4, 2026

Besides Harlan, the only other Dodger to feature in the Desert Dogs starting lineup was Eduardo Quintero, who managed to record an RBI despite going hitless in three at-bats. Struggling heavily with the bat in the AFL, Quintero at least still leads his team in stolen bases, successful in all six tries.

Lastly, Brooks Auger was the first reliever out of the bullpen as the Desert Dogs needed five innings to complete this one after starter Briggs McKenie tossed four scoreless. Auger allowed four baserunners in just two frames, but a key out with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth prevented the Solar Sox from doing major damage against the left-hander.

Tuesday score

Glendale 10, Mesa 5

Wednesday schedule

After putting up 10 runs to beat the Mesa Solar Sox, the Glendale Desert Dogs return to the field against the Surprise Saguaros at 5:30 p.m. (PT).

Morning, all!

Former Ranger Mark Teixeira has been elected to the US House of Representatives in Texas’ 21st Congressional District.

I’m not seeing anything else Rangers-related out there. So let’s talk about Star Trek.

If you were a Star Trek fan in the ’90s, you probably remember the Ferengi, an alien species whose defining cultural characteristic was an overwhelming obsession with commerce and accumulating wealth. Their appearance and characterization have drawn criticism for echoing antisemitic caricatures, which probably wasn’t helped by the fact that the most notable Ferengi were all played by Jewish actors. Deep Space Nine, the series that did the most with the Ferengi, gave them considerably more depth.

The Ferengi were originally introduced in The Next Generation as recurring antagonists for the Federation. The way they were written didn’t really lend itself to that, though, so the apocalyptic cyborg zombies ended up being the bigger threat. That worked out fine, because the Ferengi eventually got an extended look in the best series, Deep Space Nine, where they reflected both humanity’s inherent greed and our ability to overcome it and accomplish great things.

Some of the series’ best episodes put a Ferengi at the center of the story. In particular, “The Siege of AR-558” and “It’s Only a Paper Moon” follow Nog, a young Ferengi serving in Starfleet, through a devastating combat injury and its aftermath. In the latter, he retreats into a holographic fantasy world to escape his PTSD.

There’s a baseball tie-in here, I promise.

Captain Sisko, being an anachronistic nerd, is a huge baseball fan. In “Take Me Out to the Holosuite,” a considerably more lighthearted episode, a Vulcan captain challenges Sisko and his crew to a game. This is wildly unfair: Vulcans are much stronger than humans, Bajorans, Trill, and Ferengi, and Sisko’s crew has almost no baseball experience. Their preferred recreational activities tend toward racquetball and banging holographic hookers in the holosuites at Quark’s bar.

Rom, a lovable Ferengi doofus, is particularly terrible at baseball, and Sisko boots him from the squad. Eventually, Sisko remembers that playing a game with your friends is supposed to be fun after Rom’s nookie-girl wife convinces Sisko he’s being a tool and gets Rom back on the team. We get a little Sandlot in space, except the Vulcans still win in a blowout because they are perfectly logical superhumans. Rom does, however, accidentally lay down a bunt that brings home the crew’s only run.

The actor who played Rom, Max Grodénchik, was actually an accomplished baseball player—and reportedly the best player in the cast. Which created a problem: he had trouble making himself look as hopeless as Rom was supposed to be.

Apparently, there are limits to acting. To achieve the necessary level of baseball incompetence, Grodénchik ended up throwing and batting left-handed.

So that’s all I’ve got today: Mark Teixeira and a possibly offensive Jewish caricature who’s laughably bad at baseball but comes up big in the clutch anyway.