SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 24: Zach Ehrhard #4 of the Oklahoma City Comets bats during the second inning against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on July 24, 2026 in Sacramento, California (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the start of the Dodgers postseason on Saturday, but here are some related and adjacent stories that aren’t necessarily about the National League Division Series.
Andy McCullough at The Athletic wrote about the Dodgers’ place in baseball heading into the postseason, and their role as the main antagonist for many about two months before Major League Baseball will lockout its players once the collective bargaining agreement expires. But he also wrote about the attention to detail the Dodgers have, that hasn’t gone unnoticed by players old and new to the organization. From McCullough:
“We’ve done all the little things that we’ve needed to do, and we don’t get the credit for that,” Muncy said. “We just get the credit that we’re all big names on big contracts, and that’s why we won. And that’s not really the case.”
And the organization does the little things to enhance their performance, something Skubal had understood from afar. The Dodgers made headlines when the club purchased a second plane in 2025 so the players could fly separately. After the Tigers drafted Skubal in 2018, he played in the Class A Midwest League, where the Dodgers also had an affiliate.”They had two buses in Low A,” Skubal said. “That sounds like nothing. But having your own seat on a five-hour bus ride or a six-hour bus ride, instead of having to double up or lay on the floor, it matters.”
Former Dodgers catcher Russell Martin this week was elected to the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame. The Montreal native was a two-time All-Star in Los Angeles and was a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award winner in 2007 with the Dodgers. Martin played for four teams in his 14 major league seasons and made the postseason at least twice with all four teams. Kevin Glew at Cooperstowners in Canada has more on Martin’s latest honor.
Zach Ehrhard rounded out a very nice season for Triple-A Oklahoma City with four multi-hit games during the postseason, helping the Comets to a Pacific Coast League title and a win in the Triple-A championship game. In those four games, Ehrhard had nine hits in 17 at-bats, including a home run and three doubles, plus three walks and a hit by pitch, for tidy .529/.619/.882.
“Ehrhard doesn’t have the upside of some of the other prospects on this list, but he’s a high-probability big leaguer,” wrote Ian Cundall at BA. “He ranks among the Top 30 prospects in the Dodgers’ system and could carve out a solid career as a backup outfielder.”
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 25: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves and Mookie Betts #50 0f the Los Angeles Dodgers high five in the fourth inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on August 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have to tell you that I don’t feel great about about tonight. The starting pitching is in disarray for today. Chris Sale or Tyler Mahle won’t be able to help out. There’s Didier Fuentes, Brent Suter, Dylan Dodd and Robert Suarez as multi-inning options. JR Ritchie and AJ Smith-Shawver are also available. It will be a problem if the Braves start this series 0-1. I had the Dodgers in 4 in our preview. I would say either Braves or Dodgers in 5 if it weren’t for the quick turnaround for today. It’s not fatalism. But that’s just like, you know, my opinion, man.
So what is your prediction for Braves versus Dodgers? I want to be moved toward supporting a Braves series win. The easiest route to a win is if the Dodgers don’t hit homers. Teams that outhomered their opponents typically win 70-80% of the time. It’s more like 80-90% in the playoffs. If you consider all active roster pitchers, the Braves have the second lowest HR/FB ratio. So that’s removing the “contributions” of say, Danny Young and Aaron Bummer. After that’s done, you have a decent route to victory. The Dodgers are eighth in this statistic, so it will be tough sledding.
Of course, that’s just one factor of several to consider. And you all may have a better gut feeling than I. So let’s hear your predictions.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 25: Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero #13 reacts during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays on September 25th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This is where things get down to the brass tacks. The Yankees swept the Red Sox aside in the AL Wild Card Series, boat racing Boston by a combined score of 18-2, to fly into the ALDS with belief and positive momentum. It’s a whole other beast they’ll face in the Rays, their offense rolling into the postseason in far better shape than the Red Sox.
The Rays raced out to an AL-best 98 wins, significantly outperforming their Pythagorean win-loss thanks to one of the most well-rounded approaches in baseball. Despite sitting middle of the pack in runs per game (4.54) and slugging (.402), Tampa Bay’s offense still finished with the fifth-best wRC+ (104). Their offense has a clear identity built around power at the top, speed, and bat-to-ball prowess. They struck out the least (18.8-percent) of any team in MLB, which helps explain how they tied with the Brewers for the league lead in batting average (.258), and when paired with their AL-leading 164 stolen bases allows them to get the most out of the traffic they generate.
The ever consistent Yandy Díaz leads things off, coming off his fifth-straight season with at least a 120 wRC+. He played 154 games, slashing .293/.359/.446 with 22 home runs, 85 RBI, 93 runs scored, and a 125 wRC+ while continuing to be almost impossible to whiff and strike out. He has hurt the Yankees his whole career and that was especially true in 2026, when he batted .362 with a .944 OPS and 154 wRC+ in 51 plate appearances. The lone holes in his swing are against high-spin four-seamers from right handers up and in or middle-away, a pitch which Games 1 & 2 starters Gerrit Cole and Cam Schlittler specialize in.
Jonathan Aranda bats second coming off a season in which he batted .274/.358/.434 with 22 home runs, 92 RBI, 73 runs scored, and a 123 wRC+. However, the Yankees had his number all season, holding him to a paltry .427 OPS and 15 wRC+ in 47 plate appearances as they were able to strike him out 34-percent of the time. He has shown a willingness to chase the fastball above the zone, which happens to be a weapon pitch for all four of the starters the Yankees plan to roll out.
Those two set the table for the scariest threat in the Rays lineup: Junior Caminero. The third baseman became just the second player in MLB history after Eddie Matthews to post consecutive 40 home run seasons before turning 23. He added patience to his game in 2026, almost doubling his career walk rate to finish with a .276/.360/.524 triple slash line, 42 homers, 101 RBI, 100 runs scored, a 142 wRC+ and 5.3 fWAR while posting the highest average bat speed in the league. He holds his own against almost every pitch but does most of his damage against the heater and breaking ball. Just three of his home runs have come against the off-speed so I expect the likes of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón to feed him a steady diet of changeups down and away. Encouragingly, the Yankees were one of the few teams that managed to rein him in — in 54 plate appearances he managed just a .565 OPS and 51 wRC+ with Yankees pitchers getting him to pop it up on over 30-percent of his batted balls.
MLB stolen base leader Chandler Simpson figures to bat in the middle of the order. He was the only qualified hitter in 2026 to not hit a homer, but was also one of just seven qualified hitters to bat above .300, his 7.8-percent strikeout rate second-lowest in baseball. He’s joined in the middle of the order by Victor Mesa Jr., the rookie acquired from the Marlins over the winter and promoted mid-season to hit 14 home runs with a 128 wRC+ and 2.6 fWAR in just 79 games. Generally batting ninth is shortstop Taylor Walls, whose 74 wRC+ at first glance wouldn’t scare you yet he has managed to be a thorn in the Yankees’ side with a 120 wRC+ in 111 plate appearances over the last four years.
For the rest of the spots in the lineup, the Rays tend to go with a strict platoon. Liam Hicks usually bats cleanup against righties, the catcher posting a 130 wRC+ with as many walks as strikeouts since joining the Rays from the Marlins at the deadline, while Nick Fortes tends to start against southpaws. At second base, Richie Palacios owns a 113 wRC+ against righties while Ryan Vilade owns a 126 wRC+ against lefties. In center, Cedric Mullins is probably the one guaranteed soft landing spot against righties with his 80 wRC+, while Jonny DeLuca is a far more potent weapon when a lefty is on the mound (114 wRC+).
Put together, Kevin Cash can rely on guaranteed production at the top of the lineup while a deep bench gives him the opportunity to mix and match depending on the matchup. He has shown all season that he remains one of the best managers at putting his players in the best positions to succeed thus squeezing every drop out of the true talent level of the roster. You know the Rays are going to do all the little things right — taking the extra base, moving the runner over, getting the run in from home with less than two outs — which makes the three-headed monster atop the lineup their X-factor in this series.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles takes a swing during game one of a baseball doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
There was no major baseball news on Friday, a planned day off for the playoff schedule. But that gets turned on its head today as all four Division Series will get underway.
The day starts at 1 p.m. with White Sox at Guardians on TBS. Braves at Dodgers follows on FOX at 4 p.m. Then it’s Yankees at Rays back on TBS at 6:30. And finally, Padres at Brewers will wrap up the day with first pitch at 8:30 on FOX.
This could be the last day of the year with more than two games on one day. Another day full of baseball is planned on Wednesday, but these are best-of-five series. The NL side of this schedule could be all wrapped up by the end of the day on Tuesday. So let’s enjoy this while we can.
Non-playoff teams have already turned their eyes towards the uncertain offseason ahead. One of the first major steps there will be arbitration decisions.
These all seem pretty straightforward. Henderson, Westburg, Cowser, and Bautista are going to be offered arbitration. Taveras, Heuer, and Suarez probably will not be.
Usually the Orioles try to avoid arbitration altogether and just get these guys signed to contracts for the upcoming season. That could even be true for the players that they do not want to offer arbitration. Albert Suárez feels like a good example there. Clearly, the organization likes having him around. They DFA’ed and re-signed him about 100 times this season. But maybe they don’t want to lock themselves into a $1.1 million salary for him. They could instead seek a standalone deal.
Arbitration time can also be an opportunity for bigger contract extensions too. Could this be the time that Henderson finally gets his massive deal? Unlikely, particularly coming off of this most recent season. Maybe someone like Cowser would be more open to it, but even that probably won’t happen.
It should be noted that this could all be impacted by the ongoing CBA negotiation. The current CBA expires on December 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The non-tender deadline typically falls in late November, so we should know who gets non-tendered before the CBA expires. But then the arbitration process tends to play out in January and February. So, there is plenty of uncertainty here.
Links
Early look at arbitration-eligible Orioles | Roch Kubatko Roch digs a bit deeper into the Orioles-specific arbitration considerations, including a look back at last year’s decisions. Things have changed quite a bit in the last 365 days.
The final Top 100 Prospects list of the year has a new look | MLB.com In times of big league disappointment, prospect list like this can be a security blanket for us Orioles fans. You will be pleased to know that there are now six baby Birds on Pipeline’s “Top 100” list. Three of them are in the 92-99 range, including newbie Enddy Azocar. Joseph Dzierwa was one of the biggest risers, he is up to 69 (nice) overall.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Adam Plutko turns 35 today. He worked out of the Orioles bullpen for part of the 2021 season, when he had a 6.71 ERA over 56.1 innings.
Mike Belfiore is 38 years old. The lefty played in one career MLB game, and it came with the Orioles in 2013.
Mike Johnson celebrates his 51st. The Canadian hurler began his big league career with a 14-game stint on the 1997 Orioles before he was dealt to the Expos midway through his debut season.
This day in O’s history
1970 – Mike Cuellar becomes the first pitcher to hit a home run in the LCS. His grand slam accounts for four of the seven runs the Orioles score in the fourth inning. Cuellar himself doesn’t pitch particularly well, and is yanked before the end of the fifth inning. The Orioles win anyway, beating the Twins 10-6 in Game 1 of the ALCS.
1971 – Dave McNally tosses seven innings, and the Orioles score four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Athletics starter Vida Blue to win 5-3 in Game 1 of the ALCS
1986 – An Orioles loss to the Tigers assures them of their first last-place finish since the franchise moved from St. Louis in 1954.
2014 – An instant classic in Baltimore! The Orioles rough up the Tigers bullpen in the eighth inning of a 7-6 win in Game 2 of the ALDS. The four runs they score in the inning are capped off by a Delmon Young bases loaded double off of Joakim Soria.
2018 – The Orioles dismiss longtime manager Buck Showalter following a disastrous 47-win campaign.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 06: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays warms up prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, July 6, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
No, the Phillies aren’t playing today in the NLDS in Los Angeles, but baseball rolls on. All four series begin today with Chicago going to Cleveland for the first game, Atlanta taking on Los Angeles after that, New York going to Tampa Bay and San Diego headed to Milwaukee for the nightcap. All four series are interesting in their own right, so let’s see what you’re thinking.
Who is taking each series?
Nevermind today’s game, who will be moving on to the NLCS and ALCS once it’s all said and done is the question we’re trying to answer.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 02: Members of the Detroit Tigers celebrate in the clubhouse after the Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians in Game Three of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field to advance to the American League Division Series on Thursday, October 2, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today will be the opening of the American League Division Series between the White Sox and Guardians at 1PM ET.
Colin Holderman will not be pitching further this season. He is getting wrist surgery.
Cooper Ingle and Kahlil Watson are active in “stay hot” camp. Ralphy Velazquez is not. We will know the Guardians 26-man roster by 10AM ET.
With the Wild Card round of the 2026 MLB Playoffs behind us, it's time for the Division Series to get underway. It all starts on Saturday with all four Division Series matchups.
With that in mind, we polled the Rotoworld Baseball staff for their thoughts on how the rest of the postseason will play out. Check out our picks and analysis for the Division Series, Championship Series, and World Series.
Crawford: I don't think there's much of a difference between the White Sox and the Guardians. I think the fact that the White Sox already won a pair of postseason games on the road, both relatively convincingly, is something working in their favor. I can't quite go team of destiny or any of that stuff, but there does seem to be something about this White Sox team. I realize that's not exactly the most scientific answer, but my heart believes in the Chicago Popes.
Yankees vs. Rays
Short: The Rays and Yankees are set to meet in the postseason for the second time ever, and the first with actual fans in the building. While the Rays were the better regular season team this year, I think the Yankees are better built for the postseason. It starts with the rotation, which was the best in the majors with a 3.30 ERA, but their bullpen was even better with a 3.15 ERA. Drew Rasmussen has dominated the Yankees in his career, but New York has a level of rotation depth the Rays simply can’t match.
Aaron Judge’s status for the ALDS remains uncertain because of his calf injury, but even without him, one could argue that the Yankees have the more dangerous lineup. Their ability to change the game with one swing is something I think will win out over Tampa Bay’s small-ball style in a short series.
Braves vs. Dodgers
Pouliot: Atlanta’s pitching staff received 7 2/3 innings from Chris Sale and seven from Tyler Mahle and still seemed hard-pressed to get through the three-game Wild Card series against the Phillies. How are they going to hold up without those two to start the series against the Dodgers? Even without the relief appearance Thursday, starting Sale in Game 2 would have required pitching him on four days’ rest, which he hasn’t done since early April. As is, it looks like Sale in Game 3 and Mahle in Game 4. Maybe the Dodgers’ bats start off cold and the Braves can steal a game in Los Angeles, but as shorthanded as they are in terms of pitching depth, not having their rotation lined puts them at a major disadvantage.
Padres vs. Brewers
Samulski: The Padres have been red hot and dominated the Cubs, but I published an article before the postseason with research from the last 10 years that showed teams coming into the playoffs with tons of momentum don't meaningfully perform better than teams who struggle coming into the postseason. I might as well trust my own research. The Brewers have been arguably the best team in baseball all season. Their lineup is incredibly tough to get out, and they have possibly the deepest overall pitching staff in the postseason.
Full MLB Postseason Predictions
Writer
ALCS Winner
NLCS Winner
World Series Champion
Eric Samulski
New York Yankees
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
Matthew Pouliot
New York Yankees
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
David Shovein
Tampa Bay Rays
Milwaukee Brewers
Tampa Bay Rays
Christopher Crawford
New York Yankees
San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
D.J. Short
New York Yankees
San Diego Padres
New York Yankees
Samulski: I will admit my bias again when talking about why I picked against the Yankees. I just think this Brewers team is finally going to break through. The Yankees were lights out against the Red Sox, but they have been prone to strikeouts throughout the season. That can make them a volatile offense, and I think the consistency of the Brewers will win the day here.
Pouliot: A few weeks ago, I might have picked another champ, but with the Dodgers’ bullpen rounding into form, their biggest potential weakness seems gone. Edwin Díaz still isn’t a sure thing, but he was much improved after coming off the IL, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out nine in his final five innings. Roki Sasaki and Evan Phillips both hit 100 mph last week, and Kris Bubic, if he’s even needed, could prove to be a secret weapon. Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman might not be able to carry the offense at this point, but even if the Dodgers are lacking their usual firepower, they should be able to win some low-scoring games.
Crawford: I don't think the Padres are the best team in baseball. I don't think they're even the best team in their division. But I love the way they're playing now, and that bullpen, quality starters at the top of the rotation and just enough star power makes me believe they're built for the postseason, and their first-ever World Series championship.
Short: I love the Yankees’ pitching and Aaron Judge should be back eventually in some capacity, which only improves the team’s outlook for a potential World Series matchup. As opposed to their meeting in 1998, I would expect the Padres to make this one much more competitive. San Diego’s offense has been great in the second half and their bullpen is positively scary. Still, the Yankees would hold the major edge in starting pitching, and that would ultimately make the difference in my hypothetical World Series matchup.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado have led the San Diego Padres back to the postseason.
The duo helped push San Diego into the National League Division Series against the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers after they swept the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-3 wild card series.
The Padres will start the NLDS on the road, with the first two games at Milwaukee.
Robbie Ray has been tabbed as the Game 1 starter for the Padres. Ray has started seven games against the Brewers in his career, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.82 ERA and 46 strikeouts.
The Padres managed to win the regular-season series against Milwaukee this year, 4-2.
Here's what you need to know about the best-of-five NL Division Series, which begins on Saturday, Oct. 3:
NLDS Game 1: San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers
Date: Oct. 3
Game Site: American Family Field (Milwaukee)
Start time: 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. PT)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 01: Manager Walt Weiss #22 of the Atlanta Braves speaks to the media after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in game three of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on October 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Friday’s discussion with the media, Atlanta Braves skipper Walt Weiss provided plenty of updates on injured players ahead of the NLDS beginning in Los Angeles. From Martín Pérez to Bryce Elder and Tyler Mahle, Weiss provided some updates without explicitly announcing the pitching plans for the series.
The series gets underway this afternoon at 4:00 ET.
The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees square off in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday at Tropicana Field, the opener of the best-of-five clash between AL East foes.
It's the second time the two clubs have met the postseason, the other occasion in the 2020 ALDS, a five-game Rays win as Tampa Bay went on to reach the World Series. The Rays won the division this season, outlasting the Yankees to earn a first-round bye with the best record in the AL.
"They haven't had many lulls in the season, and those handful of weeks where they've struggled a little bit, they've answered it really well," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. "So it's a confident group, an athletic group, and one we obviously have to be at our best to have a chance to win."
The Yankees swept the Red Sox in the AL wild card series, outscoring Boston 18-2 in the two-game series in the Bronx. Gerrit Cole takes the mound for the Yankees in the opener on Saturday while Drew Rasmussen gets the nod for the Rays.
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 08: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 08, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sweeping the Red Sox with two blowout wins was a joyous occasion, not to mention the tangible positive impact of setting up your rotation for the ALDS. The Yankees can begin the series against the Rays with Gerrit Cole as the Game 1 starter, which is only fitting considering Cole’s regular-season campaign in 2026 began and ended against the Rays, both times with a quality start.
Making his postseason debut this season, Cole will get the ball after nearly a week and a half off, his longest time between starts since returning from injury. In three appearances against the AL East champs in the regular season—the most he had against any single team—Cole averaged six innings and delivered a 2.50 ERA, enjoying success against a team not known for its home run pedigree.
Having last played a competitive meaningful game well before the end of the regular season, the Rays will set out to prove there is no rust in their game with Drew Rasmussen starting Game 1. Who better to represent what the Rays are all about than Rasmussen, acquired for the power-hitting Willy Adames as a swingman/backend starter, only to turn into one of the more dominant starters in the AL?
The postseason scenario and all that it entails could be seen as an opportunity to test the Rays’ resolve when it comes to their ace. Rasmussen was already dominant last season—part of what held him back from entering the conversation with the big boys was just how carefully managed he was by the Rays, who only let him reach or surpass 90 pitches twice in 2025. This year, Rasmussen has done that 17 times, including a career-high 114 pitches in a win over the Yankees just a couple of weeks ago—one in which perhaps the Rays gave a sign of their intentions with a trial run. With this extra leeway, Rasmussen managed to pitch 22 more innings than last season despite having one fewer start (31 to 30).
Rasmussen’s ability to go deeper into games than what we’re accustomed to seeing not only from him but also from the Rays as a team is of great value—especially if we are to read into regular season numbers. As much as the Yankees may have a better rotation, perhaps the biggest advantage in this series is in the bullpen. While New York had the second-lowest bullpen ERA in baseball, Tampa was only number 14. The key here, particularly looking at the postseason and a matchup with the Yankees lineup, is that the 95 home runs allowed by the Rays’ bullpen represented the third-highest mark in the bigs.
Then again, this is a Tampa team with the benefit of off-days between each of the first three games. One can only imagine how aggressive they might be willing to go with the likes of Bryan Baker, Cam Booser, and Kevin Kelly. While Baker is the closer, Booser gets the nod as the X-factor for the Rays in Game 1 and this series as a whole—the Yankees were 1-for-10 against him in the regular season, the one being an Austin Wells home run.
Booser’s importance stems from a complete lack of southpaw options for a team whose only other left-hander who finished the season on the active roster was Steven Matz. Garrett Cleavinger was cleared to be a part of the ALDS roster, but his 2026 numbers were quite bad, with an 89 ERA+ in 41.1 innings.
Unlike the Red Sox, all the Rays’ top starters are right-handers, allowing Aaron Boone to utilize his lefty-heavy lineup without fear, starting in Game 1 against Rasmussen. And if Booser can’t shut them down out of the bullpen, Tampa all of a sudden has an incredibly difficult mission to contain Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr., and company.
There’s not much to say about Game 2 or the Wild Card Series overall.
Nico Hoerner was the only hitter to consistently rise to the challenge of the Padre pitching. Hoerner went 2-for-4 in each game with a double and RBI in Wednesday’s game. Seiya Suzuki was 2-for-7 with a run scored over the two games.
There wasn’t anything worth talking about regarding the pitching staff.
Not-very-deep-or-analyzed thoughts about the state of the team going into 2027:
There will probably be a lockout.
The coaching staff: …… Not ready to cut Counsell, but wouldn’t be upset if they did. There will be some movement in the staff, however.
I would love to re-sign Seiya, but now is his time to go get his bag and the Cubs won’t match, so good luck. I feel the Cubs and Ian Happ will part ways.
This would be a great reduction in production, but ride into the regular season with some combination of Pedro Ramirez, Matt Shaw and Kevin Alcántara into the OF to start and hope Josiah Hartshorn will be ready in the second half. Very few quality FA OFers, so it is not worth it to overpay for anyone out there.
Pour all that “new” money and spend it in every facet of the pitching staff. Top two SP, a closer and a very good high-leverage RP. “Well, what about the strike and all those high-dollar guys sitting out?” Any time off is less wear on their arms. Plus it would give Justin Steele and Cade Horton more time to get ready. Cheer for a strike? Maybe it would help the Cubs.
Again, just off the top of my head stuff, no numbers or targets — just a basic set up for improvement for the team in the future. Nothing in stone. Probably way off.
I appreciate your reading.
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Tyler Edmunds (OnTapSportsNet): The Cubs Didn’t Just Lose — They Quit. “The Cubs didn’t just lose the series on Wednesday night, they quit. The “magical” season ends on a whimper.“
Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ total playoff no-show let — and left — everybody down.. ““I’m just feeling pretty disappointed in myself,” Pete Crow-Armstrong said after going hitless in two wild-card games against the Padres. “But that’s for me to work on.”“
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Don’t Stop Him Now: The Breathtaking Brilliance of Pete Crow-Armstrong, One More Time. “Picking a favorite highlight from the season Pete Crow-Armstrong just had is functionally impossible. Any time you alight on one, another thrusts itself at you. Let’s sit with a few of the best, as a balm for the disappointment of a summer that gave way to fall too soon.”
Leroy Carr (March 27, 1904 or 1905 – April 29, 1935) was an American blues singer, songwriter and pianist who developed a laid-back, crooning technique and whose popularity and style influenced such artists as Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. Music historian Elijah Wald has called him “the most influential male blues singer and songwriter of the first half of the 20th century”.
After his parents separated, Carr moved from Nashville to Indianapolis, Indiana with his mother. Carr was a self-taught piano player. After dropping out of high school, Carr travelled with a circus, and in the early 1920s served in the U.S. Army. Carr returned to Indianapolis and worked in a meat-packing plant. He was married and had one daughter. Carr was convicted of bootlegging and served a year at the Indiana State Penitentiary. His light bluesy piano combined with Scrapper Blackwell’s melodic jazz guitar attracted a sophisticated black audience. The two recorded with Vocalion Records beginning in the 1920s.
Francis Hillman “Scrapper” Blackwell was an American blues guitarist and singer. Best known as half of the guitar-piano duo he formed with Leroy Carr in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he was an acoustic, single-note picker in the Chicago blues and Piedmont blues styles, with some critics noting that he veered towards jazz.
Blackwell was born in Syracuse, South Carolina, on February 21, 1903 as one of sixteen children. He claimed to be part Cherokee. When he was quite young, his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he spent most of his life. He was nicknamed “Scrapper” by his grandmother because of his fiery nature. Although largely self-taught as a guitarist, Blackwell was later influenced by the recordings of Willie Harris and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and probably by the East Coast Piedmont style of his birthplace. He didn’t consider himself a professional musician until pianist Leroy Carr persuaded Blackwell to record with him
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 01: Signage in Truist Park during the Philadelphia Phillies versus the Atlanta Braves in game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series on October 1st, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Wild Card series wrapped up on Thursday and now we’re onto the divisional rounds, which will give us our fist look at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians. These series will feature some old friends, and has there are a lot of storylines to keep up with.
Here are some Rockies storylines from the first week of the offseason, as well as some from around the league:
Dodgers’ Ohtani admits he won’t be fully healthy in playoffs | ESPN — Shohei Ohtani has been fighting left knee and right biceps injuries, so this could be a story to keep up with in the postseason. The Dodgers have a ton of depth even without Ohtani, and are still favored to threepeat, but it’s definitely something to watch.
Yankees’ Aaron Judge Undergoes Experimental Blood Treatment In Desperate Bid To Return | Yahoo! Sports — Another storyline to watch is that of Aaron Judge. Judge has been battling hamstring injuries for most of the season, but was available to play against the Rockies a few weeks ago. The headline is slightly misleading, stating, “But the shot he received is a fairly new medical innovation, known as platelet-poor plasma (PPP), and it is so groundbreaking that it is still considered relatively unproven by the healthcare industry.”
Miz and Miller in same series? Postseason velocity records beware! | MLB.com — Zach Sweet writes, “Fifty-six pitches. That’s the most triple-digit heat any postseason series has produced since pitch tracking began in 2008.” That happened during the 2016 Giants-Cubs NLDS. And Jacob Misiorowski has thrown four more this season by himself. And Mason Miller is second in that arms race. Good luck to any of the batters in this series!
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 25: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds first base after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 25, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In Chaim Bloom’s end-of-season press conference, he was firm on his stance that the Cardinals would not take any shortcuts in building a team that could contend for division titles and World Series championships. Watching the Cubs get swept out of the playoffs in two games was quite enjoyable, but was also a good reminder of how silly the current playoff structure is. But whatever. Those are the rules, so the only way to avoid the fake playoffs and get a real series is to win the division with a top-two record in the league.
Building a team that can compete for a division title is not a theoretical target. The Brewers happen to play in the NL Central with the Cardinals, so the path to reaching this goal runs through Milwaukee. If your goal is to beat another baseball team in a baseball game, a critical component of the exercise is to have better baseball players on your team. Unfortunately for us Cardinals fans, the Brewers have had really excellent baseball players over the last few years.
Today, I am going to go position by position and diagnose which franchise has the edge in 2027 and long term. For this exercise, I am focused entirely on players already within the respective organizations. This is not an argument for or against the Cardinals acquiring outside help, but rather just a snapshot of the current talent pools. When I am thinking about the long-term outlook of a position, I am mostly focused on the current major league roster and upper-level prospects. Both the Cardinals and Brewers have super deep and talented farm systems, but it is too early to start making plans around Trevor Condon or Ricki Moneys. Finally, this post got pretty long, so this will only cover the position-player side of things.
The Brewers posted a team FanGraphs WAR of 26.1 this season, outclassing the Cardinals’ 15.6 WAR. Let’s dive right in and get to work.
For space, not all players are listed, so the player total will not equal the positional total. Def is the FanGraphs defensive value plus positional adjustment.
Catcher
The Brewers had a significant edge on the Cardinals during the 2026 season thanks to the excellent all-around play of William Contreras and a surprisingly effective offensive season from Gary Sanchez.
The catcher position looks to be one of the more tenuous ones for Milwaukee moving forward. Contreras is under contract for only one more season and seems like a prime candidate to be traded in the offseason. Sanchez will be 34 next season and is not under team control (mutual option). The Brewers have two organizational top-30 prospects at the catcher position in Jefferson Quero and Marco Dinges. Quero was previously a top-100 prospect at some outlets, but had a down 2026 season with a below-average Triple-A batting line. He looks like a poor man’s Jimmy Crooks to me. Dinges is a power/bat-first prospect with only 58 Double-A plate appearances and does not project as a starting-caliber player.
The Cardinals are primed to give Bernal the starting job with Crooks or Pages serving as the backup and Ivan Herrera as the third catcher. Of course, Rainiel Rodriguez may factor in at some point in 2027. With all the comments from the front office about getting Rodriguez positional versatility, I am starting to think that he is more likely to break in as a corner infielder. This makes sense to me for a couple of reasons. The obvious one is the depth of options at the catcher position. The other reason is that he might simply be outhitting the catcher position. There is a real chance that he is a top-10 hitter in MLB and a potential cornerstone for the franchise for the next decade. Do you really want to risk the wear-and-tear of the catcher position on a bat that elite? I am not sure I do.
With or without Rodriguez behind the plate, the Cardinals should have a big edge over the Brewers over the next three seasons. William Contreras has declined by WAR the last three seasons and is getting to the older side for a catcher going into his age-29 season. Still, he is a stud and Bernal is more upside than a guarantee, so the Brewers get a slight edge for 2027.
2027: Brewers, slight edge
Long term: Cardinals, big edge
First Base
The Brewers produced the best first-base offensive output in baseball with the platoon of Bauers (career 88 wRC+ coming into the year) and Vaughn (career 102 wRC+ coming into the year).
Give the Brewers as much credit as you want for the production they got out of these two, but this level of performance is almost certainly unsustainable. Bauers is a free agent and Vaughn has one more year of team control. The Brewers do have an enviable amount of upper-minors corner bats on the way. Andrew Fischer hit 48 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He may stick at third base, but was given time at first as well. He looks like an extreme version of Joshua Baez, if you can imagine that, with a 33% strikeout rate and 37% whiff rate. Blake Burke hit 30 home runs in Double-A as a 23-year-old and Luke Adams cracked out a 149 wRC+ as a 22-year-old in Triple-A. None of these prospects are considered top-100, but all three have a chance to be problems in the future.
The Cardinals have Alec Burleson under team control through 2028. If he is around, he will get the vast majority of the playing time for at least the next two seasons. Jack Gurevitch and Deniel Ortiz are a tick behind the Brewers’ trio in prospect pedigree, but both have starter upside at first or third base. The big thing in the Cardinals’ favor is all of that catching depth could spill over into first base with Rodriguez and Bernal already playing the position.
I like the Cardinals’ first-base setup in 2027 and going forward. The Brewers have enough prospect depth to make it interesting, but the Cardinals have the best player in Burleson, solid prospect depth with Ortiz and Gurevitch, and the leftover catchers to fill in as needed.
2027: Cardinals, big edge
Long term: Cardinals, slight edge
Second Base
Turang has improved every season of his career and put up borderline MVP-caliber numbers in 2026.
Both teams are set at second base for the foreseeable future. I am guessing that when the 2027 player projections are released, Turang and Wetherholt will be within a half win of one another. Turang is under team control for three more years while Wetherholt is locked in with the Cardinals for eight more seasons. Between these two players, you would much rather have Wetherholt going forward just because of the contract situation. Things are more complicated when you start looking at the minor league depth. The Brewers have a bunch of middle-infield prospects on the way that could slide over to second base. Still, assuming that baseball’s number one prospect, Jesus Made, sticks at shortstop, none of them would be projected to outperform JJ.
2027: Even
Long term: Cardinals, slight edge
Third Base
Joey Ortiz played like prime Nolan Arenado across 50 games, and the Cardinals went a full season without an answer at the hot corner.
Ortiz is not a prototypical third baseman, but he has had excellent production at the position over the last three seasons. With Cooper Pratt in as the primary shortstop until the prospects arrive, I assume Ortiz is going to get the majority of his playing time at third. He is under team control for three more seasons. If either of the aforementioned Andrew Fischer or Luke Adams can make it work defensively, they could challenge for playing time as early as next season as well. Jett Williams is a former top-100 prospect who played plenty of third base in Triple-A, but he had a down season offensively and looks like a utility bat moving forward.
You know all the names that are in play for the Cardinals. If the season started tomorrow, we would get some combination of Saggese and Blaze Jordan. Jesus Baez might start making top-100 prospect lists this offseason and is the most obvious potential fit in the upper-minors. Gurevitch and Ortiz could also be in the discussion at some point, but neither is the type of prospect you pencil in. This is where I start to get excited thinking about whether Rainiel Rodriguez could handle third defensively. If my theory is correct that he might be hitting his way off of the catcher position, it would be a huge deal if he could play third base rather than DH and first.
Neither team has an obvious long-term stud at the position, but the Brewers have a much higher floor with Ortiz. Jesus Made could also be an option at third if his defense does not surpass that of the incumbent shortstop, Cooper Pratt. Luis Pena is the Brewers’ second-best prospect and is ranked in the top-20 on most national lists. He could be their long-term preference at third, but looks like he still has a lot of developing to do. Scouts love Pena because of his tools and the exit velocity numbers he has posted, but he has yet to crack double-digit home runs in a season and has not done much offensively above Low-A. He is only 19 and has already made it to Double-A, but until he puts up actual numbers, I will not be too worried about him.
2027: Brewers, big edge
Long term: Brewers, big edge
Shortstop
Even in a down season, Winn provided enough production to comfortably outperform the Brewers’ mix of shortstops.
The Cardinals pretty clearly have a present advantage at the shortstop position. Cooper Pratt is only 22 and put up a really solid season, but he did have some BABIP luck and looks to be more solid than exceptional defensively. While the Cardinals have the advantage today, the Brewers pretty clearly have it moving forward. Jesus Made is the game’s top prospect and could debut as early as next season.
2027: Cardinals, slight edge
Long term: Brewers, slight edge
Left Field
Chourio is still just 22 and is inching dangerously close to superstar status.
Chourio is under team control through 2033 and appears to only be getting better. It is not realistic to project Joshua Baez to match or exceed his production, but it would be a big deal if he could at least close the gap.
2027: Brewers, big edge
Long term: Brewers, big edge
Center Field
The Brewers have a good center fielder and the Cardinals do not.
Mitchell is a high-strikeout guy who has posted a career 115 wRC+ thanks to a .382 career BABIP. He has a volatile profile and is only under contract for two more years. Luis Lara broke out in Triple-A as a 21-year-old, but struggled a bit after being called up. He signed a long-term extension and is under team control for the next ten years with club options. Lara is not a sure thing either, but he should have a reasonably high floor thanks to his speed and contact ability. The next-best prospect in the pipeline is Braylon Payne, who made it to Double-A as a 19-year-old. He has swing-and-miss problems, but a ton of upside with 70-grade speed, plus defensive grades, and above-average power.
This feels like a position in which the Cardinals could quickly close ground, but they are signaling that they are going to stick with Nathan Church to start next season. After that, you are waiting for Josiah Ragsdale, Tai Peete, or one of the teenage prospects to emerge. Despite the relatively uninspiring depth in Milwaukee, I would still give the Brew Crew the edge both now and moving forward.
2027: Brewers, big edge
Long term: Brewers, slight edge
Right Field
Jordan Walker’s solid season was enough to give the Cardinals their first decisive win for the 2026 season.
The Brewers will surely have better production next year with either positive regression from Frelick or putting Lara in right field full time. Still, you would much rather have Walker and his upside than anyone the Brewers are likely to run out over the next few years.
2027: Cardinals, big edge
Long term: Cardinals, big edge
Designated Hitter
Both teams had disappointing seasons from their primary DHs, but at least the Cardinals were not paying theirs $26M.
Yelich is under contract for two more seasons and for once, this control is a disadvantage for the Brewers. He is a good bet to rebound some, but is unlikely to be worth his salary as he enters his age-35 season. The previously mentioned corner-infield prospects could help provide some production in the future. Josh Adamczewski is a top-100 prospect who is seen as one of the best pure hitters in the minors but a below-average defender. He only has 66 games in Double-A and is just 21, so he is probably a few years away from being a major factor.
It is hard to project DH value because you do not know if teams are going to use the position as a rotating way to give guys a day off, or have a mostly full-time DH. Herrera is a good bet to be one of the best DHs in the sport for the next three years of his team control. This, combined with Yelich’s contract, gives the Cardinals the edge now and moving forward.
2027: Cardinals, big edge
Long term: Cardinals, slight edge
Advantage by Position
Takeaways
The Cardinals could have a huge advantage at the catcher position as early as next season if the Brewers trade Contreras.
I give the Brewers the edge at the shortstop and third base positions long term, but a lot of that is based on teenage prospects that might be overrated. Made and Pena have not posted numbers in line with their prospect rankings. If they do not live up to the hype, the Brewers will be in trouble.
The biggest single position advantage now and in the future is Chourio in left field. Unless Baez turns into a 3+ WAR player pretty quickly, this is going to be tough to overcome.
Outside of Chourio, the Brewers’ outfield is really not scary in the short or long term.
Christian Yelich is the only bad contract on either team, eating up almost 20% of the Brewers’ payroll. That is a real advantage for the Cardinals.
Where Rainiel Rodriguez fits in positionally could change the picture a ton.
Alright, so where does this leave us? Based on my assessment, the Cardinals and Brewers should have the same number of positional advantages next season. Turang outperformed his expected stats and likely just put up his career year. Bauers is a free agent. Ortiz, Mitchell, and Vaughn all crushed their projections and are likely to regress. You could see some bounceback from Contreras, Yelich, and Frelick and continued improvement from Chourio, Lara, and Pratt. Any time a team wins 103 games, they are all but guaranteed to have some regression the next season. There is plenty of uncertainty on the Cardinals’ side too. No one knows what Walker will do next. Burleson’s 2026 will be tough to beat. I would expect better seasons from Winn and Herrera. Baez has such a low bar to clear from the left fielders he is replacing that he alone could make up a ton of ground. A full season of Bernal should be a huge improvement too.
We obviously haven’t begun to address the pitching side with this comparison, but on the position-player side, the Cards are a center fielder and third baseman away from being right there.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2026 postseason begins at home on Saturday, Oct. 3, hosting Atlanta in Game 5 of the best-of-five National League Division Series as the back-to-back World Series champions chase a third in a row.
No NL team has ever won three consecutive titles and the last Major League Baseball team to do it was the New York Yankees from 1998-2000. The Dodgers got a bye to the NLDS with the second-best record in the NL, while Atlanta had to win a hard-fought wild card series against their rival to advance.
Trade deadline acquisition and back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal makes his first postseason start for the Dodgers, who last played six days ago. Skubal went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 starts after the joining the Dodgers and the 29-year-old is a free agent this winter, expected to sign a record-setting contract.
"Everybody's got one goal at hand. I fit right in with that," Skubal told reporters. "I think everything that I try to do is try to win as many baseball games as I can. I'm excited to start doing that in October."
Where to watch Dodgers vs Braves: TV channel, streaming
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