SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 7: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres tosses his bat after hitting a home run in the third inning during Game Four of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park on October 7, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After being left off manny of the postseason awards lists to this point in the offseason, the San Diego Padres finally had one of their big names recognized by the sport. Fernando Tatis Jr. was named a Silver Slugger Award finalist as an outfielder and as a utility player due to his splits between the outfield and second base in 2026. He was the only Padres player to receive a nomination for the award.
Tatis started the season in a power slump, which was the source of much consternation among the Friar Faithful and baseball. The direct reason was never fully explained, but it was obvious that he was trying different things with his stands and hand placement that may have been the cause. Although he was hitting the ball out of the yard he was getting hits it just looked much different than what San Diego fans have come to expect from the superstar.
Tatis was snubbed in the Gold Glove Awards this season after being the best defender in the game in 2023 and 2025. The belief is that his movement between right field and second base was the cause, however he was not even nominated for the Gold Glove as a utility. It is a bit ironic that he has been nominated for the Silver Slugger as an outfielder and utility player because of that fact.
Tatis finished the 2026 season with an average of .289 with 181 hits and 25 home runs. He also 83 RBI and scored 96 runs. Will he be recognized a Silver Slugger winner? The Friar Faithful and the rest of baseball will find out when winners are announced on Nov. 17.
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Ethan Salas did not explode onto the scene when he finally made his debut with the Padres, but he did make some key contributions. What grade did he get for those efforts from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball?
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers looks to the dugout during a game against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Fernando Cruz #63 of the New York Yankees reacts against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the most beautiful parts of baseball is how many different personal journeys we fans get to learn about as players chase their dreams. Fernando Cruz’s story aside, let’s dive into the season that earned him a B- from the staff here at Pinstripe Alley.
Cruz’s 2026 really started at the World Baseball Classic, representing Team Puerto Rico. After rejoining the Yankees, he picked up where he left off last season as a trusted member of Aaron Boone’s bullpen. From there, it became a story of two halves.
Before the All-Star break, Cruz was excellent. He was a borderline All-Star, striking out 50 batters over 40 innings while holding opponents to a .191 batting average. His best month of the season was May, when he appeared in 14 games and posted a 1.02 WHIP while allowing just two earned runs over 13.2 innings. He was one of the more dependable pieces out of the bullpen during the first half of what was an underrated unit.
The key to this effectiveness was his splitter, which he deployed 51.3 percent of the time. He paired that pitch with a four-seamer, sweeper, and sinker to keep hitters off-balance. The splitter continued to be his best weapon, generating a 52 percent whiff rate and limiting hitters to a .161 average against it.
After the break, however, his performance began to slip. Something seemed off as Cruz started losing some control in late July, and August became his roughest month of the season. He posted a 6.75 ERA over eight innings, allowing six home runs and four walks. Following a blown save against Houston on August 25th, the Yankees announced that Cruz had suffered a partial tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament, and he landed on the injured list the following day.
The ultimate team guy, Cruz opted to pursue a non-surgical approach after receiving a second opinion with the hope he could make it back in 2026. He received a cortisone shot and started rehabbing trying to find his way back into the mix for the postseason. However, a month after landing on the injured list, the Yankees transferred Cruz to the 60-day injured list on September 25th, ending his chances of returning during the 2026 season.
On the season, Cruz had some impressive underlying numbers. He ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity and the 99th percentile in whiff rate. He also landed in the 82nd percentile in xERA, the 88th percentile in strikeout rate, and the 85th percentile in extension. However, his hard-hit rate ranked in just the 22nd percentile, and his walk rate was in the third percentile. The right-hander was also effective against left-handed hitters holding them to a .180 batting average.
Losing Cruz after the Trade Deadline was less than ideal, especially with the Yankees having few options capable of replacing his production internally, which led to the Michael Fulmer experience. As the page turns to a new season, with the injury question mark hovering over him, Cruz becomes an interesting offseason decision for the Yankees.
The team has until November 20th to tender him a contract for the 2027 season. Depending on the outlook for his elbow, it would not surprise me to see the Yankees retain him and try to work out a deal before arbitration. Given the injury uncertainty, it could be a buy-low opportunity for the club, provided they believe he can return to form and he is willing to accept a similar salary to last season. However, professional baseball is a business and the team might opt to use the money and roster spot they would spend on Cruz elsewhere this offseason.
Personally, I gave Cruz a B for this season, and in hindsight, I feel that might have been a touch low. What grade would you assign Cruz, and what are your thoughts on him in pinstripes in 2027?
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 26: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles breaks his bat after striking out in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles telegraphed that Samuel Basallo was their catcher of the future as soon as they signed him, days into his MLB career, to an eight-year contract extension. When the team traded Adley Rutschman ahead of this year’s trading deadline, that elevated Basallo to catcher of the present as well. Unfortunately for Basallo and the Orioles, his rookie season ended up with him like so many other recent young Orioles, where flashes of the potential were regularly present but the whole thing did not come together into as good of a package as the team needed.
Going into this season, you didn’t have to be living in a delusional, optimistic world to think that Samuel Basallo might end up as a Rookie of the Year contender. The Orioles massaged his arrival carefully last year – same as they did with Dylan Beavers – just to preserve that possibility. They really thought they were getting things lined up to maybe get a bonus draft pick next year. They had managed this once before with Gunnar Henderson.
As it turned out, all of this was pointless, and it didn’t even have anything to do with Basallo, because of a strong AL rookie field. Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle is likely to run away with the race. A pair of Japanese “rookies” in Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami had strong American debuts. A number of other American-born players have strong cases to fill out ballots, among them Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter, Chicago’s Tristan Peters, and Kansas City’s Carter Jensen. Basallo could have had a good season and he would have been just another player in this 2nd-5th place pack.
Through the end of May, things were going very well. At the end of May, he had a .283/.345/.516 batting line, with nine home runs already. This turned out to be the high point for Basallo’s 2026 season. He did not have another good month at the plate for the rest of the season, with poor hitting in June and July and incredibly awful hitting in August and September.
Part of the story of the second half struggle was surely injuries. Basallo played in only 29 games after the All-Star break. He missed close to a month due to dealing with shoulder inflammation, and it was after returning that his season numbers really took a swan dive. Unfortunately, one part of the story of Basallo’s injuries was that his manager, first-time skipper Craig Albernaz, spent some of his time with reporters openly questioning Basallo’s toughness.
There was a period of a few days there where it seemed that Albernaz had vindictively benched Basallo over the catcher needing an off day to manage a minor injury. That’s what was implied by both Orioles TV and radio broadcasts at the time, with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer expressing his disagreement with that treatment of the O’s young player. (Maybe that’s why Albernaz didn’t reply to his text that one time.)
I don’t want to hijack this article about Basallo with a rant about the manager being an idiot. Yet it’s hard to avoid wondering how much Albernaz’s attitude affected Basallo in August and September. Did he rush back from that shoulder injury? Was he playing through something else in order to avoid the ire of Albernaz? It’s not certain it was physical. There is always the Adam Jones Theory of Baseball, which he delivered at a time when reporters were asking him if he was playing through an injury: “Sometimes you just suck.”
The late-season swoon included a number of moments from Basallo where the frustration bubbled over. The photo accompanying this article, Basallo destroying a bat by snapping it over his thigh, was only one example. I can’t help but bring Albernaz into it again. What was the manager doing while his young player was going through extremely public and obvious challenges? (A similar question could be asked regarding Gunnar Henderson’s visible frustration.) It’s the job of Albernaz and his coaching staff to stop things before they get to that point! What were they doing? Sorry. Okay, I’m not sorry. But I am going to try to get back to Basallo.
More than most of the other positions on the diamond, the value of a catcher is about more than just what he does when he’s hitting. Even as he debuted last year as a much-hyped prospect, there were questions about what level of defense Basallo might be able to develop as time went on. Would he be able to handle some of the technical aspects like pitch blocking and controlling the running game? Would he be able to develop good relationships with his pitchers and carry out productive pitch-calling game plans?
There is enough in the 2026 performance to think that the answer to these questions could, over time, be yes. Basallo graded out well in the Statcast metrics for pitch blocking. He also showed a good pop time and with it, solid ability to control the running game. Regarding game-calling, Basallo emerged as the clear personal catcher for Trevor Rogers, even before Rutschman was ever traded, so it’s clear there was something positive going on there.
Less positive was Basallo on pitch framing. This is a skill whose importance has evolved with the introduction of the ABS challenge system. It’s less final if a catcher is bad at it. You can get the umpire to fix a mistake, theoretically. It’s still worth something to have a good framer of a catcher. It’s better to make the other team have to put one of their challenges at risk to have the umpire overturn a borderline pitch than to have to put one of yours at risk.
As a challenger, as a catcher, Basallo was exactly 50/50. He won 30 and lost 30. That’s actually a higher percentage than I expected, because it felt like there was a lot of “Basallo blows a challenge early and it was a bad idea” going on. There was some of that, and perhaps that’s an influence on why Basallo actually graded poorly as a challenger: He only challenged 19% of eligible mistakes. Maybe he became too conservative after some of the mistakes.
The Orioles were 30th of 30 teams in this category. That is, they were the worst team at using a challenge when pitches in the strike zone were called balls. Basallo wasn’t the only problem, but he was reflective of it. The average team was challenging about a third of the mistakes made when they were on defense. It could be that some early bad challenges by hitters also influenced the catchers. This is an area where the whole 2027 Orioles can stand to improve.
What does all of this add up to for Basallo in 2027? Although he is the team’s most prominent remaining catcher, it’s still not clear how frequently he will, or should, catch behind the dish. The team was already conservative with how often they played Rutschman back there. He’s got stuff to work on: Along with the framing/challenging, he could stand to chase less, and find a way to get productive launch angles more frequently. I don’t know how well the manager will be in his corner for all of this.
Even so, Basallo is the Oriole whose contract is guaranteed the farthest into the future. More than anyone else, he is expected to be a key piece of what happens going forward. There are reasons to be excited. Hopefully by the end of next season, there will be more such reasons.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
You may not have noticed, but MLB free agency is underway as you read this. Nothing of note has happened yet, but with the lockout looming just a little over three weeks away, perhaps some of the bigger free agents will be able to find homes fast.
One that will probably be waiting a while is Alec Bohm. The Phillies declined to issue Bohm a qualifying offer, all but closing the door on his tenure in Philadelphia and allowing a new team to acquire his services without suffering draft pick penalties. It’s not a definitive end to his time with the Phillies, as a reunion can’t exactly be ruled out yet, but all signs are pointing to Bohm playing for another team in 2027 (or whenever baseball happens again).
Bohm’s free agency will be an interesting albeit not flashy case to watch. His 101 OPS+ and 107 wRC+ for his career both point to Bohm being right around a league average hitter. In a market starved for bats, particularly right-handed ones, Bohm is almost certain to find work somewhere despite his warts as a below average defender. But still, most rankings of free agents have him near the bottom of the Top 50 or outside of it altogether. His market will likely not be robust coming off of arguably the worst season of his career, but the lack of the QO anchor should help him at least somewhat.
Bohm seems destined for a short one or two-year deal with a small market team in need of a corner infielder or DH. The real question is will it be with a contending one such as the Cleveland Guardians or one far from it such as the Kansas City Royals. If it does end up being the latter, a good first half from Bohm could make him a decent trade chip come deadline season.
In any case, where will Alec Bohm be playing in 2027? What type of contract do you think he is in line for?
The annual MLB GM Meetings, held every November, usually result in a minor ripple of news and rumors before the usual tsunami that comes out of December's Winter Meetings.
Expect that to change this time around.
That's because the Winter Meetings, like everything on the MLB calendar once it flips to December, are in peril due to the coming lockout.
Barring a shocking last minute breakthrough in negotiations, the Winter Meetings (scheduled for Dec. 7-10) will be canceled as the league and MLBPA dig their heels in for what could be a drawn out negotiation while the two sides work to create a new CBA -- with the league wanting a salary cap and the players being vehemently opposed to one.
That means that just over three weeks remain until everything shuts down, which should result in a relative frenzy of free agent signings between now and Dec. 1.
With that as a backdrop, here are five questions Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns should answer as the GM Meetings begin this week in Las Vegas...
When asked in a roundabout way about a possible pursuit of Tarik Skubal, who was still under contract with the Dodgers at that point, Stearns gave an understandably vague response that didn't mention Skubal by name.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
One of the most illuminating things Stearns said that day, though, revolved around the Mets' willingness to be "selectively very aggressive" as he alluded to an ownership group that has "the resources and the willingness to be that aggressive."
That takes us back to Skubal.
If Stearns was the only decider, the Mets under his stewardship might not ever go to the very top of the free agent market for a starting pitcher (the pursuit of a then-25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto being an exception). But there seems to be a very real possibility that owner Steve Cohen could urge Stearns to go hard after Skubal -- the kind of ace who could transform the rotation.
There's no reason to think Stearns will tip his hand ahead of a possible negotiation with agent Scott Boras, who represents Skubal, but it will still be fascinating to hear what he has to say this time around about the possibility of adding to the top of the rotation.
In addition to that, would the Mets be interested in a reunion with Clay Holmes? And are there any rotation locks beyond Nolan McLean and Christian Scott?
Are the Mets comfortable with Jared Young as the regular first baseman?
In the same news conference where he discussed the Mets' rotation situation, Stearns talked about first base, praising Young's performance (and Brett Baty's late-season surge) while saying his expectation was that the club would be looking externally for first base help.
Stearns also made it clear that it would be foolish to expect anything resembling regular playing time in the field for Jorge Polanco in 2027, which means New York's main internal options at the position are Young and Baty, who both hit from the left side.
While Young played well after being unexpectedly thrust into a de facto starting role this past season, he hit just nine home runs in 342 plate appearances and did not have much success against left-handed pitching -- slashing just .228/.290/.316 (.606 OPS) with zero homers in 62 plate appearances. Like Young, Baty didn't fare well against lefties, posting a .500 OPS in 91 plate appearances.
New York Mets left fielder Jared Young (29) watches his solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Factoring in the above, and the uncertainty surrounding Polanco, the Mets should at the very least be seeking a right-handed hitting first baseman who excels against left-handed pitching. Even if they get that player, Young would seemingly be penciled in as the regular at first base. Is that good enough?
If Stearns wants to find a regular at first base, options on the free agent market include Ty France and Jake Bauers, who are both coming off late-career offensive eruptions. The righty-hitting France (who won the Gold Glove award in 2025) would make more sense than the left-handed Bauers, who is attached to a qualifying offer.
New York could also pursue Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, whose handedness (he's a lefty) is offset by his immense upside.
What is the appetite for a big trade?
With the exception of first base, second base (which could be filled internally if Marcus Semien's struggles continue), and designated hitter (which is likely to be filled by committee), the Mets are pretty set all over the diamond.
So if they swing a big trade this offseason, there's reason to believe it would be for pitching help. And there are a handful of very intriguing starting pitchers who could be available, including Drew Rasmussen, Hunter Brown, Joe Ryan, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby.
In a world where the Mets sign Skubal (or ink a free agent like Holmes or Michael King), it could make sense to fill another rotation spot with a relatively inexpensive but high upside option (like Brown, Ryan, or Kirby), or a slightly more expensive pitcher who is set for free agency after 2027 (like Gilbert or Rasmussen).
After bringing an influx of talent into the farm system via their trade deadline sell-off in 2026, the Mets are better set up to swing a trade for an impact pitcher. But how eager will they be to do that? And can a match be found?
Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts after getting the games final out against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / John Jones - Imagn Images
Senga, who was a starting pitcher for his entire MLB career before being moved to the bullpen in the middle of last season, prefers to return to the rotation.
Before 2026, the last time Senga pitched regularly in relief was in 2015, during his age-22 season with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan. Senga also made one relief appearance for Japan in the 2017 WBC.
So it's unsurprising that Senga, who has been known for having pretty meticulous routines, still wants to start.
While what Senga did in relief late in 2026 was promising, with his fastball/ghost fork combination playing up, it would be unwise to insert him into that role in 2027 unless there is buy-in from him. And even if there is buy-in from Senga, it's fair to wonder if he would remain healthy -- and be able to have a regular reliever workload -- given the rigors of what it takes to pitch in the bullpen.
It would be quite surprising if the Mets move Senga back to the rotation, which means the options here seem to be Senga being a reliever for the Mets or being a starter elsewhere.
What about that lockout?
Most MLB owners and executives haven't gone into detail when asked theoretical questions about the coming lockout. But with the lockout now just a few weeks away, perhaps that starts to change.
With the league's aforementioned focus on a hard salary cap (even if the players bending on one seems unlikely), will it color the Mets' offseason approach in any way?
Even if there is no salary cap, will the possibility of stricter luxury tax penalties lead the Mets to be more careful when it comes to adding long-term commitments to the payroll?
Meanwhile, will the lockout be preceded by a flurry of trades by Dec. 1? Or is the industry expectation that trades will be more difficult to complete amid all the uncertainty?
Ethan Wilson, who’s worked in communications for the Mets since 1999 and is an incredibly kind person, was among the Mets players and staff honored by the BBWAA’s New York chapter.
Bud Selig and Major League Baseball moved the Brewers to the National League on this date in 1997, and for a little while there, the Mets fared extraordinarily well against them. That 2024 Wild Card round was a lot of fun, too, but the Brewers have clearly had the last laugh at this point.
Round 24 of voting was the last of 2023 (we did not do an actual wrap for the voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick), and the full archive.
We are starting the Top 100 Prospect countdown on the same day as our first poll, with the goal of running a new poll every day. At that rate, we should get through 35 Votes before the Top 100 meets our polling, giving SSS readers 35 chances to weigh in on our Top 100. From there, we will stop the polling and run through the remaining players, finishing up as all players report to camp in mid-February.
As of now our countdown will start with Fidel Montero as our Mr. 100 this year. We’ve customarily turned over the Prospect Vote to the next round as soon as the top vote-getter seems to have an insurmountable lead, but if there’s a rout, we’ll call it in a day. In order to get as many votes as possible in, we’ll try to wait no longer than two days before the next round.
Four players from last year’s Top 10 Prospects have lost their prospect status due to MLB service (Braden Montgomery at No. 1, Noah Schultz at No. 3, Hagen Smith at No. 4 and Sam Antonacci at No. 7). As an indication that there is some continuity in the system, four players on last year’s initial ballot appear in this year’s as well. With Mason Adams having been traded, that means just one player, Christian Oppor, performed poorly enough to drop off of our initial ballot.
Six of the 10 players on this first 2027 ballot played in the White Sox system in 2026, including two who made their major league debuts during the season. As to be expected drafting so early, we have four 2026 draft choices rounding out on the first ballot.
This year, the grandfather of our Top 100 is Tanner McDougal, marking his sixth year on our list and having moved from No. 21 to 22, 26, 63 and 6 so far. If all goes well, it will be his last, as he’ll see significant MLB time.
All right, let’s have some fun. And get voting!
We took a little downturn in total votes this round, which hopefully isn’t an enthusiasm signal going forward. Initially two shortstops, Billy Carlson and William Bergolla Jr., were deadlocked. But Carlson pushed ahead and prevailed, with 21 of 56 votes (38%):
Carlson, drafted in the first round in 2025, was voted our No. 7 prospect last year.
As you might have imagined in a shortstop-heavy system, we already have two shortstops among our picks:
Past No. 4s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2026 Noah Schultz (49%) 2025 Hagen Smith (23%) 2024 Edgar Quero (36%) 2023 Lenyn Sosa (43%) 2022 Oscar Colás (31%) 2021 Nick Madrigal (70%) 2020 Andrew Vaughn (74%) 2019 Luis Robert Jr. (58%) 2018 Alec Hansen (64%)
Right fielder Alex Weingartner, a 2026 draft choice, joins the ballot this round.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
Billy Carlson — 38% (Bergolla Jr. 27%, Fauske 13%, McDougal/Prosek 7%, Thome 4%, Lodise/Mogollón/Wolkow 2%, Volchko 0%)
William Bergolla Jr. Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 15 2026 high level Charlotte (AAA) Age relative to high level -5.1 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/AAA) 11 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 9 RBI ▪️ .444/.524/.556 ▪️ 2-of-4 (50.0%) SB ▪️ 5 BB ▪️ 4 K ▪️ 1.000 FLD%▪️ 0.6 WAR
The epitome of a “Chris Getz player,” Bergolla offsets his Punch-and-Judy bat with deft baserunning, a killer glove and incredible plate discipline. Well young for his level, this legacy player (dad, also William Bergolla) has cut through the White Sox system like butter since his acquisition at the 2024 trade deadline (from Philly, for Tanner Banks). After getting some heavy run in Spring Training 2026, Bergolla was on the fast track to Chicago before a collision with left fielder Sam Antonacci in an April game for the Knights gave him a serious bone bruise in his leg; after a lengthy stint on the IL, Bergolla broke his injured leg in his first rehab game in the ACL.
Jaden Fauske Center Fielder Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 11 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats 118 games ▪️ 4 HR ▪️ 48 RBI ▪️ .250/.388/.360 ▪️ 46-of-56 (82.1%) SB ▪️ 94 BB ▪️ 125 K ▪️ .948 FLD%▪️ 2.8 WAR
A year ago, we were not certain where Fauske would play, as a high school catcher announced at the draft as an outfielder-only. That proved to be the case in his first professional season, but what ho, Fauske saw more time in center than right field. And with quicks that saw Jaden snatch 46 bags in 118 games, the youngster might well stick in center.
Kyle Lodise Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level 0.0 years Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Tanner McDougal Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 23 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 33 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking N/R 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 6 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -6.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 2-3 ▪️ 27 games (7 starts, 3 finishes) ▪️ 50 IP ▪️ 4.86 ERA ▪️ 53 K ▪️ 34 BB ▪️ 1.480 WHIP ▪️0.2 WAR
The good news is that McDougal was enough of a core piece to be promoted to Chicago in the second half of 2026. The bad news … well, where to start. McDougal’s presumptive march to the South Side rotation was stopped dead early in the season, when he was sidelined for weeks with forearm tightness. While the injury was thankfully not severe enough to necessitate a second TJS, Tanner was a relief arm for the rest of the season and not a stable one at that. His brief cameo in Chicago saw him rack up one out along with three walks.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Alex Weingartner Right Fielder Age 19 2026 high level St. Augustine College Prep (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats 30 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 36 RBI ▪️ .495 AVG ▪️ .817 SLG ▪️ 33 SB ▪️ 21 BB
Oddly enough, Weingartner may be a doppelganger for the player listed right below; both he and George Wolkow were prep plums selected lower than their skill and scout rankings indicated, and both players scored sweet bonuses from the White Sox to lure them from potential college commitments. Both have rocket arms (Weingartner, in fact, pitched for his St. Augustine Hermits in 2026) as well.
George Wolkow Right Fielder Age 21 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 14 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 13 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 16 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats 123 games ▪️ 22 HR ▪️ 100 RBI ▪️ .239/.317/.446 ▪️ 15-of-22 (68.2%) SB ▪️ 50 BB ▪️ 179 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
Wolkow sacrificed speed and what batting eye he had for power in 2026, and while that made for some impressive counting stats (22-100 plays on the back of any baseball card) the hole in his swing hasn’t been sewn. If the White Sox brass is having Wolkow bet on his best tool, power, at all others’ expense, he’s slipping into the Colson Category.
The Blue Jays made it clear they do not stand with outfielder Anthony Santander after his anti-Muslim posts following Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan senate win Tuesday night.
Santander, 32, is two seasons into a five-year, $92.5 million contract he signed in 2025.
“Baseball is for everyone,” the team’s statement read, according to The Athletic, “and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Anthony Santander hits a two-run RBI single against the New York Yankees during Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Venezuelan outfielder caused a stir recently when he posted at least two videos to his Instagram Story knocking the new senator for his Muslim faith.
One video included the caption, “American voted for Sharia last night!” while another said “Muslims are not peaceful.”
El-Sayed’s religion became a major storyline during his heated race with republican Mike Rogers, and he became the first Muslim ever elected to the United States senate.
I’m all for free speech, but this is extremely disgusting and flat out disrespectful stuff shared by Anthony Santander.
Islamophobia is never acceptable, and I hope the @BlueJays take the appropriate action, considering they have some Muslim employees as well. pic.twitter.com/F3VV9cgMLH
The Blue Jays have taken strong actions against those on their roster who have made incendiary comments against a group before, having cut reliever Anthony Bass in 2023 after he called for boycotting companies that promoted LGBTQ+ rights.
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins described the transactions as a “baseball decision” at the time, but acknowledged the comments’ effect.
“There’s a myriad of variables,” Atkins said in June 2023 after releasing Bass.
Abdul El-Sayed declares victory at a Democrats election night party in Detroit on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. ZUMAPRESS.com
“Performance is usually the driving one and performance was a large aspect of this decision. Distraction was a small part of it and something we had to factor in.”
Moving on from Santander would leave the Blue Jays with at least $57.1 million in dead money when adding in his $5 million buyout clause for 2030.
His play on the field could warrant such a move, though, as he’s appeared in just 54 games with the franchise over two years, all in the 2025 season, and has slashed .175/.271/.295.
Santander underwent left labral surgery in February that ended his 2026 season before it began.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 12: The Boston Red Sox celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look at an unlikely comeback in the middle of the streak.
A few days ago, before the Ravens-Bills matchup, ESPN ran a parody ad on folks who left a 2025 game early, as Josh Allen and the Bills found themselves down two possessions in the fourth quarter. The Bills, to the ire of this Patriots fan, would win that primetime game last year, and Josh Allen, never one to mince words in his postgame interviews, said “Our team didn’t quit. I mean, I think there’s people that left the stadium. That’s OK. We’ll be fine. But have some faith next time.” The camera then cut to some folks who were in the parking lot during Allen’s comeback, and I found myself laughing at Buffalo fans, as is often easy to do amongst their deep playoff runs filled with hope, their chirps that at least Allen would win an MVP, and celebrations of October records. Of course they’d leave this game early, and how funny it was that they weren’t able to see how brilliant their quarterback was in the clutch in person!
I then recoiled in horror as I realized that, just four months ago, on one fateful afternoon much further downstate in Flushing, I did the exact same thing to our beloved Red Sox.
In my first year of being a resident of the Capital Region, New York, it has been easier for me to hit the Big Apple than Boston. I circled the Mets-Red Sox series in my calendar for the middle of July, reluctantly, as the Red Sox did not start the season very well and the game would be directly before the All-Star game. By the day of the game, though, I was very bullish on this Red Sox team. The Red Sox were winners of eight consecutive games, and it didn’t much matter if those wins came against the Angels and the White Sox, the latter of whom, at the time, weren’t the formidable contender they ended up becoming later in the season, but were certainly no slouches. The team had awakened offensively against the Angels and was showing definite signs of life
This was not the case, though, in the early innings of this game against the Mets, after my trip down 87. The Red Sox had trouble getting anything going against a lanky lefty Zac Thornton. Thornton ended up being a bright spot in an otherwise hapless season for the Mets, but he was on the mound for the first time in what was already his third call-up of the season from Triple-A Syracuse. His first try resulted in the Nationals taking him for five runs in 4 1/3 innings. It was fine for the offensive to flounder while I was watching – I had seen it plenty of times this season. But did the bats have to flounder so harshly while the wonderfulObsession star Inde Navarette was in attendance? No, no, no, no, no, don’t do that! I thought we were having a nice win streak!
If matters weren’t bad enough, this was a scheduled short appearance from Payton Tolle, who looked serviceable for a bit longer, striking out Juan Soto with authority (you can watch that clip below) and Brayan Bello, the guy who departed the Major League roster about a month prior to fall in love with baseball again, was up in relief. Frankly, I was writing this game up as a loss mentally, as the Mets lineup did not look punchless so far and Tolle was lucky to have just Francisco Lindor’s RBI double after 3 2/3 innings.
But Bello coasted for quite a while. Lindor would be pesky yet again with a home run to make the game 2-0, but that was one of two batters Bello did not retire, and the other one would be victim to a double play, anyway. Bello would pitch through the eighth. The problem, though, is that Thornton was dealing. Through seven, he had given up just two hits, was pitching a shutout, and had struck out five. But, good things can’t last forever, and so interim manager Andy Green went to Luke Weaver to start the eighth. At that point, with how hollow the Red Sox’s hitting attempts had become, the Red Sox’s expected winning percentage was hovering around 7 percent. The Red Sox would go 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. More of the same.
Enter Devin Williams, and enter my walk to the exit when, after a Ceddanne Rafaela single, he’d unceremoniously retire Abreu with a pop fly. The team’s pop was completely nonexistent; why would I subject myself to sitting in more NYC traffic after a loss? It was a sure thing, right? No sooner did my feet hit the closing gate than I heard a roar from a rather divided crowd. Francisco Lindor, the guy who was singlehandedly responsible for the lead the Mets had built, had bobbled the most routine of grounders that would have ended the game. The Red Sox now had men on first and second, and I was left to turn the stream on in the car.
The rest is history as we know it: Devin Williams would walk in the Red Sox’s first run of the game. Aroldis Chapman would start warming, Jarren Duran would have a clutch RBI knock, the game would go to the bottom of the 9th inning all tied up at 2, Chapman would be every bit of the historically dependable reliever we’ve come to know to send the game to extras, the top of the tenth would see the Red Sox playing small ball extremely efficiently, scoring the Manfred runner Masataka Yoshida on two consecutive plays. The small ball was a welcome addition to their game plan, and on that Sunday, it was due to their trust in the man who’d come in to close the game out, Garrett Whitlock, who slammed the door the same way I slammed my door when I arrived to it in the parking lot.
The Red Sox were winners of nine consecutive games going into the All-Star break, a streak that would last two more series. Even better, they were in that situation thanks to contributions — 13 outs in relief, to be exact — from a guy who was one of the reasons the season starting so dire in the first place. On July 12, Bello was electric, and so began a summer that made it exciting to root for Brayan Bello’s growth and success again. They were finding ways to win. I guess, as Josh Allen put it so eloquently, when dealing with a team I should be confident in, I’ll have more faith next time.
Have you ever left a game early and really wish you hadn’t? Can anyone one-up me with a 2013 ALDS story? Sound off below!
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Albert Pujolslooks on from the MLB Network set before the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 27, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we get into specific candidates for Astros manager it pays to take a look at the demographic information that the other 29 managers fit. We are looking at three relevant factors as it pertains to managers. We are looking at their current age as they sit and whether managing has become a young man’s game. We are looking at whether they were experienced prior to taking the job. We are finally looking at whether the manager had a prominent playing career at the big league level.
Age Factors
It’s important to look at data from all different kinds of angles. One can simply look at the numerical mean and that tells us a lot, but it doesn’t tell us anything. Rudimentary statistics also tell us that range is an important issue. Plus, we might want to look at the various ages graphed out because they clumps will tell us something the mean may not. Often times, an extreme outlier or two can impact the mean. So, let’s start with the basics and ignore rudimentary mean.
Oldest manager: Pat Murphy 67 Youngest manager: Blake Butera 34 Managers in their 60s: 6 Managers in their 50s: 8 Managers in their 40s: 13 Managers in their 30s: 2
I should point out that Joe Espada was left off of this list, but every other team is represented even if their manager was let go like the Red Sox, Angels, and Mariners because we are looking at the 2026 universe. If one were searching for a medan then the median would almost certainly be 49 which also is likely to be pretty close to the numerical mean.
How many had prior experience?
Out of the 29 managers that are currently or formerly employed, only five had previous big league experience before taking their current job. We should probably take a look at those five managers to get a handle on who they are and whether they have been more successful. Obviously, A.J. Hinch is the first one that comes to mind. We know what he did in Houston and he has had mixed success in Detroit.
Craig Counsell and Terry Francona represent the NL Central. Counsell signed almost as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs ironically from the Milwaukee Brewers. Counsell has certainly won more games than he has lost in Chicago, but Milwaukee obviously got better when he left. Francona has had mixed results in Cincinnati after being brilliant in Cleveland. Most people would probably classify him as a failure, but they also have fewer resources than the other clubs that routinely win.
Don Mattingly took over last season in Philadelphia and signed a two year extension. He took the team from the duldrums early in the year to qualify for the playoffs. They flamed out once they got there and it remains to be seen if he has staying power. Otherwise, that is pretty much it. So, getting an experienced manager is actually rarer than we may have thought and their success is actually fairly mixed. So, maybe we need to tamp on the breaks before demanding an experienced manager.
Past playing experience
This is the one that probably seems to be the big push. However, perception and reality are often different, so we should probably check this out. I will place players into three categories. You have star players that probably attended at least one all-star game, players that were regulars or semi-regulars for a long time, and then those that had a cup of coffee.
Star players: Aaron Boone, Stephen Vogy, Mark Kotsay, Kurt Suzuki, Walt Weiss, Don Mattingly, Regular Players: Dave Roberts, Torey Lovullo, Craig Stammen, Terry Francona, Craig Counsell, Skip Schumaker, Will Venable Minor players: Kevin Cash, Alex Cora, A,J. Hinch, Don Kelly
So, the list of managers that were former players is pretty extensive. Now, some of you will certainly question some of these categories and that is fine. The category isn’t so important. I wouldn’t necessarily consider Kotsay a star player for instance. Suzuki might also be a stretch there. One thing is for certain, not a one is a Hall of Fame player and that is interesting to say the least.
So, by my count more than half of the managers in baseball had somewhat significant careers. That makes sense, but it is not an overwhelming majority. I’m sure if we added in the ones that played minor league baseball we would get over 20 that had played professionally. What is interesting is when you put some of these categories together. The number of managers being hired in their forties for the first time that had recently played is on the rise.
What does all of this mean?
I think it means a couple of things. First for foremost, many of us were clamoring for managers that had managed in the big leagues before. So far, Brad Ausmus is the one significant interview that matches that qualification. I was one of those clamoring for an experienced manager, but given the demographic information above, maybe that is not really the best direction to go.
If we are going to demographics and to trends, then finding someone in their forties that had significant big league experience as a player would be a go to strategy. Names have included Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Daniel Descalso, Morgan Ensberg, Benji Gil, and Jon Jay. Obviously, I could do a deep dive into their playing careers, but we know very little about how any of them would manage a clubhouse. Someone like a Randy Flores has familiarity with some of them, so he would be in a better position to know and you would hope that some of it would come out in the interview process.
I stated my piece earlier on Joe Espada on multiple occasions. One of the frustrations was that he really didn’t do a good job of controlling the clubhouse. This particularly manifested itself in the Framber Valdez meltdown but also manifested itself in the numerous mental errors the Astros seemed to make on the bases or in the field. The new guy will have to command respect and it seems that a former player would have the upper hand there. Then, we get the strategic questions with the lineup, load management, and pitching staff that we simply won’t know until we know. That can be frustrating and answers may come in the interview process but hypotheticals and real life tend to differ at times. However, a former player has navigated the lineups and load management on the player side, so hopefully they would have some insight there.
There are names that potentially excite me and names that give me pause. All that being said, we on the outside are not in a position to know how these interviews are going and whether any of the individuals bring the personality and the attention to detail necessary to do the job well. We will have to trust Flo to make the best hire. The possibilities are many and hopefully we will see something within the next couple of weeks.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a 2-run home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kyle Tucker’s first season as a Dodger was undoubtedly a disappointment, but it can be broken up into two phases.
The first phase saw him underwhelm to the tune of a .221/.321/.350 slash line while producing negative value both offensively and defensively. Over his final 17 games of the regular season, he finished strong with a .333/.406/.667 slash line, with five of his 17 home runs on the season hit in the span. He carried that spark into the postseason, and was one of the lone bright spots in a tumultuous postseason lineup.
Entering the second year of his four-year, $240 million contract, there are questions as to which version of Kyle Tucker the Dodgers will see in 2027. Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru of MLB.com attempts to answer these questions based on Tucker’s torrid final stretch as well as his previous on-field success he had prior to joining the Dodgers.
Broadly, there are two possible answers to the question we’ve posed: Either Tucker’s September/October surge was a fluke, or that was just how long it took for him to get right again. In all likelihood, it’s the latter. If so, the Dodgers would have yet another true impact bat in their lineup in 2027.
Center fielder Andy Pages is one of 28 Super-2 players eligible for salary arbitration, per the Associated Press. The 25-year-old outfielder is coming off his first All-Star campaign where he lead the team in RBI with 85 and defensive runs saved with 20.
Dayn Perry of CBS Sports lists the 25 players that are most likely to be traded this offseason. Outfielder Teoscar Hernández ranks high on his list, with the probable destinations being the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners— his former team before joining the Dodgers.
Throughout the second half of the season, Blake Snell and Tarik Skubal developed a friendship that continues to blossom. Snell is now actively recruiting Skubal to rejoin the Dodgers, and he spoke with David Vassegh of SportsNet LA about the conversations he’s had with the two-time AL Cy Young award winner.
“He knows how I feel. I want nothing more than for him to be a Dodger. It’s a big life decision for him and his family, so I respect that. I’ve done my pitch… I think we have a good shot.”
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 1: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we trudge through award season, Matt Olson is in the running for yet another award. It was announced Thursday that Olson is a finalist for the Silver Slugger award. The winner will be announced November 17.
Your 2026 National League @SluggerNation Silver Slugger Award finalists 💪
Olson has already won some hardware this season, earning a Gold Glove and the Fielding Bible awards. He won the Silver Slugger in 2023 and aims to add another trophy to his cabinet.
More Braves News:
The Braves reunited with Perry Minasian, who will return to the front office after working with the Los Angeles Angels.
Our 2026 player review series continues with catcher Austin Wynns.
Luis Reyes will look to pick up where he left off after lat surgery cost him the entire 2026 season. | Luis Reyes/Instagram
Luis Reyes Right-Handed Starting Pitcher 6´2´´ 190 pounds Age: 21 2026 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 63 2025 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A) (injured for all of 2026) Age relative to 2025 high level -1.6 years SSS rank among all right-handed starters in the system 14 Overall 2025 season stats 4-9 ⚾️ 23 starts ⚾️ 87 IP ⚾️ 4.34 ERA ⚾️ 1.402 WHIP ⚾️ 88 K ⚾️ 37 BB ⚾️ 1.7 WAR
Signed to a $700,000 contract with the White Sox on Jan. 15, 2023, Luis Reyes has slowly but steadily developed into one of the more interesting young arms in the system. At 6´2´´and 190 pounds, Reyes noticeably added some strength since he first arrived in pro ball, and this translated to additional power on the mound. Unfortunately, Reyes missed all of 2026 after a lat injury in Spring Training put him under the knife.
Before injury, Reyes threw with a loose, easy arm action and repeated his delivery well. His fastball played in the low- to mid-90s but had touched 97 mph. The righty also threw a slider in the low 80s — which was by far his most-used pitch, thrown almost half the time. The 81-84 mph go-to slider had the makings of an actual out pitch. His other offerings were works-in-progress, but the foundation of a solid arsenal is in place.
At just 19 years old for all of the 2025 season, Reyes worked all year for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The hurler showed signs of continued development despite a somewhat uneven season overall. After a tough April and May, Reyes was able to turn the corner in mid-summer. The righthander was named MiLB Pitcher of the Month in June, when he gave up only one earned run over 25 innings. Reyes posted a microscopic 0.36 ERA and a 0.720 WHIP in that span, highlighted by two seven-inning, complete-game shutouts. He understandably regressed a bit in July (5.59 ERA) before ending the season on a stronger note in August (3.60 ERA).
After underwhelming results in the DSL and Complex League in 2023 and 2024, 2025 was a step in the right direction for Reyes. He improved his command and averaged 9.10 K/9. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to build on that progress in 2026 due to that surgery in March to repair a lat injury.
Heading into 2027, the priority is getting healthy and back on the mound, almost certainly starting in the ACL and likely spending a good chunk of the season there. With his size, arm strength, athleticism and makeup, Reyes still offers the potential of a mid-rotation starter, but a lost year adds uncertainty to that projection. Once healthy, he can get back to refining his command and secondary pitches while rebuilding his workload. The upside remains intriguing. Now he needs the innings to keep developing it.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 28: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers receives the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player Award after the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in Game Five of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Milwaukee Brewers are champions of Major League Baseball. Somewhere, Bob Uecker is smiling down from those great cheap seats in the sky.
The Brew Crew certainly deserve a lot of praise for their demolition run through the postseason bracket. After procuring a bye and home field advantage, they proceeded to…
Dispatch a solid San Diego Padres squad in the NLDS
Sweep the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS
Dismantle the American League’s clear top team—Tampa Bay Rays—in the Fall Classic
Yet, from a Twins fan perspective, the most interesting facet of Milwaukee’s mow-down was how the community came together to support the team at home and on the road.
One would be hard pressed to find more electric crowds than what showed up at AmFam Field in October. They even basically sold the place out just for fans to watch road games on the scoreboard! Perhaps most impressive was the complete and utter takeover of Tropicana Field (some 1,100 miles from MIL) for games 3-5 of the World Series. Based on crowd noise/reaction, one would have thought these home games for the Suds.
I have no special affinity nor malice towards the Brewers. Bud Selig can no longer hurt us and I don’t hold their cheesehead-ian pigskin proclivities against them in this context. Despite geographic proximity, a Twins/Brewers “rivalry” has never really developed (even when both were in the AL). Yet, our neighbors to the east can be a good litmus test for how MN baseball is doing—an exam currently being flunked in two significant aspects:
By population density, Milwaukee is the smallest baseball market. Yes, significantly smaller than even our Twin Cities. Yet, MIL outspent MIN in total 2026 payroll: $146,706,320 to $115,748,036 (according to Spotrac). “Not great, Bob” to quote the infamous Mad Men line.
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio seems to understand the deep local commitment to his product. Without a doubt, James Fillmore could tell us the ways Attanasio is angling for taxpayer money. But at a basic level, he hasn’t fallen into the never-ending (and self-fulfilling) death trap of letting poor attendance justify measly payrolls. For close to a decade now, the Brewers have at least put a competitive product on the field per their market realities.
It all paid off for The 414 in a 2026 championship—and will certainly continue to pay dividends (literal and figurative) in the near future. If Twins ownership ever wants a blueprint for how to build fan interest and competitive squads, a gaze over the St. Croix river is all it would take.
