ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after wining the ALCS MVP after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 19, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Seattle baseball fans surely know it already — the Mariners are among five teams in baseball to have never won a World Series title. Heading into the 2026 season, there were plenty of people (including myself) that felt the M’s were in position to make a run at not only reaching their first World Series, but potentially even crossing their name off that short list of teams whom have never reached the sport’s highest pinnacle.
As it turned out, this was not the year for the Mariners. They did not make the playoffs — you, dear reader, surely do not need the reminder. However, with the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays making it out of their respective leagues, 2026 is now guaranteed to produce a first-time World Series champion for the second time in four seasons. The list of teams to have never won the Fall Classic is about to dwindle even further, down to four.
Both teams have a host of connections to Seattle, including former Mariners players on each roster (Jake Mailhot has more on them right here). The franchise that would become the Brewers started out in Seattle as the Pilots for one season in 1969 before moving to Wisconsin. Their departure spurred the lawsuit that would eventually result in Major League Baseball awarding Seattle another team, the one we now call the Mariners. The Rays on the other hand, while never calling Seattle home, have made more trades with Jerry Dipoto’s Mariners than any other team during his tenure. They may as well be the Mariners’ younger, more successful sibling by the similar fashion in which they run their organizations. It also can’t go without mentioning that Jeff Sullivan, the founder of this very blog, is currently a senior analyst in the Rays baseball operations department.
All this is to say…somebody’s gotta win it all. It’s not going to be the Mariners in 2026. So, without further ado, I present the following discussion prompt:
Who are you rooting for, the Rays or Brewers, to win their first World Series title? And why?
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 25: Sam Haggerty #0 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on May 25, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the offseason underway, we are taking a look at every player who appeared for the Texas Rangers in the 2026 season.
Today we are looking at outfielder Sam Haggerty.
That didn’t work out as we had hoped, did it?
Brought in to camp in 2025 on a minor league deal after having been released by the hated Mariners of Seattle, Haggerty was brought up in May of 2025 and filled a much needed role on the team, that of a righthanded outfield bat. It was anticipated that Haggerty would be able to provide value in that role in 2026, as well.
We maybe should have been clued in that the Rangers weren’t completely sold on Haggerty by how they handled his contract situation in the offseason. Haggerty was entering his final season of arbitration eligibility, and normally arb-eligible players are signed in early January, close to the deadline for the team and the player to submitted numbers for arbitration. Haggerty’s deal, for $1.25 million, was announced on the day of the deadline to non-tender players, which suggests the Rangers were going to bring him back at their number or else they’d cut him loose rather than risk paying him more in arbitration. Not exactly a vote of confidence in his ability to be a quality righthanded bat.
And, yes, if you want to be pedantic, Haggerty isn’t a righthanded bat, he’s a switch-hitter, but for his career he has a 765 OPS against lefthanded pitchers and a 548 OPS against righthanded pitchers, the kind of platoon split that makes you think maybe he should junk the switch hitting thing and just hit righthanded all the time.
In any case, I regret to inform you that Sam Haggerty did not provide value in that aforementioned role in 2026. He did not provide value in any role in 2026, in fact. Haggerty slashed .159/.213/.182 in 47 plate appearances in 35 games, which is pretty terrible.
I thought that a 395 OPS might be the worst the Rangers have gotten from a player in that many plate appearances in a season, at least recently, and of course I was wrong. Doing a search on Stathead for players with a sub-400 OPS in at least 45 plate appearances in a season for the Rangers, I discovered that the 2024 Rangers had two such players — Davis Wendzel and Andrew Knizner. Wendzel had a 397 OPS, so he at least edged out Haggerty, though Knizner’s 394 OPS put him just behind Haggerty. Knizner put up his putrid OPS in 93 plate appearances, which is pretty impressive, if you think about it.
Curtis Terry had a 279 OPS in 48 plate appearances in 2021, which is the lowest for any player with at least 45 plate appearances for the Rangers since 1973, at the second lowest for the Rangers if we exclude pitchers (Dick Bosman and Pete Broberg qualify in 1972 if we do include pitchers). Robinson Chirinos in 2020, Hanser Alberto in 2016, Mike Carp in 2014 and Cristian Guzman in 2010 are the other qualifiers in the 21st century.
I’m now reminded that the Rangers traded Tanner Roark to the Nationals for Guzman, and am irked.
The most memorable part of Haggerty’s 2026 season is probably the circumstances surrounding his release. Haggerty went on bereavement leave on June 1, and then was designated for assignment a few days later, when he returned from bereavement leave. Unfortunate timing, that.
Haggerty is also a bit noteworthy because he wore number 0. Only three other players in Rangers history have sported a 0 — Al Oliver, Oddibe McDowell, and Junior Ortiz.
I am not a big uniform number guy — I would be hard pressed, off the top of my head, to give you the uniform number of any Ranger — but I do have opinions on uniform numbers. One of them is that 0 is an acceptable number, but only for certain players. There should be some flava to you and your game if you are going to wear number 0.
Al Oliver and Oddibe McDowell? Good 0s.
Junior Ortiz? Anonymous backup catcher. If he were a mediocre starting catcher, I’d say no, but I think a backup catcher who doesn’t play much can be a number 0.
Sam Haggerty as a bench guy who plays a number of positions in the infield and the outfield is an acceptable 0. But in 2026, he was basically a platoon left fielder, and you can’t be a platoon left fielder and wear number 0 unless you’ve got a lot of spice in your game, unless you’re an energy guy.
Of current Rangers on the 40 man roster, Alejandro Osuna and Cody Freeman would be good number 0s. Someone tell one of them to change their number for 2027.
TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 26: Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates his fourth inning home run with teammates Brett Lawrie #13 and Travis Snider #45 during MLB game action against the Oakland Athletics July 26, 2012 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Brad White/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During the playoffs, teams that aren’t participating usually fade from the spotlight. MLB discourages any team from making headlines that might take attention away from postseason action. Of course, it’s also quite possible the Blue Jays wouldn’t provide us with much to discuss regardless.
Let’s try a question:
Which Blue Jays player did you have the highest hopes for, only to see them fall short of your expectations?
There are plenty of possible answers, but right now, mine is Travis Snider. Snider was the organization’s top prospect and made an encouraging debut. In 2008, at 20, he appeared in 24 games and and hit .301/.338/.466.
The next year, at 21, he played 77 games and hit .241/.328/.419—not bad for someone his age. In 2010, he posted a .255/.304/.463 line over 82 games.
Some decisions didn’t make sense to me. He was a top prospect on a team that finished 11 games out of first place—so why not let him play every day? At 22, he posted a .767 OPS. Why not give him a regular spot in the lineup?
In 2011, he played just 49 games for Toronto. On July 30, the Pirates traded him.
He spent three seasons in Pittsburgh, hitting .244/.314/.388 over 311 games, and later spent a year with the Orioles.
I always felt he was a bit mismanaged. If you call up a player at age 21, you need to commit to playing him regularly. But the Jays had their struggles with developing young talent at that time, often opting for veterans like Kevin Millar, Brad Wilkerson, and Kevin Mench instead. When a young player arrives at 20 or 21, you have to let him play.
Now it’s your turn. You don’t need to write 400 words—just share your pick and your reasoning.
WILLIAMSPORT, PA - AUGUST 23: Milwaukee Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer looks on during the 2026 Little League Classic presented by New York Life between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers at Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series starts tomorrow in Milwaukee at 8PM. First World Series against two teams who have never won a title since the 1980 title match.
Tim Stebbins wrote about offseason questions for the Guardians.
Zack Meisel wrote about the hitting and pitching issues that led to the Guardians losing three games straight in the ALCS. Of most note, Tanner Bibee said he is ready to make any changes needed to improve from his 2025-2026 performances.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 25: Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, September 25, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When the Yankees announced they were bringing back Paul Goldschmidt for 2026, it went down somewhat like a lead balloon. He had gotten off to a nice start in 2025, but fell off down the stretch. That along with Ben Rice’s emergence seemingly made him expendable for 2026.
However, the Yankees opted to give him another year. In fairness, he did hit lefties quite well. He just ended up playing a bit more than ideal, dragging down his overall numbers. That being said, he was more than servicable in 2026 and hardly the roster’s main problem.
Initially, Goldschmidt was used mainly in just a platoon fashion. Through the end of May, he had appeared in 34 of the Yankees’ 59 games. Once again, he got off to a very nice start, posting a .261/.354/.496 slash line. Between injuries elsewhere in the lineup and the Yankees relying on him more after that hot start, he ended up appearing in 71 of the final 102 games.
In the end, the breakdown of his number of plate appearances against different handed pitchers didn’t end up being that drastic a difference. Of his 380 PAs, 183 were against lefties and 197 against righties. He was never going to only ever face lefties because that’s generally just not feasible, but the ideal plan probably wouldn’t have included that many against righties. Further evidence of that is that he posted a genuinely very good .967 OPS against lefties, compared to .590 against righties.
Goldschmidt had his moments over the course of the season. On June 13th in Toronto, he hit a go-ahead home run off the Blue Jays’ Louis Varland that ended up providing the final difference in a win.
It should be noted that Varland is a righty, so while his splits were drastic this season, playing him against righties wasn’t completely irredeemable. Additionally, Varland was also one of the best relievers in all of baseball this season and will probably get a non-zero number of votes in the AL Cy Young Award race this year. In general, Goldschmidt was a perfectly fine bench bat/platoon guy to have around. He just ended up getting used more than the Yankees planned on.
Now as we look ahead to the future, it’s difficult to make any legitimate argument to bringing Goldschmidt back again. His contract for 2026 was only one year. Goldschmidt himself wants to play on past this season. Between the way he hit lefties and the fact that he’s still a perfectly solid defender at first base, there will still probably be teams out there willing to give him another one-year contract for 2027.
However, when it comes to the Yankees, they got an even bigger breakout season from Ben Rice. They also acquired Luis García Jr. at the Trade Deadline. While García has opposite splits to Goldschmidt, he’ll also be getting games at first base. The team still hasn’t made a decision in regards to Giancarlo Stanton, and they’re also coming off a season when Aaron Judge missed a lot of time, so they might use him more at the DH spot. While the Yankees figured it out in 2026, there will be more to figure out in regards to Goldschmidt’s playable spots for 2027. I could totally picture Goldy OPSing .800+ against lefties again next year, but it’s probably for the best if he does so elsewhere.
Paul Goldschmidt is a likely future Hall of Famer. While his time with the Yankees was far too brief and far too insignificant compared to the rest of his career for him to go in as one, he’s been nice to have around for the past two seasons.
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
Aug 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryan de la Cruz (41) celebrates as he scores the game-winning run during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
outfield (noun): 1) the part of a baseball field beyond the infield and between the foul lines, 2) a position on a baseball team which the Phillies have trouble developing players.
There was a point in the season in which Felix Reyes was considered an outfielder.
Felix Reyes.
Then the team decided to give de la Cruz a shot and what do you know? He actually started to produce a bit once he made it back to the major leagues. Too little, too late?
The biggest thing that de la Cruz brought to the team was adequacy. Putting Edmundo Sosa out in the outfield was fine as a one or two game thing, but depending on him as a true part of a platoon was not great planning. It was done because they didn’t have any real options to do that…..except that they did.
He was fine at the plate, taking a few walks, striking out less than the league average, even popping a couple of home runs. He was a fine fourth outfielder.
Remember how de la Cruz was supposed to be the right handed part of a platoon in the outfield? Turns out, even in a limited setting, he wasn’t actually that good against left handed pitching. He had an .891 OPS against right handers, a .623 OPS against left handers. Neither number was with more than 50 plate appearances, so the small sample size argument is ripe here, but that does seem kind of impossible to do.
Final grade: B
In his limited time here, de la Cruz was at least productive. As stated previously, as a fourth outfielder, he’s a fine option. The issue is not with him; it’s about timing.
Why did it take so long for the team to bring him up?
While with Lehigh Valley, de la Cruz posted an .806 OPS in 356 plate appearances. His strikeout rates were fine, his walk rates were fine, his defense was….fine. What took so long for the team to bring him up? They were willing to try others ahead of him, Reyes included, for reasons known only to the team. Would he have helped them win games earlier in the season? Maybe. Maybe having a more competent outfield option helps them get through some of the early season doldrums they had on offense. By the team he was brought up, Bryce Harper was the regular right fielder and de la Cruz played more games in left. He wasn’t producing so much that the decision to keep him down was so egregious, but it was more of a roster construction head scratcher.
It highly unlikely he’d be brought back unless he takes another minor league deal. If he did that, the team should consider it. As a starter on a major league deal? They had better upgrade everywhere else first before considering that idea.
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 01: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another year, another World Series without the Phillies in it. Weeks after the Phillies’ inglorious defeat in the Wild Card round, both the National and American Leagues have crowned their champions who will now face off to determine MLB’s ultimate champion for 2026.
The Milwaukee Brewers will take on the Tampa Bay Rays. While some people will cry that the “glamour” teams aren’t involved, these two teams were the best in their respective leagues for most of the season and the matchup should make for an excellent World Series.
Since many Phillies fans may have tuned out since the Wild Card round or been distracted by such things as LeBron James and blood clots, here’s a quick guide to catch you up on this year’s series.
Milwaukee Brewers
How they got here
They led baseball with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then defeated the Padres 3-1 in the NLDS and swept the defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS.
Who you should know
Jacob Misiorowski – The second year righthanded starter is very likely to win the NL Cy Young Award. He throws very hard and strikes a lot of guys out.
Brice Turang – He had already established himself as a great fielder, winning a Gold Glove in 2024, but he’s improved as a hitter every year as well. He had an OPS of .816 with 21 home runs this season.
Logan Henderson – The rookie starting pitcher had a strong season and was unbeatable when pitching at home.
Brewers are 11-0 in Logan Henderson's 11 career home starts 🔥
Jake Bauers – Previously a journeyman, Bauers unexpectedly hit 26 home runs – more than double his career high – at age 30. He was just named the MVP of the NLCS thanks to five RBIs over the final two games.
What are they good at?
Quite a bit. Despite a lack of notable offensive superstars, they were second in baseball in runs scored thanks to their best in baseball on-base percentage. They also had the second-best team ERA in baseball thanks to a stellar top of their rotation and lockdown bullpen.
What are they not good at?
Hitting home runs. Their 154 home runs was the second-lowest figure in baseball. While it’s nice to be able to get on base with regularity, rallies can be harder to sustain in the playoffs, and sometimes you need that one big blow.
Tampa Bay Rays
How they got here
They won the American League East with 98 wins, swept the Yankees in the ALDS, and took out the Guardians 4-2 in the ALCS.
Who you should know
Junior Caminero – At 22 years of age, the third baseman has established himself as one of the top power hitters in baseball. With 42 home runs, he topped the 40 mark for the second straight year.
Yandy Diaz – The veteran designated hitter led the AL with 180 hits.
Drew Rasmussen – After a couple of injury shortened seasons in 2023 and 2024, he’s somewhat quietly become one of the best pitchers in baseball. He had a 2.64 ERA and a league-low 0.913 WHIP.
Freddy Peralta – After leading the league in wins for the Brewers in 2025, he went to the Mets and was having an awful season before being traded to the Rays at the deadline. Naturally, he pitched well down the stretch and was the ALCS MVP. (LOLMets)
On August 22nd, Freddy Peralta had the worst qualified ERA in all of baseball.
They had the second-best team batting average (behind the Brewers), third-best ERA from starting pitchers, and closer Bryan Baker was a game shortener, leading the AL with 41 saves.
What aren’t they good at?
Similar to the Brewers, their power numbers aren’t great, ranking 15th in team slugging percentage and 26th in isolated power. And aside from Baker, the bullpen isn’t all that impressive.
Who should we root for?
It’s a matchup of smaller market teams who have never won the World Series, so there’s no real “feel good” story or villain. However, the people of Milwaukee have suffered much longer than residents of the Tampa Bay area, which due to lack of fan support probably shouldn’t even have a team to begin with. I feel we also owe the Brewers some support since they not only prevented the Dodgers from earning a “threepeat,” but they did so in decisive fashion, sweeping them out of the NLCS.
If you’re the type who likes to root for former Phillies, the Brewers employ lefthander reliever JoJo Romero, who came up through the Phillies’ system and spent his first three seasons with them. He wasn’t very good for the Phillies but has had a solid career since they traded him. While the Phillies could use solid, homegrown relievers, they did get Edmundo Sosa for him, and everyone loves Sosa.
As happens when there are no teams from New York, Los Angeles, or Boston involved, there has been some consternation about what kind of ratings this year’s World Series will get. Coincidentally, these complaints are usually from fans of teams from New York, Los Angeles, or Boston.
MLB executives looking at a Brewers-Rays World Series to turn around slumping baseball ratings. pic.twitter.com/BjGNkf7rIc
Since I don’t work for MLB nor a TV network showing the games, I don’t care one fig about the ratings, and nor should any other normal fan.
Who will win?
The teams are rather similar to each other in that they score a lot of runs without relying too much on home runs and have excellent starting pitching. However, the Brewers seem to be just a little bit better at everything, and they appear to have a clear edge in relief pitching.
Brewers bullpen in the Postseason: – 40.2 IP, 1.33 ERA, 38 K, 0.89 WHIP, .159 BAA
Rays bullpen in the Postseason: – 30.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 32 K, 1.00 WHIP, .191 BAA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Dalton Rushing #68 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The elbow injury that wiped out Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing’s final two months of the regular season and left him watching in October proved even costlier than previously expected. Rushing had surgery to repair the partially torn UCL in his right elbow.
To address a partial UCL tear, he was expected to undergo a hybrid internal brace procedure, which would set him up to return to catching full time in nine months. He would be able to hit well before then.
Nine months from now is after the All-Star break, which would likely limit Rushing’s first-half contributions to being a left-handed pinch-hitter off the bench.
The elbow injuries marred an otherwise important season for Rushing, playing in his first full major league season. When Will Smith went down with a neck injury in the first week of June, Rushing got the first real extended time behind the plate of his professional career, and he started 34 of 47 games at catcher through August 1.
Rushing’s injury also likely clears a path for Hunter Feduccia, who returned to the Dodgers at this year’s trade deadline, to remain as the backup catcher to start the 2027 season. Feduccia was active for both the Division Series and Championship Series but did not play in the postseason and Smith caught all 70 innings behind the plate in October.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Morning, all!
The Brewers and the Rays have gone to the World Series on a budget, but there are ways the Rangers can change their approach on the field to get more out of what they have.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 07: Matt Borgschulte#72 and manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals look on against the Minnesota Twins on May 7, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This morning, Spencer Nusbaum broke the news that the Nationals will be retaining their entire coaching staff. After an 11 game improvement from 2025, this is not much of a surprise, but I wanted to break things down. The hitting coaches enter 2027 under no pressure after an exceptional offensive season. However, the pitching coaches need to show results.
The Nationals plan to bring back all 12 coaches who ended the season on Blake Butera’s staff, but did not renew the contracts of five of the big-league team’s training and strength coaches, per sources.
In my opinion, the pitching coaches are the more interesting talking point here, so I will start with them. The pitching braintrust consists of assistants Dustin Glant and Sean Doolittle, as well as the main man Simon Mathews. Doolittle was the only one who was in the organization before 2026.
This season was a mixed bag for them. The surface level stats were not pretty, with the Nats 4.67 team ERA ranking 5th worst in baseball. Infamously, the Nats bullpen set the all time blown saves record in 2026 as well. While the offense took a massive step forward, progress for the pitching staff was slower.
However, there was some progress that took place. The Nats team ERA went from 5.35 in 2025 to 4.67 in 2026. This took place without a massive leap in team talent as well. Even the bullpen, which set the wrong types of records, had a lower ERA in 2026 than 2025.
There were also a few pitchers who took major strides, most notably Cade Cavalli. The Nats right hander was a popular breakout pick due to his stuff, but he still exceeded all expectations. He posted a 3.02 ERA with 200 strikeouts in 169.2 innings. The sweeper that the pitching coaches taught him played a large role in that success.
Getting the best out of Cavalli is a big feather in the cap for Simon Mathews and company. It shows that they can have success when the requisite talent is at their disposal. However, 2027 will be a big prove it year for the pitching coaches.
With Cavalli, Connelly Early and Andrew Alvarez in the rotation, the talent is beginning to come together. Now, Simon Mathews will need to prove that he is the right guy to get the most out of these arms. He enters next season with a little bit of a target on his back. If the pitching improves, that target will go away though.
While there are some questions on the pitching side, the Nats hitting coaches are riding high. The Nats offense blew past expectations this season, finishing as a top 5 unit in most metrics. Matt Borgschulte, along with his assistants, Andrew Aydt and Shawn O’Malley did a remarkable job in 2026. I wrote about what made this Nats offense special, and the coaching staff played a big role in creating this offensive monster.
The Nats offense was an absolutely elite unit in 2026. I broke down what made this offense special https://t.co/sY3oVEtjya
So many Nats hitters made huge improvements, and did so in tangible ways. Keibert Ruiz became an air pull machine, while Jacob Young elevated the ball more to get to another level. Stars like James Wood and CJ Abrams were also better than ever. There is really nothing to complain about here.
Another coach who I want to shout out is Bobby Wilson. The Nats catching coach helped turn Keibert Ruiz from arguably the worst defensive catcher in baseball to an above average backstop. Whenever I was at the ballpark, I saw Wilson working with the catchers on the finer details.
Overall, I have zero issues with running back this staff. The pitching coaches will have some pressure on them, but they earned a shot at working with more talented arms. At the end of the Davey Martinez era, the coaching staff was a massive issue. However, I have plenty of confidence in Blake Butera’s staff entering their second season.
In the midst of a most disappointing season, the Royals received some hope in the form of catcher Carter Jensen.
Jensen, the 23-year-old local kid out of Park Hill, emerged as the team’s primary catcher in 2026 and looks to play even more games behind the plate going forward. This year, he started 97 games at catcher while appearing in another nine. His bat played so well that he appeared in an additional 42 games as the DH, of which 40 were starts.
While he won’t win the Rookie of the Year Award, he gives the Royals another building block for the future, another piece of the core around which the front office can build. No longer will the Royals have to rely on the aging Salvador Perez to suit up every day. Instead, it’s the young man with the fresh legs and lively bat. He’s a piece of the lineup for years to come, joining Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, Maikel Garcia, and (probably) Vinnie Pasquantino.
Only five players in MLB history have met the following thresholds in their rookie season…
Jensen picked up a cup of coffee in 2025, but he made the team out of the gate in 2026. He had some issues during the season, of course, including allowing a league-leading nine passed balls. As of June 6, which was the 80th game of the season, his batting average dipped to an ugly .211. His other numbers weren’t a whole lot better—.288 on-base percentage, .368 slugging, add that up and what do you get, why it’s an abysmal OPS of .657.
After that, though, he improved, first gradually, then suddenly. He finished the season by capturing the September American League Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month. He broke the Royals record for home runs by a rookie with 27, which also led the team. With 64, he broke Witt’s record for most extra-base hits by a Royals rookie. In the midst of that, he set a team record for most consecutive hits for extra-bases with a cool dozen.
Double the honors! 🤩
Carter Jensen has been named the American League September Rookie of the Month AND the American League September Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/tqYV2UICst
Kevin Gausman was acquired by the Cubs, ostensibly, because of his extensive postseason experience and in particular, how he starred for the Blue Jays in 2025.
Gausman’s regular season numbers for Toronto this year weren’t that great, though some of his peripherals suggested he could return to his 2025 form.
Welp. That didn’t work out too well, did it? In nine starts for the Cubs Gausman was measurably worse (4.83 ERA, 1.232 WHIP) than he was for the Jays (23 starts, 4.38 ERA, 1.288 WHIP). In particular, Gausman fell victim to the same thing many other Cubs pitchers did in 2026 — the long ball. In 50.1 innings for the Cubs, Gausman allowed 11 home runs. He’d allowed 15 homers in 127.1 innings for the Jays.
Whatever’s causing that for Cubs pitching, they need to get it fixed before 2027.
Gausman started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series and it did not go well, as he allowed five hits and three runs in 3.1 innings.
Gausman is an unrestricted free agent — no options of any kind. He turns 36 in January. He loved playing in Toronto:
The Gausman family full of gratitude and love for Toronto and the Blue Jays ❤️ pic.twitter.com/V2fQSIQ5nr
Seems possible, if the right-hander wants to continue playing, that’s the likely landing spot.
It was, I think, a worthwhile attempt, the deal bringing Gausman to the Cubs. Brett Bateman, the key piece in the deal, played 41 games for the Jays and batted .329/.402/.424, producing 2.2 bWAR. That’s quite good. But Bateman was blocked in Chicago by Pete Crow-Armstrong and so this was a good opportunity for him. The other player in the deal, Ty Southisene, is only 20 and has yet to play above A ball.
We should all wish Gausman well. I don’t think the Cubs should bring him back, though.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 20: Umpire Stu Scheurwater #85 argues with manager Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics after Kotsay was ejected during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 20, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Thursday everyone!
The World Series is nearly upon us. Just one more day before baseball fans are treated to Game 1 of the Fall Classic between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither team has won the World Series so one way or another, one organization is going to taste the sweet feeling of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy within the next two weeks.
And for A’s fans, there aren’t any major former Athletics on these teams (sorry Jorge Mateo and Chad Patrick). Still, there is a sense of comradery among the fanbases. Tampa and Milwaukee have been low-spenders for the majority of their existences, much like the Athletics. Getting to watch one of these low-payroll franchises lift that final trophy will be awesome to watch for A’s fans. A remind that even against the highest-spending teams like the Dodgers and Yankees, any team can win on any day in baseball.
Anyway, now that the A’s have their top voice in the front office, it’s time for Taylor Smith to begin staffing that office. And that’s something that the team is starting on immediately. And based off the comments from yesterday’s presser, it sounds like Smith will be hiring a GM to work under him. That’s not a shock considering that’s how most front offices work in baseball these days. Now we have to see who Smith will tab as his second-in-command.
Furthermore, from that same presser it sounds like manager Mark Kotsay’s job is safe, at least for now:
Taylor Smith and A’s manager Mark Kotsay will have dinner tonight in Vegas. Smith: “From my conversations with Mark so far, he seems like a great guy. Someone who's hungry for all the information we can get [the coaching staff], and I think it'll be a great partnership.”
That doesn’t sound like someone who is getting ready to make a change in the dugout. There wasn’t a huge expectation that Kotsay would be given his walking papers after the hiring of the next POBO but it was still a possibility. Based off those comments we can expect to see Kotsay in the dugout this spring. How long he lasts will depend on how quickly the team can begin turning things around.
No baseball today but the World Series tomorrow! Have a great Friday Junior A’s fans.
The 1st name that came out of Taylor Smith’s mouth when talking about the pitching staff was Jacob Lopez.
He was more deliberate when mentioning the other guys on the staff, but the way he blurted out ‘Lopez’ with that kind of enthusiasm was definitely interesting
Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Brent Honeywell (40) reacts during the fourth inning of game five of the NLCS against the New York Mets during the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Wednesday was light in Dodgers action in the Arizona Fall League, as the Glendale Desert Dogs were shut out in a game shortened by rain to only six innings. Against the Peoria Javelinas, Glendale managed only four hits, all singles, one of them by second baseman Charles Davalan.
So let’s expand our offseason minor league scope a bit, and turn to the Dominican Winter League (or LIDOM, if you prefer). As far as I can tell, shortstop Emil Morales is the only Dodgers minor leaguer currently active in the league, which started its season last Friday. Morales, who by season’s end was ranked the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and ranked 29th by Baseball America, did not play on Wednesday, but has played in two of five games thus for for Gigantes del Cibao.
Morales, who turned 20 in September, has a single, double, and two walks in his seven plate appearances thus far. He’s the second-youngest player on the Gigantes, with Rockies prospect Ronny Brito, a switch-hitting infielder/outfielder five and a half months younger than Morales.
Honeywell for the Gigantes on Wednesday pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief. This is the second time in his career the 31-year-old right-hander has played in a winter league, having also pitched in seven games and 28 innings for Escogido in the 2022-23 season.
San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Offseason media speculation has suggested the San Diego Padres are leaning toward extending Adrian Morejon a qualifying offer. The lefty pitcher earned consideration with a dominant second half. No question, Morejon should be brought back for the 2027 campaign.
It is rare for a setup reliever to receive a qualifying offer, but this news should not come as a big surprise. Morejon is considered the top left-handed reliever in this winter’s free-agent class, and should command plenty of interest on the open market.
What is a qualifying offer?
Every organization has five days after the World Series ends to extend a qualifying offer to an impending free agent. It is a one-year contract offer, and this year’s price tag is $23.15 million.
However, all players must have spent the entire season on the club’s roster and have never received a qualifying offer in their career. If they decline the contract offer and sign elsewhere, their former team receives a compensatory draft pick.
Why extend a qualifying offer
Re-signing Morejon should be the Padres’ top priority this offseason. The club has no internal left-handed bullpen option to replace him. In fact, it is hard to find a reliever who can take on his workload: he averaged over 70 appearances over the last three seasons.
In 2025, Morejon posted a 2.83 ERA over 86.0 innings pitched. Pairing an outstanding 30.4% strikeout rate with a solid 8.0% walk rate, Morejon struck out 107 batters. Perhaps his most impressive underlying metric, Morejon surrendered just four home runs last season.
If he rejects the offer, his suitors will have to consider the cost of pursuing him. Fortunately for the Friars, they receive compensation if their premier setup reliever signs with another team.
If accepted, Morejon would receive a massive salary increase from his $3.9 million mark a year ago. San Diego keeps its late-inning bullpen tandem for another season.
Extending the qualifying offer puts the ball in Morejon’s court.
Morejon has a life-changing decision
At 27, Morejon is in the prime of his career. Most free agents would decline the qualifying offer to seek a multi-year, big-money deal. Morejon’s potential suitors do not need a reminder of his value to the bullpen.
Still, a conflicted decision looms. While accepting the qualifying offer is a foolish business decision, Morejon has openly expressed a desire to remain in San Diego. A deep-seated loyalty to the franchise could play a role in his decision.
To extend a qualifying offer, the Padres have to be confident Morejon is open to a long-term extension. It would not be a surprise to see the Padres and Morejon come together on a new deal.
Time will tell what occurs.
Padres News:
Ramon Laureano was supposed to be the answer in left field for the Padres in 2026. Unfortunately, a pre-existing injury and a corresponding surgery cut his season short and now San Diego has to decide if it wants him back.
