Category: Baseball

The Pittsburgh Pirates made an offseason change to the coaching staff, hiring former Houston Astro pitching coach Sean Buchanan, according to The Athletic.

The Astros are losing Triple-A pitching coach Sean Buchanan to the Pittsburgh Pirates, sources tell @TheAthletic. Buchanan’s exact role is still being determined, but he will reunite with longtime Astros pitching coach Bill Murphy in Pittsburgh.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 27, 2026

The Bucs will reportedly use Buchanan in the upper levels of the Minor Leagues, which would make sense with Buchanan coming over from Triple-A in the Astros program. There with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, Buchanan helped lead the team to the fewest runs allowed in the league, with the third-lowest ERA at 4.97, along with the lowest BAA at .248, and they had nine shutouts, the most in the PCL.

During his five years with the Astros organization, he’s also spent time with Double-A Corpus Christi in 2024, High-A Asheville in 2023 and Astros Blue in 2022. Before that, he also spent some time with Lehigh, Albright College, Bard College, SUNY New Paltz, DeSales University, and Ave Maria University.

Buchanan comes with a good reputation and this is considered a bit of a steal for the Bucs for their Minor League system. And the Bucs must like what they see in the Astros system, taking their second coach from Houston in as many years after Bill Murphy came to Pittsburgh last year.

Nevertheless, the Bucs have a strong pitching staff at both the Major and Minor League levels, so it’s understandable why it’s an attractive job. And keep an eye on Buchanan in the Minors next year. We could end up seeing him in the Majors at some point.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After a dominant end to a dominant season, Cam Schlittler will be receiving the 2026 American League Cy Young Award, and although it’s unlikely he will be the first pitcher to take home MVP honors since Clayton Kershaw in 2014, he has a good shot at being named one of the three finalists. He will not be the only Yankee with a chance at bringing home hardware, however: Ben Rice is a finalist for the Hank Aaron Award and will presumably be a Silver Slugger finalist, Cody Bellinger has already been named the recipient of the 2026 Fielding Bible Award for left field and is one of the three Gold Glove finalists in left, David Bednar and Brent Headrick will be on the short list for reliever of the year, and both Paul Blackburn and Gerrit Cole have outside shots to be Comeback Player of the Year. Even with Aaron Judge missing most of the season, the Bronx will get to celebrate some personal accomplishments this year.

ESPN | Jorge Posada: While a guest on a New York Post podcast, former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada expressed a belief that the Yankees organization does not want him around — a belief that appears to date back to 2011, when the team moved him out from behind the plate and utilized him almost exclusively as a part-time designated hitter. Throughout the interview, he also discussed the Yankees’ postseason woes, his time in the Marlins front office and as the Team Italy bench coach during the World Baseball Classic, and his belief that his “no-nonsense approach” could prevent him from pursuing a coaching career in Major League Baseball.

The Athletic | Jim Bowden: (subscription required) With the offseason imminently upon us, sportswriters everywhere have begun to project how they think the winter will go. Here, former general manager Jim Bowden breaks down the top 40 free agents. He believes that the Yankees will be in on Japanese star third baseman Teruaki Sato, engaging with the Red Sox in a bidding war, expects Bednar and Blackburn to remain in the Bronx, and sees Ryan Jeffers as a realistic possibility.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Tampa Bay Rays, in the euphoria of their clubhouse Tuesday night, are aware of baseball history.

They know that no team in World Series history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit.

They know that no team trailing 3 games to 0 has ever forced a Game 6, let alone a Game 7.

They also know that well, it’s actually possible.

The 2004 Boston Red Sox proved it.

That’s the only time in baseball history that a team came back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, and prevailed, with the Red Sox stunning the New York Yankees with four consecutive victories, enroute to their first World Series championship in 86 years.

The Rays are hoping to become the sequel.

The Rays, three outs away from extinction, stayed alive Tuesday night in an electrifying 4-3, 12-inning comeback victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

They still are facing an uphill battle, of course, trailing 3-1 and have to face Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

But they have a prayer.

Yep, just like that ’04 Red Sox team, who ironically, stayed alive with a 12-inning victory over the Yankees when they were trailing, 3-0, too.

So why not repeat history?

“In this game, anything can switch really quick," Rays catcher Liam Hicks said. “It’s baseball. You know, they beat us, they killed us, they embarrassed us [Monday in a 10-1 defeat]. And then we were able to flip the script.

“Hopefully, we can use the momentum, because anything can happen."

Oh, how the Rays proved it on this night.

They had been shut out by the Brewers’ vaunted bullpen for eight innings. They had only two hits after the fourth inning. And the Brewers finally took the lead, 3-2, when 22-year-old rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt hit a leadoff homer in the top of the 12th.

“I mean, that homer was definitely a gut punch," Hicks said.

The homer had the Brewers just three outs away from their first World Series title in 57 years.

The World Series trophy was brought downstairs. Carts of champagne and beer were wheeled into the Brewers’ clubhouse. The plastic lining was going to protect the Brewers’ lockers. Commissioner Rob Manfred was getting set for a trophy presentation.

And then, it happened.

Junior Caminero, leading off the 12^th, hit a routine grounder to sure-handed third baseman Joey Ortiz. He threw the ball into the dirt, skipping past first baseman Jake Bauers.

“No excuse," Ortiz said. “Not one at all. I should make that play every (expletive) time."

The door was open.

“You see a window like that," Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson said, “you definitely want to take advantage of it."

The Rays did just that.

“You’ve got to take advantage when they make an error like that," Hicks said. “We weren’t ready to go home yet."

Hicks slapped a single to left field off rookie reliever Shane Drohan, with pinch-runner Cedric Mullins scampering to third base. Jonny DeLuca followed with a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield, tying the game. Simpson, after trying to bunt, then slapped a single to center, loading the bases.

“This team is definitely built on putting the ball in play," Rays backup catcher Nick Fortes, who pinch-ran for Hicks in the 12^th, said. “That’s what we do, and that’s what they do. They create a lot of pressure on the defense. They create chaos, and so do we."

Oh, did they ever, with pinch-hitter Ben Williamson hitting a chopper over Bauers’ head into right field for the game-winner.

It was the first pinch-hit, walk-off since Gene Larkin’s game-winner in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series for the Minnesota Twins.

“It’s what you dream of growing up," Williamson said. “You play wiffle ball in the backyard with your friends and you're dreaming of hitting a walk-off ball in the World Series.’’

The sellout crowd of 40,514 screamed, and at the same time, groaned, with the stadium largely full of Brewers’ fans.

“It’s electric either way,’’ DeLuca said. “We had a sold-out crowd, and being able to play on this field, after everything we’ve been through, and sold out, regardless of what fans are in here it’s pretty fun.’’

Just like that, the script dramatically flipped, becoming only the fourth game in World Series history that a team staved off elimination with an extra-inning victory.

Can the Rays possibly pull this off?

“One-hundred percent," Caminero said.

Why?

“Because," he said, “we’re the best team in the American League."

To win the World Series, of course, would be historic. The Brewers have 113 victories in 2026 for a reason. They would have to lose four consecutive games, which hasn’t happened since April. Maybe, the Rays say, they’re due.

“It's a pretty cool position we're in,’’ DeLuca said, “and it's a special opportunity that we have. So, we're just going to take it one day at a time and just be in the moment. We love the spot we're in, and we’re ready to take on the challenge.’’

Let’s be honest, the Brewers are sitting awfully pretty. They’ve got The Miz in Game 5. They’ve got a tired, but still vaunted bullpen. And even if they happened to lose Game 5, the next two games would be in Milwaukee, a house of horrors for visiting teams.

Besides, the Brewers never thought it was going to be easy, anyway. The Rays won 98 games during the season. They won the AL East going away. And except for the Game 3 blowout, every game has gone down to the last out with the tying run on base.

“I think the guys understand it's going to be hard," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “You're playing the best team in the American League. They proved it all year long, and they came up big today.

“When you're achieving something like this, it's going to have its adversity. We had some things go our way [Monday]. They had some things go their way today. That's the way it is. You just live with it, and if you're a competitor, you wake up [Wednesday] morning and come ready to play.’’

Still, they’ll wake up with some pain. To be so close, with the World Series stage ready to be wheeled onto the field, with the World Series parade already being planned for Friday, it was excruciating.

Rays starter Nick Martinez, who pitched two shutout innings in relief, remembers pitching for the Texas Rangers’ instructional league team after being drafted in 2011. He was in Arizona with his teammates watching the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. They were one strike away, twice, from winning the World Series in Game 6. They lost 10-9, in 11 innings, a game that became known simply as the David Freese game. They lost again in Game 7. The Rangers didn’t win the World Series for another dozen years.

“Got to just keep fighting," Martinez said, “one day at a time. One pitch at a time. One inning at a time.’’

In the famous words of former pitcher Joaquin Andujar: “You can sum up baseball in one word: you never know."

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Tampa Bay Rays do the unthinkable? World Series comeback would be unparalleled

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Cooper Pratt knew it was gone. Joey Ortiz did too.

Pratt led off the 12th inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night by driving Ian Seymour's pitch deep into the left-center field stands, putting the Brewers a half-inning away from the franchise’s first ever World Series title.

About 20 minutes later however, Pratt was consoling Ortiz in a quiet Brewers clubhouse.

The Tampa Bay Rays scored twice in the bottom of the 12th without making an out and won Game 4, 4-3. The rally started when Ortiz bounced the throw to first on Junior Caminero’s groundball.

Ortiz didn't hide from it.

"There's no excuse," Ortiz said. "Not one at all. I should make that play every (bleeping) time."

Pratt found him afterward. His advice was short and sweet.

"Flush it," Pratt said. "I've made about seven of them this postseason. So what? Next pitch.

“And next pitch is tomorrow.”

For the Brewers,  a team that had lost just once all October, they spent the early hours of Wednesday morning trying to treat this loss like any other. They did not want to talk about being three outs from celebrating a World Series title.

"It can be (difficult), but if you don't let it, then you can just come back ready to play tomorrow," Ortiz said. "It's a new game."

Pratt had his own play he wanted to flush. He was thrown out trying to steal second in the ninth after the Rays challenged the safe call and won.

"I didn't think he touched me," he said. "I saw the video. It looked like in the video that I was touched. I couldn't feel it. He probably did."

Then he moved on, which seemed to be the point.

"I think a loss is a loss," Pratt said. "Losing by 10 runs is the same as losing by one run in the 12th. It's over. It's done with."

Joey Ortiz reflects on the costly error in the Brewers' Game 4 loss pic.twitter.com/mRMr9TLzhu

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2026

Milwaukee still leads the series 3-1. And the Brewers didn't think they played badly so much as unluckily. They hit the ball hard all night. Much of it went right at Rays fielders. William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers and Brice Turang went a combined 0-for-21.

"We hit a ton of balls hard today that just went right to people," Pratt said. "Nobody said this was going to be easy. They're a really good team. They've proven that all year."

The Rays will be scratching together pitching on Wednesday after using Nick Martinez in relief Tuesday night. The Brewers have the luxury of sending out their ace.

Jacob Misiorowski will start Game 5 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. He won Game 1 and led the majors this season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts.

And history is on the Brewers’ side.

Every team that has led a World Series 3-0 has gone on to win it. That's 25 for 25. The Brewers are just the fifth to let Game 4 get away.

They are confident they will flush it and get back on track.

“When you're achieving something like this, it's going to have its adversity. We had some things go our way yesterday. They had some things go their way today. That's the way it is,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

“You just live with it, and if you're a competitor, you wake up tomorrow morning and come ready to play.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Milwaukee Brewers were three outs from a title. Now they need to 'flush it'

It was a 12-inning bout that left both teams staggered, their best relievers drained for multiple innings, All-Stars hobbling off the field, utility infielders playing hero.

And by the end, this World Series looked a lot closer than it did when the night began.

Oh, the Milwaukee Brewers still hold a 3-1 Series lead even after the Tampa Bay Rays got on the board with a 4-3, extra-inning Game 4 triumph after the Brewers were just three outs from clinching their first championship in franchise history.

They’ve got three to win one, odds that any desperate celebrity shilling for a prediction market would surely take. But in a Series that would likely be defined by the performance of its relievers, significant bullpen resources were expended on both sides in a Game 4 that began Tuesday, Oct. 28 and bled into Wednesday.

The Brewers will have just one advantage heading into Game 5: Jacob Misiorowski.

And it’s safe to say they need The Miz more than ever.

He pitched solidly in Game 1, going five innings and striking out just three, a K-rate that might raise eyebrows for a guy who throws 103 mph. Yet five innings is a marathon in this postseason context. Misiorowski did great.

Now, the Brewers will ask him to get out of his comfort zone.

Misiorowski, who led the major leagues with 252 strikeouts, typically gets an extra day or two of rest, the better to conserve his otherworldly arm. He’s still just 24, his odometer is already in uncharted territory at 187 total innings and, since this is a one-time bullet, you want to fire it at an optimal moment.

Four solid innings would typically be fine. But when the Brewers fly back to Milwaukee, they don't want to play more baseball; they want the Commissioner’s Trophy strapped safely into a seat on the team charter.

And Miz is the only man who can prevent Game 5 from becoming a battle of attrition.

Consider the workloads of both teams’ high-leverage guys in Game 4:

Brewers October hero Aaron Ashby pitched 2 ⅓ innings. Dominant Abner Uribe tossed two innings. Lefty DL Hall went 1 ⅓ innings. And swingman Dustin May opened up with three innings. Closer Trevor Megill only got one out, so he’s good to go – yet it’s clear Ashby has supplanted him atop the Brewers’ relief trust tree.

The Rays are similarly diminished: Closer Bryan Baker pitched two innings for the first time since 2024. Game 1 starter Nick Martinez came back on three days’ rest to toss two innings. Set-up man Tyler Wells got five outs. Kevin Kelly pitched for the third time in this Series.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said the club will “huddle” to determine a pitching plan. Like the Brewers, they face a brutal decision involving an ace accustomed to extra race.

In Game 5, they’d be asking Drew Rasmussen to be starting on short rest. Absolutely not what you want – especially for a right-hander who’s endured three major arm surgeries.

But the options are thin.

“We're going to need everybody. We're going to need to be all hands on deck,” says Cash in his postgame press conference.

So imagine Freddy Peralta, on just a days’ rest, giving them an inning. Martinez on back-to-back nights? Might be a little crazy. You know Baker and Wells will be down for the cause, and lower-leverage lefties Steven Matz and Garrett Cleavinger will have to steal some outs.

Yeah, that’s the wounded animal the Brewers are facing. All the more reason the 6-7 Misiorowski must be a menace.

That hasn’t been the case every time out this October. He’s allowed 18 baserunners in 13 ⅓ innings and was chased after getting just 12 and 13 outs in his first two starts. World Series Game 1 Misiorowski will do.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy certainly hopes to see that guy.

“You can write it up and hope that they perform like the back of their baseball card, but that doesn't always happen. You go with what you believe is the deal,” says Murphy in naming Misiorowski his starter.

“I trust our guys. I trust them.”

And the task for The Miz is simple: End the Rays. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: With Brewers holding ace, Jacob Misiorowski must put Rays out of misery

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Milwaukee was three outs from its first World Series title when Junior Camerino started the bottom of the 12th inning with a grounder to third.

Thousands of Brewers fans who trekked to Tropicana Field to witness the long-awaited moment started to cheer.

Not so fast.

Third baseman Joey Ortiz bounced the throw, and the ball glanced off first baseman Jake Bauers’ mitt for an error.

One of the most stunning rallies in World Series history started to unfold.

Liam Hicks, Jonny DeLuca, Chandler Simpson and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson followed with consecutive singles in a 15-pitch span against rookie Shane Drohan, and the Tampa Bay Rays staved off elimination Tuesday night with a 4-3 win that forced Game 5.

“Sometimes the game tests you. Sometimes the game makes you want to dig deep,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “It’s all part of the journey, all part of the experience, and that’s part of our story.”

Milwaukee rookie Cooper Pratt hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th for a 3-2 lead, sending the Brewers sprinting out of the dugout in excitement as they sensed completing the first Series sweep since 2012.

Milwaukee’s bullpen, led by seven outs from Aaron Ashby, had combined for seven straight scoreless innings, before Caminero reached against Antonio Senzatela.

Ortiz grimaced.

“I’ve got to make that play,” he said. “Just no excuse about it.”

Caminero appeared to hurt his left foot but stayed in the game. Brewers manager Pat Murphy brought in Drohan, a 27-year-old left-hander who had not pitched since a one-inning start in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 15.

With Pratt shifted toward second for the left-handed batter, Hicks hit an opposite-field grounder through the vacated shortstop hole and into left field as Caminero slid headfirst into third.

“For just regular D, that’s right at Coop,” Drohan said of the defensive alignment.

Pinch-runner Cedric Mullins replaced Caminero before DeLuca, who had made sparkling catches to deny Yelich in the third and William Contreras in the fourth, hit a grounder past the mound as Drohan tried in vain to make a behind-the-back snag. The ball bounced into center as Mullins tied the score at 3.

Nick Fortes ran at second for the slower Hicks. After missing a bunt attempt and pulling back another while taking a called strike, Simpson lined a single into center, loading the bases.

Sal Frelick moved in from left to form a five-man infield, with three defenders on the left side and everyone playing in.

Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, batted for Victor Mesa Jr.

“It’s what you dream of as a player to be in that spot,” Williamson said.

On the game’s 367th pitch, he hit a chopper that kicked up chalk from the foul line 7 feet from home plate. The ball bounded high over Bauers and onto the grass in short right field. Fortes sprinted across the plate with the winning run, then headed toward first to join his jumping teammates in foul territory.

“That was totally what I told him to do,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said, drawing laughs.

Drohan walked off, his head bowed.

“Definitely hard. I’m human,” he said softly. “I knew what I was walking into. I just didn’t do the job there.”

Tampa Bay became the fourth team in World Series history to avoid elimination with an extra-inning comeback, according to OptaSTATS, joining the 1912 Boston Red Sox, 1986 New York Mets and 2011 St. Louis Cardinals — who all went on to win titles.

“We’ve got a lot of fight in us. We’re never going to shy away,” Simpson said. “We were going to keep fighting until the end — the last inning, the last out, the last play, the last pitch.”

Game 5 in the best-of-seven matchup is Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, with NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski scheduled to start for the Brewers. Cash said he hadn’t decided on a starter yet.

Tampa Bay became just the fifth of 26 teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to win Game 4. The previous four lost Game 5.

Of 43 teams to trail 3-0 in any best-of-seven postseason matchup, the only one that rebounded to win was the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series.

“It just shows the resiliency of this group,” Williamson said. “We continue to fight, and that’s been the motto this series and this full season, is just fight.”

Caminero was replaced by Mullins at third base and hobbled off the field with an ailing left foot. But the All-Star slugger said he’ll definitely play Wednesday night.

“He’ll play tomorrow on one leg. I’ll make sure of it,” Cash said.

Tampa Bay ended an eight-game winning streak by the Brewers, who were bidding to become only the second team to sweep a League Championship Series and the World Series.

“I feel like today we’ve just been playing so free,” DeLuca said. “It’s a pretty cool position we’re in and it’s a special opportunity that we have.”

David Hamilton also homered for the Brewers. Jackson Chourio had a single and double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.

“When you’re achieving something like this, it’s going to have its adversity,” Murphy said. “We had some things go our way yesterday. They had some things go their way today. That’s the way it is.”

Pratt, a 22-year-old who debuted in June, drove a slider into the left-field seats against Seymour to become the first rookie to hit a World Series extra-inning homer. His go-ahead hit sparked the Brewers to a 5-4 win in Game 2 after Seymour allowed Frelick’s tying home run.

“Nobody said this was going to be easy,” Pratt said.

Milwaukee fans in the crowd of 40,514, many waving yellow towels and some wearing cheeseheads, brought a Badger State feel to Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay returned to its white home jerseys, a day after playing in Devil Rays throwbacks.

Simpson hit an RBI double off starter Dustin May in the second, but Milwaukee tied the score in the fourth against Griffin Jax when Frelick hit a two-out single and came around on Pratt’s double.

Caminero singled leading off the bottom half to chase May and advanced on a groundout. DeLuca hit a hard grounder to Hamilton and Caminero twisted toward the grass to avoid the third baseman’s tag, then came home when Hamilton bounced his throw past Bauers for an error.

Hamilton, Milwaukee’s No. 9 hitter, drove an 0-2 fastball at the letters from Jax into the right-field seats for his second home run of the postseason — half his regular-season total and just his second since June 6.

Six scoreless innings followed before the late drama in a 4-hour, 20-minute game that ended at 12:28 a.m. with the first Series walk-off pinch hit in extra innings since Gene Larkin’s single won Game 7 for Minnesota in 1991.

“You play Wiffle ball in the backyard with your friends and you’re dreaming of hitting a walk-off ball in the World Series,” Williamson said.

In 2011, Dan Shaughnessy famously counted the Rays out when they were down 7-0 to New York in Game 162 while the Boston/Baltimore game was in a rain delay. Shortly thereafter, the magic happened propelling the Rays into the postseason. It took 12 innings and 4 hours and 15 minutes of baseball for the magic to happen as the Rays avoided being swept with a 4-3 comeback win.

Griffin Jax got the Rays through four innings, but the lift was a lot harder than the line score looked. Jax had nine batted ball events with exit velocity of at least 96 MPH and expected batting averages of at least .770, but early on, only an opposite field line drive single by Jackson Chourio with one out in the 3rd inning safely found the synthetic surface. That changed in the 4th when a two-out single by Sal Frelich, which was 104.4 off the bat, was quickly followed by a 98.9 MPH double by Cooper Pratt to tie up the game. The Brewers put nine balls in play off Jax and only a Brice Turang groundout had an exit velocity below 96.0 MPH. Their offense, overall, made outstanding contact despite the low-scoring affair:

By the bottom of the 4th, the Rays did something they could not do in Game 3, and that was plate a second run. It was more a bad process-good outcome type of play though as Junior Caminero should not have been moving on contact to the left side from second base, yet somehow avoided the tag and being called out the baseline to score on an errant throw by David Hamilton to get a hustling DeLuca. DeLuca would be eliminated on a fielder’s choice groundout by Chandler Simpson, who himself would soon be eliminated after getting picked off by JoJo Romero.

That 2-1 lead lasted all of three pitches when Jax’s final pitch of the evening came in at a game-low 93.4 MPH and Hamilton yanked that 0-2 pitch into the stands to tie the game and make up for his throwing error:

The pen was once again asked to get 15 outs, which has not gone well in previous events this series, this month, and this season. Kevin Kelly got the first three while stranding a two-out walk to Christian Yelich in front of William Contreras. Jax’s outing overall was effective by the measures, but not the overall outcome. The PitcherList report card even says as much, and the results went from B+ to C+ with that last swing by Hamilton:

Nick Martinez came in of relief for Kevin Kelly and had a similar path of stranding a two-out baserunner. Martinez would go on to work two innings in relief before handing it off to Bryan Baker in the 8th. A well-rested Baker looked sharp with his changeups and threw a 95.7 MPH fastball to jam Brice Turang to record the final out of the 8th. The 9th inning was eventful with Pratt reaching base for a third time and attempted a steal of second base with Andrew Vaughn at the plate with two outs, but Pratt was nullified by a hairline tag by Palacios after receiving a perfectly placed throw from Liam Hicks. Tyler Wells came on in the 10th with a 1-2-3 inning while he and Cam Booser combined to the the Rays through 11 innings. Martinez, Kelly, Baker, Wells, and Booser did all they could to keep the Rays in this contest, but the offense once again, offered little support. Ian Seymour came in for the 12th inning and allowed the go-ahead home run to Cooper Pratt while stranding Jackson Chourio at second base to give the Rays one last chance in this contest. Seymour has now allowed 4 post-season home runs, but he did limit the damage in the 12th to give the team one final chance.

The Rays looked like they might mount a rally in the bottom of the 6th after a leadoff single by Yandy Diaz, but that was followed by a 108.1 MPH liner right to Brice Turang allowing him to double off Diaz at first. Aranda’s rocket had an .890 expected batting average, and the double play changed the complexion of the entire inning. Instead of Caminero coming to the plate with two on, he came up with the bases empty. He quickly got ahead 2-0, then chased a slider out of the zone, before Dan Bellino once again decided a Rays hitter fully swung despite questionable supporting media:

That was the last serious offensive threat mounted by the Rays over the first nine innings as they failed to get a runner to second base in any of the final three innings. In fact, neither team had a runner reach second base after the Hamilton home run in the 5th inning until Jorge Mateo stole second base in the 11th inning. Mateo would be stranded after Jonathan Aranda flew out to right field. Milwaukee went into the bottom of the 12th with a lead but had exhausted their best relievers to get to this point and left the ball in the hands of Anthony Senzatela to bring home the franchise’s first ever World Series.

Caminero started off the inning and reached on a throwing erorr by defensive wizard Joey Ortiz. Pat Murphy opted to bring in Florida native Shane Drohan for the first time in this series to force Liam Hicks to hit against a lefty or have a cold Nick Fortes step in for this game. Drohan allowed 14 regular season home runs, all to righties, but Kevin Cash opted to leave in Hicks and not bring in the righty Fortes. Hicks would single through the left side setting up first and third with nobody out. The extra base was costly though as Caminero left the game limping, but was also noticably limping after reaching first on the throwing error. The drawn-in infield allowed for a Johnny DeLuca groundball to sneak through the middle to tie the game at three. Simpson then came up with the job of bunting over the two baserunners but did not execute a bunt with two strikes but rather hit a two-strike single back through the middle to load the bases with nobody out. Ben Williamson was brought in to pinch hit for Victor Mesa Jr with nobody out and Milwaukee implementing a five-man infield to prevent another ball to sneak through the infield. The suspense would last one pitch as Williamson would hit the fourth consecutive single of the inning to plate Cedric Mullins with the winning run.

Both managers were forced to use young left-handed relievers in key moment because of how long the game went. Seymour has struggled throughout the month of October while Shane Drohan saw things snowball on him with four consective singles from Hicks, DeLuca, Simpson, and Williamson to allow the Rays to out-Brewer the Brewers for the first time in this series. The final inning of this game was the first time since the first inning of game two where the Rays had multiple positive events putting a crazy bow on a game which was extremely well-pitched through 11 innings.

Later today is a new day, and the Rays have a few hours to figure out how to piecemeal a pitching plan for Game 5. They will need to come up with an approach to limit the hard contact the Brewers made in this contest as they had 12 of the 13 hardest hit balls of the game:

If anything, it was refreshing to see the team hang around and come back just a night after getting embarrassed in front of the home town fans and national audience. Let’s hope the image of Junior Caminero limping off in the 12th inning was a Willis Reed moment and not him being too hurt to play in Game 5.

Despite a 12th-inning home run from Cooper Pratt, Shane Drohan and the Brewers couldn’t hold off the Rays in the bottom half. The Rays won 4-3 on a walk-off single by Ben Williamson, cutting Milwaukee’s series lead to 3-1 and sending the World Series to Game 5.

Milwaukee immediately threatened, putting runners on the corners in the top of the first thanks to two walks by Rays starter Griffin Jax and a throwing error by catcher Liam Hicks. Brice Turang had a chance to give the Brewers an early lead, but he grounded out to short to strand both runners.

Tampa Bay couldn’t get anything going against Dustin May in the bottom half of the frame, as he capped off a 1-2-3 first by striking out Junior Caminero looking. The second inning went less smoothly. Hicks led off with a single, and Jonny DeLuca followed with a grounder to Turang at second that nearly became a double play, but the speedy DeLuca beat the relay to first.

That brought up Chandler Simpson, who took a strike, fouled off a couple more pitches, then laced a double down the right-field line to score DeLuca from first.

Chandler Simpson breaks the ice in Game 4!

He brings home Jonny DeLuca for the game's first run as Tampa looks to avoid elimination 👀

(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/Nwt1pkC3Pi

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2026

With Simpson, one of the fastest players in the game, standing on second, the inning looked like it might snowball, but May bore down. He got Ryan Vilade to ground out to second, then got Richie Palacios to wave at a high fastball for the third out.

Simpson’s double gave the Rays a quick lead, but they wouldn’t hold it for long. With two outs in the fourth, Sal Frelick grounded a single through the right side, and Cooper Pratt followed with a double down the left-field line and into the corner. Frelick scored without a throw (though he slid headfirst anyway) to tie the game 1-1.

COOOOOOOOOOOOP pic.twitter.com/vQAT1qXcQ5

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 28, 2026

After a wild pitch from Jax moved Pratt to third, Garrett Mitchell had a chance to give the Brewers the lead, but he chased a high fastball for strike three.

Dustin May allowed a leadoff single to Caminero to start the bottom of the fourth, at which point Pat Murphy went to lefty JoJo Romero to face the left-handed Hicks. Hicks grounded out but moved Caminero to second. Jonny DeLuca then hit a grounder to third baseman David Hamilton, who tried to tag Caminero, but Caminero swerved onto the infield grass to avoid him. Hamilton nearly fell lunging for the tag, then threw the ball away trying to get DeLuca at first, and Caminero scored to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.

Junior Caminero avoids the tag and scores on the errant throw!

Tampa takes the lead in a back-and-forth contest 👀

(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/OVlGWcW7O0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2026

Whether a runner left the base path isn’t reviewable, so Milwaukee instead challenged whether Hamilton had tagged Caminero… and lost. Luckily for the Brewers, Romero escaped without further damage, getting Chandler Simpson to ground into a force-out for the second out, then picking him off first for the third.

Hamilton, due up first in the top of the fifth, immediately made up for his error: crushing a home run into the right field stands to tie the game back up.

The Brewers have 2 home runs in this World Series

Sal Frelick
David Hamilton

In 1,000 tries, I never would've guessed those two pic.twitter.com/GGCFdOQyaI

— David Gasper (@dgasper24) October 28, 2026

And then, after runs in three straight half-innings, the game slowly settled back into a stalemate. Abner Uribe kept the Rays scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings, with some help from a beautiful play by Turang at second:

BRICE TURANG TURNS TWO! pic.twitter.com/GCSbV95KNn

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay brought out Game 1 starter Nick Martinez to pitch the sixth and seventh innings, and he delivered with two scoreless frames before Bryan Baker pitched a scoreless top of the eighth.

DL Hall relieved Uribe and pitched a shutout seventh, then got two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth. With with the right-handed Diaz coming up, Pat Murphy went to his closer, Trevor Megill, who delivered with a strikeout to send the tie to the ninth inning.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Pratt grounded a single through the left side to put the go-ahead run on base. Mitchell then lofted a high fly ball to right field that didn’t quite have the legs to leave the ballpark, and Chandler Simpson ran it down with a leaping catch up against the wall.

With two outs and Pratt still on first, Murphy called on Andrew Vaughn to pinch-hit for Hamilton. Vaughn took a strike on the first pitch, and Pratt took off for second on the next one. He slid in ahead of the throw and was initially ruled safe, but Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged the call. Replays showed second baseman Richie Palacios’ tag may have grazed the back of Pratt’s hand as he slid in, and although none of the angles seemed conclusive, the call was overturned, ending the inning.

Brewers-Rays Game Is Being Held Up Due To This Review.

The Runner Was Ruled Out.

You Make The Call? In, Or Out?? pic.twitter.com/SPRH2EHhLA

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) October 28, 2026

Instead of Megill, Aaron Ashby came out for the ninth and retired the heart of the Rays’ order — Jonathan Aranda, Caminero, and Hicks — in order to send the game to extra innings.

n the top of the tenth, Tyler Wells replaced Baker and retired the side in order, although Jake Bauers made things interesting with a seven-pitch at-bat before striking out. Ashby again set down the Rays in order in the bottom half, finishing the inning off it with a strikeout of Victor Mesa Jr.

Wells got Christian Yelich to pop up to third and William Contreras to fly out to open the eleventh. With lefties Turang and Frelick due up, Cash went to his bullpen for Cam Booser, who gave up four hits and four earned runs without recording an out in last night’s game. Booser walked Turang on four pitches, the last coming after time was called and the grounds crew came out to repack the mound.

Up next was Frelick, who quickly fell behind 0-2 before time was called again, this time because Booser was having issues with his PitchCom device. Frelick took ball one, then fouled a pitch off his knee as Turang took off for second. Turang went again on the next pitch, which bounced in the dirt, but Frelick couldn’t check his swing, sending the game to the bottom of the eleventh.

Ashby came out for a third inning and kept rolling, striking out Palacios on five pitches. But with Ashby at 31 pitches, Murphy pulled him in favor of Antonio Senzatela. Senzatela struck out Taylor Walls for the second out, then lost the strike zone against Díaz, walking him on four pitches to put the winning run on base. Jorge Mateo came in to run for Díaz.

Aranda quickly fell behind two strikes, and Mateo took off for second on the third pitch of the at-bat. Senzatela pitched out, but Contreras didn’t transfer the ball cleanly and didn’t attempt a throw. With the winning run now in scoring position, Aranda flew out to Frelick to end the eleventh.

On to the 12th we go! pic.twitter.com/7rnPh5zfJg

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2026

Cooper Pratt, who was already 3-for-4 on the night, led off the bottom of the twelfth. Pratt worked the count to 2-2, then demolished a sweeper up in the zone for a go-ahead home run. No moment is too big for this kid:

ROOKIE COOPER PRATT DELIVERS AN ICONIC WORLD SERIES MOMENT pic.twitter.com/fAM0XhJVJd

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 28, 2026

Despite a Jackson Chourio double with two outs, the Brewers weren’t able to add to their lead any further. With only Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, and Brandon Woodruff left in the bullpen, Senzatela came back out for the top of the twelfth with a one-run lead.

Junior Caminero led off with a soft ground ball to third, but Joey Ortiz, who’d come in to play third after Vaughn’s pinch-hit at-bat, bounced the throw to first, and Bauers couldn’t dig it out. Caminero pulled up limping, but stayed in the game.

With the left-handed Hicks coming up, Murphy went to Drohan for his first appearance of the series. Hicks worked the count to 2-2, then grounded a single through the left side. Caminero got on his horse and made it to third without a throw, then limped off the field in favor of pinch-runner Cedric Mullins.

The next batter for the Rays was Jonny DeLuca, who grounded a single up the middle to score Mullins and give the Rays runners on first and second with nobody out and Chandler Simpson coming to the plate. Simpson smoked a line drive up the middle for a single, but Nick Fortes — who had come in for Hicks — stayed at third.

Ben Williamson, pinch-hitting for Mesa Jr., bounced the next pitch through the right side for a single to send this series to Game 5.

BEN WILLIAMSON
WALK-OFF
RAYS SURVIVE! pic.twitter.com/bjHolx3L4m

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

With Nick Martinez having pitched tonight, tomorrow’s pitching matchup is presumably Jacob Misiorowski against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The champagne was ready for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The plastic lining was getting unrolled.

The Brewers were all set to celebrate their first World Series championship in 57 years on Tuesday night.

Instead, the Tampa Bay Rays broke the Brewers’ hearts.

The Rays, down to their final three outs, pulled off a zany 4-3, 12-inning comeback over the Brewers to stay alive.

The Rays are still in deep trouble, trailing the Brewers 3-games-to-1 in the best-of-seven series.

But, oh, they are alive.

The Brewers, leading 3-2 after 22-year-old rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt’s homer, opened the floodgates when third baseman Joey Ortiz, known for his defense, threw Junior Caminero’s routine ground ball by first baseman Jake Bauers. Then, the bullpen, which had pitched eight consecutive scoreless innings, melted down.

Catcher Liam Hicks slapped a single to left field off reliever Shane Drohan, with pinch-runner Cedric Mullins scampering to third base. Jonny DeLuca followed with a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield, tying the game. Chandler Simpson, after trying to bunt, then slapped a single to center, loading the bases.

And pinch-hitter Ben Williamson became the hero slapping ball to right field for the game-winner, with the majority of Brewers’ fans that filled Tropicana Field groaning.

It was the fourth game in World Series history that a team staved off elimination with an extra-inning victory.

“These are the two best teams left in baseball,” Game 4 starter Griffin Jax said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been playing the cleanest baseball for the last three games. No secret there. You can tell by the three losses we have that we’ve been giving them a lot of extra chances, and you can’t do that against the Brewers. They’ve taken advantage of everything.

“There’s no rewriting the script. No changes in who we are."

But this time, they re-wrote the script.

They now are only the fifth team in World Series history who trailed 3-0 in a Series to even force a Game 5, which will be played Wednesday night, possibly with ace Drew Rasmussen on the mound.

“Obviously, we want to play well. Everybody in this clubhouse wants to play well,” Caminero said. “I don’t even think it’s been a matter of necessarily playing bad. I think a lot of credit goes to Milwaukee. They’ve just been playing exceptionally well.

“Earlier, I told (Brewers catcher William) Contreras, you know, you have my blessing. You know, I wish you the best in this series. But now, it’s kind of like, well you’ve played a little too well. Things are what they are now. Credit to Milwaukee. Things just haven’t unfolded our way necessarily.”

Well, up until this night, ruining the Brewers’ party.

There were a horde of Brewers’ fans that into town for the game, staying everywhere from Tampa to Clearwater to Sarasota, and seen everywhere from bars to restaurants to coffee shops, certainly made their presence known. They actually drank popular Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, located just outside Tropicana Field, dry.

Jake Ferguson, owner of the bar, said they actually had to call in an emergency shipment of beer after selling 1,000 cases of Miller Lite and Coors Lite in one day, the normal supply for an entire month.

Now, for at least a night, they’ll be drinking in their sorrows, while the wait for a World Series title continues for at least another day.

“That's a really talented group," said Rasmussen, who was beaten in Game 2. “In all honesty, they've outperformed us in all three facets of the game.

“I think they've pitched better than us. I think they've done better offensively. And I think they've played better defense than we have. It’s a really talented group. Their decision-making is off the charts.’’

But not this night.

It belonged to the Rays, in the unforeseen way imaginable.

BEN WILLIAMSON
WALK-OFF
RAYS SURVIVE! pic.twitter.com/bjHolx3L4m

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rays survive in World Series with wild walk-off comeback vs Brewers

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It’s Tuesday here at BCB After Dark: the boppin’ home base for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. There’s no cover charge. If you’ve got a coat, we can check that. There are still a couple tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night, I asked you if the Cubs should make a change to the pitching coaches. I think Tommy Hottovy and Casey Jacobson are glad you’re not running the team, because 42 percent said “yes” and 38 percent of you said “no.” The other twenty percent said it didn’t make a difference either way.

On Tuesday nights, I don’t do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz and that time is now.

---

So I sort of lied when I said there would be no movies tonight, because I do have a clip from the 1936 film Pennies from Heaven. The film starred Bing Crosby, but the clip we have here is Louis Armstrong and his band performing “Skeletons in the Closet.”

So here’s a good classic to get you in the holiday mood. There’s a little Bing Crosby in here too.

---

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.

So I was going to wait until the World Series was over to post tonight, but I don’t think this Brewers/Rays game is never going to end. I guess it doesn’t make much difference because even with a Rays win, the Brewers are overwhelming favorites to win it all.

So I thought I’d ask you about a trade candidate. The Cubs are looking at losing both of their corner outfielders to free agency, so they need to pick someone up to play right and left field if Ian Happ and/or Seiya Suzuki don’t return. The problem is that there aren’t a lot of good free agent outfielders out there and the Cubs may prefer to stay away from making a major commitment to one anyways as Josiah Hartshorn and Kane Kepley are two of their best prospects and both may be knocking on the door for a major league job in 2028. Behind them are Caden Sorrell and Ethan Conrad, both of whom could also be good starting outfielders soon enough.

So maybe the trade market is the way to go. I found this article by Mark Feinsand on MLB dot com from last month and one name struck me as intriguing—the Guardians Steven Kwan. Kwan doesn’t have much power. He had 14 and 11 home runs in 2024 and 2025, but he managed just three home runs last year and a .349 slugging percentage. However, Kwan does a lot of other things well. He makes a ton of contact and gets on base. Last year he had a career-high on-base percentage of .382. His strikeout percentage last year was a ridiculously low eight percent. He’s an excellent defensive left fielder. He runs the bases OK, stealing ten bases in 13 attempts last year.

Looking at Kwan’s Statcast page, you can see it’s a matter of extremes.

Terrible bat speed, slugging and exit velocity. Elite launch angle, chase, whiff and walk rates. Elite defender.

So why would the Guardians want to trade Kwan? Simple. He’s a free agent after this upcoming season. With this upcoming season in doubt, it makes sense for Cleveland to get something for Kwan rather than lose him to free agency. For the Cubs, that works out as Kwan wouldn’t be blocking any of the Cubs outfield prospects.

It’s hard to say what it would take for the Cubs to trade for Kwan. They definitely want someone cheap with years of control. Would it be worth it for the Cubs to trade Matt Shaw for him? Shaw has been disappointing, but he’s still young and he still has room to grow. He’s also very versatile and that’s pretty valuable. But with the emergence of Pedro Ramírez, maybe the Cubs can afford to part with him more than a prospect like Harsthorn or Owen Ayers.

So if there was a proposed trade of Matt Shaw for Steven Kwan, who says no?

If you think Shaw is too much for Kwan, then propose your own deal in the comments.

Thank you for stopping by tonight. Let’s hope we have more baseball soon. Get home safely. If you checked anything, let us get it for you now. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt launched a solo homer to right field off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ian Seymour to break the tie and give the Brewers a 3-2 lead in the top of the 12th inning.

Pratt's homer was his fourth hit in Game 4 of the World Series.

ROOKIE COOPER PRATT DELIVERS AN ICONIC WORLD SERIES MOMENT pic.twitter.com/fAM0XhJVJd

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 28, 2026

A home run that could be remembered forever in @Brewers history. What a moment for Cooper Pratt. pic.twitter.com/ua7kvsSbzM

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch rookie Cooper Pratt's go-ahead World Series home run for Brewers

With the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, the beloved late broadcaster Bob Uecker is in everybody's thoughts around baseball as his beloved team fights for its first-ever championship.

The team's announcer for more than 50 years, Uecker died on Jan. 16, 2025.

Uecker became the Brewers' primary radio broadcaster in 1971 and gained fame outside the baseball world as an actor, notably in the "Major League" films.

Before broadcasting, Uecker played six seasons (1962-1967) in the majors with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. He won a World Series title with the Brewers in 1964.

Uecker's family wrote a letter to players, fans and Brewers front office staff shared by the team on social media before the World Series

"Generations of Brewers fans have held hope in their hearts, season after season, that someday this city would have its chance at another championship," the letter reads. "That day has come.

"While we could never speak for him, this is certain: Milwaukee, the Brewers, and the fans meant everything to Bob. Wherever we gather – in a packed stadium, a neighborhood bar, or a living room with the radio turned all the way up – we know he's right here cheering alongside us."

The Brewers paid tribute to Uecker during the Game 4 "Stand Up To Cancer" interlude.

We wrote the book on Mr. Baseball

In 2025, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, published a commemorative book about Bob Uecker, the popular broadcaster and cultural icon who died that January. “BOB UECKER: The Life and Career of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Legendary Broadcaster” proved to be so popular with fans that it went through several printings.

Just this fall, instead of another reprint, the Journal Sentinel added 32 new pages that tell the story of what happened in the 18 months after Uecker’s passing, from the tributes that poured in across baseball to the ways Brewer Nation keeps finding to say thank you.

“BOB UECKER” retails for $39.95 (plus shipping and handling). Order at jsonline.com/merch.

Contributing: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is 'Ueck' with the Brewers? Get to know a beloved MLB figure

For fans of SNY’s beloved Mets announcing trio, have no fear.

The band is coming back together in full.

After Ron Darling fueled some speculation that he could potentially leave the booth during an interview with The Post’s Mike Puma last week, the former Amazin’s All-Star confirmed Tuesday on SNY’s Mets podcast that he’s staying in the booth for 2027.

“I was trying to be smart and funny, and apparently I wasn’t either,” Darling said on “The Mets Pod.”

“Hey, listen, I am so lucky to be working at SNY. It’s provided me an outlet to try to be really good at this. And as long as Gary [Cohen], Keith [Hernandez] and SNY still wants me, I’ll be here for as long as they do.”

When asked by The Post whether if he had plans to return to the broadcasting booth in 2027, Darling provided a bit of a cagey answer.

“That’s a good question that I can’t answer,” Darling said. “I have two more years [contractually] at TBS, and I think I have two more years at SNY. I’m at a point now where I’m kind of deciding from year to year. Even though they present me with these long-term contracts, if I reevaluate, they’re fine with that, so we’ll see.”

Nevertheless, Darling clarified on the SNY podcast that he will be back and he’s hoping to see one thing — a third Mets World Series championship.

“I’m in it for the same reason everyone else is in it: I want to see a championship season,” Darling said. “I’m jealous, in fact. [Brewers play-by-play announcer] Brian Anderson, who I work with at TNT, he took a picture of himself in the stands the other night yelling and screaming and going crazy just like a fan because his Brewers, of course, are doing so well.

“I would like one of those videos someday.”

Darling, a 1986 World Series champ, joined SNY during its inaugural season in 2006 and has been in the booth with Cohen and Hernandez ever since. He also works games nationally for TNT/TBS and is an analyst on MLB Network.

As the 2026 MLB season is nearing the end, so is Miguel Rojas’ time on the baseball diamond.

Rojas appeared as a guest during the Fox pregame show for Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night and said his time with the Dodgers over the last four years “changed my life.”

Miguel Rojas thanks the Dodgers for giving him the best 4 years of his life:

“They changed my life, they gave me the opportunity to go back home where I made my debut in 2014… it’s not just for me, it’s for my family. My son, he was shagging fly balls in the outfield, he was… pic.twitter.com/evlZkBroa3

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) October 27, 2026

“They gave me the opportunity to go back home in LA where I made debut 12 years ago …where I had where I had the opportunity to live the best four years of my life in baseball,” Rojas said.

Rojas said on the broadcast that he will always cherish the moments the Dodgers organization did for his son son Aaron, like when his teammates would take him to the outfield to shag fly balls.

“He was living the dream for me, and for my daughter, just to be around them. That’s what I told the guys,” Rojas said. “Thank you for changing my life. And for being part of the best four years of my life.”

Rojas’ professional baseball career originally began in 2006 when he signed as an amateur free agent from Venezuela with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2012, he became a free agent and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers.

His MLB Debut came in June 2014. He went on to play in 85 games with the Dodgers.

The next season, he was traded to the Marlins and would spend the next eight years with them.

His second stint with the Dodgers came in 2022 — one of the most important periods in the franchise’s history.

Rojas became a World Series hero in 2025 when he hit a solo home run in the ninth inning in Game 7 that propelled the team to winning their second consecutive World Series.

Rojas contemplated retirement after his heroics but decided to stick around for the 2026 season to help the Dodgers attempt a three-peat.

After they were eliminated in the NLCS by the Brewers, he announced his retirement.

Rojas’ career finished concluded with two World Series titles, 1,048 hits, .260 batting average and 386 RBIs.

As he is concluding his playing career, he will have one more last ride in baseball.

This winter, Rojas will represent Venezuela in the Professional Baseball League for the Tiburones de La Guaira club.