Category: Baseball

The World Series is over, and the hot stove is about to be cranked up.

As previously discussed, the Colorado Rockies have plenty to sort through on their 40-man roster. With a potential lockout looming, they might have less than a month to conduct much of their offseason business.

Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes were active last offseason, acquiring players such as TJ Rumfield and Brennan Bernardino. At the trade deadline, they added Mason Adams, Mark Manfredi, Nick Frasso and Connor Norby, among others.

DePodesta has indicated that the front office intends to approach this offseason aggressively. This time, they’ll enter November with their staff in place and a full year of organizational evaluations behind them.

Hunter Goodman and Jake McCarthy have received plenty of national attention as trade candidates. Both could bring back significant talent, but neither ranks particularly high among the players I expect Colorado to move.

Trade value and trade likelihood aren’t necessarily the same thing.

The trade board

Trade Outlook	Players
Most likely to be moved	Zac Veen, Jordan Beck, Willi Castro, Adael Amador, Jimmy Herget, Brennan Bernardino, Juan Mejía
Possible	Jake McCarthy, Jaden Hill, Zach Agnos
Unlikely	Hunter Goodman, Mickey Moniak, Connor Norby, Ezequiel Tovar, Nick Frasso, Mark Manfredi, Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon, Sean Sullivan
Staying put	Kyle Karros, Cole Carrigg, TJ Rumfield, Chase Dollander, Mason Adams, Gabriel Hughes

These are my predictions for players who have reached the majors, not reports of player availability. I don’t expect everyone in the top group to be traded. Prospects are discussed separately below.

What’s a 40-home-run catcher worth?

Hunter Goodman followed a 31-homer season in 2025 with 41 in 2026, giving Colorado a two-time All-Star catcher under team control through 2029.

But what’s he worth?

Oakland received five players, including Atlanta’s top prospect Kyle Muller, in the three-team trade that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves in December 2022. Kansas City received pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek when it traded Freddy Fermin to San Diego in 2025.

Murphy was a Gold Glove winner with an established offensive track record, while Fermin’s appeal leaned more heavily on defense. Both offered more value behind the plate than Goodman has demonstrated, but neither came close to matching his offensive production.

Finding a comparable offseason trade involving a 40-home-run hitter is even more difficult. The most recent example I could find was Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 59 home runs in 2017 before being traded to the Yankees that winter. His enormous contract and no-trade clause, however, made that a very different transaction.

For Goodman, I’d expect Colorado to demand an established, controllable starting pitcher with top-of-the-rotation potential and additional young talent. An entirely prospect-based package would need to be exceptional.

Trading Goodman would remove Colorado’s most dangerous power hitter with no obvious replacement behind the plate or in the lineup.

His production might simply be more valuable in Colorado than anything another organization is willing to surrender. For that reason, I don’t expect Goodman to be traded this offseason.

More valuable in Colorado?

Jake McCarthy hit .291/.334/.475 with 15 home runs and 32 stolen bases in 2026. He’s affordable, athletic and capable of playing all three outfield positions, although his range in center and throwing arm present limitations.

Would another team view him as an everyday outfielder who can hit near the top of the lineup, or a fourth outfielder better suited to the bench?

Colorado saw the former for much of 2026. But his stronger numbers at Coors Field and defensive limitations could affect his value elsewhere.

Mickey Moniak presents a similar question. He improved from -8 Outs Above Average in 2025 to roughly average defensively in 2026 while continuing to provide left-handed power.

His .195/.225/.379 second half raises questions about how much of that offense he’d reproduce elsewhere. Colorado also signed him to a two-year extension in August.

I’d listen on both, but I suspect Colorado’s asking price would be higher than most teams are willing to pay.

Something’s gotta give

Colorado has more infielders than obvious places to play them.

Willi Castro hit .260/.331/.417 with 15 home runs in 2026, offering versatility and insurance behind Ezequiel Tovar at shortstop.

Adael Amador, primarily a second baseman, finished strong with a .277/.362/.482 line in 27 major-league games.

Then there’s Connor Norby.

Acquired in the Victor Vodnik trade, Norby hit .302/.387/.457 in 40 games with Colorado. His right-handed bat and ability to play first, second and third give the Rockies more options than Amador does. I’d be surprised if DePodesta and Byrnes moved Norby before getting a longer look.

Tovar’s age, contract and defensive ability also make a trade unlikely despite his difficult offensive season.

That leaves Castro and Amador.

Of the two, Amador seems more expendable. Castro might have the broader market. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them is moved this offseason.

A change of scenery

Zac Veen and Jordan Beck were once among Colorado’s most promising prospects. Neither has established himself in the majors.

Veen earned Pacific Coast League MVP honors after hitting .327/.402/.635 with 24 home runs at Triple-A, although consistent contact remains a concern. With Colorado’s crowded outfield, his resurgence might present an opportunity to trade him while his value is rising.

Beck’s season was considerably less encouraging. After hitting 16 home runs with 19 stolen bases in 2025, he managed just one homer and a .552 OPS in 2026.

But former top prospects can retain trade value. Miami dealt JJ Bleday to Oakland for A.J. Puk in 2023, while Atlanta acquired Chris Sale and cash from Boston for Vaughn Grissom.

Neither is a direct comparison, but both demonstrate that struggling young hitters can still interest other organizations.

Veen might be the more attractive trade piece, while Beck could benefit more from a fresh opportunity. There’s a good chance one of them is playing elsewhere in 2027.

Plenty of bullpen options

Colorado needs pitching, but that doesn’t mean every pitcher should be retained.

Brennan Bernardino posted a 2.81 ERA in 64 innings in 2026. He’s left-handed, inexpensive and under team control through 2029. At 34, he could be more valuable to a contender seeking immediate bullpen help.

Jimmy Herget is a tougher sell. The 33-year-old struggled to a 5.70 ERA after posting a 2.48 mark over 83.1 innings in 2025.

Juan Mejía and Jaden Hill present another decision. Both pitchers are 26 and averaged around 97 mph with their fastballs in 2026, but finished with ERAs above 5.00. Both struggled with walks but showed promise with their secondary pitches.

Mejía posted a 3.96 ERA in 2025, and Colorado has seen more of him in the majors, making him my more likely trade candidate.

Zach Agnos covered 91 innings in 2026, although his 5.93 ERA and limited strikeout production make a significant return difficult to envision.

Ryan Feltner, Tanner Gordon and Sean Sullivan also seem unlikely to draw much trade interest following disappointing 2026 seasons. All three have starting potential, although their long-term roles could ultimately be in the bullpen.

Meanwhile, Nick Frasso and Mark Manfredi were acquired at the deadline, making another immediate trade seem unlikely. Manfredi came over in the Antonio Senzatela deal, while Frasso and Landyn Vidourek were acquired for Seth Halvorsen.

Halvorsen hadn’t consistently produced strong results, but his exceptional fastball was enough to attract a worthwhile return. It’s a reminder that potential can carry real trade value, even when the results haven’t followed.

With several bullpen options available, I expect Colorado to move an arm or two this offseason.

What about the prospects?

Charlie Condon (No. 2 PuRP) is perhaps the most intriguing name.

The former No. 3 overall pick hit .273/.390/.514 with 27 home runs and 98 RBI at Albuquerque, earning the Pacific Coast League’s Top MLB Prospect award. He’s No. 56 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.

With TJ Rumfield established at first base and questions about Condon’s defensive home, Colorado could consider using his power to acquire pitching. It would take a substantial return, but Condon could headline such a deal.

Sterlin Thompson (No. 16 PuRP) offers another possibility after posting a .475 on-base percentage and 1.005 OPS at Triple-A before reaching the majors. His approach at the plate could make him attractive as part of a larger trade.

Jared Thomas (No. 8 PuRP) and Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) are participating in the Arizona Fall League, where O’Dowd has impressed. Both could draw interest from teams looking for young offensive talent.

Further down the system, Colorado has several intriguing young position-player prospects, including Roldy Brito (No. 3 PuRP), Cristian Arguelles (No. 5 PuRP) and Wilder Dalis (No. 10 PuRP). Brito is ranked No. 52 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list, and any of the three could be included as part of a larger trade package.

I’d be far more surprised to see the Rockies move Ethan Holliday (No. 1 PuRP) or Tyler Bell (No. 4 PuRP). Ranked No. 23 and No. 62, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, both are recovering from injuries.

As a general rule, I’m skeptical that DePodesta and Byrnes would trade recent draft picks before seeing a full professional season. I also don’t expect Colorado to trade from its minor-league starting pitching depth, including Logan Reddemann (No. 9 PuRP), Brody Brecht (No. 14 PuRP), Jackson Cox (No. 11 PuRP), Jack Mahoney (No. 15 PuRP), and J.B. Middleton (No. 22 PuRP).

I’m assuming most of Colorado’s trades this offseason will be aimed at acquiring pitching.

Staying put

Kyle Karros, Cole Carrigg and TJ Rumfield are young, controllable players who appear to fit Colorado’s longer-term plans.

Rumfield hit .300/.390/.453 over 155 games in 2026 and is a Gold Glove finalist at first base. Carrigg posted an .818 OPS with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 93 games, while Karros paired excellent third-base defense with 13 homers and a .347 on-base percentage.

There’s also little reason to trade Chase Dollander, Mason Adams or Gabriel Hughes.

Dollander averaged 98.9 mph with his fastball in 2026 and posted a 3.89 ERA over 44 innings. Adams recorded 31 strikeouts in 29 innings while working with a six-pitch mix. Hughes struggled to a 6.33 ERA, but his 3.92 expected ERA and ability to limit hard contact offer reasons for optimism.

All three are young, controllable starting pitchers with encouraging underlying numbers. Given Colorado’s need for rotation help, I’d expect the Rockies to continue developing them rather than entertain moving any of them.

Who’s actually going?

I expect the Rockies to be active over the next month with trades involving their outfield, infield or bullpen depth.

And knowing how DePodesta and Byrnes have operated so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull off a deal or two that nobody saw coming.

With December 1 approaching, there is no time to waste.

So, who would you move, who would you keep, and where have I gotten it completely wrong?

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Things were looking pretty bleak for Daniel Duarte in the spring of 2024. He battled his way onto the Minnesota Twins roster before an elbow injury sidelined him for the rest of ’24 and all of 2025.

Whether playing for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic or being a surprisingly good piece of the New York Mets bullpen, Duarte’s career rebounded nicely in 2026.

Duarte signed a minor league deal with the Mets in the winter, then made two appearances with Mexico in the WBC, including a shutdown inning against Team USA. Duarte walked Bobby Witt Jr., then retired superstars Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Kyle Schwarber in order.

The right-hander proved his WBC performance wasn’t a fluke, posting his best season in the big leagues by far. He got the call to the Mets after 12 solid appearances for Triple-A Syracuse to start the season. He then rattled off seven consecutive scoreless appearances for New York. Duarte also had a separate streak of nine straight scoreless appearances, remaining effective for most of the summer when he got his chances with the big-league club.

Duarte posted a career high in strikeout rate (26.8%), hard-hit rate (24.3%), and xERA (2.88). His year ended with a hamstring injury in September, long after the Mets’ season had gone down the drain. Still, his was somewhat of a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous year. Especially considering he wasn’t a big part of the team’s plans heading into the season.

Thanks to his ‘26 season, Duarte has likely flipped that script and should be a part of the team’s bullpen picture in 2027.

With free agency underway, speculation surrounding ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will morph into actual negotiations, as a handful of teams look to land him.

In addition to the Mets and Dodgers, there are a bunch of other teams who have a need for Skubal and a potential willingness to spend what it takes to get him.

The Angels, finally close to being free of meddling owner Arte Moreno, will have new owner Stan Kroenke (and his estimated $27.6 billion net worth) officially taking over in early 2027, pending MLB approval. While the Angels could conceivably go after Skubal, it's fair to wonder how open he would be to signing there given the ownership transition, unsettled situations at GM and manager, and the fact that they haven't had a winning season since 2015. 

The Cubs have a need and ownership with deep pockets, but also must rebuild almost their entire starting rotation -- with Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd, Kevin Gausman, and Shota Imanaga all free agents. Given how much pitching they need to add, would they be comfortable spending big on Skubal?

The upstart White Sox could also make sense for Skubal, but the biggest free agent contract they've ever given out is the five-year, $75 million deal they signed Andrew Benintendi to in 2023. So Chicago inking Skubal would relatively shocking.

Skubal's first team, the Tigers, are obviously a fit. But they lowballed him when it came to extension offers before he was traded. 

The Yankees could always go nuts and add another ace to their elite rotation, but that seems unlikely given their current deals to starting pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon, as well as other big contracts on the books for Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments about being in favor of a salary cap should also be considered here.

Could the Red Sox, Blue Jays, or Padres try for Skubal? Maybe. But this really does seem like something that could come down to the Mets and Dodgers.

While the Dodgers are swimming in cash, owner Mark Walterhas been accused of insurance fraud, recently sold his majority stake in the Lakers, and has been attempting to sell the Sparks. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is loaded with starting pitching options and could be reluctant to hand a megadeal to Skubal -- even if Walter's finances don't become a major issue.

With all that to consider, how seriously should the Mets pursue Skubal? Here are the pros and cons...

PROS

Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, having posted a 2.47 ERA (2.42 FIP) and 0.92 WHIP with 757 strikeouts in 626.1 innings (a strikeout rate of 10.9 per nine) in 103 starts since 2023, which was his age-26 season.

For the Tigers and Dodgers in 2026, Skubal had a 2.72 ERA (2.51 FIP) and 0.96 WHIP while fanning 186 batters in 158.2 innings over 26 starts.

Skubal's arsenal is electric, with him primarily featuring a four-seam fastball that averaged 96.8 mph this past season, as well as a dominant changeup, sinker, and slider.

In 2026, Skubal's stuff unsurprisingly rated near the top of the league, with his overall pitching run value in the 97th percentile. When it comes to how hitters performed against each pitch, none of Skubal's offerings resulted in a slugging percentage higher than .373 (or an xSLG higher than .372). Meanwhile, his vaunted changeup had an absurd whiff percentage of 46.9. 

Looking at Skubal's other metrics, literally all of them except for extension were between well above average and elite this past season, including his xERA, average exit velocity against, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, and walk percentage -- which was in the 99th percentile. While Skubal is overpowering, he also has elite command, posting BB/9 rates of 1.6 or lower each of the last four seasons. 

When it comes to fit, the Mets have a glaring need for Skubal or another pitcher who is a legitimate ace. But Skubal is the only true ace who is available. Putting him atop a rotation that should also include Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and perhaps another external addition, would be a game-changer for New York. 

Looking elsewhere on the free agent market for other potential big-ticket additions, there really aren't many. Starting pitchers Michael King and Clay Holmes could be pricey in terms of average annual value, but won't get the kind of lengthy deal Skubal could command. Teruaki Sato, who is being posted by his Japanese club, could get a relatively big deal. But even if the Mets sign Skubal, they would theoretically be able to add Sato and/or another legitimate starting pitcher. So there's no reason to be hesitant. 

While the Mets already have roughly $281 million committed to the payroll for the 2027 season (if Bo Bichette opts in), they are going to get serious relief after next season, with Sean Manaea ($22 million), Jorge Polanco ($20 million), and Kodai Senga ($15 million) coming off the books. Also off the books will be the $6 million the club is still paying Luke Weaver for 2027 following his trade to the Pirates. Then, ahead of the 2029 season, the Mets have roughly $90 million set to come off, reducing their overall obligations to around $106 million. 

Given the coming payroll relief and the influx of young, relatively inexpensive players (including McLean, Scott, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Zac Thornton), the Mets are in strong position to absorb the kind of massive payroll obligation Skubal's contract will be. 

There's also the fact that David Stearns seems to be in a make-or-break offseason, and could certainly use a bold and potentially tenure-defining move over the next few months -- even if it might come with some prodding from owner Steve Cohen.

CONS

The biggest concern when it comes to a megadeal for Skubal or any other pitcher revolves around health.

Skubal's 2026 campaign was briefly interrupted by NanoScope surgery on his pitching elbow that kept him out of action from April 30 through June 13. But he continued to be dominant upon his return. After having a 2.70 ERA (2.11 FIP) over his first seven starts, Skubal had a 2.73 ERA (2.66 FIP) in the 19 starts he made post-surgery, with 10 of them coming after he was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline.

While Skubal seems to be out of the woods, he has had serious elbow issues in the past. Skubal had Tommy John surgery while in college in 2017 and underwent flexor tendon surgery in August of 2022. If he eventually needs to have a second Tommy John surgery, it's fair to wonder what kind of pitcher he would be on the other side of it. 

Even if Skubal avoids a catastrophic injury during the length of his next contract, he'll be facing an uphill battle to live up to it simply because of the amount of long-term deals for starting pitchers that have gone haywire. 

For every long-term, big-money deal to a pitcher 29 or older that works out (Max Scherzer's seven-year deal with the Nationals looks incredible in retrospect, and the Yankees' deal for Max Fried is aging well), you can point to a whole bunch that didn't or currently aren't (Patrick Corbin, Jacob deGrom, Jordan Zimmermann, Felix Hernandez, Corbin Burnes).

Putting Skubal's potential health and performance to the side for a second, it's probably generally wise to avoid deals for starting pitchers that could go as high as his -- an eight-year deal for around $350 million wouldn't be surprising. 

There's also the pending expiration of the CBA and expected lockout to consider. But there are two reasons why that shouldn't be as big of a deal as some are making it. For one, it's hard to believe the players will bend on a salary cap. Even if they do, any cap would take years to implement, which means it would somewhat disingenuous for any team to cite labor uncertainty as a reason for not pursuing Skubal or other players.  

VERDICT

Sign him.

Ahead of his age-30 season, it feels probable that Skubal's contract will not soar into the stratosphere when it comes to years. As is noted above, an eight-year deal would be reasonable and end when Skubal is 37 years old. Maybe the Mets could go even higher with the average annual value in order to get it down to six or seven years, which would obviously be more in line with Stearns' philosophy -- even if it would still require him to go outside his comfort zone.

Either way, the stars seem to be aligning for the Mets to make a strong push for Skubal. They need to close the deal. 

No one really asked me, but MLB allegedly polled baseball fans about a salary cap. They were apparently all for it. I’m gonna need to see their voting sample, but in the meantime I’m curious about who on the owners’ side is supporting this. The players, of course, don’t want this. But since it’s the offseason now and we have lots of time to talk about it, I started asking myself which of the owners really wants this and where it’s coming from.

Do you think the Yankees or Dodgers really want a cap, or even remotely care? Ten years ago, the Yankees made a profit on 400 million dollars. I’m curious where they are now if the pre-covid-bucks-era total was so high. The Dodgers clearly don’t care. I’m not sure the Braves are interested either way. I think the Braves’ mindset on salaries is well known at this point.

Looking near the bottom of the ledger, do the Rays really need a cap and floor? They’re already over there counting cards on a level that I don’t want anything to do with them on transactions. The Brewers pretty well have their core almost locked in. The Athletics of not Oakland or Sacramento or Las Vegas ought to have higher income streams soon. Are we flipping everything upside down for the likes of Angels and Rockies?

Does it even make sense to have a floor? If you’re building the farm successfully your going to have cheap talent for three to five years at least. The salary will stay muted for a while, because of baseball antiquated process of underpaying young players while overpaying the older ones. So do we block prospects so you can pay 25 million a year on an aging second baseman?

Speaking of overpaying some infielders, Mets owner Steve Cohen isn’t hurting. I did see a quote from him, saying that his thoughts are just to do what the other owners want to do and figure out 2028 from there. Which other owners is he talking about?

The only this makes sense is that the owners and Rob Manfred wants to standardize the costs and revenues of MLB ownership. If you are looking to purchase a company, one of the first questions is what will it cost to run and what kind of profits they can bring in. Manfred is in the process of bringing teams’ TV contract into his house. They’ve already lined up ESPN, Netflix, and the other major streaming outlets as partners. The next step is to standardize the costs, which are chiefly labor and stadium construction upkeep. They have been very successful getting local governments to chip on stadiums (stadia?), so check that box. Next would be forcing player salaries into a tight band, so they can know those costs are.

MLB is looking to add two new franchises. Also, some current owners may be looking to cash in on the high valuations. And even if they don’t sell, they may be able to report a higher number to banks and be able to borrow money against the value of the team. I’m not saying they are doing that now, but they do it in a lot of other industries.

Sorry we’re 500 plus words into this and I’ve been asking questions to the universe but not you all. So which owners really want a salary cap? I just know I’d be cooler if they didn’t. Or maybe they don’t really want it and are floating this as leverage to get other things like more playoff games that they barely have to pay the players to get.

The baseball calendar doesn’t let you enjoy much time off after the final out in the World Series is recorded, but after coming up just short of their first World Series title, the Rays have a lot of work to do to shore up their starting rotation.

Are they breaking up the band?

Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta are headed to free agency. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden projects Martinez will get two years, $48 million. It’s unclear whether the Rays are interested in signing a 36 year old to that kind of deal, but there should be mutual interest in a reunion.

Peralta seems to be out of the Rays price range, especially after an incredible finish to the season that saw him win AL Pitcher of the Month for September and ALCS MVP. He’s expected to sign for nine figures over several years, and it would take the largest free agent contract in franchise history to secure his services. Bowden projects five years, $140 million for Fastball Freddy.

Starters expected to return are Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Ryan Pepiot, Griffin Jax, and Ian Seymour. That’s enough to field a five-man rotation, but the depth behind it is suspect. And that’s assuming all five are back.

Rasmussen is entering the final year of his contract extension, which will see him earn $20 million. History tells us the Rays will explore trading Rasmussen this offseason. Another extension is possible, but you have to imagine it would be a hefty one, with the right-hander being one year away from his first foray into free agency.

Jax and McClanahan are also entering their last year of team control. Jax successfully converted to starting this season, and McClanahan pitched 118 innings after not appearing in a game since 2023. Both have some trade value, but modest extensions could be in the cards as well.

I can’t imagine Rays go into 2027 with all three unless they are on new contracts.

Pepiot and Seymour both have multiple seasons left and are strong candidates to return. Pepiot missed the entire season however, and even if he starts the year healthy, there’s no guarantee he throws more than 150 innings.

Steven Matz is under contract for one more season and could be a candidate to return to the rotation, but he seems better suited for the bullpen at this point.

Who is on the farm?

Brody Hopkins, Ty Johnson, and Joe Boyle all started the year in AAA Durham as starters, but all saw significant time in the bullpen this season, with varying levels of success. It’s unclear what the Rays see for them in the future, but their immediate opportunities at the Major League level seem limited to the pen. The other starters from Durham are not seen as serious big league prospects, at least not yet.

The next closest starting pitching prospect with an MLB outlook is probably Santiago Suarez, who had a 4.50 ERA in 126 innings at AA this year. Jackson Baumeister should also be up in AAA to start the 2027 season, but seems far away from making an impact on the big league rotation.

The farm is not as well stocked in pitching as it seemed a year ago. Michael Forret, who had put together a strong season in AAA this year, was sent back to Baltimore as part of the Tyler Wells trade.

Who can the Rays get?

It’s safe to assume the Rays will spend somewhere around $20-30 million on free agent pitchers, like they did last offseason with Martinez and Matz.

They could bring Martinez back, or look at other veteran starters on the market like Dustin May, Jack Flaherty, or Clay Holmes.

Jeffrey Springs is a free agent after a disappointing season with the Athletics, but the Rays might see him as another swing man or spot starter similar to Matz. Maybe they can recapture the magic he found during his first stint with the team.

If they wanted to make a bigger splash for one starter on a short-term deal, 35-year-old Robbie Ray is available, but it could cost them upwards of $25 million for one season. That would seem to be a gamble, as Ray posted the worst strikeout and walk rates of any full season of his career.

Spending any more than that should trigger serious discussions about what it would take to resign Freddy Peralta, a well-respected vet that clearly loved both his short time with the Rays, and working with pitching coach Kyle Snyder. If Patrick Zalupski wants to show that these are not your father’s Rays, that would be a great way to do it.

With the lockout looming, the Rays may need to act quick to solve this problem.

Happy Halloween, everybody. While the Milwaukee Brewers (in five) are very deserving World Series champions, I was hoping that we would have baseball on Halloween. Game 7 would have been scheduled for tonight, a perfectly timed first pitch around 8:00, the same deadline for trick-or-treaters to wrap it up in Albert Belle’s neighborhood for the night.

Sadly, the Brewers clinched on Wednesday night on the turf of the biggest dump in professional sports: Tropicana Field. And rather than preview an immortal Game Seven, as we had a year ago between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays, the focus is on Halloween and Halloween only.

And that got me thinking: What is the spookiest moment in MLB history?

I mean, where could we start other than Albert Belle’s house in October of 1995? A group of teenagers went to the door and were met by Belle’s father, who told them that they were out of candy. As Belle himself explained, “As soon as he closes the door, we hear a bombardment of egg shells on my door. So I come outside and chase them.” Belle called the police, saying “You better get somebody over here, because if I find one of them, I’ll kill them.”

The trick-or-treater claimed that he was hit by Belle’s car. Belle admitted months later: “As soon as I caught up with him, I slammed on the brakes and was jumping out of the car and was going to run after him. It was raining and it was kind of mucky back there. The truck kind of skidded, or whatever, and it slid and bumped him. He fell down and as soon as he fell down, he jumped back up and started running.”

I mean, all in good fun?

And it’s not like Belle had any history of controversy. A year earlier, in 1994, Belle was accused by the White Sox of hitting with a corked bat, which was confiscated for postgame review. Belle sent fellow Cleveland Indians pitcher Jason “The Grim Reaper” Grimsley to retrieve the bat (mid-game!). He crawled through the rafters, broke into the office where the umpires had placed the corked bat through the ceiling, and replaced it with Paul Sorrento’s uncorked bat. With ceiling tile on the floor, it was revealed that a burglary had taken place, and Belle was eventually suspended anyway for a corked bat.

Very spooky, indeed.

Some other options:

We’ve got Randy Johnson accidentally killing a bird with a spring training fastball…

Randy Johnson hits a bird

The black cat that ran onto the field in a 1969 game between the Cubs and the Mets, a series that turned the division race in New York’s favor. The Mets went 23-7 in September; the Cubs 8-17.

What about the Bay Area earthquake that struck just minutes before the first pitch of Game 3 in the 1989 World Series between the A’s and the Giants? A moment that Al Michaels’ coverage received an Emmy Nomination for:

October 17, 1989

The Loma Prieta Earthquake strikes the Bay Area moments into ABC's telecast of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants.

The game is postponed. Al Michaels earns an Emmy nomination for his coverage.

37 years ago tonight pic.twitter.com/3wpCvOYjDe

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) October 17, 2026

Think of all the spooky Red Sox moments:

David Ortiz smashing the bullpen phone.

Curt Schilling pitching in the ALCS and World Series with a Bloody Sock:

Pablo Sandoval reporting to camp looking like this.

Manny Ramirez disappearing into the Green Monster in the middle of a game.

Ted Williams’ Frozen Head!?? (not pictured)

What’s your favorite spooooooky moment in baseball history? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.

Once the MLB season is complete, it’s time to shift into the offseason, including roster moves but also awards and honors over the next several weeks. Here is a look at the schedule for awards this offseason, including a few already announced.

Monday, October 26: New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor won the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s highest philanthropic honor. Catcher Will Smith was the Dodgers nominee for this award.

Wednesday, October 28: Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong won MLB Player of the Year and National League Outstanding Player in the Players Choice Awards, voted on by the players themselves. Shohei Ohtani finished in the top three for both awards.

Sunday, November 1 (6 p.m. PT, ESPN): Gold Glove Award winners will be announced. Andy Pages and Max Muncy are the two Dodgers in the top three at their positions in National League voting.

Monday, November 2: Hall of Fame announces the eight-person Contemporary Baseball Era ballot for managers, executives, and umpires. This era comprises folks whose main contributions came since 1980. Headliners here are expected to include managers Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker.

Monday, November 2 (11 a.m. PT): Silver Slugger Awards top 3-6 at each position will be revealed, voted on by managers and up to three coaches from every team in each league for the top offensive players at their positions.

Monday, November 2 (3-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Top three in voting for all five BBWAA awards — Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Reliever of the Year, Cy Young Award, and Most Valuable Player — in each league are announced.

Friday, November 6: MLB Players Alumni Association will announce the MLB winner of the Heart & Hustle Award winner on MLB Network. Miguel Rojas is the Dodgers nominee for this award.

Friday, November 6: Platinum Glove winners announced at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in New York City.

Monday, November 9 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Rookie of the Year winners in each league will be announced.

Tuesday, November 10 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Manager of the Year winners in each league will be announced.

Wednesday, November 11 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Cy Young Award winners in each league and Reliever of the Year winners will be announced. It’s the first year of the Reliever of the Year award for the BBWAA, and I voted for that award.

Wednesday, November 11 (6-8 p.m. PT, MLB Network): MLB Awards from Las Vegas will feature the following awards:

• All-MLB first and second teams: Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Andy Pages, and Tanner Scott were nominated
• Hank Aaron Award: Ohtani is one of 10 nominees for the top offensive player in the National League
• Edgar Martinez Award: Ohtani will be considered for top designated hitter, which will go to Yordan Álvarez
• Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera Relievers of the Year
• Comeback Players of the Year
• MLB Executive of the Year

Thursday, November 12 (4-5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): MVP Award winners in each league will be announced. Shohei Ohtani’s consecutive MVP streak will end at three years.

Monday, November 16 (9 a.m. PT): Hall of Fame will announce its 2027 BBWAA ballot. Longtime San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey headlines the players eligible for the first time. Chase Utley is the returner to the ballot who receive the most votes in 2026, garnering 59.1 percent in his third year on the ballot. Seventy-five percent is required for induction to Cooperstown.

Tuesday, November 17: Silver Slugger Award winners are announced.

Sunday, December 6 (5 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Hall of Fame announces the results of the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot for managers, executives, and umpires.

Tuesday, January 19 (3 p.m. PT, MLB Network): Hall of Fame announces the results of BBWAA voting for the 2027 ballot.

On Wednesday, October 7th, the Cleveland Guardians traveled to Chicago to take on the White Sox for Game 3 of the ALDS. With a win, the White Sox would clinch a Playoff Series at Home for the first time in over 100 years. It would be only their 2nd ALCS appearance in over 100 years. Needless to say, everyone in and around the organization was a little excited; the players, fans, organization, alumni, and the small few who fall into multiple categories. More on that last one in a minute…

First, a little background on me, in case you’re wondering “who the hell is this guy?”; I’m Jake, a Cleveland sports fan my entire life. I was born in 1989 at the Jersey Shore, and grew up in the small town of Spring Lake, New Jersey. My Dad is from Youngstown, Ohio, and like what I assumed most Fathers did, passed his morals, religion, good hair and sports fandoms down to me. At a young age, I learned really quickly how much I was gonna live watching and playing sports. Growing up, I thought there was nothing cooler than watching the Cleveland Indians score 1,000 runs with my Dad. And still to this day, there isn’t much that can beat that.

Since birth, I’ve lived my entire life (outside of a brief D.C. tour for college) 7 hours East of most Cleveland sports fans. Some say it makes me a more dedicated fan since I’m so loyal to a team that I’ve never been physically close to. Others would suggest I don’t get it because I’m not immersed in it every day. There is no right or wrong there; I’m definitely somewhere in the middle. My only claim is that I hate the Yankees more than you ever could.

This is all to say, while I may not have a 330 or 216 area code, rest assured it kills me just as much when this team fails, we get mistreated by the national media or our Heroes don another team’s uniform.

To the point- I grew up in the 90’s. And while it was the worst time to be a kid that’s starting to watch football, I was the perfect age to start watching Cleveland baseball. Some of my fondest early memories are my Dad letting me stay up late to watch the Tribe, a team that was very good, quite often. I didn’t realize just how close we were and just how hard it was to get back. But I didn’t care yet, I just loved watching them play. Especially since everyone I knew was a Yankee fan. My team was just as good and I felt special since none of them knew a lick about my team while I knew everything about theirs. Naturally, an early hatred grew from that.

Those teams featured some great players. All Stars, MVP candidates, Hall of Famers and ultimately, Cleveland Legends. And if you grew up in the 90’s, there was a good chance that until Jose Ramirez came around, your favorite player was Jim Thome. For me, that was certainly the case. Kenny Lofton definitely had some time in there as well, but the more I started playing baseball myself, the more I realized I’m much more “power hitting first baseman” than I am a “speedy” anything at all. So yeah, Jim Thome, the Man.

I don’t need to tell you about Jim Thome. 600 Homerun club, all time Cleveland Homerun leader, 13 seasons, 3 time All Star and MVP candidate. He has a statue outside of our stadium and known to be one of the nicest guys in the game (you don’t get the name Gentleman Jim by mistake).

Jim wasn’t a lifetime Clevelander though. Like many big names before and after him, once Jim hit Free Agency he took off for a more lucrative offer. Considering where he was in his career and where the Tribe were headed at the time of his Free Agency (read; Rebuilding), it didn’t come as much of a surprise that he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies (that did NOT however stop me from crying in front of my friends on the way home from a 7th grade basketball game upon hearing said news). After three years with the Phillies, he was traded to the then defending World Series Champions White Sox, where he spent 4 pretty successful years both on the field and off, slugging against an up and coming and eventually extremely competitive Cleveland Indians team, while also growing his young family. It was there that it really hit home that Jim wasn’t Mr. Cleveland anymore.

A few years later he would return to Cleveland for a semi-Retirement tour, but upon actually retiring, Thome took a job in the White Sox Front Office, working with Fan outreach, alumni and eventually bigger roles like MLB network analyst, Assistant to the GM and President of the MLB Players Association.

In other words, for the last 13 years, the White Sox have provided Jim a Career outside of the foul lines that’s been just as long as his run in Cleveland as a player was. During this time, his children have grown up (as White Sox fans) and lived their entire lives in Chicago. And as a Father myself, I can say that that is pretty important. You can see it when Landon, Jim’s son was drafted by the White Sox this past summer. Everyone in his family was overcome with emotion, not just happy for Landon for getting drafted, but for being drafted HIS hometown team, the team he loved growing up. It was an incredible family moment for the Thomes.

Fast forward back to the American League Divisional Series this past month. Game 3. The White Sox have a chance at clinching something special. They brought out all the stops, including a “Black out” in the crowd. And when it was game time, and the cameras went searching for everyone’s favorite Chicagoans, there is Jim Thome, he of the 337 Homers in Cleveland that retired his number and gave him a STATUE, wearing all black as the Cleveland Guardians took the field.

This, upset a LOT of people. Maybe some comments were in jest, but there were calls to tear down the statue, to reissue the jersey number and to ban him from Cleveland all together. And while I was bummed to see him there supporting the White Sox, I thought to myself “what else would you expect?”.

Yes, as a player, he was Cleveland. We’ve covered that. But he hasn’t been a player for quite some time. What he HAS been for the last decade plus is a White Sox (that’s somehow the singular and plural, something I can never wrap my head around). The White Sox are his family’s team, it’s his job, it’s his life now. This isn’t to take away from his time in Cleveland, but it’s his current life, and one that has made him happy. So do you really expect him to show up to work on one of the biggest days of their franchise’s history, and start rooting for the opponent? Was that what people really expect of employees these days? They want the guy nicknamed ‘Gentleman Jim’ to spit in the face of his boss. Yeah, not gonna happen.

Look, I don’t like policing fandom. I did when I was younger and that now feels tacky and invasive. I just have a few rules I think all fans should follow.

1. Never bother anyone who is minding their own business. And obviously leave kids alone/follow common decency.
2. You represent the whole fanbase, city and team, for better or for worse, so take responsibility for your words and actions.
3. If you talk the talk you better walk the walk. No one else should have to answer for your stupidity/audaciousness.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much all fair game. I root for multiple college football teams and I think my reasons are valid. Have I violated these rules before? Absolutely. Am I proud of it? Absolutely not. I understand that fandom gets the best and worst out of a lot of us and I am no different.

But here I think people need to use a little common sense. I believe Jim can be respectful of his past as a Cleveland Indian, while also supporting his organization. If we don’t like it, we probably should’ve hired him back in 2013. But alas, not the case.

So in closing, I’m not gonna tell you how to feel. If you’re angry because the guy you idolized growing up was supporting the White Sox, you have that right. If you don’t think it’s a problem at all, that’s also you’re right. For me, I’m just a little bummed. I freaking loved Jim Thome growing up. I don’t want him supporting them, but at the same time, he’s in their Front Office! He’s been there for a long time, living in Chicago where his kids grew up. The White Sox are his life now, and he’s not the guy to disrespect his bosses like some wanted him to. There is life outside of playing, and we got to see first hand what his is. And as much as I love the Guards and hate the AL Central rivals, I feel like given the situation, I’d do the same as he would. Because to guys like Jim Thome, there might be more to life than the Glory Days. Those will always remain, but in the past. That’s just not who he is anymore. And I think that’s ok.

So go ahead, call me a fair weather fan or tell me to stay on the East Coast. But I’m with Jim on this one (not as a White Sox fan, just as a guy who puts his family first and worries about baseball, well after). And I’ll be happy to welcome him back to The Jake as a special alumni, because your 9-5 also doesn’t erase those times we had. The two can co-exist.

And frankly, deep down I’m willing to bet he’s pumped Cleveland pulled off the comeback (ok maybe deep, DEEP down).

Chaim Bloom and company are not expected to shop at the top of the free-agent market this offseason. But Bloom is bound to beckon a bargain-basement, battle-tested big-leaguer to bolster the beleaguered bullpen. So who’s the target? Here’s where I think he looks.

There are 82 potential free-agent relievers, according to the FanGraphs RosterResource page. Some of these pitchers have club options or other contract clauses that could keep them from entering the market, but it is a good pool to start with. To identify potential diamonds in the rough, I pulled each player’s statistics for the past three seasons. Really what I am looking for is a pitcher coming off a mediocre-to-bad season who has posted exceptional metrics in a somewhat recent season. The metrics I chose to focus on were K%, fastball velocity, Chase%, Whiff%, and Stuff+. These attributes, at various levels, would seem to be the primary drivers behind last offseason’s Dustin May and Ryne Stanek signings. 

With this dataset and these metrics, I sifted through the three-season leaderboard of each statistic. As you would expect, the top of the leaderboards was littered with seasons from the higher-end free agents. Adrian Morejon posted three of the top four Stuff+ seasons. Alex Vesia had three of the top ten strikeout seasons. Gregory Soto ranks as one of the hardest throwers over the past three seasons. These gentlemen, along with David Bednar, Raisel Iglesias, and Sean Newcomb, are all coming off excellent seasons and certainly do not qualify as under-the-radar. When I set the filters to pitchers who accrued 0.5 WAR or less in 2026, some interesting names started to pop up. Here are the four that I think are most likely to be on Bloom’s radar. 

Bryan Abreu, RHP, 30 (Astros)

2026: 62.2 IP, 29.9 K%, 15.3 BB%, 1.29 HR/9, -0.3 WAR 

Abreu has posted some of the highest highs of any current free-agent reliever over the last three seasons. His 35.5% strikeout rate in 2025 ranked first in our sample and was well earned with a 99th-percentile Whiff% (41.2%).

Abreu is coming off a terrible season where his ERA jumped from 2.28 to 3.73, his walks ballooned, and his fastball velocity dropped from 97.2 mph to 95.7 mph. He righted the ship over the season’s final three months, posting a 2.02 ERA and an xFIP of 3.39. That finish alone may take him out of the pure bounceback-candidate market.

At his best, Abreu pitched almost exclusively with his excellent four-seam fastball and slider. In his down 2026, his fastball maintained a similar movement profile, but the lost velocity made it much more hittable. Abreu threw his slider at the exact same velocity but lost over an inch of drop and an inch-and-a-half of horizontal break. 

He might be a bit of a stretch for an under-the-radar signing, but if the Cardinals feel like they can get Abreu back to his 2025 form, he would be an excellent value. Even coming off a down season, he could get $10M+, but he arguably has more upside than any relief pitcher on the market, outside of Morejon. 

Hunter Harvey, RHP, 32 (Cubs)

2026: 4.0 IP, 22.2 K%, 5.6 BB%, 4.50 HR/9, -0.2 WAR

Harvey makes the list based on the exceptional stuff he flashed in 2024, when he showed elite velocity, averaging 98 mph on his fastball.

You can obviously ignore the 2026 stat line, but Harvey also pitched only 10.2 innings in 2025 while dealing with shoulder and adductor strains. Despite the lost season, the Cubs gave him $6M guaranteed last offseason, only to see him go down in April with triceps inflammation, suffer a stress reaction in his triceps/shoulder area in May, and never return. Harvey and the Cubs have an $8M mutual option with a $1M buyout, but I would assume the buyout is a foregone conclusion. 

The Cardinals seem to have an ability to get and keep pitchers healthy, so Harvey could be an interesting match. He will surely be available for a couple million bucks. His career ERA, FIP, and xFIP are all below 3.50, so the upside is clearly there.

Caleb Thielbar, LHP, 40 (Cubs)

2026: 50.0 IP, 28.3 K%, 8.5 BB%, 1.98 HR/9, -0.2 WAR

Thielbar makes this list based on his exceptional 35.8% chase rate in 2026. This ranks as the eighth-best Chase% in our sample behind Andrew Kittredge (x3), David Bednar, Adrian Morejon, Raisel Iglesias, and Kevin Ginkel. 

Thielbar may seem boring, but chase rates like this don’t grow on trees. There are other encouraging markers, too. His rough year was driven by a HR/FB rate of 16.4%, well above his 9.3% career average. He also averaged a career-high 93.4 mph on his fastball. 

Thielbar received a $4.5M contract coming off a 1.1 WAR season last year, so he would surely be available for $2-$3M this offseason, assuming his mutual option with the Cubs is declined. 

Matt Strahm, LHP, 35 (Royals)

2026: 35.2 IP, 18.6 K%, 8.7 BB%, 3.03 HR/9, -1.3 WAR

Strahm is on this list because he has posted fastball Stuff+ metrics that rival any of the free agents except Morejon. 

Strahm had a nightmarish 2026 season with the Royals, giving up 12 home runs in 35.2 innings and sporting a 7.32 ERA. Part of the poor performance was likely tied to trying to pitch through a knee injury that he finally had surgery on in September. 

From 2023 to 2025, Strahm was one of the best relievers in baseball, tying Mason Miller for the sixth-most relief pitcher WAR over that time period. His last contract included only $7.5M guaranteed despite coming off a 2-WAR season. After a disastrous 2026, Strahm is the perfect low-risk bounceback candidate, if his services can be acquired on the cheap. 

Final Thoughts

After looking at the free-agent pool a bit more closely, I am convinced Ryne Stanek will be coming back. He possesses one of the best fastballs on the market and has had stretches where he showed the ability to miss bats. It might not be the most exciting move, but he does have high-octane stuff. The Cardinals will undoubtedly decline his option and explore a cheaper deal, but I am prepared for his return. 

Regardless of what happens with Stanek, the trade market, or the waiver wire, I would like to see the Cardinals take a free-agent flier or two. At the premium end, Abreu makes a lot of sense. If he bounces back to 2025 form, he would meaningfully improve the team’s playoff chances or provide a valuable trade chip. If they choose to go to the lower end, Hunter Harvey is a suspiciously good match. He does not have the historical results of Strahm, but he possesses the high velocity that the Cardinals covet. Harvey looks like a higher-risk, higher-upside version of Stanek to me. None of these potential signings would make national headlines, but every once in a while, they are the difference between the playoffs and sitting at home come October. 

Happy Halloween Birdland!

It is a scary time for Major League Baseball. The World Series is in the rearview, and what lurks around the corner is yet another lockout. The month of November will be the last flurry of action we get until a new CBA is agreement to. When that actually happens is unclear, and it will likely rob us of what are usually the most interesting time of the baseball offseason.

This week, a bunch of teams and players made (or are in the process of making) decisions on contract options. That includes the Orioles.

We learned on Thursday that Ryan Helsley would be opting in to his $14 million player option for 2027. This was no surprise as injuries limited the 32-year-old to just 17 games in 2026. He wasn’t going to get any more money on the market. So instead he takes a nice salary and will hope to bounce back next year. The Orioles will be hoping the same. If healthy, the Orioles could have themselves an exciting back-end of their bullpen between Helsley and Félix Bautista, but there is a lot to sort out there.

It was reported that same day that the Orioles were “expected” to decline the $20 million club option on Luis Robert Jr. Again, this will shock no one. Robert was brought in from the Mets as a last-ditch effort to solve the team’s outfield issues and sneak them into the playoffs. He ended up appearing in three games before an IL stint ended his season. The Orioles would probably be open to a return for Robert. They need outfielders, and he has upside that would be tough to find elsewhere in this market. But the salary is a problem. The delay is likely due to talks between the two sides on a possible negotiation on that.

On Friday, word came down that the Orioles declined their half of a $25 million mutual option for Zach Eflin in 2027. Eflin made one start for the O’s in ‘26 before needing Tommy John surgery. He remained around the club all season long, and seems like a great clubhouse presence. The salary was just too much, particularly for a guy that is likely to be rehabbing well into next season.

And most recently, it was reported that the O’s and outfielder Rece Hinds agreed to a one-year major league contract for the 2027 season. Hinds will make just a touch more than the league minimum. Hinds did not play well in his brief call-up for the O’s at the end of this season, but his minor league numbers are interesting, and the team is in no position to ignore any outfield options that they think could help them in the future.

Teams have until November 2 to make the final decision on contract options as well as whether or not they will make qualifying offers to any free agents. Along with Robert, Ryan Mountcastle is another player with an option for 2027 that is yet to be determined one way or the other. Trevor Rogers is a free agent that the O’s are likely to give a qualifying offer.

Links

Jon Meoli: Coby Mayo’s history of offseason improvements bodes well for the Orioles | The Baltimore Banner
Mayo was a true force in the lineup by the end of the season. Now the Orioles just need to figure out what to do with him moving forward. Third base probably isn’t his long-term home, especially if Jordan Westburg is ready go near the start of the season. Pete Alonso has first base locked down for the forseeable future. DH needs to be a flexible spot for Samuel Basallo to move in and out of. So, where does Mayo go? I would like to see him in right field. Hopefully someone with the Orioles feels similarly.

Another look at Orioles’ 40-man roster, checking where Rogers slots among free agents, Denoyer back in organization | Roch Kubatko
One prediction thinks Trevor Rogers will land a three-year, $64 million contract this offseason. That seems like a pretty good deal to me. I would guess he gets more, and if he doesn’t then the Orioles should be all over a reunion.

New GM Banner learning the Oriole way from club legend Ripken | Orioles.com
Including prominent former players in a team’s decision-making seems like a reasonable consideration. They shouldn’t necessarily be deferred to, but their input has value. It has been nice to see Cal at so many games the last few years after it seemed like the club was keeping him at a distance for the 20 years before that. Seems like the new GM is happy to keep him in the loop.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Tony Kemp turns 35 today. He played in five games for the Orioles in 2024, serving as a seat warmer at second base prior to Jackson Holliday’s initial call-up.
• Yamaico Navarro is 39 years old. The utilityman appeared in eight games for the 2013 Orioles.
• David Delucci is 53 today. His MLB career spanned 13 seasons, which all began with a 17-game stint in the Orioles outfield during the 1997 season. He was then selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of the expansion draft ahead of the 1998 season.
• Tim Byrdak turns 53. The southpaw worked out of the Orioles bullpen for parts of two seasons between 2005 and ‘06.
• Steve Trachsel is 56 years old. He made his way to Baltimore late in his 16-season MLB career. The right-handed starter signed with the O’s two offseasons in a row, prior to the 2007 season and then again before 2008.
• Matt Nokes is 63 today. He was a backup catcher for the Orioles during the 1995 season.
• Mike Smith is also 63 years old. He tossed 23 total MLB innings, all of them came with the Orioles between the 1989 and ‘90 seasons.
• The late Dave McNally (b. 1942, d. 2002) was born on this day. The lefty is an Orioles legend, spending almost his entire career with the club from 1962 through ‘74. He made three all-star teams, won 20 games four times, including an AL-leading 24 in ‘70, and helped the club to two World Series championships. He was one of the earliest inductees to the team’s Hall of Fame, taking his spot in 1978, only the second season in which the team honored former players.

This day in O’s history

1979 – Mike Flanagan, who led the league with 23 wins, is named AL Cy Young. The lefty earns all but two first-place votes, finishing ahead of two Yankees hurlers, Tommy John and Ron Guidry.

Growing up in the Southern California sunshine, Matt Nokes had the kind of baseball profile most travel-ball dads dream their sons will have: a lefty-hitting catcher. That combination eventually helped him reach the majors. Nokes’ path to the pros started when the Giants drafted him in the 20th round of the 1981 MLB Draft out of Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. A decade later, it took him to New York.

Matthew Dodge Nokes
Born: October 31, 1963 (San Diego, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1990-94

After being drafted, Nokes started working his way toward the show, beginning in Rookie ball while still just 17 years old. He spent the next two seasons playing in Single-A, though his first year at the level was a bit of a struggle. In his second season, Nokes broke out with Fresno, slashing .322/.410/.508 with 14 home runs. The performance was good enough to earn him a promotion.

Nokes spent the 1984 season in Double-A and returned to the level to start the 1985 season. After another solid year, the Giants gave him a September call-up. In 19 games for San Francisco, he hit .208 and launched his first two major-league home runs. The Giants used Nokes as part of a package that offseason, sending him and pitchers Eric King and Dave LaPoint to Detroit in exchange for Bob Melvin, Juan Berenguer, and a player to be named later (Scott Medvin).

Now in the Tigers organization, Nokes returned to Double-A to start the 1986 season. Detroit gave him another cup of coffee at the end of the year before moving on from longtime starting catcher Lance Parrish that offseason, opening the door for Nokes to take over behind the plate.

Nokes’ rookie year was by far the best season of his career. In 1987, he slashed .289/.345/.536 with 32 home runs and 87 RBIs. He was selected to the All-Star team and won the Silver Slugger Award, but finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Mark McGwire and Kevin Seitzer. It was quite a debut for the young catcher, who helped Detroit win the AL East — the Tigers’ last playoff appearance for nearly two decades.

After that amazing season, Nokes came back down to earth and saw his playing time and production slip over the next two and a half seasons in Detroit. The Tigers decided it was time to move on in 1990 and traded him to the Yankees that summer for the elder Lance McCullers and Clay Parker.

The Yankees hoped Nokes’ bat could help the struggling club, particularly against right-handed pitching. With Bob Geren and Rick Cerone also on the roster, Nokes split time behind the plate and at designated hitter. He batted .238 with eight home runs in 92 games for New York. After the season, Cerone departed, and Nokes entered 1991 as the Yankees’ primary backstop.

In his first full season in pinstripes, Nokes played 135 games. In 493 at-bats, he hit .268 with 24 home runs. Those 24 round-trippers led the team, while his 77 RBIs were good for second. Those Yankees were lousy, but it was hardly his fault.

The 1992 season saw Nokes top 20 home runs for the second straight year, finishing with 22. His average dropped to .224, and his on-base percentage fell to .293. Mike Stanley also began pushing for more playing time behind the plate.

Shifted into more of a reserve role, Nokes appeared in 56 games as a catcher and another 11 at designated hitter in 1993. He slashed .249/.303/.424 with 10 home runs. The highlight of his Yankees tenure came on September 4th, when he was behind the plate for Jim Abbott’s no-hitter against the Cleveland.

Heading into the 1994 season, Nokes was still slotted behind Stanley on the depth chart. However, a broken bone in his hand in April sidelined him for much of the season. With the players’ strike ending the season in August, Nokes was limited to just 28 games. He batted .291 with seven home runs in his final season in pinstripes. The Yankees’ last game of the season came on August 11th, bringing Nokes’ time in the Bronx to an abrupt end.

Nokes spent the 1995 season with the Orioles and Rockies, appearing in 36 games between the two clubs. That ended up being his final major league season, though he continued playing in independent leagues later in his career. He also spent time coaching and eventually returned to the San Diego area, where he has worked as a hitting instructor and consultant, doing what he can to give back to the game.

Happy Halloween to all, and happy birthday, Matt!

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

Oh, there’s no news today about Daniel Palencia. But he IS a relief pitcher.

And so am I, in a sense. Today, I’m filling in on Cub Tracks for Jeff Brown, who’s away on vacation. Josh, Ashley and I will be taking care of Cub Tracks until Jeff returns on Nov. 12.

I picked Palencia because I felt that at the very end of the 2026 season, he had finally gotten back to the form he showed in 2025, before missing much of this year with injuries. A healthy and productive Palencia could be an anchor for an improved Cubs bullpen in 2027. Palencia turns 27 in February. He should be entering his best seasons. Fingers crossed.

As we head into the offseason, for now the news bin is somewhat empty. But here’s what we’ve got to begin your Saturday.

Roster notes:

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd opt for free agency: “As for what the Cubs do with their suddenly barren rotation, well, that’s pretty much 90% of the question for the offseason. Bringing back either Holmes or Boyd is a plausible part of the answer, though even if the Cubs brought back both, they’d need another starter to join them.“

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Here’s what the Cubs are looking for in free agency. Jed Hoyer states the obvious: “From a Major League standpoint, their pitching has been exceptionally good,” Hoyer said at his season-ending press conference. “I think that’s the area that we have to double down and really focus on. Obviously, the position-playing group this year was exceptional, and I think [pitching] is the biggest area that we have to focus on.”

Other news:

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Cubs retain John Mallee on the coaching staff. The Mets apparently had interest in Mallee, but “the Cubs were so keen to make sure they kept Mallee that they proactively went to him to rework his contract BEFORE he even spoke with the Mets.“
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Turns Out the Cubs Reportedly ARE the Mystery NL Central Team in on Taiwanese Righty Jyun-Yue Tseng: “In addition to trying to coax out some results (obviously), it would also be very cool to bring in an established star from Taiwan to see about building out a pipeline to the burgeoning talent there. Get Tseng in the system, work with him in Spring Training (even if there’s a lockout, minor league Spring Training will continue as normal), and perhaps see what he can do at Triple-A first.”

• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs have a big assignment if they want to catch up with the Brewers: “The Brewers are absolutely never stagnant. That’s the greatest lesson the Cubs can learn from their chief rivals, as they attempt to recover from a decade-long stretch of domination by Milwaukee that culminated in a championship Wednesday. Jed Hoyer’s greatest shortcoming as a team builder is an insufficient comfort with rapid change. His Milwaukee counterpart, Matt Arnold, never forgets to keep his roster moving.”

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune): The Brewers trolled the Cubs after winning the World Series: “Brewers closer Trevor Megill had a message for Wisconsin on Wednesday night after winning the World Series. “Have fun talking (s−−−) to Chicago next year,” Megill said. “We have a ring.”“

• David Haugh and Jarrett Payton (104.3 The Score): What can the Cubs learn from the Brewers World Series title? (YouTube video)

• Danny Rockett (Cubs Insider): Check out this podcast from Danny, the Son Ranto Show.
• Locked On Cubs: A to-do list for Jed Hoyer.

Food For Thought

• io9: Tributes pour in for the late Patrick Stewart, who passed away this week at age 86. The Shakespearean-trained actor’s greatest role was as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: Next Generation. One tribute is from actor Hugh Jackman: “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”
• A tribute to Stewart from the BBC:

• Today’s song choice, one of my favorites of 2026:

The offseason is here, and with it comes the natural discussions: who’s getting traded, who’s getting signed, and how long will we be without baseball for? Hopefully, not for long. The Guardians’ 2026 season wound up surpassing any and all expectations heading into the season, but building off an 85-win season and ALCS appearance can feel like a mountain to climb for a ball club unwilling to spend. Despite that, we’re going to look at a handful of free agents that Cleveland could take a look at this offseason to improve the roster for 2027*. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and you’re probably right. A Dolan ownership with a foot out the door isn’t going to spend. The Guardians started 2026 with baseball’s lowest payroll, and they’re going from 20.9% of that payroll being covered by arbitration salaries to a whopping 51.4%, per FanGraphs. Cleveland’s projected 2027* payroll sits somewhere just shy of $100-million. Arbitration alone makes a huge difference.

So, how realistic is any of this? For that answer, I recruited some help. You will see graphics throughout this article from my friend and data wizard, PastTheEyeTest. You will not find a more in-depth analytical baseball site that’s completely free like this, and he was kind enough to use his contract projection model to assist me in our endeavor here. I will then be grading on a 1-to-10 scale as to whether this player is feasible for the Guardians to sign.

The old saying goes we’re trying to turn F’s into C’s, and the trade deadline accomplished that in the short term. The addition of Foster Griffin will not be remembered as fondly as many would like it to be because Griffin regressed to his expected numbers and simply didn’t put up the same quality of outing as he did in Washington. That was still far better than what they were getting from Slade Cecconi, and when Tanner Bibee’s season took a sharp nosedive, Griffin stepped up in big spots and delivered strong outings in must-win games. This was less an F and more D-grade situation as Bibee was still generating innings eating outings, but Griffin gave Cleveland postseason innings that the other two were not trusted to provide. Griffin is set for free agency entering the ‘27 season, and Cleveland will be in dire need for starting pitching depth as their postseason run signified.

Gavin Williams was terrific this postseason, and Foster Griffin secured 10.1 innings of a 3.48 ERA (0.78 FIP) in both starting and bulk roles, but beyond the two of them, it was bleak. Parker Messick, coming off a truly historic rookie season, was visibly gassed each of his final two postseason outings showing shoddy command and little feel for his best pitches. He wasn’t throwing strikes, he was getting squared up, and two of the worst outings of his career happened just this October. There’s a deeper issue to be investigated here. Cleveland entered the season with the hopes that Tanner Bibee still had ace potential. They were very wrong. That misguided mindset created an excuse to not go and sign a starting pitcher, and the rookie Messick paid for it in innings. The brakes were never tapped for the rookie as Cleveland steamrolled its way into a divisional race with Messick headlining the rotation, and across August and September, he pitched into at least the sixth inning in 8 of his 11 starts, eclipsing 90 pitches in nine of those outings. To Messick’s credit, he was outstanding, and he will receive both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young votes because of his season. It also highlighted a need because while he was pitching like an ace, he ideally should not have been worked the way he was.

In the postseason, across 11 games, Cleveland accrued just 47.2 from its regular season starting pitchers. Cantillo was used exclusively in relief, Cecconi came on in lower leverage spots when the Guards were trailing against Tampa, and Tanner Bibee recorded a singular out. This is largely not a Stephen Vogt problem. It’s a sincere lack of quality depth for October. The lack of Cantillo boiled down to finding the right way to use him. Cantillo found success as a bulk arm later in September, finding his best outings in weeks after relieving the opener, but he never assumed the same role in the postseason, in large part to uncontainable command issues. Cecconi was moved to the bullpen after the Foster Griffin trade, and Tanner Bibee had the highest ERA of any qualified starter in baseball over the final two months of the season, including an ERA of 7.36 in September.

The simple answer is they need better arms. The more complex answer is they need better stuff. So, where can they find that this offseason? Foster Griffin is not realistic. Griffin’s camp was reportedly already seeking north of $100-million before the deadline,

— StL/MIL RHP Dustin May

Where to even begin here…Dustin May has been a name for a while now. From highly touted prospect to losing so much of his early seasons to injury to being the centerpiece of any and every mock trade for the Dodgers to a scary injury where he suffered a tear his esophagus after swallowing a piece of lettuce, May bounced back from all of that to set a career high in innings and strikeouts, and he’s now won three World Series in a row, with four overall.

May had a strong first half highlighted by a complete game, one-hit shutout as a member of the Cardinals. He was moved to Milwaukee at the deadline, and the underlying data seemed to catch up to him. May found more strikeouts with the Brewers, but whether in St. Louis or Milwaukee, May got hit hard, and the once great strength in preventing barrels and home runs turned into a weakness.

May found a cutter in Boston that he carried over into 2026, and much like Gavin Williams in 2025, it took his struggles to stay in the zone and muffled them a bit, giving him a glove side offering to hunt in the zone more. Combine that with a significant raise in arm angle from 21-degrees to 35-degrees, and May saw his 4-seam zone rate go from 47.9% up to 52.4%, and the stuff was significantly better.

May has simplified his arsenal too much in Milwaukee, and it’s been to the detriment of his sweeper. In 2-strike counts with St. Louis, May was going to his sweeper 42.3% of the time, inducing a 29.4% whiff rate and 17.7% put-away rate, above league average for sweepers. His sweeper usage in 2-strike counts dwindled to under 23% with Milwaukee, his put-away rate dropped to 10.9%, and his overall whiff rate in 2-strike counts among all pitches fell to 22.8% from 24.5%.

May fits well in Cleveland because of exactly that. Cleveland helped Gavin Williams both find and then rekindle his sweeper. Tanner Bibee developed a sweeper in this organization (that he should also throw more), Colin Holderman saw a career rejuvenation, largely because he found his sweeper again.

This is a top heavy pitching market, and Cleveland can’t wade in the pool with the bigger sharks. May could be the top end of what they’re hunting for.

Milwaukee declined May’s mutual option is $20-million, making him an outright free agent.

PastTheEyeTest Projected Dustin May contract: 2 years, $34 million — Possible Player Option
Realism Meter: 7/10

— CHC RHP Matthew Boyd

The first of a couple old friends that we’ll talk about here, Boyd has been a named possibly linked to the Guardians in the early stages of the offseason. Boyd flies in the face of the ‘improved stuff’ that we’re after, but his pedigree in recent years since returning from injury and the success he briefly had in Cleveland make this an easy fit. That being said, I’m skeptical. Boyd possesses a capable 4-seam/slider combo that handles lefties well, and then he flips it to 4-seam/changeup to right-handed batters, but the fastball got hit and hit hard, and he arguably should’ve been hit harder. Boyd surrendered a .455 SLG to the heater, but his .514 xSLG was among the worst marks from a starting pitcher in 2026. The rest of his arsenal combined yielded just a .349 xSLG.

If Boyd came back, I’d look for him to implement his sinker a lot more against lefties. He all but disowned the offering in Chicago, and it put a lot of pressure on his fastball to batters of either handedness. Boyd also threw a higher rate of same-handed changeups in his eight starts in Cleveland in ‘24. Sometimes you have to let a junkyard dog have fun with the junk. As Boyd ages, his ability to locate and tunnel from his lower slot and release point will only continue to amplify his success, and for a back end arm, he would be ideal and not terribly expensive.

PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $12 million
Realism Meter: 7/10

— TOR RHP Shane Bieber

Now we’re cooking. Bieber has made just 20 starts over the last three regular seasons. The once the prince that was promised needs to come home and anchor the middle to back end of a rotation that badly needs his experience. For Guardians fans, if you want to see what Braylon Doughty can become, just watch here. Injuries have plagued Bieber from 2022 on, and in looking for a fresh reboot to the winding down of a career, Cleveland provides him with something nobody else in the league can: a familiar backdrop to the best years of his career.

Bieber’s fastball just hasn’t been the same in five years, but the velocity has returned to his post-2020 Cy Young season. The knuckle-curve and slider still carry a solid to strong contingent of secondaries, and the new changeup he began to use in 2024 before a torn UCL ended his season was excellent in 2026, running a .319 xwOBA and .135 average against. In terms of bang for your buck, anticipating Bieber bouncing back going into a season fully healthy for the first time in years is one of the stronger bets you can make this offseason. Should you expect him to lead a rotation anymore? No, that ship has long sailed, but SP4-5 stability in the form of this kind of pedigree and out-getting ability is hard to find for the price he’ll net.

PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $8 million
Realism Meter: 10/10

Up next, we’ll get to a couple relievers. The Guardians’ bullpen had a similar problem the rotation had in 2026. Outside of the big time leverage arms, they struggled to get any consistency or outs from them, especially in the postseason. The emergence of Daniel Espino in October was huge, but consistency and lack of a repertoire still loom as major concerns. Matt Festa is a rubber arm, useful for getting length from the bullpen when arms are burned for a day or not needed, but he was counted on for a total 1.2 innings in the postseason. Franco Aleman is a wild card both on and off the field, Shawn Armstrong is a likely free agent, and Craig Yoho should never be asked for more than middle relief in a clean inning.

That leaves a substantial gap for innings and roles. As much as I’ve defended Festa, he’s in arbitration, is likely going to get $1.5-1.7 million, and for a reliever they don’t see fit for October, that baton of long relief role should be passed along. Justin Campbell, I’m looking at you. Beyond that, I’m eyeing one more right-handed reliever and one more left-handed reliever, likely on one-year deals, who can deepen a strong but thin ‘pen.

— RHP Jonathan Loáisiga

Loáisiga was a target acquisition of mine last offseason, and while that didn’t come to fruition, Colin Holderman did, Loáisiga returned to form in Arizona, and all was right in the world. Now, with a chance to acquire another hard-throwing low release reliever, the Guardians should jump all over it. What makes Loáisiga different than Holderman is that while he creates less swing and miss, his pure stuff and his ability to tunnel his changeup and sinker make him among the very hardest relievers in baseball to square up whereas Holderman’s repertoire is so distinctly split between his sinker and his sweeper/curveball, that it’s harder for him to sequence.

Loáisiga’s dominance saw him throwing his sinker less than almost ever before and throwing his four-seam and especially his changeup the most he has in his career. His changeup is uniquely disgusting, and its ability to work off the sinker makes it even more devastating. Its 32% whiff rate was the highest off all his pitches, generates a higher, near 1800 RPM spin rate (something Cleveland loves), and ran an 84.8 mph average exit velocity. It’s not every day you see a pitcher separate their changeup velocity and average exit velocity by over 6 mph, but Loáisiga’s power change does exactly that.

Loáisiga will also likely be on the cheaper side of things, despite his strong 2026. Injuries have ravaged his career, and extending a 2-year deal would benefit both sides.

PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $7 million or 2 years, $10 million
Realism Meter: 8/10

— LHP JoJo Romero

Another name that the Guardians had been attached to in trade talks in the past, Romero serves to be almost a left-handed version of Holderman from a slightly lower slot, and in adding a lefty of this quality to the bullpen, Sabrowski gets to assume the true back end role he maintained throughout the postseason. Simply put, Romero should be a priority. Romero’s funky low release height creates unnatural eye lines for the hitter, and it leads to weak contact across the board against his sweeper and changeup.

Admittedly, I bounced around either Romero or Gregory Soto, and while I think Soto is better, I have a hard time believing the Guardians would ever spend over $10-million on a reliever. It firmly got a 0/10 in terms of realistic outcome where as Romero ranked much higher.

The Guardians need a third lefty in the bullpen. Tim Herrin really came into his own towards the back half of 2026, and alleviating pressure on Herrin while letting Sabrowski kick more towards the true high leverage spots he’s needed for provides almost unmatched depth around the league.

PastTheEyeTest Projected Contract: 1 year, $7 million or 2 years, $10 million
Realism Meter: 8/10

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Again, a huge shoutout to PastTheEyeTest for the graphics and contract calculations. Don’t forget to follow them on Twitter @PastTheEyeTest! We will be back next week for the always fun, always successful Guardians free agent hitters breakdown.

Good morning, Purple Row!

Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.

Rockies News & Links

A Minor Trade That Could Pay Major Dividends for Tigers | SI.com

Brennan Bernardino was one of the Rockies’ more reliable relievers in 2026, posting a 2.81 ERA across 64 innings. Alvin Garcia suggests the Tigers could target the veteran left-hander in a trade involving a pitching prospect. With Bernardino approaching his 35th birthday, it’s certainly worth considering what Colorado could get in return. But he’s affordable, under team control, and coming off a strong season. The Rockies shouldn’t be in any hurry to move him unless Detroit is willing to offer something worthwhile.

What Does Future Hold for Freeland With Rockies? | Roundtable Sports

Kyle Freeland’s future in Colorado is becoming an interesting question as the Rockies look to rebuild their pitching staff. The Denver native is coming off a difficult 2026 season, finishing 4-12 with a 6.65 ERA. Joe Rutland examines whether Freeland’s experience and connection to the organization are enough to justify keeping him around. With the Rockies needing significant improvements to their rotation, it’s fair to wonder where the veteran left-hander fits into their plans beyond 2027.

Arizona Fall League Update

Friday’s Arizona Fall League games were rained out, but the Salt River Rafters had an eventful week.

The Rafters opened the week with a 1-0 loss to Glendale on Monday before shutting out Scottsdale 4-0 on Wednesday. Three Rockies pitching prospects contributed to the shutout. Sean Sullivan allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings, striking out three. Stu Flesland added three scoreless frames, while Fidel Ulloa pitched a perfect ninth. Jared Thomas also reached base four times with a hit, three walks and two stolen bases.

Things went considerably worse Thursday, as Salt River was hammered 21-5 by Mesa. Thomas went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, while Jack O’Dowd collected two doubles and drove in three runs. Konner Eaton provided one of the few bright spots on the mound, allowing two hits over two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Fans can watch AFL games for free on MLB.com.

Around MLB

Just How Good Was Cooper Pratt in the World Series? | FanGraphs

Cooper Pratt certainly made the most of his first trip to the World Series. The 22-year-old rookie hit .421 with seven RBI in Milwaukee’s five-game victory over Tampa Bay, putting together one of the best World Series performances by a rookie in baseball history. Matthew Roberson takes a closer look at just how impressive Pratt’s performance was, including a 0.62 Win Probability Added that ranks third all-time among position players 22 or younger. Not bad for a guy who was playing high school baseball just three years ago.

Here are the teams in search of new managers, GMs | MLB.com

With the World Series in the books, the offseason is underway, and several teams are still sorting out their leadership. The Astros hired Randy Flores as their new general manager on Friday, while the Mariners, Angels, and Astros are searching for new managers. MLB.com has a running list of the latest front-office and managerial changes, including candidates being considered for the remaining openings. It’s a useful way to keep track of the movement around baseball as teams prepare for 2027.

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Meet the Mets

There are some interesting trade targets the Mets could decide to pursue this offseason.

Teruaki Sato is one of the more intriguing free agents for the Mets and other teams to consider in free agency this winter.

Around the National League East

The Braves have reportedly signed Anthony Calderon, a 17-year-old catcher from Cuba.

The Good Phight examined some lessons that the Phillies could learn from the champions.

In entirely unsurprising news, the Marlins have exercised their 2027 option for Sandy Alcántara.

The Nationals are losing their director of hitting, as CJ Gillman is heading to Seattle to be the Mariners’ new hitting coach.

Around Major League Baseball

The Brewers took to the streets of Milwaukee to celebrate their championship.

The Brew Crew finally got a World Series victory. Are there more to come for their core?

A number of players across the league saw their options either picked up or declined as we prepare to enter free agency.

Another interesting pitching option is entering the free agent market, as 2026 NPB ERA-leader Kaima Taira will be posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions.

The Astros have chosen longtime Cardinals assistant GM Randy Flores to serve as their new general manager.

The Diamondbacks have a new pitching coach: former Padres pitching coach Ben Fritz.

Clint Hurdle is departing the Rockies organization after more than two decades in Colorado.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane discussed the latest Mets-related happenings with the offseason approaching on the latest episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series.

This Date in Mets History

Tom Seaver won Cy Young Award number two for his legendary career on this date in 1973.