Category: Baseball

Pat Murphy was right with his prediction that Jake Bauers would land a massive deal after his role as the Brewers’ playoff hero during their run to the World Series title.

He just had the team wrong.

Bauers, the NLCS MVP who went from nearly retiring two years ago to the sport’s ultimate stage, agreed to a four-year, $58 million deal with the Red Sox on Friday, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

It served as Boston’s first major splash of an uncertain offseason, and because Milwaukee gave Bauers the qualifying offer following its title, the Brewers will get a compensatory draft pick following the first round in next year’s draft, according to ESPN.

Bauers, 31, spent the last three seasons with the Brewers after the Yankees sent him to Milwaukee in November 2023 in exchange for a pair of minor-league outfielders, but his emergence in 2026 helped anchor the run to the first World Series title in franchise history.

He finished second in the National League in on-base percentage (.389), along with 26 homers and 86 RBIs, and was named NLCS MVP after recording six RBIs — along with a pivotal home run — as the Brewers toppled the Dodgers.

In the aftermath of the Brewers’ victory over the Rays to clinch the World Series, Murphy told Bauers during the celebration at Tropicana Field that he was going to be a “rich f–ker.”

“Just remember when you were on that horses–t Yankees team and you guys were all playing for yourself,” Murphy told Bauers. “… Just remember, say, ‘This is the way we used to do it.’”

Murphy said on “The Show” podcast with Joel Sherman and Heyman that he called Yankees general manager Brian Cashman after his interaction with Bauers went viral to claim that he wasn’t referring to the 2026 edition of the Yankees — and rather teams with “high-paid, long-contract players,” using Cashman’s group as an example given Bauers’ history with the organization.

But the sentiment of his comment ended up being ironic Friday, as Bauers joined the roster of the Yankees’ rival following a 2026 campaign where the Red Sox’s season ended in The Bronx during the wild-card series.

The Bauers signing also added a jolt of offense to the Red Sox’s roster just weeks before an MLB lockout is expected to begin, with the current CBA set to expire Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m.

Across his seven-year career, Bauers has hit .223 with a .717 OPS.

In the 2026 postseason, he hit .191 with a .621 OPS while adding the strong numbers against the Dodgers and consistent defense at first base.

…but not for the Guardians, to be clear.

The Braves signed reliever Evan Philips for 3/$35M. They clearly believe he can be healthy, in which case he is a high leverage arm. The Red Sox signed outfielder/first baseman/DH Jake Bauers to a 4/$58M contract. Wonder if this means the Red Sox are more likely to move one of their DH/outfield/first base players?

Fall and Winter League Play:

Jaison Chourio went 1-4 with a double and walk, Alfonsin Rosario went 0-4 with three errors in centerfield and Yorman Gomez gave up four runs in two innings in Venezulean winter league play.

The Surprise Saguaros are headed to the AFL playoffs, along with their collection of Guardians’ prospects.

Note: Today is nomination day! In addition to voting for the No. 8 prospect, head to the comment section to nominate the next batch of prospects to vote on.

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The 2027 Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List is marching right along, and we’ve nearly got ourselves a top 10, as our quest to rank the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giarts organization continues.

There were five names to vote on in the latest election, but it quickly became a two-player race. In all, 67 McCoven cast their votes, and 60 of those votes were split between two players. But only one can emerge victorious, and in this chapter it was left-handed pitcher Jacob Bresnahan, who has been named the No. 7 prospect in the system. That’s a rise of four spots for the southpaw, who was No. 11 on our list a year ago.

It was yet another brilliant season for Bresnahan who, along with the recently-traded (and recently-debuting) Nate Furman, came to the Giants in the 2024 Alex Cobb trade. Bresnahan, who turned 21 over the summer, was an overslot 13th-round selection out of high school in the 2023 draft, and immediately set to work impressing: in his first full season, he was named Pitcher of the Year in the Complex League. And then, last year, his first full season in the Giants organization, he was named Pitcher of the Year in the Low-A California League.

So there were some lofty expectations heading into the 2026 season, with Bresnahan moving up to High-A Eugene. But unfortunately, he hit a quick roadblock, as he suffered an injury during Spring Training, and was not healthy when the season began, and didn’t make his debut until late April, in the Emerald’s 21st game of the season.

Bresnahan then spun the tires a little bit as he tried to catch up to players who were more in rhythm, and had had healthy camps. His ERA flirted with the fives, and after his ninth start of the year, in mid-June, he had a very pedestrian 4.58 ERA. It’s funny: in my Minor League recaps, I remember quipping a few times that, between his delayed start to the season and his struggles over the first few months, he was going to need an absurd stretch of starts if he wanted to keep his Pitcher of the Year streak intact.

An absurd stretch of starts was precisely what followed. Bresnahan dominated his next five starts, allowing just 13 hits, seven walks, and and three runs in 29.1 innings, with 35 strikeouts. He came slightly back to earth eventually, but continued pitching brilliantly through the end of his run with Eugene, ending his time in Oregon with a 2.92 ERA, a 4.32 FIP, and 118 strikeouts to 38 walks in 98.2 innings.

And yes, he won Pitcher of the Year honors for the third year in a row.

Bresnahan earned a late-season promotion to AA Richmond, where things were a little rockier, which is quite understandable. In three starts, he had a 5.06 ERA, a 3.60 FIP, and 17 strikeouts against seven walks in 16 innings. He seemed to quickly adjust to the level, though, as his third and final regular season outing was dominant: he pitched seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and just five baserunners (though his last appearance, made in the playoffs, didn’t go so well).

2027 will be a huge year for Bresnahan, as the AA (and potentially AAA) introductions are really where we start to see whether a prospect of his talent level can be a quality starter, or if they’ll end up a spot starter or a bullpen piece. Bresnahan has a mid-90s fastball that has a lot of break and extension, which he pairs with a delightful kick change. He does a great job of limiting hits and accumulating strikeouts, though gives up a fair amount of home runs which is something he’ll want to work on at higher levels.

If you’re anywhere near Virginia, I recommend grabbing some tickets for Richmond next year. Bresnahan is the third pitcher on our list, and it’s likely that the two names ahead of him (righties Jackson Flora and Ramon Marquez) will be joining him in the Flying Squirrels’ rotation when the 2027 season kicks off. And won’t that be fun!

Now, let’s add to our list! As a reminder, both voting and nominating takes place in the comment section.

The list so far

1. Josuar González — SS
2. Jackson Flora — RHP
3. Luis Hernández — SS
4. Jhonny Level — SS
5. Ramon Marquez — RHP
6. Bo Davidson — OF
7. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 8 prospect nominees

Carson Bolemon — 19.7-year old LHP — yet to debut

ArgenisCayama — 20.1-year old RHP — 4.87 ERA/4.27 FIP in Low-A (57.1 IP)

DakotaJordan — 23.5-year old OF — .879 OPS/125 wRC+ in High-A (355 PA); .697 OPS/87 wRC+ in AA (88 PA)

GavinKilen — 22.7-year old SS — .811 OPS/112 wRC+ in High-A (349 PA); .811 OPS/112 wRC+ in AA (143 PA)

Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2026 season.

Jake Bauers and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms on a 4 year, $58 million deal, per multiple reports.

That is a substantial payday for Bauers, and one that no one would have thought possible a year ago, when he was coming off an age 29 season where he slashed .235/.353/.399 in 218 plate appearances as a first baseman/left fielder. For his career up to that point, he had 1962 plate appearances with a .211/.307/.365 slash line and a -1.2 bWAR in stints with the Rays, Guardians, Mariners, Yankees and Brewers. Famously, he said he was going to retire after the 2024 season, but his wife’s pregnancy resulted in his sticking around for the health insurance.

In 2026, however, Bauers blew up. A big part of the success for the World Champion Milwaukee Brewers was that Bauers put up a .266/.389/.484 line, with a .381 wOBA and a .371 xwOBA. It was perfect timing for Bauers, who had the requisite service time to then hit the free agent market.

So Boston has a new power hitting first baseman, and the Brewers see a player development success story move on elsewhere. There’s definitely an element of risk here for the Red Sox, given Bauers’ age and his lack of success prior to 2026. Kudos to Bauers for sticking it out and cashing in.

First baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers, a pillar of Milwaukee’s World Series run and the NLCS MVP, has agreed to a four-year, $58 million deal to join the Boston Red Sox, per multiple reports.

BREAKING: First baseman Jake Bauers and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a four-year, $58 million contract, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 13, 2026

Bauers, 31, received a $23.15 million qualifying offer from the Brewers but will turn that down and head to Boston on a longer deal. Bauers’ declining the QO means Milwaukee will receive a compensation pick in the 2027 MLB Draft. Given that the deal is over the $50 million threshold, the pick will be between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A.

After nearly retiring a couple of years ago, Bauers stayed on with the Brewers, earning $1.4 million in 2025 and $2.7 million in 2026. He’ll now earn $14.5 million for each of the next four years, a larger annual value than his career earnings ($9.4 million) to this point.

Bauers is coming off what was easily the best season of his career, appearing in a career-high 144 games as he hit .266/.389/.484 with 26 homers, 22 doubles, 86 RBIs, and 93 runs to total 3.3 bWAR. He received two 10th-place MVP votes (both from Milwaukee writers), one of four Brewers to receive votes this year. He also had a solid postseason, hitting .191/.345/.277 with a homer, a double, six RBIs, and four runs, though he faced some tough luck even with hard contact in the World Series.

Per Red Sox beat writer Chris Cotillo, Bauers will slot in as the everyday designated hitter while occasionally spelling Willson Contreras at first base. He probably won’t see significant time in the outfield since the Red Sox already have Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, and Masataka Yoshida all in the mix.

The only other first baseman on the roster is Triston Casas, who had a promising start to his career — .263/.367/.490 with 24 homers and 65 RBIs across 132 games in 2023 — but played just 63 games in 2024, 29 games in 2025, and missed the entire 2026 season as he’s dealt with injuries.

For Milwaukee, the first base plan is unclear, though Andrew Vaughn is certainly among those in the mix. Other potential in-house candidates include power-heavy prospects Andrew Fischer and Blake Burke — Fischer slugged a Brewers minor-league record 48 homers between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi, while Burke added 34 homers between Double-A and Triple-A Nashville. Both left-handed hitters, it seems likely one of them will form some sort of platoon with the right-handed-hitting Vaughn.

Luke Adams, who spent 2026 with Nashville, is another right-handed candidate — he doesn’t have quite as much power as Fischer or Burke (13 homers over 67 games), but he draws a ton of walks, as he slashed .259/.418/.509 this year, drawing 40 walks compared to 39 strikeouts.

It’s August 21, 1990, a Tuesday, but you don’t know that because you do not ascribe to any sort of calendar or temporal reality. You are an insentient thing, square plastic and deceptively plush, with a rectangular core that grounds you securely into the dirt

usually

you sit there, softly nestled into position by capable hands. Every so often there is a thump, a thunk, the scrape of metal across your top. You experience the impact, in that it happens to you, unto you, but you do not feel it. The roaring sounds of the crowd, the intimate crunch grind cashunk of impact, they exist around you but not to you. Object meets object, disrupts objects. And still you sit, square and waiting, there and

then

hands scrabble at your sides, jerking this way and that, stubby fingers seeking traction. You feel a precipitous sliding, the disruption of dirt, a light “pop!” as you’re separated from your space. There’s wind above and below and on all sides, and you’re not shaped to tumble through the air so instead you spin gracelessly, at odds with what you were meant to do, until you reunite, artlessly, with the ground. You list to one side, underbelly exposed, at their mercy.

(Lou Piniella, 18-year big leaguer, longtime manager and beloved former Mariners skipper, is one of eight finalists to appear on the Contemporary Era ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2027. He is the winningest manager in Seattle baseball history, leading the team from 1993 through 2002, some of the franchise’s most illustrious years. Only three managers had better records between 1990 and 2009, and they’re all already enshrined in Cooperstown. It is Piniella’s fourth time appearing on an Eras Committee (formerly known as the Veterans Committee) ballot; in 2018 and 2023, he fell one vote shy both times. He appears alongside Sandy Alderson, Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Joe Maddon, Brian Sabean, Ted Turner and Bill White. You know Lou’s great, I know Lou’s great, let’s just get to the point already, eh voters?

Sweet Lou will need 12 of the 16 votes in order to earn induction. The 16 electorates have not been announced yet, but the results of the vote will be announced December 6.)

A few weeks ago, in an attempt to help the Phillies woo players from Japan, I began a series of profiles on Japanese players who had previously worn the red pinstripes. Last time, I discussed World Series champion So Taguchi. This time, I’ll highlight a member of the 2007 National League East champions.

In 2007, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley was having an MVP-caliber season. Unfortunately, during a game on July 27th that year, John Lannan pitched him a little too far inside. As Utley was known to do, he hung in there, but the price was a broken wrist.

With their star second baseman estimated to miss about a month, the Phillies reacted quickly. They sent minor league pitcher Michael Dubee to the White Sox in exchange for Tadahito Iguchi.

Iguchi had begun his career for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in the Japan Pacific League. In 2005, he came to America, signing with the White Sox, and put up good, if not great numbers. But with the Sox struggling in 2007, they felt he was expendable and sent him to the Phillies.

Iguchi didn’t completely replace Utley – nobody could have – but he certainly held his own, putting up an .803 OPS with three home runs in 45 games. Thanks to that solid performance, the Phillies were able to stay within striking distance of the division.

Unfortunately for him (but fortunate for the Phillies), Utley returned to the team at the end of August, and Iguchi was limited mostly to pinch hitting appearances in the final month of the season.

Tadahito Iguchi – Phillies pic.twitter.com/wXearRtShe

— Random Philly Athletes (@PhillyRandom) March 3, 2021

That didn’t stop Iguchi from contributing. In an August game against the Mets, the Phillies were trailing by one with the tying runner at third base. Iguchi was brought in as a pinch hitter and delivered a single. He then stole second base and came around to score the winning run on a single by (who else?) Chase Utley.

On this day in 2007, Chase Utley helped this Phillies complete a crucial sweep of the Mets by delivering a walk-off single off of Billy Wagner.

For my money, this is the best regular season game ever at CBP. pic.twitter.com/izRXsnK4Zl

— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) August 30, 2023

After the season, Iguchi wanted more playing time, and signed with the San Diego Padres. But an injury caused him to miss almost two months of the season, and he wasn’t hitting well when on the field. In September, they released him, and the Phillies, seeking another bench player for the stretch run, picked him up.

He didn’t make much of an impact, appearing in just three games before getting two hits in a start on the final day of the season. Because he wasn’t on the roster at the start of September, he could not be included on the postseason roster, so he had to watch from the sidelines as the Phillies and his countryman Taguchi won the World Series.

Considering the thin margin by which they won the National League East in 2007, it is reasonable to think that without Iguchi being able to fill in for Utley, the Phillies would have missed the playoffs for the 14th straight year. Let this be a lesson to all those Japanese players out there trying to decide what MLB team to join. If you sign with the Phillies, you could be the difference between the team making the playoffs or sitting out in October.

1913
The White Sox and New York Giants began their round-the-world tour, promoting baseball across the globe. The two teams would eventually sail home from England on the Lusitania after playing over 40 contests.

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1951
The White Sox sent swingman Randy Gumpert and left fielder Don Lenhardt to Boston for pitcher Chuck Stobbs and second baseman Mel Hoderlein.

The swap was a win for the White Sox, as neither Gumpert nor Lenhardt, at different stages of their careers, did much in future seasons. Hoderlein saw no action with the White Sox, flipped in May 1952 to Washington in the Sam Mele deal, but Stobbs stood out as the gem from this deal. The swingman started 17 games and appeared in 38 overall, with a save and two complete games. Stobbs finished with a 7-12 record despite a 3.13 ERA, good for a dead-average 2.0 WAR.

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1992
Johnny Ostrowski, who in 1949 became the first player the White Sox ever acquired in trade from the Chicago Cubs, passed away in Chicago at age 75. The 15-year pro came to the South Side at the tail end of his career, at age 31 — part of a midseason trade. Ostrowski was dealt away to Washington early in the 1950 season, and re-claimed on waivers in September. He never made it back to the majors, though.

Ostrowski was a Chicago native and graduate of Tilden High School, so it’s fitting that the start, end, and bulk of his career came with our city’s clubs.

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2008
In what amounted to a doubling down on a terrible deal, the White Sox ran Nick Swisher out of town along with minor league pitcher Kanekoa Texeira, shipping the pair to the New York Yankees for prospects Jeff Marquez, Wilson Benemit and Jhonny Núñez.

In just 153 games in Chicago, Swisher went from a 4.4 WAR player to -0.2, and immediately resumed his minor-star track in New York, tallying 11.9 WAR over four seasons with the Yankees. The combination of the original Swisher trade from the A’s and the one shipping him to New York cost the White Sox in the neighborhood of 24.3 WAR.

Marquez in particular was a terrible acquisition for the White Sox, managing -0.1 WAR with the club — pitching just one inning!

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2012
After signing Mark Buerhle away from the White Sox after the 2011 season, the Miami Marlins dealt him to the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a talent purge that included manager Ozzie Guillén, closer Robb Nen and shortstop José Reyes. The mild-mannered Buehrle expressed dismay at being misled by Marlins management, who had expressed a full, four-year commitment to him at the time of his signing. The trade also created personal strife for the Buehrle family, as the unit relocated to upstate New York after the trade, with only Buehrle residing in Canada.

Buerhle completed what should be a Hall of Fame career for the Blue Jays, pitching to 6.8 WAR over his three years up north. After his retirement, the White Sox honored their 12-year stalwart with a jersey retirement (2017) and concourse statue (2025).

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2020
Yes, a second straight Miami Marlins item!

Kim Ng, who started her career in 1991 as an intern in the White Sox front office, took over the Miami Marlins to become the first woman GM in baseball history — and North American sports history. Ng’s run as GM ended after a successful 2023 that ended with a playoff berth, as Marlins ownership wanted to marginalize her role in spite of the team trending upward.

A former fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2018, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. played very sparingly in his first season in a different organization.

How Acquired

After appearing in 80 games with the Twins in his first two major league seasons, Keirsey was non-tendered by Minnesota last November and signed a minor league contract with the Braves in December.

What were the expectations?

It’s safe to say that Keirsey was expected to be a depth piece stashed in Triple-A Gwinnett. There were some questions about Atlanta’s outfield depth entering the 2026 season, especially after a second PED suspension for Jurickson Profar, but Keirsey wasn’t high in the pecking order. Even were he to be called up, he would probably be limited to pinch-running/defensive replacement duty rather than a guy grabbing plate appearances.

Keirsey’s prior major league go-rounds didn’t go well, as they featured a combined .158 wOBA and .196 xwOBA in 102 plate appearances in 2024-2025 with Minnesota. He struck out in a third of his PAs and had a walk rate of two percent. 102 PAs isn’t anything, but a -6 wRC+, a sub-.200 xwOBA, and -0.9 fWAR in that span is pretty brutal no matter how you slice it. “Replacement level at best” seems to summarize the expectations for Keirsey were he to get any playing time.

2026 results

After spending the first five months of the season in Triple-A, the Braves called up Keirsey in mid-September, when Lane Thomas went on the Injured List with an intercostal muscle strain. Keirsey had been called up earlier in the season for a single game, but didn’t make an appearance.

He remained on the major league roster for the remainder of the regular season, but appeared in just five games and had five PAs, four of which came in the regular-season finale when the team was resting starters. He had two pinch-run appearances, one pinch-hit appearance, and one defensive replacement appearance in addition to his start.

In his Braves debut the day he was promoted, he entered as a pinch runner with the Braves trailing the Phillies 3-2 and scored the tying run from first on Sean Murphy’s single paired with Derek Hill’s error. The following day, he had his only hit with the Braves, pinch-hitting for Ronald Acuña Jr. with Atlanta leading 9-2 in the eighth and delivering a single before coming around to score.

Keirsey’s high-water mark with the Braves was probably pinch-running and scoring the winning run in the 10th inning of their 3-2 win over the Reds on Sept. 23. But that was followed by his low-water mark, when he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his lone start on Sept. 27 against the Marlins.

Keirsey was on the Braves’ roster for the Wild Card series against the Phillies, but did not appear in a game. He was not on the NLDS roster as Atlanta added more arms for a longer set.

In 109 games with Gwinnett before he was called up, Keirsey’s .295 wOBA slightly exceeded his .290 xWOBA. He stole 40 bases and was caught stealing just three times, but his strikeout rate (27.9 percent) was still too high while his walk rate (7.0 percent) was too low, leading to a 73 WRC+.

What went right?

He did the job asked of him when Thomas went down with an injury. Keirsey was never going to take on Thomas’ role or anything resembling it, but he scored a run in each of his first three appearances. He didn’t steal a base but also wasn’t caught stealing, and his speed was useful in a few close games.

It didn’t play out that way but Keirsey being on the Wild Card series roster means there was a world where he could have been of use as a pinch runner in that series.

What went wrong?

I’m not sure anything went wrong for Keirsey so much as he was the same player with the Braves as the one who was non-tendered the prior year by the Twins. Sure, he didn’t actually do well at Triple-A, but it is what it is.

In general, he’s just got too many strikeouts without anything to make up for it, in enough of a sample size now where it’s uncertain if he’ll ever be a competent big league bat. Players like Keirsey have use, especially with the stolen base numbers he amassed in the minors this season, but they have a limited ceiling that makes them more likely to be stuck in the minors than to serve as a bench option in the majors long-term.

2027 outlook

The Braves outrighted Keirsey to Triple-A after the season came to an end, and he subsequently elected free agency. Maybe he ends up back in the organization as a fringe reserve outfielder — guys seem to have a knack for doing that in this organization — but it’s entirely possible Atlanta can find a better option to fill that role going forward. Nothing that he did in 2026 changes his “replacement level at best” outlook, and he’s unlikely to be carried on an active roster for more than a few games unless he starts showing serious improvement in the minors.

Yesterday one of my favorite free agent relief targets came off the board. Evan Phillips signed with the Braves on a 3-year $35 million deal. I was enamored by Phillips due to his track record and how good he looked coming off of Tommy John. Based on the deal he got, the league seemed to agree with me.

It is a bummer to miss out on Phillips, but the fact he signed with the Braves opens up another opportunity. This move means that long-time Braves closer Raisel Iglesias is unlikely to return to Atlanta. I would not be surprised if the Nats pursue Iglesias pretty heavily for reasons we will get into.

Big name reliever is now off the market. Was one of my favorite targets but he gets a big pay day from the Braves. Likely means Raisel Iglesias will be going elsewhere and he would be a fit for the Nats on a higher dollar one year deal https://t.co/XSmuWDy9JI

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) November 12, 2026

The first reason Iglesias would be a target is because of his performance. He is a grizzled veteran with a ton of experience in the 9th inning. Iglesias has 287 career saves, so the moment will never be too big for him. While he turns 37 in January, Iglesias has shown no signs of slowing down.

Last season, the right hander posted a 2.55 ERA in 59 outings, while converting 34 of his 37 save attempts. Iglesias has been a good closer for a decade now, but his time with the Braves was the best of his career. In five seasons, Iglesias posted a 2.39 ERA with 131 saves. 

In addition to the performance, there is one other factor that makes Iglesias uniquely attractive. Due to his age, he is unlikely to command a multi-year deal. Reports have come out that the Nats are hesitant to give out multi-year deals to relievers. With Iglesias, they can get the best of both worlds. He is still a highly capable closer, but he is also limited to a one year deal.

Raisel Iglesias, Devastating Changeups. 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/8BmvkBbGMk

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2026

Do not get it twisted, this does not mean Iglesias will come cheap. Last offseason, he signed a 1-year $16 million deal to return to the Braves. After another great year, he is likely to command a similar sort of contract. That might make the Nats braintrust a little uneasy, but I would give Iglesias that sort of deal.

We saw what it was like not to have a real closer last year, and it was not pretty. If Paul Toboni and the Nats are unwilling to throw out multi-year contracts, this is the best closer available to them. It is just a move that makes a ton of sense.

Iglesias gets his results due to a combination of funk, movement and enough raw stuff. He is a master at getting hitters to chase. The right hander has ranked in the 90th percentile or better in chase rate every year since 2020. This season, he was in the 99th percentile, with hitters chasing 39% of the pitches Iglesias threw out of the strike zone.

The primary driver of this is his nasty changeup. It has been a major weapon in his arsenal for many years now. Iglesias’ changeup tunnels so well off his mid-90’s fastball. Hitters think the pitch is a heater before it tumbles outside of the zone. Iglesias also has impeccable command of the offering.

Raisel Iglesias, Devastating Changeups. 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/8BmvkBbGMk

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2026

That changeup is his money pitch, but Iglesias also throws a 4-seamer, a sinker and a slider. All these pitches come out of a funky, low slot delivery. For most of his career, Iglesias has had healthy strikeout numbers while not walking many people. That was no different in 2026, with Iglesias striking out 26.8% of batters while only walking 7.1%.

There has been talk the Nats are looking for late inning experience, but do not want to offer multi-year deals. If that is the case, there is no better candidate than Raisel Iglesias. There is some risk due to his age, but even if it does not work out, it would only be a one-year deal.

Paul Toboni should offer Raisel Iglesias a 1-year $16 million deal to stay in the NL East and close games for the Nats. Iglesias has proven his skillset can age gracefully and he has a ton of closer experience. The Nats can get their 9th inning guy without committing to a multi-year deal. 

If the team is competing for the wild card, Iglesias can be a rock in the 9th inning. Even if they fall out of the race, Iglesias would likely be a valuable commodity at the deadline. The fit is just so clear here, now we have to see if it actually happens.

Veteran relief pitcher Evan Phillips was the first Dodgers free agent to find a home for 2027, as the right-hander signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.

In terms of average annual value, Phillips at $11.67 million per year is right in line with the other notable relief signing this week, with Emilio Pagán getting $11.5 million on his one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. But Phillips, two years and four months younger than Pagán, got two more guaranteed seasons on his deal.

Phillips was ranked has high as the 29th-best free agent on the market at MLB Trade Rumors, was No. 34 at CBS Sports, 36th at FanGraphs, 46th at Yahoo Sports, and No. 48 at both NBC Sportsand Baseball Prospectus. Phillips was not among the 50 free agents ranked by Kiley McDaniel at ESPN, nor was Phillips in the top 40 for Keith Law at The Athletic, nor the top 50 from Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner at Fox Sports.

One transaction does not a market make, but a three-year contract for Phillips after pitching half a season upon returning from Tommy John surgery suggests a strong earning potential for relievers this offseason. Last offseason, only three relief pitchers signed three-year deals:

• Edwin Díaz (Dodgers): 3 years, 69 million
• Devin Williams (Mets): 3 years, $51 million
• Robert Suarez (Braves): 3 years, $45 million

Suarez saved 76 games in his two previous seasons before his contract, Díaz had 48 saves in his previous two years, and Williams saved 32 games in 2024-25 before joining the Mets. Phillips saved 42 games between 2023-24, but totaled two saves in his 38 total appearances over the previous two years.

Let’s see how some of these outlets projected what Phillips’ contract might have been:

• MLB Trade Rumors: 2 years, $24 million
• FanGraphs: 2 years, $20 million
• NBC Sports: 2 years, $20 million

Not getting ranked at ESPN, The Athletic (by neither Keith Law nor Tim Britton), nor Fox Sports really limited the contract projections for Phillips, compared to say Alex Vesia, who had a series of two-year projections and one three-year projection at near the AAV Phillips achieved with his deal.

If you didn’t like yesterday’s trade idea, Dylan Crews, here’s another outfielder who could be on the trading block and who could very well fit the Cubs’ need for an outfielder.

There are caveats here, so let’s look at them.

Jarren Duran had an outstanding 2024 season, posting 9.0 bWAR and leading MLB with 48 doubles and 14 triples. He batted .285/.342/.492, hit 21 home runs and stole 34 bases and finished eighth in AL MVP voting. The following year was good, but not at that level: .256/.332/.442, an AL-leading 13 triples, 16 home runs, 24 stolen bases and 4.9 bWAR.

Last year, Duran crashed to what wasn’t much more than replacement level: .207/.266/.361, a big decline in doubles and triples, though with 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases. His defense, which had previously been good, also suffered and he posted just 0.4 bWAR. Here’s an article that gives some good analysis of why this happened. Some of the decline came with a big drop in his BABIP, from .326 to .252.

Duran is 30 and made $7.7 million in 2026. He’s under team control for two more seasons. I’d think he could make a competent right fielder for a couple of years, perhaps until Josiah Hartshorn is ready. It should be noted that Duran didn’t play right field at all in 2026, though he has played the position in the past and at one time was a very good center fielder. If not right field, Duran could certainly play a competent left field.

There’s one other thing to consider regarding Duran, and that’s some controversies he’s been involved in. Before trading for a guy like this, you’d have to make sure those are in his past.

So why am I proposing this? Because I think there’s a match here of two disappointing players.

The Red Sox didn’t really have a regular second baseman in 2026. Matt Shaw’s best position is second base, and he’s obviously blocked there with the Cubs by Nico Hoerner. He can’t play third for the Cubs either, and his time in right field in 2026 was shaky. He doesn’t really have the arm for right field and would probably be better served as an infielder. Shaw is also a Massachusetts native.

So would the teams do this? A change-of-scenery deal, one-for-one, Shaw for Duran?

Who says no?

Mel Stottlemyre had the misfortune of being one of the best Yankees’ players during one of the worst periods in Yankees’ history. Through no fault of Stottlemyre’s own, the Yankees slide down the standings during his tenure, mostly as a result of the disastrous CBS ownership period. He has the status of being on the shortlist of best ever Yankees’ players who never won a World Series.

However, Stottlemyre then had a coaching career that more than made up for it. He later became the pitching coach on the Yankees’ 1900s and 2000s dynasty, arguably getting more fame for that than his playing career. However, he was great at both and on this — what would’ve been his 85th birthday — let’s remember a legendary Yankee.

Melvin Leon “Mel” Stottlemyre
Born: November 13, 1941 (Hazleton, MO)
Died: January 13, 2019 (Seattle, WA)
Yankees Tenure: 1964-74

One of five children born to Vernon and Lorene Ellen Stottlemyre, Mel Stottlemyre was born in Missouri 1941. His father was a pipefitter and moved the family around to various states around the country before they finally settled in Washington state. There, Mel developed a love of baseball from his father, who would take him and his brother to local semi-pro games.

Early in his life, Stottlemyre’s playing of the sport was mostly limited to games in the backyard with his brother. He didn’t really play much organized ball until high school. Stottlemyre began to shine as a pitcher and shortstop for Mabton High School, where he was a multi-sport start and the student body president.

His high school career got Stottlemyre a scholarship to Yakima Valley Junior College, but things did not start great there. His first season was supposed to be in 1960, but poor grades led him to be declared academically ineligible. He eventually got that straightened out and returned for 1961, where he impressed and caught the eye of major league teams.

The then Milwaukee Braves gave Stottlemyre a workout, but came away unimpressed and rejected him for “not throwing hard enough.” Their loss would be the Yankees’ gain. Yankees scout Eddie Taylor signed Stottlemyre to the pitcher’s childhood favorite team in 1961.

After making quick work of the lower levels of the minors, Stottlemyre struggled in Triple-A in 1963. Having previously been one of the hottest prospects in the Yankees’ system, that led to him not getting an invite to big league spring training for 1964. However, after starting the season in the Triple-A bullpen, he battled his way back into the rotation and put in a monster season. By the end of the year, with Whitey Ford dealing with injury issues, Stottlemyre got a big league callup. Making his debut in August, Stottlemyre appeared in 13 games in 1964, putting up a 2.04 ERA in 96 innings. He helped rejuvenate that Yankee team, allowing them to eke out the AL pennant.

In that year’s World Series, manager Yogi Berra entrusted the rookie to make three World Series starts. Stottlemyre outdueled Bob Gibson in a Game 2 victory. Gibson and the Cardinals would get the better of Stottlemyre and the Yankees in the other two — including Game 7 — but there’s no way to not be impressed by what the 22-year-old had done that year.

Unfortunately, those would be the only postseason games Stottlemyre ever pitched in, through no fault of his own. Over the course of his 11-year career, Stottlemyre put up a 2.97 ERA, a 3.36 FIP, 40.7 rWAR, and 34.0 fWAR. He was named an All-Star on five occasions and won 20 games on three occasions. However, he also finished with double digit losses on eight occasions, as the pieces of the 1950s/early ‘60s dynasty aged out and a lot of the young non-Stottlemyre players couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Eventually, the years of being one of the team’s few hopes and throwing 250+ innings caught up to Stottlemyre. Just as the team was beginning to turn the corner under a new crop of youngsters and was getting purchased by George Steinbrenner, Stottlemyre tore his rotator cuff. While he attempted to make a comeback, the team eventually released him in March 1975. He decided to end his playing career, just barely missing out on some great year in franchise history at either end of his years in New York.

Having moved back to Washington, Stottlemyre got into coaching with the Mariners in the early 1980s. The Mets eventually brought him back to New York as their pitching coach in 1984. Mentoring the likes of a young Dwight Gooden, Stottlemyre helped the Mets to their famous 1986 World Series championship. After that, he spent some years with the Astros before Joe Torre brought him back into the fold after being hired as Yankees’ manager in 1996.

Over the next many years, Stottlemyre finally got to be part of postseason success in the Bronx. As the Yankees’ pitching guru, he helped them to World Series championships in 1996, ‘98, ‘99, and 2000. He eventually retired after the 2005 season, in part likely due to frustrations over George Steinbrenner’s George Steinbrenner-ness. After a stint in the Diamondbacks’ organization, he returned to the dugout for one season as Mariners’ pitching coach in 2008 before retiring again.

Stottlemyre had two sons also make the big leagues as pitchers in Mel Jr. and Todd. Todd had a very solid 14-year career, winning the World Series with the 1992 and ‘93 Blue Jays. Mel Jr. only briefly played in the majors, but he followed his dad into the pitching coach field. He was mostly recently the Marlins’ pitching coach, departing that role after the 2024 season.

Mel himself returned to the pacific northwest after his baseball career was over. Having previously beaten the disease, Stottlemyre eventually passed away from cancer in 2019 at age 77. Thankfully before that, he got to return to Yankee Stadium on occasions. That included a 2015 appearance, where he gave an emotional speech after the team surprised him with a Monument Park plaque.

Mel Stottlemyre held two roles in his years with the Yankees and was great at both of them. He probably would’ve been great at other ones too.

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

To answer it right off the bat: no, Bryce Harper did not have an elite season. A good season, certainly. But not elite. There certainly will not be a repeat the rigamarole on the matter that followed the 2025 season, in part because the matter is somewhat tired at this point: you get one passive-aggressive t-shirt for a controversy, and no more, that’s in the collective bargaining agreement. Speaking of CBAs, that’s the other reason why we won’t likely be spending the offseason discussing the question of Harper’s eliteness. There are bigger fish to fry. And that frier may be located in a federal courtroom. But while the lawyers prepare to go to work, we can, and should, take a look at Harper’s 2026 season. We’ll look at the stats, and discuss, and provide a letter grade. We’re leaving adjectives out, though. You’ll have to provide one yourself.

2026 stats: 162 games, 269/.380/.485, 865 OPS, 29 HR, 87 RBI, 7 SB, 21.4 K%, 15.4 BB%, 135 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR

What went right

Much of the Phillies lineup struggled at the plate last year. Bryce Harper did not. He was just one of three qualified batters on the team to post a wRC+ above 100; his 135 in that category lead the team, and was 15th league-wide. He took a somewhat more patient approach at the plate, lifting his walk rate by 3.3%, while maintaining his power. And he did all this as an ever-present force in the lineup, playing in all 162 regular-season games. He also addressed a weak point from last year: in 2025, the best way to handle him was to throw him breaking balls(wOBA of .310 against, as compared to .405 for fastballs and .362 for breaking balls). His performance against the moving stuff was much better this year (wOBA of .342), chasing and whiffing on them less. The differences between Harper’s 2026 and his 2025 weren’t enormous. He was better in 2026, but not by a whole lot. Still, given that the baseline he was working with, slightly better than 2025 means “very good”. He received downballot MVP votes, finishing 15th in the Senior Circuit; that seems like a fair summary of his season.

What went wrong

Despite improvements at the plate, his 2026 fWAR wasn’t meaningfully different than the number he posted in 2025 (3.3 this season, 3.4 the year prior). That was due to a downturn in his glovework: he posted a -5 Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value that was -10 by FanGraphs’ numbers and -12 by Baseball Savant’s (vs. 1 OAA and -1 FRV a year prior). Among first basemen, only Spencer Torkelson of the Tigers posted a lower OAA, and none posted a lower FRV. His arm was good, but no first baseman was worse at receiving throws.

He also graded out as negative as a baserunner: his decisions on advancing and stealing ended up doing him more harm than good.

And while most of the news from his work at the plate was good, he did post a worrying downturn in his performance against offspeed pitches (wOBA of .294, down from .362). He swung at them less, but whiffed more often when he did. And when he did hit them, he didn’t hit them as hard as he had the year before. That’s part of a longer trend: his slugging percentage against offspeed pitches was .612 in 2024; now it’s .342. Not coincidentally, pitchers threw him more offspeed stuff than they had in 2025; he gave opposing hurlers an avenue of attack.

Final Grade: B

If we were grading by a universal standard, this would probably be higher. If you played well enough to pick up some MVP votes, you should probably be getting at least a B+/A-. But Harper, as a star and as the face of the franchise, is held to a higher standard, both by himself and those around him. His performance at the plate was good, though not on par with his best years. Fairly or not, Harper is expected to be superhuman and transformative for the team; him merely being very good with the bat in 2026 feels underwhelming, if only because we have so many memories of him being so much more. More fair is dinging him for his poor baserunning and lackluster fielding.

A Bryce Harper B-grade season is a better season than most players will ever produce. The B-tier work of an average player shows nothing to get excited about, while the B-tier work of a star shows the flashes of brilliance that remind us of their best work. You didn’t have to read this far to know that Bryce Harper wasn’t quite elite in 2026; not only did we state it at the top, but you saw it for yourself. But you’ve also seen enough to know he’s a player about whom the question will be asked. That’s an honor in itself.

Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro apologized Thursday to the Muslim community following Islamophobic comments made by outfielder Anthony Santander following Abdul El-Sayed’s win in the Michigan Senate race earlier this month.

The franchise has asked Santander to address his remarks but he has not done so, per TSN.

“We met with leaders in Toronto’s Muslim communities today, who shared the harm caused by Anthony Santander’s Islamophobic social media posts,” Shapiro said in a statement posted to the team’s X account. “The opportunity to listen and learn was important and reaffirms our beliefs and values as an organization. We condemn Islamophobia and all forms of hate.

“The Blue Jays are deeply sorry to the Muslim community and our fans for the pain and harm these Islamophobic posts have caused. We will work with leaders in Muslim communities to fight against all forms of hate. The Blue Jays will continue to ensure our organization reflects the inclusive community we are proud to call home.”

Shapiro’s statement marked the third time that the Blue Jays or someone affiliated with the organization have publicly rebuked Santander’s comments.

Santander, 32, posted a pair of videos to his Instagram Story with anti-Muslim rhetoric after Muslim candidate El-Sayed defeated Republican nominee Mike Rogers on Nov. 4.

El-Sayed is the first Muslim candidate to be elected to the United States Senate.

One of the clips shared by Santander said “America voted for Sharia Last Night” and another stated “Islam is not peaceful.”

The Blue Jays immediately reacted, releasing a statement to The Athletic stating: “Baseball is for everyone and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”

Toronto general manager Ross Atkins then scolded Santander on Tuesday at the GM meetings.

“There really aren’t words to express my level of disappointment with him making those comments. I’ve expressed that to him,” said Atkins, per Sportsnet.

The organizational responses raise questions about Santander’s future with the organization after signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract ahead of the 2025 season.

He has appeared in just 54 games with the team and did not play last season due to injury, and slashed just .175/.271/.294 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 2025.

The Blue Jays still owe him $57.1 million, including a $5 million buyout for the 2030 season, and Toronto has shown it will move on from players who make phobic comments.

Toronto cut struggling reliever Anthony Bass in 2023 after making anti-LGBTQ+ comments, calling it a “baseball decision” while citing the remarks as a small factor.