LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays tied up at a game apiece and taking an off day to move the series to Cleveland, attention shifts back to the National League fully on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers are in trouble. With Shohei Ohtani presumably battling injuries and entirely ineffective at the plate over the past few months, the supposed game destroying superpower is in a lot of trouble. An otherwise aging lineup has had nothing to offer Brewers pitching through the first two games of the series. They need to turn things around immediately, but they’ve already sent both Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound in the series.
Instead of their aces, their hopes will have to rest on Blake Snell’s shoulders. The southpaw is still a high end strikeout artist capable of pitching like a true ace in short bursts, but his tendency to lose control and give up tons of walks and get knocked out early makes him a real wild card to pin the Dodgers hopes on. Of course, their bullpen is still excellent. They just have to get them a lead to defend. We’ll see if home cooking starts to turn the tide tonight, and whether Snell has another gem in him.
As for the Brewers, they’re certainly in the driver’s seat, but the longer the series goes on, the more their rotation depth could be exposed. They need to keep the pressure on the Dodgers and look to knock them out as fast as possible.
This one gets underway from Dodgers Stadium at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
LHP Robert Gasser (0-0, 2.25 ERA) gets the start for Milwaukee against LHP Blake Snell (0-0, 2.45 ERA).
Before the Dodgers became Shohei Ohtani’s team, they were Mookie Betts’ team.
Manager Dave Roberts used to say that as Betts went, the Dodgers went.
Betts was the best player on the 2020 championship team. He finished in the top five in National League MVP voting three of his first four seasons with the Dodgers.
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts speaks during a press conference before Game 3 of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the Milwaukee Brewers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers scored only once in the first game of the NLCS and each of the four runs they scored in the second game was the result of an error or wild pitch by the Brewers, but Betts can’t be faulted for the lack of run production.
Betts, who replaced Ohtani as the leadoff hitter last month while the four-time MVP was on the injured list, was 2-for-7 through the first two games of the NLCS.
He reached base four times in nine plate appearances.
“Mookie’s at-bats at the top, and what he’s done over the last couple months has been very consistent,” Roberts said. “It’s at-bat quality at the highest level.”
In his first at-bat against Braves ace Chris Sale, Betts laid off a slider that just missed the lower outside corner of the plate to work the count full. On the next pitch Betts reached base on an infield single.
“Really just trying to have good at-bats and try to not have a bunch of empty one-out flyouts,” Betts said.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning in Game 2. Tannen Maury/UPI/Shutterstock
The Dodgers forced Sale to throw 24 pitches in the first inning. By the end of the third inning, Sale’s pitch count was already at 69. In the fourth inning, the Dodgers struck, with home runs by Kiké Hernández and Freddie Freeman moving them in front, 3-0.
The Dodgers went on to win the game, 3-1, and Betts finished with two hits.
“When you’re getting into a playoff series and you get that first hitter seeing pitches, it sets the tone for the rest of the lineup, and also for that starting pitcher that it’s going to be a grindy day,” Roberts said.
Against the Brewers, the Dodgers face an entirely different kind of challenge. The strength of the Brewers is their bullpen.
“I don’t know that it’s super imperative for us to run up the pitch counts or anything because the back end of their bullpen is arguably better than everybody on the team,” Betts said. “Getting to them isn’t necessarily a huge success.”
Unless Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski is pitching for the Brewers, the Dodgers’ prime scoring opportunities to score could be against their starting pitchers.
“Really scoring runs when you can,” Betts said.
Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides into home plate to score a run in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2. Getty Images
Betts described the Dodgers as being in a good headspace.
“Nobody is really panicking or anything,” he said. “Obviously we know it’s a tough task. It’s a really good ball club over there. We just have to start one game, one pitch at a time.”
Betts said he didn’t see a reason for the team to be discouraged.
“It’s not like we’re playing really bad,” he said. “I think we’re just not getting the hits that we need to really explode as an offense. One hit can kind of lead to two and then kind of keep us going.”
The Dodgers were also in trouble in each of their last two World Series runs – they were behind two-games-to-one against the San Diego Padres in their best-of-five NL Division Series in 2024; and they trailed three games to two against the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series last year.
“I think just having that experience, that’s kind of what gives us encouragement,” Betts said. “Being that we’ve been here before and we got out of it keeps us in a really good head space.
“Obviously, every year is different, but the same rules apply. We’ve got to just keep playing the game, and that’s really it.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers have countless celebrity fans. But Mary Hart stands above them all.
The former "Entertainment Tonight" host has been a longtime fan and season ticket holder of the Dodgers. This season, the defending champions marched into the National League Championship Series.
The Milwaukee Brewers have had Front Row Amy in the, well, front row of their historic season. They are up 2-0 on the Dodgers in the series and, if they oust Los Angeles, will reach only their second World Series in franchise history.
Betts was on the other side of the diamond when Hart went viral in the 2018 World Series for cheering on her team against the Boston Red Sox. Now, Betts and the Dodgers attempt a comeback in a bid to reach, and win, their third consecutive World Series.
Why did Mary Hart go viral during Dodgers' 2018 World Series?
Mary Hart cheered on the Dodgers throughout the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, even attending the first two games with her husband, Burt Sugarman, at Fenway Park.
During the historic 18-inning Game 3 in Los Angeles, she did her best to throw off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. She stood in the crowd to the side of home plate late in the matchup and imitated the closer's unique pitching stance where he leaned over at a 90-degree angle with his arm at his side. While wearing her signature bright blue vintage Dodgers sweater, she bobbed up and down, catching the attention of the internet and of fans watching.
"I noticed how peculiar it was, just mechanically. How does he get his arms around and everything?" Hart told MLB.com ahead of Game 4. "It was just kind of spontaneous – I'm going to get up there and do what he's doing. ...
"There was a little bit of, 'Maybe I can throw him off a little.' He's a hell of a pitcher."
Why did Mary Hart become a Dodgers fan?
Mary Hart moved to Los Angeles in 1979, she told MLB.com. Soon after, she was a bat girl for the Hollywood Stars minor league game at Dodger Stadium and met Tommy Lasorda. She told him of her dream to sing the National Anthem at a Dodgers game and he made it happen. She's had a fierce loyalty to the team ever since.
Oct 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; The NLCS and T-Mobile logos in the dugout at the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers make a third attempt at their first victory of the National League Championship Series.
Shohei Ohtani bats sixth for the first time since September 19, 2020 while with the Angels. Will Smith went from batting third in Game 1 of this series, down to fifth in Game 2 and now seventh in Game 3.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, well, well. The Los Angeles Dodgers now have their backs against the wall and are starting off the Dodger Stadium portion of the 2026 National League Championship Series down 2-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers. Can Blake Snell and Shohei Ohtani figure it out? Will Robert Gasser, old friend William Contreras and the rest of the Brewers really put LA’s attempt at a three-peat in serious jeopardy by taking a 3-0 win tonight? It’s time to find out.
In case you’re not here for the baseball and you just want to hang out, let us know what you’ve got going on tonight. We’d love to hear about it.
Anyways, the floor is now yours. Here’s a clip of Walt Weiss (with hair) hitting a dinger back in the 1989 World Series.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 18: Bob Uecker celebrates after the Brewers won the NL Central Division at American Family Field on September 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers head to Chavez Ravine up 2-0 in the National League Championship Series. A win today would give the Brewers a commanding 3-0 series lead.
It is a 7 p.m. Central start on FS1. University of Houston product Robert Gasser goes for Milwaukee, while the Dodgers have Blake Snell going, which likely means an 87 pitch, 3.2 inning, one run outing before the Dodgers go to the pen.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 14: A sponsorship view of the press conference setup prior to Game Three of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers took care of business in the first two games of the NLCS, but now the series heads to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers are sure to put up a big home-field-advantage fight.
The last time the Dodgers fell behind 0-2 in a best-of-seven series was back in 2021 when they ultimately lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games. The last time they came back to win a best-of-seven after going down 0-2 was in 2020 when they defeated the Braves en route to a World Series title.
There were some questions as to whether or not a struggling Shohei Ohtani would be in the lineup for the game, but it was reported on Tuesday night that he would indeed still be playing.
Can the Brewers take advantage and take a commanding 3-0 lead to get one step closer to the World Series or will the Dodgers swing the tide in their favor?
Milwaukee Brewers (2-0) at Los Angeles Dodgers (0-2) — 6 PM MDT
Pitching Matchup: LHP Robert Gasser (5-5, 3.87 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (4-1, 1.90 ERA)
A matchup between the Dodgers and Brewers in the NLCS makes record breaking numbers for Fox and Fox Deportes.
Game 1 of the National League Championship Series certainly delivered on Sunday night, as over 10.7 million people watched the Brewers and Dodgers play in Milwaukee.
According to FOX Sports PR, it was the most-watched opening League Championship Series game on Fox and Fox Deportes since 2005.
Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS Game 1 had record-breaking viewership numbers. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
It was also the most-watched LCS telecast on any network since 2010 and saw a significant uptick in viewership compared to last year’s ALCS Game 1, as there was an increase of 104% in viewership.
Fox Sports PR also announced that the game’s viewership peaked at 12.4 million viewers from 8:00-8:15 PM ET.
The Brewers finished Game 1 of the series with a 2-1 win over the Dodgers, then capitalized on their momentum and took Game 2 on Monday night.
Dodgers and Brewers NLCS Game 1 matchup had record breaking numbers for Fox and Fox Deportes. Tannen Maury/UPI/Shutterstock
Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal had the shortest postseason outing of his career in Game 1, tossing five innings on 81 pitches and giving up five hits, two runs, two walks, and striking out seven batters.
Los Angeles’ bullpen held it down after Skubal departed by not giving up a run, but unfortunately, the Dodgers lineup couldn’t provide any run support.
Finishing the night with seven hits in the box score, the Dodgers failed to find a way to bring those runners across home plate, including in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings.
Although the Dodgers scored four runs in Game 2, they saw similar production out of their team as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto had the shortest postseason performance of his career, tossing 2 ⅔ innings on 75 pitches.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani looking on during Game 1 of the NLCS. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
The offense only mustered up three hits in the game and struck out nine times. Including four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, who went 0-for-4 in the game.
Game 3 of the NLCS is set to take place at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, with first pitch beginning at 5:00 p.m. Blake Snell will take the mound for Los Angeles, while Robert Gasser will get the start for Milwaukee.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Brewers at Dodgers
Brewers up, 2-0
First pitch: 8:00 PM EDT TV: FS1/FOX ONE Probable pitchers: Robert Gasser, LHP (MIL); Blake Snell, LHP (LAD)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: A Los Angeles Dodgers groundscrew worker paints the postseason logo on the field before the Milwaukee Brewers workout prior to the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night, the American League (AL) Championship Series took center stage, while the National League (NL) Championship Series was off for a scheduled travel day.
After losing Game 1 at home to the Cleveland Guardians, the Tampa Bay Rays bounced back with a 3-1 victory to even the series at one apiece heading into the next three games in Cleveland. The outcome may have been different if Guardians third baseman José Ramírez had fielded a ground ball cleanly instead of letting it slip through his legs, allowing the Rays to score the first run of a three-run fourth inning.
Today, the schedule shifts, with Game 3 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers the only game on the slate.
Brewers at Dodgers (8:00 PM EDT)
After winning the first two games of this best-of-seven affair, the Brewers enter this evening’s matchup in Los Angeles two wins away from dethroning the Dodgers and claiming just their second NL pennant in franchise history.
The Dodgers, who are chasing a historic three-peat, will not go quietly. Given that the teams were the two best in the NL this season, it would not be surprising if the NLCS returns to Milwaukee for Game 6, and if necessary, a win-or-go-home Game 7.
Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser will make his second career postseason start tonight. The 27-year-old started Game 4 of the Division Series against the San Diego Padres, receiving a no-decision after allowing one run on three hits over four innings. Will Gasser deliver a second consecutive strong postseason outing, or will the Dodgers’ offense rattle the southpaw and force Milwaukee to turn to its bullpen earlier than expected?
Gasser’s counterpart, Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, has considerably more postseason experience. The veteran southpaw will make his second start of this postseason and 17th of his career. Snell started Game 2 of the Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, receiving a no-decision after allowing one run on three hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Following right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s shortest career postseason start in Game 2, the Dodgers need a quality start from Snell to begin their comeback. However, another subpar outing could put Los Angeles on the brink of elimination.
What are your predictions for this game? Will Shohei Ohtani finally break out of his slump, or will the Brewers contain the Dodgers’ offense once again?
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 11: Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers is introduced prior to Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Things couldn’t have gone better for the Brewers in Milwaukee to start the NLCS. For the first time in their history, they’ve got a 2-0 lead in the Championship Series. Things get trickier today, though, as the series shifts to California and the glaring advantage that the Dodgers hold in starting pitching could become more obvious.
The Dodgers will start two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, the 33-year-old lefty who pitched to a 1.90 ERA in nine starts this regular season and who pitched eight innings of nearly flawless baseball when he shut down the Brewers in Game One of last season’s series to the tune of eight innings, no runs, one hit, no walks, and ten strikeouts. But it remains to be seen whether Snell is in top form at the moment. While he was excellent when on the mound during the regular season, Snell threw only 42 2/3 innings, and he hasn’t had a start that went more than four innings—including a shaky outing against the Braves in the NLDS—since September 11th.
In that start against Atlanta, the “bad” Snell reared his head, even though he was able to hold them to one run in 3 2/3 innings—Snell gave up only one hit but walked five batters while getting only 11 outs on 90 pitches. Milwaukee will look to do what they’ve been doing in this series: grind out at-bats, get the pitch count up, not let him get comfortable. Snell is fully capable of turning in a start like he did in the NLCS last season, but if the Brewers can be patient enough to get a few runners on the bases, the fact that he’s one of the most unhittable starting pitchers in the league may not matter as much.
To counter Snell, the Brewers go with their own lefty, the young Robert Gasser. Bobby Gas has pitched quite well over the last couple of months, and that continued into the NLDS, when he allowed one run on three hits and a walk in four innings in the series-clinching game four in San Diego. He’ll hope things go a little better than they did last year: Gasser pitched against the Dodgers last year and didn’t allow a run, but he did give up a hit and a walk while only getting two outs. Aside from that, Gasser started against the Dodgers in Los Angeles in August; that was the one game of that four-game set that the Brewers lost, but he wasn’t bad, with 6 1/3 innings, three runs, and seven strikeouts.
The big news from the dugout is that, with the lefty Snell on the mound, the Brewers did make a change in their lineup. Andrew Vaughn is in, while Christian Yelich heads to the bench despite his recent success. Vaughn also started in the first game of the series against lefty Tarik Skubal, but it’s surely stressful for Murphy to leave Yelich out of the lineup. There was no room today for Gary Sánchez, whose career numbers against Snell are wild—in 31 career plate appearances, Sánchez is 7-for-23 with five homers and eight walks (giving him a 1.484 OPS). most of those at-bats and all of those home runs are from at least six years ago, though, so it’s been a minute for the former AL East foes.
The Brewers stick with a solid defensive lineup of Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Luis Lara in the outfield plus Joey Ortiz, Cooper Pratt, Brice Turang, and Jake Bauers around the horn. William Contreras is behind the plate (can’t take him out right now!), and Vaughn will be the DH. On the other side, Shohei Ohtani has moved even further down in the Dodger lineup—despite his insistence that he’s on the verge of figuring it out, Dave Roberts has moved him to sixth, lower than he’s batted since his rookie season. Kyle Tucker, who despite an awful season has looked solid in this series, moves up to fourth. With Gasser starting, the Dodgers have also taken Max Muncy out of the lineup, and Miguel Rojas gets the start at third.
First pitch will come sometime shortly after 7pm central. Find the game on FS1, or listen on the Brewers Radio Network.
LOS ANGELES – Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts indicated he can relate to Shohei Ohtani -- grinding through injuries in attempt to regain his swing and end his slump. Betts fractured his hand when he was hit by a pitch in 2024.
"When you're hurt, you just want to play," said Betts, an eight-time All-Star. “So you'll make adjustments to the swing or to your body so you can play. Then you don't want to hurt while you play, so you make the adjustments to where your body doesn't feel it.
“Sometimes it's to the detriment of who you are as a player, and you don't really realize it.’’
While Betts struggled in Los Angeles, MLB’s second-biggest market, Ohtani is a global figure.
“I couldn't imagine really kind of having the expectations that he has and falling short in a way that it's not normal for him,’’ Betts said. “Then having to come back and be present in this postseason knowing how important he is to the boys.
“He's trying. It's just really, really hard. It's really hard to make these slight adjustments in this short amount of time. Like I said, it took me almost two years. I feel for him. I know he's grinding, he's working. So we'll just see. We'll see how he comes and prepares.
But I know he's giving it his all. We know he's giving it his all. We can at least lay our heads on a pillow at night knowing that we've given it everything.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts as he walks off the mound during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NLCS moves to sunny Los Angeles with the Brewers leading the Dodgers 2-0. It’s a must-win game for the Dodgers – only one team has ever gone down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series and come back to win (the 2004 Red Sox in the ALCS).
It will be a pair of lefties on the mound with Robert Gasser (5-5, 3.87 ERA) against Blake Snell (4-1, 1.90 ERA). Shohei Ohtani is in the lineup despite rumors he might be benched, but he is hitting just .150 (3-for-20) with no extra-base hits in this post-season.
The scene in the NLCS shifts west to Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers have looked very beatable so far, and for the Brewers, this is the first time they have ever had a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series.
There were rumors that the Dodgers might bench Shohei Ohtani, who hasn’t been hitting at all this postseason (3-for-20 with seven strikeouts), but he’s in the lineup for tonight’s game. Since Ohtani’s two-homer game at Wrigley Field Aug. 5, he is batting .194/.289/.338 (27-for-139) with four home runs (but none since Aug. 18) and 49 strikeouts, including his six postseason games.
That’s not a guy I’d want in my lineup in a postseason game, no matter who he is.
A note about tomorrow: Game 3 between the Guardians and Rays in Cleveland has been moved from 5 p.m. CT to noon CT because of a forecast of rain Thursday evening. Thus I will split tomorrow into two threads, one for the day game between the Guardians and Rays, the other for the Brewers/Dodgers night game, which was also moved up from 8 p.m. CT to 7 p.m. CT.
7 p.m. CT: Brewers at Dodgers (Brewers lead series 2-0)
TV: FS1. Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 22: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees in action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 22, 2026 in New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Now that we are into the offseason, it’s time to focus on who the Yankees will need to keep in the Bronx and how much they’re willing to spend.
Taking a look at MLB Trade Rumors’ arbitration projections for 2027, there are a few standouts that could use a pay raise, while others may be more debatable amongst fans. Some players will agree to deals soon after negotiations begin, while others will be left to figure out another path for themselves in free agency.
To provide some context, if the Yankees choose to tender a contract to an arbitration-eligible player and fail to reach an agreement by the deadline, which is typically in mid-January, they will have to exchange salary figures with each other for the upcoming season. A hearing will then be scheduled for their actual salary to be determined by an arbitration judge, who will compare the numbers both sides brought to the table and hear out the arguments of both sides — a messy affair that the team has typically avoided in recent memory, but has happened in the cases of players like Dellin Betances which left a sour taste in his mouth. All MLB players need three years of service time to be eligible for arbitration, assuming they haven’t signed a contract for the upcoming season. According to the league, a player is deemed to have “one year” of Major League service time upon accruing 172 days in a given year.
Here’s a look at who’s eligible along with MLB Trade Rumors’ salary projections:
Luis García Jr. – ($11 million)
Clarke Schmidt – ($4.45 million)
Anthony Volpe – ($4 million)
José Caballero – ($3.7 million)
Heliot Ramos – ($3.2 million)
Ryan Weathers – ($3.1 million)
Austin Wells – ($2.6 million)
Fernando Cruz – ($2.3 million)
Luis Gil – ($2.3 million)
The most notable names among the group that the Yankees may want to consider shelling out for include Luis García Jr., Ryan Weathers, and Austin Wells. Each player brought value to the team throughout the 2026 season, and it’s expected that they’ll want to stick around come spring training next year.
Although he has a higher projected price tag, the Yankees will likely keep García around for next season. He performed well alternating with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and should remain a fixture in the starting lineup as Goldschmidt becomes a free agent. It’s possible that García will become a more reliable starter for the Yankees if he can find utility outside of first base and his platoon numbers level out a little more.
Despite missing the last month and a half of the regular season, Weathers has a lot of promising potential to perform well next season. He may have only had a limited role as a reliever in the postseason following his IL stint at the end of the regular season, but he was more than capable as a starter throughout the year with a 3.60 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 25 starts.
Wells remained the Yankees’ stronghold at catcher despite some external debate about Ben Rice alternating in the position when the team was in a slump. The team ultimately never wavered in withholding Rice from the stress of catching behind the plate, opted not to trade for a catcher at the deadline, and Wells built some offensive momentum later in the season after spending two weeks on the IL. His rebound continued into the postseason, finishing with a combined five hits and two doubles with four RBIs.
On the other hand, some players we could see let go include Fernando Cruz, José Caballero, Luis Gil, and Heliot Ramos. Whether due to injuries or an overall lack of success in pinstripes, there are a variety of reasons that the Yankees could be sitting on the fence for a while regarding tendering these players’ contracts.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see Cruz return to the Bronx after he suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament that prematurely ended his season. The injury commonly results in Tommy John surgery, which has a lengthy recovery time and occasionally puts players’ careers in difficult positions. The 36-year-old reliever denied surgery as a treatment option in hopes that he’d return to the mound for the postseason, but he didn’t end up making the roster.
Named a finalist for the Gold Glove as a utility player, Caballero brings a versatility that has played to the Yankees’ advantage in the 2026 season. However, his 12 defensive errors do give a reason for the Yankees to hesitate to bring him back. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Yankees let him go, as George Lombard Jr. has performed well at shortstop, and they’ll have options for second and third.
Although he exceeded expectations during his early days in pinstripes, it’s becoming less likely that we’ll see similar numbers from Gil going forward. He started four games in the majors this season, putting up a 4.61 ERA and 1.43 WHIP through 29.1 innings; it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Yankees decide to part ways.
After joining the Yankees at the deadline in a trade with the Giants, Ramos still has yet to make any memorable contributions when needed most. He was benched often throughout the playoffs since he is less effective against lefty pitchers, and struck out twice during his three plate appearances in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series (though they did trade a number of minor leaguers to get him).
Two of the most debatable players who could go either way are Volpe and Clarke Schmidt. After returning from a stint in the minors this season, Volpe has proven himself on both sides of the ball and has adapted well to playing different positions in the infield. He did admittedly show up in the postseason and was one of the few Yankee batters to have a multiple-hit game during the ALDS, but he may not regain the organization’s confidence due to his poor performance in 2025 and overall inability to grow as a player since his rookie season.
The Yankees will also need also need to consider that the captain defended Volpe following the Game 3 loss to the Rays in the ALDS. During his postseason press conference, Aaron Judge mentioned that “If we were going to go win a World Series, we needed Anthony Volpe on the team.”
As for Schmidt, there are still a lot of questions left to be answered about his capabilities thus far in his career. He struggled to return after undergoing Tommy John surgery, which left him sidelined for over a year. The 30-year-old righty pitcher also appeared in only one regular season game, against Minnesota. He struck out his first batter, gave up two back-to-back singles, and recorded his second strikeout before he was replaced by Brent Headrick in the seventh. The next time he was supposed to appear for the team, he was shut down after starting to warm up in the bullpen against Arizona and subsequently his season ended.
There’s a lot of uncertainty about what kind of value he can bring to the table next year, but after the bullpen’s performance in the postseason and the final stretch of the regular season, the Yankees may not need to spend the extra cash to keep Schmidt around. They could also look to tender him a contract and then look to include him in an offseason trade, but if they can’t find a trade partner willing to take him on then they’ll be on the hook for his salary.
