Category: Baseball

If anyone forgot that Blake Burkhalter made an appearance for the Atlanta Braves this season, they likely would not be alone. What he did this season is the definition of the term “cup of coffee” in the majors, one of a handful of players in the Braves organization with the same experience in 2026.

How Acquired

Blake Burkhalter was drafted by the Braves in the same draft class as JR Ritchie (2022), in the second round, out of Auburn University. He has been in the Braves system ever since. The highest he reached in the prospect rankings in his time was 14th by Baseball America.

Somewhat interestingly and/or tellingly, the Braves did not protect Burkhalter by adding him to the 40-man roster ahead of last year’s Rule 5 Draft. This suggests that either they didn’t think highly of him, or figured other teams wouldn’t. They were right, in that no one bothered to claim Burkhalter, and also in that they had little interest in using him at the big league level.

What were the expectations?

There were virtually no expectations at the MLB level for Burkhalter, and any that existed probably took a hit when he was left unprotected. Beyond hovering around the 40 FV area, Burkhalter had a rough go of it after being promoted to Triple-A in 2025, with an FIP of 4.82 and an xFIP of 5.43 (and an xERA in that same area) while working mostly as a reliever.

The presumption was that he’d need to show something in the way of better peripherals before being a candidate for the big league roster.

2026 Results

It was a true cup of coffee for Burkhalter. The truest, really. He was promoted to the big leagues when rosters expanded on September 1, he pitched one inning, and then he was sent down the next day. The end.

That inning featured one hit, one walk, one strikeout, and one run charged to him. The Braves were already trailing 5-2, and the two baserunners, along with a wild pitch and two flyouts, led to a sixth Nationals run via sacrifice fly. He did at least end on a high note with his strikeout of Daylen Lile.

His bigger action was in the minors, where he dealt with some injury stuff and a variety of rehab assignments. Working as a pure reliever in Triple-A, he pitched 29 2/3 innings over 21 appearances, with a 2.43 ERA that was belied by a 3.35 FIP and 4.37 xFIP. He did strike out a bunch of guys (about 27 percent of batters faced), but his walk rate was about as close to being double digits (9.8 percent) as possible without actually tripping that concerning threshold.

What went right?

What went right is that Burkhalter can now say he was an MLB pitcher. He made his debut and it was not a terrible one, though it wasn’t great either. Beyond that, you can point to his ERA in the minors, where he again outpitched his peripherals substantially. Maybe he’s got some kind of unique ability to do so, but the Braves don’t seem to buy it.

What went wrong?

The flip side to the above is that the Braves don’t seem to really believe in him — his “shot” was all of one inning even when the Braves were playing garbage time games over the last week of the season, and the Braves definitely haven’t been swayed by the low ERAs combined with poor peripherals that he’s shown at Triple-A in 2025-2026.

He’s on the 40-man roster now, but it remains to be seen whether he survives a winter of cuts and adds.

2027 Outlook

There is a very real chance that we see Blake Burkhalter at the MLB level at some point during 2027 for the Braves unless he is traded. After all, he’s on the 40-man, and the Braves love their yo-yos. As to whether he gets a legitimate shot to validate his ERA-over-his-peripherals (or crash out if he can’t), that seems a lot less likely. Maybe with some extra development, he can become a guy whom the Braves are comfortable using as a reliever, but we’re not there yet. For the time being, he projects as yet another replacement level reliever, and the Braves, for whatever reason, love to make waiver claims for those guys rather than filling the roster fringe with promotions from within.

Back from our week away. Huatulco, Mexico, is a nice area. Not over-developed yet (they are working at it, though). The people in the resorts are largely Canadian (it is hard to fly there from the States, but WestJet has direct flights from many cities). Still, a big topic of conversation was the US election.

We mostly stayed at the resort, ate and drank too much. We did take an outing to a cemetery for the Day of the Dead. It is a really nice idea, a day (really a week) for people to think about, talk about, loved ones who have passed. People dress up and dress up the grave sites. I talked for a couple of minutes to a fellow whose young son was buried there, and he seemed happy to have the chance to talk about him. I want to borrow the idea to have a day here to talk about friends and family who are gone.

They have tennis courts, but I only played once. 32 degrees for a guy with extremely white skin, is too much for any sort of physical activity.

Anyway, I stayed nicely away from any Jays news, not that there was much. And, though I brought my computer, I only turned it on once, because my wife wanted to look up something.

• Of course I saw the Anthony Santander comments. My personal feeling is that if you are being paid more money than God, and you have had 34 hits over two seasons, don’t say anything that gets your employer paying lawyers to search through your contract to see if it can be voided for stupidity. I’m being paid far less than God, and I’m sure if I posted something as dumb as he did, SB would fire me (very rightfully) in ten seconds.
• If it were up to me, I’d likely release Anthony now and eat the money. But I’d imagine the team will see how spring training goes.
• I did see a comment saying we should bring in Shari Lewis law. Everyone has to wear a sock puppet and sing that annoying song on and on. That I’m all for.
• A question for the Jays is: Do they give the players any media training? Could they maybe do a better job of it?
• No Jays players won a Gold Glove (I figured Vlad would), but we won the Team Gold Glove, which, around midseason, I would have said had no chance. But looking at the numbers, it does seem earned. This is the third time the Jays have won this award.
• Lazaro Estrada was signed to a minor league deal. Also Adrian Pinto, Hedbert Perez, Josh Stephan, Geovanny Planchart and Alexis Hernandez have been signed to minor league deals.
• Jake Bloss has been given another option year. Sometimes players get an extra option year if they use all three in their first five seasons of professional ball.
• Tonight we learn who the Rookie of the Year is in each league. Tomorrow Manager of the Year.

For the most part, many Yankee fans think of the Baby Bombers era as starting in August 2016, as that is the month when Aaron Judge hit a home run in his first Major League plate appearance and Gary Sánchez unleashed the Kraken en route to a runner-up finish in the Rookie of the Year vote despite playing only 53 games. And yet, in truth, the first two prospects of the era had reached the Bronx the previous year, as Luis Severino and today’s birthday boy, Greg Bird, made a splash and helped lead the Yankees to the 2015 Wild Card Game — their first postseason appearance in three years.

Gregory Paul Bird
Born: November 9, 1992 (Memphis, Tennessee)
Yankees Tenure: 2015, 2017-2019

Born in Tennessee and raised in Colorado, Bird made a name for himself as a catcher at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, where he was named the Colorado Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for his performance as a senior. From there, he committed to the University of Arkansas; before he ever made it to campus, he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 2011 draft.

Bird made his professional debut with a brief cameo with the Gulf Coast League Yankees in 2011, before embarking on his first full season with the Short-A Staten Island Yankees. After he was limited to just 28 games due to a back injury, the Yankees moved Bird out from behind the plate, in an effort to both keep him healthy and ensure that his bat remained in the lineup on a more consistent basis. That decision paid off in a big way in 2013: not only did he post a .288/.428/.511 slash line with 20 homers with the Low-A Charleston Riverdogs, but he caught the eye of Alex Rodriguez when the latter was on a rehab assignment.

On the back of his 2013 performance, Bird climbed up prospect rankings, starting the 2014 season as the seventh-ranked prospect in the Yankees organization. Although he missed time with back injuries, he continued his success in 2014, and then went on to be named MVP of the Arizona Fall League. That winter, he hit his apex as a prospect, as Keith Law — then with ESPN, now with The Athletic — named him the 80th overall prospect in all of baseball.

Bird continued his rapid ascent in 2015, conquering Double-A and Triple-A before getting the call to The Show in the middle of August. Taking advantage of playing time afforded to him by an injury to Mark Teixeira, he seized the first base job and ran with it, posting a .261/.343./.529 line (good for a 135 OPS+) with 11 home runs in just 46 games. As the offseason began, it was clear that the Greg Bird era had begun.

Unfortunately, the Greg Bird Era didn’t even make it to spring training. Right before pitchers and catchers reported in February 2016, the Yankees announced that their young first baseman had undergone season-ending shoulder surgery — the first domino to fall in what would become a disastrous season for the Yankees.

The Yankees entered the 2017 season with the lowest expectation in years, as the team committed to giving playing time to the top prospects. Thanks to his 2015 performance and his strong spring training, Bird began the season as the Yankees’ three-hole hitter on Opening Day, sandwiched between 2016 breakout star Sánchez and the veteran free agent Matt Holliday. However, he never quite got it going at the plate, slashing just .107/.265/.214 before hitting the shelf with a foot injury at the start of May. After a three-month disaster of a rehab that ended with him undergoing surgery to remove a bone in his foot, Bird finally returned to the active roster on August 26th; by this point, he was no longer guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup, as the team had been using Chase Headley at first after acquiring third baseman Todd Frazier in July.

For his part, Bird forced his way back into the lineup, slashing .253/.316/.575 with eight home runs in 29 games down the stretch. Then, when the calendar flipped to October, he came up big when the lights shone brightest: not only did he put up a .938 OPS with five extra-base hits over the course of the postseason, he hit a clutch home run off former teammate Andrew Miller in Game 3 of the ALDS to keep the Yankees’ season alive and kickstart a three-game winning streak that erased an 0-2 deficit.

Unfortunately, that would be Bird’s last real Yankees highlight. Injuries and ineffectiveness plagued him across the next two seasons, limiting him to just 92 games in that stretch. He lost the first base job to 2018 Trade Deadline acquisition Luke Voit, and in November 2019, he was finally designated for assignment.

Bird spent the next few years bouncing around the minors, spending time with the Rangers, Phillies, Rockies, and Blue Jays, before returning to the Yankees farm for a few months at the start of the 2022 season. He never made it back to the Majors, however, and since 2023, he has gone overseas: he spent 2023 in Quebec, the winter of 2023-2024 in Australia, and 2024 in Mexico. While it’s not clear whether or not he’s officially retired, an article in The Athletic from 2024 showed that he is at peace with his inability to build on his strong 2015 season.

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

You all have mastered the art of commenting but can you name a former baseball player faster than your fellow commenters? That’s the challenge with in-5, our daily trivia game, and today we’re announcing the debut of the game in the SB Nation app (in-5 is available on the web too, you’ve probably seen it at the top of the site).

The rules are simple. You get five clues to guess a player’s name. The fewer clues you need the better. Once you’ve played, drop your score in the comments of the game post and see how you stack up.

It’s a good opportunity to see if you can beat the commenter we all know you want to beat. Maybe you get it in the coveted first clue, maybe it takes four. But share your score in the comments, whatever it is.

How to play: In-5 is a daily trivia game. You get five clues to guess a player’s name. The clues go from broadest to most specific.

Play other teams and sports: We’ve got four broader sport games for MLB, NBA, NFL, MMA, and pro wrestling, and we have 25 team-specific games across pro baseball, basketball, and football.

To play the general MLB game, follow our “MLB” community on the SB Nation app.

While these report cards are about looking back on someone’s season, it doesn’t entirely seem right in Trea Turner’s case. There was no injury or excuse for why he had the worst season of his career but the format for how we do these report cards doesn’t seem right.

Here is one way to look at it: Trea Turner has seven more years on his contract, with an average annual value over $27 million. He will enter his age 33/34 season in 2027 and is coming off the worst season of his career. The Phillies are still going to treat him like he’s a star player. He will play shortstop in 2027, albeit on thin ince. He will probably bat at the top of the lineup for most, if not all, of 2027 unless multiple players perform much better than him.

So instead of purely discussing what went right or wrong in 2026, the goal will be to put it all into context for what 2027 could look like. Is this a pure outlier? Is he cooked? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

2026 stats: 157 games, .242/.297/.378, .675 OPS, 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, 21 SBs, 21.0% K%, 6.9% BB%, 83 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR

What went right

Not a lot of things went right for Trea Turner but the physical markers are not in a terrible spot. He still ranks in the 98th percentile for sprint speed and he probably stole as many bases as he could with an on-base percentage below .300 and their two best hitters right after him for most of the season.

His 90th percentile exit velocity is roughly similar to his past at 103.6 mph, although a tick lower than in 2025. His bat speed looked normal as well. So the general surface-level physical markers we can use are not indicating he is physically cooked, at least not yet, but it doesn’t entirely tell the full story for him at the plate.

What went wrong

Trea Turner went from being good at making contact against velocity to not being good at it. His whiff rate against pitches 95+ jumped three ticks. His whiff rate against secondary pitches jumped over two ticks and his zone contact rate dropped roughly two ticks.

This all happened with Turner’s pull fly ball rate not spiking so it wasn’t like he was trying to sell out for power either. This is not some easy fix for anyone involved and why we should be very skeptical on 2026 being a complete outlier. He just might not be as good at making contact anymore.

Defensively is where a lot of concerns about 2026 will apply to 2027, at least initially. Trea Turner is going to be their shortstop to start next season. He finished with -10 outs above average at the most critical defensive position in the sport. He shouldn’t play another inning there but there are other factors that are leading to their decision.

With that said, his 2025 shortstop should’ve made him in the running for a Gold Glove but that is more of the outlier than the norm. He was below average at the position in 2023 and 24 with the Phillies, with similar questions about moving off the position. The game might be a little too fast for him at the position.

Luckily, he is someone that still profiles as a solid second baseman whenever he makes the transition. The athleticism is still there and second base would play better for his arm and likely his mind. He would be far from the first defensively challenged shortstop to make a comfortable transition to second base. It also helps that he spent two months at second with the Dodgers in 2021 and looked very good there.

Final Grade: F

He was bad, very bad and he needed to be a star. They gave him chance after chance to right the ship and he never got there. There is no other justified grade if we are purely going off of 2026.

As for what 2026 means for 2027 and beyond, if you combine his 2025 and 2026 slash lines, you get a .271/.325/.416 with a 100 OPS+. Drop a few points because of recency bias and you get roughly realistic expectations for Turner in 2027. Is that good enough to justify what they’re paying him and the role he will play in their 2027 success? No, not even close but that’s a conversation for a different day.

As for the defense? He is not a shortstop and eventually he cannot play shortstop for them. It would be wise to make it work with him at second base as soon as possible but it doesn’t quite have to be opening day of 2026. He can flip there at any point.

With a bounce back as a baserunner, you’re probably looking at a slightly below league-average hitter, miscast as a shortstop while being a very good base runner.

Welcome to the start of another week A’s fans!

While major league baseball is in its offseason now, the sport is still being played down in Arizona where team’s younger prospects can get extra work over the winter. It’s a heavily abbreviated mini-season and it’s nearing the end here. With just two more games to go before the playoffs (which feature three rounds), it’s time to take a look back and see how certain prospects in the system have done with the extra work.

The Athletics sent seven players to go play for the Mesa Solar Sox this year. It’s not looking too good for them to advance to the playoffs so they likely only have a couple games left this year. Among the players the A’s sent were four pitchers, two catchers, and an outfielder. And among those seven, four are among the Athletics’ top 30 prospects.

The most notable name among the group is the outfielder, Breyson Guedez. Currently the third-best outfield prospect in the system, Guedez just turned 19 last month but made it to High-A this past season, his first in pro ball. For someone so young there’s still lots of ways his career could go. Not many expect him to have much power, or speed but he’s a quality hitter that’s still extremely young and these at bats he’s been getting in the AFL are exactly what he needs. While he’s been getting the work, the results haven’t been there as he’s slashing just .164/.271/.213 with no home runs, no stolen bases, and a worrying 18-to-7 K-to-BB ratio.

Catchers are something that the A’s have done well developing over the years and the two they’re currently working on both went to the AFL. Considered a top-20 prospect, Davis Diaz looks like he’s on the cusp of making his big league debut after rising from High-A to the Aviators last year. Davis has displayed his quality eye in the batter’s box in recent weeks, walking nearly as much as he’s walked while hitting .271/.400/.391 with one long ball. Already 23, he’s not likely to develop much more power so he’s going to have to rely on his ability to put the bat to the ball in the big leagues, and he’s demonstrated that again. Add in he’s positionally flexible and he’ll be an option for the big league team next year.

Fellow catcher Cole Conn (#21 according to MLB Pipelin) hasn’t played as much as Diaz but he’s had a quality time in Arizona as well. He’s got four doubles in just nine games played, though with no long balls. More impressively, he’s bested Diaz’s eye with a 8-to-6 K-to-BB ratio while adding in four stolen bases. Fast catcher. Conn crushed Triple-A pitching at the end of last year and that could put him ahead of Diaz on the organizational depth chart.

Four pitchers in the system also made appearances for the Solar Sox this year. Right-hander Kenya Huggins has absolutely dominated as he’s pitched 10 1/3 innings of relief and allowed just two runs while collecting 13 strikeouts. Acquired from the Reds for half a season of Miguel Andujar, Huggins looks like a steal at this point but his long-term role is still being determined.

Journeyman right-hander Jared Johnson was also among the contingent sent by the A’s. He’s pitched in seven games and allowed six earned runs. There doesn’t seem to be much upside there but he pitched for the Aviators last year and could be a depth piece at some point next season. Fellow righty Jay Dill is a recent 18th-round pick by the A’s and spent most of last year at Double-A with mixed results. Things continued that way for Dill as he’s been tagged for seven earned runs in just 5 1/3 innings pitched. And finally we have a left-hander in Tucker Novotny. The 23-year-old has turned some heads with a strong AFL. He’s made three starts (five total appearances) and has allowed just five earned runs in 13 12/3 innings. The walks have been an issue but he’s also racked up 16 punchouts. Another 18th rounder, the southpaw only just made it to High-A last year so he’s got a long ways to go before he becomes an option for the big league team.

A mixed bag, to be sure, but not without positives. The two catchers in particular seem like decent bets to make their big league debuts in the coming season, especially if the A’s elect to move star catcher Shea Langeliers. Heck, the A’s do still need a backup catcher as of this moment. Could one of them break camp as Bangeliers’ backup? This AFL made that a real possibility.

Have a great start to your week everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s First 2 Off-Season Additions Bode Well
• New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
• Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
• Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
• 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
• A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
• After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
• Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
• Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
• Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
• A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How to play in-5 Trivia on the SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• The case for each Rookie of the Year finalist
• D-backs’ Corbin Carroll has elbow surgery, should be ready for spring training
• How Cubs, Dodgers might approach Skubal Sweepstakes (reports)
• Pedro Martinez appeals for MLB resolution, reflects on effects of 1994 strike
• Jyun-Yue Tseng, 25-year-old right-hander, will enter MLB’s posting system
• What to expect at GM Meetings this week in Vegas
• Tigers Scouted Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira; Showed Past Interest In Shota Imanaga
• Witness: Clase ‘inside’ pitch info dried up amid Mizuhara case fallout
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

I mean, it makes sense with Leo coming. But it’d sure be selling low:

The Athletics will listen to trade offers for Jacob Wilson, per @BNightengale

They have zero urgency to move him but they are desperate for starting pitching

(https://t.co/PLNUjqgXE3) pic.twitter.com/jHoZ9y7viE

— Punchoutpitch (@Punchoutpitch) November 9, 2026

Interesting. Shouldn’t really affect the A’s, but still interesting:

Hearing MLB trade candidates with 1 year of control left — Logan Gilbert, Steven Kwan, Joe Ryan, Sandy Alcántara, et al — are unlikely to be moved for prospects this month, because teams aren’t sure what kind of 2027 season to expect.

However, sources say pending free agents…

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 8, 2026

A look ahead to some potential A’s targets next winter, when the checkbook is supposed to open up:

The 2027 Free Agent Class could be FULL of studs

Zack Wheeler
Drew Rasmussen
Logan Gilbert
Joe Ryan
Sandy Alcantara
Jeremy Peña
William Contreras
Adley Rutschman
Freddie Freeman
Munetaka Murakami
Ozzie Albies
Jhoan Duran
Griffin Jax
Luke Weaver
Cody Bellinger (has opt-out)… pic.twitter.com/KIM4UDF0df

— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) November 9, 2026

When we have discussed offseason additions, most of the focus has been on the pitching staff. That is for good reason, as the pitching was the clear weak point of the team last year. However, I believe that Paul Toboni does not want to just stand still on the offense.

At the end of this season and during this offseason, Toboni has said that they can’t assume the offense is destined to be as good as it was last year. In an interview with the Nats Chat podcast, he made this point again. I think this is a good point, and should be acted upon.

Paul Toboni was our guest on the latest episode of @Nats_Chat. Here’s what he had to say about free agency, fixing the bullpen and where he anticipates CJ Abrams playing in 2027: https://t.co/0QomwhOEmk

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) November 9, 2026

It probably does not make a ton of sense to make a huge run at the top position players on the market, with what will not be an unlimited budget. However, if the right opportunity presents itself, Toboni should be willing to jump on it. The offense was very good, but you cannot assume the same sort of success next year.

When the Nats traded Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr., the offense was not quite the same. Both of those trades made sense, but they did leave a mark on this offense. The loss of Garcia was particularly costly, as Abimelec Ortiz did not perform well down the stretch.

If the Nats wanted to make a move on offense, that left handed hitting first base spot would be a place to look. Even if they want to give Ortiz more chances, there should be plenty of guys out there who could compete with him. Spencer Nusbaum wrote an article about the offense, and mentioned a couple targets. Those names included Triston Casas, Kyle Manzardo and Nolan Schanuel.

The Nationals’ offseason will be defined by the status of the pitching staff. That doesn’t mean the lineup will go untouched this winter.

Looking at the levers they can pull on offense: https://t.co/ujnqyWQuFd

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) October 26, 2026

All of those players would be good competition for Ortiz. Each of these guys have had moments of real success, but have also fallen on hard times. The Nats have shown an ability to rehabilitate these sorts of hitters. With that in mind, I would be happy with one of those bats. 

We also talked about the idea of a Dylan Crews trade after the Jacob Young extension. If they did trade Crews, a big league ready first baseman could be something the Nats look for in a return. Sean Keys of the Blue Jays is one name that stands out to me. He is a 23 year old who was phenomenal in the minors last year, but struggled in his first taste of the big leagues. That would be great competition for Ortiz.

Adding offense would become an even more pressing need if the Nats do in fact trade CJ Abrams. The Nats shortstop has seen his name in trade rumors for a long time now. There is some logic to trading him if you are thinking long term, but it would leave a massive hole in the offense for 2027. If a trade does happen, I wonder what Toboni would do to fill the void.

The Nats were top 10 in most offensive categories, and top 5 in many of them. However, they did have fairly good injury luck and traded away some key pieces to that offensive machine. Many fans will ignore the offense and focus on the pitching staff, but I think Paul Toboni is aware that he cannot sit still.

The Washington Nationals offense finished third in runs scored, 6th in homers, 3rd in OPS, 3rd in slugging, 8th in OBP, 7th in hits 12th in average and 4th in doubles. What a unit this was in 2026. Crazy what good coaching can do

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) September 29, 2026

I still believe the biggest moves need to be pitching related, but the offense should not be ignored. Just because they were a great offense last season does not mean it will happen again. James Wood will be back, but there is plenty of uncertainty after that.

It is an under the radar storyline, but what Toboni does with the offense will be worth watching. Despite having a great offensive season last year, there are some holes. We should see prospects such as Seaver King fill some of those, but I do not think the Nationals will ignore the offense just because it was successful last year. Paul Toboni has proven to be a proactive GM, not a reactive one.

Back on the 4th of August this year, it had been a relatively long time since Kauffman Stadium bustled with the anthill-like activity it takes to put on an event in front of tens of thousands of people. The Kansas City Royals had just wrapped up a 10-game road trip with a pair of off days sandwiched within, and thanks to the All-Star break this game was only the seventh game at Kauffman in almost the month.

But inside the stadium, four hours before first pitch, it was business as usual. A few parking attendants set up at key spots. Half a dozen happy Minnesota Twins fans got an autograph after camping out by the player’s entrance. Food service workers slowly trickled in, some of whom are piloting unwieldy carts into elevators in preparation to feed the many hungry mouths. And inside the clubhouse, players were prepping for the game, the equipment staff placing protein water in some lockers, the media quietly checking their phones in between keeping watch for the players they needed for a story.

For all its glitz and glamor and spectacle, professional sports is a human-intensive endeavor. ChatGPT isn’t prepping the mound and the grass before the game. Gemini isn’t helping people to their seats or directing traffic. Claude isn’t running the graphics or answering the box office phone or staffing the stores. And, of course, there are the players, coaches, and front office staff who were not only present on that day but during the entire road trip…and all the other road trips before.

This is the big gulf between fandom and the production of professional sports: fandom is optional. You can watch the game. You can record the game. You can watch the game, but later, with all the commercials subject to the fast forward button. You can pay to show up to the game in person if you really feel like it. You can also, notably, skip a game, or two, or the whole season. You can turn off the game the moment you get disgusted or bored.

The people in charge of running the baseball operations do not get that option. Lose 15-1 or win 4-3, they have to pay attention. I suppose, technically, front office members don’t have to watch the game like the players or coaches do, but that’s not much of a relief when those same front office members’ jobs depend on the team performing well.

This is especially true for those who are really, really involved—think general manager JJ Picollo, for instance. I’ve seen Picollo walk through the clubhouse before a game more than once to converse with players and coaches. Even beyond Picollo, the number of front office and coaching staff and players is not gigantic. They know lots of information about each other and the game. They certainly know more than pundits or writers or commenters. They are, really, just simple coworkers who go to work together everyday.

And who is truly objective about their coworkers?

I started writing this piece months ago on that night. The Royals won. Randy Dobnak defied gravity again and the top trio of Carter Jensen, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone got on base a combined seven times. It was a temporary salve at the time because Royals fans were frustrated that nothing much happened at the trade deadline, and they were frustrated that that August 4 victory only brought the team to 20 games below .500.

Obviously, I didn’t end up publishing it. That’s why you’re reading it now with the cool fall air and leaves swirling outside wherever you are right now. I didn’t feel like I had anything to say, really. Some pieces are germs of an idea that just doesn’t work as a full plant. At the time, I made that call. But I really liked how I started this one—still do, that’s why I revisited it—and maybe my subjectivity would have won out if the Royals had lost. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered. This is only sports writing on a free site, after all.

That objectivity, though, is really hard to find when you’re close to something. It’s why you should always step away from a piece of writing if you really want to evaluate how you’re doing. It’s why consultants exist, because they don’t have the emotional attachments. And after my second year of regularly covering Royals games with a credential, I am frankly amazed that the front offices or coaching staffs can handle anything with objectivity.

One time last year, Michael Massey and Vinnie Pasquantino were arguing about Playstation games in the clubhouse, loudly, and everyone there got a kick out of it. These aren’t just names on Fangraphs.

This isn’t to say that front offices and coaching staffs should get a free pass at all times. Evaluating players—evaluating your team—is something that even boring middle corporate managers have to do all the time. Lord knows we’ve all experienced what a bad boss can be like, and there weren’t even millions of dollars at stake. All I’m saying is that the closeness to dirt, as it were, brings a human element into it all that makes decisions (or a lack thereof) more understandable.

Baseball is a people business, in other words. No matter how well or badly it went for the team, they have to go back out there and do it again on the next day, and the day after, and they day after that.

Major League Baseball's awards season gets going in earnest Monday, Nov. 9 when the winners of the American League and National League Rookie of the Year awards are revealed.

It kickstarts four days of hardware awarded by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, culminating Thursday when the Most Valuable Players for each league are announced.

Three finalists are selected for each major award, with the rookie contenders including shortstop Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers and left-handers Payton Tolle of the Boston Red Sox and Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL. NL finalists include Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart, New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge and St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt.

A look at the rookie race:

AL, NL Rookie of the Year: How to watch

Balloting will be revealed during an MLB Network broadcast that begins at 7 p.m. ET. Interviews with the finalists and analysis precede announcement of the awards.

AL Rookie of the Year: Finalists

Kevin McGonigle, 22, announced his arrival with authority, notching four hits in his opening day debut, and did not stop from there. The Tigers shortstop led the AL in WAR (7.1) and plate appearances (707), amasssing 168 hits and batting .278 with a .376 on-base percentange His adjusted OPS of 126 was well above league average. McGonigle would be the first Detroit Tiger to win AL Rookie of the Year since pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2016.

Payton Tolle, who turned 24 Nov. 1, debuted with Boston in 2025 but became one of its rotation anchors this past season, striking out 171 batters over 148 ⅔ innings and compiling a 3.03 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. The garrulous southpaw has emerged as a fan favorite in Boston, thanks in part to his carefree mound mentality mixed with an oft-dominant fastball.

Like Tolle, Parker Messick, 26, debuted in 2025 and became a rotation fixture for Cleveland in his full rookie season, starting Game 1 of their AL Division Series after a dominant campaign. Messick struck out 193 batters in 186 ⅓ innings, with a 2.56 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. The Guardians emerged to defend their AL Central championship as Messick, a 2022 second-round pick, joined with Gavin Williams to provide a dominant foundation to their rotation.

NL Rookie of the Year: Finalists

The likely favorite for this award wasn't necessarily on the radar to win it at the start of the year. But Sal Stewart, 22, just never stopped slugging, ripping 32 home runs and driving in 112 runs for the Cincinnati Reds. He finished the season with a .787 OPS and even stole 15 bases as he played in all 162 games.

Carson Benge, 23, likely exceeded the high hopes the Mets harbored for his first season. He hit an opening day home run and didn't stop from there, hitting 20 home runs, stealing 22 bases and solidifying right field for the Mets in an otherwise lost season. Defensively, Benge was slightly above the norm based on outs above average, but his throwing arm ranked in the 99th percentile.

JJ Wetherholt, 24, was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft and methodically beat down the door to St. Louis, like Benge debuting on opening day. He hit 17 homers and stole 14 bases, but his biggest impact came defensively. The former shortstop finished second in the major leagues to likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong in fielding run value, teaming with shortstop Masyn Winn to give the Cardinals an elite defensive look in their middle infield.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AL, NL Rookie of the Year: How to watch as MLB's awards season begins

Today, Major League Baseball’s General Manager Meetings begin in Las Vegas. Generally, the GM Meetings set the stage for later action, but with an all-but-assured lockout coming on December 1, this year may be different.

At any rate, Colorado Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta will be there as will general manager Josh Byrnes, assistant general managers Ian Levin and Tommy Tanous, and director of baseball operations Amir Mamdani. They are scheduled to take questions from media on Tuesday afternoon, so look for us to follow up on that.

At any rate, here are the big questions we have headed into this week’s meetings.

Will teams, including the Rockies, begin an offseason frenzy of trades and signings, or will they wait until after the new CBA?

Certainly, front offices will take different approaches to this question — whether they wish to makes deals in the known present or gamble on an undefined future. But given that the month is almost one-third over, if there’s going to be a busy November, it better get rolling.

The GM Meetings should give fans a better sense of MLB’s mood.

Will the Rockies make any trades?

Three of the organization’s best moves last season were the result of trades: Brenan Bernardino, Jake McCarthy, and TJ Rumfield all came to the Rockies as the result of offseason trades. Moreover, last August’s trade deadline saw the Rockies making moves to shore up their pitching, and the early results were promising.

Will we see more of this during the GM Meetings, and if so, which Rockies players might be trade candidates?

Will the Rockies sign any free agents?

In 2026, the Rockies had a mixed record when it came to signing free agents. Tomoyuki Sugano was a win; Willi Castro and José Quintana were fine, with the latter missing much of the season due to injury; and Michael Lorenzen was DFA’d in August. The question, then, becomes how deeply the Rockies will dive into the free agent pool.

(Here’s MLB Trade Rumors’ annual “Top 50 free agents with predictions” for your bookmarking convenience.)

The Rockies need starting pitching, and this year’s free agent class offers a wide range of talents and salaries. Based on what they learned in 2026, will the Rockies again make signings, and could that happen in the coming days?

How will the front office answer questions about recent staffing changes?

Last week, Christian Saez of DNVR reviewed recent communications he’d had with former Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman and a member of the Rockies front office. The Rockies also announced hiring Ethan Katz as their new pitching coach. On Tuesday, Rockies media will be able to follow up with additional questions.

We also know the Rockies have been on a staff-hiring frenzy. (See, for example, here, here, and here.) Will the front office reveal more about their hiring plans going forward and how they are changing the organization?

Will the Rockies resolve Kris Bryant’s contract?

It’s a long shot — I know — but the meetings are in Vegas, Kris Bryant lives in Vegas, and with everyone gathered together, perhaps it’s time to consciously uncouple this relationship.

Given the extent of Bryant’s injuries, it seems unlikely he will play baseball again. Perhaps it’s a good time to provide some closure for all involved.

So that’s what I’m watching for this week. Let us know in the comments what you’re keeping an eye on.

Purple Row will cover developments as details become available.

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The 2026 Rookie of the Year Award is one of the more fascinating award races this year (at least it is in the National League, since Kevin McGonigle should run away with the American League variant). New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge is one of the three finalists, alongside St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt, and Cincinnati Reds corner infielder (though mostly first baseman) Sal Stewart. Each of the three players have an interesting and varied case to bring home the hardware in what ended up being a hotly contested race (one of which that saw a few players snubbed as finalists, namely Mets starter Nolan McLean and Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield, both of which would place easily in my personal top three).

JJ Wetherholt represents the season-long interpretation of the award. He looked like the runaway favorite to win it for months, as his exceptional defense at second base (+25 DRS) and league-average offense (101 wRC+) gave him a huge head start, especially when Carson Benge was hitting like a pitcher for about a month or so. Wetherholt, despite only playing 139 games, led all National League rookies in fWAR with 4.6 — and trailed only Kevin McGonigle in fWAR among all rookies. He was a steady player for the Cardinals from the word go. He did miss a few weeks with wrist tendonitis, but he represents the safer vote.

Sal Stewart represents a vote with an older school flair. Stewart was a mediocre defender (-2 DRS at first), and his wRC+ sat at 112, so it is fair to wonder how he ended up a finalist, especially when he finished with a rather tepid 2.0 fWAR, good for fifth among NL rookies, and 17th among all rookies. How he got here was his counting stats. Stewart hit 32 home runs, easily leading all NL rookies, and finishing only behind Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamodo. His 112 RBI are twenty more than any other rookie, and were third in all of baseball. Those counting stats pop off the page, and his .263/.330/.457 slash line makes it look even better. Twenty or so years ago, Stewart wins this in a landslide and no one is batting an eye.

Carson Benge represents a little from Column A and a little from Column B. His 4.3 fWAR is second among NL rookies and third among all rookies, pairing a solidly above average bat (118 wRC+) with solid defense (+1 DRS). He went 20/20 on the season, hitting exactly 20 home runs and swiping 22 bags. He also has the benefit of a narrative behind him. Benge was, for lack of a better term, horrific to start his rookie season, finishing April with a 48 wRC+. He turned it on from there, finishing May with a 128 wRC+. He came back down to Earth a little in June with a 108 wRC+ before finishing the season on fire, notching a 126 wRC+, 143 wRC+ and 147 wRC+ in July, August and September, respectively. His ability to put a horrid month behind him and play good and even excellent baseball for the rest of the season, putting him at the very top among all rookies, was a fascinating development.

Any of these players can win this award and it should not come as a surprise. However, Benge has a unique combination of both Wetherholt’s and Stewart’s resumes that is perhaps being underrated in this conversation. You can make the analytical argument for Benge, seeing as he placed within the top three in fWAR amongst rookies, was fine defensively, had good offensive season (with an absolutely torrid second half of his year). You can also make a less analytical, more traditional argument for him, seeing as he went 20/20. According to research done by MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Benge is the eighteenth player in MLB history to achieve that milestone as a rookie (and eight of those eighteen did it in their debut season, Benge included). That is a deeply impressive and underrated landmark for a rookie to hit, and something that does not come along often. He also as an interesting narrative case, if you want to look at it that way (and, frankly, I believe these awards are somewhat narrative based), considering he went from a 48 wRC+ in April to being in a finalist for the award, and being an offensive start for the entire summer.

If you would make me guess a winner as I type this out, I would guess Stewart gets the nod, simply because a 32 home run, 112 RBI season is not going to be ignored by voters. Despite my skepticism he wins the award, Benge represents a unique blend of the analytical argument, traditional argument, and narrative argument.

The Orioles have a second base problem. A former University of Maryland standout might be just the guy to solve it.

For the next two weeks, Camden Chat writers will be profiling a dozen players, either free agents or trade targets, that we’d like to see the O’s pursue this offseason. First up is an infield slugger with a local connection, free agent Brandon Lowe.

To be clear, I’m not interested in Lowe solely because #HeATerp. I mean, it sure doesn’t hurt. But as a player, he checks a lot of boxes for the Birds. The two-time All-Star would bring some much-needed left-handed thump to the Orioles’ lineup. He’s a veteran of the AL East who has (mostly) crushed the Orioles’ division rivals. And he’d stabilize a position at which the Orioles were the worst in the league in 2026.

Lowe (pronounced “Lau”) should be a familiar name for O’s fans. Those in the local area might have become aware of him during his College Park career in 2014-15, when he starred for a Maryland team that included five future big leaguers. Lowe also played one summer in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League as a 19-year-old.

Even if you didn’t follow Lowe’s collegiate career, you surely know him from his near-decade as an O’s divisional opponent. After the Rays drafted him in the third round in 2015, he spent the first eight years of his MLB career with Tampa Bay from 2018-25 before a trade last offseason sent him to Pittsburgh. Aside from an abbreviated 2022 campaign, Lowe has been a well above-average hitter for every major league season, posting a career 123 OPS+ and averaging 4.2 bWAR per year. He’s had five seasons of 21+ homers and three seasons of 30 or more. Simply put, he’s one of the best hitting second basemen in the game.

As a Ray, Lowe stepped up his game against division foes. He feasted on Orioles pitching (.857 OPS, 20 homers) and particularly torched the Red Sox (.994 OPS, 21 HRs) and Blue Jays (.918 OPS, 21 HRs) in more than 70 games against each opponent. He was less successful, though, against the Yankees, who held him to a .659 OPS.

Lowe is coming off of his most productive year yet. In his debut season with the Pirates, he tallied 35 homers and 96 RBIs — both his highest totals since 2021 — and posted a career-best 5.3 bWAR. And it’s not just his offense that impressed. With the leather, Lowe pulled off an incredible turnaround after several years of subpar defensive marks. He registered 13 Defensive Runs Saved and 15 Outs Above Average this season after struggling to a -14 DRS and -14 OAA the season before.

Could those numbers, especially on defense, have been a one-year mirage? It’s possible. At 32 years old, it’s unlikely that Lowe just suddenly figured out how to be an elite defender for the first time, so perhaps there’s some sample-size issues at play. Still, even if he can be merely a league-average fielder to go with his potent bat, he’d be a significant upgrade over the Orioles’ current second base options.

Which brings us to the uncomfortable reality we must discuss. I want Jackson Holliday to be good. You want Jackson Holliday to be good. But three years into his career, he simply hasn’t been good. And the Orioles’ lineup suffered for it in 2026. According to FanGraphs, Orioles second basemen — mostly Holliday, but also Jeremiah Jackson — rated as the worst in the American League, and third-worst in baseball, at just a 0.1 WAR (Lowe’s Pirates ranked fourth, at 4.9). The Birds’ second basemen had the worst OBP (.275) and sixth-worst SLG (.349) in the majors. Lowe had a .331 OBP and .493 OPS.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s way too early to throw in the towel on Holliday’s career. He’s 22 years old, an age when many players who turned out to be stars hadn’t even made their MLB debut yet. He’s the former #1 overall draft pick, was once the #1 prospect in baseball, and is the son of a seven-time All-Star. Holliday could well figure things out and be a standout major leaguer for many years to come.

But if the Orioles are serious about trying to be a contender next year, they can’t sit around and wait for Holliday to live up to his potential. The O’s have a real opportunity here to add an established, quality major league player at a position of need, and they should pounce on it. If they add Lowe, they have choices about what to do with Holliday. Maybe they send him back to the minors to try to get him on track. Maybe they move him to a different position. Maybe they even trade him, as recent reports have suggested. Add Lowe first and figure out Holliday later.

Because Lowe is on the wrong side of 30, his contract demands shouldn’t be too exorbitant. ESPN predicts he’ll get a four-year, $80 million deal. MLB Trade Rumors forecasts a more modest contract at three years and $69 million. That looks like a nice deal to me, and the Orioles shouldn’t hesitate to sign him if that’s the salary range that Lowe ends up in.

Lowe, of course, brings his share of risk, as does any free agent. For one thing, he hasn’t exactly been the picture of durability. He played a career-high 150 games this season, but it was one of only three times that he’s topped 109. Lowe has a laundry list of ailments that have plagued him throughout his career, including injuries to his knees, feet, back, elbow, neck, oblique, quadriceps, and…well, basically everything. The O’s would probably have to live with the fact that Lowe will miss some games, but they’ve got depth to replace him with Blaze Alexander available as a utility guy and potentially Jordan Westburg seeing some time at second.

Also, Lowe received a qualifying offer from the Pirates, meaning the Orioles would lose a draft pick if they sign him. Still, sometimes that’s the price you have to pay to land a quality free agent. And the O’s potentially will be receiving a compensatory draft pick of their own if another team signs Trevor Rogers, so it could balance out.

The Orioles’ oft-disappointing 2026 offense could use an upgrade, and Lowe seems like just the guy they need. He has the talent. He brings the experience. And he — and I cannot stress this enough — a Terp.

Good day fellow Mariners fans!

We’ve got another light day of links for you as the offseason remains in the very early stages. Let’s get to it.

In Mariners news…

• Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic reports that some Mariners players were involved in their search for a new manager. They apparently wanted Jason Kanzler to get the job. ($)

Around the league…

• Angels left-hander Samy Natera credits Andrés Muñoz with helping him frame his mindset on the mound.
• Congratulations to the Samsung Lions for becoming KBO champions!

Chris Paddack with a strikeout and the Samsung Lions are the champions of the KBO in 2026! It is their first title in 12 years! Samsung becomes just the third team since 2002 to beat the #1 seed in the Korean Series and did it in dominant fashion pic.twitter.com/phBsZV23aq

— Jeff Duda (@INTLBaseball24) November 8, 2026

• Agreeing to a deal with a 12-year-old is insane…to say the least.

SOURCE: The Tampa Bay Rays have reached a pre-agreement with 12-year-old Maxuel Rosario for a $4.5 million signing bonus, setting a new franchise record and the largest bonus in the organization's history.

Rosario is considered the most toolsy player in his class, with scouts… pic.twitter.com/ryjRM25ofr

— Wilber Sánchez (@wilberdata) November 8, 2026

• We now have academic research on the topic of whether a baseball stadium positively impacts the economy in the surrounding area.

Tate Southisene
5-for-13, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K, 3 SB

The Tate shows continued last week as the Braves prospect got on-base nine times again last week. Even crazier, he continues to walk just as much as he strikes out. Then, you add in the fact that he’s also a menace on the bases and it’s hard to temper expectations for him. Tate also played in the AFL Fall Stars game where he went 0-for-2…but also drew a walk and scored a run. Tate has now played in 16 games and is hitting .321/.471/.396, going a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen bases. He has also walked (14) more than he has struck out (12).

Isaiah Drake
3-for-9, 4 K, CS

Isaiah appeared in just three games last week, getting on-base in two of the three games. After missing a big chunk of the season due to injury, Isaiah has adjusted to the league and put together high quality at-bats, making good contact with pitches in the zone. The result is Isaiah hitting .327/.386/.404 in 17 games, going 5-for-6 in the stolen base department.

Owen Carey
2-for-10, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K

Owen appeared in three games last week, going 0-for-4 in his first game and then getting on-base four times in the final two games. After struggling with some injuries this year, Owen has now played in 16 games in the AFL and is slashing .283/.415/.396.

Briggs McKenzie
4IP 3H 0R 2BB 6K

Briggs looked very solid in his single start last week, striking out six across four innings. He did a great job of establishing his slider as his premium offering and using it in-zone very well, and generating whiffs from it. Also appears that Briggs is really working on the two-seam fastball to go with his four-seam. The slider, a pitch he focused on this season, now consistently looks above average. It will be interesting to see if Briggs brings back the curveball, or if the Braves have shelved it completely, but one thing remains 100% true – he knows how to generate spin.

Tanner Bauman
1IP 1H 0R 1BB 0K

After struggling early at the start of the AFL season, Tanner Bauman has done a good job of commanding his pitches – finding himself in-zone much more consistently. While the stuff hasn’t particularly been great, his execution has helped him find zeroes more consistently.

Tyler LaPorte
1IP 1H 0R 1BB 2K

Tyler appeared in one game, striking out two. He continues to show a strong arsenal, unique mechanics, and good command. A former position player who transitioned to pitching only a few years ago, Tyler could be a player to watch should the improved command show next season.

A lot has been made of the supposedly minuscule circle of advisors Craig Breslow reportedly maintains in the Red Sox front office. Prior to the season-saving 15-game win streak, when it looked all but certain that Breslow would soon be fired, media reports painted a picture of a near-reclusive CBO, one who trusted few people in the front office and alienated most others. Winning put a lot of those concerns to rest, as it so often does. But the fact remains that the Red Sox front office does have some holes. The General Manager role has been vacant since 2023, while two high-ranking assistant GMs haven’t really been replaced: Paul Toboni, who was hired to lead the Nationals last fall, and Taylor Smith, who recently departed for the A’s, after having been hired by Breslow just two years ago. That’s why — in addition to finding a power bat — Breslow says he’s making front office hiring a priority this offseason. “It is pretty clear that that executive leadership circle is down not just bodies, but down really talented people. And we’ve got to find the right people to emerge and to put into place there,” said Breslow. “The inconvenient piece is that we need to put a great team on the field and we need to win more games in 2027 than we did in 2026. Losing leadership like Taylor and Paul makes that harder, but we have to do everything we can to replace them.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

While Dana LeVangie isn’t an upper level front office executive like Smith or Toboni, he needs to be replaced now, too. A Massachusetts native, LeVangie has been employed by the Red Sox in one form or another ever since being drafted by the team back in 1991, rising to the level of pitching coach in 2018. He’s been in the scouting department since 2020, and will depart for a similar role with the Royals. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

Front office and scouting hires don’t usually make the headlines, though, and they won’t this week, either, as it’s time to hand out MLB’s major awards. First up is the Rookie of the Year, which will be announced tonight and features Payton Tolle as a finalist. Here’s a case for Tolle and each of his two competitors. (MLB.com)

Tolle is unlikely to take home the hardware given how good Kevin McGonigle was this year, but he’s won something else: the praise of CC Sabathia. “I love watching him, and I love his personality,” the former Yankees ace said. “I don’t think I could have pitched the way he does. I was always way more emotional and upset. It’s fun to see him have that disposition.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

With Tolle at the top of the rotation alongside Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez, the Sox are unlikely to go after any of the really big name arms on the market this offseason (read: Tarik Skubal). But they could still be on the hunt for some pitching. “Beyond a run producer, the focus will be on improving pitching depth. Look for the Sox to be in the market for a back-end starter to compete with Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford. And while the back end of the bullpen is strong, the most successful teams in the game feature multiple power arms. If the Red Sox are convinced that Erik Miller can improve his command, the Sox should be in the market for another righthander with swing-and-miss capability.” (Sean McAdam, MassLive)

Zack Kelly has some swing-and-miss capability, but he probably won’t be back at Fenway next season. After he was designated for assignment last week, Kelly has now cleared waivers and been released. “[H]e is expected to have a robust market of teams who believe he has considerable upside.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)