Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gary Sanchez works in the bullpen during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
In so many ways, Gary Sánchez brought me back to baseball.
The summer between junior and senior year of university, baseball had become a very secondary thing for me. Navigating summer jobs and accommodations, what I wanted to take in my final year of undergrad, what kind of jobs I was angling for… these things were front of mind. And then Gary got called up, and it was different than his cup of coffee in 2015. Boy, was it different.
Twenty home runs in 53 games, a nine-win pace adjusted to 600 PAs, and a 43 percent strikeout rate. The Yankees ended up five games out of the playoff race, winning just 84 games, but boy did it feel like Gary was going to single handedly drag them into October. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, and for whatever else his career would come to, the Yankees seemed to have a new franchise cornerstone. More than that, for a pretty bad team at the time, the newly-christened Kraken was now must-see TV.
Ten years on, Gary Sánchez has a World Series ring.
The 2017 season was maybe the best we would ever have it in the current era of Yankee baseball. The trio of Gary, Aaron Judge and Luis Severino, with Greg Bird pulling his own weight and then some, the club seemed set to dominate the AL for the better part of a decade. Judge is really the only one who hit his potential, a multi-time MVP that will go in the Hall of Fame but very well could do it without a single title.
Wednesday night was an emotional one for many reasons, not the least of which is that I really really really really really really do not like the Tampa Bay Rays as a franchise, to the extent that my attempt to engage with baseball rationally sometimes goes away. While I don’t necessarily view the Brewers as giant-slayers, with the best record in baseball and a pretty chalk run through the postseason, I appreciate them knocking off the Dodgers and have been quite pleased with the way their fans seem to embody the Midwest so well that I worry about parody.
And I’m happy for Christian Yelich, who has given so much of his time and sweat and his back to the franchise, even if I find him wearing an actual C a little too Jason Varitek-y for my taste. But mostly, I’m happy for Gary.
He emerged in 2017 as one of the best catchers in baseball, with appearances at both the All Star Game and Home Run Derby. He collected a single MVP vote with a Silver Slugger, and delivered one of my favorite hits in post-dynasty playoff history:
It would not ever be better than that. Gary would alternate between good and bad seasons at the plate for the next five years, while his defense became less and less reliable. I always felt Gary’s biggest problem was that he would tinker too much, going to the now-common one-knee down stance before the majority of baseball would, then spending 2019 focusing on blocking the ball while he bled runs from a framing perspective. He left the Bronx in that ill-fated deal with the Twins that brought Josh Donaldson to the Bronx, and since then he’s been a perfectly serviceable backup catcher for three franchises.
It never worked out for the Kraken the way that it should have. In another universe he and Judge have delivered the Yankees to the promised land, and we’re adding Sánchez to the next run of Top 100 Yankees we do. Instead, he’s in the supporting cast of the best team in baseball, while Judge is THE star of a show nearing the end of it’s run.
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate during a World Series championship parade.
The Brewers may be suffering from a case of Foam-o.
Since winning the World Series on Wednesday night, the party continued on Thursday with a stop at Lambeau Field to watch the Packers and bled into Friday for their championship parade through the streets of Milwaukee — and there hasn’t been much time for sleep.
“Not at all,” Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski told Fox 6 from his perch on the parade bus. “We’re running on probably two, three hours.”
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate during a World Series championship parade. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
After beating the Rays in Game 6 in Tampa on Thursday night for the franchise’s first-ever World Series title, the Brewers took the Commissioner’s Trophy back to Milwaukee and had the perfect place to unveil the hardware to the locals: Lambeau Field.
Led by veteran pitcher Brandon Woodruff, players walked out on the field in Green Bay to thunderous applause during the “Thursday Night Football” tilt between the Packers and Panthers, with outfielder Sal Frelick partaking in the Lambeau Leap and jumping into the crowd.
The Brewers kept the party going on Friday with their parade — with the route including a mural of iconic announcer Bob Uecker, who died at the age of 90 in 2025.
William Contreras holds the Commissioner’s Trophy at the Milwaukee Brewers World Series parade, Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Nam Huh
Misiorowski caught a beer tossed from the sidewalk and proceeded to chug it. Outfielder Garrett Mitchell stopped to take a photo with a baby who probably won’t remember it. The Barrelman mascot and the Famous Racing Sausages got their moments in the sun.
“This is amazing, a lot of fun,” Misiorowski said. “It’s awesome to have this city behind us, and celebrate with us. It means a lot to these fans so it’s amazing.
“This is the pinnacle. This is what you play for.”
DENVER, CO - JULY 17: Jeff Criswell #46 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, July 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking theRockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for theRockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 31, Jeff Criswell (0.1 rWAR)
Drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft by the then Oakland Athletics, Jeff Criswell’s journey through professional baseball has not been a particularly smooth one.
After two seasons of solid results working his way up through the Atheletic’s minor league affiliates, Criswell was dealt to the Rockies before the 2023 season for reliever Chad Smith. He spent the entirety of 2023 at Triple-A Albuquerque where he struggled with spikes in both home runs and walk rates.
Criswell’s career hit another speed bump in the form of Tommy John surgery in March of 2025. He spent the entirety of the 2025 recovering from that surgery and entered this season looking to re-establish himself in the Rockies bullpen.
The #Rockies are getting an early look at reliever Jeff Criswell, who underwent Tommy John right elbow surgery last spring. Realistically, game action should happen around mid April. He says he is just going day by day, following step-by-step instructions from the training staff pic.twitter.com/XD7Xyl1IJ0
Officially, that rehab assignment lasted just under a month with Criswell making nine total appearances between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. All told, he threw 10.2 innings with a 5.91 ERA. He was removed from the injured list and optioned to Triple-A on May 28.
Criswell did not, however, have to wait much longer to return to the big leagues. A little over a week after he was optioned, the Rockies recalled him to take Keegan Thompson’s roster spot.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions: – Selected the contract of INF/OF Cole Carrigg (#16) from Triple-A Albuquerque. – Recalled RHP Jeff Criswell from Triple-A Albuquerque. – Placed INF/OF Tyler Freeman on the seven-day concussion IL. – Designated RHP Keegan…
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) June 9, 2026
Criswell looked sharp in his first two outings.
In addition to allowing no runs in an inning each against the Chicago Cubs and The Athletics, his fastball velocity was sitting 95-96 MPH, just like it had been in 2024. He walked a batter in each game and wasn’t particularly efficient, needing over 20 pitches to get through each inning, but those were minor concerns in the context of his return from surgery.
His second stint in Albuquerque lasted only 8.2 innings. Again in search of a fresh arm for the bullpen, the Rockies recalled Criswell on July 11. Criswell opened this second stint with the big-league team with a two inning appearance against the Cincinnati Reds.
This outing did not go nearly as well as his previous two for the big-league squad.
His first pitch of the game was smashed to the wall in the center-right field gap resulting in an inside-the-park home run for Spencer Steer.
That would not be the end of the damage as Criswell went on to allow three more baserunners including a home run by Elly De La Cruz in the ninth inning.
Unfortunately, a slight dip in velocity during that appearance against the Reds (down to 94.3) was a precursor for a return to the injured list. The next day, Criswell was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain.
When his time on the IL was up, he was optioned once again to Triple-A where he finished out his season with the Isotopes.
All told, in his return from Tommy John, Criswell managed to throw 41.2 innings across 35 appearances between four different levels of the Rockies organization.
The results were not always pretty, as evidenced by his 5.73 minor league ERA and his 10.35 Major League FIP, but he has was able to get prove that he could take the ball and flashed the strikeout upside that made him an interesting relief option heading into 2025.
In 2027, Criswell will be 28. He has done enough to put himself in the mix for the bullpen heading into the spring. He will need to solidify a spot in the pen come next season or will likely see his 40-man roster spot given to a younger prospect.
A lot of conclusions will likely be drawn from the Milwaukee Brewers’ romp to the 2026 World Series title. There will be a lot of talk about small market vs. big market teams and how the Brewers showed you don’t need a big payroll to win a championship.
That’s not the point of this article, but I will point out that money isn’t necessarily the end-all in terms of building a champion, but it will hinder the Brewers’ ability to sustain this success when some of their key players leave for big paydays elsewhere.
Instead, I wanted to focus on the Brewers’ roster and how it was built and see if there is anything the Phillies can learn.
Similar to the Phillies, the Brewers have been regular postseason participants in recent years, making the playoff field in eight of the past nine seasons. And like the Phillies, they came up short of the World Series every year. This lends some credence to the belief that sometimes all it takes for a postseason loser to become a winner is just one more year.
But while the Phillies have been criticized for “running it back” in recent seasons, the Brewers have evolved greatly since their run of playoff seasons began in 2018. That season, their best players according to WAR were NL MVP Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain, and the pitching staff was topped by Jhoulys Chacin and Wade Miley.
I will never forget going nuts in my parent's living room when the Brewers traded for Yeli and signed Lorenzo Cain.
It set the foundation for what they have accomplished yesterday.
Since the Phillies’ run of postseason appearances began in 2022, I’ll take a look at the Brewers of that year, who missed the playoffs by one game. Yelich was still around, but his numbers had greatly decreased. Instead, the middle infield combo of Willy Adames and Colton Wong led position players, while co-aces Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff headed the rotation.
Fast forward to this year’s team, and the WAR leaders were Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, Jacob Misiorowski, and Logan Henderson. What do all of those players have in common? All are products of the Brewers’ farm system who have been called up in recent seasons.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵
THE NAMES BEHIND THE NAMES
As the Brewers open the NL Division Series tonight, people will see the players on the field.
I don’t think I need to point out that the Phillies haven’t been turning out young players of that caliber in recent seasons. Instead of Chourio and Miz, we’ve gotten Johan Rojas and Orion Kerkering. (They desperately need Andrew Painter’s second half to be real and for Aidan Miller’s back to hold together.) The Phillies have been forced to compensate by heavily investing in free agents. Sometimes that works out well, but even in the best case scenarios, you get locked in to paying big money for a player’s decline phase. (Only seven more years of Trea Turner!)
As for the on-field product, the Phillies’ and Brewers’ lineups were quite different. The Brewers don’t rely on power hitting (31st in the league in homers) and don’t have any players who you’d consider lineup carrying superstars. But what they do have is a lot of very good hitters and few weak spots in the lineup.
Compare that to the Phillies who often struggled to score runs if either Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber weren’t on hot streaks. Bryson Stott is a fine enough player, but he should ideally be like the team’s sixth or seventh best hitter rather than having the third best OPS on the team.
Many people complain that the Phillies are loaded with players who just “swing for the fences” and don’t work walks, and they’re half right. The Phillies don’t walk all that much, but they don’t actually hit for power either. It’s not good when the two guys who walk at a high rate are also your only real consistent power threats. The Phillies have too many hitters who aren’t particularly good at any one aspect of hitting and seem to be guaranteed to go through horrific slumps for months at a time.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the Phillies season was that in August, they actually seemed to figure it out. While they were helped by a series of lesser opponents, they led the majors in walk percentage that month, and not coincidentally, they scored the third most runs in baseball, despite ranking just 24th in home runs.
Around the time the calendar flipped to September, the Phillies’ offense collapsed. Maybe it was just because they faced better competition or maybe opposing pitchers adjusted, but part of it seemed to be an abandonment of the patient approach they utilized August. That isn’t entirely surprising, because the Phillies don’t have a lot of hitters with a history of taking walks, and often times when they hit adversity, players will fall back on what they think got them there in the first place.
They didn’t strike out all that much, but the balls they did contact were not finding grass, with a league-low .130 BABIP. Maybe the poor showing was mostly due to luck, but it also felt like the Phillies were boom or bust with runners on base. Their overall numbers look fine, but that’s because in some games, they’d seem to get ALL the runners home and then go 1-15 with RISP over the next three.
Pitching wise, the Phillies’ rotation matches up favorably with the Brewers, and I’d take Jhoan Duran over Brewers’ closer Trevor Megill. But the Brewers were able to capably hold leads in the innings in between, something the Phillies couldn’t seem to do with consistency. As with the hitting, it would have been nice if they had guys in the minor leagues they could have called up (Alex McFarlane was a rare success) and if one of their few young pitchers (Kerkering) didn’t completely melt down.
So then, is there anything the Phillies can actually learn from the Brewers?
The Phillies need to get more out of their development system, but that isn’t a revelation. Hitting development has been an issue for a long time now, and it seems like dramatic steps need to be taken to fix it. Will the Phillies accept this uncomfortable truth and make the necessary changes? Perhaps they should take a revolutionary step of hiring people from organizations that have been good at development?
As for the players they do have, it sounds like Don Mattingly recognizes the problem with the offense and seems to think that with a full year as manager, he can improve things.
Don Mattingly has pointed to what the Phillies did in August (league-best walk & K rates, passing the baton) as something he’d like to see more of in 2027. An early look into how they could get there:https://t.co/w6hxbrpxVY
Can Mattingly actually make that happen are we in for more talk about walking more and patient at bats, only to see them revert back as soon as that approach hits a bump in the road?
Unless the Phillies are willing to make these changes, it feels like they won’t be the team celebrating at the end of the season any time soon.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 11: Josuar Gonzalez #2 of the San Francisco Giants looks on during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List is off and running, and in the coming weeks and months we’ll have so much to debate and argue over as we collectively rank the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization. But those debates and arguments have not started yet, because the opening chapter of this exercise was, as expected, a one-man show.
Yes, to the surprise of no one, shortstop Josuar González has been voted the No. 1 prospect in the Giants organization. That was never really a question. What is a question is: will he be the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball at some point this year?
González, who was No. 2 on last year’s CPL, had a dream 2026 season. After dominating the Dominican Summer League in his rookie campaign in 2025, the switch-hitter came to the states this season, and the only thing that could slow him down was his body, as he suffered a few injury setbacks.
The hyper-athletic González, who turned 19 earlier this month, opened the year in the Arizona Complex League, where he hit .343/.451/.515 for a .966 OPS and a 139 wRC+ in 30 games. He ended the year with Low-A San Jose where, despite being three years younger than the average hitter in the league, he somehow improved his performance, hitting .357/.444/.566 for a 1.010 OPS and a 151 wRC+ in 31 games. Across the two levels, he hit five home runs in 275 plate appearances, and had 26 total extra-base hits.
It was a year in which González, who will likely start his age-19 season in High-A, showed off all the tools. His bat-to-ball skills were phenomenal, and he posted exit velocities that would make plenty of Major Leaguers jealous. He controlled the strike zone brilliantly, with a 14.9% walk rate and just a 20.0% strikeout rate across the two levels. He swiped 21 bases in 27 attempts and solidified himself as not just the best defensive shortstop in the system, but one of the best in Minor League Baseball. And he did it all while being the type of athlete — fast, strong, explosive, and twitchy — that just feels like a star in the making. With González, the stats suggest that he’s one of the best prospects in baseball … but if you watch him, you’re somehow left feeling like the stats aren’t capturing just how good he is.
The only questions for González are if he can maintain this performance as he climbs the Minors, and if he can stay healthy. If the answer to those questions is “yes,” then you’re looking at a player who should be a unanimous top-10 prospect this time next year. When the Giants signed him out of the Dominican Republic last year, there were some pie in the sky comparisons to Francisco Lindor; two seasons later, those comps are looking far less outlandish than they initially did.
Now that I’ve got you all itching for the Minor League season to return, let’s add to our list. Picking the No. 1 prospect might have been easy, but chosing No. 2 will not be! As a reminder, voting now takes place in the comment section.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
No. 2 prospect nominees
JacobBresnahan — 21.4-year old LHP — 2.92 ERA/4.32 FIP in High-A (98.2 IP); 5.06 ERA/3.60 FIP in AA (16 IP)
BoDavidson — 24.3-year old OF — .861 OPS/122 wRC+ in AA (315 PA); .923 OPS/138 wRC+ in AAA (234 PA); .714 OPS/100 wRC+ in MLB (22 PA)
JacksonFlora — 21.5-year old RHP — 0.00 ERA/3.41 FIP in Low-A (1 IP); great numbers in a small sample in the playoffs (Low-A and AA)
LuisHernández — 17.10-year old SS — .917 OPS/117 wRC+ in the ACL (228 PA); .594 OPS/48 wRC+ in Low-A (98 PA)
JhonnyLevel — 19.6-year old SS — .968 OPS/134 wRC+ in Low-A (217 PA); .836 OPS/119 wRC+ in High-A (331 PA)
RamonMarquez — 21.1-year old RHP — 1.86 ERA/2.67 FIP in Low-A (29 IP); 2.48 ERA/2.45 FIP in High-A (40 IP)
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.
Oct 19, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game six of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Richie Palacios’ weak ground ball to secondbase officially ended the season for the Tampa Bay Rays and thus begins the months long offseason as team works to prepare its roster for the 2027 season.
The day after the World Series ended, players signed just for the 2026 season had their contracts officially expire and thus becoming free agents. The Tampa Bay Rays only had three players on their 40-man roster fall under this category: Gavin Lux, Jorge Mateo, and Freddy Peralta.
November 1st – GG
The Rawlings Gold Glove winners are announced. The Rays have two finalists this year: Chandler Simpson in left field and Taylor Walls at shortstop.
November 2nd – QO
Teams will have the opportunity to extend Qualifying Offers to their free agents. The Rays are not able to do this as Freddy Peralta was a trade acquisition, meaning he is ineligble to receive a qualifying offer.
The date is also the deadline for teams and players to make decisions on options in their contracts, whether to opt-out or to opt-in to their 2027 terms. The Rays have several players who fit this category: Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, Taylor Walls, and Cedric Mullins. Walls is different the other three though as the Rays would still retain team control over the Gold Glove finalist should they decline his option. The two sides would have to agree on a 2027 salary or head to arbitration.
Starting at 5pm, free agency officially begins and players are free to sign with whomever they desire.
November 6th – PG
The Platinum Glove award is handed out to the best overall defender from each league. Kevin Kiermaier (2015) is the only player in Rays history to receive the honor.
November 8th – AFL
The Arizona Fall League Fall Star Game will be held. One of the Rays top prospects, catcher Nathan Flewelling may be on the roster.
November 9th – ROY
The Rookie of the Year winners are announced. The Rays only have Victor Mesa Jr who could receive some support but isn’t likely to place among the top candidates.
November 10th – MOY
The Manager of the Year winners are announced. Kevin Cash is considered a strong favorite, although Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox is a heavy contendor.
November 11th – CY
The Cy Young award winners are announced. Drew Rasmussen is likely to receive some support but isn’t considered a favorite to win.
November 12th – MVP
The Most Valuable Players from both leagues are announced. Junior Caminero made a late season surge but will likely fall short of the coveted prize. He still might rank as the highest MVP candidate in franchise history though.
November 16th -HOF
The Hall of Fame ballot for the class of 2027 is unveiled. BBWAA writers will have until the end of December to decide their votes. Former Rays that could be on the ballot include Wilson Ramos, Asdrubal Cabrera, Wade Davis, and Scott Kazmir.
November 17th – R5 & SS
It’s the final day for teams to make add players from within their organization to the 40-man roster and thus protect them from the Rule-5 draft that will be held during the Winter Meetings. The Rays have often been very busy on this deadline and it has resulted in the team making trades. Most notably, the Rays acquired Junior Caminero for Tobias Myers due to this deadline in 2021.
Additional move: #Rays trade RH Tobias Myers to Cleveland #Guardians for INF Junior Caminero
Speaking of Junior Caminero, MLB will give out the Silver Sluggers on this date. Caminero is likely to receive one for his season at third base. Liam Hicks is also a possibility for his season.
The date is also the deadline for players to accept or decline their Qualifying Offers.
November 20th – ARB
This is the date for teams to officially offer contracts to all of their arbitration eligible players. The Rays roster currently has 17 players who the team could hold onto for the 2027 season but that list may be whittled down over the next several weeks. Should the Rays choose to not offer these players a contract, they will be non-tendered and become free agents.
December 2nd – CBA
The MLB CBA expires and a potential lockout begins. Should a lockout happen, the rest of the MLB offseason will be in a state of flux. Everything between the players and the teams completely freezes until a new CBA can be agreed upon. The last lockout began in December 2021 and lasted until March 10th, 2022.
December 7-9th – WM
If the offseason isn’t halted by a lockout then the MLB Winter Meetings will be held during these days in San Diego. The Meetings are usually the most exciting few days of the offseason as teams meet up to discuss franchise altering trade or record breaking free agency contracts.
December 9th – R5D
The Rule 5 draft. Team can select players from other organizations who are not on their 40-man rosters that have been with the teams for four or five years depending on if they were high school or college draftees. The Rays have had some success recently with the selection of Kevin Kelly; they were also considering snagging Liam Hicks during the 2024 Rule 5 draft.
December 15th – INT’L
The 2026 international signing period comes to a close.
January 8th – ARB
The file and trial deadline for teams and players to reach an agreement before heading to arbitration.
January 15th – INT’L
The 2027 international signing period begins.
January 19th – HOF
The 2027 Hall of Fame inductees are announced.
Feruary 9th – P&C
Pitchers and catchers officially report for Spring Training
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 30: The Washington Nationals celebrate beating the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, October 30, 2019. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Right now, the Brewers are having a parade for their first ever World Series title. This time seven years ago, it was the 2019 Nationals who forever put their names in the baseball history books. Late on the evening of October 30th, 2019, Daniel Hudson struck out Michael Brantley to give the Nats their first World Series championship.
7 YEARS AGO TODAY 🏆❤️
19-31. Five elimination games. One unforgettable championship.
October 30, 2019. The Nationals finished the fight.
As Nationals fans, I am sure most of you remember exactly where you were in that moment. For me, I was an 18 year old in the basement with my family, jumping up and down as my favorite team finally got over the hump. That night, we walked around Georgetown where there were honking cars and people celebrating in the streets. It was a truly beautiful moment that brought the city together.
This was a very interesting point in my life as well. As some of you know, I was battling cancer in 2019, and undergoing chemotherapy. Despite that, I was healthy enough to celebrate and even go to many of the games. My doctors gave me time off of the stronger drugs, so I could be present for that moment in Nats history.
This is not meant to be a sob story, just more context about what that moment meant to me. That team provided me with joy in a very difficult part of my life. October 30th, 2019 was one of the greatest days of my life, up there with when I rang the bell at Johns Hopkins Medical Center and when I got this job to write about the Nats for Federal Baseball.
I did not go to Houston for game 7, but I went to the Wild Card game, and several of the World Series games. Those World Series games were amazing experiences despite the fact we lost every home game. Getting to share that with my family is a blessing I will never forget.
The game itself was such a tense and exhilarating contest. After the 6th inning, you were beginning to get this helpless feeling. I knew the Nats were not out of it, because the 2019 Nationals were never out of a game. However, Zack Greinke was rolling and the Astros were an elite team themselves.
That 2019 Nats team was impossible to kill though. In the 7th inning, the Nats struck. Anthony Rendon got things started as he did so many times that year. He took Greinke deep to cut the lead in half and get the boys on the board. His legacy outside of DC is pretty tarnished, but Nats fans will always remember how amazing Rendon was. He was so clutch and the moment was never too big for him.
Following a Juan Soto walk, Greinke was surprisingly done. It felt like a quick trigger at the time, and it did not work out for the Astros. As we all know, Howie Kendrick delivered the most memorable clang of my lifetime and gave the Nats a lead they would never relinquish.
𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵, 36 year old 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙚 𝙆𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 hit his iconic two-run home run off the right-field 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙚 in the top of the 7th inning of Game 7 of the @MLB 2019 World Series.
That night was the peak of Nats baseball, and I truly hope we can get back to that one day. In that moment, the capital of the United States was the capital of the baseball world. After falling short so many times in the 2010’s, the Nats finally got over the hump.
The likes of Rendon, Kendrick, Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Trea Turner, Sean Doolittle, Daniel Hudson and everyone else on that roster will be heroes forever. It was a season that I will never forget, and I don’t think any Nats fans will. There were so many magical moments, and when the dust settled, the Washington Nationals were on top of the baseball world.
October 30th, 2019 is a date that will live in glory for the rest of my days. Baseball was my first love, and when I was at a difficult moment in my life, baseball made things so much easier. I have been cancer free for over 5 years now, and still follow the Nats as closely as ever.
Now that I have told my story about October 30th, I want you guys to share as well. What are your memories about the Nats winning the World Series? How did you celebrate and react when the Nationals won it all? This is a special day for all Nats fans. Hopefully this is not the last World Series title we see!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tarik Skubal was the prize of the trade deadline, and will be a highly sought-after belle of the ball during free agency. He won American League Cy Young Awards in both 2024 and 2025 with the Detroit Tigers, then won a record $30 million decision in salary arbitration last winter.
After a strong season for both the Tigers and Dodgers, Skubal’s next salary will almost certainly exceed that $30 million. But what kind of contract might the left-hander receive this offseason?
But Skubal is likely looking for a contract longer than three years, so let’s look at a few more recent longer deals on the high end of the market.
Pitcher
Team
Age
Years
Avg. salary
Jacob deGrom
Rangers
35
2023-27
$37 million
Blake Snell
Dodgers
32
2025-29
$36.4 million
Gerrit Cole
Yankees
29
2020-28
$36 million
Stephen Strasburg
Nationals
31
2020-26
$35 million
Corbin Burnes
Diamondbacks
30
2025-30
$35 million
Two Cy Young Awards were already on the mantel for Jacob deGrom by the time he was a free agent, but injuries cut into his final two years with the Mets before reaching free agency. Skubal missed six weeks this past season after arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, and has pitched six full seasons in the majors. Here are the final six years before free agency for Skubal and deGrom
It looks like deGrom has the edge in production, though was hurt by making only 26 starts over his final two years with the Mets. Plus, deGrom was five years older than Skubal is now, so it would be reasonable for him to seek a contract larger than the five years, $185 million deGrom got four offseasons ago.
The real question might be how much will Skubal’s 2026 surgery impact his free agency. He missed six weeks but was also quite productive in his 26 starts. He also had flexor tendon surgery that limited him to 36 total starts between 2022-23 with Detroit.
Blake Snell has an extensive injury history, and like deGrom and Skubal, also has two Cy Young Awards to his credit. When he first free agency, after the 2023 season he was coming directly off the second of his Cy Young seasons. Snell then was one year older than Skubal is now, so let’s look at their previous six seasons before free agency, which also includes both Snell Cy Young years (2018, 2023):
Snell still had almost no market to speak of two offseasons ago, and he settled for a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants and opted out after one season in San Francisco.
It’s Snell’s five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers that is more of a thing for Skubal to shoot for than anything, but a market will have to develop. And the pending lockout adds a layer of uncertainty that at the very least might make Skubal have to wait a while before he finds his next deal.
Today’s question is how many years and guaranteed dollars do you think Tarik Skubal will sign for as a free agent this offseason?
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images | Getty Images
There is nothing like a first-time winner.
Earlier this week the Milwaukee Brewers won the World Series and in the process earned the franchise’s first-ever championship. The Brewers are winners forever now and have the 2026 team to thank for that.
But just because it was this year’s club that crossed that threshold hardly means that elite baseball hasn’t been played in Milwaukee before. We are talking about one of Major League Baseball’s most prolific franchises that simply did not have the thing that many people believe you have to have.
Once upon a time Milwaukee boasted the thing in the big leagues at the time in Prince Fielder. Watching Brewers legends like Fielder live through this team’s experience from their perspective was interesting for baseball fans everywhere, and on Friday morning I was able to talk to him about that and a host of other things (including his once-upon-a-time commitment to play college baseball for Pat Murphy’s Arizona State Sun Devils).
At both the beginning and end of our conversation I asked Prince about this year’s team and about something he specifically said about them throughout the run. Prince was on local news and was asked about his contributions to the Brewers and how he was a part of the group who helped lay the foundation for what they just became. He, respectfully, told the interviewer that he had nothing to do with this year’s team. He said he obviously played a role with the franchise, but that he had his time and this time belonged to this year’s group.
It isn’t often that you see such powerful perspective like that in sports. It takes a high level of humility to be able to reach that point and I was really impressed with Prince’s thoughts for that reason. Near the end of our interview I wanted to know what he would take away from this whole run given his unique mindset and he said that he’ll recall how nice it was to be regarded by everyone as it unfolded. He said he appreciated the sentiment from Brewers fans, baseball fans at large really, and how they connected what he did during his time with the franchise to what Pat Murphy’s group just accomplished.
Memories are a powerful thing in sports and Prince helped a lot of fans create some new ones on Friday as the Brewers celebrated their title. He teamed up with Budweiser to help distribute some truly one-of-one pieces of memorabilia… this stuff is unreal.
Budweiser is launching MemoraBEERlia, an exclusive limited-edition collection of exactly 150 collectibles crafted from MLB authenticated 2026 World Series items, celebrating the brand’s 150th anniversary and the crowning of a first-time champion.
Budweiser will also host a celebratory “First Taste of Victory” event on parade day in Milwaukee. Legendary player Prince Fielder will join Milwaukee fans 21+ to celebrate the historic moment by raising a Budweiser to the newly crowned champions.
For fans 21+, to celebrate Milwaukee’s victory, Budweiser is creating Championship Tap Handles, featuring MLB-authenticated pieces of 2026 World Series baseballs woven into the tap handle, World Series Base Coasters, featuring MLB-authenticated pieces of game-used 2026 World Series bases, and Celebration Pint Glasses, created with MLB-authenticated pieces of Budweiser championship bottles used in the 2026 MLB World Series locker room celebration. Fans 21+ will have a chance to enter on Instagram, Facebook, X or TikTok using #BudMemoraBEERlia #Sweepstakes now through November 5.
Fans 21+ can enter now through November 5 on Instagram, Facebook, X or TikTok using #BudMemoraBEERlia #Sweepstakes.
Imagine being a part of that and grabbing something from Prince Fielder himself. You would never forget it.
Thankfully Prince knows that nobody will ever forget him either.
Jun 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) celebrates in the dugout with team mates after scoring a run against the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With eight Jays who have declared free agency (I wonder how many do it like Michael Scott declared bankruptcy?), I thought we would take a look at the 40-man roster as it is.
Pitchers (21)
Spencer Arrighetti
José Berríos (60-day IL)
Jake Bloss (60-day IL)
Dylan Cease
Brendan Cellucci
Chad Dallas
Braydon Fisher
Mason Fluharty
Bowden Francis (60-day IL)
John Klein
Chase Lee
Brendon Little
Spencer Miles
Cody Ponce
José Rodríguez
Tyler Rogers
José Soriano
Ricky Tiedemann
CJ Van Eyk
Louis Varland
Trey Yesavage
Catchers (3)
Alejandro Kirk
Shawn Ross
Brandon Valenzuela
Infielders (6)
Ernie Whitt
Andrés Giménez
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Charles McAdoo
Kazuma Okamoto
Josh Smith
Outfielders (8)
Addison Barger (60-day IL)
Brett Bateman
Jonatan Clase (60-day IL)
Nathan Lukes
Yohendrick Piñango
Anthony Santander (60-day IL)
Davis Schneider
Myles Straw
DH (1)
Sean Keys
That adds up to 39.
The players on the 60-day IL aren’t on the 40-man roster yet, but will have to be added in a couple of days.
And they have a club option to decide on with Myles Straw. My guess is they will decline it, but try to sign him to a cheaper deal.
And, of course, some will be DFAed when they need roster space. And some minor leaguers will have to be added to protect them from the Rule 5 draft (if there is one).
They will also have some decisions on players without options: Jonatan Clase, Brendon Little, and Jake Bloss. Well, Ernie Clements as well. And, the veterans, of course, Vlad, Kirk, Santander, Giménez, Cease, Berríos, Straw, and Rogers can’t be optioned.
By the time baseball rolls around again, presuming it does start again, the roster will look a fair bit different. It would be fun to guess how many of these 39 will still be on the 40-man opening day.
“You’ve heard about the three strikes. But what about the 3 Ps?” the billionaire businessman quipped. “Our people, our passion and our practice.”
When it comes to the future of the franchise, that’s what he cited as the Dodgers’ guiding light.
In his chat with the Post this week, Walter tried to quash speculation about potentially selling the team (saying he would remain owner “no matter what”) and drew a distinction between the Dodgers and the Lakers (a club he ultimately did sell this summer, amid a federal investigation into his business empire, after receiving a staggering offer in a phone call from venture capitalist Josh Kushner).
However, those aren’t the only questions he faces as Major League Baseball enters an uncertain offseason.
This winter could represent a profound period of change for both the Dodgers and the sport.
Shohei Ohtani receives his World Series ring from Mark Walter at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, March 27, 2026. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
For the former, an aging roster needs to be retooled after a failed bid for a third-straight World Series title. For the latter, a fraught labor negotiation is threatening an extended work stoppage, as owners and players fight over the league’s push for a salary cap.
Both dynamics could mark an inflection point for Walter’s baseball club.
After a decade-and-a-half-long run of unprecedented success, the Dodgers are now trying to resurrect their dynasty after this year’s sweep to the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.
And, after raising their already gaudy payroll totals to record-setting levels over the last couple seasons, they might face stricter spending rules as they begin turning over the league’s oldest roster.
So, how does Walter –– who declined to state his stance on the salary cap issue –– feel about the team’s ability to remain an annual, legitimate championship contender?
“I think on any playing field, we’ll still be among the elite teams,” he said, while harkening back to his three Ps motto.
“I think our people and our passion and our practice really does matter,” he insisted.
Dodgers owner Mark Walter walks onto the field during a retirement ceremony for Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. Getty Images
That doesn’t mean the Dodgers are going to stop spending, either this winter (when Tarik Skubal will be the top free agent on the market) or beyond (when they’ll have to navigate the back end of long-term deals for gradually aging stars like Mookie Betts, Will Smith and even Shohei Ohtani).
Walter said his Guggenheim group’s financial commitment “will be just like it has been in the past.”
On multiple occasions, he referenced his vision for at least another decade of dominance under his ownership.
“We’re just trying to win consistently,” he said. “And do so for not just next season, but for the next decade and decades beyond that.”
However, both Walter and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman –– who joined the team’s chairman in this week’s interview with The Post –– referred to other ways the Dodgers will have to adapt amid the sport’s ever-changing landscape.
They pointed to a crop of promising young prospects they hope to further integrate into the majors leagues next season. They highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong player development pipeline and highly-ranked farm system.
“Everything in the current system is designed for us to have a bottom-three farm system in baseball,” Friedman said, citing the draft pick penalties and limited signing bonus pools the Dodgers have incurred from their heavy roster spending in recent years. “[And instead], we’re top two.”
That, Friedman argued, “speaks to the people we have.”
“From our perspective, whatever the rules are, we don’t decide them, but we will do everything in our power to achieve the most success that we possibly can within those rules,” he added. “And I think, obviously, our spending in the last few years has been aggressive and also very fruitful in a lot of ways, but I think it diminishes a little bit from the great work by so many people on the scouting, player-development side, our baseball operations group, our coaches with the onboarding.
Los Angeles Dodgers President and Owner Mark Walter speaks at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala on June 12, 2019, in Los Angeles. Getty Images for Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation
“Just for us to have the farm system that we have, I think is something that gives all of us confidence in our ability to work together within whatever rules exist to be as good as we can possibly be.”
In the short term, that could signal something of a youth movement.
“One area we’re focused on is integrating our best young players into the major league team,” he said, before later adding: “It’s not just spending. Our farm system is pretty strong, and that and our player development are really big things for us.”
Friedman acknowledged the difficulties that still lie ahead for the club, describing the need to balance their expensive core of current veteran players with an infusion of younger talent as “way more art than science” –– especially given the uncertainties of what a new CBA will bring.
“We know the backside of these [long-term] deals oftentimes can be challenging,” he said. “So now the tricky part … is incorporating these young talented players onto our roster with our core, that we feel like will help contribute to us maintaining a very high level of play.”
One thing Friedman expressed confidence in was that, even amid the ongoing federal investigation into Walter’s non-sports businesses, the owner would continue to green-light bigger expenditures when the front office believes they are warranted.
Los Angeles Dodgers chairman Mark Walter speaks during a press conference at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
“The financial backing has always been there,” Friedman said. “But Mark also follows it up with a thoughtful question of, ‘What does this mean for the future?’ And I think all of us being in lockstep on that has contributed to the success we’ve had looking back, and I think keeps us well-positioned for future success.”
Exactly what that will look like, either this winter or in the future, is still unknown.
But, after reaffirming his commitment to the club, Walter was adamant about his belief in the organization’s ability to sustain what they have already built.
“We’re going to be winning for 10 years or more,” he declared. “And, you know, we don’t win every year, but we’re going to try to.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Nate Eaton #18 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the New York Yankees during the third inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The culling has begun.
As Matt Gross pointed out yesterday, a weird quirk of the Red Sox 40-man roster is forcing Craig Breslow’s hand as the offseason gets underway: he has to cut four players loose before free agency even begins. With a couple of minor trades yesterday, he’s at two down with two to go, as utility man and speed demon Nate Eaton was sent to the Athletics, while Tsung-Che Cheng will head to Detroit.
It goes without saying that these are two players the Red Sox can afford to lose. Eaton is a useful player whose speed and versatility gives him the type of profile that often leads to becoming something of a fan favorite. And I wouldn’t be shocked if he finds a way to contribute to the A’s in the next year or two. But with limited-to-no power to go with otherwise meh contact/on-base abilities, he’s never going to be a starter on a 95-win team (which, of course, should the Red Sox’ target). He was out of options and likely be to released for nothing, so getting anything in return for him is nice. He’ll get a real shot at sticking on a big league roster with the A’s and I’m sure most Sox fans would be thrilled if he does.
It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to Cheng, too. That’s kind of a crazy thing to say about a player who only got 39 at-bats with the big league club but, improbably, Cheng was the starting shortstop during most of the team’s historic 15-game win streak. He even made arguably the biggest defensive play of the season: a leaping catch to end the game when the Orioles had runners on second and third in the 9th, sealing the 14th win a row:
As for the return, Cheng only brought back cash, while Eaton brought back the definition of a lottery ticket: an 18-year-old Nicaraguan pitcher named Jareth Rayo who put up an ERA in the mid-5s and walked 20 batters in 36 innings in the Dominican Summer League last year. There probably is something that the research fellows in Craig Breslow’s pitching lab like about him, but there’s a good chance that this is the last time you ever read his name.
Major League Baseball faces a precarious position as a potential lockout looms on Dec. 1 when the sport's collective bargaining agreement is set to expire.
Before that happens, some business still needs to be taken care of, as dozens of players have options on their 2027 contracts and will need to get those situations squared away for whenever the union and the owners decide that next season can be salvaged.
Teams face big decisions, and players must decide where they want to play the 2027 season by Nov. 2. Those include team, player and mutual options, as well as opt-outs for players who want to test the market and become free agents.
Some players who want to maximize their contracts can also accept a team's qualifying offer, which can be extended starting Nov. 2. The value of a 2027 one-year qualifying offer is $23.15 million, and free agents who decline a qualifying offer and sign with a new team will do so, as their old team will receive draft pick compensation as a result of their departure.
Here are the contract options that have been exercised and declined for the 2027 season:
MLB contract options exercised for 2027
Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves — Atlanta exercised $17M club option.
Ozzie Albies, Braves — Atlanta exercised $7M club option.
Sandy Alcantara, Marlins -- Miami exercised $21M club option.
Bo Bichette, Mets — Opted into his 2027 contract; has two years remaining on his three-year, $126M deal and can opt out again after 2027.
Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks — Opted into his 2027 contract, leaving four years on his six-year, $210M deal.
Tony Gonsolin, Royals — Kansas City exercised his $2.5M club option.
Ryan Helsley, Orioles — Opted into his $14M player option with Baltimore.
Andres Munoz, Mariners — Seattle exercised his $9M club option.
MLB contract options declined for 2027
Carlos Estevez, Royals — Kansas City declined his $13M club option, paying a $2M buyout.
Michael King, Padres — Declined his $28M player option for 2027. He also had a $30M player option for 2028. By opting out, he receives a $5 million buyout and walks away from the two remaining years of his deal.
Nick Martinez, Rays — Declined his $20M player option with Tampa Bay.
Dustin May, Brewers — Milwaukee's $20M mutual option was declined, with a $500K buyout.
Victor Robles, Mariners — Seattle declined his $9M club option, with a $500K buyout.
When is the MLB contract option deadline?
MLB teams and players must make their contract option decisions by Monday, Nov. 2, five days after the conclusion of the World Series. That includes decisions on club, player and mutual options, as well as eligible opt-outs.
Players whose options are declined or who exercise an opt-out can become free agents, while exercising an option keeps the player under contract for the 2027 season.
Qualifying offers are separate. Teams also have until Nov. 2 to extend them, but players who receive a qualifying offer have until Nov. 17 to accept or reject it.
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 22: Chadwick Tromp #39 of the Atlanta Braves hits a walk-off RBI single in the eleventh inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Friday, May 22, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn Skeean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
A familiar smile made a somewhat unlikely return to the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves behind the plate, as a spate of injuries caused the Braves to reach deep into their catcher depth chart before Memorial Day.
How Acquired
The Atlanta Braves first acquired Chadwick Tromp off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on September 21, 2021. In the seasons since, Tromp has been on the fringes of the big league roster as the proverbial fourth catcher on the depth chart. Seriously, the roster moves involving him have been legendary in length: DFAed in 2022 (and re-added), minor league free agency and a re-signing after the 2023 season, a DFA in early 2025, a stint with the Orioles, a stint with the Red Sox, re-added by the Braves in November 2025… you get the idea. All in all, Tromp had been a depth mainstay, spent part of the 2025 season elsewhere, but the affable Aruban played with the Braves for a fifth consecutive season in 2026. (And was part of the organization for a sixth consecutive season.)
What were the expectations?
Coming into 2026, Tromp had appeared with the Braves in every season since 2022 – beginning the the legendary “Chadwick Tromp Game” when he went 3-for-4 against the Tampa Bay Rays – but had only 28 games of action across four seasons to show for his Atlanta Braves tenure.
With catcher Sean Murphy recovering from surgery coming into 2026, Tromp’s addition made him one of two veteran options, with Sandy León, to back-up Drake Baldwin to start the season should Murphy not be ready. But, with the organization bringing in Jonah Heim in February 2026 to be Baldwin’s back-up, Tromp was relegated to the third or fourth option in the organization’s depth chart until Murphy’s return, which would have pushed him back further.
Performance-wise, Tromp has had the career of a quintessential third catcher: he can’t hit at all (career 63 wRC+, which is the result of substantially outhitting an unplayable .234 xwOBA), but he provides solid catcher defense (career +3 Statcast-based catcher runs above average in under 460 innings). That actually adds up to over 1 WAR per 600 PAs given how valuable catcher defense is, but Tromp came into 2026 with just 0.4 fWAR in 67 career games, given that no one really wants to give a bunch of playing time to a guy that can’t hit.
All of that is to say that Tromp was expected to be a staple in Gwinnett and an emergency option should something go unexpectedly wrong in Atlanta.
2026 results
Like 2021, something did go wrong, as the Braves dealt with a cacophony of injuries, leading to Tromp sharing time with León as the catcher tandem for several weeks in May.
He made 12 appearances for the Braves, including six starts, after the team traded Heim to the Athletics. Of course, that trade only happened because the Braves activated Murphy, but Murphy went right back on the shelf after a bat broke his hand on a catcher’s interference snafu… and Baldwin followed suit a week later with an injury of his own.
With the Braves, Tromp slashed a paltry .200/.192/.240 with Atlanta (11 wRC+), with surprisingly poor tiny-sample, no-meaning defense, leading to -0.1 fWAR in 27 PAs.
Tromp also had a similar lack of playing time with the Orioles, totaling 24 PAs and -0.3 fWAR; his defense “rebounded” but his bat was even worse (-39 wRC+). It was not a banner year for Tromp.
What went right?
Tromp picked-up a hit in his first 2026 at-bat with the Braves, and followed that up with another hit in his first start of the season a couple of days later. But, the highlight of his time with the Braves came on May 22, 2026 against the Washington Nationals — in what is now the new Chadwick Tromp Game. He went 2-for-3 after entering the game in the seventh inning, had a run-scoring hit in extra innings after the Braves fell behind 4-2 in the top of the tenth, and then proceeded to get the game-winning, walk-off hit for Atlanta in the 11th inning.
This performance earned him 0.46 WPA, and the walkoff hit alone was worth .392 WPA given that it came with two out. The WPA was the seventh-highest by a Braves hitter this season for a single game, and the walkoff hit itself was 12th.
After his heartwarming effort against the Nats, Tromp only managed one hit — a double in a shutout loss against Boston — in his final nine games with Atlanta. Sadly, his heroics were short-lived: two days after his huge game, the Braves had the bases loaded with one out while trailing the Nationals by a run. With no other options, Tromp was up to face new pitcher Orlando Ribalta… but he struck out on four pitches.
Atlanta designated Tromp for assignment on June 4, and the veteran inked a deal with the Baltimore Orioles, just as he did in an identical situation in 2025. After nine games with the Orioles, and an IL stint, Tromp was let go by Baltimore and landed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he ended the season at Triple-A.
2027 outlook
If the 2027 season starts on time, Tromp will turn 32 days before the regular season starts. As a veteran option who would likely play at Triple-A and give an organization depth as a third or fourth catcher, he seems likely to continue to have options for at least another five seasons.
Could that include Atlanta? Possibly. Perhaps even probably.
With Baldwin and Murphy expected to be on the big league roster in 2027, the Braves will likley need one or two veteran options in the system. Maverick Handley and Chuckie Robinson, both of whom have had cups of coffee in the big leagues, along with 2021 13th round draft choice Adam Zebrowski, are all catching options as well. That shouldn’t close the door to Tromp in ‘27, should both parties want to be dance partners again. Maybe there’ll even be a new Chadwick Tromp Game eventually.
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Paxton Kling #21 of the Surprise Saguaros slides into second base during the game between the Saguaros and the River Rafters at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Steve Chadwick/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
We are roughly two-thirds of the way through the 2026 Arizona Fall League schedule, with the regular season having begun on October 3, and ending on November 11. The Surprise Saguaros, for whom the Rangers prospects play, is currently 12-8, a half-game back of the Peoria Javelinas for first place.
Let’s take a look at how the Rangers prospects have been faring.
Sebastian Walcott, #1 prospect in the Rangers system and consensus top prospect in the AFL, has been solid. Walcott has slashed .300/.362/.460 in 56 plate appearances over 12 games, striking out 13 times and walking 6 times. Walcott has just one homer, but does have five doubles. Also, notably, he is tied for the team lead in stolen bases, with nine, having been thrown out just once.
Paxton Kling, the Rangers’ 2025 7th rounder who spent most of the season at Hub City before moving up to Frisco for the last week of the season and the playoffs, has also performed well for Surprise. He’s slashing .326/.446/.413 in 56 plate appearances over 12 games, with 10 walks and 10 strikeouts. And remember how I said Walcott was tied for the team lead in stolen bases? Kling, who is also 9 for 10 in stolen base attempts, is the guy he is tied with.
Catcher Julian Brock has an interesting .212/.400/.273 slash line in 43 plate appearances, with 10 walks against 11 Ks. An even more fascinating slash line has been generated by second baseman Casey Cook, who is slashing .136/.457/.136 in 33 plate appearances, with 11 walks against 6 Ks.
The Rangers pitchers have had a rougher go of it. Mason McConnaughey has allowed 7 runs in 11.1 innings over four appearances, although with 18 Ks against 5 walks. The 2025 4th rounder only threw 20 innings during the minor league season in 2026, as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Jacob Johnson, a 20 year old righthander who split the 2026 season between the complex league and low-A, logging 43 innings in all, has also made four appearances. He’s allowed 10 runs in nine innings of work, walking nine and striking out nine. Its kind of an ugly line, but this was a challenging assignment for Johnson, given his limited pro experience and the fact he’s never faced players of this caliber.
J’Briell Easley has thrown 5.2 innings over five appearances, allowing six runs, walking five and striking out six. Jesus Gamez has allowed eight runs in 3.2 innings over five appearances, walking five and strking out four.
