HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 29: Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros pitches in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox in game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Daikin Park on September 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As Thanksgiving approaches, Astros fans have plenty to be grateful for.
A year ago, Josh Hader was in the early stages of completing a throwing program with the intent of being ready for spring training. He’d ultimately return to action on June 3rd in a thrilling 11-9 win over the Pirates, overcoming a 5 run deficit. It would be the first save of Hader’s amazing comeback. Hader would appear in 45 contests and convert all 26 of his save opportunities. Opposing clubs managed to only hit .125 against him. We can be thankful that Hader has two more guaranteed years left on his deal.
Speaking of comebacks, Hayden Wesneski returned after enduring a 15-month rehab stint from Tommy John surgery. His recovery began throwing off a mound in the Florida Complex League before steadily progressing to Double-A. On July 29th, Wesneski was activated from the injured list and earned a win in his season debut verses the Angels. His signature sweeper pitch would notch 6 wins for an Astros staff in dire need of quality starts.
The head of the table for our tribute is none other than Jose Altuve. Sitting at 2,111 regular season contests, he’ll pass Jeff Bagwell next season for second place in all-time games played. As the face of the franchise, he’s worth every penny of his $30 million dollar contract. A pair of championships, along with seven silver slugger awards along with 9 All-Star appearances. His most recent milestone occurred on September 9th when he notched his 2,500th career hit verses the Phillies.
Last but not least, there’s Yordan Alvarez. After an injury shortened 2025 season, Alvarez would appear in a career high of 158 games. Everyone points to the massive offensive production but for me, the most remarkable stat was centered around his overall plate discipline, drawing 109 walks against only 120 strikeouts. Yordan is entering the prime of his career, set to turn just 30 years of age next June.
The Astros gave their fans plenty to be thankful for in 2026 and the table is already being set for more.
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The 2026 PCA MVP tribute section:
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Coronation: Pete Crow-Armstrong Wins 2026 National League MVP Award. “There was no drama here. That doesn’t make the moment less sweet or the honoree less deserving. After one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, Pete Crow-Armstrong was officially crowned the best player in baseball Thursday night.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Pete Crow-Armstrong Voted Unanimous NL MVP. “This is just the latest accolade for PCA, who had already collected Gold and Platinum Gloves, All-MLB First Team, and the NL Hank Aaron Award as the league’s most outstanding offensive player.”
Paul Magno (Yardbarker): Are the Chicago Cubs giving up on the 2027 outfield? “The team can’t afford to let so many key position players go. With so much to do this winter/spring, however, it looks as though Chicago may be deciding to let one of their needs go attended in order to place more attention on rebuilding their pitching staff.
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): PCA, Bregman land more offseason accolades with All-MLB honors. “As for Bregman, the third baseman did not really catch fire at the plate until the second half of the season. After the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong led the Majors with 4.7 fWAR, but Bregman was tied for second with Tatis with 3.7 fWAR.”
Jason Ross (North Side Baseball): Carter Hawkins and the State of the Cubs’ Youth Movement. “At the General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas, Carter Hawkins stood amid a swarm of press and discussed many things, including some young players and their potential future.”
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Business as Usual at the GM Meetings? Legal Battle Coming? And Other Cubs Bullets. “Folks expecting a mad flurry of deals at the very start of the offseason have been disappointed. Those deals will come, but it seems like a big squeeze in the final week of November is more likely than an early rush.”
Food For Thought:
Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin. Foster has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards for Best Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album, and won her first Grammy on February 2, 2025.
Foster is from Gause, Texas, and comes from a family of gospel singers. At the age of fourteen, Foster was a soloist in her hometown choir and was certain that her future would revolve around music. After high school, she moved to Waco, Texas, and she began fronting a blues band, learning how to command a stage in the bars of Texas. Hoping to travel and gain a wider world perspective, Foster joined the United States Navy, and soon began singing in the naval band Pride which played pop and funk hits at recruitment drives.
Following her tour of duty, Foster headed to New York City where she became a regular performer at various local folk venues. Atlantic Records heard of Foster’s talent and offered her a recording deal with the intent of cultivating her as a budding pop star, but Foster was not interested in a pop career. When her mother fell ill in 1993, Foster left New York and returned to Texas while she cared for her mother who died in 1996.
In 1997, Foster self-released the album Full Circle, the success of which paved the way to a long relationship with the record label Blue Corn Music. Foster’s awards list includes three Grammy nominations (Let It Burn for Best Blues Album, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and Promise of a Brand New Day for Best Blues Album), her numerous wins at the Blues Music Awards, including three awards for Best Female Vocalist and one for DVD of the Year for Live At Antone’s, and Foster’s crown for Best Female Vocalist at the 2013 Austin Music Awards. Foster earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her album Mileage, her 13th album. She continues to tour and her shows have spanned across the U.S., Italy, Germany, Spain, and Cuba.
The voice sounds like A.I., but the fish isn’t. 🙂
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ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: A general view of Truist Park as Atlanta Braves grounds crew prepares the field before Game Four of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Both Major League Baseball and the Players Association continue to share offers to put an end to the ongoing dispute. This time, MLB released a statement on X with a few proposed changes.
The league says its proposal would address two major concerns among fans: competitive balance and local blackouts. The plan includes a 50/50 split of baseball-related revenue between teams and players, a salary cap and floor to regulate team spending, and equal sharing of media revenue among clubs. MLB believes these changes would reduce revenue disparities, increase player compensation and create a more competitive game while helping address blackout issues.
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
1. Entering into a partnership with players where all revenues that are generated are split 50/50 between the teams… pic.twitter.com/GgeKshvFmN
Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Players Association will be willing to agree to MLB’s proposal. With both sides continuing to publicly share their ideas, there is still plenty to be worked out before an agreement is reached.
May 17, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt (7) throws to first base on a ground out by San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
For the first time since 2020, the American League MVP was awarded to a man not named Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani. Those two have dominated the decade of baseball, becoming the national—and in Ohtani’s case—global face of the sport, and that’s been a successful transition away from the likes of Mike Trout and the Houston Astros. Baseball is hot right now!
And maybe we’re starting to see a little bit of a changing of the guard, again. Pete Crow-Armstrong just ended Ohtani’s run of three consecutive MVPs, putting together one of the finest, top-to-bottom baseball seasons we’ve ever seen. Ohtani’s a month younger than me; players and especially pitchers don’t tend to get better after age 33. Judge will turn 35 in April; Father Time comes for all of us.
All of this brings me to one Robert Andrew Witt, Junior. The Kansas City shortstop put up his third-straight seven-win season in 2026, good for second in all of baseball behind PCA. He was once again a finalist for the league’s top individual honor, finishing third, trailing Yordan Alvarez and Junior Caminero. In so many was for the man who, if not for PCA, would be the best all-around player in baseball, it’s a rinse and repeat system.
Last year Witt had an 8.0 fWAR season, finishing fourth in MVP voting behind Judge, Cal Raleigh and the previous perennial MVP nominee, José Ramírez. In 2024, Witt had maybe the best single season by a shortstop…ever. Since integration, only two players—Cal Ripken Jr. in 1991 and Lou Boudreau in 1948—have been better than the Royal’s 10.5 fWAR season. Both Cal and Lou won MVPs.
Bobby just had the misfortune to have to once again go up against Aaron Judge, the man with the best prime of any player since Barry Bonds’ head grew three sizes. Witt’s 2025 season ranks 15th on that list by the way.
J-Ram very famously has the most combined MVP shares without having actually won the award, 3.61 in his Hall of Fame-caliber career, one spent chasing down Mike Trout before Ohtani and Judge took over the AL. After receiving votes in each of the last four seasons, though, Witt is starting to move up that all-time list. His 44.76 percent share this year bumps his career MVP share to 1.8, from 202nd all time in the metric to a tie for 136th, with Rod Carew and Robin Yount, who of course both took home the hardware in their careers (Yount twice).
Part of this as touched on above is Witt having to go up against demons, but another part of it is the way he puts up value. Since entering the league in 2022, Witt has the most second-most fWAR (yes, better than Ohtani!) but critically, Dansby Swanson is the only non-catcher to eclipse him in dWAR. As we saw last year with Cal Raleigh in the MVP race, a supreme offensive performance just gets rewarded at a level that supreme defense does not. Outside of pitchers and catchers for obvious reasons, the slugger gets MVP.
And of course playing for mediocre Kansas City teams doesn’t help the case. Aaron Judge has near single-handedly dragged the Yankees into the postseason, the Cubs season is probably a failure without PCA’s effort this year. That Witt’s only stepped foot on the postseason once—perhaps not coincidentally, his runner-up finish in 2024—has affected how voters behave, even if I wonder whether it should.
If Judge is back to being Judge next year, or Kevin McGonigle takes another step forward, or any number of things happen, there odds are forever against Bobby Witt Jr. winning an MVP. If he should never get there, I hope he ends up atop that MVP shares list, passing J-Ram. Then again, Chris Sale never won a Cy Young until that one year it all went right.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Justin Crawford #2 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a single against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning in game two of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pretty positive that the Phillies won’t be making a big splash prior to the CBA ending and the lockout beginning. There has been a feel around the comments that Dave Dombrowski has been making that maybe the payroll isn’t where we think it might be, even if the words “generous” have been thrown around. I wonder if they’re just going to see what everything looks like once the dust is settled.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 27: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after calling for an ABS challenge in the fourth inning during Game Four of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Over the next couple weeks, we’re going to take a look around the Brewers’ roster and think about how, or if, the Brewers would consider upgrading at those positions and who might be available via free agency or trade. Before getting into that, though, we should go position-by-position through the Brewers’ roster to examine how things look going into the offseason—particularly in the wake of Jake Bauers’ deal with the Red Sox.
Given that the Brewers just won the World Series and, aside from Bauers, they didn’t have any big losses, we shouldn’t expect any major surprises. But it still gives us an opportunity to look to the future and imagine some unlikely scenarios.
Catcher
The Brewers have picked up the option on William Contreras’ contract, which buys out his last year of arbitration at $15.5 million. Barring an extension, Contreras will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2027 season. The Brewers declined a mutual option on backup Gary Sánchez, so he’s a free agent; other catchers on the 40-man roster include Bo Naylor, who came over in a trade on August 1st but who played only three times with the Brewers, and Jeferson Quero, the former-top-prospect whose 2024 shoulder injury has put his future as a catcher in doubt (though Matt Arnold reiterated this week that they see Quero as a future catcher).
The answer here might be very simple: the Brewers might just go with Contreras on an expiring deal and Naylor as the backup. Naylor struggled badly at the plate in 2026, and he’s always been a pretty bad hitter, but he has well over 1,000 major-league plate appearances and has a lot of experience catching good pitching staffs in Cleveland. Given how much Contreras plays, I suspect the team is okay with Naylor as a backup.
The questions come in when considering the future beyond 2027. After his World Series MVP award, much of the Milwaukee fanbase feels that the team should make Contreras the next Brewer to receive a lucrative contract a la Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich.
With projections coming in around 5 years and $115 million or so, the Brewers could certainly afford it, but two questions follow: first, would Contreras take it? He might be dead set on reaching free agency where richer teams than Milwaukee—notably, the Yankees, who have struggled to find a reliable catcher in recent seasons—could drive up the bidding for his services. Second, signing a catcher, a position that usually doesn’t age well, through his age-34 or -35 season doesn’t seem like a very Brewersy thing to do.
The answer would be simpler if there were an obvious solution in the minor leagues. But Quero’s future is in serious doubt, and Marco Dinges, the other well-regarded catching prospect in the minor-league system, has barely played above High-A and there are questions about his defensive acumen.
It’s something to keep an eye on, with a lot of moving parts. I’m not closing the door on a possible Contreras extension, possibly even before the lockout begins at the beginning of next month. But I also wouldn’t be shocked if a blockbuster trade occurred, perhaps even followed by another blockbuster trade for a replacement. While there are some things to figure out at first base, the longer-term future at catcher makes this the most in-flux position on the roster at the moment.
First Base
I had a whole bunch of stuff written here about different scenarios with first base, whether Jake Bauers would accept the qualifying offer or whether he’d sign elsewhere, and what would happen in either case. Well, we now know that Bauers will not be back with the Brewers next season—so where does that leave the team?
Andrew Vaughn, who made $7.65 million in 2026 and should make slightly more than that next season, will now likely be back. He’s a right-handed hitter and started mostly only against left-handed pitchers last season, but he’s probably got the ability to start more against righties—he wasn’t too bad against them in 2026.
But the Brewers are likely to add another left-handed bat who could do some platoon work with Vaughn. There are two potential exciting-but-unproven answers in the minors: Andrew Fischer, who led the minor leagues with 48 homers last season while hitting .273/.413/.654 in 126 games between High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi; and Blake Burke, who hit .285/.367/.603 in 96 games at Double-A before struggling in a short stint at Triple-A Nashville to end the season.
Both players come with real questions. Fischer’s swing-and-miss issues are so worrisome that some question whether he even has a future in the majors, despite his prodigious power. Burke also has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game, but he’s also a guy who chases out of the zone a lot, something that Fischer avoids, and something that Bauers was so good at it bordered on being a superpower.
Luke Adams could’ve been an answer here had Bauers stayed. He’s closer to the majors than either Fischer or Burke and had a good season last year, but his fit on the major league roster alongside Vaughn is complicated. I wouldn’t really expect to see him, at least at the beginning of the season.
Spring training could be very interesting for Burke and Fischer, but the Brewers might also choose to bring in another player. The two of them have a lot of potential but have very little experience at the highest levels of the majors (Burke played 15 games and struggled, Fischer has not appeared above Double-A), and a good, veteran platoon option on a one-year deal might be attractive to the front office if they want their prospects to cook a little longer.
Infield
Barring a trade, Milwaukee is pretty set in the infield, not just for next season but for a few years. Brice Turang, a super-two player, just had his first of four arbitration years, and while he’s certainly going to get expensive, he’s under team control until after the 2029 season. Cooper Pratt won’t be a free agent until my daughter, who can’t read yet, is a teenager. Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton, who made up the rest of the infield this season, are both entering their first of three arbitration seasons.
It would be easy to send this group back out there. Pratt’s confidence has to be sky-high after he could easily have won the World Series MVP. Turang finished third in MVP voting. While Ortiz and Hamilton both have their offensive shortcomings, both have, for stretches, looked quite good at the plate, and both are reliable (at worst) defensive infielders; Ortiz is one of the best plug-and-play defensive infielders in the league.
I think the most likely scenario here is that the Brewers start the season with Turang and Pratt in their spots and Ortiz and Hamilton sharing a platoon situation at third base, similar to how it was in the postseason. There’s a big shadow on the horizon in the minors, though: the Brewers’ top prospect, considered by many to be the best prospect in baseball, Jesús Made.
Made is still only 19 and doesn’t turn 20 until May. But he’s looking good in winter baseball, and his career has followed a pretty similar path to Jackson Chourio’s, and when Chourio was at the point in his career that Made is at now, he made the Opening Day roster.
I don’t think that’s likely in this case, and certainly will not happen if no long-term extension is in place, like there was for Chourio. But Made isn’t far off, which means the team is probably going to be probing around on trade interest in Ortiz and Hamilton, just in case. Those two guys aren’t the kinds of players who are going to make a bad team good, but they are certainly the types of players who will make good teams better; smart teams should absolutely be interested if the Brewers are shopping them.
Outfield
Once again, on the surface, this seems pretty straightforward: the Brewers have Chourio and Luis Lara on long-term contracts, and Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick are both in arbitration seasons on affordable deals; Mitchell is under control for two more seasons, Frelick for three.
Ideally, the Brewers would love more production in right field. Frelick had a poor season, and Lara struggled with the bat after coming up. But Pat Murphy loves Frelick and he really does seem to be an integral part of this team’s chemistry, and there’s no reason not to expect at least a modest bounceback in 2027, his age-27 season. Perhaps he won’t get to his 2025 levels, when he had a 111 OPS+, but I’m sure he can eat into the nearly-60-point drop in batting average and OBP that occurred in 2026.
Lara figures to improve as well, as he gets used to major-league pitching. His offensive outbreak at Triple-A Nashville was something to see: he hit as many home runs (9) in 78 games with the Sounds last season as he had in his first three minor-league seasons combined. That power dried up in the majors, though, where his only home run in 212 plate appearances came off a position player. He may never be much of an offensive plus, but with his defensive prowess, he’ll offer plenty of value if he can get up to league average, particularly if he moves to center field in the next couple of years.
Chourio and Mitchell are both primed for big seasons. Chourio could certainly vault himself into MVP discussions next year, and Mitchell, if he’s healthy, seems to be a lock for at least 3-ish WAR, with some potential remaining for a breakout season in there given how he always seems to make solid contact.
Health will always remain a question with Mitchell, but the Brewers figure to be covered if he, or anyone else in their outfield, goes down. Brandon Lockridge remains under team control, but the more intriguing possibility is that of Josh Adamczewski, who put up some crazy numbers in 50 games High-A Wisconsin before moving up to Double-A, where he had a 125 wRC+ at just 21 years old. He looks like a real find, and while the Brewers will certainly want him to get some reps in Triple-A, he could be ready to fill a major-league role by mid-season if the need arises.
Starting Pitchers
This young group looks to be in a solid position headed into 2026, particularly with Quinn Priester primed to return from his surgery to correct his thoracic outlet syndrome. Dustin May, acquired at the trade deadline, is a free agent. That means the Brewers, barring injuries, will have this group to choose from:
Unanimous NL Cy Young winner Jacob Misiorowski, who threw 174 2/3 innings in the regular season and 19 more in the postseason
Logan Henderson, who had a 2.47 ERA in 98 1/3 regular season innings and threw 12 more innings in the postseason
Robert Gasser, who threw 109 1/3 innings in the regular season and 15 more in the playoffs, where he had a 0.60 ERA in three starts
Kyle Harrison, whose second half went poorly but who looked like a co-ace in the first half (he threw a total of 115 2/3 innings in 2026)
Priester, who when last healthy in 2025 went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 157 1/3 innings
Shane Drohan and Chad Patrick, who will likely return to swingman roles
Brandon Sproat, who will probably start the season at Triple-A Nashville trying to figure things out, and Coleman Crow and Colton Gordon, further depth options who will also presumably be in Nashville to start the season
A wildcard option like Aaron Ashby, about whom we heard whispers that he could be in the running for a rotation spot. I’ll always be skeptical of reports like this, especially when it doesn’t seem to be a major need, but anything can happen
That’s a solid, solid group, but it does lack something: every single pitcher on this list is 28 years old or younger. There’s not a ton of experience, and while I’m not convinced that experience is all that important to winning baseball games (the Brewers were rather short on experience in their pitching options during their dominant World Series run in 2026), it would be kind of nice to have another guy around who you could reasonably hope to get 150-ish innings out of, just to take some pressure off of the younger arms.
Bullpen
Bullpens are notoriously hard to predict, but here’s where the Brewers are at:
Trevor Megill is a free agent after the 2027 season and it’s certainly not off the table that he gets traded—Jeff Passan reported that Milwaukee will listen on offers.
Abner Uribe is under team control for four more seasons and has a career 2.20 ERA in 179 2/3 innings. He figures to be a major part of the bullpen for several more years.
Ashby made a star turn during the postseason, and figures to again play a major role.
DL Hall also pitched well in the postseason and had a really solid regular season—he should play a big part in 2026 if he stays healthy. He’s entering his first year of arbitration.
Trade deadline acquisitions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela are both free agents. Romero likely pitched himself into a nice contract during the postseason; Senzatela figures to be on the cheaper side, and it’s possible the Brewers bring him back.
Ángel Zerpa, who the team acquired in a trade before the 2026 season, had Tommy John surgery in May and could be an option in the second half of the season.
Grant Anderson is still around, and will likely make the team, given the relative lack of right-handed options, particularly if Senzatela is not back.
We could see an option from the minor leagues: 25-year-old Cameron Wagoner was awesome in 33 appearances between Double- and Triple-A last season, and one of the team’s more highly regarded pitching prospects, Tyson Hardin, could possibly get some relief work in the majors later in the season, even if he’s viewed as a starter in the long term.
If you assume Megill is back, then I’d say you can consider the Brewers have 12 locks for the Opening Day roster amongst their pitchers: Misiorowski, Henderson, Gasser, Priester, Harrison, Drohan, Patrick, Ashby, Megill, Uribe, Hall, and Anderson. Of course, the likelihood that all 12 of those guys are healthy when the season starts is low. That means there’s room here if the Brewers want to explore the free agent market, though we all know the most likely move is that they’ll acquire someone in some tiny trade who we’ve never heard of who then adds a cutter and turns out to be quite good.
Conclusion
Barring unexpected moves (like what would be a shocking trade of Contreras, or an extension for Made and trade of Ortiz or Hamilton), the lineup looks pretty set everywhere except first base, where Andrew Vaughn will likely welcome a new platoon partner this season. There’s probably a spot in the bullpen up for grabs, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that there could be an addition in the rotation. But it’s also definitely possible that every opening on the roster at the moment is filled internally. Don’t expect a busy offseason at the major-league level for the Brewers.
MONTOURSVILLE, PA - AUGUST 18: Aaron Judge #99, Giancarlo Stanton #27 and Juan Soto #22 of the New York Yankees walk off the plane during the 2024 MLB Little League Classic airport arrivals at Williamsport Regional Airport on Sunday, August 18, 2024 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I hope none of you fine folks were planning on flying anywhere last night. If you were, you have my condolences! I hope you got back home alright, or at least to a hotel. I know it was rough out there.
Today on the site, Josh will talk about the AL MVP voting and how Aaron Judge and others have inadvertently helped doom Bobby Witt Jr. to likely become José Ramírez’s successor as the best current player in baseball who might never win an MVP, and Nick will celebrate the 48th birthday of Xavier Nady, a 2009 World Series champion who could’ve really contributed had his elbow not gone kablooie. Later, Michael will look at the final week of Arizona Fall League action.
Questions/Prompts:
1. What were your first impressions of the Red Sox signing old friend Jake Bauers to a four-year, $58 million contract?
2. What’s the longest that you’ve been stuck at an airport without leaving?
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 11: Rollie Fingers greets William Contreras during the 2026 MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matt Aguirre/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This week, the GM Meetings took place in Las Vegas. It is the first real chance for GMs to meet and discuss trade possibilities with other teams, as well as hold initial meetings with free agents. It was also awards week for MLB, with the yearly awards all announced. Here’s what took place this week.
There wasn’t much for free agent deals, but a few were signed this week to kick off free agency. The big news for the Brewers was Jake Bauers signing with the Red Sox, which also means that he turned down the qualifying offer from Milwaukee. Bauers signed a four year, $58 million contract with the Red Sox, and the Brewers will receive a compensatory draft pick after the first round. A couple of other free agents were signed at the meetings, with Emilio Pagan signing with the Tigers and Evan Phillips signing with the Braves.
Another piece of news for the Brewers was about Jeferson Quero. The Brewers were officially granted a fourth option year for Quero, meaning they can keep him in the minors for one more year. Without the option, Quero would either have to make the roster out of spring training or potentially be exposed to waivers to keep in the minors. Now, the Brewers can give him one more season in Nashville to see what he can offer in the future.
Early trade rumors are coming up for current Brewers’ players, mainly focused around the players who are free agents after the 2027 season. The main two players that have been mentioned in rumors so far are Trevor Megill and William Contreras. At the meetings, Matt Arnold spoke about the possibility of trading Contreras. He did it with usual GM speak, saying that Contreras “means a lot to this team”. When asked about Megill, he continued with the GM speak and said, “He got the last six outs of the World Series, and I just went to a Metallica concert with him, so I like him. I like him a lot.”
The yearly awards were also announced at this year’s meetings, and as expected for the World Series champions, they were represented several times. Here is a summary of the awards that they won or received votes for:
Trevor Megill finished third in the inaugural Reliever of the Year award, with Mason Miller taking the award in the NL and Louis Varland in the AL. Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe also received votes.
Brice Turang finished third in the NL MVP vote and Jacob Misiorowski finished fifth. Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers also received votes. Pete Crow-Armstrong was a unanimous winner in the NL and Yordan Alvarez was unanimous in the AL.
The next big deadline date for the Brewers is coming up next week on Tuesday. They will have until 5 p.m. CT to protect players from the Rule 5 draft. Jett Williams (MLB.com No. 10), Luke Adams (No. 13), Marco Dinges (No. 14), Tate Kuehner, Brett Wichrowski, Brock Wilken, and Matthew Wood are among the Brewers’ top prospects that would need to be protected. With the potential lockout upcoming, teams may elect to protect fewer players, especially if they think the Rule 5 draft will be cancelled.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 10: General Manager Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees speaks with the media during the 2026 MLB Gerneral Managers Meetings at Aria Resort & Casino on November 10, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: After the conclusion of the annual GM meetings this week, the Yankees’ offseason priorities are beginning to come into focus. Brian Cashman acknowledged in an interview that rebuilding his bullpen tops the list. “Two of the three pitchers going into our eighth and ninth inning are gone; (Paul) Blackburn and (David) Bednar right now are free agents, so we’ve got our work to do,” the Yankees GM said. “And because of that, I am casting a wide net.”
Options include reunions with free agents Bednar, Blackburn, Tim Hill, and Jonathan Loáisiga as well as Adrian Morejon, who was linked to the Yankees while with the Padres this past season. Other potential areas for improvement include third base, second base, and catcher.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) Speaking of third base, the Yankees were linked to Alec Bohm on Thursday by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon. Kirschner is skeptical that the former Phillie can be the solution, noting he was below average at the dish last year and has been the worst defender at the hot corner in all of baseball since debuting in 2020. While Bohm’s right-handed bat could provide some platoon advantages, Kirschner suggests the money required to sign him would be better allocated elsewhere — like making a play for Japanese phenom Teruaki Sato, Texas’ Corey Seager, or Houston’s Isaac Paredes.
FanGraphs | Matthew Roberson: After another disappointing October, an overarching look at where the Yankees go from here. Roberson recaps some of the problems at hand — an aging roster, thin farm system, and depleted coaching staff — before pinpointing what he believes to be the core issue. Since signing DJ LeMahieu before the 2019 season, the most impactful external free agent position player Cashman has brought in is Paul Goldschmidt, the aging future Hall of Famer who’s been a helpful part-time player but is no longer the type of impact bat the Yankees may need to get over the top. If Cashman eschews a major addition to the lineup this offseason, Roberson predicts one more year of World Series drought.
Pitcher Pat Hentgen watches spring training drills at the Toronto Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, Florida February 27, 2004. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Today marks Pat Hentgen’s 58th birthday.
Pat will always remain one of my favorite Blue Jays.
He won the Cy Young Award in 1996—the first Blue Jay ever to do so—after going 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA and pitching an impressive 265.2 innings. Hentgen received the award on his birthday, making for a memorable celebration. It would be incredible to see a starter log over 250 innings these days. He was also selected to four All-Star teams and owns two World Series rings. Although he didn’t pitch in the 1992 playoffs, he earned a win in the 1993 World Series against the Phillies and was set to start Game 7 before Joe Carter’s walk-off home run in Game 6 clinched the title.
During his ten seasons as a Blue Jay, Hentgen compiled a 107-85 record with a 4.28 ERA over 270 games, including 238 starts.
He ranks fourth among pitchers in franchise history in WAR (26.7), and sits fifth in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and games started.
After the 1999 season, the Jays traded Hentgen and Paul Spoljaric to the Cardinals for Alberto Castillo, Matt DeWitt, and Lance Painter. It wasn’t one of the team’s better trades. Following a single season in St. Louis, Hentgen signed with the Orioles as a free agent. After three years in Baltimore, he returned to Toronto for one final season before retiring.
Over his career, Hentgen went 131-112 with a 4.32 ERA in 344 games (306 starts) and accumulated 33.0 bWAR.
He gave us an interview, which is divided into five parts: one, two, three, four, and five.
Pat has remained involved with the organization, serving as bullpen coach in 2011 before stepping away for family reasons, then returning to the same role in 2013.
A few years ago, he spent some time in the TV broadcast booth and did an excellent job. It would be great to see him take on that role more often.
Happy birthday, Pat. Hope it’s a great one.
Today also marks Santiago Espinal’s 32nd birthday.
Espinal spent four seasons with the Blue Jays and had an excellent 2021, hitting .311/.376/.405. He made the All-Star team the following year, and by mid-June was batting .298/.350/.451. Unfortunately, his performance declined after that, as he hit just .244/.301/.300 for the remainder of the season. 2023 was a tough year, and with the team’s surplus of middle infielders, Espinal was traded before the 2024 season. He batted .246/.295/.356 with the Reds in 2024.
Major League Baseball released a video on the upcoming CBA negotiations — and Blue Jays pitcher Jameson Taillon wasn’t happy with the “selective” narrative by the league.
Taillon, a 10-year veteran, ranted about MLB’s video posted to its social media accounts in which executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword discussed three major changes the league is looking to make.
Jameson Taillon #56 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Friday, September 4, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. MLB Photos via Getty Images
“This is comically bad. They’re being very careful and selective of what they’re saying/showing and how they’re delivering it,” Taillon wrote in a post on X.
“This is going to be ugly if they’re trying to sway fan/public support weeks before they even lock us out. At the end of the day- they want to drive down salaries and put more money in the pockets of billionaires.
“Nobody wins except them. Simple as that. It’s not about competition. It’s never been about competition for them, it just is a nice cover up.”
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during a ceremony to present the 2026 Roberto Clemente award to New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (not pictured) before game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is comically bad. They’re being very careful and selective of what they’re saying/showing and how they’re delivering it. This is going to be ugly if they’re trying to sway fan/public support weeks before they even lock us out. At the end of the day- they want to drive down…
“Over our dead bodies are we going to accept a cap and further restraints on salaries,” Wolfe said.
Morgan Sword, MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations speaks to the media during the On-Field Rules Demonstration at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. MLB Photos via Getty Images
Baseball, unlike two other major professional sports in the NFL and NBA, has flourished in recent years without a salary cap or floor. MLB’s argument over fairness in regulating team spending was recently disproved by the World Series champion Brewers, who had the 19th-highest payroll.
While teams are free to spend, the richest organizations aren’t guaranteed a trip to the Fall Classic. Toronto and the Mets are just two examples of luxurious spending in the offseason only to miss the playoffs come October.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after bunting for a single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
Manny Machado
When Machado signed with the Padres, it was a massive deal. To be exact, it was the biggest contract that any athlete had ever signed up to that point. Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with San Diego, keeping him in the brown and gold for the rest of his career. He’s largely followed up on that, hitting .275 or better in five of seven seasons and 25-plus homers in all of his years (excluding the shortened 2020 season).
Overall Grade: B-
However, 2026 saw a major downtick in his batting average. Including his time with the Baltimore Orioles, Machado had never finished the season with a batting average below .250. He finished 2026 having batted a dismal .217 with a .303 on-base percentage. That said, the power remained. Machado had 52 extra-base hits, with 30 of them being homers.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. Machado’s expected batting average (.243) was twenty-six points above his actual (.217), meaning he was at least somewhat unlucky. He ended the season being mostly average on offense, with a 97 OPS+ (where 100 is average). But Machado was phenomenal in the playoffs, batting .350/.480/.600 in six games.
Even in the offseason, Machado is not immune to controversy. He was a major snub from the Gold Glove awards, with Max Muncy and Javier Sanoja being named ahead of him. This despite the fact that Machado led all third basemen in Fielding Run Value (+7) and Outs Above Average (+12). The question heading into 2027 will be whether he can bat for average after his contact hitting took a dip in ‘26.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: A general view of Truist Park during Game Three of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Much of this baseball offseason is going to spent with the MLB owners and MLB Player’s Association each publicly jockeying for why they are on the right side of the pending lockout.
The MLB used its official Twitter account Friday afternoon to share the owners’ latest offering, with a pointed interest towards fans and trying to sway them to the side of the ownership.
Here’s MLB’s latest messaging:
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
Entering into a partnership with players where all revenues that are generated are split 50/50 between the teams and the players
Implementing a salary cap and floor that will regulate what each team can spend
Revenues from media generated in baseball are shared equally by the clubs
This will reduce the revenue disparity in baseball and help us address local blackouts
Major League players’ total compensation would go up and fans would get a more competitive game
It’s a win for everybody
Baseball fans have repeatedly told us they have two issues with the game today: blackouts and fairness
We’re proposing to make three major changes to baseball:
1. Entering into a partnership with players where all revenues that are generated are split 50/50 between the teams… pic.twitter.com/GgeKshvFmN
What do we think, folks? I can admit I find it a bit weird that MLB uses its official social media accounts with large followings (13.7 million on X alone) to boost its case.
But I can also admit that getting rid of blackouts sounds good and I’ve been coming around on the net good that a salary cap/floor would bring to baseball.
Our third pitcher, and the second in a row in the Vote, moved on, and in decisive fashion, as righty starter Tanner McDougal easily outpaced the field, with 30 of 63 votes (48%). It’s the second straight rout in our polling, and the third-biggest share percentage won so far:
McDougal, a fifth round pick in 2021, finished as our No. sixth-voted prospect last year, after not making the Vote in 2025. He finished at No. 33 in the 2024 Vote.
McDougal is the second right-handed starting pitcher to advance so far:
Past No. 8s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2026 Christian Oppor (24%) 2025 Kyle Teel (30%) 2024 Jordan Leasure (23%) 2023 Cristian Mena (27%) 2022 Romy González (41%) 2021 Gavin Sheets (29%) 2020 Luis Basabe (32%) 2019 Blake Rutherford (34%) 2018 Jake Burger (29%)
This latest round also marked the first votes earned for both Alex Weingartner and newcomer Sebastian Romero. It also saw the second straight tie between not one but two pairs of players, Kyle Lodise/Landon Thome and Weingartner/Kyle Casteel.
Currently rehabbing after shoulder surgery but expected to miss little or no time in the spring is first baseman Anthony DePino, who will be making his all-time Vote debut as well.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
Kyle Casteel Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 19 2026 high level Butler Area (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 10-0 ▪️ 13 games ▪️ 65 ⅔ IP ▪️ 0.64 ERA ▪️ 103 K ▪️ 11 BB ▪️ 0.685 WHIP
Casteel is the sort of player you dream of getting to start off the $150,000 round of 10 picks: A player who the White Sox had been talking to regularly that, based on how the first round fell, now was draftable knowing the club could meet the prep’s demands. It’s undoubtable that Casteel is far better than the 315th pick (MLB had him ranked at No. 162 overall), and thus the White Sox pocketed a player who should have been selected in the fifth round. Casteel has power and control, and while the White Sox will bring him along with care, he has a rare profile in a pitching-starved White Sox system.
Anthony DePino First Baseman Age 24 2026 high level Birmingham (AA) Age relative to high level -0.7 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AA) 125 games ▪️ 25 HR ▪️ 82 RBI ▪️ .262/.363/.481 ▪️ 6-of-7 (85.7 %) SB ▪️ 64 BB ▪️ 128 K ▪️ .991 FLD%▪️ 3.1 WAR
DePino was drafted as a poor man’s Jake Burger, which is a pretty fair compliment, for starters. But his breakout 2026 puts him straight on an actual Burger arc. His first full pro season was outstanding, far better than expected for a seventh-rounder out of the baseball hotbed of Rhode Island. DePino so impressed that he was tabbed for Arizona Fall League play, but ended up missing that final session of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Kyle Lodise Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level 0.0 years Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
Sebastian Romero Center Fielder Age 18 2026 high level DSL White Sox (Rookie) Age relative to high level -0.6 years Overall 2026 stats 52 games ▪️ 11 HR ▪️ 54 RBI ▪️ .277/.391/.538 ▪️ 7-of-10 (70.0%) SB ▪️ 18 BB ▪️ 61 K ▪️ .963 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
The sexy international prospect for 2026-27 is Romero, who had a boisterous pro debut, flashing perhaps all tools but hit. Or, at least the bat control aspect of the hit tool, because 18 walks — just three more free passes than hit-by-pitches — indicates a willingness to swing at ANYTHING, as does his 61 Ks against woeful DSL arms. However, when contact is made, ball go boom.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Alex Weingartner Right Fielder Age 19 2026 high level St. Augustine College Prep (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats 30 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 36 RBI ▪️ .495 AVG ▪️ .817 SLG ▪️ 33 SB ▪️ 21 BB
Oddly enough, Weingartner may be a doppelganger for the player listed right below; both he and George Wolkow were prep plums selected lower than their skill and scout rankings indicated, and both players scored sweet bonuses from the White Sox to lure them from potential college commitments. Both have rocket arms (Weingartner, in fact, pitched for his St. Augustine Hermits in 2026) as well.
George Wolkow Right Fielder Age 21 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 14 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 13 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 16 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats 123 games ▪️ 22 HR ▪️ 100 RBI ▪️ .239/.317/.446 ▪️ 15-of-22 (68.2%) SB ▪️ 50 BB ▪️ 179 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
Wolkow sacrificed speed and what batting eye he had for power in 2026, and while that made for some impressive counting stats (22-100 plays on the back of any baseball card) the hole in his swing hasn’t been sewn. If the White Sox brass is having Wolkow bet on his best tool, power, at all others’ expense, he’s slipping into the Colson Category.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 26: A detail photo of a bobblehead of Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves prior to the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On this chilly Friday in November, join me in ignoring the looming lockout as we pretend that baseball is proceeding as scheduled next season. (Alex Anthopoulos certainly is with the offseason’s first big splash with the signing of reliever Evan Phillips). Here, life is beautiful because Opening Day is in 131 days.
The Braves have announced that single game tickets are now on sale for the 2027 season, which (for now) kicks off on the road at Dodger Stadium. But we care about what’s going on at the home ballpark. And if you’re anything like me, what’s being given away at the gate may be a factor in when you plan to visit Truist Park.
More giveaways, ticket packages, and theme nights are to be confirmed as plans for the season finalize, but here’s what you can look forward to based on the current slate and schedule. More info is available on the Braves promotion page.
If the fireworks during the anthem/seventh inning stretch, after every strikeout (thanks, Gas South) and home runs aren’t enough, you can stick around after every Friday night home game for a Georgia Lottery-sponsored spectacular. It’s worth seeing for whatever baffling unique theme or playlist they choose to accompany the show.
The Braves Block Party returns to the Battery before every Saturday contest. Partake in live music and other entertainment before finding your seats. There’s a significant chance he Home Depot tools and Blooper and his ever-increasing horde of mascot security for roaming around for photo opps as well.
Sunday matinees are preceded by a pair of alumni showing up to sign autographs, which are TBD for now. Kids can also run the bases after the game concludes.
Gate Giveaways
The promotional gate giveaways are for the first 15,000 fans that enter the stadium. (Items in ticket packages are an entirely separate thing, more below). Depending on the item, sometimes you can rock up at closer to 7 pm and still get one. Others require some logistical magic and being in a line before most have even clocked out of work.
There will absolutely be more of these announced as we get closer to baseball being played. But for now… please enjoy the merchandising team’s best attempt at the brief: safe, apparel-forward choices that are fun enough to hopefully distract from the conspicuous absence of current player-themed items.
Magnetic Schedule (April 2 vs. HOU)
Everyone in attendance at the home opener gets one of these to slap on your fridge. Thanks, Georgia Power.
Truist Park “10th Anniversary” T-Shirt (April 3 vs. HOU)
Not sure a ton of people will be gunning for this one, but a concert-style tee celebrating your very favorite Cobb County ballpark’s 10th birthday can be yours.
BravesVision Bobblehead (April 16 vs. MIA)
Wiley erasure, unfortunately, but Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski are getting their seventh-inning cracker jack toss immortalized in bobblehead form. How do the broadcasters get a bobblehead that looks more like them than some players? A mystery.
Phil Niekro Replica Jersey (April 20 vs. WAS)
The Braves love to do things in alumni-honoring ways, and this is the first of several giveaways featuring a Braves legend. Instead of Dale Murphy like last year, Phil Niekro gets the nod here for a replica jersey.
Mystery Hot Dog Hat (May 28 vs. PIT)
Yes, baseball and hot dogs are inextricably linked. We saw the first steps of the Braves embracing the hot dog mania that’s overtaken some other ballparks last year with the introduction of the “Build-A-Dog” challenge as mid-inning entertainment. Multiple teams have glizzys that race. Sometimes they rain from the sky in Seattle. But maybe the Braves saw their division rival Nationals have immense success with a “Bad Day to be a Hot Dog” hat giveaway and wanted to copy their homework, so here’s our version. The “mystery” is if your design will feature a hot dog with ketchup or mustard.
Tom Glavine Hockey Jersey (June 1 vs. COL)
Drake Baldwin’s hockey jersey last year was one of the most coveted giveaway items. Folks lined up as early as 3 pm (and I would know, because I was among them). Merrimack Valley’s Most Valuable Player Tom Glavine gets an hockey jersey of his own in an Atlanta City Connect flavor.
Hawaiian Shirt (August 20 vs. NYM)
Vintage baseball cards of Braves HOFers and tropical flowers intermingle in this year’s version of the Braves Hawaiian shirt. This is probably going to be up there in terms of popularity.
90’s Windbreaker (September 24 vs. MIA)
If you’re in need of a paper-thin windbreaker, this might be the giveaway for you. If I had to guess this will only really be available in L and XL sizes.
Ticket Packages/Theme Nights
These specialty items are a separate ticket and you’re guaranteed the item, unlike in a gate giveaway. These are usually accompanied by other festivities at the ballpark to make it a full theme night.
Science Education Day (April 22 vs. WAS) meant for elementary school groups
Girls Night Out (April 29 vs. NYM) gets the ladies a mock neck sweatshirt
Star Wars (May 6 vs. SD) is a Braves/Star Wars jersey shirt
Military Appreciation (May 31 vs. COL) features a Braves military appreciation t-shirt
Braves Country 5K (June 5 vs. MIN) will have info available at a later date, but usually includes a t-shirt
Father’s Day (June 20 vs. NYY) offers a 200minute session of catch on the field following the afternoon game
Pride Night (June 23 vs. PHI) will have more info on the item/festivities coming soon
Summer Camp Day (July 21 vs. PHI) is for, you guessed it, summer camps
Deaf Awareness (August 1 vs. STL) gets you a City Connect-style jersey shirt with “Braves” spelled out in ASL across the chest
HBCU (August 25 vs. MIL) features a jersey shirt with HBCU across the chest and 48 on the back
Los Bravos (September 23 vs. WAS) is another jersey shirt with Latin American country flags patterned on the sleeves and jersey number
Anything in this initial batch speaking to you? What’s a must-have or a pass? What are you hoping to see announced in the future, and is that Alan Jackson bobblehead commercial still stuck in your head? Let us know.
