SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: Ramón Laureano #5 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the eighth inning at Petco Park on May 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres made a trade in 2025 to acquire outfielder Ramón Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles. 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn was also acquired in the trade, but he was a free agent at the end of the 2025 season.
Laureano had a second year on his contract after the Padres exercised the option for 2026. He received $6.5 million for the season but was on the injured list from June 2 through the remainder of the season.
Laureano had been playing for several seasons with a partially torn labrum in his right hip but the injury worsened and surgery was required. The recovery is typically 4-5 months and took the outfielder out of the Padres plans for the remainder of the season.
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller joined manager Craig Stammen for the year-end press interviews on Oct. 14. Preller updated Laureano’s status, detailing his rehab progress and stating that he had received daily text messages from Laureano with updates on his status during the postseason. He had committed to being ready if the Padres made it to the championship round and had been working diligently in Arizona to make that happen.
Should Preller re-sign Laureano
The diminutive outfielder (5-foot-9, 203 pounds) is 32 years old and made his debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2018. Over the nine seasons since his debut, Laureano has played for the A’s, the Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves and signed with Baltimore prior to the 2025 season.
After being traded to the Padres, Laureano went on a power surge and ended up hitting 24 home runs with 76 RBI. That success prompted the Padres to pick up the option on his contract for the 2026 season.
Prior to his trip to the injured list, Laureano did not have a good start to the season. He admitted after his injury was revealed that he had been dealing with it for years and should have had it taken care of sooner.
In the 53 games played before his exit, Laureano hit .203 with a .660 OPS. His career batting average is .250 with a .760 OPS. He has a 111 OPS+ for his nine seasons as a major league player.
With many players reaching free agency this offseason and the pending labor disruption, the Padres could benefit from offering Laureano a prove-it contract before Dec. 1.
Ramón Laureano wanted to play in the postseason
After he worked through his rehab under Padres medical staff, they are uniquely qualified to determine his outlook for next season. If he was a candidate to join the roster for the playoffs then he should be fully healthy for next season.
The best that Laureano can hope for after missing most of 2026 is a “prove-it” contract. Should he choose to test the market he would likely only be offered minor league deals with other teams.
A bargain option
A prove-it deal would guarantee a Spring Training inclusion and an opportunity to win the left field job. The other players on the roster that would be competing for that job would be Samad Taylor and Dustin Harris. The player brought up to replace him when he was placed on the IL was Jase Bowen. Bowen is a valuable defensive replacement and pinch runner but hit .146 with a .438 OPS in 96 at-bats. Taylor and Harris are under contracts and the only other outfielder, Austin Hays, is a free agent.
Looking at his performance numbers and injury history, it seems reasonable that Laureano would sign for $1-3 million guaranteed with performance incentives. Any other team would require health verification and would likely not guarantee him anything. As a returning player for 2027, the Padres should be able to work with the outfielder and secure a slightly better-than-league-average player for minimal cost.
Offseason surgery is “not on the table” for Shohei Ohtani this winter, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday, confirming that the team expects the two-way star to be back at full health for the beginning of next year.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani watches his three-run home run during the second inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Since then, Friedman said during an end-of-season press conference alongside general manager Brandon Gomes on Wednesday, Ohtani was assessed by doctors and told he just needed rest.
When asked about the specific nature of Ohtani’s injuries this year –– which the team only described as “inflammation” and “discomfort” during the course of the season –– Friedman remained vague, saying only that he “had a lot of different things going on.”
“It was just a little bit of an unfortunate game of whack-a-mole,” Friedman said. “The knee got to a better spot, and then just kinda the bicep area was bothering him. Just a number of different things. Some of it that would calm down for some period, some that would get re-irritated. It was just a lot of different things he was trying to contend with at once.”
Indeed, Ohtani’s injury saga came to define his 2026 season, gradually diminishing the two-way star’s otherworldly capabilities and leaving him significantly hampered entering October.
It started in mid-June, when Ohtani first began battling left knee inflammation following a start in Pittsburgh in which he felt flawed pitching mechanics caused irritation in his front landing leg.
It got worse in early July, when a right biceps issue Ohtani had quietly dealt with earlier in the year resurfaced during another two-way start at Dodger Stadium –– one that would prove to be his final pitching appearance of the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after striking out during the seventh inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
During the All-Star break, Ohtani was shut down from pitching while getting a lubricant injection in his knee.
Every attempt to ramp back up as a pitcher after that was scuttled by more injury-related setbacks, with both Ohtani’s arm and knee conditions failing to improve as the team had hoped.
Despite that, Ohtani continued in his hitting role as the Dodgers’ everyday DH, and remained productive at the plate for most of July and August (on Aug. 18, he had 30 home runs, a .294 batting average and an NL-best .949 OPS).
“Through mid-August,” Friedman noted, “he was still, I think, the consensus MVP.”
Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, speaks to the media prior to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee. Getty Images
From there, however, the slugger’s performance plummeted.
He hit .157 over his final 18 regular-season games with no home runs and only one RBI. He spent two weeks on the injured list in September after showing visible pain in his swing. And, even amid continued insistence from both him and team officials that he was close to turning a corner, he went just 5-for-26 in the playoffs, failing to provide any impact production until his three-run homer in Game 4 of the NLCS –– a big swing that ultimately proved too little, too late.
Following the team’s sweep to the Brewers, Ohtani said he wanted to return to his two-way role next year.
On Wednesday, Friedman said the Dodgers also want him to return to pitching –– but that Ohtani and the team would need “to put our heads together” to decide exactly how his usage plan would look in 2027 and beyond.
“We have to all just figure it out together,” Friedman said. “And I’m not only expecting him to pitch –– we’re excited about him pitching. So now it’s about, how do we do that? How do we manage through a long season and have him at his best going into October? That’s a challenge. We have to figure that out together. And I’m confident that we will continue to learn from things as we go and continue to make it better.”
The Milwaukee Brewers ran a promotion over a decade ago offering fans a “Timeless Ticket” granting them admission to any game in the future if they paid $1,000.
Now that the Brewers are in the World Series for the first time since 1982, fans who took that deal are eager to redeem those tickets they bought in 2015. That has led to some complications.
Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said Tuesday that several hundred fans had indicated they wanted to redeem their Timeless Tickets for a World Series game. Schlesinger acknowledged that “we subsequently erred in our internal communications on the logistics of fulfilling the requests.”
A general view shows the outside of American Family Field prior to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 11, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images
“While we were able to accommodate all with seats, we received feedback from some that they were unhappy with their seat locations,” Schlesinger said. “Clearly, even with extraordinary limitations on available seats, we did not live up to the spirit of the program, and we have been working through a resolution.”
Danny Fochesato of Milwaukee bought a Timeless Ticket on his 27th birthday, planning all along to redeem it whenever the Brewers reached the World Series.
The promotion enabled a Timeless Ticket holder to redeem that ticket and become eligible to buy three additional tickets to that game for the full retail price. The offer said the tickets “may be redeemed for the best available seat locations, subject to ticket availability at the time of redemption.”
“Back in 2015, that was a big selling point from the sales people about this,” Fochesato said. “They really touted, ‘Hey, this is going to be the best available seats. You’re getting the priority just behind season ticket holders. Anything the season ticket holders don’t have, you’ll have dibs at it for the World Series.’ That’s kind of the story they sold.”
That would have worked out fine when Fochesato tried redeeming his Timeless Ticket for a potential World Series game in 2018, when the Brewers reached the NL Championship Series.
Fochesato said he got four tickets in the 100 level behind home plate that he could have used if the Brewers had made the World Series that year, when they ended up losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the NLCS.
The sun sets over the Milwaukee Brewers National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Oct. 12, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
This time, he wasn’t as fortunate.
“We had a form, and it only had 400-level or standing-room options,” Fochesato said. “We couldn’t even know what game we had. We just had to put a preference of which ones we wanted, and then we had to submit the form and just sit and wait for them what we got. I immediately was like, ‘No, that’s bogus.’”
Fochesato said he bargained his way to three 400-level seats for Saturday’s Game 2 with the Tampa Bay Rays and one lower-level seat in the right-field corner for Friday’s Game 1.
Fans cheer before Game 2 of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He said he was in line for the public sale of tickets and saw better seats were available than those that were offered to him under the Timeless Ticket program.
The Brewers are trying to make amends.
Schlesinger said any Timeless Ticket holder who applied for World Series tickets before the deadline will now get to keep those World Series tickets while also being able to retain their Timeless Ticket to redeem for another game in any future season.
“We regret our mistake and look forward to welcoming them to American Family Field for their World Series experience,” Schlesinger said.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 16: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases on his two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on September 16, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The current state of the Washington Nationals’ offense, especially after the trade deadline departures of Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead, is heavily driven by the dynamic duo that is James Wood and CJ Abrams.
The lineup does include a handful of decent complementary pieces, including Keibert Ruiz and Daylen Lile, but is lacking both consistency and depth. Financial frustrations have led to Abrams and Wood’s names being floated in trade discussions, both hypothetical and legitimate, and their long-term futures with the team remain uncertain. Prospects like Eli Willits and Seaver King will look to break into the big leagues and give the MLB roster a boost, but relying on minor leaguers to carry the weight of a lineup that hopes to play in October is far from a sure thing.
The trade market could help, but Washington’s low payroll gives them no excuse not to add offensive pieces in free agency. The roster’s need to bolster the pitching rotation indicates that much of the front office’s offseason focus will be directed toward arms, but President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni could lean on his growing pitching pipeline and be more aggressive with free agent hitters.
If, and that’s a big if, they choose to play ball with some of the bigger bats available, former Pittsburgh Pirate Brandon Lowe is a player that could really intrigue the Nats’ brass.
Lowe is coming off his best statistical season to date based on bWAR, cruising past his previous high of 4.6 with an impressive 5.4 in 2025. The 9-year veteran absolutely raked after being traded to Pittsburgh, appearing in 150 games and putting up a .260/.331/.493/824. slash line and mashing 35 home runs with 96 RBI.
Washington has solid power output if all of their big-time hitters are clicking at the same time, but adding a bat like Lowe could instantly raise both the ceiling and floor of the offense. He’s eclipsed the 30-HR mark in every season he’s played over 110 games in, and has been a 110 OPS+ bat in all but one year. His 3rd percentile Whiff% wouldn’t do much to improve the Nats’ strikeout issues, but he has the pop to out-slug any concerns in that area.
Addressing the position fit with Lowe, the 32-year-old has the ability to play 2B, fill in at 1B, or become the primary DH to maximize his offensive output. If Washington fully moves Abrams off of SS, Lowe could be the primary DH with smaller stints at 1B and 2B to increase the roster’s positional flexibility.
As with just about any above-average free agent in today’s MLB, Lowe will certainly not come with a low price tag. He won’t break the bank, but to secure his services, the Nats will have to commit multiple years and a good chunk of cash.
Spotrac has his market value listed at 4 years, $91,240,000, and it could get even higher with the lack of impact bats available. It will be remarkably difficult for the Nats to reach a contending level without getting things done in free agency, especially if one (or both) of Abrams and Wood leave via trade, and Lowe fits their window perfectly as a bat who can anchor the lineup as their contending window looks to open in the near future.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after he lost 100 games in his only season in charge of the long-struggling club.
Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki’s contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027. Suzuki has been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant.
“Kurt has earned tremendous respect in our clubhouse, and I’ve seen firsthand how much he cares about our players,” Mozeliak said in a statement. “I do not believe our record this year was a true reflection of his true abilities as a manager.”
Mozeliak indicated he made the decision in coordination with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which reached a deal to purchase controlling ownership from Arte Moreno on Sept. 1. The sale is not expected to close until next year, but the sports conglomerate run by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is already making significant changes to its beleaguered baseball team.
The Angels went 62-100 — the first 100-loss season in franchise history — and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, who ended his 16-year major league playing career as a catcher for the Angels in 2021-22. Suzuki had never been a manager at any level before he was given the job by general manager Perry Minasian, who had employed Suzuki as his special assistant for the previous three seasons.
Minasian was fired by Moreno last June, and longtime St. Louis Cardinals GM Mozeliak stepped in on a temporary basis to run the front office while leading the search for a permanent GM to replace him. That transition plan has been thrown into flux by Moreno’s decision to sell, and Mozeliak didn’t indicate whether he has a long-term future in his own job, although he said he had been looking “toward 2027 and beyond” while reaching the decision to fire Suzuki.
Mozeliak also indicated that Suzuki’s entire coaching staff is not expected to return in its current positions, but some members had been offered staff positions in the organization.
Mozeliak already fired Suzuki’s pitching coach, Mike Maddux, and two staffers in August because he felt the team wasn’t making sufficient use of the technology and analytics available to its pitchers. Mozeliak promoted Tim Leveque, the Angels’ Double-A pitching coach, to the major league staff at the time.
Suzuki’s replacement will be the seventh manager, including interims, to lead the team in nine seasons since it parted with Mike Scioscia after the 2018 season. The Angels have had 11 consecutive losing seasons and 12 straight non-playoff seasons, both the longest active skids in the major leagues.
The Angels now have MLB’s third current managerial vacancy, all in the AL West. The Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros also parted ways with their managers after the season.
CHICAGO, IL - CIRCA 1990: George Bell #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats against the Chicago White Sox during an Major League Baseball game circa 1990 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Bell played for the Blue Jays from 1981-90. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today marks George Bell’s 67th birthday.
Born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, George Bell comes from a baseball family. His brother Juan Bell played seven seasons in the majors as a utility infielder, and two other brothers also played professionally. George signed with the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1978 before the Blue Jays acquired him in the 1980 Rule 5 draft—one of the best Rule 5 acquisitions in history.
Because Rule 5 draft picks must remain on the major league roster or be returned to their original team, George spent the strike-shortened 1981 season with the Blue Jays. Although he was a bit overmatched, appearing in 60 games and hitting .233/.256/.350, he still managed to receive a couple ofRookie of the Year votes.
Believing he had earned a roster spot the following year, George was disappointed when the Jays sent him to Syracuse. It turned out to be a tough season: he contracted mononucleosis in April, injured his left knee in June, and, upon returning, suffered a broken jaw after being hit by a pitch. Perhaps as a result, George became especially sensitive to being hit and charged the mound multiple times. He began 1983 in the minors once more but was called up for good in July.
In 1984, Bell became a full-time player for the Blue Jays. Manager Bobby Cox used a complex platoon system in the outfield: Bell played left field against left-handed pitchers and right field against right-handers, swapping with Jesse Barfield and Davey Collins. As a young outfielder, Bell possessed a decent arm and adequate range, though Barfield’s arm was superior.
That season, George played 159 games and hit .292/.326/.498, tallying 39 doubles, 26 home runs, 87 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. He received MVP votes, finished 8th in the American League in total bases, and 3rd in doubles.
After the season, the Jays traded Dave Collins to Oakland, paving the way for Bell, Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield to play full-time—which became the best outfield in Blue Jays history. They played together until Barfield was traded early in 1989. All three were outstanding offensively and had strong arms; Moesby and Barfield excelled defensively, while Bell’s range declined over time due to knee issues from injuries and playing on Toronto’s hard artificial surface. He also struggled with errors.
In 1985, Bell had another stellar year, hitting .275/.327/.479 with 28 home runs, 95 RBI, and a career-high 21 stolen bases. He won the Silver Slugger Award and finished 8th in MVP voting, just behind Barfield. The Jays reached the postseason for the first time, with many remembering Bell catching the final out to clinch the AL East title and collapsing to his knees in celebration. In the seven-game ALCS, Bell batted .321 with nine hits and three doubles, but the Jays ultimately lost to the Royals.
Bell’s offensive numbers improved further in 1986: he hit .309/.349/.532, with 31 home runs, 108 RBI, 101 runs, and another Silver Slugger Award. He finished 4th in MVP voting—one spot ahead of Barfield—while Roger Clemens took home the award.
Bell’s breakout season came in 1987, when he hit .308/.352/.605 with 47 home runs, 134 RBI, and 111 runs. He won another Silver Slugger Award, made his first All-Star team, and became the first player from a Canadian team to win the league MVP, edging out Alan Trammell of the Tigers. The vote stirred controversy after the Jays suffered a late-season slump, losing their final eight games and allowing the Tigers to capture the AL East. Bell struggled in those final games, hitting just .111, while Lloyd Moseby was the only Jay to avoid a slump.
The next season brought changes for Bell and the Jays. Manager Jimy Williams moved Bell to designated hitter and gave top prospect Sil Campusano a spot in the outfield. The plan quickly unraveled: Bell was vocal about his displeasure with DH duties, and Campusano struggled. Williams’ tenure was short and turbulent, partly due to Bell’s unhappiness. Despite this, Bell became the first major leaguer to hit three home runs on opening day, though his overall numbers declined significantly.
Bell rebounded in 1989, hitting .297/.330/.458 with 18 home runs, 41 doubles, and 104 RBI. He finished fourth in a close MVP race, with Robin Yount taking the award. The Jays returned to the playoffs, but Bell struggled in the five-game series loss to the A’s, batting just .200 with one home run.
1990 marked Bell’s final season with the Blue Jays, and it was a disappointing one—he hit .265/.303/.422 with 21 home runs and 86 RBI. Afterward, he signed with the Cubs as a free agent, enjoyed a solid season, and was then traded to the White Sox for Sammy Sosa—a deal that favored the Cubs. Bell played two seasons with the White Sox before being released in 1993 following critical comments about manager Gene Lamont after being replaced in the playoff lineup by Bo Jackson.
Bell finished his impressive 12-year career with 265 home runs, 1,002 RBI, and a .278 batting average. He was an aggressive hitter who rarely walked, and his defense declined over time—though his arm was underrated. From 1984–1987, only Barfield and Glenn Wilson recorded more outfield assists. Early in his career, Bell was a capable outfielder, but playing on artificial turf took a toll on his knees and reduced his range. He also resisted a move to designated hitter, seeing it as an affront to his pride.
Bell was a fearsome hitter, holding the Jays’ single-season home run record (47) until Jose Bautista hit 54 in 2010. Angels manager Gene Mauch called him “the most intimidating hitter in baseball.” Bell was known for aggressively attacking the first pitch, especially fastballs.
Baseball historian Bill James once ranked Bell as the 62nd-best left fielder of all time, though he may have slipped a few spots since then. Rob Neyer named him the Blue Jays’ best left fielder ever, and Bell is honored on the Rogers Centre’s Level of Excellence.
Bell was also known for his fiery temper. Many recall his flying kick at pitcher Bruce Kison after being hit by a pitch. He was ejected from 13 games and often clashed with the media and managers. Notably, he once invited Canadian fans to “kiss my Dominican ass.” I think the word purple was in there somewhere. While some of his confrontations stemmed from cultural differences, much was attributed to his hotheadedness. His reputation may have shortened his career, but by all accounts, he was a loyal teammate and friend.
Bell later assisted the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team and developed into a skilled golfer. He is married and has four sons.
Happy birthday, George. Wishing you all the best.
Today marks the 71st birthday of Jerry Garvin, the original left-handed pitcher for the Blue Jays.
Garvin was selected as the Blue Jays’ fourth pick in the 1976 expansion draft, coming over from the Minnesota Twins.
Garvin started the Blue Jays’ third-ever game as a rookie in 1977, delivering eight strong innings in a 3–1 win over the White Sox. He allowed five hits and four walks, striking out two. Pete Vuckovich earned the save, while Canadian Dave McKay drove in two runs and Gary Woods added another.
That year, Garvin started 34 games, finishing with a 10–18 record and a 4.19 ERA. Remarkably, he logged 244.1 innings and completed 12 games as a 21-year-old rookie. For perspective, no Blue Jay has thrown more than 240 innings in a season since David Price in 2014, and Garvin’s total still ranks 17th in franchise history. Unfortunately, arm issues caused him to miss significant time over the next few seasons.
Garvin was renowned for his exceptional pick-off move, famously recording 26 pick-offs at first base in 1977—a feat noted on his Wikipedia page.
In 1978, Garvin appeared in 26 games (22 starts), posting a 4–12 record with a 5.54 ERA across 144.2 innings. His workload diminished in 1979, as he pitched in only eight games.
By 1980, Garvin transitioned to a full-time bullpen role, appearing in 61 relief outings with a 2.28 ERA and eight saves over 82.2 innings.
In 1981, he pitched in 35 games (four starts), posting a 3.40 ERA over 53 innings.
Garvin’s final season came in 1982, when he made 32 appearances (four starts) with a 7.25 ERA in 58.1 innings.
Over six seasons, Garvin compiled a 20–41 record and a 4.43 ERA in 196 games, including 65 starts.
Happy birthday, Jerry.
Today, Danny Barnes celebrates his 37th birthday.
Barnes was selected in the 35th round of the 2010 draft.
He worked his way gradually through the minor league system but broke out in 2016, posting a stellar 0.73 ERA across 61.1 innings between New Hampshire and Buffalo.
Barnes received his first major league call-up in August and returned in September, appearing in 12 games with a 3.95 ERA.
In 2017, Barnes joined the Blue Jays in mid-April and remained with the team all season, pitching in 60 games with a 3.55 ERA, a 3–6 record, and 11 holds.
The 2018 season was more challenging, as Barnes posted a 5.71 ERA over 47 games, though he managed eight holds, most of which came early in the year.
Barnes was designated for assignment and outrighted to Buffalo before the 2019 season, spending much of that year on the injured list.
Happy birthday, Danny.
Today marks Gabe Gross’s 47th birthday.
Gross was the Blue Jays’ first-round pick in the 2001 draft.
He was ranked among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects prior to both the 2002 (#75) and 2004 (#72) seasons.
Gross appeared in 44 games for the Blue Jays in 2004, hitting .209/.311/.310 with three home runs, and 40 games in 2005, hitting .250/.324/.348 with one home run.
Following the 2005 season, he was traded to the Brewers along with Dave Bush and Zach Jackson in exchange for Lyle Overbay and Ty Taubenheim.
Gross spent two and a half seasons with the Brewers, hitting .251/.357/.440 with 16 home runs over 226 games. He was then traded to the Rays, where he played two seasons and hit .235/.333/.396 with 19 home runs in 242 games. He finished his MLB career with a season in Oakland.
In total, Gross played seven MLB seasons and 657 games, compiling a .239/.330/.385 batting line with 40 home runs. While he didn’t quite live up to early prospect expectations, he put together a respectable career.
Two low-spending teams making the 2026 World Series begs the question: is a salary cap or floor truly necessary for Major League Baseball?
It is the central question in the looming standoff between owners and players with the MLB collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Dec. 1, as the owners argue that the absence of a salary cap creates a competitive imbalance between the high-payroll teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the low-payroll teams like the Miami Marlins.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays are this season’s league champions, who rank 19th and 29th, respectively, in total payroll, according to Spotrac.
Athletics owner John Fisher, whose team ranks 26th in total payroll, credits both teams prioritizing resources elsewhere besides player salary expenditures.
“I think it’s incredible that those teams are both in there,” Fisher said Wednesday during newly hired A’s executive Taylor Smith’s introductory press conference. “They both also have put tremendous resources into their player operations piece, not just into the payroll. And I think I’ve seen an ability to get the most out of their players.”
The Brewers have finished with the best record in baseball in back-to-back seasons despite their low expenditure. Their two top-performing players in the MLB playoffs, William Contreras and Jackson Chourio, made just $9.45 million and $7.25 million this season, respectively.
Their World Series opponent, the Rays, led the American League with 98 wins this season. Their highest paid player this season is Yandy Diaz, who earned $12 million this season.
Smith, the new A’s president of baseball operations, worked in the Rays’ front office for seven years. In his introductory press conference, he highlighted three areas that any front office needs to prioritize: acquiring talent, development and in-game strategy.
The Rays are widely regarded to be on the cutting edge of all three.
“I think those are two teams that excel in each of those three areas that I mentioned,” Smith said. “They’re great at acquisitions, great at development and they get the most of the players based upon the way they use them in the game and the situations that they put them in.”
In other words, both teams have shown an adept ability to identify prospects to target in the draft and undervalued talent to acquire via trade.
Dishing high salaries to proven talent has been a successful strategy for the Dodgers, but teams like the Brewers and Rays have done the tough work on and off the field to make deep runs in the postseason.
“Obviously we’ve seen the Dodgers win the last two [World Series championships]; we see the Yankees be highly competitive every year,” Fisher conceded. “Certainly, it’s not all about money, but as my grandmother said, ‘it’s not all about money, but it makes you sleep better.'”
Identifying young talent has been the bread-and-butter for successful small-market teams like the Brewers and Rays. Holding onto that talent after arbitration is another story.
Both franchises have a shot to win their first ever World Series in 2026, but it doesn’t seem like they will foot the necessary bill that will keep their championship window open as long as a high-spending team like the Dodgers.
3 Nov 2001: Luis Gonzalez #20 of the Arizona Diamondbacks swings at a pitch during game 6 of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks beat the Yankees 15-2 to force a game 7. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross/ALLSPORT | Getty Images
With the 25th anniversary of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2001 World Series title approaching, MLB Network Presents will debut Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, October 29th at 5 p.m. Arizona time. Marking the 50th film in the MLB Network Presents series since its launch in 2015, the 90-minute documentary recounts the remarkable rise of the Diamondbacks from expansion franchise to World Series Champions in four seasons, culminating in their unforgettable seven-game victory over the three-time defending champion New York Yankees in 2001.
Among those interviewed are World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, former Diamondbacks general manager Joe Garagiola Jr., 2001 manager Bob Brenly, and championship players Jay Bell, Steve Finley, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Damian Miller, Reggie Sanders, Matt Williams and Tony Womack. Together, they provide firsthand perspectives on the organization’s beginnings, the construction of the championship roster and the experiences that defined the 2001 season.
“When you put the right people in the right room, there is no unachievable goal. …I think the 2001 season was the perfect baseball season for that team … everything about it was perfect,” said Schilling during the film.
MLB Network Presents – Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks features past-and-present-day interviews, along with extensive archival footage from the Diamondbacks’ historic 2001 season. The film revisits the decisions, personalities and performances that shaped one of the fastest championship ascents in MLB history, from the organization’s creation to the arrival of Johnson and the credibility he brought to the franchise.
Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks details Gonzalez’s leadership and career year as well as big-game pitcher Schilling joining forces with Johnson to form a historic combination atop Arizona’s starting rotation. Featured in the film, Schilling shares original notes he took with him to the dugout during his playing career, offering a look at the preparation and attention to detail behind his performance during Arizona’s championship run.
The film also explores how Brenly proved to be the right manager for a veteran roster largely united by a common goal: winning the first World Series championship in franchise history. Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks reflects on the 2001 World Series against the backdrop of the September 11th attacks, including the emotional return of World Series baseball to New York, a series of dramatic late-inning finishes and Arizona’s comeback against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7, capped by Gonzalez’s championship-winning hit.
The film features new footage and exclusive access captured during the Diamondbacks’ 25th anniversary ceremony for the 2001 championship team this past September, as former teammates reunited to commemorate their historic season.
Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks marks the 50th film in the series and will re-air following its premiere at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on MLB Network.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: Kurt Suzuki #8 of the Los Angeles Angels watches the game in the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Anaheim Angels have announced that manager Kurt Suzuki will not return as the team’s manager in 2027.
In my much younger days, I regularly watched the HBO stand up comedy specials. One that I watched probably dozens of times was the 13th Annual Young Comedians Special, which came out in 1989. Dennis Miller hosted the special, and the young comedians were Jann Karam, Drake Sather, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Fred Stoller, and Warren Thomas. Stoller, now a character and voice-over actor, wrote a book about the experience, and how each of their lives and careers progressed afterwards, which is a really good read.
Sather had a particular line that stuck with me:
People get so weird when celebrities die. I was watching this documentary on Fred Astaire. They said “Friends and family were shocked at the death of the 88-year-old.” Yeah, I was shocked, too: I thought he died 10 years ago.
Similarly, my first reaction was, damn, I thought the Angels canned Suzuki well before now.
Actually, my first reaction to reading this was, “Wait, isn’t Ron Washington the Angels’ manager?” before remembering that he was fired in the middle of the 2025 season. But then after that it was, oh yeah, they hired Suzuki, and I thought he was cut loose already. That’s probably because general manager Perry Minasian — who, like Suzuki, was under contract only through the end of the 2026 season — was fired four months ago, and while I knew Suzuki was not fired at the same time as Minasian was, I think in my mind I had just already consigned Suzuki to the ranks of former managers.
Suzuki appeared to be brought in as a caretaker manager. He was hired as the manager exactly one year ago after the Angels failed to convince Albert Pujols to take the job. Suzuki had been in the front office as a special assistant to the general manager since 2023, after spending the previous two seasons as part of the Angels’ active roster. The announcement today indicated Suzuki had been offered the opportunity to return to his previous role.
Suzuki is now the second A.L. West manager who is a former major league catcher to be fired this month, with the Mariners’ having terminated Dan Wilson already. Another A.L. West team, the Astros, fired their manager, Joe Espada, though he was never a major league catcher. I don’t think the Rangers’ other divisional rival, the Sacramento A’s, have fired their manager this year, though honestly, I’m not really sure they have a manager. They may just pick a random fan from the stands every game to fill out the lineup card and make pitching changes.
ESPN’s Alden González reported Wednesday that the Los Angeles Angels are moving on from Kurt Suzuki after he spent just one season as manager.
Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki is out as manager after one season. Getty Images
That one season was historically bad for the Angels’ franchise. Their 62–100 regular season set the franchise record for the most losses and the worst winning percentage (.383) in the organization’s 66-year history.
González also mentioned that Suzuki, who spent two seasons playing for the Angels, has been offered a role with the organization as a special assistant, but it’s unclear whether Suzuki will want to stick around the franchise that just fired him as manager.
Suzuki’s one-season tenure was historically bad, setting the franchise record for the most losses and the worst winning percentage. William Liang for CA Post
Pujols spent parts of 10 seasons with the Angels and served as the Dominican Republic’s manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Albert Pujols will likely be in the running to be the Angels’ new manager, as he was in contention last year. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
The Angels are opting for a fresh start in several respects, as longtime owner Arte Moreno finally sold the team to Rams owner Stan Kroenke after years of fans pleading for him to.
This wave of fresh faces should spark some optimism around the Angels’ franchise and fan base.
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The Red Sox are once again making changes to their coaching staff.
The organization is reassigning third base coach Chad Epperson and first base coach Pablo Cabrera to minor league roles next season, according to MassLive.com.
Epperson will take over as manager of Triple-A Worcester in 2027.
Chad Epperson #81 of the Boston Red Sox stands on the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Monday, June 8, 2026. Getty Images
Cabrera will return to his previous role as the franchise’s minor league defensive coordinator, a position he held before joining Boston’s big league coaching staff.
Epperson, in particular, came under fire this season after a number of Red Sox baserunners were thrown out at home plate.
During a stretch in May, four runners were gunned down at home plate over a six-game period.
The team has not yet announced replacements for the pair of base coaches leaving at least two vacancies on manager Chad Tracy’s coaching staff heading into the 2027 season.
The moves come less than a year after the Red Sox cleaned house in April, firing manager Alex Cora and four members of his coaching staff — hitting coach Peter Fatse, bench coach Ramon Vazquez, third base coach Kyle Hudson and assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson — while reassigning game-planning coach Jason Varitek.
First Base Coach Pablo Cabrera looks on during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Monday, April 28, 2025. Getty Images
The Red Sox are coming off a rollercoaster of a 2026 season.
After a dreadful start that saw Cora and Co. lose their jobs, Boston got red-hot over the summer, winning 32 of 37 games at one point during a stretch that included a 15-game winning streak.
The shocking turnaround got the Red Sox into the postseason and earned Tracy the full-time managerial job.
But their season ended in disappointment after they were outscored 18-2 in a two-game sweep by the Yankees in the American League Wild Card Series.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 05: Luke Holman #29 of the Peoria Javelinas pitches during the game between the Peoria Javelinas and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Monday, October 5, 2026 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
There have been ample foibles foisted in the laps of Cincinnati Reds fans from the seemingly bulletproof front office over the last few decades of copious losing. We need not rehash them all here, of course, as this is simply put out to highlight that perhaps the lone reason why the powers that be are still the powers that be is due to their ability to draft rather well each and every year.
It’s looking more and more like the front office nailed the 2024 draft, for instance.
Chase Burns cracked the big leagues within his first full season as a professional and during the 2025 season established himself as a bona fide ace who was in NL Cy Young Award talk before the Reds chose to curtail the innings on his prized young arm. He also landed a nine-figure contract, and rightfully so.
Tyson Lewis was who the Reds selected with their next pick in 2024. He rocketed into Top 100 overall prospect lists on the backs of a 2025 season that featured incredible exit velocities, the SS/3B now firmly on the national radar.
Lewis isn’t even the top rated prospect drafted by the Reds in this class, though. That honor goes to Mike Sirota, who eschewed concerns about his college production coming up north from tiny Northeastern University to surge all the way into many Top 20 overall prospect lists by late 2026. The only problem there is, though, that the front office saw fit to deal him away for a single awful season of Gavin Lux, so Sirota is doing this within the system of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Leading a draft class with that trio would be impressive enough, but the Reds actually took someone else in between Lewis and Sirota in 2024. That honor belongs to former LSU righty Luke Holman, who we’ve seen for a grand total of 15.2 IP across two years after being drafted.
Holman, now 23, needed Tommy John surgery early in 2025 in his first year as a pro, and that paired with a groin problem in 2026 cost him almost two full seasons of rehab with only 6 games on the mound in any form. That was before this month’s Arizona Fall League, however, and like many of the recent players the Reds have sent to the AFL, Holman’s job there wasn’t simply to soak up the spotlight in a great environment for future experience, it was to use it as a bridge after injury-plagued seasons so that he can hit the ground running again in 2027.
So far, that’s precisely what he’s done. David Laurila of FanGraphs caught up with Holman after his most recent outing left him having fired 9.0 IP in AFL play and having allowed just a lone earned run – with a brilliant 15 strikeouts against just a lone walk in that time. Holman talks shop about his bevy of pitches and how his arm feels as good as ever at the moment, and it’s enough to give hope that the arm FanGraphs rates as the #17 prospect in the system (he ranks 23rd at MLB Pipeline) may well be back and 100% within a Reds farm system that’s seriously devoid of solid starting pitching prospects at the upper levels.
‘Upper levels’ may sound like a stretch when talking about a guy who’s thrown just 15.2 IP in two years across rookie ball and Low-A Daytona, but at 23 with a trio of years spent in the SEC with LSU it wouldn’t shock me at all to see him climb quickly this season if he can simply stay on the mound and prove he’s healthy.
And if he does, the Reds have some long-awaited depth in their pitching ranks again.
Kurt Suzuki never really had a chance as manager of the Los Angeles Angels. Signed to a one-year contract by a lame-duck owner with an industry lockout looming, Suzuki might have needed to win the World Series to save his job.
Suffice to say he didn’t do either.
The Angels announced Wednesday, Oct. 21 that they have fired Suzuki after one season as their manager, during which he presided over the first 100-loss season in franchise history.
Suzuki, 42, served as a special assistant in former general manager Perry Minasian’s front office. After Ron Washington’s managerial tenure ended after last season, Minasian appointed Suzuki to run the club, although the former catcher was granted just a one-year contract to do so. He had a club option for 2027 and the club announced he will be offered a position as a special assistant with the organization, which he held from 2023-2025.
Minasian was fired midway through the season and interim GM John Mozeliak traded away veterans more aggressively than his predecessor, signaling at least a shift toward rebuilding.
Eventually, Moreno agreed to sell the team to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who has collected a very successful sports portfolio. If the one-year deal and Minasian’s firing didn’t seal Suzuki’s fate, the agreement to sell the team certainly did.
A new owner will surely want to select his dugout boss, and the impending Dec. 1 lockout means Kroenke might not need to hire a manager until after the sale of the club is finalized early in 2027. The club announced that "in coordination with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, will search for a new manager and coaching staff for the 2027 season."
Suzuki played 16 seasons in the major leagues, winning a World Series with the 2019 Washington Nationals before finishing his catching career with the Angels in 2021 and 2022. He joins Brad Ausmus – who managed the club in 2019 – as an Angels skipper for just one season.
It may be a long shot, but two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff would love to have a spot on the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series roster.
The one-time staff ace hasn't pitched since going 3⅔ innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 4 due to right shoulder inflammation. However, he was at American Family Field on Tuesday, Oct. 20, throwing 23 pitches to several of the Brewers' best hitters − Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Jake Bauers.
Once his shoulder flared up for a second time after spending nearly two months on the injured list in May and June, Woodruff was supposed to undergo season-ending surgery in August. However, he gradually started feeling better and opted for another attempt at building up his arm strength.
He's since progressed to throwing off the mound, and in Tuesday's session, registered between 90 and 92 mph with his fastball. It's an encouraging sign for him ... but it could make things much more difficult for the Brewers' decision-makers with the final roster due on Friday morning.
“I know where I’m at. I’ve only faced live hitters once and the World Series starts in three days,” Woodruff told MLB.com. “As far as a decision, I haven’t heard anything. I’m sure they are discussing it.”
Woodruff said he'll see how his shoulder reacts over the next couple days.
"I get it from their vantage point. The apprehensions, I understand that," he said. "All I could do was put myself in a position to be an option.”
DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 29: Keegan Thompson #34 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 29, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies 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. 38, Keegan Thompson (-0.2 rWAR)
Keegan Thompson’s first season with the Rockies may have been short, but it mirrored his career. It started off on a good note, but didn’t last.
Thompson made his debut on May 23 for the Rockies, who signed the 31-year-old RHP in January after he was waived by the Cincinnati Reds. The third-round pick from the 2017 MLB Draft threw 2.2 scoreless innings in a 5-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
Thompson allowed one run on one hit and posted one strikeout against the Giants in the Rockies 8-6 win on May 29.
The next three outings went much worse.
He was hit hard in the following 8.1 innings, being tagged for 10 runs on 15 hits. Thompson struck out eight during the stretch and didn’t walk any; however, by the time his five appearances were done, he had an 8.25 ERA — the worst season in his five-year MLB career.
Thompson cleared waivers and spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Albuquerque where he made 25 appearances, including 15 starts. He posted a 5.28 ERA with two holds, one save, 56 strikeouts, 35 walks and a 2-5 record in 73.1 innings. He also missed two-and-a-half weeks on the IL from the end of August through early September.
Thompson, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, made his MLB debut in May of 2021. For two years, he served as a starter and reliever and enjoyed a decent amount of success. In 2021 and 2022, Thompson posted a 3.64 ERA in 61 innings (23 starts) with a 13-8 record and 2.2 rWAR.
Paralleling the end of his 2026 season in Colorado, he spent the next two seasons splitting his time as a reliever for the Cubs and their Triple-A Iowa squad. He made 43 appearances out of the bullpen for the Cubs in 2023 and 2024 with a 3.66 ERA, but just a 0.6 rWAR. By the end of 2024, he declared free agency and was signed by the Reds. He never appeared in the big leagues in 2025, pitching in 33 MiLB games with a 4.50 ERA.
When Thompson signed with the Rockies, he inked a one-year, $1.3 million deal. Thompson’s arsenal includes a four-seamer, a cutter and a sinker, with an occasional sweeper, curve or changeup. His velocity maxes out at about 92 mph, but his known for his ability to pound the strike zone, which the Rockies value under 2026’s new front office and coaching staff. Unfortunately for Keegan, it often resulted in other teams teeing off on him.
In the end, the inconsistency that has plagued Thompson throughout his MLB career continued in 2026.
It makes his future anything but certain come 2027.
