On the cusp of a World Series crown, a former Yankees phenom turned flameout is not ruling out a return to where it all started.
Catcher/designated hitter Gary Sanchez, a member of the 2026 National League champion Brewers, is preparing to face his one-time AL East foe, the Rays, in the World Series in search of his first career championship.
At 33, the well-traveled slugger has been with six different organizations in the five years since his Yankees career unceremoniously ended in 2022 with a trade to the Twins.
Gary Sánchez of the Brewers looks on during batting practice prior to Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Monday, October 12, 2026. Getty Images
But once the World Series wraps up, “El Gary” — who has spoken fondly of his at-times tumultuous career in the Bronx — is not ruling anything out.
“I’m still playing, and you never know,” Sanchez said in an interview with Jomboy Media’s JoezMcfly. “I’m a free agent [this offseason] and life takes many turns. You never know.”
A highly touted prospect in the Yankees’ system, Sanchez took the Yankees and MLB by storm in 2016, going on a torrid stretch over the last two months that nearly earned him Rookie of the Year honors.
Among his exploits, Sanchez earned Player of the Month honors for August and became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 11 career homers.
He followed that up by establishing himself as one of the team’s most feared hitters, posting a pair of 30-plus home run seasons and making two All-Star teams from 2017-2019.
New York Yankees’ Gary Sanchez looks to the scoreboard after striking out in the eighth inning and going 0 for 5 in the Yankees’ 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in a baseball game in New York, Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. AP
“You know, I had my best years in the big leagues with the Yankees,” Sanchez said. “Many fans will remember me for a long time, and I set records for the franchise too.
“I will be mentioned for a long time and it’s the team I played with the longest, so thank you for all the support.”
However, defense, hustle and ability to make consistent contact made Sanchez a polarizing figure in New York, cutting into his playing time and, ultimately, his Yankees tenure.
Since his departure, Sanchez has settled into a role as a right-handed power bat off the bench, making stops with the Twins, Mets, Padres, Orioles and now the Brewers for a second stint.
In 86 games this season, Sanchez slashed .209/.349/.422 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs.
His lone postseason at-bat resulted in a crucial walk, setting up Jackson Chourio’s walk-off single in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Sanchez’s once-suspect defense has seen improvement since leaving left New York, but he appeared behind the plate for 43 games this season while splitting the rest of his time between DH and first base.
The Yankees were reportedly in the market for a right-handed catcher this past season but ultimately did not make a trade, instead rolling with veteran Ali Sanchez down the stretch.
Entering an offseason that is likely to see a lockout, predicting any moves is difficult, but Sanchez appears more than open to a second act in the Big Apple.
NEW YORK - 1912. Birdie Cree, outfielder for the New York Highlanders poses for a portrait in 1912 in Hilltop Park, New York. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before he was Birdie, William Cree was a little man with a big right arm and impressive speed. Born about an hour south of Pittsburgh, like many players of his day, the old-timer had a unique path to the majors, including playing under a fake name to preserve his eligibility.
William Franklin “Birdie” Cree Born: October 23, 1882 (Khedive, PA) Died: November 7, 1942 (Sunbury, PA) Yankees Tenure: 1908-15
After finishing school in Pennsylvania, Cree attended Southwestern State Normal School, where he played football and baseball while earning his teaching credentials. After graduating in 1903, Cree started teaching in the public school system while continuing to play baseball and football. His athletic prowess earned him a scholarship offer from Penn State.
In the fall of 1904, just three days into his Nittany Lion football career, Cree dislocated his collarbone and was out for the season. However, he was healthy and ready for baseball the following spring. After collecting several extra-base hits, the nickname Birdie was born.
Cree actually used a variation of that nickname for his secret identity, presenting himself as Bill Burde, to play amateur baseball for some spending money while still in school. Following the 1907 season, Burde was purchased by Connie Mack and the Philadelphia Athletics.
The team left him with his amateur club for the start of the 1908 season and they moved him to center field. Before the season was over, Detroit acquired Cree the outfielder, not Burde the shortstop, from the Athletics and then promptly traded him to the New York Highlanders.
In September of 1908, Cree made his major league debut. He appeared in 21 games the rest of the way, batting .269 with two triples. The Highlanders finished the year in eighth place with a 51-103-1 record.
At age 26, in 1909, Cree played his first full season of professional baseball. The Highlanders moved him all over the field as he saw time at all three outfield spots, both middle infield positions, and even made one appearance at third base. Cree hit his first home run, which also happened to be the first home run hit out of legendary Shibe Park in Philadelphia by a right-handed batter. The team improved overall but still finished below .500.
The 1910 season was Cree’s breakthrough campaign. The team finished second in the American League with an 88-63-5 record, in part due to Cree’s improvement. His average increased by more than 20 points to .287, while he hit 16 triples and tied for the team lead with four home runs.
For an encore, Cree followed up his breakthrough season with what ended up being his best campaign. In 1911, Cree ranked in the top five in the American League in several categories and had one of the best seasons in club history by a non-superstar player. His batting average was .348, while he slugged .513 on 181 hits. That included 22 triples, 30 doubles, and 48 stolen bases. His production was good for a 5.6 WAR and a 152 OPS+.
The amazing run peaked and he started to come back down to earth in 1912. That season, Cree still slashed a very respectable .332/.409/.453 but was limited to only 50 games after battling a severe cold to start the year and then getting his wrist broken on a hit by pitch at the end of June. Sadly, Cree was never the same after this injury.
With the wrist injury lingering, Cree battled through the 1913 season. His average dropped to .272, but he still managed to hit 32 extra-base hits in 145 games. This year was the first in which the club was officially known as the Yankees, giving Cree the distinction of having played under both names.
Rocky is the only way to describe Cree’s 1914 season. Arriving overweight and out of shape, Cree was released and briefly played for Baltimore in the International League before the Yankees bought him back. Finishing off the year, Cree hit .309 in 77 games with a 2.9 WAR.
Cree couldn’t lose the weight he had added and then suffered another injury during spring training in 1915. In what would be his final professional season, Cree slashed .214/.353/.276 in 74 games, opting for retirement after the season rather than going down a level into the minors. Cree ended his career having played parts of eight different seasons professionally all with New York. His final career slash line was .292/.368/.398 and a 125 OPS+.
In retirement, Cree worked in banking and took up several leisure activities, such as golf and tennis. He even appeared at a few Old-Timers’ Days as well. But in November 1942, Cree succumbed to an illness just a couple weeks after turning 60.
Happy birthday, Birdie!
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 22: Taijuan Walker #99 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It would be unfair to blame Taijuan Walker for the 9-19 start and the firing of Rob Thomson, who was released after five miserable performances in the middle of the 10-game losing streak.
However, it is not unfair to use Taijuan Walker as a symbol of their biggest problem in 2026: failing to roster enough depth across the entire organization to overcome even minor injuries. They missed Zack Wheeler for 26 games to start the season and knew it was happening the entire offseason. Their starting pitching depth began and ended with Taijuan Walker during that time.
They did not face many significant rotation injuries the entire season. The starting rotation of Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Andrew Painter made 146 starts of a possible 162 during the season. There were only two instances where a rotation injury came into play, to begin with Wheeler, and the end of the year with Jesus Luzardo. Both were clear disasters.
Taijuan Walker pitched five games with the Phillies and they lost four of them. If you can read, you can see that they didn’t lose every single game he appeared in.
On April 11, Walker pitched five innings of two run ball with and recorded six strikeouts against the Arizona Diamondbacks. A perfectly solid outing for a number five starter, that is moving to the bullpen when their ace returns. They Phillies used five other pitchers to get through the game, including Orion Kerkering and Brad Keller, who did not last with the team the entire season for completely unrelated reasons.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper homered off Brandon Pfaadt, leading to a 4-3 win after Jhoan Duran closed out the ninth.
That one outing would end up mattering. If Walker put together one more stinker in a Phillies loss, both the Phillies and Diamondbacks would end up with the same record at 87-75. The Phillies do not make the playoffs and don’t have the privilege of getting body slammed by the Atlanta Braves in October to end the season.
In a way, Taijuan Walker is a massive part in the Phillies making the postseason. Think about it.
What went wrong
On a Wednesday night in Wrigley Field, Rob Thomson and the Phillies came up with a full-proof plan to fix Taijuan Walker. An opener.
Kyle Backhus would open against the top of the Chicago Cubs order, which included Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman, and Seiya Suzuki in the top four. Walker would come in for bulk relief and the Phillies would pull off a crazy concept of winning a baseball game in April.
The Phillies lost this game 7-2, falling to 8-16 and were on the brink of firing Rob Thomson. Backhus surrendered a run in the first, Walker gave up five in bulk relief, and Alan Rangel came in to finish the final three innings to preserve the rest of the bullpen.
The Backhus-Walker-Rangel game is the lowest point in the losing streak. There is nothing else. How in the world did the Phillies think this was a strategy to deploy in a Major League Baseball regular-season game? How?
Just a complete failure from everyone, whoever you want to blame. It’s on them.
I will never forget the Backhus-Walker-Rangel game. Neither should you.
Final grade: F
This grade is not even as much about Taijuan Walker and how things went. As I stated earlier, he was a big part in the Phillies making the postseason.
This is on the organization for not providing enough pitching depth. They hung onto Walker for 22.2 innings because they had no other viable plan if a starting pitcher got hurt. It’s an organizational F. It’s more of an F on Dave Dombrowski and the entire Phillies organism than it is on Taijuan Walker.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Riley Adams #15 of the Washington Nationals poses for a photo during the Washington Nationals Photo Day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 20, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Adams is 30 years old but has played in only 263 MLB games. So it’s safe to say that, no, he has not proven himself capable of sticking on a big league roster. At the plate, he struggles to make contact big time, posting a career strikeout rate of 32.5%. Only two qualified hitters in all of baseball had a higher strikeout rate than that last year and one of them, Colson Montgomery, just set the all-time record for most strikeouts in a single season. It’s really, really hard to make it in the big leagues when you whiff that much. And in Adams’s case, it doesn’t help that he’s not known to be particularly special with the glove; he’s relatively adept at controlling the running game, but grades out as a poor framer.
But what Adams does have is a very quick bat and some serious power. During his last stint in the big leagues, which came with the Washington Nationals in 2025, Adams popped 8 dongs in just 286 plate appearances. That’s not quite what Mickey Gasper did this year, when he went crazy with 10 in 225, but it’s not all that far off. And like Mikey, Adams is a terror against AAA pitching; he put up a .273/.389/.506 slash line with 16 homers in 82 AAA games this past season.
When I said he has serious power, I meant it. Here he is launching a ball completely out of the park during a spring training game:
And here he is showing off his arm:
What’s he doing in his picture up there?
Tipping his cap and saying “I think my work here is done” after once again saving the backyard of a home in La Jolla, California from the ravages of pampas grass using his pioneering dry ice removal method.
What’s his role on the 2027 Red Sox?
This is a depth signing. In all likelihood he’ll have the same role on the ‘27 Sox as Jason Delay had on the ‘26 Sox, which is to say, no role at all. But having said that, there is something to like in that bat, and the Red Sox have a very recent history of getting gold out of 30-year-old journeyman catchers with power. That doesn’t mean you should expect him to do what Mickey Gasper did this year — you should never expect to see that ever again , actually — but it does mean that you should keep an eye on him.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers is presented with the Most Valuable Player trophy after his team defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don’t know about y’all, but I’m incredibly excited for this World Series. The Rays and Brewers are both really fun teams, and while neither was the one I was rooting for when the postseason began, they’ve both won my heart to some degree with the way they handled their business so far this October. Ever since the two teams won their spots in the upcoming World Series, I’ve been thinking about how similar they are to each other and to the Royals, and what changes the Royals should be making to be more like them.
Starting pitching matters
There has been a lot of conversation surrounding the playoffs this year about how starting pitchers might be a dying breed. After all, starters have been pitching fewer and fewer innings for years. Then you get to this postseason and the White Sox made it all the way to ALDS Game 5 while using only one pitcher as a starter. The Guardians made it to Game 6 of the ALCS while using only two.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence, however, that the two World Series teams were among the ones who were willing to throw a starting pitcher every single game, even if he wasn’t necessarily the best pitcher available to them. The White Sox raced out to a 2-0 lead in the ALDS on the backs of their relievers but couldn’t keep it going forever. The Guardians decided they’d rather use their exceptionally effective relievers than allow Tanner Bibee to start a single playoff game, and it burned them in the ALCS when all of their relievers were worn out and overexposed. The Padres entered the postseason with the best bullpen in the majors, but they blew two games against the Brewers because they simply didn’t feel confident in any of their starters except Michael King.
The 2014 Royals showed that an elite bullpen performance could get you really far in the playoffs, but one aspect people slept on was that the Royals had competent, though not elite, starting pitching to keep things close for five-plus innings and prevent their relievers from being overworked or overexposed. Who knows how Game 7 of the 2014 World Series might have gone if the Royals had thought to just throw a true bullpen game, but they only got that far because they didn’t try it earlier.
This is actually something people have been discussing since at least 2024, though for some reason teams don’t seem to have taken it into account yet. That article discusses how overusing relievers can have a similar penalty to starters the third time through; ironically, the realization of the “third-time-through-the-order penalty” is what led teams to use their relievers like this in the first place. It sure seems like they’ve swung too hard in the other direction, though. I tend to think letting Tanner Bibee start Game 6 of the ALCS would have led to better results for the Guardians than asking all their best relievers to go out there not just for the third time in the series, but for the third time in three days, likely increasing the familiarity effect.
The lesson from this postseason isn’t “starting pitchers are irrelevant.” Instead, it is “you’d better have and use four competent starters or even the best bullpen will blow up in your face when they have to cover that many innings against the same team.”
Never stop trading
During the ALCS, there was a bit of schadenfreude in the fact that Tampa Bay beat Cleveland with home runs from their two best hitters, Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz, two players the Guardians traded to the Rays. According to FanGraphs, the Rays have the most players on their 26-man roster in baseball who were acquired by trade – the National League champion Brewers were third. Even more interesting was that NLCS MVP Jake Bauers was part of the Guardians’ return for Díaz, and the Guardians DFA-traded him away, too.
The Royals could spend more, and they might be a better team. I’d actually argue that if the Rays and Brewers were willing to even spend half of what the Dodgers do, given how great they are at roster-building, they’d be able to have an even more dominant dynasty than LA has enjoyed. But if the Royals won’t spend more money, they need to follow the Brewers’ and Rays’ leads in this way – make lots and lots of trades.
A couple of weeks ago, I evaluated how both the Brewers and Royals front offices had done at getting appropriate value in their transactions. One aspect I didn’t properly consider was the types of transactions each team performed, though. I evaluated a total of 69 transactions for the Brewers, 41 of those were trades. The Royals made 55 transactions, and 3o of those were trades. Those are fairly similar ratios, but of the 30 trades the Royals made, only 15 were made for guys who might possibly help beyond a season or two. The Brewers made 27 such trades, a much higher percentage. I don’t think it is a coincidence that one of the Royals’ best trades in recent years was the deal that sent Freddy Fermin to San Diego for Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. That trade helped them in the moment, but it also improved their team for the future. That’s exactly the kind of trade the Rays and Brewers do all the time that the Royals haven’t gotten the hang of.
Besides being willing to make bigger trades, the Royals should just be making more trades, period. People will act like the Guardians should have held on to Caminero and Díaz, but it’s not like the Rays or Brewers never make trades that send useful players away. After all, Bauers debuted with the Rays. And the Rays’ ALCS MVP, Freddy Peralta, was traded away by the Brewers earlier this year! To say nothing of how both teams have made trades in the past that sent valuable pieces away without getting anything good in return.
The Rays traded All-Star Tristan Peters to the White Sox for cash. They traded José Cabellero to the Yankees for Everson Pereira, then released him. They traded Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez to the Athletics for three minor leaguers you’ve never heard of. The Brewers traded Tyrone Taylor and Adrian Houser for Coleman Crow. Until these playoffs, Corbin Burnes for D.L. Hall and Joey Ortiz wasn’t looking great. Honestly, the Peralta and Durbin trades aren’t looking great, either. But neither team lets the fear of failure stop them from doing more trades and recovering from the missteps.
The trades the Royals have made smack of fear in comparison. The Royals need to be bolder and be willing to be wrong if they ever want to have a chance of being gloriously right.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 26: Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers celebrates his RBI double against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field on September 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 19: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during Game Six of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning everyone and happy Friday!
The 2026 World Series kicks off tonight with the Brewers hosting the Rays at 5pm PT. In the meantime, let’s catch you up on the goings-on of the sport we love.
Freddy Peralta is a breakout star of this year’s postseason. Jarrett Sielder at Baseball Prospectus looked back on all three trades that Peralta has been involved in as a professional. ($)
As we prepare for a grueling CBA battle that has been brewing for years, Jayson Stark at The Athletic wrote about how this World Series matchup is instilling hope that the sport isn’t as broken as some say it is.
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 11: Chase Harlan #11 of the Glendale Desert Dogs bats during the game between the Desert Dogs and the Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Surprise, AZ United States. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Taking the lead in the first at-bat of the game with a solo shot was a prelude to what would turn out to be a blowout win by the Desert Dogs over the Solar Sox—scoring 10 runs and giving up none. Glendale put up a complete performance top to bottom, a rare sight for a team that entered play on Thursday with 12 losses in 15 games.
Pitcher Sam Horn, who came into this game having made four appearances, was the first man out of Glendale’s bullpen. Horn managed to complete a scoreless sixth with one strikeout despite allowing a pair of base runners via walk and a hit.
Starting and batting cleanup, Chase Harlan was one of the standout performers for the Desert Dogs, leaving the yard in the seventh—his third home run in the Arizona Fall League. The homer wrapped up an outstanding performance for the third baseman, who secured a team-high four hits, driving in three and a triple shy of the cycle. While he didn’t drive anyone in or score a run, Eduardo Quintero managed a hit in the middle of this scoring fest for the visiting side.
Chase Harlan homers and is a triple shy of the cycle!
No games on Friday. The Glendale Desert Dogs return to the field on Saturday, hosting the Scottsdale Scorpions, with the Dodgers’ very own Luke Fox making the start. The first pitch will be at 4:30 p.m. (PT).
In the series of articles I’m writing about all the Cubs who are pending free agents or have various types of options, this will likely be among the shortest.
The Cubs signed Matthew Boyd to a two-year, $30 million deal before the 2025 season. It included a mutual $15 million option for 2027, with a $2 million buyout.
I’ll get to that, but let’s look at what Boyd produced over those two years.
The 2025 season was probably the best of Boyd’s career (though he had higher WAR with the Tigers in 2019). Boyd posted a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts in 2025 and made his only All-Star appearance.
This year was filled with injuries and some really rough outings. In the end it wasn’t a terrible season; he posted a 3.91 ERA in 22 starts, though his final start, in the Wild Card Series against the Padres, was a tough one.
That one will probably be our final memory of Boyd as a Cub. The team will almost certainly decline the mutual option, making him a free agent.
One thing Boyd did exceptionally well is pickoffs. He had 12 in 2025, leading MLB by a significant margin (no one else had more than six). With fewer innings this year, he led again with six. We’ll miss that.
Boyd turns 36 in February. He’s probably past his best years and I think the Cubs should move on, thanking him for the two years he spent here and paying him the buyout. Apart from brief times in Seattle and Cleveland, Boyd had his best MLB success as a North Sider. Thanks, Matthew, for that, and I wish you well going forward.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 15: Austin Warren #44 of the New York Mets looks on during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field on September 15, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After five years of sporadic big league appearances, Austin Warren established himself as a key member of the Mets’ bullpen in 2026. Claimed by New York ahead of the 2025 season from the Giants, Warren made five appearances over four different stints with the club. However, in 2026, Warren was a key member of the relief corps and, aside from a handful of appearances, was very good for the Mets.
Warren threw a six-pitch mix this season, but relied mostly on four: a curveball, four-seam fastball, sinker, and sweeper. The sweeper is his bread and butter, thrown 45.5% of the time, but wasn’t his most frequently used put-out pitch, which would be the sinker. Warren walked more batters than you’d like from a reliever (4.3/9), but he was able to keep most of them from scoring.
For the first two months of the year, Warren appeared in 14 games and only gave up runs in two of them, and the runs did not change the outcome of the games, both of which the Mets lost. Things got a little rougher in June, where the Mets lost in back to back appearances by Warren on June 6 and 10. In each, he gave up two runs, including the second game, where he acted as the opener.
However, the worst two appearances of the season came in July, and were followed immediately by a stint on the Injured List with a right forearm strain. Over two appearances, Warren threw two plus innings of work, giving up nine earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
When Warren returned, he was more or less back to his early season performance, giving up just five earned runs in 15 appearances, striking out 18, walking six, and one home run over his final 15 and a third innings.
Warren is arbitration eligible this season and seems likely to be tendered a contract after his strong performance. Plus, his mustache game is strong, rocking a Sean Reid-Foley/Major Dad-esque soup strainer. The Mets need better facial hair in general, so you can’t lose a key player like this.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics pitches in the top of the first inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on September 25, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Friday everyone!
The race to crown a first-time champion begins tonight as the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers host the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Fall Classic.
Milwaukee’s hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski will start his team’s first World Series game in 44 years, while the Rays will counter with right-hander Nick Martinez, who is coming off a career-best season. It is fitting that these two teams are the last ones standing, given how much discussion of a salary cap and floor has hovered over MLB this season. Baseball fans, be sure to enjoy this World Series because the threat of an owner-imposed lockout could shut down the sport for an undetermined period.
Moving forward under new president of baseball operations Taylor Smith, the Athletics would be wise to follow the blueprint that the Brewers and Rays have successfully used. By relying on strong scouting and player development along with player acquisitions driven by shrewd use of research and data, these two small-market organizations annually build competitive rosters that often outperform their big-market division rivals.
If the A’s can blend this modern “Moneyball” strategy with what will likely be increased revenue from their new ballpark in Las Vegas, this historic club has the chance to escape last-place purgatory.
However, before the A’s Las Vegas era begins, the team will play one more season at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park. Over the past two years, the team’s pitching staff has significantly struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard.
As a result, the A’s pitching staff, particularly its bullpen, needs a major boost. Upgrades could come from minor league prospects such as Jamie Arnold and Wei-En Lin making their mark in the majors, free-agent signings or trades, or current players such as Jack Perkins and Jacob Lopez taking the next step. This is where Smith’s background in research, data and statistics could make a difference.
In addition to bolstering the A’s roster this offseason, Smith must help manager Mark Kotsay hire several new assistant coaches, including a pitching coach. If the 2027 season happens and the team continues to flounder, that could spell the end of Kotsay’s tenure.
Who do you want to win the World Series? Did Smith’s intro press conference make you more or less excited about the hire? If you were in his shoes, what would you do first to improve the A’s roster?
October 22, 1972 – The celebration begins as the #Oakland A's, ending an #Athletics franchise streak of 40 consecutive years without a World Series appearance, defeat the #Reds 3 to 2 in the deciding 7th game to win the World Series championship.#MLB#OTD#1970spic.twitter.com/VuFIWa7Cu7
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres reacts after striking out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fourth 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
Now that all but two teams are done playing, baseball and the writers who cover the game are turning their attention to the brief span of time that will be the open market for players. With the potential lockout looming on Dec. 2, executives, players and agents must devise a strategy for handling this unique month ahead of them.
The last lockout, during the 2021 offseason, lasted 99 days. Spring Training was shortened and regular season double-headers had to be played to get all the games in. There was no salary floor or salary cap proposed last time. The game was still recovering from the COVID pandemic and that contentious subject was avoided.
This time, with a resurgent sport and enthusiastic fan base, it seems both sides are willing to risk alienating those fans in order to bring massive change or keep the status quo in the financial structure of baseball.
A trade could make the most sense
A recent article by Andy McCullough in The Athleticfloated the idea that executives and agents alike might make a fast start to this abbreviated free agent period. There is a sentiment that signing before potential rule changes could benefit both sides. The unpredictable time span before a new season begins could spur unprecedented activity.
Signing first baseman Ty France to a deal should be the priority for the San Diego Padres. But at the same time, they need to consider a trade. One that would give them a little financial wiggle room but would also address a need.
Tim Britton, also of The Athletic, surveyed the free agent class of players available during this volatile time. While the pitching market looks ripe with talent, the position player class is rated as the second worst in a decade. The best hitters on the list, Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki and Brandon Lowe, are all 32 years old.
The Padres’ primary need is starting pitching. Most of their positions are occupied once they re-sign France. Should they also re-sign Ramón Laureano, the bench would be their primary positional need.
Deal from a strength
They also have three catchers on the major league depth chart. That is most likely one too many. They have an outfielder who owns two Platinum Gloves and prefers to play in the infield.
For multiple seasons, Jake Cronenworth has been the subject of trade rumors but he has remained a Padre every time. He plays the position that Fernando Tatis Jr. would probably choose to play. They also have a defense-first infielder in Sung-Mun Song who needs to play more so that he can get better against major league pitching.
Packaging either Freddie Fermin or Luis Campusano with Jake Cronenworth in exchange for a starter or bench depth/outfielder could go a long way toward setting the Padres up for what will need to be an active free agent period.
A busy trip to Las Vegas
The General Manager’s meetings begin in Las Vegas on Nov. 9. They are traditionally the start of the trade season, with the free agent market usually getting hot during the Winter Meetings. With the pending labor dispute, the Winter Meetings will likely be cancelled and everything will be swinging in Las Vegas.
President of baseball operations/general manager A.J. Preller will have a structure by then that will dictate the financials and goals of the organization. He should know how much he can spend and which players are considered available. He will have a shopping list for what is needed.
If the Padres can make a fast break during November, getting a skeleton of a starting staff and their team MVP of 2026 back in the fold, the extended work stoppage that might come will not bring as much worry to the fan base.
Knowing that the 2027 season, whenever it begins, has most of a team already in place should decrease the anxiety that the shortened offseason would normally bring.
There is also a chance everyone plays it safe and almost nothing happens during the short signing season. But the chance of that seems like a big gamble for the teams that consider themselves playoff contenders. Pushing through a lot of business in a short time will make for hasty decisions and probably inflate player values.
The November flurry of activity could be a small one or a blizzard. If it’s a blizzard, the Padres and Preller have to be taking part.
Padres News:
In his ongoing grading of players on the Padres’ roster, Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball takes a look at veteran shortstop, Xander Bogaerts.
Here is all the information for Game 1 of the World Series, which starts tonight along with three questions to think about as the championship series gets underway.
Former San Diego pitcher Nick Martinez will start Game 1 for Tampa Bay against Milwaukee and ace Jacob Misiorowski.
Oct 7, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the heels of his breakout 2025 campaign, the Yankees extended a qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, an offer that the outfielder accepted. On the surface, it seemed like a piece of business that could work out nicely for both sides. The Yankees retained their starting center fielder at a price just north of $20 million, and Grisham got a chance to prove his 2025 was no fluke, setting him up to enter free agency in 2026 without a qualifying offer and with his status as one of the top hitters on the market cleanly established.
For a while, everything went according to plan. Then, injuries struck, Grisham’s production plummeted, and his, and the Yankees’, season ended in ignominy.
Grisham got off to a nominally slow start this year, but thanks in part to the near-ubiquity of Statcast, most fans saw through his opening slump. The 29-year-old was hitting the ball well, but he wasn’t hitting ’em where they ain’t, so the early-season consensus on Grisham was that he was just one of the unluckiest hitters in baseball.
Eventually, the results started to come. After the calendar turned to May and up through June 12th, Grisham hit .290/.373/.473, and was one of the primary reasons the Yankee offense remained excellent during the interim period between Aaron Judge’s initial injury and his placement on the IL.
On that day of June 12th, however, Grisham’s season changed irreversibly. Grisham suffered what the team referred to as a “moderate” hamstring strain in his right leg, landing him on the injured list. Grisham only missed about three weeks with the ailment, but when he returned, he wasn’t the same player. From his return on July 3rd on, Grisham hit just .186/.269/.381.
What made matters worse was Grisham’s deteriorating performance in center field. Even during his superlative 2025 season, Grisham’s defense regressed by almost any measure, and at no point in 2026, before or after his hamstring injury, did Grisham look like he was in position to bounce back in that facet of the game. By season’s end, Grisham rated in the tenth percentile among outfielders in Statcast’s Range metric, and was eight runs below average by Defensive Runs Saved.
Grisham’s decline came to a head in the playoffs. He reinjured his right hamstring in early September, and hit the IL for the remainder of the regular season before the Yankees activated him for the postseason. Grisham started both games of the Wild Card Series against Boston and did well enough with the bat, picking up two hits in Game 2, but he did not look capable of playing center field at the major league level:
The Yankees stuck with Grisham as they faced off with Tampa Bay in the ALDS, and Grisham went 0-for-11 with five strikeouts while continuing to play a limited form of center field defense.
As far as Grisham defenders go, I actually consider myself as one of the staunchest. Grisham was one of the team’s best hitters before he got hurt this season, and though there’s no way to prove this definitively, I believe that he would have gone on to have an excellent offensive season had he stayed healthy. But the fact of the matter is that Grisham did get hurt, and the player that was scalding the ball early in the year ceased to exist. Despite that version of Grisham disappearing, the Yankees stuck with him to the bitter end, a decision that in all likelihood hurt their chances of prevailing when they faced off with the American League’s top seed in the playoffs. It’s unfortunate that Grisham hitting leadoff in the season’s last game and going 0-for-5 may very well be the lasting image of him in pinstripes for many fans, especially since Grisham’s tenure in the Bronx should largely be defined by his reinvention with the bat and his mid-career growth into a formidable power threat.
Trent Grisham and the Yankees in 2026 could have worked out. Perhaps there’s an alternate universe out there very similar to this one, where Grisham’s hamstring stayed intact and he hit 35 bombs to give the Yankees another potent lefty bat in the lineup. But that’s not the universe we live in. Here, Grisham got hurt and his performance suffered, with the team trotting him out there in a vain attempt to get him back to his prior self night after night. It’s because of that that Grisham goes home with one of the harshest grades you’ll see in our Report Card series.
The last time the Mets made a big splash by signing a position player from Japan was the only time they made a big splash signing a position player from Japan.
It was the 2003-04 offseason, and the player was Kaz Matsui, a power-hitting superstar infielder. The signing of Matsui was enormous at the time since it came on the heels of Ichiro Suzuki being the first-ever Japanese position player to be posted and signed by an MLB team -- in 2001 with the Mariners, when he won the MVP award. Shortly after Suzuki arrived, Hideki Matsui inked a deal with the Yankees during the 2002-03 offseason and made an immediate impact in the majors.
The Mets had signed a Japanese position player before, landing the flashy outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo ahead of the 2001 season. But Shinjo, while a fun player, was not viewed as a difference-maker.
Kaz Matsui was, though he didn't live up to the hype. He had a respectable .727 OPS in 2004 but flamed out quickly in New York, with a .670 OPS in 255 games over parts of three seasons before he was traded to Colorado in June of 2006. Matsui had some solid years for the Rockies and Astros later in his career, but never hit more than nine home runs in a season -- a massive disappointment after blasting 30-plus homers in back-to-back seasons for the Seibu Lions in Japan before coming to the majors.
Since Matsui, the Mets have been active in the Japanese market, but it has been limited to pitchers -- most recently the signing of Kodai Senga and strong pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto before he landed with the Dodgers.
Meanwhile, Japanese position players have continued to wind up elsewhere.
Most recently, Shohei Ohtani went to the Angels and then the Dodgers (refusing to even consider an East Coast team), Seiya Suzuki signed with the Cubs, Kazuma Okamoto landed with the Blue Jays, and Munetaka Murakami inked a deal with the White Sox.
Another crop of Japanese stars is about to hit the open market this offseason, and slugging infielder Teruaki Sato could be a strong fit for New York.
Should the Mets pursue Sato? Here are the pros and cons...
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers right fielder Teruaki Sato (8) gestures during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita - Imagn Images
PROS
Sato has reached another level offensively over the last two seasons for the Hanshin Tigers.
He smacked 40 homers and 34 doubles while posting a .924 OPS in 2025 as he won the Central League MVP award. Sato followed that up in 2026 with another monster season. In 143 games, he slashed .306/.383/.609 with 39 home runs, 40 doubles, 100 runs scored, and 106 RBI -- winning the Triple Crown in the process.
Sato also excelled in a small sample against international competition in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, hitting .300/.417/.600 with three doubles in 12 plate appearances.
A look at Sato's advanced stats doesn't reveal any glaring issues. While he has a propensity to strike out (he fanned 164 times in 143 games in 2026), his strikeout percentage has been quite steady since 2023 -- and it actually ticked down a bit from 2025 (27.3 percent) to 2026 (26.7 percent) as his power output increased. Sato's BABIP in 2026 (.370) was a career high, so there should be some regression there. But his BABIP has always trended relatively high (.343 in 2024, .323 in 2025).
When it comes to durability, Sato has been a rock of sorts, appearing in 132 or more games in each of his first six seasons.
Sato also has youth on his side, as he'll be playing the entire 2027 season at just 28 years old.
While Sato has been primarily a third baseman and corner outfielder in Japan, many experts believe his defensive home in the majors will be at first base.
If Sato is indeed destined for first base, it would make him an ideal fit for a Mets team that still has a huge hole at the position. Jared Young performed admirably there this past season with Jorge Polanco injured and Mark Vientos ineffective, but Young -- who doesn't have much power and struggles against left-handed pitching -- might profile better in a reserve role.
Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Hanshin Tigers right fielder Teruaki Sato (8) poses for a photo after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita - Imagn Images
CONS
While Sato might fit better at first base than third base, that doesn't mean he can definitely handle the position. At the same time, plenty of players have made a successful transition across the diamond, so there should be hope that a relatively athletic player like Sato can do it.
Another possible knock against Sato -- strictly when it comes to a possible Mets pursuit -- is that he hits from the left side of the plate.
The Mets are already very left-handed, with Juan Soto, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing among their key offensive cogs. But they do have some variety with the switch-hitting Francisco Lindor, both of their catchers (Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens), and Bo Bichette (if he opts in to his contract) all hitting from the right side.
Then there's the strikeouts.
As is noted above, Sato's strikeout rate for Hanshin in 2026 was 26.7 percent (164 K's in 143 games).
In 2024, in what was his last full season playing in Japan, Murakami's strikeout rate was 29.5 percent (180 in 143 games). In 69 games in 2025, Murakami's strikeout rate was 28.6 percent (71 in 69 games). In his first season for the White Sox, Murakami fanned a whopping 196 times in 127 games -- a rate of 35.4 percent.
Even though it's fair to expect Sato's strikeout rate to tick up as he transitions to the majors, there's no reason to believe it will be as stark as Murakami's increase.
In any event, even while striking out as often as he did in 2026, Murakami was still very valuable for Chicago, posting an .825 OPS (130 OPS+) and cracking 35 homers in 127 games.
VERDICT
With the Mets seemingly locked in at most positions on the diamond, the easiest way to move the needle offensively is to add someone to play first base or be the regular designated hitter. And with there being serious drawbacks to adding a DH-only player, the target should be first base.
There are other intriguing first basemen set to be on the free agent market, including Ty France. But none of them possess the upside of Sato.
Sato obviously comes with some risk, but it's time for the Mets to take a big swing on a high upside talent.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 22: A general view of American Family Field during the 2026 World Series workout day and media availability on Thursday, October 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For some people, Braves out equals no more baseball. For others, they’ll take as much as they can get.
I’m weird: I’ll take as much of the regular season as I can get, but lose interest in the short-series-tournament format pretty handily. I nominally watched the Braves in their two postseason series, though with far more multitasking and less paying attention than all the games that came before. I haven’t watched any other postseason series, though I have followed along with some. (Most were kinda boring, though.)
Honestly, a big reason why I have less interest is because MLB.tv is very convenient, but those stateside can’t get MLB.tv to show playoff games without a lot of hassle, and I just have no real interest in enduring hassle for the sake of receiving a product that I already receive, with payment willingly made, for the prior six months. One day, MLB might offer an a la carte plan for postseason viewing, and, well, my tune might change. But that’s not this year, or probably next year, either.
But, you are not me, and there’s one series left. Will you be watching?
(@JoezMcfLy) October 23, 2026
