That’s consecutive ALDS exits against AL East rivals that were better than the Yanks during the regular season now, so the team must get better. How does that happen? There are important free agents looming, like closer David Bednar, so big decisions must be made. All those will come as the sport sorts through negotiations for a new labor agreement, which will have an as-yet unknown impact on the game’s economics.
Here are five Yankees storylines to follow during the offseason...
The outside debate over whether the Yanks need a new dugout voice rages with every end of season loss (and often long before). Perhaps a culture jolt would be just the thing. But fans’ ire does not fire or hire when it comes to the Yankee manager, so Boone seems likely to stick.
He’s got one year left on his deal. A likely lockout would give a new manager little time to get set and get to know players. Big-name stars such as Aaron Judge and Cam Schlittler backed Boone after the Game 3 loss.
There’s also an easy way for the Yankees to talk themselves into letting Boone proceed -- Judge, probably the best hitter in the world, played only 66 games, none in the postseason. Other stars missed significant time, too. In a season of tribulation, the Yankees weren’t good enough, but they still won 93 games and beat Boston in the Wild Card Series. Boone has missed the playoffs once in nine years guiding the Yanks.
Judge urged the Yanks to go "all-in" and "go out there and get it" to fill whatever holes the team has going forward. How does that happen, especially in a generally-thin free agent market? The Yankees have some well-regarded young big leaguers who helped them get to the playoffs.
Do they get creative on the trade market with them and their prospects? Or do they trade peanuts for some team’s bad contract and hope they snag a player who is re-energized in the Bronx? They’d better do something, especially with a lineup that flagged during the season and then produced, well, that October.
It’s one thing to say that good pitching beats good hitting in the October cauldron, but the Yankees were dreadful on offense against the Rays, batting .130 with a .431 OPS. Even with the team missing Judge, they can’t be that awful. Without Ben Rice, would they have even scored at all? (We’re exaggerating, he only drove in three of the Yanks five runs in the series, but still).
There’s no wiggle room at designated hitter. Rice and Judge, who turns 35 in April, require at-bats there. Giancarlo Stanton has no position other than DH. Maybe they could steal from the Rays playbook and add players with big-time ball-in-play skills to diversify?
Second thoughts
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a free agent and Anthony Volpe revitalized his career after being sent to Triple-A and returning with vigor. Perhaps Chisholm out, Volpe in is the easiest way to solve second base.
Jul 22, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) react after winning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
It’s pretty unlikely Chisholm returns -- he did not live up to his big talent in his walk year, heard boos at Yankee Stadium, and was so un-vital to the Yankee cause that Boone didn't start him in Game 3 against a righty.
The Yanks could make him a qualifying offer and get a draft pick when he signs elsewhere. But they’d have to be OK with him returning. He could just grab the $23-plus million and try to reset his free agency with a bigger season on what figures to be a good Yankee team in ‘27.
Finally, the Yanks’ biggest deadline deal brought them Luis García Jr., a thunderous lefty bat. He played only first base for the Yankees and Nationals this season, but spent the previous three seasons as Washington’s second baseman. He’s played second, but can he play second? Especially for a club that just embarrassed itself defensively this postseason?
Pen notes
The Yanks have done a remarkable job discovering and developing useful relievers for years, but that doesn’t mean they should overthink closer this winter. Bednar is a free agent. The Yankees should re-sign him. He recorded 35 saves and a 2.47 ERA in 64 games during the regular season and added three scoreless postseason innings.
He’s proven he can handle the New York market, and his entrance song -- "Renegade" by Styx -- sounds cool.
Beyond Bednar, Paul Blackburn is another key bullpen free agent and he’s coming off an insane platform year -- a 1.69 ERA in 62 games and one hit allowed over six shutout innings in the playoffs. He’s a keeper, too.
Get defensive
We’ll stop short of using the term "run prevention" for obvious reasons, but the Yanks have had two high-profile defensive meltdowns in the postseason in the last three seasons and need to fix their defense. A few Dodgers chirped them after the Game 5 debacle in the 2024 World Series, but that wasn’t humiliating enough to prevent the Yankees from bungling Game 2 against the Rays with another torrent of miscues.
Another early October exit is, sadly for them, becoming familiar territory. But a near-annual blooper-fest in the playoffs can’t be on repeat, too. If it takes new defensive protocols, more infield practice during the season, more accountability or better defenders, it must stop.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 19: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a two-run home run to center field to give Cleveland a 5-2 lead in the first inning against the Athletics at Progressive Field on September 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Angel Martinez has had a horrific 2026 ALDS so far… he should still start in left field tonight.
First, let’s stare at the bleak numbers right in the face. Martinez is 0 for 12 with 7 strikeouts. He is chasing everything and whiffing at everything. He has gone 0 for 4 with runners on base and stranded eight baserunners, including three who were on third base. In positive news, he has been solid in left field and ran a mile to catch a pop-up that Brayan Rocchio and Jose Ramirez lost in the lights in Monday’s games. …But, his -100 wRC+ feels about right… he is a clear negative in terms of helping the Guardians win a baseball game at the moment.
So, why shouldn’t Stephen Vogt make a switch today? Maybe put Adell in right, DeLauter in left and let Nate Lowe DH and David Fry play first base, or vice versa? Maybe make Travis Bazzana DH and get Angel Genao a start at second base?
The reason is because Angel Martinez was one of the hottest hitters in baseball August-September with a 152 wRC+ and a .310/.346/.510 slashline. He is more than capable of getting back on track and the way to do so is pretty simple… I am sure every coach and player around him is saying “Just stay patient enough to make them throw you a strike. Force the pitcher to get the ball in the zone and jump on it.” If Angel can take even one walk or get to even one full-count early in the game, he will give himself the potential to unleash his power on this series.
The options behind Martinez are a big part of why he should continue to start. While I thought it might be nice to give him a chance to enter the game off the bench and start Daniel Schneemann yesterday, neither Schneemann, nor Petey Halpin, nor Angel Genao, nor David Fry are offensive threats of particular note. Genao showed some good contact ability yesterday… Martinez has contact ability if he can just lay off a few non-competitive pitches. Fry’s year-long struggles are well-known, Halpin is defense and speed only, and Daniel Schneemann has a career wRC+ under 80. The time to have added another bopper is passed. Martinez gives the team their best chance of impacting the ball with some authority in his role and should get another chance tonight.
Now, if we are sitting here Friday having somehow won the game, and Martinez is now 0 for 16 with 10 strikeouts… I think then it is time to recognize he’s not pulling out of it with the weight of the playoffs sitting firmly on his shoulders and a breather is probably best. Of course, there is no tomorrow. The Guardians have to win today or they are done. So, it’s a risk to continue to start Martinez… but I don’t think there is a preferable risk to exchange his volatility to pursue.
Angel, you’ve got this. You’ve done it all season long. You’ve seen all these pitchers a dozen times. Take a deep breath and remember it’s not all on you. Spit on some bad pitches and pounce on the first thing you see in the zone and you can redeem every bad game that’s happened before like they never existed. We believe in you.
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Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got ourselves a rematch.
Just like last year, Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers and Christian Yelich’s Milwaukee Brewers are meeting in the NLCS.
And, once again, Pat Murphy’s club has home-field advantage. Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 will be at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI.
Not everything about this Series is the same, though.
“I think it is different this year. … We’re going in to beat them,” Murphy told Fox Sports, referring to his team getting swept in 2025. “We earned it in the regular season to get home-field advantage. We’re going in to beat them, we don’t care who they have.”
If you’d like to be there to see if the Brew Crew really have what it takes to dethrone the defending World Series champion Dodgers, tickets are available for all four hypothetical contests in the Cream City.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one game in Milwaukee was $224 including fees on Vivid Seats.
Prices start at $144 including fees for fans hoping to attend a showdown at Dodger Stadium.
Ahead of the NLCS, Milwaukee battled with San Diego in a tense, back-and-forth four-game NLDS that saw instantly iconic moments like a clutch Jackson Chourio catch in Game 1, a Jackson Chourio walk-off single in Game 2 and Garrett Mitchell robbing Manny Machado of a home run in Game 4.
As for the Dodgers, the club continued their winning ways in the postseason [Editor’s Note: They haven’t lost a playoff series since the Diamondbacks beat them in the 2023 NLDS] and beat up on the formidable Braves.
Kiké Hernández smashed a home run — the 17th postseason dinger of his career, putting him ahead of Babe Ruth (!) on the all-time list — in the decisive fourth game and stellar offensive performances from Andy Pages and Max Muncy.
We can’t wait to see what comes next.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Dodgers vs. Brewers 2026 NLCS below.
What do the cheapest tickets cost for NLCS games in Milwaukee?
A complete breakdown of all the best prices on tickets for every hypothetical game at Milwaukee’s American Family Field can be found here:
Brewers home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Sunday, Oct. 11
$236(including fees)
Game 2 Monday, Oct. 12
$224(including fees)
Game 6 Sunday, Oct. 18
$235(including fees)
Game 7 Monday, Oct. 19
$277(including fees)
How much are the cheapest tickets for NLCS games in Los Angeles?
All of the cheapest potential Dodgers NLCS home game ticket prices are listed below.
Dodgers home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Wednesday, Oct. 14
$160(including fees)
Game 4 Thursday, Oct. 15
$150(including fees)
Game 5 Friday, Oct. 16
$144(including fees)
How can I watch the Dodgers vs. Brewers 2026 NLCS?
For fans who prefer to watch on the tube, you can catch this nervy series on FOX and FS1.
Both providers listed above can be found on the one-stop shop known as DIRECTV.
Huge 2026-27 concerts
Fans hoping to get a concert or three in this year too are in luck.
After a bit of digging, we found that many of the biggest names in music will be on the road this year and next.
Here are just five of the biggest acts and artists we can’t wait to see live in the near future.
• Aerosmith
• Stevie Wonder
• RUSH
• Robert Plant
• Def Leppard with Goo Goo Dolls
Who else is out and about? Take a look at this list of all the biggest rockers on tour in 2026 to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
ATLANTA — Finishing off the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NL Division Series meant more to the Los Angeles Dodgers than avoiding a winner-take-all Game 5.
By ending the series with a 4-1 victory, the Dodgers will have extra time to reset their rotation, bullpen and struggling slugger Shohei Ohtani for the Championship Series opening game.
“It’s important. It was very important,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Once you get to an elimination game, a Game 5 or a Game 7, anything can happen. And to be able to win today, get back, reset, have a day off tomorrow, set the rotation, it’s huge.”
The extra rest means Tarik Skubal likely will be the choice to start against Milwaukee instead of handling a Game 5 against the Braves. Similarly, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow will be well rested for their expected NLCS starts.
Infielder Miguel Rojas may need the extra rest for a sore lower back that kept him out.
Also, Edwin Díaz will have ample time to reset after recording saves on back-to-back days to close out the series against Atlanta. The ninth-inning work showed Díaz is re-established as the closer.
“The team trusts me,” Díaz said. “I think that was the most important thing for me, the team trusts me. They give me the ball every single day. And the last two nights it’s been amazing. That’s why I came here to win games and close games like this one. So I’m really happy right now.”
Despite those advantages, Roberts is preparing for a tough NLCS as the Dodgers try to move closer to their goal of becoming the first NL team to win three consecutive World Series.
“We’ve got our work cut out,” Roberts said, adding extra rest also will be important for such players as Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.
Ohtani was 2 for 13 against Atlanta and hasn’t homered since Aug. 18 while dealing with injuries to his right biceps, left knee and neck that have also kept the two-way player off the mound.
“So kind of enjoy this one, get Shohei a couple of days to get back,” Roberts said. “Freddie, he had a big series, but, again a couple of days will help him. Give our guys in the ‘pen a little reset. So we’ll be ready to go Game 1.”
Díaz pitched a perfect ninth inning in the clinching win. The on-field celebration was a low-key affair, but Roberts and his players, wearing “Take October” T-shirts and goggles to protect their eyes, soon were drenched with champagne.
The Dodgers made the most of their opportunity to celebrate another postseason series win while maintaining their focus on a third straight World Series championship.
“Our goal is to win the World Series, not this series,” Díaz said. “We’ve got eight more wins to go. So our goal is win those eight games. And at the end of the day when we win those eight games, we celebrate.
“Now we’re going back to LA to keep working. I know all the guys are on the same track. Now we just celebrate a little bit, go back to LA, get working and be ready for Sunday.”
Andy Pages’ bases-loaded single in the seventh drove in two runs to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. Max Muncy added to the lead with a homer in the ninth, his third blast of the postseason.
“Obviously, we have big teams, big series coming up,” Pages said. “We’re going to face tough teams, so prepare for those moments, but also take advantage of the opportunity of being here and enjoying these moments. And knowing that our ultimate goal is to win the World Series. So focus on that.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates scoring against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning in game one of the National League Wild Card Series at Truist Park on September 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you remember as a kid when you would go to the Boardwalk and there would be a sketch artist sitting on the pier somewhere and they would ask if you would like to have your picture drawn? Then they would create a picture with an oversized head and a tiny body trying to ride a bicycle or something like that?
The 2026 Phillies were a caricature. They had a big head and a tiny rest of its body.
They entered the 2026 season knowing they were a top-heavy operation. Offensively, Kyle Schwarber ($30 million), Trea Turner ($27.3 million) and Bryce Harper ($25.4 million) were their big-ticket items, high priced veteran superstars whose job it was to carry the team. They were led by a starting rotation featuring Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Aaron Nola ($24.5 million), Jesus Luzardo ($11 million) and Cristopher Sanchez ($5.7 million), as well as a top closer in Jhoan Duran ($7.5 million). J.T. Realmuto signed a big off-season free agent contract, but was never considered someone who would provide a major impact.
The majority of the roster was a mix of returning veteran bats, some bargain basement outfield additions, and a bullpen that seemed to be a strength until it very quickly became apparent it wasn’t.
Turner was a disaster. Harper and Schwarber were fine, ranking 13th and 15th, respectively, in MLB OPS among qualified players. The rotation was as good as advertised, and the bullpen was one of the worst in the league as the playoffs rolled around. Nearly every returning member of the Phillies regressed from 2025 to 2026.
In the end, the Phillies tried to skate through the season with two “great” position players, three elite starting pitchers, and one elite bullpen arm. The rest was a collection of underachieving veterans who were unable to provide enough value to substantially move the needle.
Simply put, there were not enough solid Major League contributors on the 40-man roster this year compared to the other 12 MLB playoff teams.
This year, the Phillies had three position players worth at least 1.5 fWAR on their roster: Bryson Stott (3.8), Harper (3.3) and Schwarber (2.9). That was the fewest of any team in the playoffs. The Brewers and Cubs each had 8. The White Sox had 7. The Dodgers, Guardians, Padres, Yankees and Rays each has 6.
Pitching-wise, the Phillies had 6 pitchers worth at least 1.0 fWAR: Sanchez (6.2), Luzardo (5.5), Wheeler (4.0), Duran (2.9), Nola (1.3) and Andrew Painter (1.1). The Dodgers had TWICE as many, 12, with the Brewers and Red Sox each having 9. The Yankees had 8. The Braves, Padres and Rays had 7 each.
When you add up all the hitters with 1.5+ fWAR and pitchers worth 1.0+ fWAR, the Phillies had 9 such players, the fewest of any postseason team. By comparison, the Dodgers had 18. The Brewers had 17. The Yankees, 14. Four teams had 13.
Dombrowski will have money to spend this off-season. There will be raises to Luzardo and Sanchez thanks to their well-deserved contract extensions, but there is significant money coming off the books. Dead cash for Nick Castellanos and Taijuan Walker, about $38 million, will be freed up. However, there are no star free agents outside of Japanese imports worth spending big bucks on.
The most likely free agent of note the Phils could sign is outfielder Randy Arozarena, who put up a career year in Seattle this season. They will give the soon-to-be 32-year-old a contract that everyone will be uncomfortable with to play left or right field, and it will probably be the right move. But outside of that, Dombrowski’s mission must be to find more 1.5+ fWAR hitters and 1.0+ fWAR pitchers.
He must balance the roster.
Harper is no longer good enough to be at the head of a top-heavy roster. After a 2025 season in which Dave Dombrowski questioned whether Harper was still elite, Harper was actually worth a little less in ‘26 than he was in ‘25:
We now know what Harper is at 33 years old. He’s slightly less than a 3.5-win player. That is a very fine thing to be and right in line with his very reasonable $25.4 million salary. Schwarber, the team’s other big bat, did not have as productive a season as his previous two:
Schwarber is still one of the game’s most feared power hitters, and when he’s on a hot streak, he can carry the team for a solid month. But he can also go quite cold. He had just a .199 batting average in the second half last year, hitting .172/.330/.379 in September. He will be 34 next year.
When your two best players are streaky and, frankly, do not provide elite production, they need to be supplemented with other players throughout the roster who do more things well than what we saw this season.
It’s well past time to have serious conversations about Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm. Despite another mediocre year at the plate and his annual disappearing act in the postseason, Stott led the team in fWAR thanks mostly to his defensive versatility and baserunning. He would likely fetch a decent price as a trade chip this off-season. After starting the All Star Game last summer, Marsh finished as a player who was barely above replacement-level, with a 0.3 fWAR in 155 games. He should be traded. Bohm, worth 0.2 fWAR despite a better second half, should not be back.
The Phillies can only hope J.T. Realmuto and Trea Turner figure something out this off-season, because while Dombrowski might want to trade them, he won’t find any takers. And despite what you may have read, it is highly unlikely Harper or Schwarber are going anywhere in trades. They control their destiny, although Dombrowski should be willing to listen to any and all offers and present them to his two veteran stars.
Dombrowski has to rely on his pro and minor league scouts to earn their money. They need to comb through the 40-man rosters of every team in the league, identify players who can contribute at the Major League level, and swing some trades. They need to make smarter free agent decisions. That means no more Adolis Garcia-Max Kepler one-year deals to failing, washed-up veterans. This also means bringing aboard guys who are more well-rounded. Guys who play good defense, don’t chase at the plate, and understand what a professional at-bat looks like.
More importantly, they need to load up their system with bullpen arms and stash as many guys with plus-stuff on their minor league teams and on the 40-man as they can. The only minor league reliever to have any significant impact this year was Alex McFarlane, and they waited until late July to get him on the 26-man roster. Getting even 2 or 3 guys who can provide 1.0+ fWAR out of the bullpen as a middle reliever would be a major victory.
This is where champions are built. If there was a big-money free agent that could take over as the No. 1 star on the team, the Phillies would, and should, go for it. But outside of Japan, that player isn’t out there. So, the Phillies will enter the 2027 season with Harper and Schwarber as the guys they’re building around, hoping that Turner re-joins them in creating a Big 3.
Big game hunting is fun, but in the case of this sinking Phillies team, they simply need more competent big league baseball players in the organization to make the top-heavy roster look less like a caricature and more like a real playoff team capable of winning a World Series.
SAN DIEGO — After yet another businesslike victory in a season full of them, the Milwaukee Brewers celebrated their National League Division Series clincher inside Petco Park amid beer showers, wafting cigar smoke and countless bottles of sparkling wine individually labeled with the names of various Wisconsin cities.
The Brewers are thrilled to head home with another playoff series victory during the best stretch in team history — but they also know the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to meet them in Milwaukee.
A year after the Brewers did not appear to be ready to meet the challenge posed by the intimidating World Series champions while getting unceremoniously swept out of the NL Championship Series, this team is certain it can do better in the rematch.
The Brewers’ tense NLDS win over the San Diego Padres — four games decided by five combined runs — only underlined their growing confidence in their ability to excel in October and to truly fight for this team’s first championship.
“I think we have a different type of confidence and belief in ourselves together as a team,” said center fielder Garrett Mitchell, the Game 4 hero with his bat and glove. “It’s just like a quiet, subtle confidence. It’s not showboaty. It’s just everyone who’s in this clubhouse, from the front office to the staff, everyone believes. ... I also think it’s a year difference. Guys are continuing to mature. We’re all excited to go out and compete and try to get it done.”
With their eighth playoff appearance in the past nine seasons off to a strong start, the Brewers are gradually knocking down the remaining barriers to their ultimate goal.
This group ended Milwaukee’s 12-game road postseason losing streak since 2018 with the clincher in San Diego, executing nearly flawlessly in the process. The Brewers held the Padres to three hits and got timely hits of their own while playing exceptional defense and gradually draining the spirit from the normally frenzied Petco crowd.
“That team right there can beat anybody in baseball,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of the Padres. “Nobody has a winning record on the road in the postseason — except maybe the Dodgers. It’s just not the way it is. The environments are so tough to play in. Yeah, so that was going to happen at some point if we keep banging on the postseason door.”
And while the Dodgers will be the biggest challenge they’ve faced, the Brewers have never been better positioned to break through.
They won a franchise-record 103 games in the regular season, topping the majors and increasing their win total for the fourth straight season while winning their fourth consecutive NL Central crown. Milwaukee then took down the 91-win Padres, who were arguably the majors’ best team in September while streaking to 19 wins in 22 games.
The Brewers won a competitive series between two teams with no World Series titles to show for 58 seasons of existence apiece. San Diego’s drought stretches on, but Milwaukee is eight wins away from ending its own.
The Dodgers are in the way, but the Brewers believe it’s finally their time.
“Tonight is about us, but tomorrow we’re making a plan,” Game 4 starter Robert Gasser said. “We’re trying to execute and figure out, ‘How do we go in and get two wins at home and head over to LA and take care of business there?’ We’ve played them well this year. We saw them last year in the NLCS, but we’ve got all hands on deck, and we’re ready to go.”
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Wilian Bormie #40 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
One of the rites of the offseason is that, early on, we take a look at the players in the Texas Rangers’ organization who will have to be added to the 40 man roster this winter, or else be eligible to be selected by another team in the Rule 5 Draft. It is usually a lengthy post that talks about guys who are locks (or near-locks) to be added, guys who are potentially on the being-added bubble, guys who are longshots, and analyzes how likely a player who isn’t a lock to be added would be to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
I regret to inform you that’s not the case this year. The Rangers have few players who will be Rule 5 eligible who would get serious consideration for being added to the 40 man roster, and the likelihood of the Rangers losing a player in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason* would seem to be slight.
* The last time there was a lockout, in the 2021-22 offseason, they ended up canceling the Rule 5 Draft because of how little time there was between the end of the lockout and the beginning of the regular season. I would be willing to wager that we’ll see the same thing happen this time around…that said, we will assume that is is happening until they say it isn’t.
Let’s go over the Rule 5 rules. A player signed at age 18 or younger — in other words, most (but not all) high school draftees and undrafted free agents and international free agents — are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft five seasons after they signed if they are not added to a team’s 40 man roster. A player signed at age 19 or older — pretty much every college player, and a few high school and international players — is eligible to be selected after four seasons if they are not added to a team’s 40 man roster. If a player is selected in the Rule 5 Draft,* he has to stay on the major league roster for a full season and accumulate at least 90 days on the active roster before he can be sent to the minors on an optional assignment. Otherwise, the player goes on waivers and, if he clears waivers, has to be offered back to the original team at half of the Rule 5 fee.
* The Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, anyway. The rules are different for the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, but you don’t have to add a player to the 40 man roster to protect them from the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft.
The upshot of this is that high schoolers signed in 2022 or earlier, and international free agents signed in 2022 or earlier, will be eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason if they are not added to the 40 man roster by November 17 of this year. College players signed in 2023 or earlier, as well as IFAs and high schoolers who were 19 or older when they signed, will also be eligible to be selected if they are not added to the 40 man roster.
The Rangers do not have many first-time eligibles this offseason. The Rangers did not have second or third round picks in 2023, due to signing Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom. Their first pick, Wyatt Langford, is already on the 40 man roster. Their fourth and fifth round picks, Skylar Hales and Alejandro Rosario, have been traded. Their sixth round pick, Caden Scarborough, was 18 when he signed, and is thus not Rule 5 eligible.
The best of the rest, as far as 2023 college picks go, are pitchers Izack Tiger, Paul Bonzagni, Josh Trentadue and Michael Trausch. Tiger has a great arm but can’t stay healthy, having thrown just 77.1 innings as a pro, including 27.1 innings with a 6.91 ERA between the ACL and high-A in 2026 after missing all of 2025. Bonzagni missed all of 2026 with an injury after pitching just 5 innings in 2025. Trausch is a reliever in low-A. Trentadue is a reliever in AA who put up a 5.65 ERA. None of them appear to be in danger of being selected.
The 2022 draft also featured missing second and third round picks. First rounder Kumar Rocker is already on the 40 man roster. Fourth rounder Brock Porter was Rule 5 eligible last year as a 19 year old high school draftee, went unselected, and after walking 60 in 76.1 innings in 2026, is almost certainly going be left exposed again this year. Fifth rounder Chandler Pollard didn’t hit in high-A this year. Sixth rounder Tommy Specht was released two years ago. Seventh rounder Luis Ramirez has spent the last two seasons on the injured list. 11th rounder Kohl Drake was traded.
In the 2022 international class, the Rangers’ two big signings were Anthony Gutierrez and Jose de Jesus. Gutierrez hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and his 2026 season ended in the second inning of Opening Day when he tore his ACL for Hub City. De Jesus was released in May of 2025.
The two players who are first time eligible who could possibly get some consideration — though still probably won’t be protected — are relief pitcher Ryan Lobus and first baseman Arturo Disla, each of whom was an undrafted free agent signed in 2023. Disla turns 26 this month and is a bat-only guy who was good but not great in his partial season at AA this year. Lobus is a 26 year old righthanded reliever who put up a 4.90 ERA and 4.24 FIP between AA and AAA in 2026, and whose stuff is fairly pedestrian. I doubt either is going to be added to the 40 man roster, or selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
There are a handful of players who are under team control through at least 2027 and who have been Rule 5 eligible previously, but most of them would not be in serious consideration for a roster spot. We mentioned Porter and Ramirez already. Ian Moller, Yeison Morrobel and Gleider Figuereo have all made it to AA, but none of them have shown enough to believe a team would carry them on the major league roster. Larson Kindreich missed all of 2026 with an injury. Thomas Ireland pitched for Frisco and Round Rock but is pretty much an organizational depth guy. Aaron Zavala finally spent a full season in AAA but didn’t hit much and is a corner outfielder with little defensive value.
Again, its possible that the Rangers will feel like they have 40 man roster spots to spare and feel, say, Morrobel has made enough progress and is young enough that they protect him rather than take the risk that someone chooses to take him, or Porter’s got enough potential that they don’t want to risk losing him now that he’s made it to AA. But it is more likely, I think, that none of this group gets added.
To the extent that the Rangers really have a tough call to make, it is on guys they will have to make the call on before the normal Rule 5 deadline, because it involves guys who will be minor league free agents at the end of the season. Players who were signed in 2020 become minor league free agents the day after the World Series ends.
The 2020 draft was only five rounds because of the pandemic, and the only player from that draft class still in the organization who isn’t on the 40 man roster is pitcher Dylan MacLean, who would not seem to be a candidate for a 40 man roster spot. The Rangers also signed that year, as undrafted free agents, Aidan Curry and D.J. McCarty. Curry has shown flashes, but is probably someone who, like Gavin Collyer last year, will be a priority to re-sign to a minor league deal rather than someone the Rangers will want to put on the 40 man roster.
The other notable UDFA signee from 2020 was Josh Stephan, who was traded to the Blue Jays in the Josh Smith/Adam Macko trade a couple of months ago. Stephan was almost certainly going to be allow to become a free agent, though I imagine the Rangers will have interest in bringing him back on a minor league deal, assuming the Jays don’t roster him.
The Rangers did trade for 2020 draftees Dane Acker and Trevor Hauver, and Acker has shown promise at times, but hasn’t been healthy and was terrible in the limited amount of time he spent on the Round Rock active roster this year.
Finally, we have international signees Wilian Bormie and Bryan Magdaleno, a pair of relievers who are slated to become free agents this winter.
Magdaleno was Rule 5 eligible after both 2024 and 2025. There was some unhappiness over Magdaleno being left exposed in 2024, as he had put up 1 .27 ERA in 42.2 innings, though mostly in low-A, with 68 Ks, 21 walks and just 19 hits. After going unselected, Magdaleno was terrible in Frisco in 2025, then bounced back with a solid, if unspectacular, 2026 season that saw him put up a 3.05 ERA in 56 innings, though with 38 walks against 77 Ks.
Magdaleno turns 26 in February. He’s a lefty, which is nice, but he has struggled to throw strikes, and the Rangers kept him in Frisco all year rather than sending him to Round Rock. He’s a possibility to be added, I guess, but I imagine he’s not getting a major league deal from anyone, and Texas will try to bring him back on a minor league deal if they want to keep him around.
If the Rangers add anyone, I suspect it would be Bormie. The righthander turns 26 in April, and has a quality fastball and slider but (as is often the case with these fringy reliever types) struggles with command. Bormie split the season between AA and AAA, and per Statcast, while at AAA, averaged 98 mph on his fastball. In 49 appearances covering 58.2 innings roughly evenly split between Frisco and Round Rock, he struck out 72, walked 31 and put up a 2.61 ERA, with his ERA being below 3 at both levels.
However, Bormie’s peripherals suffered once he got to AAA. His K rate at AA was 33.6% but was just 24.1% at AAA, while his walk rate went from 9.2% at AA to 15.0% at AAA. The result was a 4.97 FIP and 4.72 xERA in his 29 innings at AAA.
The Rangers faced a similar decision last offseason with Gavin Collyer, who they opted to let enter free agency and then re-signed to a minor league deal. Texas could go the same route with Bormie, betting that no team is going to offer him a major league deal (or a more lucrative minor league deal), or they could decide that there’s room on the 40 to carry him for the time being and eliminate any risk of losing him.
So that’s it. Not much excitement for us, I don’t think, in the run up to November 17. Maybe next year…
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 07: Manager Dave Roberts celebrates defeating the Atlanta Braves in game four of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday’s win was also the 72nd career postseason win for Roberts, surpassing Tony La Russa for second-most in MLB history.
“It’s special,” Roberts said on Monday night in Atlanta. “I have a lot of respect for Tony and the managers that have done what I’m doing; they’ve done it for a long time.”
Roberts is now a dozen wins behind Joe Torre for the most postseason wins ever.
Roberts has done all this in 11 seasons at the helm of the Dodgers, and his 11th season isn’t finished yet. Torre managed a total of 29 seasons in the majors, though 76 of his 84 postseason wins came in his dozen years with the New York Yankees.
Modern managers have more opportunities to amass postseason wins, with both the wild card round and Division Series. Plus, League Championship Series before 1985 were only best-of-5 instead of best-of-7, making in harder for earlier managers to pile up the October victories. So here is every MLB manager with at least 30 postseason wins, broken down by series.
Manager
Postseason wins
World Series
LCS
Division Series
Wild Card
Joe Torre
84
21
29
34
Dave Roberts
72
16
24
27
5
Tony La Russa
71
13
34
24
Bobby Cox
67
11
30
26
Dusty Baker
57
9
21
25
2
Bruce Bochy
57
16
20
17
4
Terry Francona
44
11
15
16
2
Jim Leyland
44
5
16
23
Casey Stengel
37
37
A.J. Hinch
36
7
9
15
5
Sparky Anderson
34
16
18
Joe Maddon
32
5
9
16
2
Tommy Lasorda
31
12
16
3
Joe McCarthy
30
30
All of Casey Stengel’s 37 wins came in the World Series, and the same for Joe McCarthy’s 30 wins in the Fall Classic.
If we look at a more modern era, since the League Championship Series has been around since 1969, here are the most postseason wins in just the World Series and LCS combined:
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: Los Angeles shortstop Mookie Betts (50) reacts following the conclusion of the NLDS game 4 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 7th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Guardians 9, White Sox 3 (BOX SCORE) (CHW leads 2-1)
Jo Adell struck out three times in game 1 of this series, but it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. He had a mammoth game on Wednesday, driving in three runs with a triple and showing exactly why the Guardians went and got him at the deadline. His three-bagger along with another three-bagger from Jose Ramirez kept the Guardians out in front and extended their season by at least one more game as the White Sox look to put it away at home tonight at 8:00.
It truly was great seeing Chris Sale deal for at least the first portion of his outing Tuesday, even until Playoff Kiké Hernandez emerged and took him out of the park. On Wednesday, the Braves sure looked like they were going to make this series even more interesting with a run in the first inning, as they also put the pressure on Tyler Glasnow with walks and got to the bullpen in the fifth. Their own Tyler (Mahle) pitched 6 1/3 solid innings, but then Andy Pages put the game – and the series – away in the seventh. I keep seeing “this lockout going to hit hard if the Dodgers win the Series again” and I honestly think people saying that are kind of right.
Happy Yankees elimination day to you and yours. There are 2009 reasons to love the result of this series, but you also can’t help but wonder how good the Red Sox would have done against this dynamic Tampa pitching staff. Ryan Vilade and Victor Mesa. Jr., though, did what the Sox couldn’t; they took Max Fried out of the short porch twice. And speaking of that short outfield, Anthony Volpe hit a routine pop fly… I mean, a double straight into a fan’s hands with two men on. The crowd erupted, as they thought the game had become a tie on a play that started with the Yankees’ win probability at just 24%. That was not the case, as it was ruled fan interference (and was likely going to come about six inches short of the wall anyway) and Spencer Jones would unceremoniously strike out in the next at-bat and leave Volpe stranded. Another postseason . Cue Big Papi:
Even though seeing Xander Boegarts, Nick Pivetta and Walker Buehler play in postseason ball was fun, I like this Brewers team that just finds ways to beat teams. That Misiorowski outing against the Dodgers is going to be appointment viewing. Jackson Chourio has struggled in October but his single to score Garrett Mitchell made a big difference. Aaron Ashby, who feels like he’s linked to the Red Sox due to how many rumor wires I’ve had to read in the last decade that involve him, coming out of the pen and pitching three hitless propelled the Brewers to an NLCS berth. They went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, but the win didn’t need to be flashy.
It may sound like one of the made-up crazy facts, but cheese rolling is an actual sport in England. Citizens would gather at the top of an incline, send cheese wheels rolling down, and then run along with their cheese. The festival is held annually in Gloucester.
The Aztecs invented popcorn.
Originally, they used this as an ornament and was used in headdresses. This ornament would be used as a way to praise their god Tlaloc, the god of maize and fertility.
The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head.
Praying mantises are the only known insects able to rotate their heads from side to side.
The player he is now drove in the runs that sank the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night and sent the Dodgers on their way to a 4-1 victory in Game 4 of their National League Division Series.
“Tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “Andy picked us up huge with a big hit.”
The best-of-five series over, Pages walked around the visiting clubhouse at Truist Field in a commemorative gray shirt that was soaked with cheap sparkling wine and beer. A pair of goggles covered his forehead.
“Special,” he said. “Special.”
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Andy Pages speaks to the media during a press conference after defeating the Atlanta Braves in game four of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
The journey here started a year ago, when Pages batted just .078 in the postseason. By Game 5 of the World Series, he was on the bench.
But Pages said he considers that World Series to be a wonderful memory, and not just because he made a game-saving catch in Game 7 as a defensive replacement.
“Because we won,” he said.
And rather than sulk over not starting the last three games of the World Series, Pages decided to use his failures to guide his training.
To be the kind of player who could be trusted in big games, Pages figured, he had to become a more selective hitter.
Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) hits a two-run RBI-single during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Colin Hubbard
Improving his eye by stepping in against an artificial pitching machine called a Trajekt Arc, Pages made his first All-Star team this year.
A broken hand in late August nearly derailed his season, but Pages did what he could to remain sharp. Before he was able to swing a bat again, Pages was stepping in against the Trajekt Arc again.
Pages returned for the final week of the regular season and batted .333, which is why what happened next was shocking.
In the first two games of the NLDS, Pages was a combined 0-for-7. What was worse than the numbers was how he looked. He looked lost. He looked desperate.
At this point, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged he was concerned.
However, Roberts said, “This is one of those things where I’m gonna continue to give Andy leash. I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we’re gonna need him to be an active part of our team.”
Pages rewarded Roberts with a two-hit performance in the Dodgers’ Game 3 win.
In Game 4, Pages stepped into the batter’s box with the game on the line.
Seventh inning. Two outs. Bases loaded. Game tied, 1-1. Fireballer Ryan Suarez on the mound.
Pages worked a full count.
Suarez threw him a 99.7-mph fastball on the inner half of the plate and Pages banged it up the middle.
Two runs scored, and the Dodgers were suddenly ahead, 3-1.
Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) celebrates after hitting a two-run RBI-single during the seventh inning in Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
“I was waiting for that moment,” Pages said. “I prepared a long time for that moment, and thanks to God I was able to get the result.”
He prepared for the moment. He dreamed of the moment.
But he didn’t try to visualize it.
“I think that when you think too much about something, it doesn’t happen,” he said. “You have to let things happen.”
Did he ever.
Redemption, evolution, call it whatever you want.
Pages finally had his October moment in the batter’s box.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Stomper, the Athletics mascot, thanks fans during the final game of the season against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park on September 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. The Astros clinched the American League West title. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this year I took a look at two positive examples of teams that had been in the Colorado Rockies position and seemed to have turned things around. The Miami Marlins turned a 100-loss team in 2024 into an almost .500 squad in each of the last two seasons while the Chicago White Sox have taken their team to the playoffs just two seasons after losing 121 games in a single season.
Coming into the season, the Athletics looked like they were perhaps on a similar upwards trajectory. Coming off an abysmal 50-112 record in 2024, the A’s had won more games in each of the past two season. They had what looked like a young core of exciting hitters and a shiny new ballpark being built in Las Vegas. It appeared as though the franchise was on the upswing.
Instead, the Athletics fortunes took a dive back into the same lowly tier of teams that the Rockies currently occupy and lost 98 games.
As important as it is to diagnose what has caused teams to have success and emulate them, it’s equally as important to consider the circumstances that have led other teams to continued failure.
So, which portions of the Athletics troubles can the Rockies learn from?
Don’t abandon your fanbase
First, we have to get the obvious factor out of the way since it has little bearing currently on the Rockies. The largest factor looming over the Athletics organization is unique to their franchise.
Owner John Fisher chose to move the team away from Oakland, its home for decades, after failing to secure a sweetheart deal with the local government. This has left the team in a transitory period for the past two seasons where they have been playing in a minor-league ballpark in West Sacramento.
In theory, they only need to stay there for one more season until they move to their currently under construction, new ballpark in Las Vegas.
This doesn’t change the fact that they have sacrificed all good will they had with the people who had previously attended their games. Fisher cut off decades of attachment from the people of Oakland in order to move somewhere that he wouldn’t need to pay as much of the construction costs for a new stadium.
Ultimately, this transitional period may come to pass, and the team’s new roots in Las Vegas could eventually prove strong. It is, however, a wild gamble that has had clear negative effects on the team in the short term before even considering the emotional cost to the people of the Bay Area.
Beyond the players, the lack of seating at the small ballpark has meant that their attendance numbers have been dramatically lower than all other teams for the past two seasons.
These are not factors that directly result in wins and losses on the field, but they are certainly additional hurdles to overcome in attempting to put together a winning roster. This has been, and remains, an entirely self-inflicted problem.
That being said, the Rockies attendance has started to dip over the past few seasons. After ranking ninth in all of Major League Baseball as recently as 2021, the Rockies have slipped in the attendance rankings every season since. In 2026 they ranked 18th in the league.
They have a long way to go to reach the utter lack of fan support that John Fisher A’s currently have, but they should be careful not to take that for granted in the long term.
Don’t underestimate the importance of depth
In 2025, the Athletics lineup was one of the most exciting in baseball:
Veteran slugger Brent Rooker played all 162 games and hit 30 home runs for the third straight season.
Catcher Shea Langeliers proved that his breakout 2024 wasn’t a fluke by hitting 31 home runs of his own.
Tyler Soderstrom finally made good on his prospect pedigree with a 120 wRC+ while learning a position entirely new to him.
Rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson hit the ground running and was both second in the Major League batting title and American League Rookie of the Year races.
Second, that is, to the A’s other rookie star Nick Kurtz.
The fourth overall pick in 2024 (one after the Rockies selected Charlie Condon), Kurtz rocketed through the minor leagues and made his debut at the end of April the following season. In his rookie season, Kurtz was not only unanimously voted Rookie of the Year but also his .290/.383/.619 slash line earned him American League MVP votes.
2025 @officialBBWAA AL Rookie of the Year Award finalists:
With all five of these players and bounce-back candidate Lawrence Butler under team control through at least 2028, the A’s had an offensive core to envy at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
So what happened in 2026? Injuries exposed a lack of depth.
Every player named above other than Butler spent at least some time on the injured list in 2025. To make it worse, Langeliers was the only one of these players to avoid an elongated stay on the 60-day injured list.
Without a consistent showing from this offensive core, the rest of the team’s faults were on full display. Their lack of pitching talent could not be papered over by mashing home runs the way the front office had drawn it up. A lack of major league baseline talent available in their depth chart was exposed as soon as the their core started going down.
Essentially, they had no fallback options to keep them afloat.
For the 2026 A’s, the plan was to let the exciting lineup core mash and hope that would be enough. As soon as a couple of the key players went down, there was no one else on the team to keep it from sinking back to a nearly 100-loss season.
The Rockies roster is a bit different than the Athletics was heading into last season.
The Rockies have managed to cultivate someexiciting potential core offensive players in Hunter Goodman, TJ Rumfield, and Cole Carrigg, but they don’t yet have anyone that will factor into the MVP race. The Rockies have not been able to cultivate nearly the ceiling that the Athletics did over the past two seasons.
On the flipside, the Rockies front office has made it a point since they were installed last offseason to “raise the floor” of the roster. The additions of players like Willi Castro, Mickey Moniak, Troy Johnston, and Connor Norby are the sort of depth moves that the Athletics failed to make.
While the front office looks to find more upside, they would be wise to also continue adding even more complementary pieces lest they fall into the same trap as the 2026 A’s.
Spend some money
Many of the 2026 Athletics roster problems could have easily been solved in the offseason had they been willing to do one thing: Spend money on free agents.
The team entered last offseason having had their pitching staff put up the 22nd worst fWAR in the Majors despite having employed Mason Miller for the first half of the season.
How did they address this obvious roster weakness? They signed notable aces Aaron Civale, Mark Leiter Jr., and Scott Barlow all for a total of less than $10 million.
That’s not to take anything away from those specific players — a team can never have enough competent big leaguers. (See the first section about not having enough depth.) If the team had already been fielding an expensive roster, simply supplementing it with small deals around the edges like those is both understandable and commendable.
The A’s, on the other hand, only spent a total of $95 million dollars on their 2026 payroll.
With the fifth-lowest payroll commitments in the league, the Athletics decided that the best way to bolster their feeble pitching staff was to sign a handful of depth arms and hope that their small collection of highly touted prospects would be able to make the leap sooner rather than later.
It wasn’t an impossible plan. All of the Athletics most highly rated pitching prospects (Gage Jump, Kade Morris, Jamie Arnold, Wei-En Lin, and Braden Nett) started the season in Double-A or higher.
The future core of their rotation was on the cusp of the majors, so why spend money on high-priced free agents just to block those young players?
Pitching prospects, as it turns out, are not guaranteed to remain healthy, much less live up to their potential. Jump and Morris both made their Major League debuts in 2026, but neither managed an ERA below 5.47. Arnold only just made it to Triple-A to end the season. Lin and Nett both missed significant time to injury. (Lin is still out recovering from Tommy John surgery.)
All told, the youthful wave of reinforcements to an abysmal pitching staff failed to materialize fast enough to matter for the 2026 season.
Had they simply spent money to bring in a handful of short-term stopgaps via free agency, perhaps their team as a whole could have weathered the injuries on the lineup side a bit more. Given that their division was won by the .500 Houston Astros, they would not have needed much to become legitimate contenders.
Instead, they sat on their hands during the winter and continued their modus operandi of moving forward with the cheaper internal options.
The Rockies, heading into this offseason, face a similar choice, albeit within a different specific context. They can either pump money into addressing an abysmal starting rotation, or they can play around with some marginal upgrades and wait for a wave of pitching prospects.
The problem for the Rockies is that they really don’t have an identifiable wave of pitching talent in the minor league system anywhere near what the A’s had coming into 2026. Ensuring that Chase Dollander has a spot in the rotation when his arm is healthy is not reason enough to avoid bringing in outside talent.
While the 2026 Athletics and the 2027 Rockies aren’t exact mirrors of one another, there are enough similarities to learn from.
Ultimately, the Athletics rise to prominence was stymied by ownership level decisions that hamstrung their front office. For the Rockies to avoid taking a similar step backwards it is on ownership to not settle for good enough. They should instead continue to empower the front office to make whatever moves they believe will improve the team and not take half measures.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 05: Mitch Garver #18 of the Seattle Mariners hits a two run home run during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park on July 05, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This site discussion was sparked by a couple of posts on BlueSky by Mike Petriello and Céspedes Family BBQ. Mike pointed out that this year’s .206/.286/.341 hitting line in the playoffs is, while atrocious, somehow not the worst postseason hitting line by OPS in the divisional era – it’s 5th after some truly wretched seasons of hitting in the 70’s and 80’s.
CFBBQ posted some recent close historical comps to the this year’s postseason slash line, featuring none other than Your 2024 Mitch Garver (.172/.286/.341). Is this good?
Lookout Landing staffers met to discuss whether this something that merits action from MLB, and what steps could be taken to remedy the balance of the modern game. -NV
Ezra: Maybe they should move the mound back a little bit.
John: I genuinely think so, and I think they should shrink the allowed glove sizes significantly. It’s a much less visible change, but is something they’ve done before on a couple occasions and has a positive impact without being quite as obvious from a viewing perspective.
Ezra: Interesting, I’ve never heard that before but I’d be intrigued to see that implemented.
John: For pitchers, I do think there’s merit to a slightly larger glove so they can’t have their pitches tipped, but also…I kinda think that’s fine.
Here’s an article on it being a big issue during the early 90s and the positive impact it had that kinda got washed out (or at least became impossible track) due to the rise of steroids. In 2016, MLB allowed an expansion in glove size from 12 to 13 inches, which is, as far as I know, still the rule. Going down to 11 or 12 incheas would be really beneficial and also allow truly elite athletes to shine even more in the field.
Ezra: Since I saw the rise and fall of Tim Anderson I’ve come around more on moving the mound back. Bat speed is so important to being a good hitter these days, and all it takes is a little bit of skill deprecation and your career could be over, whereas for pitchers, Tommy John isn’t the death sentence or crapshoot it used to be, throw as hard as you want, sit for a few months and potentially come back throwing harder. I know it’s not that simple, but I feel like ya’ll get what I’m saying.
Nick: In that vein, I’ve heard that moving the mound back actually made breaking stuff even harder to hit, with another foot to move.
John: I’ve heard people make that case, I remember Kyle Boddy saying it. I think there’s some logic to it, but I think the tradeoff is if that were the case, curveballs would be nastier than sliders, and we’ve just spent like 15 years seing sliders take over for big breaking curveballs. And firmer changeups taking over for bigger breaking ones. Now, there are sweepers and splitters that’ve come into some vogue and use, but to me that’s agian more just natural ebb and flow, and reduced effective velocity is ultimately a help for everything.
Nick: That’s a good point. But, counter-counterpoint, sliders taking over for curveballs may not indicate that less movement+more velocity is inherently better, but something else about pitch shape and arsenal construction strategy. Plus, with an extra foot to move, the hard slider gets the benefit of a more difficult-to-hit shape while also benefitting from the extra velo. I’ be curious to see if lowering the mound again isn’t more effective.
John: I could see it being the case, but I think more time to make the decision on the swing and to calibrate the flight path is going to always be easier for a hitter.
Note: The Atlantic League tested a 61’6” mound in 2021. Any effects were of little note.
Ezra: I don’t think MLB will change anything though, because it’s the home runs that sell tickets and as long as they got guys going 30-30, 20-40, 50-50, or hitting 60+ they’re probably not going to are.
John: I think that this doesn’t inherently damage homers. Teams aren’t gonna put the lid back on understanding homers are exponentially better than other hits mathematically, but making it more viable to have a high average is what makes the game more compelling (specifically the ball being interestingly in play more).
Nick: I agree, the surge in homers has way less to do with selling tickets and way more to do with MoneyBall.
Ezra: Yeah, I think the image of having multiple .300+ hitters on the All-Star Team could be really valuable in terms of raising interest among the more dedicated fans.
John: I honestly think beyond just highly dedicated fans, it’s a valuable showcase of the sport’s variety that draws people in. It’s fun to watch hits and steals, and correspondingly, great defense (or bad defense get exposed!).
Nick: I’ve seen more than enough of bad defense being exposed this year, personally.
This could be the last MLB season with a “qualifying offer,” as it’s termed in the labor agreement between owners and players. It’s possible an entirely new system will be created.
Until then, the current labor agreement runs through Dec. 1 and so qualifying offers will be made, and accepted or rejected, under that agreement.
We now know the amount of this year’s QO:
I reported last week that the qualifying number for this offseason would be about $23.1M. For those who want more exact, a source told me: $23.15M.
That’s up 5.1 percent from last year’s figure of $22.025 million.
Last year, 13 free agents were given a qualifying offer. Four of them accepted the offer: Trent Grisham, Gleyber Torres, Brandon Woodruff and Shōta Imanaga. The Imanaga acceptance was said to have surprised the Cubs front office, but in the end, Imanaga produced reasonably well for the $22.025 million, making 32 starts, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.096 WHIP, and 2.0 bWAR. The 35 home runs he allowed were a problem, of course, and whether Imanaga returns to the Cubs remains to be seen. He cannot get another QO, as a player can get only one.
There are three Cubs who might get qualifying offers this year, so let’s look at each of them.
The first is obvious. Seiya Suzuki has been an outstanding player for the Cubs for five seasons and had another productive year in 2026, batting .270/.368/.473 with 26 home runs and a career high 5.1 bWAR. His right field defense was improved both by the numbers and by the eye test.
Suzuki will get a QO and almost certainly reject it to test the open market. There have been reports that the Cubs aren’t likely to re-sign him, which would be a mistake. They should do everything possible to keep him.
Ian Happ, who’s also been a productive Cub for many years, will get a QO as well. Happ’s 2026 season wasn’t quite as good as his previous years, with a slash line of .218/.326/.412 with 24 home runs and 2.9 bWAR. The .218 figure was a career low. He did continue to play good defense and likely wins another Gold Glove, but the batting line was that low largely because he just stopped hitting left-handers. He batted just .145/.217/.267 in 144 PA against RHP and by season’s end, was being platooned.
The Cubs will still likely give Happ a QO. It’s not that much more than the $20 million he made in 2026. And he just might take it, trying to rebuild his value before hitting free agency again next winter — possibly under a new FA system.
The only other Cub who might rate a QO is Matthew Boyd. Boyd was injured for much of 2026, making only 22 starts, but was reasonably productive for much of the time he was healthy. His year was only worth 1.0 bWAR and he’ll turn 36 in February, so he probably should not be given a QO, in my view. There’s also a mutual option for $15 million for Boyd or a $2 million buyout, and the Cubs will almost certainly pay the buyout.
There aren’t any other Cubs pending free agents who would rate a QO. Some are ineligible because they received one in the past (Imanaga) or were traded during the year (Clay Holmes, David Peterson, among others). As a reminder, teams have until five days after the World Series ends to extend a QO, and players then have about 10 days (the date will be officially set later) to decide whether or not to accept.
Of Suzuki, Happ and Boyd, who would you give a qualifying offer?
TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 27: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks to the dugout under the CN Tower before playing against the Cincinnati Reds in their MLB game at Rogers Centre on September 27, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Thurday.
We only get one playoff game today, the Guardians and White Sox play game four. White Sox are up two games to one. It is an 8:00 Eastern start.
The Rays beat out the Yankees in three games. Yay Rays.
The Dodgers beat out the Braves in four games. You disappointed me Braves.
The Brewers beat out the Padres in four games. Please, Brewers, beat the Dodgers.
We have a couple of days left in the Haiku voting. Get your votes in.
But the symbolism was hard to ignore. Boone has spent his entire Yankees existence coming up short in October, and here he had inadvertently planted his main attraction in an Aaron Judge-less cast 37 feet away from a potential Hollywood ending.
The complaint is that Boone had Ben Rice batting second and then he was one batter away from hitting at the end of the game, when he would have been the tying run. I’m a bigger fan of blaming the players than the manager.
Aaron Judge said:
“He puts us in the right position to succeed,” Judge maintained, “especially in a season like this where I am banged up missing 100 games.” Judge mentioned all the other injuries Boone had to work around and said, “He’s definitely had our back and is the guy.”
Judge turns 35 near the start of next season (if there is a start to next season). He spent most of this season injured. And he doesn’t have a World Series ring. I’m ok with him never getting one.
Shi Davidi wrote about Kazuma Okamoto and how big a star he is in Japan. I can attest to that. I wore a Blue Jays cap in Japan and people wanted to talk about him all the time (expect for when they wanted to talk about how we lost the World Series to the Dodgers.
The story suggests that Okamoto will make it easier for the Jays to sign other Japanese players. I’m not sure that is true, but ok. I’d imagine Japanese players will sign with the team that offers them the best deal, like anyone else.
The Jays do have some questions to answer before next season:
Is Ernie Clement an MLB second baseman, or do they need to find someone else?
Do they count on Anthony Santander to play outfield next year?
Is Spencer Miles a starter or reliever?
Is Ricky Tiedeman a starter or reliever? Likely reliever I’d guess.
Do they want to sign a full time DH, or do they want to use the spot to rest players?
And, of course, can Vlad be Vlad again?
Do they take Myles Straw’s option? That’s an easy one, no. Do they try to sign him again?
The Jays, and all the other teams, will be wondering what the salary cap (or tax, or whatever they call it) will look like next year?
