Category: Baseball

Happy Monday everyone and welcome to a new week!

The Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays are giving us one heck of a series. The Rays took yesterday’s contest and now find themselves just one win away from the World Series. One of the newest additions to the league, they’ve already made it to the Fall Classic twice but have yet to win it in their 28 year of existence. Not bad all things considered but they’re still waiting to hoist that trophy.

The Guardians meanwhile wasted a golden opportunity to take a stranglehold over this series at home after stealing a game in Tampa. Now they’ll be tasked with winning two straight games on the road in Florida or else their season is over. Like the Rays they have their own championship drought hanging over their heads and that might be too much pressure to overcome in a short series for the Stephen Vogt-led Guardians.

While the Brewers and all of the baseball world wait to see how the ALCS ends up, the Athletics meanwhile have their own major decisions going on in the back round at this very moment. The team is still looking for its new leader in the front office, presumably the person that will take charge of the club as we head into our new home park in Las Vegas. Red Sox assistant GM Taylor Smith is reportedly a favorite, but in what role? The Athletics were willing to offer the title of President to the Phillies’ Sam Fuld, but is that something they’re offering all of the candidates? Or is that what’s holding up any sort of announcement of a hire? We’re all waiting with baited breath and would like to know our newest General Manager before the end of the World Series. So, you know, chop chop A’s.

Have a great start to your week A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

• Trade Candidate: Shea Langeliers
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• Phillies, Cubs executives reportedly among top Athletics GM candidates
• Fuld Rejection Offers Possible Clues To GM Search
• Matt Kleine, Rob Cerfolio Candidates In Athletics’ GM Search
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• A’s LHP prospect Richardson shows off health and resiliency during Fall League homecoming
• Zack Of All Trades Tries To Get One More Win: In Court
• Important Dates For The Athletics This Offseason
• 12 A’s Players Out of Options Heading Into 2027
• How MLB’s Proposed Changes Would Impact the A’s
• A’s part ways with assistant hitting, quality control coaches
• After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A’s Ryan Lasko
• Why 2027 Athletics Will Be Completely Different Team
• A’s Las Vegas ballpark cost rises to $2.1B, public funding delayed
• 2026: Year Of The “Didn’t See That Coming!”
• A’s Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay
• Where the A’s Plan to Use Zack Gelof in 2027
• Drafting The Top AL Graduated MLB Prospects From 2026
• Devin Taylor: Athletics 2026 Minor League Player Of The Year
• Athletics 2026 MLB Draft Report Card
• Henry Bolte Is the A’s Next Budding Star
• Determining Athletics’ Offensive MVP for the 2026 Season
• Notes From Star-Studded Rockies-A’s Instructional League
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
• Billy Beane comments on the job Mark Kotsay has done this season.
• What the A’s Hiring Mike Rizzo would Signal and the Questions it Would Raise
• Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Confident Rays quiet Cleveland, return home one win from World Series
• Guardians facing elimination, and they’ll need a revised pitching plan to avoid it
• Dave Dombrowski puts Trea Turner on notice: Improve at SS or find new position
• Mariners Had Interest In Carlos Mendoza For Managerial Opening
• How Paul Blackburn Became An Elite Reliever
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Would you consider it?

An interesting assessment of the possibility of the A's dealing Shea Langeliers in the offseason… https://t.co/80aRW7dXha

— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) October 18, 2026

That has to be at the least a baseline to start:

The Shea decision will be one of the biggest decisions the new GM will have to make this offseason.

Trading a good player would hurt, but if you can get a package similar to what Adley got, I think you have to do it https://t.co/KyXuTIA0YS

— Straight A’s (@StraightAs123) October 18, 2026

I like it!

This veteran starter is the perfect fit for the #Athletics this offseason:https://t.co/ST7kSGKqo9

— Dylan Quinn (@dylanq_2) October 18, 2026

Wouldn’t we all:

Are we talking Oakland, Sacramento or Vegas? If it’s The Coliseum…a kidney! https://t.co/Cmx1pOZyg2

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) October 19, 2026

Not the worst I’ve seen:

After fielding some feedback and giving it some reconsideration, I present to you…

The undisputed best realignment/expansion plan 2.0

This is the one. We did it. https://t.co/avgq9v62cSpic.twitter.com/SxmXmO5V9I

— Jim Rosati 🏴‍☠️ (@northsiden0tch) October 18, 2026

A reliable closer is like an endgame security blanket for ball clubs made jittery by the generally-fickle nature of relievers and the pitfalls of the treacherous ninth inning. That’s why David Bednar figures to do well in free agency this winter. 

He’s coming off a strong season with the Yankees in which he converted 35 of 39 save chances, notched a 2.47 ERA and allowed only 52 hits in 69.1 innings while striking out 76.

Now the Yanks have to figure out their endgame strategy with Bednar, who made $9 million this season. He just turned 32 years old, jacked up his ground ball rate to a career-best 50 percent, well above the MLB average (41.2 percent), and proved he can handle the Bronx cauldron, overcoming an early wobble or two.

And he threw three scoreless innings in the postseason, giving him a 1.00 ERA in nine playoff innings with the Yanks. 

Sounds like a prime resume for a return. What will the Yanks do? 

Here’s a look at whether Bednar should stay or go:

WHY IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO RE-SIGN BEDNAR

Bednar was by far the best thing to come out of the Yanks’ reliever splurge at the 2025 trade deadline, cementing an uncertain closer role that year and carrying that into 2026. He has a 2.39 ERA as a Yankee, not including the postseason.

In other words, he can hack it here. 

It’s impressive that he’s still evolving, too. He threw his splitter much more this season and it was a devastating pitch for him. Opposing batters hit just .149 in at-bats ending on the split, with a .189 slugging percentage. According to Statcast, Bednar’s split was tied for 17th in Pitching Run Value, suggesting it was among the best single pitches in all of baseball. 

He reduced his walk rate to 7.1 percent, career best for a full season, and had a 1.04 WHIP. Only the Rays’ Bryan Baker and Cade Smith of the Guardians had more saves than Bednar this year. 

We could go on and on about Bednar the bullpen bedrock. We haven’t even brought up how much we like his entrance song – “Renegade” by Styx. 

The Yanks will have to decide whether to extend him the $23 million-plus qualifying offer. They should. Even if he takes it, he’s probably worth that for one year. If he accepted, it’d be the top average annual value ever for a reliever, just above the $23 million Edwin Díaz is making with the Dodgers.

WHY IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO LET BEDNAR GO

We can’t think of any real reasons. No, seriously. 

Fine, we’ll nitpick: He had an ERA of 5.14 as late as May 18 (but it was 1.30 afterward). He made four appearances against the Mets and the Mets scored against him three times. 

The Yanks have been adept at developing bullpen arms in recent years, so could they have an in-house replacement lurking? 

There are options on the free agent market, too. Raisel Iglesias has more saves than anyone in MLB over the last three seasons, as well as a sparkling 0.931 WHIP. He’ll be 37 in January, but if the Yanks feel they have a closer-in-waiting and Iglesias will accept a shorter-term deal than Bednar, is that a move? 

Lefty Adrian Morejon remains appealing. Two-time All-Star Andrés Muñoz is coming off a 4.24 ERA, but is tied for the second-most saves over the past three years. However, the Mariners hold a relatively inexpensive $9 million club option on Muñoz for 2027.

VERDICT

Stay.

Don’t overthink this. Quality bullpen arms should be hoarded and everyone’s mood is elevated when a team can cling to any smidge of ninth-inning certainty. Paul Blackburn, a relief revelation this year, is also a free agent, so there’s already some uncertainty in the Yankee pen. Lefty Brent Headrick enjoyed a sparkling season, but there’s work to be done. Retaining Bednar is an easy stabilizer. 

In the 13 seasons since great Mariano Rivera retired, the Yanks have had seven different pitchers lead the team in saves, including Bednar this year. Aroldis Chapman (five times) and Clay Holmes (three) are the only pitchers who did it more than once. 

Díaz, Josh Hader ($19 million per year), and Tanner Scott ($18 million) are the three highest-paid relievers in MLB via AAV, according to Spotrac. Bednar likely will be in that kind of company. 

The Yanks would be smart to be the team paying him. 

Good morning! The Tampa Bay Rays will head home with a chance at the American League pennant after their 3-1 win last night. Up 3-2 in the ALCS, the Rays will face the Cleveland Guardians tonight for Game 6 at 5 PM.

MLB Postseason scores…

• The Tampa Bay Rays utilized their dominant pitching once again to silence the Cleveland Guardians 3-1, and will return home one win away from a World Series berth.

In Mariners news…

• Jason Churchill of Baseball Things highlights the benefits of the Mariners keeping their starting pitchers and opening 2027 with a six-man rotation.

Around the league…

• Tampa Bay Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen has become the only pitcher in franchise history with multiple postseason starts of at least seven innings with one or zero runs allowed.
• The Houston Astros will be forced to make a difficult decision this offseason on whether to re-sign infielder Isaac Parades or not.
• With 12 of the past 16 teams who clinched the World Series first becoming the eventual losers, will extra rest help or hurt the Milwaukee Brewers?
• Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is planning to pitch in 2027, but his path back from injury remains unclear.

The Orioles really meant it this time about hiring a general manager. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Monday morning that the team has chosen Jared Banner, who was most recently serving as an assistant GM with the Cubs since 2023, to join the O’s front office as GM. Passan added that over the course of his career, Banner has also worked with the Mets and Red Sox.

In terms of the ultimate decisionmaking in the Orioles front office, hiring Banner as the GM is not going to change the fact that Mike Elias is still what is colloquially understood as “the GM,” that is, the guy who is in charge of baseball operations. That authority rests in a person with the president of baseball operations title.

However, in hiring Banner, the O’s have brought in someone from outside the organization who is supposed to have a lot of influence in player development, an area where Elias has obliquely acknowledged that he’s been lacking in recent seasons. Banner has been working in a variety of player development roles since 2007, when he took a job with the Red Sox. Among his past titles is executive director of player development, which he held with the Mets in 2018 and 2019.

Unless you are related to Jared Banner, you have probably never thought about him or been aware of his existence before today. I certainly haven’t. Whether he will actually be able to do what needs to be done to help improve the Orioles fortunes is not something we can know. He does have at least one nice feather in his cap, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman:

Banner was credited as an advocate to acquire PCA for Cubs as he’d know Crow-Armstrong when he was with the Mets @JeffPassan 1st with news https://t.co/9u79mqZGnW

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 19, 2026

That’s referring to Pete Crow-Armstrong, the probable National League MVP this season, who the Cubs acquired from the Mets back in 2021. Solid talent evaluation there, though Orioles fans, after two lean years, will be hoping for a smashing success on a much shorter time frame than that at this point.

Going into this, if I had believed the Orioles were actually going to hire a GM this time instead of poke around like they might and never do it, my ideal candidate would have probably come from either the Rays or Brewers, teams that either get by with about as many resources as the Orioles or even fewer.

The way this postseason has gone, those teams are still in it, meaning the guys are still doing their jobs and probably not getting the opportunity to interview for promotions. Should Elias have waited to see if he could talk to someone in those front offices? Again, I just have no way to evaluate.

What I can say is that the Cubs have not been a perennial powerhouse team of late. They have made the postseason as a wild card in each of the past two seasons, but before that, their last 162-game season where they made it into the playoffs was 2018.

If Banner can do what the Orioles need him to do, then it doesn’t really matter how his last organization performed lately. The franchise needs to actually develop talent that can play at the highest level consistently, rather than continue to unearth guys who can build up prospect hype and even rookie season hype but not manage to sustain that over the next few years.

The San Diego Padres’ call-up of Ethan Salas was a brilliant decision. It gave the Friar Faithful a sneak peek at what 2027 might hold. Salas is a lock for next season’s Opening Day lineup.

The young catcher offers an exciting, dynamic skill set — and the most intriguing part is that his ceiling remains a mystery. In reality, a rookie’s expectations are grounded by their physical limitations. In Salas’ case, his potential is hard to define because his talents may take him to a place few players ever go.

Hitting was a struggle

His addition solidified the bottom third of the order. He batted .256 with two home runs and five RBI in 40 plate appearances. The only offensive concern is that Salas struck out 22.5% of the time. 

Strikeouts are not the end-all, but he needs to develop a better eye for the strike zone. Salas is failing to recognize pitches coming out of the delivery and then chases them out of the strike zone. The results do not paint a great picture of his at-bats. 

Still, there is room for improvement. The offseason is the perfect time to refine his approach at the plate. Better plate discipline will earn Salas more hittable pitches to drive for extra-base hits.

Defense is his calling card

Much of Salas’ success derives from the most lethal weapon in his toolbox: defense. It is a true testament to his willingness to lead from behind the dish. Although his defensive metrics come from a small sample size of 15 games, he posted a .983 fielding percentage and showcased an elite arm.

Major League scouts graded his defense a 70, which is considered Gold Glove-caliber. Salas’ throws are lightning-fast, driven by a quick transfer from glove to throwing hand. The Padres have not had a catcher with this ability since Benito Santiago. 

Salas loves to push the envelope by throwing down to first base to see if he can catch a base runner straying too far off the bag. The rookie catcher hasn’t thrown out a major leaguer on an attempted steal, but his throws were on target. He did gun down 27% of would-be base-stealers at the minor league level. 

Salas’ defensive play earned him the 2026 Minor League Defensive Player of the Year honors this past September. 

Despite the instant success, the growing pains are apparent. Salas has an opportunity to address those weaknesses this offseason.

Make no mistake, he is expected to be the 2027 Opening Day catcher.

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Padres News:

• Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune warns Padres fans that the Milwaukee Brewers might be a familiar foe in the postseason for years to come.

• The New York Yankees and even the New York Mets have shown interest in reliever Jeremiah Estrada in the recent past.

Baseball News:

• The Tampa Bay Rays took an early lead over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 and never looked back en route to a 3-1 win and a 3-2 ALCS series lead.

• Here is all the information for when and where to watch Game 6 of the ALCS.

• It seems to be a discussion every postseason, rest versus rust, and this year is no different for the Milwaukee Brewers.

• MLB announced the game times for the 2026 World Series.

• Here are the top performers from Week 2 of the Arizona Fall League.

There are few things that a contending team needs more than a good closer. The downfall of many playoff teams over the years has been because of shoddy bullpen play, so if you can find a guy who can not only get the ball with the lead in the ninth and shut it down, but also be able to potentially pitch two innings in high leverage, you need to keep him.

The Yankees had that for two decades with Mariano Rivera, and for a time, they had it again with prime Aroldis Chapman, but they’ve struggled to have a consistently dominant closer since Chapman began to unravel after Jose Altuve’s pennant-winning home run broke his psyche in 2019. From Chapman to Clay Holmes to Luke Weaver to Devin Williams, it’s been a roller coaster for the Yankees in their quest for a closer who shines bright in the city that never sleeps.

Enter David Bednar, who, since his acquisition at the 2025 deadline, has been that consistent presence for the Yankees. On a team with not much consistency outside the starting rotation, he was a rock all season long, closing out close game after close game for the Yankees. When they went out the way they did, he was the least of their concerns. It should set him up for a big payday this offseason.

Grade: A

2026 Statistics: 69.1 IP, 2.47 ERA (171 ERA+), 2.87 FIP, 20 K-BB%, 35 saves (39 opportunities), 1.9 fWAR

2027 Contract Status: Free agent

Things didn’t start that well for Bednar, who was coming off some high-stress innings at the World Baseball Classic for Team USA when the team started. It was a weird year in which a lot of WBC players struggled, especially early, so that might explain why it seemed to take him a while to get going.

He allowed four runs in his first six outings, taking a loss against the Athletics before a buntapalooza in the Trop against the Rays saw him blow a save in the 10th inning on April 8th. Aside from that, into mid-May, he was at least converting every save opportunity in front of him, which is all you can ask from your closer.

Those struggles did bleed into May, however. He allowed a walk-off home run to Brice Turang on May 10th, narrowly survived a late scare against the Mets on May 15th, and conceded a disastrous three-run home run to Tyrone Taylor two days later in what would be a definitive low point of his season.

After blowing that save, he would convert his next 17 saves in a row. He struggled the following day against Toronto, but held on for dear life. After that, he would toss 24 consecutive scoreless innings into late July, nailing down games of all types. He had a five-out save against Cleveland, a six-out win against Washington right before the All-Star break, and a clutch five-out save against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium in one of the best moments of the season.

His scoreless streak ended with a Chase Meidroth home run in Chicago, but he would continue his dominance after the deadline by not blowing a save until August 16th, when a Ben Rice error led to the tying run scoring, which obviously deserves an asterisk. In fact, in three of his four blown saves, he allowed at least one unearned run. His other one in Minnesota in September was in that 13-inning marathon, where he blew a pair of one-run leads.

What was also extraordinary about Bednar’s season was just how little traffic he conceded. In that 24-inning scoreless streak, he permitted just eight hits, five walks, and one hit-by-pitch. In the 11 outings after the Meidroth home run, he allowed just four hits and four walks in 12.2 innings. He finished the season with a 1.04 WHIP, but that is inflated by his start to the season. In his last 43 appearances, it was just 0.786.

In the playoffs, he didn’t allow a run in three shutout innings. It’s unfortunate that Bednar wasn’t handed any leverage situations in the playoffs due to the Boston blowouts and the Yankees never leading against Tampa, but I think many of us would be confident if he came in a big spot. The only run he’s allowed in 10 postseason games as a Yankee came while trailing against Boston in Game 1 of last year’s Wild Card Series.

It sets up an interesting offseason decision for Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman to make. They found a top-shelf closer who came from a small-market team in Pittsburgh and didn’t wilt as Williams did. The team, while confident in its pitching development, has very little bullpen depth under contract. Yet, the Yankees have not handed a reliever more than $10 million since Zack Britton in 2019, and have generally avoided paying relievers at all costs since the Super Bullpen flamed out in 2020.

Jon Heyman reported last week that the team plans to extend a $23 million qualifying offer to the recently turned 32-year-old, which would be a great move in my eyes. If he accepted, it would make him the highest-paid reliever in baseball next year, but he has the track record to be compensated like that. It’s not even a Trent Grisham situation, where although the process was sound, many fans disliked the decision due to worries that his 2025 was a fluke.

That qualifying offer should unequivocally be used to start multi-year contract extension talks. Without Bednar, the Yankees would have to turn to Brent Headrick or a mid-level signing or trade (which would deplete an already shallow farm system) to close next year, while also putting more pressure on Blake to churn out more development gems and internal options like Carlos Lagrange to grow up fast and be leverage options right out of the gate.

Paying relievers without an infinite budget usually isn’t wise, but if we assume that a salary cap won’t come from the upcoming lockout, the Yankees should be bringing back Bednar to try and replicate his brilliant 2026 season.

Today marks Jose Bautista’s 46th birthday.

From 2008 to 2017, the Blue Jays’ seasons would have looked very different without Jose. He delivered countless unforgettable moments, none more iconic than his legendary home run and bat flip in Game 5.

When Jose was acquired in August 2008, the trade barely registered enough attention for a post on our site. In hindsight, it became the best trade of JP Ricciardi’s tenure as manager. Bautista went six games before recording his first hit as a Blue Jay and didn’t make an immediate splash. His first home run came on September 2nd.

Bautista hit 288 home runs as a Blue Jay, second only to Carlos Delgado’s 336. He also ranks second in franchise bWAR among batters (37.3), just behind Tony Fernandez (37.5). Additionally, he sits seventh in OBP (.372), fifth in slugging percentage (.506), second in runs scored (790, again trailing Delgado by 99), third in RBI (766, behind Vernon Wells and Delgado), second in walks (803, 24 behind Delgado), and fifth in games played (1,235).

Beyond the numbers, Bautista was the face of the Blue Jays for several years, giving the team a distinct personality. The Jays developed an edge and swagger that made them polarizing—other teams’ fans loved to hate them. As Reggie Jackson once said, ‘They don’t boo nobodies.’

Jose’s intensity was unmatched—he desperately wanted to win. Sometimes, his drive rubbed people the wrong way. I never expected to see another player match that intensity until Josh Donaldson joined the team. I recall Jose quietly stepping in between Josh and the umpires when it looked like Donaldson might get ejected, and I thought Jose could have used someone to do the same for him in the past.

I appreciate players who want to win, and I especially enjoyed the moments when Jose revealed his sense of humor.

Some critics claimed Jose wasn’t a leader or a good teammate—a common accusation leveled at star players on teams that fall short. These complaints usually came from outsiders. Jose’s actions spoke louder than words, like when he quietly stood up forDevon Travis after Sportsnet had him pay for a suit during a feature with Hazel Mae. Without fanfare, Jose refused to speak to Sportsnet until they corrected the situation.

Videos of Jose working withChris Colabello in the outfield, or helping teammates with their swings, show he was indeed a supportive teammate.

It’s hard to imagine those years without Jose—they simply wouldn’t have been as enjoyable. The team honoured him by putting his name on the Level of Excellence in 2023.

Watching him play in the Olympics was a treat—it was great to see that familiar batting stance once more.

Happy Birthday, Jose. Hope it’s a great one.

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Today, J.A. Happ celebrates his 44th birthday.

Happ had two separate stints with the Blue Jays. The first was less than stellar. In July 2012, the Jays traded Francisco Cordero, Ben Francisco, Joe Musgrove, Carlos Perez, David Rollins, Asher Wojciechowski, and Devin Comer to Houston in exchange for Happ, David Carpenter, and Brandon Lyon.

During his initial run in Toronto, Happ went 19-20 with a 4.48 ERA over 58 games (44 starts) across two and a half seasons. His time was interrupted by injuries, including a frightening line drive to the head that also caused a knee injury and sidelined him for an extended period.

Before the 2015 season, the Jays traded Happ to the Mariners for Michael Saunders. His stint in Seattle was disappointing (4-6, 4.64 ERA), leading to a deadline trade to Pittsburgh. With the Pirates and pitching coach Ray Searage, Happ found his form, going 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA over 11 starts.

Following that season, Happ returned to Toronto and in 2016 enjoyed his only 20-win season (20-4, 3.18 ERA), finishing sixth in Cy Young voting.

He made two playoff starts that year: earning a win against the Rangers in the ALDS (5 innings, 1 earned run) and taking a loss against Cleveland in the ALCS (5 innings, 2 earned runs).

2017 proved more challenging, as he went 10- 6 with a 3.53 ERA in 25 starts, hindered by injuries.

In 2018, Happ went 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts before being traded to the Yankees at the deadline. He excelled in New York, posting a 7-0 record with a 2.69 ERA and helping them reach the playoffs. In 2019, he was 12-8 with a 4.91 ERA in 31 games (30 starts).

In 2021, Happ signed with the Twins and struggled through 19 starts before being traded to the Cardinals, where he performed significantly better over 11 starts.

Overall, as a Blue Jay, Happ recorded a 59-41 record with a 3.88 ERA in 135 games (127 starts). He ranks ninth all-time in franchise wins and is one of only six Jays pitchers to achieve a 20-win season.

Happy Birthday, J.A.!

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Rajai Davis is celebrating his 46th birthday today. He spent three of his 14 major league seasons with the Blue Jays.

With Toronto, Davis batted .252/.299/.369 and stole 125 bases (seventh all-time in franchise history) over 345 games. According to Baseball Reference, he contributed 1.6 WAR as a Blue Jay.

Personally, I wasn’t a big fan—he struggled with plate discipline and often chased pitches outside the zone.

Over his career, Davis played 1,448 games with eight teams, posting a .262/.311/.379 line and stealing 415 bases.

Happy Birthday, Rajai!

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Randy Ruiz turns 49 today.

Ruiz was a career minor leaguer but had a standout season for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2009 at age 31, hitting .320/.392/.584—especially notable given the Jays were relying on Kevin Millar that year.

He was called up in mid-August, hitting .313/.385/.635 in 33 games, while Millar managed just .223/.311/.363 in 78 games.

Unfortunately, that was the peak of his MLB career. He played 13 games for the Jays in 2010, hitting .150/.150/.275 before being released.

Ruiz continued playing after his MLB stint, including a season in Japan and time in Mexico and the Puerto Rican Winter Leagues.

Happy Birthday, Randy!

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Anthony Santander turns 32 today.

Injuries have limited Santander to just 54 games in his first two years with the Jays. Here’s hoping next year goes better.

Happy Birthday, Anthony!

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland checks out the options for the Texas Rangers this offseason if they want to turn to free agency to improve their lineup.

MLB dot com’s Ben Weinrib places Sebastian Walcott among the top performers during the second week of Arizona Fall League action.

And, at The Athletic, Keith Law writes up the American League prospects at the AFL which presumably includes the Rangers.

Have a nice day!

For about three weeks this spring, Jeremiah Jackson was the best story on the Orioles. Through 18 games he was hitting .317 with five home runs, a team-leading 17 RBI, and a .923 OPS. On April 13 against Arizona he hit two homers, one of them the first grand slam of his career. A few days later his three-run homer in the eighth gave the O’s a 6-4 comeback win over Cleveland. “Right now, I don’t think there”s anyone in baseball feeling better than him,” Coby Mayo said. Craig Albernaz called him “a great example of a player putting in the work.”

Alas, I guess working hard is no guarantee of success in the Big Leagues. Jackson’s final line this season looked nothing like April. In 102 games and 293 plate appearances he hit .217/.247/.365, with 10 homers and 45 RBI. Baseball-Reference puts his OPS+ at 72 and his WAR at 0.1. FanGraphs is harsher: a 67 wRC+ and -0.3 WAR. With Jackson still in pre-arbitration, he wouldn’t be a costly retention on next year’s roster, but with lots of promising infielders around yet, it’s not clear the value is still there.

Jackson came to the Orioles in the way many players (too many?) come to the Orioles: as another team’s castoff. In 2018, the Angels took the infielder in the second round out of Mobile, Alabama. The next season, he tied the Pioneer League record with 23 home runs, but then he stalled. Injuries cost him time, and after languishing several season in the Angels organization, he was traded to the Mets in 2023. He’d hit a paltry .205 at Double-A Binghamton in 2024 before reaching free agency, where the Orioles signed him to a minor-league deal that November.

Last season, hopefully you’ll recall, Jeremiah Jackson exploded as a hitter, posting numbers in Triple-A Norfolk that forced the big-league front office to take notice—a .377 average with 11 homers in 40 games—and a successful stint in the big leagues after his debut at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on August 1, hitting .276/.328/.447 over 48 games.

None of this meant Jackson was guaranteed a roster spot again this spring. But he earned it once more, hitting .314 in Grapefruit League play to beat out a crowded field—Luis Vázquez, Bryan Ramos, Weston Wilson, and Thairo Estrada—for the last bench spot. Soon after that, Jackson Holliday’s hamate fracture and Jordan Westburg’s multiple injuries made Jeremiah Jackson the O’s everyday second baseman.

Alas, the experiment didn’t work. After April, Jackson’s offensive numbers cratered. He’d hit .209 in 17 games in May, then see his playing time dry up by early June. Jackson was optioned to Norfolk on June 28 and called back up five days later. He went 1-for-29 after the All-Star break, and on August 19 he went back down to make room for Samuel Basallo. He returned when rosters expanded on September 9, but he hit just .163 in 10 games.

What went wrong? Well, being a free swinger was one issue. Jackson’s season-long walk rate of 3.4%, down from 6% last season, proved a real liability, as pitchers stopped giving him hittable pitches early in counts.

To be fair, he had some bad luck. As of late in the season, Statcast had his expected wOBA (.284) a good deal above his actual wOBA (.265), and his 38 percent hard-hit rate is respectable. Plus his expected average (.236) was actually higher than last season’s (.222). And his strikeout rates didn’t skyrocket, either (in fact, his K% dropped a couple points from last season).

But this is still average to below-average output from even a bench bat, and Jeremiah Jackson was supposed to have the thump to do a lot more. Not to mention that the glove was just average. Most of his time came at second base (80 games), with a handful in left field and single games at third and right. He looked good there early, with some diving plays and a +2 DRS in April. Over the full season, though, the defensive numbers settled at around average. That’d be fine but for the .611 OPS. A utility man should either hit or be a defensive plus, and in 2026 Jackson wasn’t consistently either.

In sharp contrast, Blaze Alexander, another typical Orioles diamond in the rough, added obvious value in his 93 games, hitting .303/.358/.414 while flashing the wheels and plugging in all over the field. I mention this because if the Orioles are looking for “bench bat who can play all over,” it’s not clear there will be room for Jeremiah Jackson on the roster come next season, especially not with hitters like Alexander, or even the slugging Christian Encarnacion-Strand, both of whom did it far better in 2026.

Because Jackson is pre-arbitration, the Orioles don’t face a big salary decision with him. If he stays on the 40-man roster, he’ll make close to the league minimum. But the question still remains: amidst a crowded infield that includes a returning Jordan Westburg, a slugging Coby Mayo, a surprising Encarnacion-Strand, a versatile Blaze Alexander, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holiday, is there still a spot on the roster for Jeremiah Jackson?

The needs the Phillies have entering the 2027 season are plenty. The expiration of the CBA clouds many things about the future of the game, but we know that at some point, baseball will be played. When it is played, the Phillies will need to improve their roster if they want to be competitive again.

Those needs include:

• a new third baseman
• at least one bullpen arm, preferable one that is left handed
• at least one outfielder
• more depth to help the stated desire to get the veterans more rest

This list could keep going and going.

Let’s rank what is their top priority heading into the offseason. Use this list or create one for your own.

As I stumble towards maybe actually doing something about all the preseason production predictions we put in, one question stands out, because it was quickly resolved: I asked folks to prognosticate on the Braves’ next manager, and while I didn’t think anyone would’ve actually guessed Walt Weiss, turns out that a fair bit of people did. And lo and behold, Weiss it was.

Well, his first Braves managerial season is now in the books, and… what did you think of it, relative to expectations? I find this a hard question to answer, because tactics were subservient to strategy for what felt like large parts of the season. Where tactics didn’t intersect or get pre-empted by strategy, it was kind of a weird season in this respect, too: there were many games where Weiss pulled what seemed to be strange levers, and everything worked out. But at the same time, there were also a lot of games where a move failed pretty spectacularly. Usage of Victor Mederos is one of these cases: Mederos finished the season with a 112 xFIP- and was never out there posting great K/BB ratios. He was just having a bunch of medium-depth fly balls deliver WPA unto him and the Braves. The two times he didn’t get HR/FB magic, the Braves paid the price (once in the postseason), but all the other times, it made Weiss look brilliant in retrospect for stealing an inning without using one of his premier bullpen arms.

All in all, I suppose that someone who made considerably worse tactical moves probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the massive BaseRuns overperformance since their bullpen management would be worse… but I’m also not sure that said BaseRuns overperformance is actually emblematic of good managerial process, either.

I could go on, but eh, this is really your chance to expound.

The Orioles had a bottom 10 outfield by public defensive metrics. Even worse, they had the lowest slugging percentage of all 30 MLB teams for their outfielders. Mike Elias’s plan of getting power out of his outfield with his free agent signing Tyler O’Neill, his trade acquisition Taylor Ward, and his draft picks Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers, was a total bust. Between injuries and poor performances, there was a rotating cast of players, some of whom were just… so bad.

In contrast to last week’s episode, where the Orioles relievers were better than expected, this outfield group was just so much worse than expected. Anybody could have guessed there were going to be defensive liabilities from the group going into the season. Even so, the magnitude was so much greater, and they sure didn’t get the power trade-off that Elias was probably imagining.

Check out this week’s episode where I run through all of the outfielders, who was good (was anyone?) and who wasn’t:

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This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles as we head towards the beginning of the offseason? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

After the Mets traded Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien last offseason, it was immediately apparent that a big reason why the deal was made was because it allowed New York to extricate itself from the final two years of Nimmo's contract.

Nimmo's deal runs through 2030, with Semien's ending after the 2028 season.

While Nimmo was still an above average offensive player at the time of the trade, his defense had regressed in a big way. It continued to trend down in 2026, with Nimmo in the 12th percentile in OAA, via Baseball Savant. 

Meanwhile, trading Nimmo allowed the Mets to shift Juan Soto to left field, use Carson Benge in right field, and promote prospect A.J. Ewing from Triple-A on May 12 -- with Ewing quickly becoming the regular center fielder and key contributor on both sides of the ball.

The hope with Semien, who had just won a Gold Glove award at second base for the Rangers in 2025, was that he would provide stellar up-the-middle defense while possibly rebounding at the plate.

Neither of those things happened, and the Mets are now facing an early crossroads with Semien, who is owed $26 million in 2027 and $20 million in 2028 (with a payroll hit of $24 million annually for luxury tax purposes).

Given the developing situation with Semien, who should New York's second baseman be in 2027? Let's break down the likely options...

Marcus Semien

Semien's offensive struggles worsened in 2026, as he went from being a bit below average (93 OPS+ in 2025) to one of the least productive everyday players in the sport (74 OPS+).

His last average or better season with the bat came in 2024, when he had 23 homers and a 103 OPS+ in his age-33 season. 

More alarming than Semien's offensive futility were his difficulties defensively.

A hip issue he played through early in the season might have impacted things, but the overall numbers were ugly, with Semien in the fifth percentile in OAA (worth -9).

Given Semien's prowess as an elite defensive second baseman from 2021 through 2025, there should be at least some hope he can recapture that form. But even if he does, the offensive issues could do him in.

Asked during his end-of-season news conference at Citi Field whether he was ready to declare Semien the Mets' starting second baseman in 2027, president of baseball operations David Stearns was non-committal, potentially foreshadowing a quick changing of the guard.

Brett Baty

In the same news conference where he addressed Semien's shaky hold on the position, Stearns talked up Baty.

"I think Brett showed us for the last four-to-six weeks of the season what his ceiling looks like," Stearns noted. "And as I said, we need him to get to that ceiling more consistently."

About that hot finish Stearns was referencing: Baty slashed .352/.427/.592 (1.018 OPS) in 82 plate appearances over his final 30 games of the season. Overall in 2026, Baty hit just .236/.309/.371 (.681 OPS) in 143 games, which was a step back from the career-best .748 OPS he put up in 2025.

While Baty has upside with the bat and provides versatility defensively, he has a career .671 OPS (.91 OPS+) in parts of five big league seasons. So the time to find consistency would be now.

If Baty can't turn the corner offensively as a starter, his best fit could be as a super utility player who can handle third base, second base, first base, and both corner outfield spots.

Jefferson Rojas

The Mets were able to pry Rojas from the Cubs in the trade deadline deal that sent Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to Chicago, and the 21-year-old shot straight to the top of SNY's top 30 Mets prospects list.

After joining the Mets organization, Rojas caught fire, smacking nine homers and posting a .929 OPS in 29 games for Double-A Binghamton before a late-season promotion to Triple-A Syracuse. In 29 plate appearances over six games with Syracuse, Rojas hit .308/.345/.692 -- homering in his first three games at the level.

Rojas can play third base in addition to second base, so he could be an answer for the Mets at the hot corner in the unlikely event Bo Bichette doesn't opt in to his contract for 2027, which would pay him $42 million.

If Bichette opts in as expected, Rojas should be in pole position to take over as the starting second baseman sooner rather than later.

Mitch Voit

Rojas isn't the only top Mets infield prospect who is getting close to the majors.

Voit, who put up a very respectable .745 OPS in 76 games for A-level Brooklyn while playing his home games in a really tough environment for hitters, erupted after being promoted to Binghamton, hitting .347/.430/.517 in 29 games.

Entering his age-22 season in 2027, Voit will likely start the year back with the Rumble Ponies. But he should be knocking on the door soon enough.

Along with Rojas and Voit, Émilien Pitre -- whom the Mets acquired from the Rays in the Freddy Peralta trade -- could be another second base option in the near future.

The 24-year-old Pitre doesn't hit for much power, but he has gotten on base at a prolific rate in three minor league seasons, with a .389 OBP. Pitre's OBP across three levels for the Rays and Mets in 2026 (he finished the season with Syracuse) was .420.

***

Using spring training (whenever that is, given the uncertainty surrounding the CBA) to see how Semien looks makes sense. And it wouldn't be illogical to give Semien a shot when the bell rings to show his 2026 was an aberration.

But if Semien looks similar to the player he was this past season, the Mets should be quickly prepared to turn to Rojas as the starter at second base. And given Stearns' comments about the situation at the end of the season, that seems to be a likely scenario.

Huascar Brazobán’s Mets tenure was undeniably a highly successful one. Acquired for a pittance at the 2024 deadline from the Marlins ($10 for you if you can name the prospect the Mets gave up in that deal without looking it up), the 36-year-old posted 135.2 innings of 3.45 ERA ball in Queens. He was a good soldier, too, functioning as a setup guy, an opener, a multi-inning fireman, and even an up-and-down option at times as the Mets’ bullpen went through several iterations during his tenure.

The first half of Brazobán’s 2026 was arguably the best performance of his major league career, with 52.2 innings of 2.56 ERA ball. There was even a shiny 2.75 xERA underlying that performance, which might suggest that this was somewhat sustainable. That mark could even an argument to hold Brazobán beyond the deadline given that he remains under team control until 2030the trade deadline.

In reality, this was a mirage. Brazobán, like countless relievers before him and countess after him, was succeeding on a unsustainable stretch of favorable contact suppression numbers. His K-BB% remained below average at 12.6%, his stuff pedestrian, and the top-line figures more dependent on a .206 BABIP in New York than an actual breakout at age 36. With this information in mind, the Mets made the prudent decision to sell high at the deadline, shipping Brazobán out to the south side of Chicago.

Brazobán then posted a 4.40 ERA (7.24 xERA) down the stretch, missing time with a lat injury. Yes, the White Sox will have him under control for multiple seasons, but that’s hardly the help they were looking for as they looked to make a deep playoff push. Meanwhile, the prospects the Mets got back are already paying dividends. Gabe Davis was widely regarded as a promising-but-poorly-optimized arm in the Chicago system (he had an ERA over 8 this season), then posted a 2.53 ERA in Binghamton while doing stuff like this every time he took the ball. Zach Franklin probably has better present stuff than Brazobán right now, and the odds he’s the better major league arm in 2027 are much closer to even than you’d think. Both Davis and Franklin are likely to be 2027 contributors.

If this story sounds nearly identical to that of Brooks Raley, you’d be right. The Mets did quite a good job of maximizing their veteran bullpen arms in the first half, then did an even better job of selling high and picking up solid prospects in return. We should all have some doubts about the Mets’ front office at this point, but this particular maneuver is one they’re executing better than just about anyone else right now. Hang your hat on what you can.

Meet the Mets

Mets relief prospect Ryan Lambert is off to a strong start in the Arizona Fall League.

Around the National League East

Washington Nationals CFO Ted Towne is leaving the organization to become CFO of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, per a report from the Washington Business Journal. Chief Revenue Office Chris Zaber and vice president of events at Nationals Park Jonathan Stahl are also departing the Nationals’ front office.

Around Major League Baseball

The Rays defeated the Guardians 3-1 in Cleveland in Game 5 of the ALCS to go ahead in the series three games to two. Rays ace Drew Rasmussen held Cleveland to just one run on four hits in seven innings with strong defense behind him helping him out. Freddy Peralta will now take the mound for the Rays in Game 6 with a chance to help punch their ticket to the World Series.

Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz, who got three hits in support of last night’s victory, certainly thinks the Rays are going to do just that. “We’re going to win tomorrow,” he said.

If the Rays do advance to the World Series, they will match up against the Brewers, guaranteeing that whoever wins will be a first-time champion. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio wants it very badly for a fanbase and a community that has been waiting a long time.

The league’s stance on the salary cap took a big hit when the Brewers swept the Dodgers in the NLCS, writes David Lennon of Newsday.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Lukas Vlahos took a look back at Brooks Raley’s 2026 season, in which he was part of a bullpen that was one of the few bright spots of the 2026 Mets, but struggled after being traded to the Phillies despite being the same pitcher, indicating a regression the Mets perhaps saw coming.

This Date in Mets History

October 19 is not a good day in Mets history. It marked the end of the line in the NLCS for both the 1999 Mets and the 2006 Mets. Even the eventual World Champion 1986 Mets lost on this date in Game 2 of the World Series.