Category: Baseball

It's not exactly an in-house hire, but the Houston Astros opted for familiarity in settling on Brad Ausmus as their next manager, the club announced Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Ausmus, 57, will take his third crack at managing a major league team, having led the Detroit Tigers from 2014 through 2017 and managing the Los Angeles Angels for the 2019 season. He's spent the past three seasons as the New York Yankees' bench coach.

Ausmus was a catcher for the Astros from 2001 through 2008, growing into a core player for a franchise that reached the World Series in 2005. Hall of Fame first baseman Jeff Bagwell remains a trusted advisor to owner Jim Crane, who recently hired former Cardinals executive Randy Flores as the club's new general manager.

Ausmus will replace Joe Espada, who managed the club for three seasons and led them to the AL West title this season, though the club had a .500 record. Espada led the Astros to the playoffs in two of his three seasons and was the bench coach under World Series-winning manager Dusty Baker before that. Crane opted not to extend his contract.

"I am very excited to be back in Houston,” Ausmus said in a statement released by the club. "The Astros and the City of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I’m thrilled to create a new chapter as the team’s manager. I’d like to thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work."

Ausmus was an All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner as a player and posted a 386-422 record managing the Tigers and Angels. In his first year managing, Ausmus inherited a club that reached the 2013 ALCS under retiring manager Jim Leyland but got bounced in the 2014 ALDS. His final three Tigers clubs did not reach the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston Astros hire Brad Ausmus as next manager

There was consistently a positive relationship between Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán and manager Terry Francona during their three-year run in the Queen City. The future Hall of Fame manager trusted Pagán with the closer’s job early in 2025 with Alexis Diaz fell completely apart, and the move paid off in spades both for the Reds and Pagán, who turned his 2025 success into a new 2-year, $20 million contract after the Reds made the playoffs.

That deal, though, included an opt-out at the end of the 2026 season, an opt-out that Pagán exercised just days after the Milwaukee Brewers won the World Series.

In the wake of that decision, Tito clearly maintained contact with his former closer, even revealing to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon last week that he’d recently been texting him.

I texted him last night and he was at dinner. I said, “Do I need to come over there and kick your [butt]?” The reason I said that is I love the guy. He’s such a phenomenal teammate. He bailed us out. When we made him the closer, it allows you to work from back to front, when you know there’s an end in sight. I’m not giving up on him coming back. He has the right to test the market. But I don’t think it’s any secret how much I enjoyed him and how much I respect him and how much I love him.

Just a week after turning down the chance to pitch for the Reds again at a $10 million rate, Pagán agreed to an $11 million deal to pitch for the Detroit Tigers for the 2027 season.

I am not one to put words into another person’s mouth. I will merely point out that it’s a little bit curious that Pagán opted out in a ‘bet on yourself after a couple good years’ kind of move and ended up signing elsewhere at almost exactly the same rate that was already guaranteed to you from an organization that, per Francona, still had a lot of love for you – all after testing the market for roughly one whole week.

There are a million different ways to interpret this, quite literally. The Reds sure do look like a mis-managed sinking ship, and for Pagán to recognize that while having an opportunity to bail deserves neither fault nor scorn. Frankly, I wouldn’t blame him one single bit if that was all he was looking to do. Detroit’s home park offers a fly-ball pitcher like him a whole lot more room to succeed with his own methods than do the cozy confines of Great American Ball Park.

Perhaps he simply wanted to get a guarantee on the books before the looming December 1st lockout, and did so with a team in whom he has more confidence than he has in the Reds.

Cincinnati did change pitching coaches from Derek Johnson to Joe Torres, too. There could very well be a philosophy clash behind the scenes we’ve not yet seen play out publicly.

One thing is cut and dry, though, and that’s that Pagán is not going to be back on the Reds in 2027 in any capacity, and the search for a new closer amid a bullpen that needs an entire overhaul is firmly front and center on Nick Krall’s to-do list this winter…along with about thirty other things that, if accomplished, would’ve made this club a lot more attractive to a closer on the open market in the first place.

For every legendary name recognizable across generations of Yankees fans, there are dozens others who fade from memory after leaving the organization. Thousands of players have come and gone through the doors of Yankee Stadium in the team’s 123-year history, the vast majority leaving just a faint mark in the annals of the franchise. Even during their most storied era in the Murderers’ Row years, far from every player ascended to the status of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig

Owen Thomas “Ownie” Carroll
Born: November 11, 1902 (Kearney, NJ)
Died: June 8, 1975 (Orange, NJ)
Yankees Tenure: 1930

Born just months before the inception of the New York Highlanders (who would become the Yankees a decade later), not much is known about Carroll’s family and early life aside from a few facts about his New Jersey upbringing. He emerged as one of the top high school pitchers of the early 1920s in his four years at Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, compiling a 49-2 record.

His legend grew during his four years on the varsity squad at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, the 1920s sometimes considered the heyday of college baseball. He was widely regarded as the best college pitcher in the country, amassing a 50-2 record, his only losses coming against Princeton and Boston College in his sophomore season. Games in which he pitched would often draw 30,000 or more fans at Braves Field in Boston, his most memorable performances including a 15-inning complete game against Harvard and a 17-strikeout one-hitter against Princeton.

Following his senior year, Carroll signed with the Tigers for $25,000 in 1925 and made his MLB debut later that season, going six innings and allowing eight runs (four earned) on nine hits and four walks in an 11-9 win over the Red Sox on June 20th. Carroll would make ten appearances (four starts) in his rookie season, going 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 40.2 innings. Arm issues that would plague his professional career began to appear following that season, causing Carroll to spend the entirety of the 1926 season in the minor leagues with the Toronto Maple Leads.

Carroll returned to the majors in 1927, firmly establishing himself as a big leaguer. That year, he made 31 appearances (15 starts), going 10-6 with a 3.98 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 172 innings. His best season came in 1928, Carroll going 16-12 in 34 appearances (28 starts) totaling 231 innings while finishing in the top-10 in the AL in ERA (3.27) and complete games (19). He followed that with a less impressive 1929 campaign, compiling a 9-17 record in 34 appearances (26 starts), with a 4.63 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 202 innings.

1930 was a year of upheaval for Carroll, the righty pitching six games for the Tigers before being traded to the Yankees for rotation stalwart Waite Hoyt. That swap proved to be disastrous for the Bronx outfit, as Carroll made just 10 appearances in pinstripes. He allowed four runs on six hits and three walks in his team debut — a four-inning start that ended in a 13-7 loss to his former team on June 11th. Carroll was immediately removed from the rotation and would make nine further relief appearances, only one of those games ending in a Yankees win.

Despite stratospheric seasons from Ruth and Gehrig, the Yankees were seriously light in the rotation following Hoyt’s departure and missed the playoffs after finishing third. Carroll would not be allowed to see out the end of the season in New York. The Yankees sold him to the Reds at the end of the summer. In total, Carroll went 0-1 in those ten appearances, with a 6.61 ERA and eight strikeouts in 32.2 innings. His -0.3 fWAR and -0.7 rWAR were among the worst for anyone who pitched for the Yankees that season, Ruth himself accruing more value by spinning a two-run complete game against the Red Sox on the final day of the season — the Bambino’s first pitching appearance in nine years.

Carroll regained his starting pitching role in Cincinnati, going 3-9 in 12 starts with a 5.53 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 107.1 innings in 1931. 1932 saw him make 32 appearances (26 starts), Carroll improving to a 4.50 ERA, though he led the NL in losses (19) and hit batsmen (nine). That precipitated a trade to the Cardinals following the completion of the season, Jim Bottomley heading to Cincy to complete the deal. However, St. Louis flipped him just a few weeks later to the Dodgers for Dazzy Vance. With this trade, Carroll earned the distinction as the only player in MLB history to be traded for three future Hall of Famers in Hoyte, Bottomley, and Vance, a record that still stands to this day.

The now-30-year-old Carroll experienced something of a renewal in his first season in Brooklyn, making a career-high 31 starts and finishing with a 13-15 record, 3.78 ERA, and 45 strikeouts in 226.1 innings. However, that came to an abrupt end, injuries limiting Carroll to 26 appearances (five starts) in 1934 with a 1-3 record, 6.42 ERA, and 17 strikeouts in 74.1 innings. After spending 1935 with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, Carroll called curtains on a nine-year big league career, finishing with a 64-90 record, 4.43 ERA, and considerably more walks (486) than strikeouts (311) in 1,330.2 innings.

Following his retirement, Carroll went on to become the head coach of the Seton Hall University baseball team for 25 years. He leaned on advice learned while playing under future Yankees Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel, back then the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association in 1930. He finished with a 341‐186‐3 record, leading the Pirates to four Metropolitan Conference championships and two College World Series appearances.

On April 25, 1973, the university honored their long-time coach by renaming their stadium the Owen T. Carroll Field. Carroll himself passed away on June 8, 1975, at the age of 72.

Carroll’s Yankees career may be a minor footnote in history of the franchise, but there is no doubting the impact he had on the lives and careers of the many young ballplayers who came under his leadership at Seton Hall.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Let’s switch gears for a moment from the series I’ve been writing about potential free agent signings for the Cubs to a potential trade target, Angels left-hander Reid Detmers.

The Cubs came close enough to dealing for Detmers at the deadline last summer:

Well, you all know that didn’t happen. Instead, the Cubs sent Moisés Ballesteros and minor leaguer Mason McGwire to the Angels for Ryan Zeferjahn. This could eventually turn out to be a useful deal; Zeferjahn clearly has talent, is not arb-eligible until 2028, and is under team control for four more seasons.

Here, per one report, is what the Cubs would have given up for Detmers (with Zeferjahn also included):

As you know, Jefferson Rojas wound up going to the Mets in the deal that brought Clay Holmes to the Cubs. That could still be worth doing if the Cubs re-sign Holmes, which is certainly possible.

Apparently the reason this deal fell through was that the Angels didn’t like the medical reports they received on Jaxon Wiggins. You likely also know this too, as Wiggins has been injured much of the time he’s been in the Cubs system. He made 22 appearances (11 starts) in 2026 and posted a 6.75 ERA and 1.781 WHIP in only 42.2 innings, with 50 strikeouts (which is good!) and 34 walks (which is not good!).

Wiggins, the Cubs’ second-round pick out of the University of Arkansas in 2023, turned 25 in October. To count on him in 2027 is not something the Cubs should do. Detmers is only two years older and has already thrown 634.2 major league innings, and is under team control for two more years.

So with Ballesteros, Rojas and McGwire already gone, and Wiggins probably not tradeable, who could the Cubs send to Anaheim to acquire Detmers?

For one thing, I would put the Cubs’ top three prospects (per MLB Pipeline) off limits — no trading Josiah Hartshorn, Owen Ayers or Ethan Conrad. Perhaps the Angels could be enticed to take Javier Assad as part of a deal like this — he has significant MLB starting experience. You might have to throw in Brooks Caple or someone like him. Would the Angels be interested in Matt Shaw?

I’m just spitballing here — given that the Angels have new ownership and management since the Detmers deal fell through in August, maybe they don’t want to trade him at all.

But I think the Cubs should look into this again.

The Seattle Mariners were rumored by Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times to be pursuing free agent OF Seiya Suzuki in their coverage of MLB’s GM meetings on Tuesday. Jerry Dipoto danced around the subject in the report, but reiterated the truth of Seattle’s history and capacity for appeal to players hailing from Japan. And yet, the top of the position player market is water Dipoto’s Mariners have not sailed in, and Suzuki is himself a rarity as a position playing free agent to reach true free agency, having completed his first contract signed in 2022 with the Chicago Cubs. Suzuki, much like Randy Arozarena, has a corner outfield profile with a history of big offensive production and some suspect glovework, and both will enter 2027 as their age 32 season.

So why Suzuki and not, as reported by Divish and Jude, a reunification effort with Arozarena? Seemingly, Arozarena is interested in other markets, and fair enough. Randy also will yield Seattle an extra draft pick when he signs, all but certainly in Competitive Balance Round A due to Seattle’s revenue-sharing recipient status in recent years, meaning a top-40 selection in the 2027 draft. The cost of signing Suzuki, beyond the financial which might push into nine figures, would be Seattle’s third-highest selection in the draft in kind. This would mean most likely for Seattle to sacrifice their third round pick, as compensation picks are (possibly?) immune from the calculus for this effort, however it could be the club would sacrifice their second round pick if the comp pick they receive is eligible.

And that cost is not necessarily going to be cheaper than what Randy would demand for retainer. Both Suzuki and Arozarena have been steady, right-handed bats, performing to a genuinely remarkable degree of synchronicity. For Randy in 4029 PA across 955 MLB games, and 2899 PAs over 675 games for Suzuki, they’ve both maintained a 128 wRC+ exactly. They’re within decimals on career walk and strikeout rates, and while Arozarena is more of an iron man, they’ve each amassed an average of over 140 games played per season over the last four campaigns.

Suzuki has benefitted from a ballpark less vicious to right-handed hitters than Arozarena in recent years (which is literally every other park, bless you Randy), good for a .269/.351/.472 mark for his career, and while he runs reasonably, he’s put a halt on his base stealing in the past few seasons, while Arozarena has notched six straight 20-20 campaigns. But what Suzuki managed in 2026 may be setting him above Seattle’s estimation of their erstwhile left fielder. Seiya’s skill with the glove took a major step forward in 2026. After a season spent in the corners and at DH, Suzuki was expected to handle center field duties in the World Baseball Classic for Team Japan this past spring. The Tokyo native still runs at an above-average level, and has a strong enough arm for any outfield position, but where he shone was in his improved tracking of the ball and range in Wrigley’s corner spots. Of course, Suzuki benefitted from the best defensive center fielder in baseball with Pete Crow-Armstrong ranging in Andruw Jones-esque capacities this past summer, but in Seattle the longer trend of Julio Rodríguez still suggests a fielder far above average to flank his compatriots.

The counters here are curious. For one, defensive metrics have a taller task of capturing process and cause/effect than hitting or baserunning, in many ways. Can one count on Suzuki’s glovework maintaining any more than they could on Julio’s failing to bounce back? And on the other side, many of Suzuki’s offensive peripherals took some hits. Though still a strong performer when it comes to maximizing contact, Suzuki’s hard hit rates and expected outcomes took a step downward from the past three seasons. Given his numbers didn’t dip, and in fact took a positive step on the back of an elevated walk rate, this may not be troubling the M’s.

But Suzuki is likely to get four or five years on his contract, something this front office has only ever offered hitters in their 20s. MLB Trade Rumors estimated 4/$105m for Suzuki, while FanGraphs writer Ben Clemens suggested a similar 4/$108m, and the crowdsourced rankings from the site came in with a median 4/$96m. All are plausible ranges, and all would be surprising to see the low-investment Mariners ownership group commit to. To give them credit, however, the club did re-sign Josh Naylor swiftly a winter ago and seems at least to hover around a league median (though not mean) payroll in recent years. There should be at least $20 million to re-invest in the club purely working off the club’s past trend line of spending, and Jerry Dipoto’s successful deal of Luis Castillo at the deadline may have created wiggle room for himself to improve the 2027 squad and beyond.

And yet, filling the hole of Arozarena is a real challenge. As Ryan Blake noted at the end of the season, Seattle faces a gap between 2025 and 2026 that can largely be made up in 2027 by positive regression from existing players. But what they cannot expect to replicate is the greatest season by a Mariners left fielder in franchise history that Arozarena put up, with his 5.5 fWAR, .281/.381/.484 line and 151 wRC+ from a guy who could be relied upon to be healthy enough to play at a high level daily for 2.5 years.

Suzuki is the only player in this free agent class likely to meet the M’s desire to improve defensively and have a strong shot at holding serve offensively in Arozarena’s stead. He’s right-handed, something nobody but Julio from the expected Opening Day lineup can claim. His offensive profile has power, but is not purely reliant upon it, and he’s got what continues to be above-average athleticism that may age more gracefully than his contemporaries already starting from a lesser point of ability.

If Seattle were to invest in a new free agent this winter, Suzuki would be the most likely to have a positive and fitting impact, with his track record as a corner outfielder and hitter. Seattle should be in on this type of player at this stage, particularly with a balance sheet recently glutted by the 7th-best attendance in MLB this year, the most attendees since 2004 for the franchise. To maintain and reclaim the enthusiasm and the justifiable expectations following their lost 2026 season, would be a very appropriate player to bring into the fold for the franchise’s 51st season.

The Phillies entered the 2026 season with Otto Kemp penciled in for a big role on the MLB roster. He was supposed to be Brandon Marsh’s right-handed platoon partner in the outfield, as the team finally acknowledged that Marsh should be prevented from facing lefties. Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies took every opportunity to talk up Kemp over the offseason and cited a knee injury as reason to believe he would improve upon his rookie season.

Felix Reyes was the first attempt to correct that colossal mistake of putting all the eggs in the Otto Kemp basket, as Reyes was promoted in mid-April when Kemp was demoted following a dreadful start to the season. Reyes, despite mostly playing first base in his minor league career and hardly having played above Double-A, was selected to be Marsh’s new platoon partner in left field.

2026 stats: 12 games, .158/.158/.263, 1 home run, 11 OPS+, -0.6 WAR

What went right

Reyes was not someone particularly on the radar for an MLB job, but a strong spring training no doubt helped get his name into some consideration despite only having played six career games above Double-A. The 25-year-old hit .303 with a .930 OPS and three home runs in 18 Grapefruit League games this year. He was sent to Triple-A to begin the season but unexpectedly found himself on the Phillies roster on April 18th thanks to the aforementioned struggles of Kemp. The Phillies were throwing a dart to see if they could get some production out of an unexpected source because they had no real backup plan in the rather likely possibility of Kemp’s position being untenable.

They appeared to have gotten lucky in Reyes’ first game, as he launched a home run off of Chris Sale in his first career at-bat in the Majors while batting cleanup behind Bryce Harper.

It would quickly go downhill from there though.

What went wrong

It became very apparent, very fast that Reyes was simply overmatched in the major leagues. The tendency for chasing Reyes showed in the minors was easily exploited by MLB pitching, as he swung at 53% of the pitches he saw outside of the zone in his short time with the Phillies. He also racked up nine strikeouts in 38 plate appearances and did not walk once, as Reyes collected just five more hits after that debut home run. His brief time on the MLB roster ended exactly a month after it began when the Phillies optioned him to Triple-A on May 18th.

Reyes remained with Lehigh Valley the rest of the year, hitting .287 with an .830 OPS and 21 home runs before a broken wrist ended his season on August 15th.

Final Grade: F

This isn’t as much of a grade for Reyes as it is for the circumstances that led to him being on the Phillies roster. Reyes is the exact type of player that teams with poor depth are forced to rely on, and that’s exactly what the Phillies are. A 25-year-old career minor leaguer who had barely played above Double-A should not be plan B for a significant role on an MLB roster. The Phillies dramatically overvalued Kemp, and his predictable struggles and the team’s utter lack of upper minor league depth led to the Phillies thrusting Reyes into a role he frankly was not suited for. That included batting him cleanup for almost half of his plate appearances because the Phillies didn’t have any other real options for right-handed production behind Harper and Kyle Schwarber.

It was also head-scratching at the time that the Phillies went to Reyes over Bryan De La Cruz, who also had a strong camp but had vastly more MLB experience and was an actual outfielder. That decision looks even worse in hindsight as once the Phillies finally did add De La Cruz to their roster on July 21st, he hit .280 with a .762 OPS in 34 games. Regardless, the whole saga involving Reyes is just an exacerbation of the Phillies failure to develop even the smallest of contributors from within.

LAS VEGAS — The Yankees need a new bench coach.

Brad Ausmus is leaving Aaron Boone’s staff to become the new Astros manager, The Post confirmed on Wednesday, creating a vacancy they will now have to fill.

Ausmus, who served as Boone’s right-hand man for the last three seasons, interviewed with the Astros this offseason for both their GM and manager job, Brian Cashman acknowledged Tuesday. The GM job ultimately went to Randy Flores before the Astros landed on Ausmus as their next manager.

The 57-year-old spent 10 seasons as the Astros’ catcher during his 18-year playing career and remained close with former teammate Jeff Bagwell, who is now a senior advisor to owner Jim Crane.

Before joining the Yankees, Ausmus had managed the Tigers from 2014-2017 and the Angels in 2019, posting a combined record of 386-422.

Ausmus marks the second departure from Boone’s staff, after major league field coordinator and director of catching Tanner Swanson left to become the Mariners’ bench coach. Ausmus and Swanson ran spring training together each of the last three years.

The Yankees are still working through their hitting staff, after hitting coach James Rowson’s contract expired, with the club “engaged in the marketplace and also internally,” Cashman said Tuesday.

Pitching coach Matt Blake, assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, bullpen coach Preston Claiborne, third base coach Luis Rojas and first base coach Dan Fiorito are all set to return.

Morning, all!

The Rangers will be exploring the potential trade market for Corey Seager at the GM meetings, and Evan Grant suggests that the only realistic trade partners are limited to Boston, Philadelphia,

The team also needs another catcher, and while Logan O’Hoppe is another catcher he has not, historically, been that great at the catching part of the job.

The question for the offseason will be ““do the Rangers offload some or all of their big contracts or do they keep doing what they’ve been doing?”

Chris You g says the team is ““open monded” about what other teams may have on offer for Seager, deGrom, and Eovaldi.

Last night we got our first big piece of Nats related news from the GM Meetings. Spencer Nusbaum reported that Dylan Crews has emerged as a popular trade target around the league. The Nats also seem open to the idea, which makes sense after extending Jacob Young. With that in mind, I came up with three trade proposals that would make sense for the Nats.

Dylan Crews Heads North of the Border: 

One team that is on the hunt for outfielders is the Toronto Blue Jays. After reaching the World Series in 2025, the Jays took a big step back last season. A big reason for that was poor production from the outfield. For that reason, they make a lot of sense as a Crews suitor.

My proposal would send Crews to the Blue Jays in exchange for Sean Keys and Ricky Tiedemann. I think this is a trade that makes sense for both sides. For the Jays, they get a high upside outfielder who could platoon with Brett Bateman in center field, while also getting opportunities in the corners. It would also be a fresh start for Crews, who has not lived up to the hype in DC.

Meanwhile, the Nats get two players who could help the club in 2027. Keys is the headlining piece of the package in my opinion. He is a high upside bat who would battle with Abimelec Ortiz for the first base position. In the end, I think Keys would win out.

Ortiz and Keys share a lot of similarities, but Keys is younger and was more productive. Last season, Keys hit .294 with 28 homers and a 1.019 OPS in AA and AAA. The 23 year old was one of the most productive hitters in all of minor league baseball. It was a true breakout for a guy who posted good but not great numbers in High-A last year.

These insane numbers led to Keys seeing some big league action. He appeared in 25 games last year, but hit just .197 with a .570 OPS. Keys has tremendous raw power, and is great at translating it into games. His air pull percentage was over 25% in AAA, which is an elite number. Keys also made contact at an above average clip in the minors, though he did have some strikeout issues in the big leagues.

Like Ortiz, he is a fairly aggressive hitter, and that got exposed in the big leagues. However, it is important to point out that Keys was only in High-A last year. It is not a huge shock that a player so inexperienced had growing pains in the MLB. A Keys and Ortiz competition would be interesting to watch heading into 2027.

The second piece of the package is a pitcher with a lot of pedigree. There was a time where Ricky Tiedemann was easily a top 100 prospect. However, he has suffered a ton of injuries. At this point, he is a reliever, but I think he has the talent to be a good lefty reliever.

He throws from a low slot and has a nasty sweeper, which are traits the Nats covet. However, he also averaged 96 MPH in the big leagues. Tiedemann will never be the front line starter some expected before the injuries, but I think he could be a great lefty reliever. A package of Keys and Tiedemann would be a win-win for the Nats and Jays.

A One for One NL East Swap:

One idea that has been floating around is the Dylan Crews for Andrew Painter swap. This would be the classic case of two teams exchanging former mega-prospects who have not put it all together yet. We all know about the Dylan Crews hype train, but there was also a time where Painter was seen as the Phillies next ace.

After being drafted out of high school, Painter’s first pro season was one for the ages. He posted a 1.56 ERA with 155 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 103.2 innings. The youngster went from Low-A all the way to Double-A, and dominated every step of the way. However, his road has been bumpy since then.

Painter had to undergo Tommy John in 2023, and did not return to the mound until 2025. When he came back, his fastball shape had degraded and hitters punished him. He posted an ERA over 5 in AAA last year. Painter was still throwing hard, but things did not look the same.

Despite those struggles, Painter was given a spot in the Phillies rotation, where his woes continued. He posted an ERA over 7 before getting sent down in June. However, Painter made some adjustments in the minors and came back looking much better. In the second half, Painter pitched to a 3.65 ERA.

The biggest change he made was swapping his splitter for a changeup. That changeup became a dominant pitch for Painter. Batters hit just .153 with a 35.4% whiff rate against the change. His fastball shape also slowly improved in the second half. He was beginning to look like the old Painter.

Honestly, the fact he improved so much makes a trade less likely. Out of all the packages, this is the one I find most unrealistic. While the Phillies need outfield help and the Nats need pitching, I don’t think Dave Dombrowski moves off Painter. They have always loved Painter, and he is finally starting to reward their faith.

A Crews for Painter swap is an interesting idea in theory, and makes some sense for both teams. However, I do not think the Phillies pull the trigger, especially to a team within the division. It is worth making a call though.

Crews Goes to the City of Angels:

As we all know, the Nats need bullpen help and this last swap would be a creative way to do that. My proposal here is to send Dylan Crews to the Angels in exchange for Samy Natera Jr. and Talon Haley. The main prize of this package would be Natera though.

Natera made his MLB debut last season as a 26 year old and excelled. In 28 outings, Natera posted a 3.13 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. That is a 36.6% strikeout rate, which is insane. Natera does this mostly with one pitch.

Samy Natera Jr. has a special fastball. He throws his heater 80% of the time, but hitters still can’t do anything with it. The fastball has a ton of IVB while averaging 95 MPH. That combination of velocity and movement led to a .209 average against and a 31.3% whiff rate. Those are extraordinary numbers for a pitch with such high usage.

When he did mix in his slider, hitters had no answers. They hit just .148 with a 56.3% whiff rate. Even MLB hitters had to cheat in order to catch up to his fastball. That meant that his slider totally threw hitters into a loop. Natera does not have pinpoint command, but a sub-10% walk rate is more than good enough for a pitcher with such nasty stuff.

If Natera became a National, he would be the closer and the team’s best reliever. While trading Dylan Crews for a reliever would be risky, I think Natera is the right kind of arm to make it work. He did end the season on the IL with forearm tightness, but there was no structural damage.

Due to that injury and the fact he is a reliever, I decided to throw in Talon Haley as a sweetener. Haley is a 20 year old lefty, who is the Angels 15th ranked prospect. He struck out 121 batters in 87.2 innings, but also had 51 walks. With a low to mid-90’s fastball and a strong feel to spin, Haley has some intriguing traits, but he is many years away.

I think all of these packages would get Paul Toboni’s attention. After the Jacob Young extension and this report, I think there is a strong possibility we see a Dylan Crews trade. What do you think the Nats should target in a return and which team would be the best fit?

Ties aren’t just for spring training, you know.

The Glendale Desert Dogs allowed two runs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning on Tuesday afternoon in Mesa, tying the Solar Sox 3-3 in Arizona Fall League action in the circuit’s final week.

Charles Davalan drove home a run with a groundout in the first inning, and doubled home another tally in the second, and scored later in the frame, giving the Desert Dogs a 3-1 lead. Davalan later singled.

Eduardo Quintero did not put the ball in play in any of his four plate appearances, but he did walk three times to go with his lone strikeout. Quintero also stole a base, tying for the team lead with seven on the season. Quintero also has a team-best 18 walks in 17 games, ranking sixth in the AFL.

Wals have been the saving grace for Quintero, who has only eight hits in 52 at-bats with one double, hitting just .154/.375/.173.

Dodgers pitcher Sam Horn pitched the second inning and allowed a one-out walk to Kade Snell, who stole second base. Horn balked him to third base on a mound disengagement violation, then permitted a run on a sacrifice fly.

There have been 163 games so far in the Arizona Fall League this year, and Tuesday was the second tie, and both have been in Mesa. On October 5, the Solar Sox tied the Scottsdale Scorpions, 6-6.

Tuesday scores

Glendale 3, Mesa 3

Wednesday schedule

2:30 p.m. PT: Glendale vs. Scottsdale (live stream)

The final day of the AFL regular season, with at least one postseason game for Glendale coming Thursday.

The offseason is upon us, but it could soon come to a screeching halt. In less than three weeks, the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires, and barring an agreement between owners and players by then, owners will impose a lockout. That will mean a freeze of transactions after December 1, an end to communications between players and teams, heck, even team websites will have all images and videos of players scrubbed.

Teams will have to navigate a very uncertain offseason without knowing what baseball’s financial structure will look like on the other side. Owners and players have each made proposals on how to change the financial inequities in the game, with owners adamant about imposing a salary cap.

The Royals have several holes to fill this offseason, particularly in the bullpen and outfield. A looming lockout could affect their efforts to address needs in several ways.

A stop-and-start timeline

This offseason will have a frustrating pace to it. Many are expecting a flurry of activity in November, although we are nearly two weeks in and it has been eerily quiet. But once the labor deal expires, all Major League transactions will cease until a new deal is worked out. Once owners and players come to an agreement, it will be a feeding frenzy of free agent signings, although the timing of that agreement could have significant implications for how much time teams have to prepare for the season.

Will the Royals get an early jump on the offseason and try to get transactions in before the labor deal expires? Or will they wait to see how things shake out? Will waiting out the market cause free agent prices to fall, particularly if the work stoppage stretches into spring training? Or will the Royals be left empty-handed by waiting too long?

Will the Royals have more money to work with?

The recent World Series between the Brewers and Rays proved that teams can overcome financial limitations to be successful. But it didn’t disprove the fact that money can help build a roster. The Royals fielded a $140 million Opening Day payroll, 18th-largest in baseball last season. But could they receive more revenues under a new labor deal that can provide the resources to field a more competitive roster?

The owners are proposing pooling all local TV revenues and splitting it 30 ways. They argue that their proposal would create a more level playing field by giving every team an equal share of local television revenue, while establishing a salary floor to force low-spending teams to invest more in their rosters. They also argue that a salary cap would prevent wealthier teams from dramatically outspending the competition. Their proposal would set a $180.2 million floor and a $258.3 million cap, although it wouldn’t start until 2028.

The MLBPA argues that a salary cap is unnecessary to achieve competitive balance and would artificially limit player salaries. They have countered by proposing teams pool the first $50 million of each team’s local TV revenue, plus two-thirds of the amount above $50 million, for redistribution. The union’s proposal includes provisions requiring revenue-sharing recipients to maintain at least a $150 million payroll to retain those funds, along with additional incentives for winning teams. Under their plan, each team would be guaranteed $240 million in annual revenue, although Forbes estimates the Royals already make $330 million in revenues. 

Either way, the next labor agreement seems likely to change the financial landscape for teams like the Royals. The question is whether those changes will translate into more money being invested in the roster, and whether ownership will take advantage of the opportunity to build a more competitive team.

A buyer’s market for one-year rentals

The trade market provides opportunities to improve the roster, but the Royals don’t have a ton of depth in their farm system to deal from. However this offseason could provide opportunities to trade for players at reduced prices. If a lockout stretches into spring training or even costs regular-season games teams may be reluctant to surrender valuable prospects for a player who could end up providing less than a full season of production.

That could create a buyer’s market for the Royals to acquire short-term help without having to give up too much, particularly if they’re willing to take on some salary. Teams might be more motivated to get something for a player on an expiring deal, rather than risk being unable to trade him in the frenzy before the season begins.

Of course, the Royals would have to weigh the opportunity to acquire a player against the risk of losing valuable playing time to the work stoppage themselves. And they would have to aggressively seek a trade before the work stoppage, while there is still uncertainty. But uncertainty can create opportunities for teams willing to take calculated risks, and the Royals could potentially find some bargains in that environment.

Minor league deals for injured players

When the labor deal expires, there will be a freeze on Major League transactions and restrictions on club interactions with players on the 40-man roster. But players can still sign minor league deals. And anyone not on a 40-man roster can still interact with the team.

That could lead to several players nursing offseason injuries to sign minor league deals to allow them to work with Major League medical staffs and have access to team training facilities.

It could also influence how teams approach their 40-man rosters. Clubs may be more inclined to leave certain players off the 40-man roster if they want to have interactions with them during a work stoppage or ensure they will have a full spring training to prepare for the season. For the Royals, that could make decisions about injured players and Rule 5 protections even more complicated. They’ll have to consider not only which players deserve a spot on the roster, but also whether putting them on the 40-man roster could limit the organization’s ability to work with them during a lockout.

This is an important offseason for the Royals. After back-to-back winning seasons, they regressed badly in 2026. They need to improve a bullpen that was among the worst in baseball, find more production in the outfield and add starting pitching depth to overcome injuries. A looming lockout makes those tasks more complicated, but it could also create opportunities for a front office willing to be creative and take calculated risks.

Good morning friends, and Happy Veterans Day!

Yesterday was very busy in the baseball world as the GM Meetings are starting to bear some fruit. Let’s get to all of that and more.

In Mariners news…

• The Mariners have reportedly informed longtime infielder J.P. Crawford that he will not be returning to the club. Kate Preusser wrote about his impact on his teammates and on the organization.
• Max Ellingsen recapped the 2026 season for the Tacoma Rainiers.
• Bryan Woo and Ken Griffey, Jr. will take part in Capital One’s MLB Open later this month. The golf tournament will include two people representing each club.
• It seems Jason Kanzler was ticketed for a pretty significant promotion with the Cubs before the Mariners snatched him.

Around the league…

• Will Venable of the White Sox and Pat Murphy of the Brewers were named the 2026 Managers of the Year.
• The Tigers agreed to a one-year, $11M deal with closer Emilio Pagán.
• The Padres inked right-hander Ryan Weiss to a one-year major league deal.
• The Mets are reportedly meeting with star free agent left-hander Tarik Skubal next week.
• Cubs right-hander Ben Brown underwent successful cervical spine surgery. He is expected to return to action some time in 2027.
• Yankees lefty Max Fried underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow. He should be good to go for spring training.
• You’ve got to admire Jameson Taillon for continuing to battle injury after injury to come back to the sport.

• The White Sox are planning to move long reliever Grant Taylor to the starting rotation next season.
• The Rangers are reportedly fielding trade offers for infielder Corey Seager this offseason.
• The Giants’ new first base coach has made history.

• Longtime catcher and manager Bob Boone passed away on Monday at the age of 78.
• The way the Blue Jays are talking, I’d be surprised if they keep Anthony Santander around beyond this winter.

• Wick Terrell at Red Reporter thinks Sal Stewart deserves first crack at the starting third base job for the Reds this coming season. Stewart played the majority of his games at first base in 2026.
• Jeff Passan at ESPN outlined the ideal offseason move for each of the 17 teams most likely to push for the postseason in 2027.

Si-Hwan Roh was born on December 3, 2000 in Ulsan, South Korea’s eighth largest city. His family moved to Busan when he was a child, and Roh ended up attending Kyungnam High School, a college prep school known for fielding one of South Korea’s best high school baseball teams year after year. Serving as the team’s clean-up hitter and ace pitcher, he was selected by the Hanwa Eagles in the 2019 KBO Rookie Draft.

The 18-year-old rookie didn’t exactly get off to a quick start as a professional. Many were expecting an all-star season, but Roh hit .186/.241/.260 in 91 games instead. He improved slightly in 2020, hitting .220/.298/.387 in 106 games, but fans and team executives still expected more. Finally, in 2021, the infielder began hitting his stride. Appearing in 107 games, he hit .271/.386/.466 with 18 doubles, 1 triple, 18 home runs, 5 stolen bases, and 73 walks to 107 strikeouts; the 20-year-old seemed well on his way to hitting 20 home runs, but a broken toe sustained near the end of the season ended his pursuit of that benchmark.

That off-season, Roh changed his training routine to include more weightlifting, but dealt with nagging lower body injuries during the 2022 season that didn’t cause him to miss much time but affected his production. In 115 games, Roh hit .281/.355/.382 with 24 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs, 6 stolen bases, and 48 walks to 95 strikeouts. He modified training schedule that winter, building lean muscle while losing some excess weight, and when he returned to the Eagles for the 2023 season, finally had the breakout season many knew he was capable of having. Appearing in 131 games, Roh hit .298/.388/.541 with 30 doubles, 1 triple, 30 home runs, 2 stolen bases, and 74 walks to 118 strikeouts, his 31 home runs leading the KBO.

The 2023 season was not simply a blip, and represented a new paradigm for the young Eagles infielder. In 2024, he appeared in 136 games and hit .272/.356/.454 with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 24 home runs, 6 stolen bases, and 60 walks to 129 strikeouts. In 2025, he appeared in 144 games and hit .260/.354/.497 with 28 doubles, 2 triples, 32 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 70 walks to 125 stakeouts, ending the season the runner-up in MVP voting to Cody Ponce.

In February 2026, Roh signed an 11-year, ₩30.7 billion (~$21.3 million) contract extension with the Eagles, the largest and longest contract in KBO history, keeping him with the team until 2037; it did, however, contain a specific clause that allowed the infielder to opt-out of the contract after one season to explore an MLB posting. The 25-year-old would go on to appear in 3 games for the South Korean team during the World Baseball classic, drawing a walk, stealing a base, and striking out twice, and would then hit .283/.360/.505 for the Eagles, logging 21 doubles, 2 triples, 29 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and drawing 51 walks to 147 strikeouts.

At the plate, the 6’0”, 210-pound Roh stands slightly open, holding his hands high at the eyes and wrapping his bat behind his head at roughly 2:00. He swings with a moderate leg lift and has an angular, upper-cutty swing path that maximizes flyballs. He does more damage against low pitches, fully extending and lifting them either to his pull-side or back up the middle. Even on pitches that he is able to hit squarely for home runs, Roh rarely produces exit velocities exceeding 95 MPH. Earlier in his career, he had problems with making contact, posting a 59.8% Contact% in his rookie season, but the right-hander has improved in that regard, running a mid-70% Contact% in the aggregate since.

Roh has primarily been Hanwa’s third baseman but has some time playing first base and shortstop as well. He is considered a good defender, one of, if not the, best defensive third basemen in the KBO. He shows quick reactions, has a lot of range, and has a strong arm. Earlier in his career, he was considered a poor defender- especially in 2022 when he began putting on muscle and suffered from lower body injuries- but Roh continued improving on his defense year after year. He has the ability to play shortstop, but does not have the experience to play the position in any long-term capacity.

On Tuesday, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reported from the GM Meetings in Las Vegas that a few executives have mentioned Detroit Tigers’ slugger Riley Greene as a possible trade candidate this offseason. The 26-year-old left fielder has two years remaining until free agency and Scott Harris has shown absolutely zero interest in a long-term contract extension. Yet when Morosi asked the question, Harris also downplayed any rumors around Greene, saying only that he’d listen as part of his due diligence, but views Greene as one of the key players to the Tigers plans. Something here doesn’t add up.

Tigers fans will recall that for the majority of the 2025 season, it looked like Riley Greene had reached a new level as one of the premier sluggers in baseball. He then endured a catastropic collapse after the All-Star break that extended through the postseason. Suddenly Greene was in the doghouse. With his speed declining, the talk of Greene’s new level of dominance rapidly pivoted to whether he was physically breaking down, and whether the Tigers should consider dealing him at peak value.

At the time, my argument was that the 2025-2026 offseason was the perfect time to seek a long-term contract extension. After getting humbled by the worst stretch of his career and with three years left to free agency, it was a pretty good time to strike if they were ever going to do it, but for all the same reasons it was easy to see why the Tigers weren’t pursuing an extension. The Tigers said almost nothing about Greene all offseason and made no move to initiate extension talks. Nor was there ever a hint that they were shopping him in trade.

Greene bounced back at the plate in 2026, shaking off his tough August-October of 2025 stretch. He was a huge force at the plate once again, posting a whopping. 370 on-base percentage with 21 homers and a .194 isolated power mark (ISO) on the year. However, concerns about his declining athleticism only got louder as Greene’s defensive numbers collapsed.

Greene was a net -11 in defensive runs saved (DRS) in 2026, and his -5 outs above average (OAA) was the first time in the negative in his career. His 26.6 ft/sec spring speed per Statcast was awful, putting him in below average territory for the second straight season. Other than Gleyber Torres, Spencer Torkelson, and Eduardo Valencia, Greene was the slowest player on the team. He can’t outrun the Tigers’ starting catcher. At age 26, the athleticism that allowed him to play a solid center field early in his major league career is gone. What’s left is a more sluggish outfielder with a noodle arm who can still really punish the baseball.

Greene trimmed his strikeouts this year, and continues to boast premium batspeed and power. This is still a very dangerous hitter, but between his struggles in big spots and the collapse of the rest of his game, he’s looking more and more like a player who should be at least a part-time designated hitter going forward.

So, declining to extend Greene is understandable. He may well be a good power hitter for another half decade, but he’s becoming a liability in most other respects. That makes the possibility of a trade more realistic, perhaps. Harris did say that he considers Greene a big part of their lineup, but he also acknowledged that it’s his job to listen to offers. That’s standard fare, but the circumstances themselves are what adds some interest in the idea.

Maybe finding a good offer for Greene just isn’t in the cards. Even at just 26 years old, and despite some signs that he may have another level yet to unlock as an all around hitter, teams are only going to pay so much in prospects for a player who is at least a minor liability in left field and is declining in speed.

For now, the move is to keep Greene unless somehow aggressively pursues a trade, and instead try to help him rebuild some speed in his offseason conditioning. That didn’t happen last season, but then it hadn’t really affected his defense too much at that point. Greene has always thrived as an outfielder by getting good jumps and closing well on the ball to make every catch possible. He was never fast. With those defensive numbers collapsing this year, perhaps he’ll be more motivated to find solutions. His potential value as a free agent two years from now is tracking a lot worse than would’ve been predicted even a year ago. If Greene can turn it around defensively to a degree, the Tigers might find more aggressive suitors for his services at the deadline next summer or next offseason. They might also be more apt to offer an extension offer were that to occur, but he’ll have free agency in his sights by then.

Riley Greene remains a dangerous hitter and one of the more consistent power producers in the game over the last few seasons, but the rest of his game is in shambles. Without any hint of extension talks, we have to assume that Greene is going to reach free agency, and that probably means he’s more available to reasonable trade offers than Scott Harris would like to admit. There’s no reason to diminish your own player by criticizing him publicly or by shopping him aggressively. Harris will do none of those things, but if there’s going to be a surprise trade of any magnitude this offseason, Greene does feel like the likeliest candidate. It’s just hard to picture many teams offering enough for the Tigers to bother right now.

Good morning everyone! Happy Wednesday!

Following Monday’s Rookie of the Year announcements, MLB continued its award season by revealing the 2026 Managers of the Year yesterday.

Athletics skipper Mark Kotsay was not among the contenders for this prestigious prize. He has yet to lead the team to a winning record or a playoff appearance since succeeding Bob Melvin in 2022. If the 2027 season begins as scheduled and the A’s rise from fourth to first in the American League West standings, Kotsay will likely find himself in the conversation for this award. In contrast, another losing campaign could put his future with the organization in serious doubt.

Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable deservedly won the AL Manager of the Year award, beating fellow finalists Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays and Chad Tracy of the Boston Red Sox. Under Venable’s leadership, the White Sox, who lost 100 or more games in each of the previous three seasons, won 84 games and earned an American League Division Series appearance this year.

In the National League, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy made history by becoming the first manager to win three consecutive Manager of the Year awards. He received more votes than the other two finalists, Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly and Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss.

Today, attention shifts to the pitchers. Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is the favorite for NL Cy Young Award honors after his record-setting season, with New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler the favorite for AL Cy Young Award honors. 

Tomorrow, the Most Valuable Player presentations wrap up MLB award season. Like the Cy Young races, the outcomes appear largely predictable, with Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez destined to win their first MVP awards.

Meanwhile, the general managers meetings in Las Vegas enter day three. There, offseason trade and free agency discussions are beginning to take shape. The meetings represent the first opportunity for the A’s new front-office duo of Taylor Smith and Carlos Castro to meet with executives from around the league and start identifying potential additions to the 2027 roster.

Despite the looming lockout, the MLB offseason is off to its typically slow start, with no major free-agent signings or trades yet. Should the A’s break the ice by becoming the first team to make a move in free agency? If so, which players would best fit their needs?

A’s Coverage:

• A’s First 2 Off-Season Additions Bode Well
• New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
• Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
• Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
• 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
• A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
• After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
• Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
• Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
• Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
• Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
• Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
• A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
• The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
• Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
• Landlord of future A’s Vegas stadium may need to cover additional construction costs
• How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
• Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
• ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
• How to play in-5 Trivia on the SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Manager of the Year Awards recognize leaders of surprising upstart, dominant juggernaut
• Tigers’ all-around star and Reds’ throwback slugger named Rookies of the Year
• Here are the Rookie of the Year vote totals
• Padres sign right-hander Ryan Weiss to 1-year deal with option for ’28
• ’27 Rookie of the Year candidates — one from each team
• The case for each 2026 Manager of the Year finalist
• Padres Have Expressed Interest In Tarik Skubal
• Cubs starter Brown undergoes spine surgery, sources say
• 5 teams to watch at GM Meetings as Skubal sweepstakes begin
• Willie Mays to be honored on U.S. postal stamps
• Bob Boone, champ with 1980 Phils and father of Aaron and Bret, dies at 78
• Dodgers hire Pedro Guerrero away from Marlins as new hitting coach
• Hot Stove rumors: Padres, Skubal, Seiya, Morejon, Yanks
• Cardinals, JoJo Romero Have Mutual Interest In Reunion
• Angels To Begin Preliminary Meetings With GM Candidates
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

The introductions continue. Now, it is time for Cam Castro and Taylor Smith to begin reshaping the Athletics roster into one capable of competing for the playoffs next season.

This reflects Castro’s newness to the organization. After featuring MLB’s worst pitching staff last season, the Athletics desperately need offseason pitching reinforcements to bolster confidence in their rotation and bullpen.

The A’s Las Vegas ballpark is expected to favor hitters because of its desert location. However, the dome and humidor could help make it more challenging for teams to hit home runs and score runs.

One relief option off the board.