Category: Baseball

I’m traveling today, so won’t be posting. And, there isn’t much for Jays news today.

So let’s have a question: Which Jays player surprised you by being much better than you expected?

We did the reverse of this last week.

For me? Marco Estrada would be the obvious choice. When we traded Adam Lind for him, I was disappointed with the return. Estrada played five seasons with the Brewers and posted a 23-25 record with a 4.11 ERA in 159 games, including 70 starts. He couldn’t hold a spot in the starting rotation and ended up in the bullpen as middle relief.

Lind had hit 146 home runs in 9 seasons with us, topping out at 35 in 2009. He became a platoon player when he couldn’t hit lefties, but he still had a lot of power, and power is useful.

Estrada played four seasons with the Jays, posting a 4.25 ERA and a 9.6 bWAR, and he saved his best starts for the playoffs, with a 2.16 ERA in 6 starts and 41.2 playoff innings. He took two no-hitters into the ninth.

Lind played one season with the Brewers. It was a good one: .277/.360/.460 with 20 home runs in 149 games. Then the Brewers traded him to the Mariners, where he had a -0.3 bWAR in 126 games, with 20 home runs and a .239/.286/.431 batting line. From there, he went to the Nationals for one good season, his last in the majors. He spent the next couple of years in the minor leagues with the Yankees and Red Sox.

The Jays saw something in Estrada and helped him become a very good starting pitcher.

Your turn.

Isaac Collins was supposed to be the big offseason acquisition for the offense, that would help put the team over the top and shore up some of the nonexistent outfield offense, that has plagued the Royals.

Well, the now 29-year-old outfielder did not do that. On the season, Collins played in 145 games and finished the year with a slash line of .213/.320/.321. Uh, yikes. Collins had 70 more at bats than he did in 2025 with the Brewers and posted 4 less hits. His extra base hit numbers were the same, he hit 24 doubles, a career high, 3 triples and 6 homers.

Collins walked 64 times, which was 7 more times than in 2025, but he struck out 120 times, which was 27 more times than the year previous. Comparing his final slash lines, his average dropped by 50 points, on base percentage by 48 points, slugging percentage by 90 points and his OPS by 138 points. Collins left 213 guys on base this season.

The switch hitter was better against righties, slashing .216/.333/.327 in 306 at bats, compared to when he was facing lefties, where he slashed .206/.288/.309 in 136 at bats. Like many Royals, his home numbers were better than his road numbers. Remember he started like 0-30 on the road or something crazy like that?

Collins at the midway point of the season, had decent numbers. In the first half, he slashed .240/.345/.363 in 267 at bats. Not bad for a bottom third of the order hitter. However, the back half of the season was downright atrocious. In 175 at bats, Collins slashed .171/.281/.257. He was 4-54 in the month of September with 19 strikeouts.

Collins did still do some positive things this season, I know there was a lot of bad, as you can read above, but he had some moments.

Collins had 11 outfield assists this season, which led the MLB for left fielders. He had just two errors this season, one in left and one at second base. So, I know it felt like he was questionable in left field at times, but he was rather reliable. Because of mainly his defensive numbers, Collins finished the season with a 0.4 WAR, which honestly surprised me.

His Outs Above Average was -2, but his arm value was a +2, so they essentially cancel each other out in my opinion.

Isaac Collins will get another chance this upcoming season, but honestly, with some of the guys in the minors, waiting in the wings, he better produce. I am rooting for him like every other Royal.

How would you rank the first year of Isaac Collins as a Royal?

TThe Phillies need offense. They need a lot of things but one of them is offense.

They could especially use it in the outfield, a group whose top performers by the end of the season were two short-side platoon options. The Phillies like the Justin Crawford and Derek Hill platoon in center but they shouldn’t be married to it. With Bryce Harper moving back to first base, they will need a right fielder. After Brandon Marsh’s second half, his spot in left field shouldn’t be written in pen either.

The free agent market is not robust on talent, especially in the outfield. Nevertheless, there will be guys who fans will clamor for the Phillies to sign. Randy Arozarena put together the best season of his career with the Seattle Mariners while playing half his games in the worst-hitting environment in the Majors. Seiya Suzuki was a really good hitter in a loaded Chicago Cubs lineup.

All of them will require real dollars and real term from someone. Given their past results, it’s incredibly justified.One of them may even be a Philadelphia Phillie and suiting up in red pinstripes whenever the season actually begins. 

It’s not hard to see why. The Phillies need offense, especially from the outfield and don’t have many other places to turn. Maybe they try to take a shot on a veteran looking for a bounce-back season again but this situation seems different. It feels like they could throw some money around to try and solve real offensive issues, especially since they do not have the prospect capital to make significant trades.They could go for Teruaki Sato but I’ll believe they’ll land a star Japanese player when they actually do.

With all of that said, it would be important for the Phillies to beware of paying for aging corner outfielders. The recent history suggests that the best way to play that market is to not play it at all.

Here are the outfield contracts signed since 2021 that are at least three years, at $15 million average annual value or higher, and feature players beginning their age-29 season or later. All of these qualifiers could very likely fit the Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki markets.

• George Springer: 6 years, $150 million with the Toronto Blue Jays (2021)
• Kris Bryant: 7 years, $182 million with the Colorado Rockies (2022)
• Nick Castellanos: 5 years, $100 million with the Philadelphia Phillies (2022)
• Kyle Schwarber: 4 years, $79 million with the Philadelphia Phillies (2022)
• Starling Marte: 4 years, $78 million with the New York Mets (2022)
• Aaron Judge: 9 years, $360 million with the New York Yankees (2023)
• Brandon Nimmo: 8 years, $162 million with the New York Mets (2023)
• Masataka Yoshida: 5 years, $90 million with the Boston Red Sox (2023)
• Anthony Santander: 5 years, $92.5 million with the Toronto Blue Jays (2025)
• Teoscar Hernandez: 3 years, $66 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2025)
• Tyler O’Neill: 3 years, $49.5 million with the Baltimore Orioles (2025)
• Kyle Tucker: 4 years, $240 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2026)
• Cody Bellinger: 5 years, $162.5 million with the New York Yankees (2026)

Before we go over the list, it’s fair to exclude Kyle Schwarber and Masataka Yoshida from this discussion, since they weren’t true outfielders to begin with. Aaron Judge is just a different player than everyone else on here so should he really count? Brandon Nimmo was supposed to play a lot more center field. Excuse Kris Bryant with a bunch of terrible injuries too.

Even with all of that said, there are more examples of bad contracts that not. Nick Castellanos was not a complete disaster but close enough to one. Teoscar is a trade candidate because he’s declining. Santander was terrible in 2025 and did not play this year. Tyler O’Neill has been hurt but also bad. Kyle Tucker? 

George Springer has put together some very good seasons with the Blue Jays but he’s also not been very good for a decent chunk of his deal. Same for Starling Marte with the Mets.

These corner outfield, bat first types just do not age very well into their 30s. Cody Bellinger provides a lot more athleticism defensively and has more versatility than anyone else on that list which should explain why he signed for a lot more. He should be a more useful player as the bat declines.

How does this all decide how we should view the current class?

Randy Arozarena is going to command a lot of money and while it makes a lot of sense for the Phillies to do it for 2027, it might be a really tough pill to swallow, potentially even for 2027.

He traded off some bat speed to make more contact and that paid off in a career year. However, he will turn 33 for next season and he still featured below average swing-and-miss and an average strikeout rate. Once that goes, which can happen quickly for someone his age, you’re talking about a hitter that is just sacrificing power without enough other gains around it.

Arozarena also does not play a very good left field and that is likely only going to get worse as he ages. You need everything in the offensive profile to stay as he heads into his mid 30s and that is just not something you should expect.

Seiya Suzuki turns 33 and put together his best defensive season in 2026 (although some of that could be impacted by not playing with Pete Crow-Armstrong anymore). There is potential impact off the field if he is willing to sign in Philadelphia. The Phillies have been trying to land a prominent Japanese star but have failed over the last few years. Suzuki has at least played in Philadelphia a few times over the years so theoretically, there is less of an adjustment to make. Especially since he’s spent the last few seasons in America.

With that said, he saw sharp declines in his damage rate from 2025, and his hard-hit rate went down by nearly ten percent. There might already be some examples of a declining profile with an aging outfielder.

This is not to say that signing either player is some guaranteed failure. It’s to say that you probably need either of them to be an exception to the rule for it to work out on a long-term deal for significant money.

Given the Phillies’ position, with an aging roster and not wanting to waste the last few great years of Zack Wheeler, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber, it’s understandable. However, potentially digging the grave further is not going to be ideal for the long-term health of the franchise, which needs to take priority at some point.

According to Baseball Reference WAR, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Aaron Judge, Rickey Henderson, Alex Rodriguez, and Joe DiMaggio are the only Yankees position players to have had better single seasons in pinstripes than George “Snuffy” Stirnweiss. All of those guys are either Hall of Famers, on the road to be (Judge), or have the stats to be and aren’t in because of…reasons (A-Rod). As for Stirnweiss, his greatness came in part due to circumstances beyond any baseball player’s control.

However, his 1944 and ‘45 seasons are forever in the record books as some of the best in franchise history. On what would have been his 108th birthday, let’s look back on the life and times of “Snuffy.”

George Henry “Snuffy” Stirnweiss
Born: October 26, 1918 (New York, NY)
Died: September 15, 1958 (Newark Bay, NJ)
Yankees Tenure: 1943-50

George Stirnweiss was born to Andy and Sophie in 1918 in the city he would later play professionally in: New York. He showed an aptitude for athletics from a very early age, starring for Fordham Prep in baseball, football, and basketball. Back then, football was the sport he was arguably best at, and he parlayed that success into a college sports career at the University of North Carolina.

While at UNC, he would captain both the football and baseball teams, the gridiron was primarily where he generated headlines. He did a little bit of everything for the Tar Heels, playing a quarterback/running back hybrid position. (Football was way different in the 1930s.) Besides that, he also punted and returned punts, playing all over the field.

During that time, he was also starring on the baseball field, hitting .390 as a senior. That caught the eye of legendary Yankees’ scout Paul Krichell. While Stirnweiss was selected by the then Chicago Cardinals in the second round of the 1940 NFL draft, Krichell and baseball won Stirnweiss over, as he thought the diamond provided him better professional future than the gridiron. Upon his graduation, he inked a deal with the Yankees, who had been his childhood favorite team.

Stirnweiss started his career with the Norfolk Tars of the Piedmondt League. There he got his “Snuffy” nickname. A teammate dubbed him “Snuffy” after seeing Stirnweiss use both chewing tobacco and a cigar, asking Stirnweiss where the snuff was as well.

After a couple good years in the minors, Stirnweiss impressed manager Joe McCarthy in spring training 1943. Impressed by his speed and potential, McCarthy took a liking to him and named him to the team’s roster despite the fact that his preferred second base position was occupied by Joe Gordon.

Stirnweiss made his MLB debut on Opening Day of 1943, playing shortstop and hitting leadoff. He recorded his first hit with an RBI single off Early Wynn of the Washington Senators in the fifth inning in a 5-4 win. While he did get the start in a prominent spot in his first big league game, Stirnweiss ended up more in a utility role in the 1943 season. He appeared in 83 games, hitting .219/.333/.288 (82 OPS+), playing mostly at shortstop with Phil Rizzuto away in the military.

That year, Stirnweiss also helped the Yankees to the AL Pennant and a World Series matchup against the Cardinals. He played in just one game and got one plate appearance in the Fall Classic, but it ended up being a bit of an important one. With a runner on first, He laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt with the Yankees down 2-1 in the eighth inning of Game 3. Cardinals’ third baseman Whitey Kurowski made an error on the play, allowing all runners to be safe. The Yankees ended up scoring five runs in the frame, as they took a 2-1 lead in the series, which they eventually won in five games.

Gordon was drafted into the military ahead of 1944, and Stirnweiss became the regular second baseman and turned in two of the most underrated great seasons in Yankees’ history. In that first season, he led the league in hits (205), triples (16), and stolen bases (55). He finished just a couple points off the batting title and put up, in retrospect, a 139 OPS+ and an AL position player-leading 8.6 rWAR and a 9.0 fWAR. With several other prominent Yankees away, he was the team’s best player. Unfortunately for him and the team, without the players that were away serving, the Yankees fell to third in the AL. Despite all that, Stirnweiss finished fourth in MVP voting, and arguably could’ve won.

So, how do you follow up a historic breakout season? If you’re Stirnweiss, you put up an even better one. In 1945, Stirnweiss led the league in hits, runs, triples, stolen bases, batting average, slugging percentage, total bases, rWAR, and fWAR. The most eventful of those leaderboards was the batting title race, which went right down to the last game of the season.

On the final day of 1945, Tony Cuccinello of the White Sox went into the day at .308, leading Stirnweiss, .306, by just a couple points. On that day, Chicago saw their game rained out and wasn’t required to be finished. Meanwhile, over in New York, the Yankees played their game. Stirnweiss made the most of things, going 3-for-5. His batting average rounded up just enough to finish at .309, giving him the batting title by just a single point. Historically, that wasn’t a particularly high BA to win the title, but Stirnweiss is forever one of a handful of Yankees to have accomplished that feat.

Admittedly, the league as a whole was weakened by players away in the military, and Stirnweiss never reached those peaks again. He still remained a regular for the Yankees for the next several years, helping them to championships in 1947 and ‘49.

By the end of his Yankee career, Stirnweiss had been overtaken at second base by Jerry Coleman. That led to him being traded to the St. Louis Browns in June 1950. He was traded to Cleveland after that season and spent parts of the next two seasons there. Stirnweiss didn’t return to the majors after 1952 but spent a couple years after that playing and managing in the minors. He eventually left baseball to get more stable work.

In 1958, Stirnweiss was working as a foreign freight agent when on September 15th, while on his way to work, he died when the train he was on derailed and slid into Newark Bay. Stirnweiss was sadly one of 48 people who lost their lives in the accident, passing away a month short of his 40th birthday.

In addition to tragically leaving behind a wife and six children, Stirnweiss’ death also left his former teammates devastated — especially Rizzuto. The Scooter credited Stirnweiss with helping him eventually land the Yankee broadcaster job, which made him a beloved figure for generations. After the Yankees released Rizzuto as a player, he was irate. Stirnweiss told him to go home and cool down before he did anything he regretted. Rizzuto did so, avoiding harsh public critique of team management or ownership, which might have ended his broadcasting gig before it ever even came about.

Stirnweiss wasn’t good enough long enough to get a place in Monument Park or his number retired or anything like that. However, there are few players who had as good a two-year run as he did.

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

On October 30th of 2019, the Washington Nationals won their first ever World Series title. In the nearly 7 years that have passed, a lot has changed. There are no members of that roster still on the team, at least in a playing capacity. I wanted to take a look at where the starters from game 7 of the World Series are now.

Catcher: Yan Gomes

As is the case for most of the starters, Yan Gomes is now retired. The Nats were the oldest team in the league back in 2019. Only three of the nine hitters in the game seven lineup actually played in 2026. 

Gomes was part of a catching tandem with Kurt Suzuki in 2019, but the Brazilian got the nod in game seven due to his defense. After an All-Star campaign in 2018, Gomes was traded to the Nats. He was not great with the bat in 2019, but he played very good defense. Gomes did not have many memorable moments in the Nats playoff run, but he was a steady hand behind the plate.

He was on the team in 2020 and 2021, where his offensive production actually improved. Gomes was one of many Nationals who was shipped out at the 2021 trade deadline. He spent half a season in Oakland before playing the last three years of his career with the Cubs. Gomes was never a star, but he was a solid catcher for a long time.

For the most part, Gomes seems to be spending his time as a family man. However, we did see him as the catching coach for Team Brazil at the last WBC. Maybe he follows the same path as fellow 2019 Nats catcher Kurt Suzuki and becomes a manager one day.

First Base: Ryan Zimmerman

The first baseman for the 2019 Nats was none other than Mr. National himself. Ryan Zimmerman is a National through and through. He was the team’s first ever draft pick and debuted only months after being selected as a 20 year old. As we all know, Zimmerman went on to be the Nats first ever homegrown star. For years, he was DC’s hidden gem.

Zimmerman was around for the bad times and the good times. At this point in his career, Zimmerman was an injury prone 34 year old who was past his prime. He missed most of 2019 due to foot injuries. However, he came back in September and his bat heated up. The veteran provided several big post season home runs, including a shot against Gerrit Cole. In game 7, Zimmerman went one for three with a walk.

Following 2019, Zimmerman sat out the 2020 Pandemic season before having one last dance in 2021. Employee number 11 went off into the sunset after that. He is still very involved with the organization, making public appearances and occasionally joining the broadcast team. Getting Zimmerman a World Series title truly cemented his status as a Nats legend. Number 11 will never be worn by a National again.

Second Base: Asdrubal Cabrera

Asdrubal Cabrera is a bit of an unsung hero for the 2019 Nats. After an underwhelming spell with the Rangers, Cabrera was cut loose. The Nats picked him up and the veteran infielder found new life. In 38 games with the Nats, Cabrera drove in 40 runs while hitting .323 with a .969 OPS. He was not as impactful in October, but his hot run helped the Nats lock up a Wild Card spot.

Like many of these guys, Cabrera was in his 30’s and on the back 9 of his career. However, he had enough gas in the tank to make one more run. The Nats brought back the veteran second baseman for 2020, where he was solid but nothing special. After that, Cabrera played one more season before hanging up the cleats.

I have not heard much from Cabrera since then. He got into a crazy brawl in a Venezuelan winter league game, which earned him a long suspension. Since then, Cabrera has gotten into coaching.

Cabrera was the manager for a Venezuelan League team this past season. Just this past week, he was named the manager of Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League. Good luck to Asdrubal in his coaching journey!

Shortstop: Trea Turner

Now we are getting to a heavy hitter. Trea Turner is the first player here who is still an active player. The Nats shortstop was in his age 26 season at the time, and had a very good year despite playing through a finger injury. However, Turner’s best years came after the World Series.

In 2020 and 2021, Turner became an MVP caliber performer for the Nats. However, the Nats were unable to remain competitive during that time. That meant Turner was shipped to LA along with Max Scherzer at the 2021 deadline. We have talked about that trade at length on this site. Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray have had their moments, but neither have developed as expected.

Turner continued to be a star with the Dodgers. In a bigger market, Turner began to get the recognition that he deserved. After the 2022 season, Turner signed an 11-year $300 million contract with the Phillies to reunite with old teammate Bryce Harper. 

Turner has had his up’s and downs in Philly. He started very slowly before a red hot finish in 2023. Turner was one of the best shortstops in the game in 2024 and 2025 before having an abysmal year this season. At 33 years old, was this a blip on the radar or the beginning of the end for the speedy shortstop?

Third Base: Anthony Rendon

Anthony Rendon was the best National in 2019. He was third in MVP voting and posted an OPS over 1.000. In the playoffs, Rendon was a hero for the Nats. Whenever the Nats needed a big hit, Rendon would deliver. He was cool as ice and the moment was never too big for him.

In game 7 of the World Series, Rendon hit the home run that got everything started. He also ignited the Nats’ rally in game 5 of the NLCS. The impending free agent had about as good of a walk year as you could imagine. After the World Series, Rendon signed a 7-year $245 million contract with the Angels.

It is easy to forget now, but the first year of that deal went very well. Rendon was top 10 in AL MVP voting and played 52 of 60 games. However, the deal was an absolute disaster from there. Rendon’s play fell off a cliff due to injuries and questionable commitment. He never played more than 58 games in a season with LA. 

Rendon was never the most passionate about baseball, but that was no problem because he was producing. With age and injuries getting the best of him, that commitment became a massive issue. He became one of the villains of the league and his legacy outside of DC is pretty tarnished. However, he will always be remembered fondly by Nats fans. Nowadays he is living with his family and out of the spotlight, like he always wanted.

Left Field: Juan Soto

The Nats young phenom turned 21 during the World Series. On an old Nationals roster, he was the young star. After breaking out as a 19 year old rookie, Soto continued to establish himself as one of the game’s elite hitters at 20 years old. He hit 34 homers and posted an OPS of .949. Soto also had several huge playoff moments that Nats fans will never forget.

In the seasons that followed, Soto only got better. He finished top 5 in MVP voting back to back seasons in 2020 and 2021. However, with the Nats in a deep rebuild, they had to make a choice with Soto. First they tried to extend the generational talent, but after that failed, they made the painful decision to trade him.

The Juan Soto trade to the Padres gave the Nats their young core of the future, but it came at the cost of a future hall of famer. It sucked, but it turned out to be the right move with the Nats acquiring CJ Abrams, James Wood, MacKenzie Gore and more. 

Soto only lasted a year and a half in San Diego before being traded again, this time to the Yankees. He had the best year of his career in the Bronx, forming a dynamic duo with Aaron Judge. Those two powered the Yankees to the AL Pennant before falling short to the Dodgers.

After that, Soto entered free agency where he signed an historic 15-year $765 million deal with the Mets. He has been highly productive in Queens, but the team has not made the playoffs in either of Soto’s first two years. Soto, who turned 28 yesterday, remains one of the game’s shining stars.

Center Field: Victor Robles

When they were coming up as prospects, Victor Robles was actually more highly touted than Juan Soto. Scouts valued his 5 tool skillset very highly. Robles had cups of coffee in 2017 and 2018, but 2019 was his first full big league season. He was actually very good, showing about average hitting ability with elite center field defense, which gave him a 4.2 WAR season.

During the playoffs, Robles and Michael A. Taylor split time due to the Dominican suffering a minor injury. However, it was Robles who got the start in game 7. He got a hit in game 7, but he was not a huge offensive factor in October. However, he did look like a future building block for the Nats.

Robles was a really frustrating player after 2019 though. His 2020 season was ruined by an attempt to pack on muscle. The former top prospect was ineffective on both sides of the ball in 2021 and made a lot of boneheaded mistakes. His defense bounced back in 2022, but the bat remained very poor.

By 2024, it was clear he needed a change of scenery. Robles was cut by the Nats and signed with Seattle. He had a resurgence in Seattle after getting picked up, hitting .328 that season. Robles has been a mediocre 4th outfielder the past couple years though. We will see what the future holds for Robles, who enters free agency as a 29 year old.

Right Field: Adam Eaton

Adam Eaton was actually one of the Nats best hitters in the World Series. That included game 7, with Eaton’s two run double giving the Nats insurance. In that 2019 season, Eaton was the definition of solid, with 15 homers and a .792 OPS.

The Nats paid a big price to bring Eaton over from the White Sox. Mike Rizzo gave up Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and more to acquire Eaton, who was coming off a career year in 2016. However, after a knee injury in 2017, his athleticism was never the same. He could still hit, but his elite defense went away. Eaton remained a solid player in 2018 and 2019 though.

However, Eaton suffered an inexplicable fall-off in 2020 and 2021. After a dreadful 2020 season, Eaton was off the Nats. He only played one more season before retiring at just 32. 

Like many of these players, Eaton went into coaching. He was the director of player development for Michigan State, before becoming Kurt Suzuki’s first base coach with the Angels. With Suzuki gone, we will see what the future holds for Eaton in Anaheim.

DH: Howie Kendrick

Finally, we will discuss the hero of Game 7, Howie Kendrick. Of course, it was his 2-run homer that banged off the foul pole that gave the Nats a lead they would not relinquish. Kendrick also hit the series deciding grand slam in the NLDS. He also won NLCS MVP, so it was a great playoff run for Howie.

Like so many of these guys, this was Kendrick’s last great season. After an achilles injury ended his 2018 season, Kendrick came back better than ever in 2019. He hit .344 with a .966 OPS in 121 games. At 35, Kendrick had the best offensive season of his stellar career. He was just a hitting maestro that year.

After that magical season, age caught up to Kendrick. He was mediocre in 2020 before hanging up the cleats. It is crazy how many of these old guys had just enough gas in the tank to get over the line in 2019.

Kendrick is still involved in baseball. He is a special assistant to the GM for the Phillies. There are a lot of former Nats in Philly, but Kendrick is one you might now know about. He was not in DC for too long, but Howie Kendrick’s 2019 season made him a Nats legend.

Welcome to another week everyone!

The A’s have their President now after the hiring of Taylor Smith. The young front office executive is set to begin filling out his ranks and install trusted advisors around him. He’ll certain need them since he’s younger than most POBO’s in the sport ever were when they got the big job. Fingers crossed that lack of experience doesn’t come back to bite us. Of course it might all be boot for the foreseeable future if there is indeed a lockout, which would begin December 1st. That’d give Smith just about one month to execute any trades or deals before getting sidelined.

While Smith is still preparing for his first offseason at the helm, the Brewers and Rays are in Tampa Bay to continue the World Series tonight. Milwaukee is up 2-0 in the series and could essentially clinch the series tonight with a win. Tampa Bay’s season is suddenly on life support after dropping a pair in Milwaukee but they’re back home. With their backs up against the wall expect to see a desperate Rays squad this evening.

For Tampa, they have veteran Freddy Peralta getting the ball for this critical contest. Peralta has looked like a completely different pitcher than the guy playing with the Mets earlier this season. He’s just the latest in a long line of pitchers that suddenly put everything together once in Tampa Bay (hopefully Taylor Smith brought some of those ideas with him to Boston and then to us). Tonight is the biggest start of his career and the Rays will ask him one more time to get them to the sixth inning with at least a tied game.

The Brew Crew meanwhile will ask a rookie tonight to put them one win away from their first championship. Lefty Robert Gasser is getting the call for his third postseason start and though he’s a rookie he hasn’t looked overmatched or unprepared in the postseason. After an overall solid season Gasser has stepped up his game, allowing just one run on a solo home run against the Padres in the NLDS. That said, manager Pat Murphy has demonstrated he’s not scared to go to the early hook when his starter doesn’t have it.

Runs could be at a premium tonight. First pitch is at 5:00 Pacific time, where we’ll have the Game Thread ready for you guys. Who do you want to see taking tonight’s contest? Personally I’d love to see the Rays mount a comeback and make this a series again. And one thing that players are suddenly realizing? The ball is the same color as the Rays’ roof. Will that come into play over the next couple games?

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

A’s Coverage:

• Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
• Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
• A’s bring in Taylor Smith to run baseball operations
• On New PBO Taylor Smith: What’s In A Number?
• A’s Considering Hiring GM Under Taylor Smith
• 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
• ’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
• 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
• 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
• Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app

MLB News & Interest:

• Brewers-Rays World Series Game 3 FAQ (Monday, 8 ET, FOX/FOX One)
• How the Rays can send the World Series back to Milwaukee
• Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski sets WS velocity record on first pitch
• Rocco Baldelli Withdraws Name From Mariners’ Managerial Search
• Stephen Vogt back to Guardians in ’27, shuns Mariners rumors
• Manfred: Rays-Brewers World Series good for game, but salary cap still needed
• Hideki Matsui hired as manager of Japan’s Yomiuri Giants
• Quinn Priester On Track In Recovery From Thoracic Outlet Surgery
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

If the wallet really does open up, we’ll be adding lots of pitching:

Due to CBA negotiations & the looming lockout…the #Athletics will be forced to increase their payroll! 🤑

Put the money into an elite closer – Our offense is already doing its part.

What will be Taylor Smiths first move? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/O3O0kGaEAn

— SleeperAthletics (@SleeperAth) October 25, 2026

ICYMI:

🟢🟡 THE NEXT GENERATION OF A'S BASEBALL!

Everybody knows about the top-ranked prospects. But what about the players nobody is talking about?

Premiering Tommorow Night at 7:00 PM on https://t.co/cTCd48WxWH

A's Farm Editor-in-Chief Bill Moriarty @AthleticsFarm joins Booney for…

— The House Always Wins Media Network/Las Vegas A's (@lasvegasaspod) October 25, 2026

Update from the AFL:

A’S IN THE AFL TODAY (10/24)
C Davis Diaz: 0-3, BB, SB
RHP Jay Dill: 1.1 IP/2 H/1 ER/0 BB/0 K
Mesa Solar Sox win 7-3

— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) October 25, 2026

How different would things been if the A’s had taken Lance Berkman in the 1997 Draft?

1997 MLB Draft – 1st Round Picks pic.twitter.com/5R1c4RfVKO

— OldTimeHardball (@OleTimeHardball) October 25, 2026

This season was an interesting year for Kyle Isbel. The Royals’ primary center fielder since the 2023 season, he took a step back at the plate after a career year in 2025. The defense was still borderline elite.

Kyle Isbel lost nearly two months of the season when he suffered a left plantar fasciitis injury in early June. He didn’t get back to the big-league squad until early August. I think that is a somewhat important caveat before grading his season in totality.

We will start where Isbel has always seemed to shine, with his glove. Despite missing nearly two months of the season, Isbel still had a +7 in Outs Above Average, which indicates elite range. His arm value is still subpar at -2. His jumps on balls are also still elite, so his first steps are great. Isbel did have an uncharacteristic four errors this season.

OK, Isbel is awesome in the field. We’ve known that. Let’s move to the offensive side of things. Through 100 games and 294 at-bats this season, Isbel’s final slash line was .224/.268/.323. He hit nine doubles, a triple, and six homers. Isbel struck out the same number of times this season as last season, 74, but in 74 fewer at-bats. He also walked just 15 times, which was down by eight from the previous season. He was 6-for-6 stealing bases this season.

After having a career year at the plate in 2025, when Isbel slashed .255/.301/.353 with 16 doubles, four triples, and four homers while driving in 33 runs, the soon-to-be 30-year-old outfielder took a step back. It was Isbel’s worst batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage since the 2022 season.

His sacrifice numbers were down, and he hit into a career-high eight double plays. For the first time in his career, Kyle Isbel was a negative-WAR player. He finished at -0.4, whereas in each of the last three seasons, Isbel had been worth 1.6 WAR or more. Again, he missed a lot of time with a painful injury, but it wasn’t a good output.

Isbel, who has been a platoon-type bat in his career, slashed .248/.296/.356 against righties in 222 at-bats. Against lefties, his slash line was .153/.176/.222 in 72 at-bats. Going back to the injury, Isbel slashed .244/.298/.354 in 56 games in the first half. In the 44 games he played after returning from injury, he slashed .200/.228/.285.

With the 2018 third-round pick aging and his production down last season, do the Royals move on? Do they try to flip him, sending him somewhere else to be a fourth outfielder? Or do they keep him as the fourth outfielder here in Kansas City and give guys like Tyler Tolbert or Carson Roccaforte the keys?

I could see the Royals doing either of those things. Heck, I won’t be surprised if Isbel is pretty much the everyday starting center fielder for the first couple of months. I’ll always like Kyle Isbel, but his time in Kansas City might be over.

How would you grade Kyle Isbel’s 2026 season?

Carson Kelly has to be one of the best value free-agent signings by the Cubs in recent memory.

Signed to a two-year, $11.5 million deal before the 2025 season (that was two years at $5 million each plus a $1.5 million buyout), Kelly batted .249/.333/.428 with 17 home runs in 111 games last year, producing 3.5 bWAR, his best MLB season. He was also excellent defensively, throwing out 34.1 percent of runners trying to steal.

In 2026, Kelly was still very good, though not quite as good as in 2025. He batted .258/.336/.376 with 10 home runs in 120 games, good for 1.9 bWAR. As noted in my recent article summing up the first year of ABS challenges, Kelly was also one of the best catchers in those challenges in 2026.

Kelly and the Cubs have a mutual option for 2027 for $7.5 million (or that $1.5 million buyout). Kelly is 32 (turns 33 next July) and might not have a better choice than to return to the Cubs for another season. Mutual options are almost always turned down by either team or player, but this is one where it might benefit both parties for another year of Kelly paired with Miguel Amaya.

Why is this? Amaya turns 28 in March. He had a pretty good year with the bat and throwing out runners (28.9 percent) but I don’t think he’s quite ready to take on the role as full-time catcher with (perhaps) Owen Ayers as his backup. Ayers, I believe, still needs more Triple-A development time. The Cubs did have Ayers join the team for the final week of the 2026 season just to observe and learn, but that doesn’t mean he’d be ready to become a MLB backup catcher right away in 2027.

So my feeling is this: Bring back Kelly on that $7.5 million option, if he’s willing, or perhaps tear it up and offer him a bit more, with some sort of vesting option/buyout for 2028.

Would you do that?

Hayden Senger’s major-league tenure was brief in 2026. He remained on the 40-man roster all season; however, he was only recalled from Triple-A one time. On May 13, Francisco Alvarez tore his meniscus, which resulted in Luis Torrens taking over as the starting catcher and Senger becoming his backup. Senger played in seven games over a period of 27 days, making his stats and metrics somewhat irrelevant due to such a small sample size.

However, a couple notable things happened in those seven games. In his first game this season, on May 14, he dropped down a bunt for a safety squeeze to score a run. Senger also hit his first major-league home run on May 30. The same day, he was Christian Scott’s battery-mate for Scott’s first major-league win. The two had worked together in lower tiers of the Mets organization for quite a while, and it was nice to see them enjoy success together.

Overall, though, Senger’s time with the Mets was brief and somewhat unmemorable, in the best possible way. He did his job, covered for an injured teammate, and did not stand out as terrible on a team that was pretty bad. His walk-up song was “Hold the Line” by Toto, and he did that when he was asked to play. He was sent back down to Triple-A when Alvarez returned from the IL on June 9, but it’s still worth noting his big-league stint, given the difficulty the Mets had in replacing injured players this year.

For nearly two full years, Tim Hill was one of the most reliable relievers in baseball. From when he joined the Yankees on June 20, 2024 until May 19 of this year, he made 128 appearances, 11th most of any pitcher in baseball. Of the 10 relievers who threw more innings, only two managed to best his 2.48 ERA. Trading on a 68.3-percent groundball rate — nearly five percentage points higher than any other pitcher — the southpaw held his own against righties while completely neutralizing lefties.

Hill’s mid-30s career renaissance was a boon to the Yankees, who picked him up from the worst team in baseball for nothing and leveraged him in various roles as a key piece of their bullpen formula. “He’s a gamer,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s a dog. He is fearless. He’s really competitive and just an awesome teammate, someone that’s been a lot of fun to be around.”

Then the other shoe dropped.

Grade: D+

2025 Statistics: 58.2 IP, 4.60 ERA, 25 K, 92 ERA+, 5.93 FIP, 3.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, -1.1 fWAR

2026 Contract Status: Free Agent

Largely a one-pitch pitcher, Hill occasionally mixes in a cutter and four-seamer but relies on his sinker more than 80 percent of the time. But what happens when opposing batters figure out a one-pitch pitcher’s one pitch? Beginning with a May 22 appearance in which he allowed four runs (three earned) to the Rays without recording an out, Hill lost his Midas touch.

Entering that game, he had a sparkling 1.37 ERA on the season. From that day on, it was an untenable 6.23. Hill’s trademark ground-ball rate was more than halved, and after allowing 11 homers through nearly two years in pinstripes, he allowed another 11 down the stretch. Eight of those came against his sinker, a pitch whose calling card is its ability to keep the ball in the yard. The 36-year-old’s implosion culminated in his being left off the Yankees’ Wild Card roster, a stunning turn of events considering his importance to the ‘pen just a few months earlier.

“That was the one we deliberated on,” Boone said at the time of the decision to carry fellow lefty Ryan Yarbrough over Hill. “Going with 10 pitchers, Yarbs gives us a little more versatility and some length coverage. How their lineup sets up, there are some better runs for Yarbs in this series. I expect Tim to play a big role if we’re able to move forward.” It was the kind of pabulum that rankles much of the fanbase about Boone’s approach to the media; when the Yankees did indeed move forward and had to select their ALDS roster, Hill remained in exile.

When the World Series concludes, Hill will be a free agent. He’ll turn 37 in February and, given his sudden unraveling this season, it’s fair to wonder where his future lies. Perhaps some team will see the elite ground-ball rate that was his hallmark before the collapse and take a flier to see if they can unlock it again; reliable lefty relievers are always a hot commodity. Don’t expect a reunion with the Yankees, though. They got a lot of mileage after what was a reclamation project for them, as well, when they claimed him off waivers from the White Sox back in ‘24. If they couldn’t help the veteran hurler get back on track for the last few months of last season, it’s time to give someone else a try.

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See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.

The San Diego Padres have plenty of work to do this winter. Team president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller will need to revamp the team’s roster. His main concern is upgrading the starting rotation. Depending on the outcome of club/player options, Preller may need to fill all five starting rotation spots. 

Luis Gil’s time in New York may be ending

One potential trade candidate is New York Yankees starter Luis Gil. He appears to be the odd man out in their starting pitching depth. At best in 2027, Gil ranks eighth on their depth chart. 

The right-hander is not that far removed from winning the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year Award. Gil won 15 games in 29 starts; he struck out 177 batters in 151.2 innings pitched. 

At the time, the Yankees thought Gil would become a mainstay in the rotation. Instead, his career has gone downhill after suffering several severe arm injuries that limited his availability. Since 2024, he has made 20 major league appearances.

Gil’s injury timeline includes Tommy John surgery in May 2022 that sidelined him for the entire following season. This spring, he suffered a right lat strain that sidelined him for the majority of the first half. His time in the majors was limited; Gil was placed on the injured list later in the season with a right shoulder strain. 

Niebla could revive Gil’s career

The Padres are one of several teams linked to the starter. Preller has a track record of acquiring struggling starting pitchers and letting the Friars’ pitching coach, Ruben Niebla, work his magic. 

He creates an environment that allows them to reach their true potential. Niebla might recommend tweaking their delivery mechanics, altering their grip, or adjusting their pitch usage during a start. San Diego has become a destination for starters looking to revive their floundering career. 

Typically, Gil throws four pitches: four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, and sinker. The lat strain injury might have caused a mechanical flaw in his delivery that has sapped his velocity and pitch location. 

Gil’s four-seamer velocity dipped from 97 mph to 94 mph. Compounding his troubles, subpar command drove his walk rate up to 5.9% from 4.5% while lowering his strikeout rate from 10.1% to a dismal 5.6%. This lack of execution forced Gil to leave pitches high and hittable in the strike zone. 

Niebla can solve his pitching issues. Who knows, maybe Gil recaptures his rookie-of-the-year form and becomes a top-of-the-rotation pitcher again. 

Nothing is a guarantee, but the Padres and Yankees are ideal trade partners. 

For San Diego, Gil represents a low-risk, high-reward trade option. He is the perfect fit for the Friars

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Padres News:

• Griffin Canning had a couple of bright spots this season, but he underperformed for much of 2026. What grade did he get from Gaslamp Ball’s Lincoln Zdunich?

Baseball News:

• The Tampa Bay Rays have work to do if they want to get the World Series back to Milwaukee.

• Freddy Peralta is ready to take the mound against his former team when the Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers meet in Game 3 tonight.

• Former Padres farmhand Robert Gasser will start Game 3 for the Milwaukee Brewers.

• Here are the standouts from Arizona Fall League play.

The Yankees need to make some changes to the roster, and the free agent market may not provide what GM Brian Cashman needs.

Cashman may have to dive into the trade market to find a third baseman, second baseman and other pieces to try to get the 2027 Yankees to the World Series.

It's been a while since Cashman made a substantial offseason trade, but the longtime exec usually surprises the baseball world, like he did when he picked up Juan Soto from the Padres ahead of the 2024 season. With Hal Steinbrenner putting a heavy emphasis on the team's offensive woes this past season, Cashman may need to wade into the trade waters to do it.

He does have a surplus of major league ready starters and former prospects that can entice a team or two, but which players should he target? 

Here's a list of five players the Yankees could consider in a trade this offseason...

Isaac Paredes

Paredes is one of the more underrated players in baseball, but Cashman should really consider bringing the 27-year-old in this offseason.

Houston has a club option to retain Paredes for just $13.35 million, which they certainly will, but that makes him all the more affordable as he enters the final year of his deal. And while the Astros won the AL West, they should consider moving the infielder when they can maximize his value, especially with what the Yankees can offer.

The Yankees have starting pitching to deal in Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, or Clarke Schmidt, and can potentially package Carlos Lagrange in a deal. 

Paredes slashed .262/.360/.447 with an OPS of .807 to go along with his 25 home runs on an objectively bad Astros team. He was an All-Star in 2025, but had a better year in 2026, posting career highs in batting average, OBP and games played (155). 

Paredes' defense is below average, though. He had a -3 OAA at second base in 2026, while being a -4 in 2025 and a -2 in 2024. Paredes is young enough to be coached up to play the position better in 2027, so there is potential upside if the Yankees could pry him away from Houston.

Zach McKinstry

Another infield option is McKinstry, who doesn't have the offensive ceiling that Paredes has but gives manager Aaron Boone a ton of versatility. 

McKinstry has started at third base (four), shortstop (19), second base (28) and in all three outfield positions, with 49 starts in right field. If there's a downside, McKinstry is a left-handed bat, making him redundant at third base, and potentially second base if Luis Garcia Jr. becomes an option at the position. (It would give the Yankees the option to trade Garcia to another team). But it's hard to overlook his ability to play multiple positions and is just one year removed from being an All-Star and a Silver Slugger.

While he slashed just .199/.288/.294 with an OPS of .582 -- to go with just four home runs -- his All-Star season saw him slash .259/.333/.438 with an OPS of .771 and 12 home runs, all career highs. 

Could McKinstry bounce back and be a good platoon option? It may not take much to get him from the Tigers, especially if the Yankees can dangle Jasson Dominguez, a young outfield prospect. 

CJ Abrams

The Yankees reportedly checked in on Abrams at this past deadline, and they should ask the Nationals for his services again.

Abrams is coming off a career year where he slashed .261/.336/.497 with an OPS of .833, to go with 33 home runs and 106 RBI. But this deal would only work if Abrams plays second base, which Washington began to transition him to at the end of 2026. He finished playing 14 games (12 starts) at the position and made every play hit to him.

He would be Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s replacement, and while not as good defensively, he was better offensively and hit better against left-handers. He batted .240 with eight home runs and 63 strikeouts in 192 ABs facing southpaws. It's better than Chisholm's .218, five home runs and 56 strikeouts in 147 ABs, but would continue to make the Yankees lineup susceptible to southpaws. 

Abrams is still an intriguing option, especially since it looks as if the marriage between the Nats and the infielder is heading toward a divorce.

Royce Lewis

Another intriguing name.

Lewis, a former No. 1 pick, has seen a lot of ups and downs with the Twins, and that continued this past season. Lewis was moved to first base, off of third, to improve the overall defense of the team, and that may have affected him at the plate. He hit .227 with 15 homers, 57 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a .667 OPS in 125 games, but he struggled so much at the start of the 2026 campaign that Minnesota demoted Lewis.

To Lewis' credit, he bounced back, batting .280 with 28 extra-base hits and an .842 OPS in his first 59 games following his call-up. But he hit .187 over his last 35 games with just six extra-base hits and a .468 OPS.

But it wasn't that long ago (2023 to be exact) that he batted .309 with 15 home runs in just 58 games. 

With experience at third and first base, and being a right-handed bat to complement Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice/Garcia Jr., the Yankees should see whether he's available. He has two more years of team control and could be a viable "buy-low" option for Cashman, to see whether they can get the 27-year-old back on track.

Twins could use starting pitching and outfield help, both the Yankees can provide.

Nolan Arenado

What is this, 2024? 

Feels like forever ago that the Yankees were connected to Arenado. Of course, New York went with internal options and eventually McMahon to play the hot corner the last couple of years, but the perennial All-Star could be available again.

The Yankees need a right-handed third baseman to pair with McMahon, and while Arenado isn't the Gold Glover at the position he once was, he's still very good. The last two seasons, he had a 2 OAA, the lowest of his career, but is still in the top 79th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. 

But the biggest development in a potential pursuit of Arenado is that his offense has rebounded.

In 152 games, he slashed .255/.331/.475, a big jump from his .237/.289/.377 in 2025. His .806 OPS and 30(!) home runs are Arenado's highest since 2022.

Should the Yankees expect the same production? No, but he's an upgrade over McMahon. And with Arenado in the final year of his contract, the Diamondbacks could look to sell high on the veteran and look to retool for another crack at the postseason.

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has been named the recipient of the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award.

"This is something when our kids grow up, they’re gonna look back and say my mom and dad were very cool because they were blessing others and helping others," Lindor said about receiving the award.

Lindor will be formally presented with the award before Game 3 of the World Series between the Brewers and Rays on Monday night at Tropicana Field. 

The Roberto Clemente Award is "the annual recognition of a major league player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

The concept of honoring players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the "Commissioner's Award." It was renamed to the "Roberto Clemente Award" in 1973 to honor the MLB legend who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Take one walk around Camden Yards and you will see plenty of Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso jerseys. Fans love superstars and for good reason. There’s been plenty of talk about how the Orioles cannot get where they want to go unless Henderson returns to form. Alonso arrived in Baltimore and immediately delivered in the first year of his big contract, and the O’s will need that type of production if they hope to compete moving forward

At the same type, everyone knows that good teams require production from role players. Albert Suárez has been an unsung hero for the Orioles over the last few seasons. Aside from the stars, fans often gravitate toward players that were born around their hometown, attended the same college, or made an impact at their local minor-league affiliate. But every once in a while, supporters develop an irrational appreciation for a guy that doesn’t really move the needle for anyone else. That’s me with Cam Sanders.

The Orioles purchased Sanders from the Pirates on July 13 after Pittsburgh designated the righty for assignment. Shortly after the move, I reached out to a friend of mine that follows the Pirates closely. He was not exactly sad to see Sanders go. “If he can’t make it in this bullpen, he’s not going to make it anywhere.”

Baltimore optioned Sanders to Triple-A but recalled him less than a week later. The 29-year-old proceeded to earn his first career win and first career save in his first two appearances. Sanders recorded a pair of outs in a 3-2 victory over the Astros and closed out a dramatic 4-2 win in extra innings the following night. I became president of the Cam Sanders fan club overnight.

Baltimore optioned Sanders after his pair of decisions but brought him back on August 10. He went on to post a 2.40 ERA over 19 appearances in an Orioles uniform. Sanders struck out 27 and walked 10.

Sanders arrived in Baltimore with only 17 major league innings under his belt. He had signed with Pittsburgh as a minor-league free agent before making six appearances in 2025. It’s easy to see what the Pirates liked. Sanders averages 96 MPH with his fastball, and his strong slider leads to plenty of swing and miss. He pitched to a sub-3 ERA over 22 appearances at Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate but failed to deliver at the big league level.

Sanders arrived in Baltimore with a golden opportunity to establish a role. The team entered the season with few established relievers, and both Keegan Akin and Ryan Helsley missed significant time with injury. Baltimore shipped Tyler Wells to the future American League champs, and Félix Bautista did not return until the end of the season.

Yennier Cano earned an extension, and Rico Garcia turned some heads, but there were plenty of innings to go around. Sanders, like teammates Grant Wolfram, Anthony Nunez and Josh Walker, set out to prove that he belonged in the big leagues.

The Orioles gave Alex Hoppe the same opportunity after acquiring the reliever and a pair of pitching prospects for outfielder Taylor Ward. Hoppe held a 5.79 ERA over 24 games with Seattle at the time of the deal.

Hoppe arrived with a triple-digit fastball, a slider, and a sinker. Baseball Savant also credited him with eight changeups in 2026, but the heater was the headliner. He demonstrated high-leverage potential with a 1.84 over 18 appearances with the Orioles. He recorded four holds, one save, and one win in Baltimore.

The Orioles will likely enter 2027 with at least some level of uncertainty in the bullpen. It’s unclear what Garcia will have for a sequel or if guys like Sanders and Wolfram can take another step forward. Hoppe and Nunez probably fit into a category of their own though. Both boast the type of high-leverage ceiling that could make an impact for years to come.

Hoppe will enter next season with two minor league options. He’ll head to Sarasota with an inside track on a bullpen spot but nothing guaranteed. The 27-year-old could grab the job and never let go. At a minimum, he’ll be an optionable reliever with high upside. Sanders also holds one minor league option.

Relievers are volatile from year to year. Baltimore’s front office liked both of these guys enough to add them to the mix. The front office has earned plenty of criticism over the years, but they’ve also identified several diamonds in the rough. Will either of these relievers qualify as another success story?

Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look at one of the most deflating trade deadline acquisitions of all-time.

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The July version of the Red Sox were magic. Even in a harsh media city like Boston (I’ll admit it!), the “vibe” around the team was a stark departure from even a few weeks earlier. You’d have been hard pressed in the beginning of June to find anyone who’d justify trading future roster pieces for anyone who’d help the team compete, because it was clear the team could not compete.

That obviously all changed with the historic 15-game win streak. By the middle of the month, the team was squarely in “buy” mode, as a deep October run was, with the right pieces, very conceivable.

But we’ve seen this song and dance before. Just 12 calendar months earlier, Craig Breslow had “gotten uncomfortably aggressive” with his fellow front offices. The cynic in me would have loved to be a fly on the wall to see what Craig Breslow would classify as “uncomfortably aggressive,” but alas, the fruits of the deadline ended at Steven Matz and Dustin May. The Red Sox’s season would end at Yankee Stadium, and neither acquisition would be back to begin 2026.

The previous time the Sox had made the playoffs, the team acquired Kyle Schwarber, a deal that looked vastly less impressive after the team failed to acquire his services long-term in the offseason. The other acquisitions in 2021 were Austin Davis and Hansel Robles, which dims the shine of the Schwarber deal even further. The following year, with a playoff spot within reach, the team did a weird half-buy, half-sell stance, dealing longtime catcher Christian Vazquez and Jake Diekman and bringing in Reese McGuire (a notable downgrade behind the dish), Eric Hosmer and Tommy Pham. The team finished accordingly, in the cellar of the division. Point being, calls to win were met hollowly.

Then, at almost midnight three days prior to the 2026 trade deadline, that notion was turned on its ear. Connelly Early, a guy the team had in its rotation prior to some elbow inflammation, a guy on many top 100 prospect lists before the season started, a guy who very much fit the organization’s archetype of big lefty with velocity and bite on his fastball, and, truth be told, a guy who wasn’t pitching too badly (3.44 ERA, 93 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings) was heading to Washington, a team who played two hour drive north of his Virginia hometown and a team fighting for a playoff spot in their (much more competitive) league. The return for this guy? Australian infielder Curtis Mead.

It seemed absurd at first glance. Until, that is, one remembered that Curtis Mead, after some early struggles (putting this lightly) in his career, had been hitting out of his mind with the Nationals to start 2026. He had 17 home runs and a .852 OPS. He had struggled with being patient at the plate but was getting better, and already didn’t strike out much. His arm strength is lower than average, but he had experience playing second base, which was a position of need for this team. If that didn’t pan out, there were a few different permutations the team could try out, which isn’t ideal for a team also in the middle of a playoff chase, but having everyday players to field who are plus bats is a good problem to have. Simply put, at the time, Early was 1) injured and 2) at a surplus, and Mead was 1) performing at a level where the team could be as “aggressive” as they’ve prided themselves on being to win baseball games and 2) played a position, maybe even two, of need.

Fast forward two nights. Sacramento against the Athletics, 9:40 first pitch for us over on the east coast. Curtis Mead is in the lineup. He’s batting second. He’s playing second. The team looked to have an everyday player. Enter the fourth inning. Mead against Jack Perkins. Perkins, a player who has a noted lack of command in his short career, lost control of his fastball, and Mead took it just shy of 95 miles per hour to the wrist. His bat flew away in reaction and Mead took his base. It was a scary moment, but it was also assuring to see Mead not exit immediately. The lurking cynic, though, wondered if this could be the start of a recurring issue. An inning later, Mead clearly looked uncomfortable in the field, and he exited the game. Initial imaging showed no fracture, but an MRI showed that Mead’s wrist, was, in fact broken. Mead went on the 10-day IL, but it was a foregone fact that he’d be gone for most of the rest of the season.

Make no mistake: this injury put the Red Sox at a new crossroads of the season and gave a Craig Breslow an even bolder challenge to put his money where his mouth was than the one he had accepted just three days earlier. He couldn’t throw his hands on and say “aw, shucks, we tried!” as the team was still in contention, and now, he didn’t have the luxury of using a surplus chip of an extra young rotation piece. He would have to get creative, and fast. It was, to be fair to Breslow, absolutely a raw deal. But how he reacted, and how the team gelled from that moment, could likely define the future of the season.

The Red Sox would upgrade their catcher position by trading for Adley Rutschman (and Jake Rogers) in exchange for Carlos Narvaez and a plethora of budding prospects. They’d also grab Erik Miller by dealing another injured everyday player in Marcelo Mayer, and would bring Eli White into the fold, a move I was convinced at the time would spell the end of Jarren Duran’s time with the organization, but Duran punched at his class to finish 2026. Breslow, though some debate on the effectiveness of deals lingered after a second consecutive postseason run would end at the hands of the Yankees, put a clear “bought” symbol next to his organization for the first time in almost a decade.

And it’s easy to imagine that at least some of this influence between throwing caution to the wind on the Rutschman deal especially was because of this perceived – and very tangible – urgency.

As with most moves the Red Sox have made in the last year or so, this move will effect them not just for this year, but for some time after. The myriad ways that sentence can be construed is intentional. It will, in Boston fashion, be evaluated with every gem Early pitches (and there will be plenty) and it will be maligned with every errant throw Mead makes over the course of the next five years. Because, yes, Mead is under team control until 2031. These transactions also don’t exist in a vacuum, and so it’s entirely possible that this deal will benefit both teams in the long run, just as the teams simply not ever picking their phones up might have, as well. It’s natural to think of what would have been, and just as natural to say that this trade was of little consequence in 2026, and that goes for either team, as Early made exactly one appearance with his new team following coming off of that injury. But the move, at the time, was absolutely of high consequence for Craig Breslow and his future with the Boston Red Sox.