Baseball News
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that the Texas Rangers are on the other side of their big spender era and are now back on that player development grind.
MLB Trade Rumors’ AJ Eustace writes about how an improved changeup helped Jacob Latz ascend to become an unexpected All-Star closer in 2026.
And, if you happen to know players who played with Mike Minor or who finished top 5 in saves during the 2000s, you might do well at today’s Rangers Daily Walkoff!
Have a nice day!
With the World Series headed into its final week, the look ahead at the postseason is starting to clear up. Teams have probably about wrapped up most of their offseason meetings in preparation for this offseason where they decide which route they plan on taking for the season to come. That means decisions on tendering contracts and making qualifying offers.
For the Phillies, the biggest decision they have is whether or not they should be offer Alec Bohm a qualifying offer. If you aren’t sure, a team can offer a qualifying offer to a player that, should he accept it rather than go into free agency, entitles him to a large one-year deal before going back into free agency the following season. This year, that number has crested $23 million, which is insane to think about. Should the player not take the deal, he heads into free agency with something of an anchor on his back. Any team that signs that player will be forced to take on some penalties, those penalties varying depending on who signs him. The Phillies then would be compensated with some extra draft picks, presumably to spend them on low cost college relievers that don’t have great strikeout rates.
Seems like an easy decision until one thinks about the amount of money it would cost. While it’s mostly true there is no such thing as a bad one-year deal, there is a bad way to spend that money included in a one-year deal. Handing over $23 million to Bohm is probably one of those bad ways, but that’s where the question comes into play today: should the Phillies offer Bohm a qualifying offer this offseason? It would be nice to have that draft pick compensation once July rolls around, but the idea of tying up that much money on a player with a limited skillset seems not the best way to spend that much money.
A five-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover, four-time Silver Slugger winner and a runner-up in both Rookie of the Year and MVP voting, Francisco Lindor is familiar with the spectrum of awards that are handed out late in the year.
For several reasons, the hardware he received in 2026 means a bit more.
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Try it free“To me this honor, this award, it’s probably one of the most important awards in MLB,” said Lindor, the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award. “Just because it’s not about myself. It’s about my family, my parents, how much they have instilled in me to give and share the blessings that I have had.”
The Roberto Clemente Award is bestowed upon the player “who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field,” MLB says. The Mets’ star shortstop had been nominated for the humanitarian award in every year since 2023, and his fourth nod brought recognition that is particularly resonant for a Puerto Rico native.
The accolade is earned, with Lindor pouring time and money into endeavors from education to leadership in communities in Queens, his high school alma mater in Florida and his home island.
Through a partnership with New Balance, he annually provides hundreds of students with backpacks and school supplies. He has donated more than $1 million to Montverde Academy in Florida. New this season was “Lindor’s Leaders,” a leadership initiative for Bayside High School’s Sports Medicine Program.
“I didn’t go to college,” Lindor said over Zoom late last week. “My education comes through the lower school, middle school, high school, and through the people I’ve met in my life that have put me in conversations, that have put me in rooms to gain knowledge. And that’s kind of the thing I do with the high school and the Lindor Leaders.
“I have conversations with young people that are growing and going to be the next fathers, the next mothers of the world and the next engineers, doctors, and just having conversations with them.”
Among his other charitable efforts: financial support for Puerto Rico following hurricanes; a partnership with Dairy Queen and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in support of Miracle Treat Day, helping raise money for local children’s hospitals; “Lindor Smile Tuesdays,” which educates local kids about dental hygiene; a collaboration with Seen, a nonprofit that aims to help families affected by disability and medical hardship and is especially personal for Lindor, who has a disabled stepsister.
With the award, Lindor follows in the footsteps of Clemente, a Puerto Rican star who died in a plane crash while trying to deliver aid to Nicaragua.
“I remember going to history classes in Puerto Rico for second, third, fourth grade,” Lindor said. “And you learn about the Indios, the Taínos, which are natives. You learn about Roberto Clemente, and you learn about Spaniards and Christopher Columbus. It’s so cool to sit here and to be recognized for going out there to the communities.”
Lindor is the first Met to win the award since Curtis Granderson in 2016 and fifth ever (also joining Carlos Delgado, Al Leiter and Gary Carter).
“To be part of a fraternity, a community that of all the recipients that have won this award, guys like Delgado, [Carlos] Beltrán, Edgar Martínez, guys that I grew up idolizing — the Molinas,” said Lindor, who was set to receive the award before Monday’s Game 3 of the World Series. “There’s so many big names that represented the game the right way on the field, but off the field they were even greater. And to be part of this community, it means the world.
“I’m super excited. I’m blessed. I’m honored. I’m humbled by it.”
This morning, Major League Baseball named Francisco Lindor the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award recipient. The Clemente Award, per the press release provided by MLB, 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 press release also refers to the award as ‘Major League Baseball’s most prestigious individual player honor.“
This is Lindor’s fourth nomination as a Met for the Clemente Award.
Mets fans need no primer on the work Lindor does for the community, and as part of this award, presenting sponsor Capital One is donating $100,000 to SEEN Foundation. From SEEN’s website, the organization “advance[s] disability advocacy and self-advocacy by promoting access to text based Assistive Technology Communication supports.” Lindor and his wife, Katia, do work with SEEN, as well as many other charities in the New York area.
Lindor is now the fifth Met to receive the Clemente Award since its 1971 inception, following in the footsteps of Gary Carter (1989), Al Leiter (2000), Carlos Delgado (2006), and Curtis Granderson (2016).
Congratulations to Lindor, and read the full press release below.
FRANCISCO LINDOR NAMED RECIPIENT OF THE2026 ROBERTO CLEMENTE AWARD PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE
Mets Star Recognized for Extraordinary Contributions to Education, Youth Leadership, Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico and Support for Queens Youth
Presenting Sponsor Capital One Donates $100,000 to SEEN Foundation
Tampa, Florida – Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets has been named the 2026 recipient of Major League Baseball’s most prestigious individual player honor, the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One. Deepening its commitment to the award’s impact, Capital One is donating $100,000 to SEEN Foundation in honor of Lindor’s achievement. Lindor was nominated by the Mets for his unwavering dedication to service, education, youth development and community leadership. Lindor will be formally presented with the Roberto Clemente Award at Tropicana Field before tonight’s Game Three of the World Series presented by Capital One.
A devoted husband and father of three, Francisco’s greatest source of pride is his family. Whether on the field at Citi Field or in the community, he leads with humility, compassion and purpose alongside his wife, Katia. Katia serves as an active co-leader across the family’s philanthropic initiatives, working together with Francisco to design and execute outreach efforts, mentor young people and engage directly with local community organizations. As a proud Puerto Rican native, Francisco shares a connection to Roberto Clemente through their Puerto Rican roots and a commitment to making a difference beyond the game. With his selection, Francisco becomes the fifth recipient of Puerto Rican descent to receive the Roberto Clemente Award since its inception in 1971, joining a distinguished group of past honorees that includes Edgar Martinez (2004), Carlos Delgado (2006), Carlos Beltrán (2013) and Yadier Molina (2018).
While recognized as one of baseball’s top players and a five-time All-Star; four-time Silver Slugger; two-time Rawlings Gold Glover and Heart and Hustle Award recipient, Francisco’s legacy, like Clemente’s, is defined by the lives they impact through service, generosity and leadership:
The Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One 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 Major League 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 Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Lindor was selected from a list of 30 Club nominees by a distinguished panel that included Commissioner Manfred, Roberto Clemente’s children, Enrique, Luis, and Roberto Jr., former players (including former Roberto Clemente Award winners), journalists from MLB-affiliated network & media partners, MLB Network, FOX Sports, NBC, ESPN, TBS, Netflix and MLB.com, and a representative from Capital One. Additionally, each year, fans are given the chance to vote via MLBTogether.com/clementeaward. Lindor was recognized as a nominee on Roberto Clemente Day presented by Capital One, which was held on September 15th throughout Major League Baseball. Each September since 2002, Major League Baseball has commemorated Roberto Clemente Day to recognize Clemente Award nominees and celebrate the Hall of Famer’s unforgettable legacy.
An off-day in the World Series was the perfect time for Micah Noe to look back at the Gold Glove-nominated season of Luis Torrens.
A true reversal, the everyone’s favorite hot dogging sideline man Steve Gelbs took some questions of his own on the Mets’ YouTube channel.
Equal parts remembering a Met and remembering a Guy, Danny Young was a member of the 2026 Atlanta Braves for a time.
Moving towards 2027, the Washington Nationals have up to five viable catchers and, of course, they gotta figure out what exactly to do with all of them.
You may have noticed the Tampa Bay Rays turning to dust before your eyes. The team is just as unhappy about it as you presumably are.
Naturally, the Rays and their players feel a comeback in their bones and, frankly, it wouldn’t shock me if it did happen.
Tonight in Game 3, Tropicana Field will host its first World Series game since Shea Stadium was technically an active ballpark.
Old Friend Freddy Peralta will take the mound for the Rays, taking on his…old friends.
On the other end, the Brewers always end up falling behind in the postseason and almost always end up making a comeback just as easily.
If you believe the Brewers, Brice Turang proclaimed himself a future Hall of Famer during initial contract negotiations. If you believe Turang, it never happened.
For Milwaukee fans, thinking of Bob Uecker during this series is ultimately more sweet than bitter.
Not even one of the longest shutout streaks in postseason history can keep Aaron Ashby from wanting to be a starting pitcher at one point or another in the future.
On this date in 1998, the Mets signed Mike Piazza to the largest contract in Major League Baseball history.
Game 3 of the 2026 World Series is later today, and the scene shifts to Tampa Bay. The Rays hope some home cooking will turn the tide of the series, as the Brewers look very hard to beat as they have all season. It will be interesting to see what adjustments are made on both sides. No matter what, it should certainly be an interesting game to enjoy.
Danny Young is the latest player review to enjoy for the 2026 season. There was a time this year that Young was given an opportunity to stick with the pen, but the performance was not up to par.
Rocco Baldelli informed the Mariners that he no longer wanted to be in consideration for their managerial opening.
MLB.com looks at the specific questions that the Rays must answer in order find success against the Brewers.
Brewers Pitcher Quinn Priester continues to recover well from surgery.
Happy Monday, everyone! The World Series got underway this weekend, and it hasn’t felt particularly close at all so far. While the Rays did take an early lead in Game 2, they seemed to drop the ball (literally) after the first inning with lacklustre defense and silent bats. The Brewers now have a 2-0 series lead as the games head to St. Petersburg for the week, so we’ll see if the Rays have another series comeback in them.
We have a lot about the World Series below, plus some Blue Jays insight, and Stephen Vogt shooting down rumors that he might be leaving Cleveland. So let’s just jump right into it.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue tonight with Game 3 of the World Series between the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Tonight’s game will start at 5:00 p.m. PT, airing on Fox/Fox One, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
As usual, this is being written in the past, so I don’t yet know who has won the previous two games. Additionally, neither team has announced a starting pitcher for tonight’s game as of the time this is being written. I’ll try to hop in on Monday and add more information.
Who are you rooting for in Game 3?
The Milwaukee Brewers took a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night on a check swing call to end the game. They, of course, came back from a 4-0 deficit and ended up winning 5-4. Now, the Series heads to the Trop as the Rays will look to even the series.
In Arizona, the Fall League is about half over. Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) continues to tear up the desert, and is making a push for the Fall Stars Game in two weeks. Jared Thomas (No. 8 PuRP) turned up the heat this week with five hits, nine RBI, two doubles and three triples. Fidel Ulloa and Konner Eaton (No. 28 PuRP) continue to keep runners off the board, as neither has given up an earned run yet. Earon has racked up three strikeouts across seven innings of work, while Ulloa has seven across 5.1 innings.
But here’s what’s going on in the baseball world this week:
O’Dowd power surge turning heads in Fall League | MLB.com
Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) has been gaining a lot of well-deserved attention in the Arizona Fall League, as he leads the league in numerous categories halfway through the season. Thomas Harding is the latest to chronicle O’Dowd’s Arizona experience, and includes interviews with some Rockies coaches about his incredible 2026 season.
Strike 3: Will there be positive changes to the way the Rockies handle pitching? | Mile High Sports
Mark Knudson has been calling for the Rockies to fire Alon Leichman since the day he was hired, and got his wish last week. He once again suggests Jason Hirsh as a replacement, and recommends that the Rockies employ “piggybacking” more, especially with players like Tanner Gordon and Ryan Feltner.
It Still Makes Sense for the Rockies to Trade Hunter Goodman | Just Baseball
The Rockies made a few moves at the 2026 trade deadline, but ultimately decided to retain two-time All-Star Hunter Goodman. It was a debated move at the time — both leading up to the deadline and in the immediate aftermath — but the noise hasn’t quieted down, especially after Goodman became the first Rockie since 2019 to hit 40+ home runs. Cristian Crespo makes his case for why the Rockies should trade Goodman.
Jennie Finch Empowerment Award recipients take center stage at World Series | MLB.com
Former Olympic medalist Jennie Finch started the Empowerment Award in 2019 as a way to honor girls who excel at MLB’s softball events. Each winner receives a $10,000 scholarship and recognition during the pregame ceremony ahead of Game 2 of the World Series. This year, Alina Elias, Kayleigh Allen, Janiya Pillow and Amarianna Hill (who was unable to attend) were honored.
Manfred: Rays-Brewers World Series good for game, but salary cap still needed | ESPN
While we’re in the midst of an excellent World Series, there is still an unfortunate cloud hanging over it as the labor dispute and lockout are still expected in a little over a month. Jesse Rogers asked MLB commissioner Rob Manfred his thoughts on the small market World Series and while Manfred thinks it is good for the sport, he still believes the owners should pursue a salary cap. Interim executive director of the MLBPA also offered his thoughts, saying any team can accomplish what Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have, but also noted that winning might not be sustainable without spending.
How the Rays can send the World Series back to Milwaukee | MLB.com
The Milwaukee Brewers are up 2-0 as the World Series heads south to Tampa Bay. Adam Berry breaks down how the Rays can even the series and push it back to America’s Dairyland:
Aaron Ashby has been thriving in the Brewers’ bullpen, despite wanting to make a push for the starting rotation. Across 15.2 innings in eight appearances in October, Ashby has yet to allow a run and has given up just five hits and three walks while punching out 17. That is the second-most in MLB history to begin a postseason behind Andrew Miller in 2016 for the Cleveland Guardians.
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Before I get into the meat of this article, I want to be clear that I think this has only a slightly higher chance of happening than the Cardinals signing Tarik Skubal, which is to say I don’t think there’s much of a chance at all. I’m also not necessarily advocating for it, but I am sort of intrigued at this kind of move, because there really aren’t many, if any, more impactful bullpen moves a team can make than sign Adrian Morejon, who provides lots of elite innings. And few teams had a worse bullpen than the Cardinals.
I had a great difficulty determining what Morejon’s future contract could be, which is a very important aspect on whether or not to sign him. It was easy enough to figure out his WAR estimates – until ZiPS comes along, any estimate will be imperfect, but I felt comfortable labeling him a 2 WAR reliever. Morejon enters this offseason at 28-years-old, so I estimated a four year contract, although five may very well be needed. 2 WAR reliever, 4 years. Should be easy to figure out that contract right?
Uh no. I do what I always do when estimating contracts, which is knock off half a win for each subsequent year, which is mostly accounting for injury. And while I’d love to pretend Morejon won’t decline at all for the sake of a more realistic contract, I’m very determined to maintain that it a reasonable thing to assume for a reliever, who is even more subject to randomness. Problem was this system spit out a 4 year, $50 million contract. That ain’t happening.
If I am adamant any future contract needs to bake in a normal decline, that means my WAR per dollar figure is wildly wrong. Relievers don’t fit under the same framework that starting pitchers and position players do. Edwin Diaz got 5 years, $100 million at 29-years-old with an opt-out after three years. Diaz was closing games and Morejon was not, which I do think matters with a future contract, so I don’t think he’s looking at $100 million, but he’s looking at more than $50 million. My point in bringing up Diaz was also that he was absolutely not projected for 10 wins when he signed that contract.
I did find a solution. According to Michael Rosen of Fangraphs, he looked into the overpaying of relievers, at least from a projected standpoint, and found that relievers in the 2020s got paid $15 million per projected win. There we go. At that price, Morejon is looking at a future contract of 4 years, $75 million. Technically, by my half a win deduction, adding a year to that would not actually add anything to that price. Because deducting half a win from his fifth year lands him at replacement level. Part of me also thinks 5 years is more realistic, at least in a normal free agent market without an impending lockout. This might be lowballing considering what Diaz got a few years ago, so it wouldn’t shock me if he got more, but I do think not closing will lower his potential price.
Estimated contract: 5 years, $80 million
A free agent profile on a specific reliever is a bit unusual, so I thought I’d stray from my usual format and instead list some reasons to sign Morejon and some reasons to not sign Morejon. First off, because he’s not really that well-known. If I’m proposing a $75 million contract to a reliever you’ve never heard of, it’d be best if I explained why exactly he might get that contract and why it might make sense for the Cardinals. And in the opposite direction, if you just see the best reliever on the market and a very weak bullpen he would help, maybe reasons not to sign him will ease the pain when the Cardinals do not sign him.
Reason to sign Morejon
Stats: 70 G, 74.1 IP, 27.3 K%, 7.3 BB%, 54.4 GB%, .288 BABIP, 2.58 ERA/2.46 FIP/2.98 xFIP, 3 saves, 20 holds, 2.1 fWAR
If you are wondering what those stats are, they are not his 2026 stats. I took the average of his last three seasons, because it really illustrates just how elite of a reliever he is. And he was actually better in 2026 than that average suggests. He threw 86 IP last season in 76 games played, so he is very accustomed to pitching multiple innings. At least in theory, you can use Morejon in the middle to late high leverage innings for however long you need him, which is very rarely true for an elite reliever on the free agent market, who is normally used to closing out games and thus being restricted for one inning and the 9th.
He also had his highest GB% of his career and his highest K% of his career last year. He was better than he’s ever been although he did have a 2.03 ERA in 2025 (2.83 last year). He’s going to be 28 in the first year of his deal, and if you look at the list of free agent relievers after him, literally all of them are 30 or older unless Andres Munoz’s club option is rejected (it won’t be). So you have the best reliever and the youngest reliever, who can throw an amount of innings that makes you think it’s 1986 and who is willing to throw in any high leverage spot, not just the 9th inning. If you’re ever going to break your sign big money reliever rule, this is the guy to do it for.
I do also believe the Cardinals should spend money in this offseason, but their needs and the strengths of the free agent market do not line up well. There are not very good 3B or CF options in free agency, and the non-Skubal starting pitchers are kind of underwhelming. Why not use money you should have to instantly and massively improve the bullpen, the weakest part of the team if you aren’t excited about the other free agents? Most free agent relievers are bad investments because they are 30 and older. This guy is 28.
I cannot emphasize enough that the ideal version of Morejon is absolutely worth the money, it’s just that we don’t trust relievers. For most relievers on this market and really any market, if I learned they were signed for more than $20 million, I grit my teeth and hope it works out. If the Cardinals announced they signed Morejon to 5 years, $80 million, I would be excited.
That’s my best case for signing him. Onto the reasons not to.
Reasons to not sign Morejon
I began this by learning that relievers get paid $15 million per projected win. That doesn’t actually mean they are worth that. That means that’s what teams pay them. So strictly speaking, my proposed contract? He’s not worth the money. Again at least from a projection standpoint. Also, he’s a reliever. Just because he’s been reliable and just because he’s 28 does not exclude him from playing in just about the most unreliable spot in baseball. And while it is a positive he has proven to be able to pitch in 70+ games, let’s just say an injury would not be unexpected.
From a roster construction standpoint, the Cardinals may very quickly have no need for a left-handed reliever. I’m not entirely sure of what their plan is with Cooper Hjerpe, but if they intend to put him in the MLB bullpen next year, he might look something like a poor man’s Morejon and his potential is Morejon. He’s not the only lefty they have. Brandon Clarke sure seems destined for the bullpen as well. I’m guessing due to his injuries, he’d be a more one inning guy, but he could be in the MLB bullpen sooner than you’d think.
As for a surefire left-handed reliever who might be elite as soon as the middle of next season, Sandro Santana exists. He struck out 36% of batters in a limited amount of innings in Memphis to end last season. He started last season in High A. I doubt he makes the Opening Day roster, but if he comes even close to duplicating how he pitched in both High A and AA, he’ll be in St. Louis by June.
There’s also Justin Bruhl, although I would never advocate for not signing Morejon because of Bruhl. Same goes for Brycen Mautz. Mason Molina might soon be relegated to the bullpen. The Cardinals simply have a lot of left-handed pitchers who will very quickly be in the bullpen and a few of them have a very high potential. It’s not specifically a problem for half your bullpen to be left-handed, but I don’t know that you would spend $80 million if you already had 3-4 lefties you expected to make an impact during the duration of that contract. (Fairly early on in that contract in fact)
*Oh yeah duh Matthew Liberatore is also left-handed and maybe headed to the bullpen
And just as one final point, the money paid to him wouldn’t be an issue in this offseason, because it means the Cardinals didn’t find a better way to spend the money, which is very plausible, but the idea that they couldn’t find better ways to spend the money in years 3, 4, and 5 than for a 30+ year old reliever? That could, in the future, present more of a problem.
Conclusion
I’ll let you decide for yourselves. Like I said, I would be excited if they did this. I find it hard to believe they would find better uses of this money in the first couple years of his deal, just because the way the team is set up, they have plenty of excuses to not use the money in general. So I sort of look at as “it’s either him or nobody.” Which is why I’m more open to it than I otherwise would be. On year 4 of the deal, he might actually prevent the Cardinals from signing someone.
They never do it, but more money upfront would ease my concerns in this respect. Just to take an extreme stance here, if Chaim Bloom is given $30 million to spend on players, and doesn’t love any other option, so he uses that money for year 1 of an $80 million deal, it’s unlikely the end of this contract looks all that bad, even if his first year salary looks ridiculous. Also more money upfront is how you entice him to come here in the first place. So it works out both ways.
Book Corner
Frank is Dead suggested I have a book corner, because sometimes whatever I’m reading compels me to share my thoughts, and my outlet has been the comment section. My intention for this section will be to share my thoughts on books I am currently reading, but since I have nothing new to share about Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow at the moment, how about future books? I bought four books this week, most of them motivated by Chernow in some way.
His Masterly Pen: A Biography of Jefferson the Writer – The Founding Father’s Words That Shaped Revolutionary America by Fred Kaplan
Despite the title, my understanding is that Kaplan is not afraid to get critical of Jefferson using his own words, which frequently contradicted his actions. I have already read a biography of Jefferson by Jon Meacham, but Kaplan’s premise was too good for me to pass up.
Alexander Hamilton: The Persistence of Myth by Stephen F. Knott
I could have gotten this from the Chernow biography, as this predated it by a couple years. But I just as easily could have gotten it from another source and don’t remember. It was certainly found because of the Hamilton biography one way or the other. I assume covering the lies told by Philip Freneau, sometimes fed by Jefferson, and of course others as well.
James Monroe: A Life by Tim McGrath
He is the next president on my journey to read presidential biographies. Like James Madison, there wasn’t a clear, definitive pick. The Harry Ammon version from 1970 is apparently very dull and not all that entertaining even though it’s informative and there’s also one by Harlow Unger that is apparently comically biased. This was written in 2020 so I’m hopeful.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingslover
I know literally nothing about this book, it was an impulse buy because I recognized the name of the book and I saw it won a Pulitzer.
Judging by this, you would think I almost exclusively read history books, but I do try to mix it up. In fact, because I try to mix it up, I don’t actually know when I will read any of the books I just bought. I already have something like 20 unread books at my house. Hopefully people enjoy this section, because I will sometimes use it selfishly, like asking for what books to read if I have multiple options or maybe I want to read from a particular author, but don’t know where to start. I had a goal to read 50 books by the end of the year and I have a lot of work left to do, so hopefully you guys will be impressed how quickly I seem to be reading. These 700 page books are not helping, as readable as it is.
Happy Monday, everyone. It was quite a weekend for those who watched the World Series get underway in Milwaukee. While the match ostensibly pairs the two strongest teams in baseball, the Rays have been struggling mightily against the Brewers, making some truly egregious defensive gaffes that would look bad during the regular season but are doing them no favors in the World Series, especially. We’ve got more on that below, plus a look at the players proving to be difference-makers this postseason, a new World Series pitching record, and Stephen Vogt puts to bed any rumors he might be heading West.
Let’s get right into it!
The Dodgers could have used a player like Miguel Vargas this year.
Their lineup was starved for power at times and Vargas homered 31 times. Their team was old and Vargas was a 26-year-old All-Star.
Here’s the irony: Just two years ago, the Dodgers had Vargas on their roster.
But the Dodgers didn’t have an open corner-infield position for him. When they failed to turn him into an outfielder, they traded him.
Dealing Vargas wasn’t a mistake.
In the three-team trade that sent him to the Chicago White Sox, the Dodgers received Tommy Edman, who helped them win two World Series. And it’s not as if a position for Vargas would have opened up. Max Muncy remains at third base, Vargas’ primary position. Freddie Freeman is at first.
Talent is only one factor in replacing one generation of players with the next. Timing is equally important.
This will be particularly relevant for the Dodgers as they attempt to turn over their roster in the coming years.
They had the oldest team in the major leagues this year. And while their farm system is considered to be one of the best in baseball, they have a disproportionate number of outfielders among their top prospects, further complicating an already-difficult process.
“A lot of the major-league onboarding is hard,” general manager Brandon Gomes said. “You can only get guys in Double A or Triple A up to the five- or 10-yard line. It’s hard to get them into the end zone to fully understand how to hit the ground running in the big leagues.”
A number of the Dodgers’ minor leaguers are already at the metaphorical red zone.
No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula was called up to the major leagues directly from Double A in September. In 11 regular-season games, he displayed an advanced knowledge of the strike zone for a 21-year-old, which led to him being included in the Dodgers’ postseason roster.
De Paula is an outfielder, as are the organization’s No. 2 and 3 prospects in the MLB Pipeline rankings, 21-year-old Eduardo Quintero and 23-year-old Mike Sirota.
Quintero spent most of this year at High A. Sirota started the season there, too, but finished in Triple A.
The Dodgers’ No. 6 and 7 prospects are also outfielders. Charles Davalan, 22, had a 24-homer season at High A. James Tibbs III, 24, homered 30 times at Triple A.
The major league team currently doesn’t have a vacancy in their starting outfield. Left fielder Teoscar Hernández and right fielder Kyle Tucker are under contract for next season. Center fielder Andy Pages remains under team control.
Tucker has three years and $175 million remaining on his contract, which makes him unmovable. Pages could be rewarded a $5 million salary next season in the arbitration process but would still be a major bargain at that price.
That makes Hernández as the likeliest player to be traded, as he will be entering the final season of his three-year contract. Shipping out Hernández would clear a spot for De Paula, but what about the team’s other outfield prospects?
Gomes pointed to how Davalan has been playing second base in the Arizona Fall League, which is basically a finishing school for top prospects. Increased versatility can better prepare players to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.
“A lot of it is there tends to be injuries or other things that happen where you look up and, ‘Oh, now we’re calling guys up from Double-A to Triple-A to fill time,’” Gomes said. “I think it’s going into a season having a plan and being able to adjust off of that.”
With experience at first base, Tibbs could be an insurance policy of sorts for 37-year-old Freeman.
De Paula, who is a notoriously weak defender, projects more as a designated hitter at this point and could be a backup for Shohei Ohtani.
“Things work themselves out,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “We’ve talked about this a lot. There are times where you wake up one day and you’re too left-handed. You start to address it. Wake up another day and say, ‘Wow, we’re too right-handed now.’ Things happen. Like right now, we have a really talented group of outfielders coming through our minor league system. There have been times where we haven’t. We also have a lot of really talented infielders coming as well, but for us it’s just about having as many many talented players as we can, and things tend to sort themselves out.”
Sometimes they work themselves out with a future All-Star being traded for a player who could be a solid contributor on a championship team.
That happens, Vargas’ case a prime example.
After winning Games 1 & 2 of the World Series in Milwaukee, the Brewers are now in St. Petersburg as they’re set to take on the Tampa Bay Rays for Games 3, 4, & 5 (if needed). In Sunday’s workout day press conferences, Pat Murphy, Aaron Ashby, & Brice Turang all chatted with the media. Here’s what they had to say.
Pat Murphy — in typical Pat Murphy fashion — started his press conference with some icebreaking, as a reporter let Murphy know that Mike Vasallo figured out he moved past legend Casey Stengel for managerial wins in his first three seasons, with plenty of other legendary names on the list. Murphy, never one to toot his own horn, was then asked what traits he likes about some of those other guys, including Joe Torre.
“I like about Joe Torre that he looked like he was sleeping in the dugout. I’m like, are his eyes open? He told me all about it. So I’m grateful for that friendship. He was at Game 1, did you know that? He was there, and I got to see him,” Murphy deadpanned.
When it came to “real” questions, as Murphy called them, he was asked about potential check swing challenges, specifically in regard to Yandy Díaz’s controversial swing call to end Game 2.
“I can say this in general, that’s why the league is testing this opportunity to maybe be having a check bat and have a definition of what it really is because it is so tough to see and tough to judge,” Murphy said. “We’ve had a couple like that go against us, and you see the barrel at some point — stop action, you see the barrel out in front of the plate, and you’re like, wait a minute. If he hits that ball, it’s maybe half pulled, and you can tend to see that. The one that I saw last night, from the view that I saw last night, I’m like, no, he didn’t go. He did it so nicely, so quick, then brought his hands up. I didn’t feel like where I’m standing — I’ve got a pretty good view, but I didn’t think they were going to call it. Now, when you slow it down, sure enough, his barrel’s in front. That’s why we’re getting into these rule changes and ways to make the game even better.”
Despite the seven-day layoff between the NLCS and World Series, Milwaukee has come out strong in the first couple of games, and Murphy explained that he chatted with several former managers who went through these long layoffs previously.
“I’ve talked to a lot of managers that have went through it. They all had great things to add. Everybody has a different makeup of a team. Everybody’s team makeup is different. I try to blend it all together and see what works,” Murphy said. “The one thing I arrived at is contrived antics to create a game probably has to come from within. The players would have to kind of make it that competitive themselves. So bringing in fans and doing things like that, I didn’t feel like was going to feel organic. And I just wanted — I wanted the guys to rest and I wanted them — and we’re still — you can see the rust that we still have from being off that long.”
He went on to add that he’s been impressed with the team’s competitiveness even with that long layoff.
“We went out yesterday and saw 184 pitches. That’s abnormal, and that’s what — now, we left 12 guys on base. When you see 184, you usually score more than whatever number of runs we scored. So it’s one of those things where the competing part, but the layoff is a real deal,” Murphy said. “I’m sure MLB has had this on their plate for a long time.”
Murphy ended by answering a question about how to help his team avoid looking ahead too far with a 2-0 series lead.
“These guys are Major League players. They’ve been through all sorts of ups and downs over the last seven months, all sorts of, oh, my career is going this way, oh, injuries, adversity, stuff off the field, whatever it might be. These guys go through it, and they know the reality of playing today in the now. What can I get out of today? Tomorrow will take care of itself. What do I get out of today? I think that’s number one. Hopefully we reiterate it or they reiterate it to each other. Hey, take care of business today. It really becomes a team sport, and they let each other know like, hey, you got the responsibility in me, I have it to you. So that starts up here. The mentality is crucial,” Murphy said.
Building off of that last question Murphy answered, both Aaron Ashby and Brice Turang addressed the key to avoiding looking ahead to begin their joint press conference.
“I think we just go out and continue to play our game, just trying to win tonight. Like that mentality of winning tonight is so big for us. It’s been big for us during the season as well. I think with that mentality moving forward, trying to win every pitch, win every game, it doesn’t matter what happened the previous days, it matters about tonight and winning tonight,“ Turang said.
“Yeah, just kind of this mindset of like 0-0. We know they’re going to come out and fight us hard. Just got to keep our head down and play as hard as we can as many games as it takes,” Ashby said.
They were also asked about William Contreras’ game management and the impact he’s had on Milwaukee’s postseason run.
“I feel like I’ve been blessed to have him as kind of our back stop for three years ago now. So I get to see it night in and night out,” Ashby said. “He’s certainly one of those guys that locks it in and just seems to do those extraordinary things in the bigger moments, which is special. Not everyone has the ability to do that. He’s just kind of our captain out there, man, especially for the pitchers. He’s in control. You trust what he sees behind the plate with hitter swings and maybe what our stuff looks like, if it’s good or not as good as the night before. Easy guy to follow from a pitcher’s standpoint for sure.”
“The confidence he carries, the — I mean, just the weight of being a catcher is already hard, having to deal with the pitching staff and then your offense and your defense, and he does a great job at all three,” Turang said. “The way he handles the game and takes control is really impressive. It speaks for himself. He’s one of the best catchers in baseball. It’s been a pleasure to have him on the team and see him work. Yeah, I’m excited to see how things continue for him.”
Ashby was also happy to answer a question about Brewers fans traveling to Tampa for the series.
“Maybe this postseason is just — you know, with the craziness and ticket prices maybe in Milwaukee, and then for some of those fans to be able to get down here, that’s super special for them. I hope we can make them happy and make it worth their trip to come down here and support us,” Ashby said. Any time you can get some of your home fans on the road, it makes a huge difference when they’re on your side.”
Both players were asked about what it will be like to face former teammate Freddy Peralta in Game 3.
“Yeah, it will be fun. We’ll be having some fun going to compete against him. It’s part of his story. Part of everyone’s kind of story is learning, and it makes you better. Going through some rough times makes you better. But I think it will be fun being able to go out there and compete against him,” Turang said.
“I’m sure you’ve heard it from everyone, but everyone in our clubhouse was around him last year for the most part, and he’s like one of the best teammates you can have. He’s an unbelievable pitcher, but maybe another — like just the same, exact, awesome, fun dude every single day. He was a huge part in our organization’s success, and everyone over there in our clubhouse loves that dude,” Ashby said. “Excited for him and what’s to come for him. I hope we compete our butts off against him tomorrow.”
In one of the funnier moments of the day, Ashby and Turang were both taken aback with pleasure when they found out about the stingray tank in Tampa Bay’s outfield concourse.
Ashby: “They have stingrays in the outfield here? I didn’t know that.”
Turang: “I think it’s cool. Can you touch them, like the two-finger touch? Yeah, that’s cool. That’s really cool.”
Ashby: “Maybe we should have a brewery.”
Turang: “I think we have some. I think we’ve got some, right?”
Ashby: “We have a brewery in the stadium? … We need a bigger brewery and more in sight so I can see it; I guess, it would probably help.”
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the 2026 major league season is going to end this week. It might not happen until Saturday. Or it could be as soon as tomorrow. But by this time next week, MLB will have crowned a first-time World Series champion and will have begun a potentially very, very long and painful offseason.
Exactly how many more days of baseball we’ll get depends on whether the Tampa Bay Rays can find a spark and climb their way out of their 2-0 series hole against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Rays didn’t exactly get blown out in the first two games in Milwaukee, losing each game by one and ending with the potential tying run at third base in both cases. One swing of the bat in each game could’ve made this a 2-0 Tampa Bay lead. But the Rays — like most teams this postseason — have had no answer for the Brewers’ dominant bullpen, and have squandered the opportunities they’ve had, going 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position so far.
The good news for the Rays is that the next three games will be at friendly Tropicana Field, where their 55-26 mark this season was tied for the best home record in baseball with — you guessed it — the Brewers. The Rays also figure to have the starting pitching advantage for Games 3 and 4, sending former Brewer Freddy Peralta and Griffin Jax to the mound against Milwaukee’s lesser-tier starters and bullpen games. With Jacob Misiorowski looming for the Brewers in Game 5, it would behoove the Rays to win the next two games and even up the series before dealing with the Miz.
I’ve said before that I’m rooting for the Brewers to win it all, but that doesn’t mean I want this series to end in a clean sweep. Sweeps are boring (unless it’s the Orioles doing it). I want a seven-game World Series, and I want every moment of every game to be exciting. Both games have been decided by one run so far — why not make it all seven? Is that too much to ask?
This might be the last time we get to watch Major League Baseball for a long while, so we need to make it count. Let’s stretch this thing out as long as we can before we delve into the bleak reality of an extended baseball hiatus.
If you happened to attend an Orioles game in Minnesota, Kansas City, or Texas in the early 1980s and still have your ticket stub, maybe you can help Rick Taylor complete his truly impressive collection.
Should Orioles give Mountcastle a try in the outfield? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Rich Dubroff fields a question from a reader who clearly has no memory of the Ryan Mountcastle outfield debacle of 2020-21. I envy that reader.
A hope for the O’s farm: Teach young players more situational awareness – Steve Melewski
I like what I’ve read about Mike Shildt and his emphasis on fundamentals. I just wish there was some evidence that it was actually working.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Three former Orioles were born on this day, including outfielder and MLB The Show aficionado Dwight Smith Jr. (34), left-hander Danny Coulombe (37), and righty Wayne Garland (76).
On this day in 1998, Hall of Fame Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar declared free agency after three seasons with the Birds. He certainly had an eventful tenure in Baltimore. The O’s stunned the baseball world in December 1995 by signing Alomar, one of baseball’s most coveted free agents, to a three-year, $18 million deal (which was a lot of money at the time). Production-wise, Alomar was one of the best signings the Orioles ever made, earning an All-Star nod all three years and winning two Gold Gloves, and boasting a potent .862 OPS and 50 homers as he helped the O’s make the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. But his tenure was forever stained in September 1996 when he spit on umpire John Hirschbeck, turning him into an oft-booed pariah among baseball fans. After leaving the Orioles, Alomar signed with Cleveland to join his brother, Sandy Jr.
Remember when Cowboys week actually meant something to the Eagles? Those were fun times. Now, tonight, we have to see which team stinks less.
At least there is the World Series, which has been very good so far.
On to the links.
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