Category: Baseball

Yesterday, we took a look at some of the hard-luck moments that the Atlanta Braves had at the plate during the 2026 regular season. Turnabout is fair play, so now it’s time to look at some of the top moments where the Braves stole some outs out there in the field when the play probably should’ve resulted in a hit.

If you were brave enough to venture through the minefield that was the unlucky plays highlighted in yesterday’s article, then you can consider today a walk through Gold-Glove paradise. Let’s get into it.

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T-No. 10 – July 27 at Mets, P: Martín Pérez, H: Luis Torrens, Result: Line Out, .900 xBA

I could’ve just left this at 10 plays overall but there was a tie for 10th place and it involved the Braves robbing the Mets, so I’m including it because schadenfreude is fun, sometimes. This was just a very hard-hit ball from Luis Torrens that ended up finding Jim Jarvis’s leather. Jarvis has proven himself to be a plus-defender so far and this was a lovely example of how he could get up in the air in order to rob a hit from an opposing batter.

T-No. 10 – August 7 at Yankees, P: Tyler Mahle, H: Spencer Jones, Result: Fly Out, .900 xBA

Mauricio Dubón proved himself to be a nearly indispensable member of Atlanta’s defense in any given game, mostly due to the fact that he could play nearly any position on the field — and play it well, in fact. Dubón had his fair share of fantastic moments in the field during the 2026 season and this was truly one of his best moments, as he managed to make a spectacular catch at the wall in order to rob Spencer Jones of what surely would’ve been extra bases.

No. 9 – May 28 at Red Sox, P: Reynaldo López, H: Carlos Narváez, Result: Line Out, .903 xBA

There’s that man again. This may not look super spectacular at first glance but when you consider just how cramped of a space that left field is at Fenway Park, it’s really impressive that Dubón was able to be Johnny-on-the-spot and make the catch without having to play it on a hop or let it get past him. Good stuff!

No. 8 – June 4 vs. Blue Jays, P: Chris Sale, H: Ernie Clement, Result: Line Out, .906 xBA

You knew that Money Mike was going to pop up on this list eventually. Michael Harris II has continued to be one of the defensive stalwarts of the Braves right now and he’s only getting better and better — as evidenced by the fact that he received a Gold Glove finalist nomination for 2026. He probably won’t win it because Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to be busy racking up hardware this offseason but it does feel like some trophies might be heading Harris’s way in the future if he keeps this up.

No. 7 – August 22 at Brewers, P: Brent Suter, H: Brice Turang, Result: Line Out, .917 xBA

Yeah, this was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Jim Jarvis made another leaping catch but to be honest, it’s better to describe this as a “hop” rather than a “leap.” Either way, shout-out to Jim Jarvis being in the right position here.

No. 6 – June 27 at Giants, P: Bryce Elder, H: Drew Gilbert, Result: Line Out, .920 xBA

Another one that looks a lot easier than it actually was. I’d imagine that this one was probably pretty tough to track considering the transition from shadow-to-sun but fortunately, Money Mike did a good job of staying with it (the eyewear probably helped out a ton here) and he was able to make the play look easy in the end.

T-No. 4 – July 29 at Mets, P: AJ Smith-Shawver, H: Bo Bichette, Result: Line Out, .940 xBA

Eli White is a very fast runner and he had to cover a ton of ground in order to get to this one before it finally reached the ground. The bloop from Bo Bichette hung just long enough for White to get under it and scoop it for the out. As evidenced by the xBA, there are plenty of scenarios where that ball hits the grass. This wasn’t one of them.

T-No. 4 – June 10 at White Sox, P: Chris Sale, H: Derek Hill, Result: Line Out, .940 xBA

Playing the role of Jim Jarvis for this entry in the list is Jorge Mateo. This time, it was Mateo’s turn to make a jumping catch at short in order to keep the ball from heading into the outfield for a base hit. Again, it’s good to be in the right position and it’s even better to have the hops in order to make a play like this on a ball that usually gets up and over for a hit.

T-No. 2 – June 17 vs. Giants, P: JR Ritchie, H: Drew Gilbert, Result: Fly Out, .957 xBA

Yaz didn’t have a particularly great season as an outfielder during his first season in a Braves uniform but he certainly had his moments. This was one of them, as he made a very nifty sliding catch and showed plenty of effort in a game where the Braves were inexplicably getting bopped by a team that Yaz spent a lot of time playing for. Either way, it’s a great effort and it led to a spectacular catch. Well done!

T-No. 2 – June 5 vs. Pirates, P: Dylan Lee, H: Jared Triolo, Result: Line Out, .957 xBA

Spoiler alert: Michael Harris II is going to top this list, as he ended up making the two biggest plays on here. The next one is a bit more spectacular and fitting of being the top play on this list but that shouldn’t take away from the effort on display here. Harris had to cover a lot of ground to get to a ball that was quickly making its way towards the grass. Money Mike got there just in time in order to make the robbery and keep a good night going for the Braves.

No. 1 – September 8 vs. Rays, P: AJ Smith-Shawver, H: Chandler Simpson, Result: Line Out, .960 xBA

If the previous banger of a catch from Money Mike wasn’t enough for you, then here’s another one. It’s more spectacular at that, as Harris made a sliding catch to rob his childhood pal of a hit. The Rays were robbing the Braves left-and-right during this series so it’s only fitting that the Braves came away from this with something. In fact, the catch that Money Mike made here ended up being the biggest robbery of the season for Atlanta according to xBA of a batted ball. Again, it’s not particularly shocking that two of these came from Michael Harris II, right?

BONUS: The “Ah, Dangit” Award: September 20 at Astros, P: Martín Pérez, H: Jose Altuve, Result: Home Run, .051 xBA

Alright, here’s an unlucky moment to round things off. There were actually 10 other plays this season that resulted in hits against the Braves that had a lower xBA than this one but this was easily the cheapest dinger the Braves gave up all season. Altuve golfed a low pitch from Pérez and the ball ended up flying into the exact perfect spot for it to end up being a homer. This was a classic Crawford Boxes homer and I mean that quite literally — Daikin Park was the only ballpark in baseball where this would’ve been a homer. Awesome.

It has been a long time since he has pitched, but Travis Sykora is still arguably the best pitching prospect in the Nationals organization. Before undergoing Tommy John Surgery in July of 2025, Sykora was on a rocket ship towards the big leagues. The big right hander should be back in 2027, so I wanted to take a look at what to expect.

Before talking about the future, I wanted to remind folks how dominant Sykora was in the lower minors. In his minor league career, Sykora posted a 2.14 ERA with 208 strikeouts in 130.1 innings. Sykora’s fastball, slider, splitter mix just dominated the opposition. He put up some truly cartoonish stats in 6 High-A starts before it was quickly determined that he needed a promotion.

I know it's only been six starts, but Travis Sykora is too good for High-A.

29.2 IP, 1.21 ERA, 44 K%, 7.5 BB%, .124 OBA

In that span, opponents are 1 for 17 against his splitter with 8 strikeouts and 5 for 45 against his slider with 24 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/rXSMSIFx2Q

— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) June 25, 2025

It is a real shame that Sykora got hurt on many levels, but one reason is that I wanted to see how he would do against Double-A competition. He only got to throw 4.2 innings at the level, but it was clear that this was the first time he would really be tested. While he struck out 9 batters, Sykora also issued 6 walks. He was not getting as much chase against more advanced hitters.

I was eager to see how Sykora would solve those problems. He seems like a very smart pitcher, so I have no doubt he would find the answers. However, we will not get to see that until 2027. 

Sykora’s pitching intelligence and love for the game is easy to spot when you listen to him talk. I was watching this one interview where he talked about his Tommy John recovery process, as well as pitcher injuries in general. He talked about how he was doing everything he could to protect his arm, but in this era of velocity, injuries are almost inevitable.

Travis Sykora on the process of building velo back up coming back from Tommy John surgery pic.twitter.com/ebbXPDCTLE

— Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) August 24, 2026

In that interview, which was in August, Sykora also talked about how he was close to being able to throw at full strength. With that in mind, I would expect Sykora to be back on the mound at the start of next season.

Sykora has been posting videos where he shows fans the progress he is making. He was throwing bullpen’s as early as July 4th. That made me wonder if we could see him in the Arizona Fall League. However, he is not out there, with the Nationals playing it safe.

First bullpen! All glory to God. Happy 4th 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/sr3wYh0sUo

— Travis Sykora (@travissykora1) July 4, 2026

However, there is one complication here. Sykora is Rule 5 eligible, meaning he will have to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason. Usually, high school players aren’t this early, but since Sykora was 19 when he was drafted, the rules state he is Rule 5 eligible. For example, fellow 2023 draftee Alex Clemmey does not need to be added because he was 18 on draft day.

This could be quite unfortunate for Sykora’s development. Players on the 40-man roster cannot play in the minor leagues during the lockout. That means Sykora could be waiting on the sidelines for a little while. Just another reason to get a deal done as soon as possible.

Assuming the season does start at some point, I think Sykora could be a wild card for the Nats. Sykora should start the season at Double-A, though his outings are likely to be short as he builds up again. With the walk issues he had in his brief stint there in 2025, he might have some initial obstacles. 

With his stuff and pitching IQ, I think he will figure it out though. Sykora throws a mid to upper 90’s heater at a very funky release point with a lot of extension. His splitter and slider are whiff machines as well. Sykora is only a three pitch guy, but with his funk and stuff, that could be all he needs.

He does a nice job sequencing and maximizing the effectiveness of his arsenal. One thing I would like to see is for Sykora to challenge hitters in the zone more. He was fairly reliant on chase in the lower minors, and as we saw in AA, it is harder to live that way against more advanced hitters. With his low walk rates in the lower minors, I do not think he has a major control issue though. It is more a matter of refining his plan of attack.

I would be surprised if Sykora were starting games for the Nats in 2027, but I think he could reach the majors. There is certainly a world where the Nationals are fighting for a playoff spot in late August, and Sykora is called up to give the bullpen some major reinforcements. I think he could thrive in that role thanks to his competitive nature.

In the long term, Sykora projects as a starter. However, I think 2028 is the year where the 6’6 right hander really makes his mark in the rotation. Assuming the stuff is unchanged, Sykora projects as a top of the rotation arm. His injury history and funky delivery give me some durability concerns, but at this point every pitcher is injury prone.

It will be a treat to watch Sykora do his thing again. Due to the injury, he is not generating much buzz at the moment. However, that should change quickly once folks see him back on the mound. This is a prospect with massive upside who could make a mark in the big leagues as early as next season.

Jacob Misiorowski and Nick Martinez will take the mound Friday night with a World Series championship in their sights. One is a 24-year-old flamethrower who dominated the National League. The other is a 36-year-old veteran whose team has mastered the art of getting the most out of its roster.

Their teams, the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, have taken different paths to baseball’s biggest stage. Yet both have something in common with the Chicago White Sox: They have built competitive rosters without the financial advantages enjoyed by the game’s biggest spenders.

The difference is that they are playing for a championship, while Chicago is trying to determine what it will take to join them.

The White Sox hit 211 home runs during the regular season, compared with 154 for Milwaukee and 169 for Tampa Bay. Chicago also scored an American League-best 776 runs, demonstrating that its offense could produce over a 162-game schedule. But the Brewers and Rays were better at preventing runs, and both finished with higher team batting averages and on-base percentages.

For general manager Chris Getz, the challenge isn’t simply acquiring more talent. It’s identifying which improvements would make the biggest difference in October.

Different offenses, similar ambitions

Milwaukee’s offensive success wasn’t dependent on the long ball.

The Brewers finished with a .258 batting average, .341 on-base percentage and .743 OPS. Tampa Bay hit .259 with a .326 on-base percentage and .728 OPS. Chicago finished at .236, .320 and .726.

Although the White Sox generated more power, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay were more successful at reaching base through hits. That difference offers one explanation for why the two World Series teams were able to create offense without relying as heavily on home runs.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy has emphasized the makeup of his roster rather than its collection of recognizable stars.

“They may have a bunch of Hall-of-Famers, but we’ve got a bunch of gamers,” Murphy told MLB.com following Milwaukee’s sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. “And the gamers won this week.”

Murphy’s comments followed a series in which Milwaukee eliminated a Dodgers roster filled with some of baseball’s most accomplished players.

The Brewers have relied on contributions from Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras and Christian Yelich, combining young talent with experienced veterans.

Chicago has its own promising foundation, including Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas, Kyle Teel and Munetaka Murakami. The challenge is developing an offense capable of succeeding against different types of pitching.

The White Sox struck out 1,494 times during the regular season, and their contact problems became especially apparent against Cleveland in the American League Division Series. Chicago struck out 75 times in five games, including a nine-inning record (regular season or postseason) 21 times in its season-ending loss.

“I thought it was less about chase and more about being attacked in the zone and swing and miss in the zone,” White Sox manager Will Venable told MLB.com following the elimination.

His assessment suggests Chicago’s problem wasn’t exclusively plate discipline. Hitters also struggled to make contact against pitches in the strike zone.

That weakness could become increasingly important as the White Sox attempt to advance deeper into October.

Pitching provides the clearest separation

The difference among the three pitching staffs is difficult to overlook: Milwaukee finished with a 3.51 ERA, followed by Tampa Bay at 3.72 and Chicago at 4.12. The Brewers also struck out 25.8% of opposing hitters, compared with 22.3% for Tampa Bay and 21.7% for the White Sox.

But the World Series teams haven’t reached this point using identical pitching strategies.

Milwaukee’s Misiorowski led the majors with a 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts and a 0.802 WHIP during the regular season. Tampa Bay has relied on a deeper collection of starters, including Drew Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta and Martinez. 

Misiorowski understands that overpowering hitters isn’t always enough in October.

“Obviously the Padres and Dodgers both had a good approach of just fouling stuff off,” Misiorowski told MLB.com before Game 1. “I bet Tampa Bay is going to do pretty much the same thing.”

The comment illustrates a critical difference between postseason pitching and regular-season dominance. Opponents who can extend at-bats and drive up pitch counts can force even the most talented starters out of games earlier than expected.

Tampa Bay’s Martinez has approached his Game 1 assignment with a different emphasis.

“It’s exciting,” Martinez told MLB.com. “As a team, as a staff, we’re confident in whoever we call up for the mound.”

That confidence reflects a pitching staff capable of succeeding through multiple combinations of starters and relievers.

Chicago demonstrated some of that same flexibility during its postseason run, relying on Sean Burke, Hagen Smith, Grant Taylor and others to navigate critical innings. But having pitchers who can fill different roles isn’t necessarily the same as having a dependable rotation.

The White Sox must determine whether their young starters can provide enough consistency over a full season or whether adding an established veteran should become an offseason priority.

Building a contender without buying one

Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have also demonstrated that there is no single formula for constructing a championship roster. The Brewers have benefited from developing homegrown players, while the Rays have consistently used trades and roster flexibility to maximize production.

Neither organization entered the season with one of baseball’s largest payrolls.

For Getz, that distinction is particularly relevant.

Chicago’s unexpected postseason appearance was driven by a collection of young players who were still developing at the major league level, and the general manager has emphasized that the organization must continue building on those gains rather than assuming the current roster has reached its potential.

“We were able to get more positive outcomes this year because of that,” Getz told MLB.com while discussing the organization’s emphasis on player development.

The White Sox have accumulated considerable organizational depth, particularly in the infield, creating opportunities to explore trades or move players to different positions.

That flexibility could become valuable if Chicago decides its greatest need is starting pitching rather than another offensive addition.

The Brewers and Rays provide evidence that successful organizations don’t necessarily need to win the offseason spending race. They need to identify players who fit their approach and develop enough depth to withstand injuries, inconsistency and the demands of October.

The difference between reaching October and winning in it

Getz acknowledged that Chicago’s first postseason appearance since 2021 provided lessons that could not have been duplicated during the regular season.

“Some of our players responded really well, and there were times where they got sped up,” Getz told MLB.com during his end-of-season media availability.

That experience could prove valuable for a young roster that had little previous exposure to postseason pressure. But experience alone won’t close the statistical gaps.

Milwaukee and Tampa Bay finished with better pitching numbers and stronger team batting averages. Chicago’s power and ability to draw walks made its offense competitive, but the strikeout problem exposed a weakness that elite pitching staffs could exploit.

The White Sox don’t necessarily need to abandon their approach, but they need more ways to succeed when their preferred approach isn’t working.

As the World Series begins, Chicago fans should watch how the Brewers and Rays handle two-strike counts, extend at-bats, deploy their bullpens and create scoring opportunities without home runs. Those details could give the White Sox a clearer blueprint than any individual free-agent signing.

Milwaukee and Tampa Bay aren’t playing for a championship because they followed the same formula. They’re playing because each organization found a formula that worked.

Chicago’s next challenge is determining what its own formula is missing.

Not everybody in Los Angeles was upset about the Dodgers’ playoff collapse.

News broke earlier this week that an anonymous Los Angeles bar group had bet $60,000 that the Dodgers would lose the NLCS. The group operates 25 bars, many of which are located near Dodger Stadium.

Why would this group bet against their hometown team? They were hedging.

On Thursday, revealed the bar group’s reasoning for the bold decision was revealed, per Los Angeles Magazine. It explained that if the Dodgers didn’t make it to the World Series, the money they earned from the $60,000 bet would offset at least some of the ensuing loss of foot traffic and revenue they otherwise would have received.

And if the Dodgers did win the NLCS advance to the World Series, that foot traffic and revenue would have more than have made up for losing the $60,000 bet.

This prediction paid off. The bar group nearby doubled their $60,000 bet when the Dodgers were swept in the NLCS.

It’s hard to imagine that many Los Angeles residents will be eager to watch a Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays World Series matchup.

But this bar group doesn’t have to worry about that, given their winnings earned from the Dodgers’ loss.

The time has finally arrived.

The Tampa Bay Rays will take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of the 2026 World Series tonight at American Family Field with the first pitch slated for just after 8:00.

A benefit of the series happening between Tampa Bay and Milwaukee is that weather will not play a factor with Milwaukee sporting a retactable roof and the playing under the domed confines of Tropicana Field, so a replay of the 2008 World Series is impossible. These games will 100% be determined by the skill of the players on the field and not by the elements

On Thursday afternoon, Kevin Cash mad the somewhat suprising announcement that All-Star Nick Martinez would be taking the mound for Tampa Bay in game one while Cy Young hopeful Jacob Misiorowski will go to the rubber for Milwaukee.

The 36-year old Martinez joined the Rays just prior to the start of Spring Training, signing a 1-year deal. Martinez signed with Tampa Bay partly due to his desire for a spot in the starting rotation and the Rays were happy to oblige. Over the course of the regular season, Martinez showcased that he was capable of being a solid member of a starting rotation, providing the Rays with an All-Star campaign, compiling a 3.10 ERA | 3.96 FIP with a 15.1 K% and MLB leading 3.6 BB%.

Martinez has made only two appearances in the postseason thus far. He took the mound for game three of the ALDS against the New York Yankees and then again for game four of the ALCS, meaning he has only pitched three times over the past month (last regular season appearance was on September 27th).

It’s fitting that the Tampa Bay Rays will have to face perhaps the toughest pitcher in all of baseball for the first game of the World Series.

24-year old Jacob Misiorowski has been absolutely electric for the Brewers since reaching the big leagues last June. The start of his MLB career was so incredible that he was named to the All-Star game with only a few weeks of big league experience under his belt. The league learned his ways and Misiorowski struggled down the stretch in 2025 as the rookie had to adjust to figure out MLB lineups.

The adjustment was made in 2026 and it led to Misiorowksi becoming the best starting pitcher in all of baseball. Overall, Misiorowski compiled a 1.80 ERA | 2.17 FIP with a 37.9 K% & 6.6 BB% over 174.2 IP.

At the end of the 2026 regular season, Misiorowksi led all pitchers* in ERA, FIP, K%, K-BB%, AVG, WHIP, and Sierra; he should be unanimously named the Cy Young award winner.

*minimum of 100 IP

It will be an incredibly tough matchup for the Rays but there are signs that Misiorowski might be tiring. Misiorowski has made two appearances for Milwaukee thus far in the postseason, and his walks are up and strikeouts are down from the regular season. Thus far over his two outings, Misiorowski has a 3.24 ERA | 1.90 FIP with a 29.7 K% & 10.8 BB% over 8.1 IP.

Misiorowski’s calling card is his elite fastball that he routinely pumps in at triple digits. The Rays have struggled against high velocity all season long and it was evident during the ALCS that the Guardians were challenging the Rays key offensive players with velocity above the zone. The Rays were able to disrupt that strategy later on in the series, but no one on the Guardians staff had a fastball like Misiorowski.

For the pregame festivities, the Brewers will have franchise legend and MLB Hall of Famer Robin Yount, as well as former team owner and MLB commisioner Bud Selig, throw out the ceremonial first pitches, while four-time GRAMMY nominee Mickey Guyton will sing the National Anthem.

The World Series is here!

It’s been over a week since the Brewers dispatched the Dodgers in the NLCS. Since then, we’ve watched the Rays defeat the Guardians for the American League pennant and done plenty of speculation about whether Brandon Woodruff would be healthy enough to make the Brewers’ World Series roster.

Woodruff, whose season appeared over after he exited his last start on July 4th with a new injury to his already surgically repaired shoulder, has gotten surprisingly close to game-shape. After it was determined that his shoulder did not need surgery as originally anticipated, Woodruff opened the door to a late October return. During the NLCS, he threw a bullpen session. Earlier this week, he faced live hitters.

It wasn’t a straightforward decision, though. The league has rules about replacing players due to injury in the postseason, and per their rules, a player can only be replaced on the roster in the event of a new injury, meaning that if Woodruff were to pitch (or try to pitch) but reaggravate the shoulder, the league likely would not allow the Brewers to replace him. That would make the inclusion of him risky, as there would be a very real possibility that you’d be leaving yourself a man short.

It turns out that the Brewers were willing to take that risk.

Woodruff has made the Brewers’ World Series roster, at the expense of Chad Patrick, who was on the roster but did not pitch in either of the team’s first two series. Here is the full roster:

Brewers:

Catchers (2): William Contreras, Gary Sánchez

Infielders (6): Jake Bauers, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Cooper Pratt, Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn

Outfielders/DH (5): Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Luis Lara, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich

Pitchers (13): Aaron Ashby (L), Shane Drohan (L), Robert Gasser (L), DL Hall (L), Kyle Harrison (L), Logan Henderson (R), Dustin May (R), Trevor Megill (R), Jacob Misiorowski (R), JoJo Romero (L), Antonio Senzatela (R), Abner Uribe (R), Brandon Woodruff (R)

On the position player side, there is, unsurprisingly, no change. There was perhaps a world in which the Brewers chose to go with Bo Naylor as a third catcher, which would free up Gary Sánchez for more pinch-hit duty, but Milwaukee has opted to stick with 13 pitchers.

Harrison, like Patrick, has been on the roster but hasn’t appeared in a game. Senzatela did not pitch in the NLCS, but had a couple of appearances against San Diego in the NLDS. Drohan had a shaky, short start in game four of the NLCS. Milwaukee has been leaning heavily on basically four pitchers in their bullpen: Megill, Uribe, Ashby, and Hall, with Romero playing a nice role as well. The Rays’ two best hitters are both right handed in Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz, but they’ve got a couple of good lefties, too—Jonathan Aranda and Victor Mesa Jr.—so the Brewers will have to pick and choose how they play matchups in the bullpen.

The #WorldSeries Crew ❕#WinOurWay x @AmFampic.twitter.com/Oya31RmdZb

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 23, 2026

Rays:

Catcher (2): Nick Fortes, Liam Hicks

Infielders (6): Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, Jorge Mateo, Richie Palacios, Taylor Walls, Ben Williamson

Outfielders (5): Johnny DeLuca, Victor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins, Chandler Simpson, Ryan Vilade

Designated Hitter (1): Yandy Díaz

Pitchers (12): Bryan Baker (R), Cam Booser (L), Garrett Cleavinger (L), Griffin Jax (R), Kevin Kelly (R), Nick Martinez (R), Steven Matz (R), Freddy Peralta (R), Drew Rasmussen (R), Ian Seymour (L), Cole Sulser (R), Tyler Wells (R)

The Rays, on the other hand, have been using 12 pitchers the whole postseason, which continues in the World Series. In the ALCS, Tampa Bay had only two left-handed pitchers on the entire roster, but the Brewers match up well against right-handed pitching—they were second in the majors with a .759 OPS against righties, while they were 14th with a .706 OPS against lefties—so the Rays opted for an extra lefty in Garrett Cleavinger. Cleavinger didn’t have a great season, and he hasn’t pitched in a big-league game since early September; an injury kept him out of the season’s last month, though he was healthy enough to be on the ALDS roster but did not pitch. Cleavinger will, at least, take a little pressure off of Ian Seymour and Cam Booser, who we are likely to see a lot over the next week.

Beyond the Cleavinger/Hopkins switch, the Rays are going with the same roster they used in the ALCS.

Got ours#ForTampaBay | #WorldSeriespic.twitter.com/14B5Oeu1lk

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 23, 2026

The offseason is officially underway for the Pittsburgh Pirates and there are a lot of things they need to figure out before the start of the 2027 season. One of those things is what to do with some upcoming free agents. 

Let’s take a look at some of the players that are on expiring contracts and set to become free agents, and decide whether to bring them back or let them seek other opportunities.

The biggest name is definitely second baseman Brandon Lowe. Lowe has only been in Pittsburgh for one year but that year was fantastic. The veteran leads the team in RBIs and home runs and he is a National League gold glove finalist. The issue is with the season he had he is going to ask for an expensive contract and the Pirates front office is known for not wanting to spend that type of money.

Lowe will be a free agent this winter, and it’ll be interesting to see what he signs for, whether it’s with the Pirates or somewhere else.

I think it is important for Pittsburgh to bring him back. He brought much needed power to the lineup this year after the Bucs were dead last in home runs in 2025. The Pirates had a formidable offense this year and a lot of that is because of the addition of Lowe. He also brings veteran leadership which is huge because of the young team that is around him. 

Pittsburgh signed Gregory Soto as a free agent last offseason, and now the 31-year-old is set to hit the open market once again. Soto had a respectable season with the Pirates in 2026. He posted a 3.63 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP. His strikeout rate of 27.7 percent in 2026 was also an improvement from a year ago.

Soto was thrown into a closer role for a bit of the season with 22 save attempts converting on 16 of them. He struggled in that role but Soto is an important piece to bring back, they can use him in relief situations like in the seventh or eighth inning. 

Still, the Pirates need more bullpen depth, and Soto’s experience as a veteran reliever could be nice to have on a still-young team. If Pittsburgh doesn’t re-sign Soto, there will likely be another team interested in adding him.

Kirby Yates’ contract is indeed expiring, making him a free agent. The veteran pitcher is in a very different situation than the two players mentioned earlier on this list. Yates confirmed after game 162 that he is retiring from baseball at the conclusion of the season.

Yates’ time in Pittsburgh didn’t last long. He pitched in 15 games after the Pirates traded for him ahead of the deadline in early August.

Yates’ career is over but the other two players are going to start a lot of important front office conversations in the offseason in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have to ask themselves is this the year to spend money and bring back both Lowe and Soto? 

MILWAUKEE — Brandon Woodruff's two-month sprint to return for the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series run paid off in the biggest way.

Woodruff, the Milwaukee Brewers' senior member of the pitching staff, was included on the 26-man roster submitted to Major League Baseball hours before Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, a significant surprise since he hasn't pitched since July 4 due to a shoulder capsule injury.

Woodruff replaces right-handed reliever Chad Patrick on the roster.

Woodruff, 33, initially believed the injury would require surgery. But he and medical professionals determined in August that he could rehab the injury and avoid surgery, and began a throwing program knowing the Brewers were playoff locks.

Yet rostering Woodruff does not come without risk for the Brewers: While injured players can be replaced mid-series, they must remain on the roster if the injury was, essentially, a pre-existing condition.

That concept came up Thursday evening when Woodruff talked with manager Pat Murphy and club president Matt Arnold. And he stressed that he wouldn't be doing this if he couldn't help them win the World Series.

"I didn’t want this to be a charity pick," Woodruff said a few hours before Game 1 Friday. "I wanted to be on the roster so I could help win. I was very straightforward about that. I just wanted to help win and give innings as much as possible.

"That was the message."

Woodruff pitched a live batting practice session this week and Murphy said Thursday that Woodruff impressed hitters. Just as Woodruff impressed the Brewers in his comeback attempt.

"It's almost incredible that the kid has worked his way back," Murphy said Thursday, noting roster deliberations were going to be challenging. "His mind was on this. He was very quiet about it, but his mind was on this.

"It's kind of incredible, and he threw the ball really well."

Woodruff has pitched nine seasons with the Brewers, sitting out the 2024 season due to shoulder injury. He last pitched July 4 but posted a 2.98 ERA in his nine starts.

As he prepared for surgery, noted orthopedist Keith Meiser viewed Woodruff's charts and his progress and had a different message in late August: Start throwing.

"As we started getting later and things started playing out, that became a conversation," Woodruff says of the World Series. "Just dangling that carrot in front of your face. I know it’s in front of me.

"There’s risk there. But that’s something I was willing to take."

Brewers roster for World Series

PITCHERS (13) — LHP Aaron Ashby, LHP Shane Drohan, RHP Logan Henderson, RHP Dustin May, RHP Trevor Megill, RHP Jacob Misiorowski, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Antonio Senzatela, RHP Abner Uribe, RHP Brandon Woodruff.

CATCHERS (2) — William Contreras, Gary Sánchez

INFIELDERS (6) — Jake Bauers, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang, Cooper Pratt, Andrew Vaughn

OUTFIELDERS (5) — Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Luis Lara, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich

World Series schedule

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 30 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 31 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Woodruff opens up on World Series roster spot: 'Didn't want to be charity pick'

One of the most important matters of business for the Yankees this offseason is on the way to being taken care of. 

Pitching coach Matt Blake and the team are in the midst of negotiating a new contract and moving toward a deal, The Post’s Joel Sherman reported Friday, which would ensure that the Yankees hang on to one of the best at his job in the game.

Blake, who was working on an expiring deal this season, oversaw a pitching staff that led the majors with a 3.24 ERA despite dealing with key injuries to their rotation and a largely no-name bullpen.

That was the strength of the Yankees all season, and while it still culminated in an ALDS ouster against the Rays, retaining Blake was an essential move for Aaron Boone, who is also coming back for a 10th season as manager next year.

The Yankees originally hired Blake in 2020 with no major league experience, but he quickly squashed any concerns about that and earned the respect of his pitchers with his knowledge and easygoing demeanor. While they have plenty of well-paid pitchers in their rotation, the Yankees almost annually take relievers off the scrap heap and turn them into important contributors, largely a credit to Blake and the pitching group (this year made up of assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, bullpen coach Preston Claiborne and director of pitching Sam Briend).

“I think he’s pretty damn good at his job,” Will Warren said of Blake late this season.

This year, which was Blake’s seventh on the job, the Yankees withstood injuries to Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Ryan Weathers in their rotation, in large part due to the emergence of ace and soon-to-be AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler.

In the bullpen, closer David Bednar was the only established reliever (aside from Camilo Doval, who was traded at the deadline as a rare exception of an arm the Yankees could not fix), but the unit still finished second in the majors with a 3.13 ERA.

“I would say if you told me the way the injuries were going to play out and maybe who the names were [in the bullpen], I’m not sure I would have guessed we would have led the league in ERA and be in the top three or four of a lot of the main peripherals,” Blake said during the ALDS. “But it’s not totally surprising when you see we got the best out of a lot of them and they picked each other up and we had a great culture in the group this year. It felt rewarding to show up to the field every day. I feel like they were invigorated in a lot of ways. The starters rallied around each other, the bullpen had a great dynamic, so it did feel like we had a strong, core group that carried us for the year.”

The Dodgers will enter the offseason with 21 pitchers on the 40-man roster, not counting a certain two-way star who won’t require surgery this offseason after all. Let’s look at the group for a moment.

Starting pitchers (8)

Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Blake Snell
Tyler Glasnow
Roki Sasaki
Justin Wrobleski
Emmet Sheehan (arbitration eligible)
Gavin Stone (arbitration eligible)
Landon Knack (out of options)

Shohei Ohtani also plans to pitch in 2027, and the Dodgers very much want him to do so. But it’s fair to wonder just how many starts on the mound they can expect from someone pulling double duty, and coming off a season in which injuries ground his production to a halt by mid-August.

Keep in mind also that Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have an injury history that requires taking a seat before reading in full. That duo combined for 29 regular season starts in 2025, and only 22 in 2026. If we add in Ohtani to make a trio, that’s 43 starts in 2025 and 36 in 2026. Depth will obviously be needed here.

In theory, Christian Zazueta or Jackson Ferris could pitch their way into relevance here, whether or not they are added to the 40-man roster in November.

Right-handed relievers (10)

Edwin Díaz
Edgardo Henriquez
Brock Stewart (arbitration eligible)
Will Klein (coming off elbow surgery)
Kyle Hurt
Ben Casparius (last 5+ months of season on IL with shoulder inflammation)
Seth Halvorsen
Paul Gervase
Bobby Miller
Jake Cousins (arbitration eligible, on IL all year after June 2025 Tommy John surgery)

Left-handed relievers (3)

Tanner Scott
Jack Dreyer
Ronan Kopp

Looking at it another way, only nine of these pitchers were active for the Dodgers during this postseason. Jack Dreyer’s exclusion in October was notable because he was used so regularly during each of his first two major league seasons, and was active during the entire 2026 postseason as a rookie.

More moves will be made this offseason regarding Dodgers pitching. But today’s question is this — What is one pitching roster move you’d most want the Dodgers to make before the 2027 season?

The Tampa Bay Rays released their 26-man roster for the 2026 World Series, opting to carry 12 pitchers into their battle against the Milwaukee Brewers with just one significant change.

Veteran left-hander Garrett Cleavinger is on after he was omitted from their American League Championship Series roster, replacing rookie right-hander Brody Hopkins, who did not pitch in the ALCS.

Rays World Series roster

PITCHERS (12): RHP Bryan Baker, LHP Cam Booser, LHP Garrett Cleavinger, RHP Griffin Jax, RHP Kevin Kelly, RHP Nick Martinez, LHP Steven Matz, RHP Freddy Peralta, RHP Drew Rasmussen, LHP Ian Seymour, RHP Cole Sulser, RHP Tyler Wells

CATCHERS (2): Nick Fortes, Liam Hicks

INFIELDERS (7): Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Jorge Mateo, Richie Palacios, Taylor Walls, Ben Williamson

OUTFIELDERS (5): Jonny DeLuca, Victor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins, Chandler Simpson, Ryan Vilade

World Series schedule

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 8 PM ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 30 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS
• Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 31 — 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee – TICKETS

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rays World Series roster: Tampa Bay makes one change to pitching staff for Fall Classic

Baseball is a game about second chances. And third chances. And fourth chances.

Back in the 2017 MLB Draft, with the 28th pick of the first round, the Toronto Blue Jays selected right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson.

It was easy to see why. After leaving Florida International for the College of Central Florida, Pearson burst into the draft scene. According to Baseball America’s draft report on him, “[h]is fastball shows late running or sinking movement and he made tremendous growth with his command. His changeup now projects as a plus pitch, showing late fade when he locates it down in the zone. He throws both a slider and a curveball, and scouts see his slider as a more prominent part of his future. The pitch shows slurvy shape and sits in the low 80s. Pearson’s athleticism and rapid growth could lead him to come off the board as high as the back of the first round.”

He peaked as the Blue Jays No. 1 prospect in 2020 while ranking No. 2 in both 2021 and 2022. In 2020, Baseball America ranked him as the No. 7 prospect in all of baseball.

Nate Pearson's first 19 games with the Royals:

0.45 ERA | 0.85 WHIP | .147 AVG | 19 K | 3 SV

The former top prospect has excelled out of the bullpen in Kansas City 👑 pic.twitter.com/C1HG8FS9O9

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 10, 2026

Debuting in that strange season of 2020, he started four games while appearing in another. That’s the most starts he’s made in a season in his career. Since, he’s started only two other games, pitching primarily as a reliever as he’s bounced between the Blue Jays, Cubs, Astros, and Royals.

Why?

Why else: injuries. He’s battled multiple elbow injuries while also suffering groin, shoulder, and lat injuries, as well as illness. It’s why, despite his tantalizing stuff, he’s bounced around four different clubs since 2024.

He began 2026 with the Astros. After 16 appearances with decent results, Houston designated him for assignment on July 19. Three days later, the Royals traded for him. He made his first appearance as a Royal on July 26.

Focus for a minute on Pearson’s first 20 outings for the Royals. It tells the story of a reliever who could very well help anchor the Royals bullpen in 2027:

21 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts, 7 walks, 11 hits (zero of which left the yard), 0.43 ERA, 2.62 FIP, .212 batting average on balls in play, 3 saves, 1 blown save, 11 holds, 4 doubles allowed.

Pearson became ineffective starting around September 13. Over his final six appearances, his numbers cratered – 5 innings pitched, 5 strikeouts, 7 walks, 10 hits (including 1 home run), 21.60 ERA (!), 9.10 FIP (!!), .474 batting average on balls in play, 0 saves, 1 blown save, 0 holds, 3 doubles allowed. By then, the Royals were out of it, but his spiral meant one less reliable option in a bullpen that didn’t have many reliable options with which to begin.

PIT – Rafael Flores Jr. 2-run HR (10)
⚡ Go-ahead HR ⚡

📏 426 ft | 💨 110.2 mph | 📐 29°
⚾️ 89.7 mph slider (KC – RHP Nate Pearson)
🏟️ Out in 30/30 parks 💣

KC (3) @ PIT (4)
🔻 8th#LetsGoBucspic.twitter.com/0cIT3hSZ8Q

— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) September 20, 2026

Pearson remains arbitration-eligible for one more season. Will the Royals bring him back or non-tender him? He’s due for a raise from the $1.35 million he signed for last offseason with the Astros.

I wouldn’t mind bringing him back. There’s still something so intriguing about him, especially when considering his first 20 appearances with the Royals.

Last week, I wrote about the things the Colorado Rockies were doing well to follow the “Moneyball-like’ ways of the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays based on the keys to success laid out by The Athletic’s Eno Sarris. I compared the Rockies improved stolen base rate and decreased strikeout rate as evidence of the ways Colorado did better in 2026.

This week, I wanted to look at some of Sarris’ other points and see how the Rockies measure up. This time, pitching is the focus, specifically with Colorado’s use of technology and creative pitching strategies.

Everyone knows the Rockies have been late to the game in the research and development department. However, based on this framework, there is both promising news and worrisome news. 

“Rays and Brewers were both early on using tech and data”

Sarris points to several innovative technology tools that capture data that have helped Milwaukee and Tampa Bay be more informed. Both organizations have been using them for several years, even a decade in some cases. The good news is that the Rockies have upped their data and tech game in the last few seasons, some of which Purple Row has covered, but they are still playing catch-up behind the Rays and Brewers. 

The first tech Sarris mentions is KinaTrax, which captures biomechanics without markers. The Rays started using KinaTrax in 2015. The Rockies have only been using it since 2023 and only really optimising the data with the opening of the performance lab in 2024. Implementing systems like this throughout the farm system and at the Major-League level is a monumental undertaking. The organization has to give it time to work. Plus, having a front office and manager that didn’t embrace analytics as much as current president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and manager Warren Schaeffer do now likely delayed the maximum effectiveness of the data.

The same goes for the other technologies innovative teams are using to get the best out of their pitching staffs. The Rockies are using Edgertronic (high-speed cameras that better capture ball release out of the pitcher’s hand), Catapult, which helps with fatigue monitoring, and virtual reality to prep for games. 

Back in 2018, Adam Ottavino had to bring Edgertronic to the team and argue for its implementation.

As Purple Row’s Renee Dechert wrote in September, the Rockies pitching coaches are using Catapult now, but the organization was one of the last teams to adopt it. Using it and learning how to use it to improve will also take time.

When it comes to virtual reality work, the Rockies should have been pioneers with the tech, considering it was developed by Chris O’Dowd, the son of former Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd. But the tech-resistant ideology persisted long after other teams were benefiting from wearing VR. Even the performance lab was behind the timeline of most other teams. While the Rockies opened theirs in 2024, the Brewers have been utilizing theirs since 2019.

It takes the tech and the people who believe in it and know how to use it for a team to truly thrive in the analytics department. As Sarris says, “It takes great communicators to turn all that data into insights that the best coaches can use to improve their players.” 

The Rockies are getting there, but they are tardy. Time will tell if the data, the communication, the coaches and the players can align and improve.

“Rays were early on using the opener and other out-of-the-box pitcher-use strategies”

Creativity is a mixed bag in MLB. As Sarris writes, the Rays have always been on the cutting edge in this area. It’s a high-risk, high-reward endeavor that can label an organization as an innovative trailblazer or as a ridiculous flop. 

The Rockies found this out in 2012-13 when they embarked on the four-man rotation with 75-pitch limits. It didn’t work out so well, but neither has any kind of pitching on a consistent basis. In this way, the Rockies don’t have much to lose and, therefore, have more wiggle room to try new approaches. 

In 2026, the Rockies experimented with nine openers or bullpen days. This can be hard to classify with some Colorado pitchers — like Chase Dollander, Tanner Gordon and Ryan Feltner — going back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen. The Rockies went 1-7 in those games, but it wasn’t necessarily due to pitching. The Rockies scored two or fewer runs in seven of those games, including two shutouts. 

As Sarris notes, one feature teams like the Rays sometimes use is having a follower, a pitcher who enters the game after the opener and can eat up innings in the middle of the game. Some teams are finding success with using a follower on bullpen days or opener games and finding success. 

The Rockies did this with Dollander early in the season. Dollander was a follower five times, pitching at least four innings in each of those appearances when he was the second arm to enter the game. As a follower, Dollander posted a 3.20 ERA in 25.1 innings. It was better than the 4.82 ERA he posted in the 18.2 innings when he wasn’t a follower or starter. 

That being said, Dollander was one of the Rockies best pitchers this year before suffering his season-ending injury on May 15. So it probably wouldn’t matter when Dollander pitched because he would have been significantly better than the combined Rockies ERA of 5.59.

Conclusions

In my opinion, the Rockies don’t seem opposed to thinking outside of the box. They just don’t have the depth to do it. Whether it’s injuries or ineffectiveness, the Rockies are usually forced into pulling up prospects or signing sub-par free agents, often aging veterans who aren’t as good as they used to be. Since the Rockies already struggle so much with pitching at altitude and transitioning to and from lower elevations, they also aren’t able to attract high-level talent. This is where the failure in development is so devastating. 

Perhaps if the technology and data implementations take hold, combined with the new front office and coaching regime, the Rockies recent draft picks and newer prospects will be better prepared to succeed. That could allow the organization more freedom to be creative and find ways to win in Colorado.

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