Category: Baseball

*In an effort to make the nomination voting easier for everyone, I will comment, “NOMINATIONS”, and you may reply to that with your picks and upvote the player you’d like to see on the next nominee list.

We’ve now officially completes the first five rounds of this year’s Community Prospect List. Rounding out the top-five is right-handed pitcher Braden Nett, who just barely beat out Henry Bolte this round. Nett, who didn’t pitch in college and had just .2 innings under his belt when he signed with the San Diego Padres, was one of the key return pieces the A’s got back in exchange for Mason Miller and JP Sears. Now 23, the right-hander spent all of last year in Double-A and pitched to a solid 3.75 ERA in a career-high 105 innings between the Padres and A’s systems. Injuries have shelved him at times but Nett possesses a blazing fastball and a quality slider, which should at least offer him a floor of a high-leverage relief pitcher. For now the A’s are continuing to develop him as a starter and he could be an option for the A’s as soon as this summer, though he won’t be in big league camp when pitchers and catchers report soon.

The new nominee on the CPL will be two-way player Shotaro Morii. After surprising everyone and joining the Athletics during the international signing period last year Morii said he chose the A’s because they would let him continue developing on both sides of the ball. While he didn’t get to pitch in his first professional season the Athletics are preparing to unleash him against batters this coming year. On the mound the right-hander is just beginning his development but already has a strong fastball that he pairs with above-average breaking pitches. In the batter’s box he’s a left-handed hitter with good plate discipline, and scouts believe he’ll develop more power as a hitter the more he grows and gets older. Do the A’s have the next two-way superstar rising through their system right now?

The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:

• Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
• In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
• If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.

Click on the link here to vote!

* * *

A’s fans top prospects, ranked:

1. Leo De Vries
2. Jamie Arnold
3. Gage Jump
4. Wei-En Lin
5. Braden Nett

The voting continues! Which Athletics prospect do the fans believe is the sixth-best prospect in our system? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.

Nominees on the current ballot:

Henry Bolte, OF

Expected level: Triple-A | Age: 22

2025 stats (AA/AAA): 488 PA, .284/.385/.427, 20 doubles, 6 triples, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 57 BB, 141 K, 44 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 65 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Bolte is a tooled-up athlete who continues to fill out his big 6-foot-3 frame. His impressive raw power continues to show up in the Minors, though there is still a real concern over his swing-and-miss and high strikeout rate as he continues to struggle with offspeed stuff out of the zone. The A’s have worked with him to revamp his swing in order to improve his bat path and cover more of the zone, which has produced slight improvements in those areas, though there is still plenty of work to be done.

Another shining tool for Bolte is his near-elite speed, which was on display last season as he swiped 46 bags. That speed also comes in handy on defense, combining that with a strong arm that makes him a solid outfielder at all three spots. Further refining is required, but he remains an exciting talent with a very high ceiling who continues to steadily advance through the system.

Shotaro Morii, SS/RHP

Expected level: Low-A | Age: 19

2025 stats (Rookie Affiliate): 188 PA, .258/.399/.384, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 36 BB, 47 K, 4 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades (hitter): Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Scouting grades (pitcher): Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Curveball: 45 | Splitter: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.

Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.

Johenssy Colome, SS

Expected level: Dominican Summer League | Age: 17

2025 stats: None

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 65 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60

It’s not often that teenage prospects launch home runs. But Colome has a tendency to get to that jumpy pop with frequency, consistently leveraging his swing well – so well in fact, that one evaluator mentioned the most recent occasion on which he saw an international prospect continually get to their launch point in such a manner was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Colome is a right-handed hitter with explosive hands and a solid contact rate, although he has been known to be a tad aggressive in the box as a means of getting to said power.

Something of an athletic marvel at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds at age 16, Colome is an agile athlete who shows a lot of lateral quickness. The fluidity of his movements and strong arm led to a Manny Machado comparison being hung on him defensively. Much like the seven-time All-Star, Colome may move off short as his frame fills out, but he’s a tremendously dedicated worker and has the feet, soft hands and instincts to stick at the premium position.

Steven Echavarria, RHP

Expected level: Double-A | Age: 20

2025 stats (A+): 4.59 ERA, 25 starts (26 appearances), 104 IP, 88 K, 42 BB, 8 HR, 4.10 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

The A’s believe Echavarria’s stuff played better than the overall numbers might suggest. His fastball reached 98 mph and sat 95-96 with good ride up in the zone. The issue was struggling to command his arsenal when he would fall behind in counts. His mid-80s slider flashes plus, and his upper-80s changeup continues to improve. He also throws a two-seamer in the 92-93 mph range. He clearly dealt with some control issues, but the A’s are not at all sounding the alarm, instead patiently working with the teenager on adjustments.

Echavarria profiles as a starter for the long-term with his 6-foot-1 frame and sound delivery. Previously having shown an ability to consistently throw all of his offerings for strikes prior to the Draft, he will continue to work to rediscover that control in his second season of pro ball.

Edgar Montero, SS

Expected level: Low-A | Age: 19

2025 stats (DSL): 244 PA, .313/.484/.580, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 9 HR, 50 RBI, 60 BB, 54 K, 11 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

A switch-hitting shortstop, Montero has shown the ability to impact the ball from both sides of the plate, with his natural right-handed swing more direct to the ball, though his left-handed swing is more picturesque and he obviously gets more plate appearances from that side. He has the chance to hit for average and power, with a solid approach that has allowed him to walk more than he strikes out for much of the summer.

Last year, Montero was slower and less athletic, but attention to conditioning and nutrition has helped him get leaner and stronger. An average runner, Montero has the instincts and actions to stick at shortstop for a long time, with a solid and accurate arm. If his body gets bigger as he matures — he played all of 2025 at age 18 — he could move to the hot corner, but the A’s don’t see that in his future. What they are hoping for is that he comes to instructs this year and stays in the United States as one of the better prospects to come out of their Dominican academy in some time.

* * *

Programming Note: Each CPL vote will run for around 48 hours, so don’t delay making your selections!

The Minnesota Twins and Derek Falvey, the president of baseball operations and business operations for the team, have “mutually agreed to part ways,” the team has announced this morning. General manager Jeremy Zoll will take over the baseball operations role for now, with the team saying they will immediately begin searching for a replacement for Falvey. Tom Pohlad will “temporarily” handle the business operations, presumably until a permanent

This is something of a bombshell, given the circumstances and the timing. Falvey, 42, was hired as the chief baseball office for the Twins in October of 2016, having spent the previous eight years in Cleveland’s front office. He hired then-Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine to be the team’s general manager, a position Levine held until the end of the 2024 season.

Falvey’s first year with the club, the Twins went from winning 59 games in 2016 to 85 games in 2017, earning a Wild Card berth. After a losing 2018 season, the Twins won 101 games in 2019 and went 36-24 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, although they were swept in the first round both years. The Twins won the A.L. Central with 87 wins in 2023, and sweeping the Jays in the Wild Card round before losing to the Astros in the ALDS, thus missing out on the opportunity to get knocked out by the Rangers in the ALCS.

After going 82-80 in 2024, the Twins got off to a poor start in 2025, and ultimately traded off almost half of their team at the deadline, with the team going into full rebuild mode, ultimately finishing at 70-92. They also fired manager Rocco Baldelli, who had been the team’s manager since 2019, at season’s end.

The Twins have been fairly successful during Falvey’s run atop the organization, especially given the fact that the Twins have pretty consistently maintained one of the lower payrolls in MLB. That said, it wouldn’t have been shocking if he and the team had parted ways at the end of the 2025 season.

The fact that this is happening just a couple of weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, however, is extremely unusual. The top baseball guy doesn’t generally leave at this point in the offseason, unless it is in the aftermath of a suspension for running a crooked operation.

The quotes from Pohlad and Falvey in the announcement linked above suggest that there wasn’t necessarily an alignment between what the Twins were going to want to do going forward and how Falvey wanted to run things.

I like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

You like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

Seems like the Phillies like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

You know who else likes him? Left handed pitching.

Gabriel Rincones, Jr. – 48
Moises Chace – 34
Matthew Fisher – 29
Keaton Anthony – 9
Jean Cabrera – 7
Cade Obermueller – 6
Carson DeMartini – 5
Griffin Burkholder – 2
Mavis Graves – 1
Yoniel Curat – 1

By now, the story is known. Rincones has a ton of power, the potential to hit the ball hard and does really, really well against right handed pitching. On some teams, that’s a really good thing to have. For the Phillies, they are in the unfortunate position of needing someone who can do damage against left handed pitching thanks to the presences of Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford on the roster.

It’s just that Rincones should never, ever, EVER see a left handed pitcher if it can be avoided. Maybe while in the minor leagues, he can continue to see them as that is what the minor leagues is for: player development. If he can even get respectable against them, which would require a very big jump in performance, the team might have something really good on their hands.

But boy do those split numbers suggest he really, really shouldn’t see a left handed pitcher.

2025 stats (w/ Lehigh Valley)

506 PA, .240/.370/.430, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 21 SB, 22.5 K%, 15.8 BB%, 115 wRC+

Fangraphs scouting report:

A shoulder injury (2022), torn thumb ligament (2024), and sprained ankle (2025) have cost him big chunks of his pro career and, odd amateur arc included, he’s played far fewer high-level baseball games than most prospects his age. But when he’s been healthy (including right after returning from that nasty thumb injury), Rincones has destroyed righties. He’s career .256/.362/.476 hitter versus them (.164/.257/.224 vs LHP) and has some of the best raw power in the organization, even when you include Philly’s big league roster. A strapping 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Rincones will flash plus-plus pull-side juice against pitches in the middle-in portion of the plate, but doesn’t access it all over the zone.

With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.

Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!

In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco take a deep dive into the Kansas City Royals’ outfield, ranking current options while evaluating the organization’s short- and long-term outlook. The duo breaks down defensive value, offensive upside, and roster fit, with a spotlight on Jack Caglianone as a potential cornerstone piece for the Royals’ future.

The conversation also explores recent acquisitions, the importance of utility players, and how minor league performance shapes big-league decisions. From Gold Glove–caliber defense in center field to intriguing newcomers like Isaac Collins, this episode provides a clear-eyed look at how the Royals are constructing their outfield and what fans should expect heading into the upcoming season.

Email Jacob directly at: jm17971047@gmail.com

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

BlueSky
– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social

Twitter / X
– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod

On January 21, 2026, Jett Williams was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. This list, and Williams’ place on it, was compiled back in late-November. For continuity’s sake, I decided upon including Williams’ profile, but for all intents and purposes, every player on our list below Williams can be considered to have moved up a spot on it.

Jett Williams has always been one of the smaller people on the field, leading to many doubting him, but from a young age, he turned the questions and skepticism into fuel and a chip on his shoulder. In high school, he made the Rockwall-Heath High School varsity baseball team as a freshman and helped lead them to state playoffs in virtually every season that he played for the Hawks. In his junior and senior years, arguably the most important for a high school player, he hit .347 with 5 home runs and 15 stolen bases and .411 with 7 home runs and 24 stolen bases, respectively.

The hard work that he put in paid off, and as the 2022 MLB Draft approached, evaluators considered Williams one of the best talents available in the draft class. With their second first-round pick, the 14th overall, the Mets selected Williams. He signed roughly a week later, forgoing his commitment to Mississippi State University in exchange for a $3,900,000 bonus, a few hundred thousand dollars less than the MLB-assigned slot value of $4,241,600 for the 14th overall pick. The 18-year-old was assigned to the FCL Mets to begin his professional career and appeared in 10 games for them in the month of August, hitting .250/.366/.438 with 1 home run, 6 stolen bases in as many attempts, and drawing 4 walks to 6 strikeouts. That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked Jett Williams the Mets’ 5th best prospect.

Williams began the 2023 season with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and played there until the end of July, when he was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones. In the 79 games he played with them, he hit a respectable .249/.422/.410 with 12 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 32 stolen bases in 38 attempts, and drew 69 walks to 76 strikeouts. While many hitters struggle when sent to Brooklyn, it was quite the opposite for Williams. In the 36 games he played for the Cyclones, he hit .299/.451/.567 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and drew 33 walks to 32 strikeouts. In mid-September, the 19-year-old was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies to finish the year and went 5-22 with them, hitting 1 double, stealing 1 base, and walking twice to 10 strikeouts. All in all, Jett Williams appeared in 121 games between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A in his first full season as a professional and hit a combined .263/.425/.451 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 13 home runs, 45 stolen bases in 52 attempts, and 104 walks to 118 strikeouts. His 104 walks led the system and in doing so, the 19-year-old became the first teenager to lead the Mets minor league system in walks since David Wright did so in 2002.

On the heels of his excellent performance, Williams was considered the Mets’ top prospect by Amazin’ Avenue and one of the best prospects in all of baseball by national evaluators. Expectations were high for him coming into the 2024 season, but Williams did not live up to them unfortunately. Remaining in Binghamton to begin the year, he got off to sluggish start in April due to wrist discomfort and eventually underwent a right wrist triangular fibrocartilage complex debridement procedure. He missed four months of the season, hitting the injured list in late April and finally returning in late August. Williams struggled in his return, but there was light at the end of the tunnel, as a late-season promotion to Triple-A Syracuse saw him go 8-30 with 4 doubles and 8 walks to 7 strikeouts. In total, Williams only appeared in 28 games on the season, 22 in Binghamton and 6 in Syracuse.

After the season concluded, the Mets sent Williams to the Arizona Fall League. Appearing in 22 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions, he hit .225/.376/.388 in 80 at-bats, with 2 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and 17 walks to 30 strikeouts. Ending his 2024 season on as ignominious a note as possible, Williams injured his right ankle in the first inning of the Scottsdale-Salt River Play-In Semifinal, crashing against the left-center field wall attempting to corral a Tyler Callihan fly ball that would ricochet for a double. Fortunately, the injury was just a sprain, and after a few weeks, Williams was healthy and ready to continue his off-season training.

Ranked the Mets’ second-best prospect, most expected a bounce back season for Williams, who reported to spring training fully healthy. Assigned to Binghamton to begin the year, the young infielder hit .290/.355/.507 in his first month of play, highlighting that his return to form was indeed happening. In total, he hit .281/.390/.477 in 96 games with the Rumble Ponies, hitting 29 doubles, 5 triples, and 10 home runs, stealing 32 bases in 39 attempts, and drawing 62 walks to 96 strikeouts.  He was promoted to Syracuse in mid-August and closed out the season with them in the International League. In 34 games, the 21-year-old Williams hit .209/.285/.433 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 2 attempts, and drew 14 walks to 35 strikeouts. In total, he hit .261/.363/.465 in 130 combined games with both teams, recording 34 doubles, 7 triples, 17 home runs, stealing 34 bases in 43 attempts, and drawing 76 walks to 131 strikeouts.

The 5’7” infielder stands square at the plate, holding his hands high and his angling his bat at 1:30. He swings with a big leg kick and a short-levered swing that is quick to the ball. While he may be on the shorter side, on the cusp for what is considered viable in professional baseball, Williams is athletic and has strong arms and a thick lower body.

Thanks to his natural strength and plus bat speed stemming from his all-or-nothing swing, Williams makes a lot of hard contact. In limited at-bats in Syracuse, where statcast data is publicly available, Williams had a 104.5 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity and a high-water mark of 108.4 MPH. While such exit velocities are not poor by any means, they are not necessarily indicative of 20+ home run potential, like Williams has. As has been the case for his entire baseball career, the infielder makes the most of what he has, and in this case, he makes the most of balls that he puts into play. The swing has drawbacks, however. With its steep plane, Williams has shown difficulty adjusting his bat path and catching up to high heat, which may result in low batting averages and on-base percentages in the future.

In 2025, he pulled the ball at a 45% rate, went back up the middle at a 23.2% rate, and went to the opposite field at a 31.8% rate while posting a 25.6% line drive rate, 31.8% ground ball rate, and 42.5% fly ball rate, with a 14.9% pulled fly ball rate. While this has resulted in a 33.8% infield fly ball rate and perhaps less contact that he could be making, it also resulted in a slightly above-average 11.3% HR/FB rate. Coming into the season, Williams had a bit of a reputation of being a little passive at the plate, but he increased his Swing% to 41.9% as compared to his 2023 and 2024 rates, while still remaining a bit lower than the 2025 MLB average. His Contact% and SwingStr% remained static and within MLB norms, meaning that while the infielder was swinging a bit more in 2025, but he was still being selective and not hacking wildly at everything he saw.

On top of his impact hit and power-tools, Williams possesses plus speed. He stole 34 bases in 43 total attempts in 2025, a 77% success rate, and has an 83% success rate over the course of his professional career. He pushes the envelope on the basepaths, legging out doubles, taking extra bases, and challenging outfielders, and is pesky and distracting towards pitchers.

Drafted as a shortstop, Williams has spent the majority of his professional playing time there, but he has also seen considerable time at second base as well as in centerfield. At shortstop, his defense is a bit fringy. He is quick-twitch athletic and has quick reactions, a dynamic first step, fluid actions, soft hands and a smooth glove, and above-average range, but an arm that is, at best, average in strength and accuracy brings down his overall defensive profile at the position. His arm strength and accuracy issues get negated with a shift to second base, but Williams has less experience playing there, a less-valuable defensive position with different footwork.

In the outfield, his plus speed and athleticism are boons, giving him the ability to cover a lot of ground with afterburners to close in on balls. His reads of the ball off the bat and the routes that he takes to the ball have improved since he was drafted and began playing in the outfield and should continue improving as he spends more time at the position.

The weather outside is cold, but Royals players will soon be in the warm weather of Arizona for spring training. Before they head out, they’ll interact with fans at Royals Rally this Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. From autograph sessions to interactive activities and panel discussions, the event is a way to get excited about baseball season and remind fans that the road to Opening Day is officially underway.

Fans can purchase general admission tickets for $27, which include access to one player autograph session per two-hour window and a roundtable discussion featuring players, coaches, and staff. A limited VIP option, priced at $152, guarantees an autograph session and provides additional clubhouse access. Fans can enjoy ballpark concessions, hear from Royals players, coaches, front office staff, and alumni, take photos in the visitor’s dugout, hit in the visitor’s batting cage, or visit the press box for kids’ activities. Parking is free. Tickets are available here.

The event will have three timed sessions that run from 10 a.m. to noon, 12:15 to 2:15 p.m., and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. You can find a complete schedule of events here.

The Captain (and his kids!) have a message for you! 👀

Hang out with us this Saturday at Royals Rally! https://t.co/1F2QnCS9Bnpic.twitter.com/SLrsZgvlXq

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) January 29, 2026

The current players scheduled to appear include Ryan Bergert, Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone, Noah Cameron, Isaac Collins, Carlos Estévez, Bailey Falter, Jonathan India, Kyle Isbel, Carter Jensen, Stephen Kolek, Nick Loftin, Seth Lugo, Nick Mears, Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans, John Rave, John Schreiber, Matt Strahm, Lane Thomas, Tyler Tolbert, and Michael Wacha. Manager Matt Quatraro and head of baseball operations J.J. Picollo will also speak, and former Royals outfielder Alex Gordon is scheduled to appear. The team has loosened bag rules, allowing fans to bring in larger items to be autographed, like bats, balls, and posters. You can read about some of the insights Matthew LaMar gained from players, coaches, and owner John Sherman at last year’s Royals Rally.

Are you headed to the K this weekend?

Braydon Fisher is a right-handed pitcher who came to us from the Dodgers, in trade for Cavan Biggio, in June of 2024. Fisher was a fourth-round draft pick in 2018.

Cavan played 30 games for the Dodgers, hitting .192.306/.329 and was released in early August. He went from there to the Giants, then the Braves, the Royals and the Angels. He’s a free agent now.

Fisher pitched for New Hampshire and Buffalo after the trade and was pretty good, putting up a 1.62 ERA in 14 games with the Bison. At the end of the season he was a free agent but the Jays signed him as a minor league Free agent.

He started 2025 in Buffalo, but was called up on May 7th, he went back to Buffalo on August 21st and then was back September 4th.

It turned out to be a terrific rookie season. In 52 games, he had a 2.70 ERA. In 50 innings, batters hit .181/.269/.282 against him. He had 62 strikeouts in 50 innings. We couldn’t have asked for better. He ended up with 7 wins, no losses and 5 holds.

He didn’t have as good a time in 7 playoff appearances, putting up a 6.43 ERA. Such is life.

Fisher throws three pitches, a slider (38.3% of the time, a curve (36.6%) and a four-seamer (22.1%, averaging 95.5 mph), with a couple of cutters thrown rarely.

He struck out 30.7% of batters. The number dropped some at the end of the season, but he had thrown a lot of pitches, so I’m not too worried about it.

Braydon has, likely, moved back a couple of spots on the depth chart, since the end of the season. Yimi Garcia will be back, after missing a good part of last season with an injury Tyler Rogers was added. Louis Varland cemented his spot in the pen after pitch in (seemingly) every playoff game. And Jeff Hoffman is…..still there, likely still closer. So Braydon will have to pitch well (again) to get any high-leverage work. But then he came out of nowhere last year to became an important piece of the pen last year, he can do it again.

Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 52 games, 52 innings (not much imagination there), with a 4.08 ERA (I’d guess that if his ERA is north of 4 he won’t be getting into 52 games). Steamer also figures his strikeout rate will drop to 25.1%, which would be bad news.

In Thursday night’s open thread, I discussed the weather forecast that was a bit concerning for Saturday. Saturday was important because that was when this year’s edition of Braves Fest was scheduled. Well, the weather forecast for Metro Atlanta hasn’t gotten any better since Thursday and as such, the Braves have officially made the decision to cancel Braves Fest for 2026.

#BravesFest update: pic.twitter.com/ychrurRC4D

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) January 30, 2026

This is definitely a bit of a bummer considering that this’ll now make it two years in a row where the annual winter hype event for the Braves has been cancelled. Last season it was due to stadium upgrades in preparation for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game and now this year it’s due to just plain ol’ bad luck in terms of the weather.

All I know is that 2027 better be an absolute banger to make up for the now-two-year gap that we’ll have without the event. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get some unseasonably warm weather for the occasion next year. In all seriousness though, all I can do now is advise y’all (who are reading this in the Metro Atlanta area and anywhere else affected by this storm) to stay warm and safe over the weekend. There will be more Braves Fests in the future but for now, the best course of action is to hunker down and make sure you don’t freeze out there — for a second weekend in a row.

One thing Paul Toboni has made clear is that he values every single spot on the 40-man roster. He is happy to use the waiver wire and uses every spot on the 40-man. It is becoming clear that there will be a lot of churn on the backend of the 40-man roster this year.

Yesterday was a good example of this churn. Toboni claimed Richard Lovelady off of waivers. To clear a 40-man spot, he DFA’d Mickey Gasper, who was just claimed nine days ago. It is becoming apparent that we should not get too attached to any of the players on the fringes of the 40-man. They could be gone in an instant.

Nationals have claimed LHP Richard Lovelady off waivers from Mets and DFA’d UTIL Mickey Gasper (who was only recently claimed himself). The 40-man roster merry-go-round continues.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) January 29, 2026

Richard Lovelady is a good example of what life is like for a fringe 40-man roster player. In the past 12 months, Lovelady has been DFA’d five times. So, I would not get too attached to this player. 

Lovelady has some interesting characteristics. He has great extension down the mound and gets ground balls. At points in his career, he has been a serviceable reliever, which the Nats need. He had a nice 28 outing stint with the Rays in 2024. Lovelady could be a factor in the Nats bullpen as a lefty, but he also could be DFA’d next week if Toboni finds someone on the waiver wire he finds more appealing.

Just churning through these players seems odd and a bit cruel, but there is a method to the madness. If these guys pass through waivers, they remain in the organization and can pitch in the minors. These fringe 40 man players tend to be good in AAA, so they provide valuable organizational depth.

Some of these players are just claimed to be DFA’d again, but others can make a real impact. Mike Rizzo did not use the waiver wire a ton, but he found a couple nice pieces when he did use it. Robert Garcia and Hunter Harvey were both waiver claims who had nice spells in DC.

Paxton Schultz is the claim from this winter I am most excited about. The Nats claimed him off of waivers from the Blue Jays, and I think he is really interesting. He was a serviceable arm in 24.2 MLB innings last year and I think he can be a big league contributor. Schultz has a solid four pitch mix and a fastball that generates whiffs. He can also pitch in a number of different roles.

we've claimed RHP Paxton Schultz off waivers pic.twitter.com/rjLezrDz0s

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) January 9, 2026

Gus Varland is also a pitcher I like, but I am not as confident in him. In 2024, Varland was effective in 26 outings, but had an injury plagued 2025. His fastball sits at 95 and has carry at the top of the zone.

Toboni has also claimed a few position players. Tsung–Che Cheng and Joey Wiemer are both strong defenders who could be bench pieces. Like Gasper, I would not be surprised if either of these players are DFA’d in the coming weeks.

As we enter the season, I think Toboni will continue to be active on waivers. The Nationals have chosen not to be big spenders in recent years, so they have to find creative ways to acquire talent. Toboni has been getting creative this offseason. He has been active on the waiver wire and even made a rare prospect for prospect swap this offseason.

Last offseason, the Nats did not make any waiver claims. Instead, they filled the back of their roster with guys like Lucas Sims and Colin Poche. Those players had guaranteed contracts, so they got more time despite awful results. 

This is a different way of doing things. It is more analytically inclined and forward thinking. Some of this is dumpster diving, but there is not much to lose. If things don’t work out, these players are easy to get rid of and if they hit, you get a cheap asset. As a real baseball sicko, these moves are also fun to follow.

Life after Ranger: Evaluating Painter, Phillies' 2026 rotation originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Starting pitching has been the Phillies’ bread and butter over the past two seasons.

Since the start of 2024, the Phillies own a tied-for-league-best .590 winning percentage, and their starting pitchers have driven much of that success. Over that span, Philadelphia ranks first in the National League in ERA (3.69) and opponents’ OPS (.691) and second in Major League Baseball in strikeouts (1,817).

With pitchers and catchers reporting in just under two weeks, it’s fair to evaluate this staff a bit differently than in years past. Ranger Suárez is now in Boston, leaving the staff with one fewer reliable arm.

The margin between the rotation and the bullpen has narrowed. The relief group appears deeper and more stable, while legitimate questions exist near the back end of the rotation.

Those questions, however, do not begin at the top.

Sánchez enters 2026 as the ace

Cristopher Sánchez is positioned for another dominant season in his first year as the Phillies’ unquestioned ace and projected Opening Day starter.

Sánchez went 13-5 in 2025 with a 2.50 ERA and a league-leading 8.0 bWAR, completing his first 200-inning season — a “personal goal” he had entering the year. His profile remains unique, relying on a three-pitch mix that saw velocity gains across the board last season.

His best weapon continues to be his changeup, particularly against right-handed hitters. Since 2023, opposing batters have hit just .169 against the pitch. Sánchez leaned into it even more last season, increasing its usage by five percent to 37.4 percent.

Given his year-over-year growth and command profile, Sánchez appears poised to pitch himself into another Cy Young-caliber season and remains one of the most effective left-handed starters in baseball.

Luzardo enters a pivotal contract year

Entering his contract year, Jesús Luzardo is positioned to take on added responsibility following Suárez’s departure.

While his first season in Philadelphia featured inconsistency, it also showcased the ceiling that made him a priority acquisition. Over his first 11 starts in 2025, Luzardo posted a 2.15 ERA — sixth-best in the Majors during that stretch. His final 11 starts mirrored that performance, producing a 2.84 ERA and a 2.65 FIP.

Between those two runs, however, came a difficult 10-start stretch in which Luzardo recorded an 8.04 ERA — the worst mark in baseball during that span (Luis Severino ranked second at 6.37).

Despite the turbulence, Luzardo’s NLDS Game 2 start against the Dodgers helped reset the narrative. After entering the postseason with a 7.71 ERA across three career playoff starts, he delivered six innings of two-run ball in a high-leverage environment.

Luzardo led the Phillies in wins (15) and starts (32) last season. With Suárez gone and a contract year looming, Philadelphia will lean heavily on him to provide consistency behind Sánchez.

Wheeler’s health looms large

From there, the rotation becomes less certain.

Zack Wheeler’s outlook remains difficult to project. While the vascular form of surgery used to address thoracic outlet syndrome has produced improved outcomes historically, Wheeler will turn 36 at the end of May and has openly discussed the possibility of retirement when he reaches free agency in 2028.

There has been progress, but no guarantees.

“I don’t know where Wheeler’s going to be at spring training,” manager Rob Thomson said recently. “He’s out to 90 feet right now. He looks good, but there’s no guarantees when he’s going to get up on the mound or when he eventually will.”

If Wheeler is ready for Opening Day, expecting roughly 170 quality innings is reasonable, though expectations must be tempered given the injury. An ERA in the 3.30–3.50 range would represent solid No. 2 starter production, and his postseason track record only increases his value if healthy.

Nola searching for consistency

For Aaron Nola, effectiveness remains the primary concern, even after an injury-riddled 2025.

Before landing on the injured list with a right ankle sprain, Nola made nine starts and posted a 6.16 ERA. A subsequent rib injury delayed his return, and his first four starts back were even rougher, producing an 8.38 ERA.

His final four starts, however, offered some optimism. Over that stretch, Nola posted a 3.91 ERA and a 3.29 FIP, convincing Thomson to hand him the ball in Game 3 of the NLDS. Nola responded with two scoreless innings before giving way to Suárez.

Nola is just one year removed from leading the league with 33 starts and posting a 3.57 ERA. With a full offseason and Spring Training — including participation with Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic — the Phillies would gladly accept production in that range from a projected fourth starter.

Walker vs. Painter at the back end

If Wheeler is available to begin the season, the Phillies’ preference is clear: competition for the fifth rotation spot between Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter.

That preference may already be leaning one direction, though. “You’ve got Sánchez, Luzardo, Nola, Taijuan and Painter, and I like those guys,” Thomson said. “Wheeler’s not far behind.”

Walker and Painter occupying the back end of the rotation presents different challenges.

Walker, now 33, has posted a 4.88 ERA across three seasons with Philadelphia. His struggles against high-end competition have been particularly pronounced. Since 2023, he owns a 6.67 ERA in 21 starts against playoff teams, with opponents hitting .306.

Walker is in the final year of his four-year, $72 million contract, and Wheeler’s uncertainty complicates any effort to move him via trade.

As a starter, expectations should be modest. Walker did find success in relief last season, posting a 3.15 ERA in 13 bullpen outings while holding opponents to a .647 OPS.

Painter represents the higher-upside option, but questions remain. In his first full season following Tommy John surgery — which cost him two years — command proved to be the biggest obstacle.

At the Major League level last season, none of the 339 pitchers who threw at least 50 innings finished with a first-pitch strike rate below 50 percent.

In the minors, Painter posted a 48.8 percent first-pitch strike rate, allowing hitters to sit in fastball counts. This would have tied the lowest big-league percentage since 2021. That lack of early-count control was a major factor in his 5.40 ERA at Triple-A.

If MLB’s No. 28 prospect can stay ahead in counts, his six-pitch arsenal certainly plays. Spring Training will offer the Phillies a clearer evaluation of whether Painter is ready.

Depth options and outside possibilities

If Walker struggles, Painter isn’t ready, or injuries arise, the Phillies may need to explore alternatives.

Internally, starting options on the 40-man roster are limited but notable. Seth Johnson, converted to relief last season, had a strong 2024 as a starter, posting a 2.73 ERA in 95.2 innings across 25 starts at Double-A and Triple-A. Alan Rangel made 25 Triple-A starts last season and recorded a 4.55 ERA.

Hard-throwing Yoniel Curet, acquired this winter, possesses big-league velocity but profiles more naturally as a bullpen arm due to command concerns. Jean Cabrera and Moisés Chace have also found success at Double-A and could push for consideration with strong springs.

Free agency still offers veteran depth options willing to accept minor-league deals with guaranteed-elevators. Former Phillie Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin and José Urquidy remain available, though a significant signing appears unlikely unless Walker is moved.

The outlook

The Phillies’ rotation should remain a strength.

It’s anchored by an ace, supported by veterans who should be healthier than they were six months ago, includes two pitchers in contract years, and features one of the highest-upside rookie arms in the game.

Spring Training will provide clarity, but with J.T. Realmuto back behind-the-plate, there is ample reason for optimism, even with the questions that remain.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted this article noting that former Cub Anthony Rizzo was being considered by NBC as an analyst as the network returns to national baseball broadcasts in 2026.

Now, per Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Rizzo is, in fact, going to join the network:

The outgoing Rizzo has been the most aggressive about seeking a post-baseball media career. The 36-year-old former Yankee star was a hit with the media in the tough New York market. 

“Rizz played the New York media better than anybody—and that’s not easy,” one source previously told FOS. “He always had a smile on his face.”

As we know from Rizzo’s decade with the Cubs, he always had a smile on his face while here and became the face of the franchise as they won the 2016 World Series. If you were at the Cubs Convention this month (and managed to get into the sessions) or watched the Convention via Marquee Sports Network, you know that Rizzo was funny, glib and engaging while talking about that World Series year and other happenings while he was a Cub.

It’s not clear exactly what role Rizzo will have with NBC, though this article indicates that he could be part of a trio along with former Dodger Clayton Kershaw and former Reds star Joey Votto, both of whom were also hired by NBC. Kershaw, per the Front Office Sports article, is expected to work a “limited schedule.” As for Votto:

As one sports TV producer previously told FOS about Votto, who spent 17 years with the Reds: “Joey Votto is, in my opinion, a no-brainer. He’s an MVP. He has a national name. He’s a natural in front of the camera.” Added another media source: “If NBC wants to make a splash with Sunday Night Baseball, Joey would be perfect.”

Having Rizzo, Kershaw and Votto as part of Sunday Night Baseball’s pre-game show would be must-see TV for any baseball fan. Or, any or all of them could wind up as a game analyst at times.

So far, NBC has done all the right things in returning to national baseball broadcasting for the first time in more than 25 years. There have been rumors that the network is trying to engage Jason Benetti as their lead broadcaster for Sunday Night Baseball, which would also be an outstanding choice.

You’ll also likely see Rizzo around Wrigley Field fairly often in his role as a Cubs ambassador, and the team does have plans to have a 10th anniversary celebration of the 2016 World Series team at some point this year, though a date has not been announced.

The Cubs are scheduled to appear three times on SNB: May 31 vs. the Cardinals at St. Louis, June 7 vs. the Giants at Wrigley Field and Aug. 30 vs. the Reds at Wrigley Field. The Cubs vs. Cardinals game at Wrigley Field Sunday, July 5 will be carried by Peacock as part of NBC’s “Star-Spangled Sunday.”

It is never fair to blame a team’s collapse on a single player, let alone one as otherwise likeable as Cedric Mullins, who ultimately was a pretty small cog in the grand scheme of the spectacular failure that was the 2025 season. But if there is a player who came to symbolize—justly or not—that failure, it’s Mullins. After Jose Siri spent most of the season sidelined by injury and Tyrone Taylor underperformed, the Mets were desperate to upgrade at the center field position at the deadline and landed on Mullins as the solution, dealing three minor league arms to Baltimore in exchange for his services.

As a Mets fan who lived in Baltimore for much of the 2010s and saw the passing of the torch from Adam Jones to Cedric Mullins firsthand, I admit that I was probably higher on the trade at the time than most. I knew the dynamic and fun player Mullins was capable of being when he was on. But that is not the version of Cedric Mullins that Mets fans were exposed to and it is hard to classify the trade any other way except as an unambiguous failure.

A lifelong Oriole until that point, Mullins had to leave the organization where he had spent a decade of his life and come to a team in the midst of a playoff run in one of the biggest markets in the country. Mullins recently admitted on “Foul Territory” that it was a difficult adjustment for him. “It hit pretty hard, having to uplift your entire life,” he said. “Especially out in New York, where things can get hectic on a day-to-day basis. It was definitely a lot of changes and adjustments that had to be made, along with trying to perform at your best.” He also spoke about the challenge of trying to complement an already talented roster and putting pressure on himself to perform.

Of course, it is impossible to know how much these mental challenges contributed to his subpar output on the field. Understanding the context of his struggles can make one sympathetic to the player, but unfortunately it does not change the reality of the numbers. I don’t need to repeat them here to anyone who watched the 2025 Mets in the second half, but I will for the sake of completeness. In 143 plate appearances for the Mets, Mullins hit .182/.284/.281 with a 66 wRC+. He logged just seven extra-base hits, scored 16 runs, drove in 10 runs, and stole eight bases (while not getting caught once; that is one thing that was promised on which he delivered). But even seeing these disastrous offensive numbers doesn’t tell the full story. A normally at least capable center fielder, Mullins also made several costly mistakes on the field that were magnified by being on a team struggling with run prevention where every run mattered.

Mullins’ hardships were so profound, in fact, that by September he was more or less relegated to the bench in favor of a resurgent Tyrone Taylor, who had a strong August and September. We all remember what happened after that. The Mets fell just short of the playoffs and Mullins absorbed an outsized amount of ire for it from the fanbase. Now, Mullins and the Mets go their separate ways—hopefully to the benefit of both. The Mets now turn to Luis Robert Jr.—another player who had spent his entire career with another organization until this point who the Mets had their eye on at the deadline last season—to try to solve their center field problem. If healthy, Robert probably has a better chance to recapture his past performance than Mullins ever did; he is younger, he has better tools, and underlying indicators of his athleticism remain present. As for Mullins, he returns to the familiar AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays on a one-year, $8 million deal. His role will not be in question and the pressure he experienced in New York will certainly be alleviated to some extent. Unfortunately, Cedric Mullins’ New York Mets tenure becomes a footnote that both the player and the team would likely rather forget.

Hello one and all, and happy Friday! It’s time to dig into the latest baseball news.

In Mariners news…

• Michael Baumann at Fangraphs looked at the sad state of platoon player options still available on the free agent market, and praised the Mariners for locking up Rob Refsnyder while they could.
• Shannon Drayer made the case for 2026 to be Julio Rodríguez’s big year.
• The To Love a Mariner podcast kicked off their fifth season by bringing on Lookout Landing alum Amanda Lane Cumming to break down the classic Mariners home videos You Gotta Love These Guys (1996) and Sweet 116 (2001).

Around the league…

• The Astros acquired righty reliever Kai-Wei Teng in a swap with the Giants.
• The Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel.
• NBC has agreed to a broadcasting contract with Joey Votto, where he will join fellow 2010s stars Anthony Rizzo and Clayton Kershaw.
• Former Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales landed himself a minor league agreement with the Padres.
• Kiley McDaniel at ESPN ranked the 30 farm systems in baseball. Keith Law at The Athletic did the same, providing a rosier perspective on the Baby M’s. ($)

As I drained my bank account and clicked “purchase” on a set of tickets to Rush’s Fifty Something tour stop in Cleveland, an idea blossomed. Since lead singer/bass player Geddy Lee is such a big baseball fan, there’s got to be some way I can tie my favorite band in with my favorite pastime. Then it hit me – which Rush album is each MLB team most like? Granted, Rush hasn’t put out 30 studio albums, but I threw in a couple of live albums to make it work. Let it be known that I am no expert on the band, nor am I an expert on every MLB team. I simply took my personal thoughts towards each album and each team alongside some critical commentary, and this is what I came up with. They are in reverse order of release date.

R40 – Seattle Mariners
As far as live albums go, this one is pretty widely liked by fans. I believe that to be true of the Mariners as well, assuming you’re not a fan of any other AL West team. Both the album and the team are cohesive units – R40 covering all 40 years of the band’s recording existence, and the Mariners having successful players on the pitching, hitting, and fielding sides of things. There’s something for everyone in this album and in this team.

Clockwork Angels Live – Texas Rangers
I felt that Clockwork Angels Live and R40 were pretty similar, but that the former was missing just a little something that the latter has. It’s almost cohesive, it just misses the mark on a few songs since the entire first half of the show is focused on one album (I know that is the point of the tour, and I personally enjoy it). Like the album, the Texas Rangers found success for a short amount of time in 2023 before they were overshadowed by the Mariners (R40) in the following years.

Clockwork Angels – Los Angeles Dodgers
In the band’s eyes, this album is perfection. It’s what they’d worked almost forty years to produce. It has a story, it has meaning, and it just sounds good. This is where they found the sixth cylinder. In MLB’s eyes (and their fans), the Dodgers are perfection. Contributing to the highest payroll in the sport, stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman have made the Dodgers the most successful team of this decade. And since it was their only studio album released in the 2010s, Clockwork Angels can say the same.

Time Machine – St. Louis Cardinals
I’ll be honest, this one might be a bit of a stretch. I truly just have no connection to the St. Louis Cardinals. However, I feel like they are most like the 2011 Time Machine tour album in that they span almost the entire history of MLB, officially becoming a major league team in 1882. The same can be said of Time Machine, a tour that covered most of the band’s entire history up until just before their final studio album was released.

Snakes & Arrows Live – Milwaukee Brewers
This live album (obviously) is heavy on tracks from Snakes & Arrows, but it also has a surprising amount of deep cuts and underrated tracks. This reminds me of the Milwaukee Brewers in that they rely heavily on their stars like Christian Yelich and Jacob Misiorowski, but they also have a lot of underrated talent like Andrew Vaughn and Trevor Megill that have the potential to contribute in a big way this season.

Snakes & Arrows – New York Mets
This is where Rush almost got it right. They were firing on five cylinders, just missing one piece to make perfection. The Mets are in the same boat. They’ve got most of the pieces, they just haven’t been able to put them together to win a World Series. While they’ve got one of the largest payrolls in MLB, that has resulted in one of the lowest revenues. Snakes & Arrows was Rush’s second worst performing studio album in terms of sales. Both the album and the team are really good, they just aren’t the best.

R30 – Detroit Tigers
This is another personal choice simply because I don’t really listen to this album all that much. It’s by far the live album that I listen to the least. Now I’m not saying I don’t watch the Tigers much, I’m pretty much forced to, but I certainly don’t want to watch them often. Between the way certain hitters are a thorn in the Guardians’ side and facing one of the best pitchers of the decade, I’ll go ahead and skip this one most days like I do R30.

Feedback – San Francisco Giants
All I can say about this album is that they tried. It’s an album full of covers of songs that made Rush who they are, and I appreciate them wanting to show respect to those artists. However, not many others feel that way judging by the fact that it was one of their worst-selling releases. That’s not to say people don’t like the Giants or that they don’t sell seats, however, they’ve also not been able to find much success lately. They had one good season in 2021, but have been third or worse in the division since. Much like Feedback, though, I really appreciate this team and find them to be the National League team I keep tabs on most.

Rush in Rio – Arizona Diamondbacks
This one might be a stretch, but it might make sense if I explain it enough… The concert that was recorded and filmed for Rush in Rio was one of their most widely attended shows. Over 40,000 people gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the third show of the band’s first appearance in the country. The Brazilian fans had waited almost 30 years to see the band, and they really showed up for it. This is quite similar to how baseball fans in Arizona had to wait years and years for a professional baseball team. When they finally got one, they showed up just like the Brazilian Rush fans. The inaugural season for the Diamondbacks in 1998 was the ninth most attended season for any MLB team, bringing in 3,610,290 fans.

Vapor Trails – Los Angeles Angels
Vapor Trails was Rush’s first studio release after drummer Neil Peart’s tragic losses of his daughter and wife just 10 months apart. It follows Neil’s journey of finding himself again and finding the strength to return to music after such tragedy. I think this album would really resonate with Angels fans and players who were devastated by the loss of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs was one of my favorite non-Guardians players, and it was truly difficult for me to watch Angels games after losing him. However, it made the team stronger and brought them together, resulting in a combined no-hitter just days after. “Nothing can stop you now.”

Different Stages – Miami Marlins
Similarly to Vapor Trails, Different Stages was Rush’s first piece of work released after the tragedies. Peart was not heavily involved in this live release, but allowed Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson to put in the work for it. The album was dedicated to the memory of Peart’s daughter and wife. This theme of working hard in the face of tragedy really made me think of the Marlins. They went through the devastating loss of pitcher José Fernández in 2016, and had to go right back to playing baseball. Much like the Angels, they were made stronger by this tragedy and won the first game they played after his death. This included an extremely emotional home run by Dee Strange-Gordon, his first of the season, that came right after he paid tribute to his friend at home plate. Both the home run and the album were emotional tributes to lost friends.

Test for Echo – Chicago White Sox
Widely known as the worst Rush album among fans, this one just wasn’t successful. It is among their worst selling albums, and people honestly just like to forget it exists (except for me, I love this album). The same can be said of the poor Chicago White Sox, the consistent fifth place team in the AL Central. They even broke the record for most losses in the Modern Era in 2024 with 121… Granted, they’ve had quite a busy offseason, and I’m excited to see if they can actually perform this season, but I’m about as confident in that as I am in seeing any Test for Echo songs on the upcoming tour.

Counterparts – Atlanta Braves
Counterparts is widely known as Rush’s heaviest album. That immediately made me think of the Atlanta Braves because of the numerous “heavy hitters” they have, both on the hitting and pitching side. Hitters like Ronald Acuña Jr. (.524 career SLG) and Matt Olson (.508 career SLG) headline the offensive lineup while pitchers like Chris Sale (94.8 mph fastball) and Spencer Strider (95.5 mph fastball) are the stars of the rotation. A notable theme of this album is “doing the right thing” which is something that is constantly surrounding the Braves. Letting go of the long-outdated “chop” in the stands would be doing the right thing, something the team and fans could learn from a 90’s rock album.

Roll the Bones – Minnesota Twins
This one was hard for me because I adore this album. I do not adore the Minnesota Twins. As a matter of fact, I really don’t like the Minnesota Twins. The connection I’m making here is that a lot of die-hard fans did not like Roll the Bones when it was released. The “rap” in the title song turned many fans away, but some eventually learned to enjoy the album. While I can’t say I’ve learned to enjoy the Twins, I can certainly understand the draw behind some of their players such as Joe Ryan or Byron Buxton. They seem like good people who really enjoy playing for their city.

Presto – Toronto Blue Jays
I knew I had to choose wisely for this team, because it is Geddy Lee’s favorite team and the reason he is such a devout baseball fan. I’m not 100% confident that other Rush fans will agree here, but Presto is special to me in a way that I felt deserved this spot. To me, it’s the definition of a hidden gem. This album was almost successful, just like the Blue Jays have been in recent years. It has a lot of upbeat songs, reminding me of the fun the Jays have in the dugout. Additionally, the album art is just as adorable as this team.

A Show of Hands – Chicago Cubs
This one pains me to write. This is my favorite live album, but I’m sure you all know that the Cubs are one of my least favorite baseball teams. So how does this make sense? Well, it has to do with the live aspect. I have attended two games at Wrigley Field, and it is by far my favorite live game experience outside of Cleveland. The stadium is just as beautiful as people say, and other than some minor heckling for my Guardians gear, I felt very comfortable there. I’d be just as happy to sit in the left field bleachers and watch a game here as I would be to sit on my couch and watch this concert film.

Hold Your Fire – Boston Red Sox
Hold Your Fire is, to me, a consistently good album. I never don’t want to listen to it. The Boston Red Sox are just as consistent, sitting around or above .500 in recent seasons. While those “around .500” seasons resulted in fourth or fifth place, it is because they are stuck in one of the most competitive divisions in MLB. Now, this album is often ranked near the bottom of fans’ tier-lists because of a few bad apples like Tai Shan. The same could be said of the Red Sox who are often brought down by their bad apples (cough Jarren Duran and Aroldis Chapman cough). However, there are also some real stars on this album (Lock and Key and Time Stand Still), just like how there is in Boston (Roman Anthony and Connelly Early).

Power Windows – Colorado Rockies
I had a hard time picking this one because, like most of the other albums on here, I love Power Windows while a lot of other fans don’t. Some say it sticks out like a sore thumb as the band began their transition into a synth-heavy era. While I don’t agree with that, I can compare it to the Colorado Rockies who most definitely do stick out like a sore thumb. Consistently last in the AL West, the Rockies just can’t seem to put a cohesive product on the field behind their few stars. Many would say that was true of Power Windows, as you won’t see this album at the top of anybody’s favorites list.

Grace Under Pressure – San Diego Padres
This is much more of a personal choice, as I believe this is the Rush album that had the most to live up to. It was the band’s first release after my favorite album, and while I wasn’t there to worry about how it would sound prior to its release, I do presently think that it lived up to the hype (that I put on it). I also think that the Padres have a lot to live up to since they have a lot of big names and are always so close to winning the division. However, there’s always the #1 (Dodgers) standing in the way. However much I love this album, it will never be my #1.

Signals – Cleveland Guardians
This one is too easy. My favorite Rush album is Signals, my favorite baseball team is the Cleveland Guardians. This album has one of the band’s most successful songs, Subdivisions, but also has some amazing underrated masterpieces like my all-time favorite, Losing It. This is just like how the Guardians have one of MLB’s most successful players, José Ramírez, but also have a lot of underrated stars like Steven Kwan and Gavin Williams. Both the album and the team have been quite successful, yet somehow have never become mainstream. Which is a good thing – I want to keep them both to myself.

Exit… Stage Left – Baltimore Orioles
This is Rush’s most iconic and successful live album. This made me think of the Baltimore Orioles, specifically Camden Yards. One of the most iconic fields in baseball, this is the number one place I want to see a baseball game live.

Moving Pictures – New York Yankees
Rush’s most commercially successful album, Moving Pictures has sold over five million copies in the United States. The album brought in five platinum certifications and is the band’s most award-winning release. It only makes sense that this album would be the 27-time world champion New York Yankees. While they may not currently be the most successful team in baseball, it’s going to be a long time before anyone even comes close to matching their 27 rings. I don’t think another Rush album will ever top Moving Pictures’ figures, as the second-place figure is a whopping 2.2 million sales behind.

Permanent Waves – Philadelphia Phillies
This is another consistently good album, much like the Phillies who have been consistently good in recent years. Permanent Waves was one of the band’s best-selling albums, and that success can be mirrored by the Phils as well. They’ve won the AL East the last two seasons and haven’t fared worse than third since 2019. In my humble opinion, this album has no skips, and I think the same can be said of the Phillies. When .263/.371/.324 hitter Justin Crawford is your nine hitter, things can’t be so bad in the one-through-eight spots.

Hemispheres – Oakland Athletics
This album and team both tell quite the story. Hemispheres opens with an 18-minute epic about conflict and resolution in a mythological universe. While the story of the Oakland Athletics isn’t that exciting, it is most definitely a rich and storied history. Neither this album nor this team have ever been mainstream popular, those who love them really love them. That was proven when fans showed up and sold out the final game at the Oakland Coliseum in 2024. There’s no clear path as to where the Athletics’ story will go next, but it’s very interesting to be living through their first chapters.

A Farewell to Kings – Kansas City Royals
This one sort of wrote itself. Kings… Royals… It just makes sense, but it does go a bit deeper than that. This album is extremely underrated and is very far ahead of its time. Much like the Royals, this album has a few standouts that you’ve probably heard of before (Xanadu / Bobby Witt Jr.), but also has some hidden gems that even fans of the band may not have even heard of (Madrigal / Lucas Erceg).

All the World’s A Stage – Pittsburgh Pirates
Rush has released a lot of live albums and live versions of songs, but All the World’s A Stage was their first. I wanted to connect this album to the team that was broadcast on television first, but both of their spots were already taken. However, this lined up pretty well as the Pittsburgh Pirates were the first team to be broadcast on radio. This was the first time that Rush fans could hear their favorite band perform live without actually being there, and the first time that Pittsburgh Pirates fans could listen to their team play ball without actually being there.

2112 – Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are consistently known as one of the most progressive teams in baseball when it comes to scouting. Rush as a whole is one of the most progressive rock bands of all time, but this album in particular is one of the most iconic prog rock albums of all time. Both 2112 and the Rays had broken the mold with 20-minute songs and strategizing a draft like no other team ever had, and they’ve both found success because of it. 2112 is Rush’s second-highest selling album with 3.3 million copies in the U.S., and the Tampa Bay Rays are consistently at the top of MLB with their number of top 100 prospects.

Caress of Steel – Houston Astros
Caress of Steel is widely known as one of the most hated Rush albums. After their initial success with their first two albums, Caress set the band backwards. What MLB team has been more hated in recent years than the Houston Astros? They found success in 2017 and 2022 with World Series wins, but it’s been completely overshadowed by their cheating scandal. However, it gets to a point where you have to move on. The Astros are consistently winning the AL West or coming in second, and they’re almost certainly not still cheating to do so. I think it’s also time to move on from the Caress of Steel hate. While a 12-minute epic about a dark sorcerer isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it’s still a damn good rock song.

Fly By Night – Washington Nationals
Perhaps the most notable transformation an MLB team has seen, the Montréal Expos became the Washington Nationals on November 22, 2004. Fly By Night was also a notable transition for Rush. No longer were they the school-dance-playing rock band with John Rutsey, they were now the progressive, kimono-wearing band we know today with Neil Peart. Much like the Expos moved on from their old image, the band moved on from their mainstream-rock image and began playing what they wanted to play.

Rush – Cincinnati Reds
This one feels obvious in more ways than one. Rush’s self-titled album was their first official release, and the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the first professional baseball team. Both the album and the team marked the beginning of two of my favorite things in this world. They both look quite different now than they did when they started – Rush’s first drummer (and their image as a whole) was replaced by Peart after this album, and MLB now has 29 more teams and a wealth of new rules. Oh, and the album was originally released with a red font.

There are 365 days in a year, with a Yankee born on each of them over the years. Recounting each of these 365 days may not always bring us a Ruth or a Jeter; sometimes we may spend a day looking back on the likes of a Hipólito Peña. It is no small feat to play in Major League Baseball, let alone stick around for a few years. And even with over 23,000 players to grace a big league diamond, each one is an accomplishment on its own. Indeed, Peña was the fourth Dominican-born pitcher in Yankees history, appearing near the beginning of a familiar lineage that would later lead to bigger names like Luis Severino and Michael Pineda.

Peña’s run, however statistically insignificant, rings all the same. I remember reading a general outlook on life that I liked quite a bit — that so many buildings or homes you drive by, movies you see or design decisions, could be the culmination of someone’s life work. Anything of that magnitude is probably worth giving at least a little attention to, as we’ll do right now.

Hipólito PeñaConcepción
Born: January 30, 1964 (Fantino, Dominican Republic)
Yankees Tenure: 1988

Born in the Dominican Republic on this day 62 years ago, Hipólito Peña was first signed to play professionally in the States in 1981 by the Brewers. After three seasons toiling in the Milwaukee system, Peña was released by the Brew Crew.

In June of 1984, nearly a year after being dropped by Milwaukee, Peña was signed to pitch by the Pirates. The lefty pitched well in 16.1 innings of work in rookie ball, and remained in the organization for the ‘85 season. That year, still just 21-years-old, Peña continued to pitch fairly well in affiliated ball, particularly with Pittsburgh’s A-ball team, with whom he managed a sub-3 ERA across 44 innings of work.

In September of 1986, after continuing to plug away in the minor leagues, Peña got the call to the big club and made his MLB debut. He was perfect in one inning against the Reds, striking out a batter in the process. The rest of his season with the Pirates would not be so good, as he’d finish out the year allowing eight earned runs across 8.1 innings of total work.

Despite the forgettable showing, he returned for a slightly more sizeable role for the Pirates in ‘87, tossing 25.2 innings with up-and-down results. Even with the unconvincing numbers, there may have been enough to keep Peña in the Majors for a bit longer.

Just prior to the beginning of the 1988 season, the left-handed hurler was traded to the Yankees in exchange for first baseman Orestes Destrade, as they were intrigued by his stuff and thought that he might have something to offer. Peña spent much of the year with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and thus saw only limited action in the Bronx that season (primarily in September), but actually pitched quite well. In 14.1 innings of work, he managed a 3.14 ERA, and struck out 10 opposing batters along the way. The clip below is from his Yankees debut in Oakland on June 1, 1988.

Unfortunately for him, his time in pinstripes would also be his final action in The Show. It was short-lived, but his time in New York was easily his best work at baseball’s highest level.

Peña would stick around in the Yankees organization until 1991, and continued to pitch in affiliated ball through ‘92. The lefty even pitched in independent leagues through his age-32 campaign in 1996.

In the grand scheme of league history, Hipólito Peña may not have been statistically or historically significant, but it was a baseball career that reached the peak. After years of hard work, Peña competed with the best the game had to offer, and perhaps found himself pitching at a fan’s first ever big-league game, or against an all-time great. Baseball’s rock-solid history of record-keeping helps to preserve a career like this, as without much photo of video evidence at all of Peña’s career, it’s good to know that all his work led him to the game’s top level.

Here’s to wishing him a happy 62nd!

---

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