Quad Cities' Austin Charles celebrates after an RBI double during a Midwest League West Divisional playoff game against the South Bend River Bandits Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, at Four Winds Field in South Bend, Indiana. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The Royals’ High-A affiliate Quad Cities River Bandits had an awesome season. They went 70-57 in the regular season and won the Midwest League West Division in the second half of the season. They went a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs to win the 2026 Midwest League Championship.
There was plenty of good stuff that come from this season. Let’s dive into it.
The good from the position players:
Blake Mitchell had a very mixed bag type of season, with his final slash line being .234/.414/.459. In 381 at bats, he hit 23 home runs and 17 doubles, with 75 RBI, 27 steals. He also walked 113 times and struck out 174 times. So that is a lot of good, but the strike out number is alarming. Mitchell is now 22 years old, and this was his first full season in High-A. He was 25 of 83 throwing out runners or 30%.
Ramon Ramirez, the other River Bandits catcher, had a good season, despite missing two months due to injury. In 372 plate appearances, he hit .279/.362/.477 with 23 doubles, 13 homers, 10 steals, and 39 walks. He was 18 of 76 throwing out runners or 24%.
Jose Cerice, a 21-year-old corner infielder, slashed .272/.391/.371. He hit 12 doubles, 2 triples and 6 homers. He stole 19 bases and drove in 54 runs, while walking 39 times. Cerice is a lesser heralded guy. The Royals signed him when he was just 18 out of Cuba. This was his first time in Quad Cities, I think this might be a sleeper guy to watch.
Derlin Figueroa smashed 26 homers and drove in 89 runs, while stealing 18 bases. He slashed .252/.324/.515. He was acquired from the Dodgers for Ryan Yarbrough back in 2023. I like his game and think he is someone that has potential to monitor.
Asbel Gonzalez, a 20-year-old centerfielder from Venezuela, put up a special season. The Royals signed him right after his 17th birthday. He slashed .262/.358/.314. With just 14 extra base hits, but with 112 hits the whole season. Gonzalez stole 67 bases on 80 attempts. He also drew 52 walks.
I was encouraged by what Zion Rose did in just 71 at bats, slashing .268/.389/.338. He was also 14 of 15 stealing bases. I think he starts in Quad Cities next season but wouldn’t be surprised if he is quickly moved up.
BLAKE MITCHELL WITH THE SWING OF THE SEASON!! We’ve got the lead!! 🤩
Dash Albus, a 24-year-old lefty from Abilene Christian, who the Royals took in the 19th round of the 2024 draft had a good season between Columbia and Quad Cities. He posted a 3.65 ERA over 56.2 innings and struck out 62. He had just a 1.08 WHIP. He walked just 13 guys all season.
Kendry Chourio, the 19-year-old right-handed prodigy was awesome. I do think at the end of the season, they were limiting his pitch count and innings, but it didn’t slow him down too much. On the season, between Columbia and Quad Cities, Chourio threw 90.2 innings, striking out 91 hitters, to the tune of a 2.48 ERA. His WHIP was 0.89. Opponents hit just .195 off him.
Kamden Edge was great out of the bullpen all season. The 22-year-old right hander posted a 4.02 ERA over 56 innings. He struck out 80 batters and had a WHIP of 0.88. He was 4 of 6 in save opportunities. Opponents hit just .147 off him. His stuff is really good.
L.P. Langevin, a 23-year-old righty, was just as good as Edge out of the pen. Langevin, posted a 3.42 ERA over 55.1 innings. He struck out an unreal 106 hitters. His WHIP was 1.19. He was 3 for 4 in save opportunities. He did walk 39 batters, so that is something to work on. Opponents hit just .142 off him.
David Shields was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Year. The 20-year-old lefty was exceptional. He threw 116.2 innings, striking out 139. His ERA was 4.01, and his WHIP was 1.08. Opponents batted just .231 off him. The former 2024 2nd round pick is progressing very nicely.
Jordan Woods, the 22-year-old lefty was good between Columbia and Quad Cities, going 75.1 innings, with a 3.94 ERA. He struck out 98 batters on the season and his WHIP was 1.23. Opponents hit .232 off Woods. Similar to Rose, I think he starts next season in Quad Cities but could quickly be moved to Northwest Arkansas.
Everyone, with the exception of Rose and Woods, I think will start at Northwest Arkansas next season. That was the Royals worst minor league team, and the roster was mostly atrocious. If the Bandits weren’t making a playoff push, I bet some of these guys would’ve been promoted this season.
The wounds of a devastating sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays are still fresh for the Yankees, as they come to terms with another disappointing end to a season this week. As we begin what’s likely going to be a long and dreadfully boring offseason with the impending lockout, it’s time to look back.
Every year, we at Pinstripe Alley look back at the best and worst moments from the past season in the immediate aftermath of its conclusion. After Andrés helped us remember some of the low points, it’s time to remember that there were, in fact, some good moments from this season.
Honorable mentions
Jordan Romano’s Two Meltdowns (April 13/15th vs LAA): As part of a weird, early-season split with the Angels, the Yankees trailed after eight innings in all four games, but won two of them. Against their former Blue Jays adversary, the Yankees came back to win both games, first via a Trent Grisham game-tying homer and a walk-off wild pitch on the 13th, and then a two-run double by José Caballero on the 15th after an odd dropped pop-up. It was a good, early-season vibe boost.
A 13-Run Third Inning (May 31st @ ATH): This game is more notable for being the final one that Aaron Judge played before finally reporting the stress fracture in his rib, but it was one of the more surreal innings of the season. After Will Warren gave up three runs in the first and Jacob Lopez flummoxed the Yankees through two innings, they scored 13 runs in the third on 11 hits, four walks, four stolen bases, and zero home runs. It was tied for the biggest inning the franchise had seen since 1920.
Three Comebacks In The Nation’s Capital (July 10-12th @ WSH): A lot of these moments are based on vibes, and the trio of comebacks against the Nationals before the All-Star break were incredibly needed for a reeling Yankees team coming off a 4-15 slide. Two of the comebacks came off former Yankees in Matt Krook and Clayton Beeter, while the latter was driven by a massive two-run triple by Ben Rice late in the game.
David Bednar Caps Bullpen Day Victory (July 19th vs LAD): David Bednar had a ton of big saves this season, but none were greater than his five-out save to prevent a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium right after the All-Star break, especially after Yoshinobu Yamamoto wrecked a depleted offense in the day game of that doubleheader.
Luis Garcia Jr., Welcome to the Bronx (August 3rd vs STL): In the immediate aftermath of an underwhelming Trade Deadline, the Yankees fell behind 6-0 early to the Cardinals, but hit four home runs to fight their way back, including a picturesque bomb from García in his Yankees debut. This would be in the top five if they won, but Angel Chivilli imploded approximately five minutes later.
The Final Series Against Boston (August 28-30th vs BOS): Aside from a sleepy opening to the Saturday doubleheader, the Yankees put together three inspiring performances to effectively clinch the top wild card and end the Red Sox’s mad dash towards them in the standings. Cody Bellinger’s incredible throw on Friday night and Warren’s mastery on Sunday amidst a 16-1 blowout were great moments on their own.
The Final Day of True Hope (September 14th vs MIN): The Yankees clinched the playoffs and popped bottles in Minnesota, a place that they have dominated for the last 25 years. Clinching does nothing for this franchise, so the real cathartic moment was seeing Judge, amidst a post-injury slump, finally get going with a titanic home run that made you believe he was back. Two days later, he suffered a season-ending calf strain. This game embodied the fleeting hope of the season.
5. A Rare, Well-Timed Triumph In Extra Innings
August 7th vs. ATL
When you look at a 162-game season for best moments, what should you look for? What felt best in the moment, or what was best for the season? In that week alone, the debut of George Lombard Jr. and García’s mammoth home run against the Cardinals that was immediately wasted, were some of the most exciting moments of the season, but neither meant much in the grand scheme of things.
Some moments are more in-the-moment vibes-based, but others look more like the bigger picture. Put yourself back in the headspace of where the Yankees were entering a three-game weekend series against the NL East-leading Braves. They entered the day just a half game ahead of the blisteringly hot Red Sox, who had won 31 of 36 entering play. That night, Boston destroyed the hapless Athletics, 13-1, putting the pressure on the Yanks.
Even more daunting? That outcome was explicitly known well before this one entered the late innings. A nearly two-hour rain delay meant Boston was well on their way to victory at Fenway by the time the game started. The Braves broke a scoreless tie with an Austin Riley home run off Fernando Cruz in the eighth. The reality was setting in: the Yankees were about to fully blow a 15.5-game lead on the Red Sox… in 44 days.
As midnight approached, with one out against lockdown closer Raisel Iglesias, Lombard, in his third major league game, dribbled a chopper back to the mound and beat it out for an infield single. He was able to scamper all the way to third after a wild throw from Iglesias sailed over Matt Olson at first. There’s the spark.
After Ryan McMahon struck out, the Yankees were down to their final out. Two pitches later, Austin Wells ripped a double down the right-field line to score Lombard and get into scoring position as the tying run. Amed Rosario, who never takes at-bats against right-handed pitching, drew a gritty, eight-pitch walk to bring up Rice, who was in a dreadful 0-for-17 slide to start August.
With the weight of the Bronx on his shoulders, the Yankees’ DH smoked a ball 103.4 mph to right field. A little higher and it’s a walk-off home run, but it was hard enough and high enough to spook Acuña into playing it conservatively off the wall instead of trying to leap for it to end the game. Wells scored the tying run, but Rosario was held at third. He’d be stranded shortly after, but the Yankees had life into extras.
The Yankees are terrible in extras. Even at home, where they’ve been pretty good since the Manfred Man was introduced, they didn’t get a single hit in extra innings all season. They needed David Bednar to be crisp, and he was to get Sean Murphy and Jim Jarvis. With two outs and the go-ahead run on second, Acuña blooped a ball into no-man’s land in right field. García, in just his fourth game as a Yankee, made one of the best defensive plays of his career to keep this game tied.
Tyler Kinley was tasked with getting through the 11th for Atlanta and almost did so. A horrendous bunt attempt by Caballero resulted in a foul-bunt strikeout. An intentional walk to Spencer Jones and a six-pitch walk by Lombard loaded the bases with one out for McMahon, the team’s worst hitter all season, with major contact issues. Needing him to just lift a fly ball, that’s exactly what he did to walk it off with a sac fly.
Baseball is unfortunately a game of momentum. Who has it, and who doesn’t. The Red Sox had it; the Yankees absolutely didn’t. If Boston passed them that night, I’m not so sure that this season wouldn’t end in embarrassment at Fenway Park in the Wild Card Series, even if the mirage that was the July Red Sox came to light eventually.
4. Ben Rice’s Ultimate Redemption
August 16th @ TOR
Some things don’t need that full-season perspective. Some things can just feel cathartic, as they did in the rubber game of a three-game set in Toronto in mid-August.
The Yankees were winning another one of those low-scoring games they made their signature for much of this season, doing just enough against Dylan Cease to hold a 2-1 lead after eight (that was almost 3-1 after Caballero’s unique rundown). All they needed was three outs from Bednar.
It was rare in the second half that you’d see Rice play first base, but in the immediate aftermath of García’s game-losing throwing error against the Jays two nights earlier, maybe Aaron Boone thought to give Rice some reps. Bednar got ahead 0-2 on Josh H. Smith, who chopped a ball to first. It took a weird hop on Rice, as is usual on the turf, and he booted it for a leadoff E3.
As we know, playing the Blue Jays, that came back to bite the Yankees. Alejandro Kirk worked a walk, Ali Sanchez failed to block a splitter in the dirt allowing both runners to advance with one out, and Ernie Clement tied the game with a sac fly. An unearned run would force the Yankees to play in road extras, their kryptonite.
Fortunately for Rice, he got to immediately rectify it at the plate. After a sac bunt by Caballero, Rice lit up a 2-0 slider and deposited it into the right-field seats for a go-ahead 437-foot home run.
In a place that was a House of Horrors for them in 2025, it was extremely satisfying to see the team win a game in this fashion to contribute to what would be a last-place Blue Jays team. You usually get a chance to redeem your defensive mistakes, if only the Yankees had embraced that in some of their recent playoff exits.
3. Bellinger and Schlittler Finish Fenway Sweep
April 23rd @ BOS
Sweeping a rival is fun. It doesn’t happen for the Yankees very often because of how hyper-competitive the AL East is, but it did happen a few times this season, which led to some extremely satisfying games to watch. One of those series came in April against a then-spiraling Red Sox team. Dominant starts from Luis Gil and Max Fried generated a pair of low-scoring wins to start the series, but the finale would be the most satisfying of them all.
Cam Schlittler was making his first career start in Fenway, the ballpark he grew up idolizing as a child, just six months after he joined all-time Boston infamy with his Game 3 start in last year’s Wild Card Series. It got off to a shaky start, but the likely Cy Young winner settled in around an RBI double by Marcelo Mayer and a home run by former Yankee Carlos Narvaez to eventually get through eight strong innings in his Fenway debut.
Against the powerful lefty, Payton Tolle, the Yankees were completely silenced for much of the night. A fifth-inning homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr. briefly tied it, but the Yankees entered the seventh inning with a 2-1 deficit, as Tolle exited for a Boston bullpen that would eventually rank as No. 1 in baseball.
But at that point? They were vulnerable. Danny Coloumbe came out for the seventh and allowed three singles to his first four hitters, but he rebounded to strike out Wells to bring them within an out of getting out of it. Hunting a matchup with Rosario, Alex Cora made the move to Greg Weissert with the bases loaded and two out, only for Boone to counter with Bellinger.
In what would be the start of his year of torturing the Red Sox, the legacy Yankee ripped a two-run single to give the Yankees the lead. Three pitches later, Judge followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. A five-single inning for a team that usually relies on the long ball only further buried the Red Sox in the dread they were in.
Schlittler and Bednar combined to retire the final nine batters they faced to secure the sweep, in which the Yankees allowed three total runs. The rare Fenway sweep sunk the beleaguered Sox to 9-16 and almost certainly served as the final nail in the coffin for Cora, who was unemployed three days later. It’s satisfying to know your team caused a rival to purge an entire coaching staff.
2. Bullpen Holds On For Dear Life on Emotional Day in the Bronx
September 11th vs. NYM
This game kinda sucked, but the only thing that mattered was that the Yankees won the Battle of New York in an emotional night in the Bronx on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. It was one that the Yankees took control of early with a big second-inning blast by Bellinger and a fifth-inning opposite-field blast by Rice against the Mets’ young ace, Nolan McLean.
With a 5-1 lead in the seventh, Carlos Rodón wrapped up a great outing with 6.1 strong innings, but was removed after a one-out single by Carson Benge. The ever-reliable Paul Blackburn entered, but he was one of several Yankees relievers who didn’t have it that night. A walk to Marcus Semien, an RBI single by A.J. Ewing, and a walk to Francisco Alvarez loaded the bases with two outs for Francisco Lindor, the go-ahead run at the plate. Brent Headrick came in, battled a distraction with a streaker on the field, and won a seven-pitch at-bat by catching a scorched comebacker to end the inning.
The drama wouldn’t end there, though. After getting a quick first out in the eighth, Headrick allowed a single to Bo Bichette before issuing back-to-back walks to load the bases again with one out. It forced Boone to go to Bednar earlier than he wanted, but the Yankees’ closer got the last two outs, only allowing one run on a sac fly.
The Mets sent Jack Weisenburger for the ninth to clean things up, but the Yankees added some needed insurance. Singles by García and Jones and a sac bunt by Lombard put two in scoring position with one out to set up McMahon, who blooped a shallow fly ball to left field in front of Juan Soto. Never a good defender, the former Yankee let it drop for an RBI single that made it 6-3.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be easy in the ninth. Ewing blasted a home run to lead off the ninth against Bednar, and Lindor singled with one out to bring the tying run to the plate, who was, of course, Soto. The former Yankee, being relentlessly booed every at-bat, stepped up as the tying run in the Bronx on 9/11 against an All-Star closer. This was the type of baseball you dream of. In a satisfying ending for the Yankees, Soto bounced into a game-ending 3-6-3 double play, partially due to a balky calf that forced him to take it easy with the game on the line. Oh well.
The Yankees didn’t win a game in the month of October this year. Their early exit for the second straight year has ultimately made this season another tremendous failure, but there were meaningful games in September against a hated rival that allowed everyone, regardless of how they felt about the roster or management, to relish in its beauty.
Schlittler dominated in Game 1, and the Yankees blew it open late. That was fun, sure, but the most fun part about playing a rival in the playoffs is the ability to eliminate them. It was a tall task against the MLB’s win leader in Sonny Gray, but the Yankees rode a great start from Max Fried and some questionable managing from Chad Tracy to a late lead.
Up 2-1 in the sixth, the Yankees rallied against two elite guys named Garrett: Crochet and Whitlock. A dropped third strike, stolen base, and error got Spencer Jones to third; he scored on a Lombard RBI single, and the Yankees grew the lead to 5-1 with productive outs by Wells and McMahon. An intentional walk to Rice put two on with two outs for Bellinger. Just as he did to end Cora’s managerial tenure in Boston in April, it was his swing that ended the Red Sox’s season, blowing the game open and turning the final few innings into a party in the Bronx.
There was no better moment than that. No matter what happened after, there’s no more true bliss than that.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) and pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now that the National League Championship Series is back at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Dodgers will have Blake Snell starting on the mound in Game 3 on Wednesday night, followed by Tyler Glasnow in Game 4 on Thursday.
“It’s just one of those things that you need Snell to go out there and give us some length, give us a typical Blake Snell outing and let us deploy guys with a lead. I know Blake has a bad taste in his mouth from that last outing against the Braves. So you’re going to see a locked-in, focused Snell,” Roberts said Monday night in Milwaukee. “On the other side of things, we’ve got to support him offensively too.”
Snell in his postseason career had a 3.23 ERA with 107 strikeouts and 41 walks in 86 1/3 innings, and he’s allowed two or fewer runs in 12 of his 16 starts. With the Dodgers, Snell has a 3.11 postseason ERA in seven games, including six starts, with 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 37 2/3 innings.
Glasnow in his seven postseason appearances — four starts, three relief appearances — with the Dodgers has a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings, with 30 strikeouts and 16 walks. The team has won all seven games.
“They know me, and I know them. I enjoy having some familiarity with a lineup,” Gasser told reporters in Milwaukee on Monday. “Definitely looking back to the game in August and kind of watching those swings, obviously hitters adjust, but being a good guy in the dugout, watching them right now and seeing how they’ve changed to now and trying to build a plan for them.”
That leaves Game 4 perhaps at least in some fashion for former Dodgers pitcher Dustin May, who pitched a scoreless inning in relief in Game 2 on Monday. Then again, every Brewers relief appearance thus far in the NLCS has been scoreless.
“He could start Game 4, who knows?” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of May. “But he’s got a role on our team right now of pitching and getting outs, and we’ve told him that, hey, we need you to be ready every day to get outs.”
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: William Contreras #24 and David Hamilton #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate with Brice Turang #2 after Turang scores in the third inning during Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There is no replacement for watching your own team compete in the National League Championship Series. Fans of the San Diego Padres have had the privilege of watching their team compete for a pennant a few times, with their most recent trip pitting them against the Philadelphia Phillies. The team from the National League East knocked off the Padres and advanced to the World Series where the Phillies would fall to the Houston Astros.
This season was supposed to be another opportunity for San Diego to use the strength of the lineup with veterans like Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts and the young superstardom of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill to propel themselves to the game’s summit. That did not happen and the Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Division Series over the Padres with a record of 3-1. The reward for the Brewers was a matchup against the Nationals League West Division champions and two-time defending World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Friars Faithful could sit and wonder about what might have been had a ball not hit the roof, had Mason Miller been able to get one more out and had a ball hit deep to centerfield traveled another foot-and-a-half further in the final game of the NLDS. Once the what ifs have been tallied, the Faithful have to sit back and watch Milwaukee take on Los Angeles.
The NLCS started on Sunday and the Brewers took game one with their top arm Jacob Misiorowski beating one of the manny Dodgers aces Tarik Skubal. Game 2 was supposed to provide an opportunity for Los Angeles to even the series with World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, but William Contreras powered Milwaukee to the win, giving the Brewers a 2-0 lead with the series shifting to Los Angeles. Can Milwaukee get two more wins over the next five games, Padres fans and much of the baseball world is hoping so because no one is ready to hear Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talk about how his scrappy team, which everyone doubted came out of nowhere to win the World Series.
The Mets have 10 players eligible for salary arbitration this offseason.
Those players are Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Reed Garrett, Tylor Megill, Christopher Morel, Dedniel Núñez, Cristian Pache, Cionel Perez, Mark Vientos, and Austin Warren.
Once a player is offered arbitration, the team and that player's agent have until a set date -- usually at some point in February -- to come to terms on a new contract. If that doesn't happen, both sides submit salary proposals, and the player's salary is determined by independent arbitrators at a hearing (a timeframe that could be impacted this offseason by the expected lockout).
A team can also offer arbitration to a player and then trade him. So the Mets can tender contracts to players who might not be in their plans.
According to the MLB Trade Rumors algorithm that "looks at the player’s playing time, position, role, and performance statistics while accounting for inflation," here's what the Mets' arbitration-eligible players are projected to make in 2027...
Francisco Alvarez: $4.1 million Brett Baty: $2.5 million Tylor Megill: $2.5 million Mark Vientos: $2.4 million Christopher Morel: $2.1 million Reed Garrett: $1.3 million Cionel Perez: $1.2 million Austin Warren: $1.2 million Dedniel Núñez: $900,000 Cristian Pache: $800,000
If the Mets tender contracts to all of the above players and they receive salaries similar to the projections, it would add roughly $19 million to the payroll.
However, not every arbitration-eligible player is certain to remain with the team.
Alvarez, Baty, Megill, Garrett, Warren, and Núñez feel like close to locks to be offered arbitration.
New York Mets relief pitcher Dedniel Núñez (72) reacts after retiring the side in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
Garrett and Megill missed the 2026 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but both are expected to be valuable pitching depth in 2027 -- and Garrett is under team control through 2029.
Meanwhile, Warren and Núñez (in his first year back from TJS) showed flashes in relief in 2026 and should be part of the calculus entering spring training.
With the non-tender deadline set for Nov. 20, here are four Mets players who could be at risk...
Vientos' offensive decline continued in 2026, as his OPS dipped to .652 (from .702 in 2025 and a career-best .837 in 2024). His batting average (.212) and OBP (.258) were both career worsts, and Vientos' defense remained subpar.
Getting most of his time at first base, Vientos was worth -9 OAA, via Baseball Savant. While Vientos has put in the time working on his defense behind the scenes, it just hasn't translated on the field. And his other main position on the diamond (third base) will likely be blocked by Bo Bichette, who is expected to opt in to his $42 million contract for 2027.
Vientos still possesses serious power, but he just hasn't tapped into it enough over the last two seasons. Add to that his below-average defense, lack of positional versatility, and suboptimal speed, and it makes his inclusion on the 2027 roster a tough proposition.
With Vientos set to earn just $2.4 million next season, it's possible a team in need of right-handed power has interest via trade. If a deal can't be reached before the non-tender deadline, though, expect the Mets to move on.
Mark Vientos / Imagn Images via Reuters Connect/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
INF/OF Christopher Morel
The Mets took a flier on Morel at the end of June after he was released by the Marlins.
Morel wound up playing in 13 games for New York over the summer, slashing just .200/.250/.333 (.583 OPS) in 32 plate appearances.
While Morel is versatile enough to play every position except catcher and pitcher, he is not a good defender at any spot. Meanwhile, his last above-average season with the bat came in 2023.
Projected to make roughly $2 million in 2027, Morel will almost certainly be a former Met by Nov. 20.
LHP Cionel Perez
During a nine-year career with the Orioles, Astros, Reds, Nationals, and Mets, Perez has shown enough to keep getting chances.
Perez had a terrific season for Baltimore in 2022 (1.40 ERA in 57.2 innings) and was also good for the O's in 2023 (3.54 ERA in 53.1 innings), but it's been tough sledding since then. Over the last three years, Perez has a 5.30 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 120.2 innings.
However, Perez was solid for the Mets in 24 appearances over 29.1 innings in 2026, with a 3.99 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP while walking just 2.5 per nine and striking out 10.7 per nine.
Perez also has a fastball that can touch close to 99 mph, so perhaps the Mets roll the dice and see if they can unlock what made him a key cog for the Orioles a few years ago.
OF Cristian Pache
Pache inked a minor league deal with the Mets last December.
He spent the majority of the 2026 season in the minors, getting just eight plate appearances for New York.
Before 2026, Pache -- a career .181/.242/.273 hitter in parts of six big league seasons -- last played in the majors in 2024.
Pache will almost certainly be non-tendered ahead of the deadline or removed from the 40-man roster before then to create room for other players.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 23: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after scoring off a single hit by Andruw Monasterio (not pictured) in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park on September 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look back at a statistical anomaly that says a lot about the 2026 Red Sox offense.
With the Championship Series in full swing in both the AL and NL, the 2026 season is quickly winding down. But that doesn’t mean we’re quite done with it. There are some loose ends. Some questions unanswered. Some further insights to probe. In particular, one game was still tickling my brain. September 23rd.
This was a Wednesday night game against the Cleveland Guardians. Part of the penultimate series of the year, the one right before the Cubs came to town and things went crazy with the storm. The Red Sox would win the game 1-0 with 12 hits. And they were all singles. That seems weird right? This was noted at the time as somewhat uncommon. And, yes, as you slice stats and measurements you end up with small samples. That’s how so many online accounts can make “fun fact” claims about nearly every game. But I wondered just how uncommon this actually was.
In the 2026 season, this was the only game where a team had at least 12 hits and scored up to a single run. That includes if a team had 12 hits and was shut out. The Sox are unique here.
If we expand this to the Wild Card Era (1995 onward) it has occurred just 73 times. And just five of those teams won. The 2026 Red Sox, 2015 Pirates, 2014 Angels, 2000 Rangers, and 1997 Yankees all pulled off 12 or more hits and 1 run for a win. Only the Red Sox and Yankees did the trick without an extra base hit. Although even for the other teams, the most they hit was a double.
If we look at it in the other direction, there were 252 teams that had exactly 12 hits and scored more than 1 run in 2026 alone. This included the Sox on March 26th against the Reds. Opening Day. They were the first to do it. What a world that was, starting the season with 3 hits by Roman Anthony.
But back to the original question: 12 or more hits, 1 run or fewer. If we go all the way back to 1898 on Baseball-Reference, it’s only happened 368 times. And of that total, the team with 1 run on 12 or more hits only won 22 times. The Dodgers had 20 hits (18 singles) over 22 innings on August 23, 1989 against the Montreal Expos And the only run— by either team — was scored by LA in the 22nd inning. It was a Rick Dempsey home run off Dennis Martinez.
What if we forget the number of runs and just look for teams that had at least 12 singles? That happened 5 times in 2026. The Yankees pulled if off against the Sox in the August doubleheader we don’t really want to think much about. The Rays, Astros, and Marlins each did it as well. The Sox, Yankees, and Marlins won while the Rays and Astros lost. There are 157 occurrences of this during the Wild Card Era. The team hitting all singles won 89 times. Sometimes it really is just the hits that matters. One interesting tidbit looking at all these box scores is on June 18, 2023 that Marlins and Rays had 12 hits (all singles) and 4 runs, against the Nationals and Padres, respectively. The Marlins won 4-2 and the Rays list 5-4.
So the 12 hit, 1 run game against the Guardians was uncommon. Not the most uncommon. But not the type of thing that happens often. Just a couple games per season at most. But the fact that they won? That’s not something you’re likely to see. Another weird moment in a weird season.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Nathaniel Lowe #30 of the Texas Rangers yells to the crowd during the World Series Championship parade at Globe Life Field on November 03, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Evan Grant writes that the infield was stricken with injuries all season but it was also the most productive unit for Texas in 2026.
MLB Trade Rumors’ Mark Polishuk checks out the offseason outlook for the Rangers where Chris Young and crew will be tasked with putting together a team to return to October.
And, in other news, Jon Daniels once traded with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire Nathaniel Lowe when he was still Nathan Lowe and Daniels was the decision maker for the Rangers. Now Jon Daniels is a senior advisor with Tampa Bay and Lowe collected the go-ahead and game-winning RBI hit against the Rays in Game 1 of the ALCS. It’s a small world, I suppose.
Sep 29, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
As we get closer and closer to the end of the 2026 MLB season, the impending lockout and CBA negotiations will begin to take center stage in the baseball world. Even now as the final four teams get the league championship series underway, we still received some drops of information regarding the negotiations between the league and the MLB player’s association.
It’s imperative to take all of these leaks and reports with an appropriate grain of salt, as both sides will likely try to use the media to negotiate in public. The proposals this far out should receive even more skepticism, as neither side will be willing to concede this early. However, one of the latest reported proposals from the league has a somewhat interesting topic of discussion, and that’s the length of MLB’s regular season.
In the proposal, MLB broached the idea of shortening the regular season from the current 162 games back to the former 154 games. The latter was the standard until the American League moved to 162 games in 1961 with the National League following the year after. Seven less games obviously mean that the regular season would be one week shorter, allowing for each week to have a built-in off day for each team. That would theoretically help keep players, especially pitchers, healthy as they would be less wear and tear on their bodies. Part of the league’s reasoning for this idea was also the ability to then extend the length of the divisional round of the postseason from a best of five to a best of seven. In addition to that, MLB proposed that the higher seeds would be able to choose their opponents for those series.
There will be many more ideas exchanged back and forth from both sides over the coming winter, but this is one of the first ones that feels like it has at least some realistically possibility of happening in some form. So, should MLB shorten the length of the regular season? Or should it stay where it is? Or does it not even go far enough for your liking?
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 17: Atlanta Braves pitchers Bryce Elder #55,Spencer Schellenbach #56,Spencer Strider #99,Chris Sale #51 and J.R. Ritchie #60 watch the action from the dugout during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves on May 17, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sticking with the rotation since there isn’t really much else to discuss…
Didier Fuentes may or may not be ticketed for the rotation in 2027, assuming there is a 2027 season. Chris Sale can’t fend off Father Time forever, but he’s done a good job of it so far. Grant Holmes exists. Bryce Elder exists. Everyone else is either injured-and-oft-injured, coming off a not-so-great MLB season, or a mix of both.
The Braves will probably add starters from outside the organization, and/or re-up with Tyler Mahle and perhaps even Martin Perez. But, unless it’s literally Mahle and Perez to go with Holmes, Elder, Fuentes, and Sale, they’ll have to make some more moves.
So, how many do you think they’ll make? No scoring, but for purposes of your guess, consider only a starter making about $8 million (or the equivalent of that if the CBA immediately curtails salaries), or a trade equivalent of such. They could add all sorts of Martin Perezes, but we wouldn’t really know whether that should count as an earnest effort or not until the proof ends up in the proverbial pudding.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 12: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field on October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Anth0ny DiComo identified three Mets prospects who could find themselves making a big impact for the 2027 squad.
Tim Britton analyzed the effect that a salary cap would have on the Mets and explored the different types of teams that the organization could build with different budgets.
Pete Sblendorio looked at the team’s biggest questions ahead of the winter.
Danny Abriano ranked the top five priorities for the Mets heading into the offseason.
The Mets could be open to a change at second base next season, but it would cost them.
Joe Patorno wondered if the Mets may have missed out on the real architect of the Brewers in Matt Arnold.
Around the National League East
Mark Bowman wrote about the Braves’ five biggest offseason questions.
Cole Weintraub identified some of the key dates for the Phillies entering an uncertain offseason.
Dillon Lawson has been named the Marlins’ hitting coach.
Around Major League Baseball
The Brewers overcame three deficits to pick up a 7-4 win in Game 2 of the NLCS over the Dodgers and tighten their grip on the series, as they look to prevent Los Angeles from a three-peat.
The game turned on its head during a 12-pitch at-bat between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jake Bauers, which wore out Yamamoto and led to him being knocked out of the game in the third inning.
Paul Casella highlighted some key takeaways from Game 2 of the NLCS, including the continued struggles of the Dodgers’ superstars and William Contreras coming through for the Brew Crew.
The Guardians rallied past the Rays in Game 1 of the ALCS with two runs in the eighth and three in the ninth, resulting in a 7-3 victory.
José Ramírez caused havoc on the basepaths, which was a key to helping the Guardians picked up their fourth straight win.
Will Leitch wrote about some storylines to keep an eye on in both the NLCS and in the ALCS.
Ramírez is relishing the second chance to bring Cleveland to the World Series after failing to do so in 2024.
Anthony Berry talked about the 2021 trade that sent Junior Caminero from the Guardians to the Rays, and wondered how it happened in the first place considering how much of a steal if seems to be in retrospect.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Linus Lawrence ranked the Mets’ biggest LDS moments.
If you find yourself bored and missing baseball, or just want to connect with your fellow Mets fans in a fun way, join the Amazin’ Avenue offseason book club, beginning with The Worst Team Money Could Buy.
This Date in Mets History
Unfortunately, the Mets have not had a lot of luck on games played on October 13, having lost playoff games on this date in 2024, 2015, 2006, 1999, and 1973. The worst of which has to be Game 2 of the 2006 NLCS, which I’d still argue is the most heartbreaking loss and the biggest “what if?” game of that series.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 06: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves throws to first for an out in the fourth inning during Game Three of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Once again, the Braves are entering an offseason where many questions need to be answered. And unfortunately, many of those questions will be focused on how reliable talents already with the Braves will be moving forward. That of course spotlights all the injuries that some of the Braves most promising your arms have went through over the past few years, thus leading to the question of how many arms must the Braves acquire.
And then, there is the matter of the now years long issue of the Braves offense under performing. A major factor in that is the decline of Austin Riley, someone the Braves must get going again to truly get back toward contention. In an offseason where there already is so much uncertainty around the game itself, the Braves have their own questions to answer.
(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NLCS now shifts to the West Coast, after the Milwaukee Brewers took the first two games of the series at home, pushing the Los Angeles Dodgers into unfamiliar territory as they trail two games to none in the series.
But more unfamiliar territory could follow.
Benching superstar Shohei Ohtani.
The slugger continues to struggle at the plate, and Ohtani endured an 0-for-4 night with two strikeouts on Monday after going 1-for-3 with a single in Game 1. Ohtani entered the NLCS having gone just 2-for-13 against the Atlanta Braves, and now sits at 3-for-20 this postseason with a trio of singles, along with three walks.
That is good for a slash line of .150/.261/.411.
Speaking after the game, manager Dave Roberts had this to say about the team’s superstar, as quoted by The Athletic:
“Yeah, I mean, obviously it hasn’t been good. He doesn’t feel great. I think for me, it’s having a conversation with him tomorrow, kind of try to figure out what’s best for him, what’s best for us. He certainly has earned that conversation and deserves it.
“I’ll have (that conversation) with him tomorrow.”
Our own Eric Stephen, who “has practice in Robertsese” as he described it, declared early Tuesday morning “that means Ohtani won’t be starting in Game 3 on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.”
How did we get here, with the Dodgers contemplating sitting none other than Shohei Ohtani in a must-win playoff game?
Ohtani has been dealing with several injuries this season, starting with a left knee issue which caused him to miss some starts on the bump in the summer, and to miss the All-Star Game together as he sought treatment for the knee ailment.
But a right bicep issue followed, and he was eventually put on the IL in September with that issue, and the team shut him down as a pitcher on September 7.
Yet, Ohtani’s performance at the plate had begun to dip well before September. he began the year hot at the dish, slashing .293/.403/.549 with 22 home runs ahead of the All-Star break.
Over the second half of the season, Ohtani slashed just .245/.325/.447 with eight home runs. And when you dive into those numbers a bit more, the dip in performance looks even steeper. After slashing .273/.330/.557 in July, with six home runs, he slashed .241/.322/.472 in August, with six more homers.
Over eight regular season games in September and October, he slashed just .200/.333/.233, without a home run. His last homer came back in the middle of August, a blast against the Colorado Rockies on August 18. In that three game series at Coors Field, Ohtani went 5-for-14 with three home runs and five RBI.
However, since that game Ohtani has gone 14-for-90 without a home run, and with just a single RBI. That is good for an average of .156, and an OPS under .490.
Digging into Ohtani’s numbers a little more, and watching his at-bats, you can see the struggles at the plate. His swing speed has dipped — according to data from FanGraphs his bat speed on line drives is 74.8 miles per hour, down from 76.0 last year and a high of 77.7 during the 2023 season — as has his exit velocity. After averaging an EV of 93.3 mph this season, his lone hit in the NLCS came off the bat at just 74 mph:
Shohei Ohtani comes through with a single in the 6th inning.
And his approach on this single helps tell another part of the story.
As noted by The Athletic, Ohtani has tried to shorten his swing, and take balls to the opposite field rather than trying to pull or drive balls to the right side. That is because he’s struggled to catch up to fastballs and pull them, as you can see on this strikeout from the first inning Monday night, when he swings through a 95-mph four-seam fastball up in the zone from Logan Henderson:
Henderson ends the top of the 1st with a strikeout of Ohtani
That approach leads to moments like this from Monday night, when Ohtani tries to go the other way on a ball off the plate and looks … unlike the Ohtani we are used to seeing:
JoJo Romero strikes out Shohei Ohtani, who had a hard time holding onto the bat pic.twitter.com/oYILwD38cj
At the start of that at-bat? Ohtani actually showed bunt, something else we are not used to seeing from the slugger.
Speaking ahead of the NLDS Ohtani, through team interpreter Will Ireton, had this to say about his swing:
“It feels really good overall. I do feel like my swing is in a better place, feels smooth, and just a little tweaks here and there, and I’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
And on the injuries:
“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this. I think that process is going to happen during the off-season when I’m going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”
However, he also talked about “transparency,” regarding how he is feeling physically:
“ I think the discussion became more about like what’s best for the team. Is it something that I can play through, and if that’s best for the team, sure. But I think we both came to an understanding where the decision to be on the IL came from the fact that it’s probably best for the team for me to recover and be able to focus on the postseason.”
And that might be the focus of the upcoming discussion with Roberts. As noted by Stephen early Tuesday morning, there’s “been an open question of how forthcoming Ohtani has been with his injuries as well.” But the player we have seen so far this postseason has been struggling at the plate, and with the Dodgers facing a two-game hole in the series, that could lead to a difficult decision for Roberts and the rest of the organization.
If Ohtani is indeed out of the lineup to start Game 3, Josue De Paula is likely the “top candidate” to replace him, according to The Athletic. De Paula, who was called up from Double-A Tulsa in mid-September, went 10-for-31 with a home run in limited action for the Dodgers, slashing .323/.500/.581. That was good enough for the team to add him to the postseason roster and he has a pair of walks in three plate appearances, including one on Sunday night in Game 1.
The Dodgers are set to meet the media later today during the off day before Wednesday’s pivotal Game 3.
Meaning we might learn more about Ohtani’s status in a few hours.
Milwaukee, WI - October 12, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers Will Smith lined out in the second inning. The LA Dodgers play the Milwaukee Brewers in game two of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers somehow scored four runs in Monday’s game against the Brewers but it wasn’t enough as the game devolved into a bullpen game and they lost 7-4, and now head home down 2-0 in the NLCS.
Bill Shakin of the L.A. Times ponders if the Dodgers should start playing baseball the way the Brewers are, especially since runs are at a premium. The Dodgers did score some of their runs as gifts from the Brewers, but the timely hitting still remains elusive.
“I don’t think guys are going up there trying to hit home runs,” Betts said. “Guys are going up there just trying to have good at-bats. Sometimes, you get ‘em. Sometimes you don’t. But we are playing against a really good team. We just have to put it behind us and just come out and play Dodger baseball.”
But, as Bill Plunkett of the OC Register points out, it didn’t work. He details the ways the Dodgers scored, and how they needed the Brewers’ help to do so.
Before the game, Plunkett also highlighted how Will Smith hasn’t had any production at the plate up until this afternoon.
“It’s been five games,” Smith said, dismissing the significance of his .053 batting average this October. “Obviously (I) want the results to be a little better. But at the end of the day, it’s five games at the plate. No panic from me. So I’ll be fine.”
Now, it’s been six games and Smith still only has one hit, and his postseason batting average is .043.
“I respect the Dodgers a great deal,” said Murphy. “That’s all there is to it. They’re arguably one of the best teams ever put together. They’re a great team.
“And I’m not going to think about anything but the next game. That’s it. Just one inning, one pitch at a time. Don’t look ahead. Don’t plan. Don’t complain, explain; just keep going.”
That’s what Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy told reporters after the game, as reported by AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. And as Cassavell notes in his article, the Dodgers threw their two top starters and have nothing to show for it.
Paul Casella also of MLB.com points out some keys for Game 3 back in L.A., including how to contain William Contreras, asking where the Dodgers offense will come from, and which bullpen will outlast the other.
The vaunted Dodger bullpen got outdueled by the Brewers bullpen, who has been phenomenal so far this postseason. They threw five perfect innings to finish out the game and seal the win.
The Dodgers have a lot of work to do to get themselves back in this series. Game 3 is at 5pm PT back in Los Angeles.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 12: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with Chase DeLauter #24 at home plate after each scored a run on a hit by Nathaniel Lowe (not pictured) in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While it still hurts that the Yankees aren’t out there playing, you better soak the rest of the playoffs in. We only have, at most, three more days with more than one game, and we’re only guaranteed one more. Before you know it, we have only the World Series and then the long, cold winter and offseason.
However, there’s still some baseball left to go, and it’s important baseball at that. Let’s check in on how the action played out on Monday night.
National League Championship Series Game 2
Milwaukee Brewers 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 4 (Brewers lead series 2-0)
William Contreras had three hits and drove in three runs, leading the Brewers to a win and a two-game lead over the reigning two-time champs.
Through much of the game, the teams kept trading runs and the lead back and forth. The Dodgers held 1-0 and 4-3 leads, while the Brewers took a 3-2 edge at one point. In the bottom of the fifth, Contreras struck with a game-tying home run and Milwaukee took control of the game after that.
An inning after his homer, Contreras hit a go-ahead single. Brice Turang and Jake Bauers got in on the action in the ninth, each recording RBI hits to help Milwaukee put the game away.
A large part of the reason they were able to do that is that the Brewers’ bullpen completely shutdown the Dodgers. After putting up four runs in four innings off starter Logan Henderson, LA not only didn’t score against Milwaukee’s bullpen, they didn’t manage a baserunner over the final five innings.
Another key for Milwaukee was that they knocked out Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto after just 2.2 innings. After dominating last postseason, Yamamoto had to leave this game early after laboring for 75 pitches in less than three frames. Bauers did some damage, drawing a walk after 12 pitches, immediately before a big hit by Christian Yelich.
Cleveland Guardians 7, Tampa Bay Rays 3 (Guardians lead series 1-0)
The Guardians proved that it is possible to record more than one hit off Drew Rasmussen, as they drew first blood in the ALCS with a win on the road in the Trop.
The Rays got out to a very quick start. Junior Caminero and Johnny DeLuca each recorded RBI singles in the first inning, as Tampa Bay started with a 2-0 lead. However, those would be their last runs for quite a while, as Cleveland worked their way back into the game.
Rasmussen continued his run of shutout innings from the ALDS, but the Guardians eventually broke through. In the sixth, Chase DeLauter got him for a homer to get Cleveland on the board. An inning later, Patrick Bailey led off the frame with another home run, also knocking Rasmussen out of the game.
After slugging out their first two runs, the Guardians eventually got the lead thanks to their customary “Guardsball.” After José Ramírez got the eighth inning started with a single, DeLauter came up with a big double to set things up. Nathaniel Lowe then popped in a single to score both runners and give Cleveland their first lead of the day.
In the bottom of the eighth, Cedric Mullins led off with a home run to get one of those runs back. However, the Guardians only added to their lead further in the ninth. Ramírez and Jo Adell each came up with RBI hits as Cleveland put up three runs to take a commanding lead. The bottom of the ninth then took just seven pitches as the Guardians closed out the win.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Michael Forret #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws a pitch during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Michael Forret isn’t just a pitching prospect. He’s also a potentially fascinating science experiment.
You’ve heard of Rays Pitching Magic, right? The Tampa Bay organization, currently battling for the American League pennant, has a reputation for sprinkling metaphorical pixie dust on their pitchers to suddenly transform them into unhittable behemoths. The Rays have worked their magic both on journeyman major leaguers — witness Bryan Baker morphing from an unreliable middle reliever into the best closer in baseball — and also on prospects, refining flawed youngsters into MLB-quality hurlers.
So that brings up a question. What happens when the Rays get hold of a new prospect from another organization, bolster him with their sorcery for a few months, and then send him back from whence he came? Can their pitching magic hold strong once the player returns to his original organization, or will he inevitably backslide without the Rays’ instructors to help him?
Michael Forret is the case study for that very scenario. The 22-year-old Oriole-turned-Ray-turned-Oriole-again spent just under eight months soaking up Tampa Bay’s wisdom and know-how. Now he’ll hope to bring what he learned back to the Birds, with an eye on potentially making his major league debut next year.
Forret (pronounced for-ETT) has become a sought-after prospect since his humble pro beginnings as the Orioles’ 14th round draft pick in 2023. The North Carolina native was a junior college pick from State College of Florida, a school whose most successful MLB player in history was — and you’re not going to like this — Glenn Davis (19.7 WAR).
Almost immediately in the O’s minors, Forret showed the kind of success that belied his late-round draft status. In 2024, he posted a 3.88 ERA and 11.2 K/9 for Low-A Delmarva and then-High-A Aberdeen, flashing increased velocity from his junior college days. But it was 2025 when he really broke onto the scene. At age 21, Forret dominated High-A to the tune of a 1.51 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) with a sparkling 11.5 K/9 and 0.804 WHIP. He slashed his walk rate dramatically from the previous year, from 4.0 BB/9 to 2.6. He earned a promotion to Double-A Chesapeake and made three excellent starts there as well.
Forret’s 2025 dominance saw him rocket up the Orioles’ prospect chart. He rose to #11 in MLB Pipeline’s O’s prospect rankings, one of the organization’s highest-regarded young pitchers. A year later, he’s #10. “He’s not your typical overpowering starter,” Pipeline writes. “The 6-foot-3 right-hander beats hitters with deception, a deep arsenal and command. There’s some crossfire action in his delivery, making him tough on right-handed hitters.”
The Rays are among the teams who took notice of Forret. And when the Orioles were looking to strike a deal last winter for cost-controlled starter Shane Baz, they ultimately agreed to include Forret as part of the five-player return package on Dec. 19. And so began the youngster’s journey with the developmental wizards in Tampa Bay.
Forret hit the ground running with the Rays, dominating with Double-A Montgomery. In 10 starts with the Biscuits, he was 6-0 with a 2.15 ERA, 1.049 WHIP, and 9.3 K/9. Even with a fastball that averages only 92 mph, Forret continued to demonstrate quality command and deception to get batters out. Writes FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen: “He attacks righties around their hands with the fastball and then dots sliders on the black away from them, while he jams lefties around theirs with cutters and sliders, and then forces them to choose between covering elevated fastballs or his sinking cambio (changeup).”
In June, Forret moved up to Triple-A for the first time, and the adjustment wasn’t exactly smooth. In two of his first three starts with Durham, he was battered for five runs. But he adapted quickly. He posted a 2.89 ERA in his next six starts, holding batters to a .645 OPS, and might have been in the Rays’ plans for a big league promotion late in the season.
And that’s when the Orioles came into the picture again.
At the trade deadline, the Rays were in the market for a setup man, and the Birds’ Tyler Wells was in their sights. The Orioles targeted a familiar face as their return piece. And voila, Michael Forret was back in the O’s organization in a one-for-one swap on Aug. 3.
“Getting the call that I was coming back to Baltimore was kind of a surreal experience,” Forret said in a MASN interview. “I obviously wasn’t expecting that, but I’m super excited to be back.”
So did Forret bring the Rays’ fairy dust back with him to the O’s organization? Well…the early returns aren’t great.
The O’s assigned Forret to Triple-A Norfolk, where he made five starts before the season ended. The results: a 6.35 ERA, 10.3 H/9, and 5.6 BB/9. Batters tagged him for an .804 OPS. Still, in such a small sample size, it’s hard to read too much into those lousy numbers. Forret had one particularly rough outing — an eight-run, 10-hit debacle against Gwinnett — but didn’t give up more than two runs in any other start.
Was Forret getting drastically different instruction from the Orioles’ coaches than he did in Tampa Bay? Not really, according to him.
“Now that I’m back, I’m seeing there’s more similarities than differences,” Forret said. “I think that a lot of what Tampa did was just pitch to your strengths, which was a very similar process to what we do over here. Be in the zone and understand the importance of getting ahead in counts, winning your 1-1 counts. [That] has become a big shift over here and they’re doing the same thing over here now, too.”
But Forret did learn at least one thing during his stint with Tampa Bay.
“I picked up a cutter with the Rays,” he said. “That’s a big pitch for the Rays organization. They want their pitchers throwing cutters. So I tried picking it up after I got traded. Starting getting the hang of it, and then in spring training finally fine-tuned it and everything. And that’s been a nice pitch for me to have this season, just to kind of bridge in between my fastballs and my sweeper [and] my changeup.”
Forret will start the 2027 season at Norfolk (assuming he’s added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and isn’t traded back to the Rays), where he’ll need to prove that his stuff will play against higher-level hitters. The 22-year-old righty has his flaws, and he might not have the highest upside of the Orioles’ stable of pitching prospects. But if the O’s need to dip into the minors for pitching help in 2027, they should make sure they don’t miss the Forret for the trees.
