Category: Baseball

Despite an all-time final-day comeback to win the American League Central Division title, the 2006 Minnesota Twins season didn’t end in as positive a manner. But one thing that cannot be taken away from the ‘06 campaign: it produced perhaps the most hardware-heavy season in franchise history.

Justin Morneau: AL MVP

• The Canadian sensation put up this line to take home top-of-league honors: 157 G, 661 PA, 97 R, 190 H, 37 2B, 34 HR, 130 RBI, .321 BA, .934 OPS, 140 OPS+, 4.3 bWAR. Was this a 100% deserved MVP? Ehhh…David Ortiz, Travis Hafner, & maybe even resident MN 1B-coach Grady Sizemore had pretty compelling cases. But it’s not like Morneau has to give it back.

Johan Santana: AL Cy Young

• This is one that the voters got exactly right—no one eclipsed ’06 Santana: 19-6 W/L, 233.2 IP, 245 K, 2.77 ERA, 162 ERA+, 1.00 WHIP, 7.6 bWAR. In what should have been Johan’s third straight Cy Young Award, there’s a case to be made he could have double-dipped as AL MVP considering that WAR total.

Joe Mauer: AL Batting Champion

• A .347 batting average was tops in the Junior Circuit. This was the first time a backstop brought home the batting bacon since Ernie Lombardi (.330 BA) did so for the Cincinnati Reds in 1942. 2006 was Mauer’s third season in the bigs—and his second functional campaign (missing almost all of 2004 due to injury)

Torii Hunter: Gold Glove

• Ho hum—just the sixth consecutive gilded glove-trophy for the CF-er.

Four incredible individual performances that render 2006 memorable 20 years hence despite the ALDS thud.

Happy Friday, everyone! Fair warning for today’s news post… it’s very Brewers-heavy for obvious reasons. We know, we know, we normally don’t love to share so much positive press about division rivals, but we suppose given the circumstances we need to make an exception. The Brewers did, indeed, end their own lengthy World Series curse this weekend by finally winning their first World Series championship, defeating the Rays in five games. They made their run through the postseason losing only two games in all of October, something that will surely put them among the names of the most dominant postseason teams in history. And catcher William Contreras became the first catcher since 2015 (when Salvador Perez did it for the Royals) to win World Series MVP.

So, of course, there’s a lot of discourse about the Brewers win to get through, and we’re just going to jump into it, because next week we start looking ahead to the big awards, and to a likely frenzied free agent market ahead of the MLB lockout.

• Michael Baumann sings the praises of the World Series-winning Milwaukee Brewers.
• The Brewers lost only two games in their entire postseason run, Jay Jaffe looks at other teams who dominated in the postseason.
• Anthony Castrovince looks at the path that took the Brewers to their first World Series victory.
• Anthony Castrovince explains why William Contreras earned his World Series MVP title.
• Dan Gartland explains that there’s more than one way to win a World Series.
• How the Brewers’ stars came through when the team needed them most. Story by Ryan Phillips.
• Jorge Castillo shares that the Rays are still proud of smashing expectations, even if they didn’t win the Series.
• Evan Drellich has a guide to surviving the looming baseball lockout. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• This might be the best shot of the World Series.

• We saw the Tampa Bay ground crew out a lot on Wednesday night re-grooming the mound. Let’s take a look at whether or not there’s a good reason for that. Story by Davy Andrews.
• Max Ralph looks at what an incredible year it was for the Contreras brothers.
• Sarah Langs figures out just how dominant the Brewers were this October.
• Some items from the Brewers’ historic run are headed to the Hall of Fame. Story by Max Ralph.
• What’s next for the Brewers? Karl Rasmussen looks ahead. He also assesses what comes next for the Rays.
• Doug Greenberg shares that the Dodgers are still the odds-on favourites to win the World Series next year.
• Cody Stavenhagen looks at how much this World Series win meant to long-suffering Brewers fans. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Classic.

• Michael King has declined his player option and opted to become a free agent. We’ll see a lot more of this over the coming week. Story by Max Ralph.
• Keegan Matheson looks at which Blue Jays players could be up for awards consideration in the coming weeks.
• Anthony DiComo spotlights the trio of Brewers from Venezuela, who are now two-time champions this year.
• How Christian Yelich honored the late Bob Uecker after the Brewers’ big win. (AP)
• Congrats to the Brewers.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

Good morning, Purple Row!

Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.

Rockies News & Links

Antonio Senzatela’s Stunning Turnaround Since Leaving Rockies Gets Perfect Ending | Si.com

Outside of the joy of not having the Dodgers win the World Series, and having a first-time champion in the Milwaukee Brewers, the icing on the cake is seeing Antonio Senzatela celebrating. After helping Venezuela win the World Baseball Cup earlier this year, along with his Milwaukee teammates Jackson Chourio and William Contreras, the former Rockie is now soaking in another world title. This piece by Laura Lambert revisits Senzatela’s career from when the Rockies signed him at age 16 to pitching in the World Series.

Rockies have longest odds in all of MLB to win the 2027 World Series | Denver Sports (The Fan)

All it takes is one day after the World Series, and the odds for next season are out. Of course, this is before trades, free agent signings, and all manner of roster changes that might happen before spring training hits in February. But it already doesn’t look good for the Rockies, who are facing 300-to-1 odds. Slightly more suprising, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best odds, ahead of the World Series Champion Brewers.

Around MLB

Milwaukee Public Schools to close for Brewers’ championship parade | MLB.com

It’s party time in Milwaukee and school is out. The World Series Champions will bring home their hardware to celebrate with their fans on Friday for a parade starting at 9 a.m. MST. Considering vibrant Brewers crowds at the World Series games at American Family Field and Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, a giant turnout is expected. The parade will be aired on MLB Network and streamed live for free on Brewers.com.

Treasures from 2026 World Series Headed Home to Cooperstown | Baseball Hall of Fame

Cooperstown will be getting some new gear soon. As soon as the World Series concluded on Wednesday night, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was swooping in to collect artifacts to memorialize the Milwaukee Brewers first-ever championship. Items that will be added to the Autumn Glory section of the Hall of Fame include MVP William Contreras’ catching gear, Jacob Misiorowski’s hat from Game 5, Cooper Pratt’s bat that connected for six straight hits in Games 4 and 5 and more.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday that they have exercised options for both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies. Acuña Jr. is set to earn $17M next season, and Albies will earn $7M. Of course, both of these figures do not account for the impending lockout. 

The Braves also made a couple of roster moves Thursday, reinstating Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, and Joey Wentz from the 60-day injured list. 

While none of these moves come as a surprise, they mark another step in the Braves’ offseason preparations ahead of the looming labor dispute.

More Braves News:

Otto Lopez and Jeremy Peña have been linked to the Braves as shortstop trade candidates.

Our 2026 player review series continues with José Suárez. 

MLB News:

Though subject to change, we have outlined current important offseason dates.

From the Feed:

When do you think the 2027 season will begin?

This year, the Dodgers watched the World Series from home, with the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory over the Tampa Bay Rays officially ushering in a fresh slate for the Dodgers to plan their 2027 championship pursuit.

“When you take the experience and the talent of our core guys, and you look at what is coming [up through the farm system], that is what gives us a high degree of confidence about being able to sustain this,” said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, in his end-of-season news conference, “not just in 2027, but as we look out.”

As the Dodgers attempt to strengthen their roster to climb back to the top, however, they’ll have to navigate a disjointed winter transaction window.

Read more:Shaikin: Tensions between MLB and players' union continue to escalate amid salary-cap battle

MLB owners are expected to impose a lockout when the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1. If that happens, the offseason will grind to a halt, suspended indefinitely until the two sides sign a new agreement.

Will that expected shutdown spur early action in free agency?

Will the threat of a salary cap freeze the player market?

It’s unclear, but teams are readying themselves to jump into action whenever the market does move.

“There’ve been a number of things that we’ve done over the last couple of years that, in October, early-November planning we didn’t think was likely or that possible,” Friedman said. “An opportunity popped up, and we were at least prepared enough to act in the time to get something done — there’ve been trades, there’s been free-agent signings.

“So for us, it’s just about our internal meetings, getting as prepared as we can be. Because things are going to play out in ways and timing and things that we can’t anticipate, so be as prepared as we can be.”

Amid those unique circumstances, here’s a guide to the Dodgers’ offseason:

Which Dodgers are entering free agency?

Nine Dodgers became free agents at the conclusion of the postseason — although veteran infielder Miguel Rojas announced his intention to retire.

The other eight are utility player Kiké Hernández, and pitchers Tarik Skubal, Eric Lauer, Kris Bubic, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia. So, bullpen help and all-around pitching depth have become areas of need.

“Obviously we’ve got some key free agents,” Friedman said. “That being said, if we started the season tomorrow, we feel really good about the roster and team that we have. But that’s never our mindset to say, ‘OK, we’re good enough.’ We’re going to work hard to try to figure out where we can improve, and in different areas.”

Could the Dodgers make a trade?

For the last two years, the Dodgers have had a hot offensive first half (115 WRC+) before a second-half dip (109 in 2025, 105 in 2026). Friedman said the team would work to diagnose the problems that plagued the Dodgers in July and August — and reemerged in the postseason.

“A lot of the rules are designed for the run-prevention side to have a real advantage,” Friedman said. “So much of our focus has been, how do we try to combat that on the run-creation side. And I think there are ways that we can get better. And even if we were coming off a consistent great year, our minds would be, how do we get better? But we’ll definitely spend a lot of time trying to wrap our arms around it and figuring out what is actionable and what things we can improve going forward.”

Friedman pushed back on the notion that age was to blame, saying that explanation was painting with too broad of a stroke.

If the solution involves personnel changes, however, a trade might be necessary to shake up the Dodgers’ veteran position-player group. Whether the Dodgers would want to part with one of their clubhouse leaders, and whether another team would be interested in taking on (or the Dodgers would pay down) any of those contracts, remains to be seen.

Read more:After NLCS exit, Dodgers face big questions about their aging lineup and future

The Dodgers have pointed to their farm system, ranked No. 1 by MLB Pipeline as of mid-August, as a reason for optimism. But their position-player prospects, including three outfielders at the top of the list, are blocked by veterans already on the Dodgers’ roster.

“Things work themselves out,” Friedman said. “There are times where you wake up one day and you’re too left-handed. You start to address it, wake up another day and say, “Wow, we’re too right-handed now. Things happen.

“Like right now, we have a really talented group of outfielders coming through our minor-league system. There have been times where we haven’t. We also have a lot of really talented infielders coming as well. But for us, it’s just about having as many talented players as we can.”

What are the recovery timelines for injured Dodgers?

Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to two-way duties next season and be ready in time for spring training, according to Friedman. Though Ohtani battled lingering left knee and recurring right biceps injuries through much of the season, surgery is “not on the table.”

Backup catcher Dalton Rushing underwent elbow surgery last week. His nine-month estimated recovery would have him back to catching around late July and hitting before then.

Right-handed reliever Will Klein underwent a procedure to remove bone chips from his right elbow last week, and the Dodgers said he was expected to be ready in time for spring training.

What are key early-offseason dates?

Nov. 2: The first five days after the conclusion of the World Series are a “quiet period,” when teams have exclusive rights to negotiate with their free agents, before free agency opens in earnest. By the Monday deadline, teams must also decide whether to extend one-year qualifying offers to eligible players (Graterol, Hernández, Phillips, Treinen, Vesia), and it’s the deadline for contract option decisions.

Nov. 10-12: General managers meetings in Las Vegas. With the winter meetings in December expected to be canceled because of a lockout, GM meetings likely will be the one time for baseball operations leaders to all gather under the same roof this offseason.

Nov. 17: Players must accept or decline qualifying offers by the 1 p.m. PDT deadline.

Nov. 20: By the deadline, teams must tender contracts to 40-man roster players under team control who have not yet signed deals for the upcoming season. Non-tendered players become free agents.

Dec. 1: The current CBA expires.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Happy Friday, everyone! Well, the World Series title has been decided, and the Milwaukee Brewers are the new MLB champions. The team won their first-ever World Series (though, to be fair, no matter which team won they would have been first-time winners, which was pretty cool). It was an incredible series, with some amazing performances, some of which we’ll get into in the links below. William Contreras could probably teach an offseason seminar in ABS challenges, because he was unreal.

Now that the World Series is over, contract opt-outs are picking up, free agency is going to start heating up, and the looming MLB lockout might be the biggest topic of conversation. So let’s just jump right into it.

Detroit Tigers News

• In case you’re keeping track:

• Remembering a vital part of the crew.

• If you ever wanted to be lectured about recycling by a giant tiger, today is a good day for you.

MLB News

• The Brewers lost only two games in their entire postseason run. Take a look at other teams that dominated in the postseason.
• What the heck was going on with the pitcher’s mound on Wednesday night?
• So it begins. Michael King has declined his player option and opted to become a free agent.
• Looking at the path that got the Brewers their first World Series victory.
• 2026 was an incredible year for the Contreras brothers.
• Which Blue Jays players could be under consideration for the major awards coming out soon?
• Why did William Contreras win the World Series MVP?
• Just how dominant were the Brewers this October?
• A look at some of the items from the Brewers’ historic run that are heading to the Hall of Fame.
• Spotlighting a trio of Venezuelan players on the Brewers who are now two-time champions this year.
• What’s next for the Brewers?
• The Brewers proved that there’s more than one way to win a World Series.
• What comes next for the Rays?
• How the Brewers’ stars came through when the team needed them the most.
• The Rays are still proud of what they accomplished, even if they didn’t win the Series.
• The Dodgers are still the odds-on favorites for the World Series next year.
• How Christian Yelich honored the late Bob Uecker after the Brewers’ big win.
• How much did this World Series mean for long-suffering Brewers fans? ($)
• A handy guide for surviving the upcoming baseball lockout. ($)
• Possibly THE World Series photo.

• Incredible quote.

• Congrats to the Brewers.

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to Roe Skidmore, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 2016 – The Cubs remain alive in the World Series with a 3-2 win over Cleveland in Game 5. The Indians score first, on a solo homer by Jose Ramirez off Jon Lester in the second but Chicago scores three against Trevor Bauer in the fourth. Aroldis Chapman* gets the final eight outs to record the save, and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

• 1963 – Sandy Koufax wins again. The Dodgers pitcher, who finished with 25 victories and 11 shutouts, outpolls Cardinals shortstop Dick Groat, 237 to 190, for the National League MVP Award. Six days ago, Koufax unanimously won the Cy Young Award.
• 1974 – Catfish Hunter of the Oakland Athletics is named the American League Cy Young Award winner. He led the league with 25 wins and a 2.49 ERA.
• 1975 – San Francisco Giants pitcher John Montefusco (15-9, 215 strikeouts, 2.88 ERA) outpoints Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter for National League Rookie of the Year honors.
• 2001 – George W. Bush becomes the eighth President of the United States to attend a World Series game, and the first since Dwight D. Eisenhower to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Wearing a New York Fire Department windbreaker in honor of the heroes of the September 11th attacks, the President walks to the mound by himself, gives a thumbs up, and throws a perfect strike much to the delight of the stadium faithful. In Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, the Yankees win, 2-1, over the Diamondbacks, behind strong pitching by Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera.
• 2010 – In Game 3 of the 2010 World Series, Colby Lewis throws six shutout innings before fading and rookie Mitch Moreland hits a three-run homer as the Rangers beat San Francisco, 4-2. It is the first World Series win by a Texas-based team in seven tries. Neftali Feliz, at age 22, surpasses Rangers owner Nolan Ryan as the second-youngest man to save a game in the Series – Bob Welch set the record at age 21 in 1978.
• 2013 – The Red Sox win the World Series with a 6-1 victory over the Cardinals in Game 6. Shane Victorino hits a three-run double off Michael Wacha as the Sox take a 6-0 lead after four innings. David Ortiz collects four walks – three of them intentional – on his way to winning the Series MVP Award.
• 2015 – The Mets win Game 3 of the World Series, 9-3 over the Royals, behind the pitching of Noah Syndergaard and two-run homers by David Wright and Curtis Granderson off Yordano Ventura. 20-year-old Raul Adalberto Mondesi becomes the first player of the modern era to make his major league debut in a World Series game when he strikes out as a pinch-hitter.
• 2019 – The Nationals win their first-ever World Series, defeating the Astros, 6-2, in Game 7. Zack Greinke is masterful for Houston, facing only one batter over the minimum through the first six innings, while Max Scherzer has to work hard to limit the Astros to two runs in his five innings, as he strands a boatful of baserunners. Things turn around in the seventh when Anthony Rendon hits a solo homer off Greinke, and Howie Kendrick hits a two-run shot off the right foul pole against Will Harris to give Washington the lead they will never relinquish. In an unprecedented development, the visiting team wins all seven games of the series. Stephen Strasburg is honored with the Willie Mays Award as the Series’ MVP after winning both of his starts, in Games 2 and 6.
• 2021 – The Braves take a three-games-to-one lead in the World Series by winning Game 4 at home, 3-2, over Houston. The Astros take an early 2-0 lead, scoring a run against unlikely openerDylan Lee in the 1st and another on a solo homer by Jose Altuve in the fourth, but they also strand ten baserunners through the first six innings. The Braves score once in the sixth before leaving the bases loaded, and then strike with back-to-back homers by Dansby Swanson and pinch-hitter Jorge Soler to take the lead in the seventh.
• 2023 – The Rangers win Game 3 of the World Series by scoring all three of their runs in the third inning against Brandon Pfaadt, on a single by Marcus Semien and a two-run homer by Corey Seager. After having a runner thrown out at home in the second, the Diamondbacks can only reply with a single run in the eighth. Rangers starter Max Scherzer has to leave the game after three innings with back tightness, but Jon Gray steps in ably to earn the victory.

Cubs Birthdays:Roe Skidmore, John Burrows, Roy Joiner, Kettle Wirts, Charlie Deal, Rudy Sommers, Tom Nagle. Also notable, Leon Day HOF. Leon Day HOF. Ed Delahanty HOF.

Today in history:

• 1866 – Jesse James‘ gang robs bank in Lexington, Missouri ($2000).
• 1873 – P. T. Barnum‘s circus, “Greatest Show on Earth,” debuts in New York City.
• 1938 – A radio broadcast of H. G. Wells‘ “The War of the Worlds,” narrated by Orson Welles, allegedly causes mass panic.
• 1960 – Michael Woodruff performs the first successful kidney transplant at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the United Kingdom.
• 1970 – English metal band Black Sabbath make US concert debut at Glassboro State College in Glassboro, New Jersey; show interrupted twice when they blow out the power.
• 1973 – The Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, is completed, connecting the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus for the first time.
• 1974 – Muhammad Ali KOs George Foreman in the eighth round in “The Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa, Zaire, regaining the world heavyweight boxing title using the famous “rope-a-dope” tactic.
• 1987 – “Faith,” the debut album by George Michael, is released.
• 1988 – Brazilian McLaren driver Ayrton Senna wins the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, his record 8th Grand Prix win of the season, and clinches his first Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship.
• 1990 – Britain and France complete the “Chunnel” under the English Channel.
• 1990 – George Michael releases his single “Freedom 90” with a music video starring supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford.
• 1997 – Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona announces his retirement from football on his 37th birthday.
• 2022 – Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen wins the Mexican F1 Grand Prix in Mexico City for his record-breaking 14th GP win of the season, surpassing Michael Schumacher and fellow German Sebastian Vettel

*pictured.

One day to Halloween. An unknown, but certainly much greater, number of days until baseball returns.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

Garrett Stubbs will be DFA’d. ($)

The Phillies need depth in the rotation.

And they’ll try to play every month of their next season like it was August 26. ($)

MLB news

Free agents, ranked.

The Red Sox and Athletics made a trade.

Tatsuya Imai will be staying with his current club.

And the same goes for Bo Bichette.

With the Brewers’ first World Series title now in the rearview, it’s time to enter the baseball hibernation months. Here are some of the key dates to remember as the offseason begins. Remember, this will be one of the weirder offseasons we’ve seen in some time, with a lockout expected to begin in December.

Free Agency & Options

Free agency officially began on Thursday for any players with six or more years of MLB service time who are not under contract for 2027. Negotiations begin immediately, but players cannot sign with a new team until Monday, November 2 at 4 p.m. CT (five days after the conclusion of the World Series).

Likewise, contract options are exercised (or not) within five days of the end of the World Series.

For the Brewers, impending free agents and options include:

• 1B Jake Bauers (free agent; top qualifying offer candidate)
• C William Contreras ($15.5 million club option, but also arbitration-eligible for 2027 even if option isn’t exercised)
• RHP Dustin May (already declined $20 million mutual option; $500,000 buyout)
• LHP JoJo Romero (free agent)
• C Gary Sánchez ($1.75 million mutual option with $250,000 buyout)
• RHP Antonio Senzatela ($14 million club option, no buyout)
• RHP Brandon Woodruff (free agent)

60-Day Injured List Activations

As it stands now, the Brewers’ 40-man roster sits at 39 players, with three on the 60-day injured list — Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa. With at least three free agents departing in May, Romero, and Woodruff, the Crew will have no problem activating those three. Senzatela and Sánchez may not have their options picked up, meaning they would join that free agency group, and if Bauers is offered and declines a QO, he would also be a free agent. If the Brewers opt to make some more space on their roster, non-tender candidates may include Grant Anderson, Jared Koenig, Bryse Wilson, Akil Baddoo, and Tyler Black.

Minor League Free Agency

This is the point where the Brewers could add any players eligible for minor league free agency to the 40-man roster and/or to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. This year’s Rule 5 protection deadline is Tuesday, November 17. Players who have been released from their original pro contracts or with six full years of minor league service can opt for free agency if they aren’t on the 40-man roster. They can also opt to sign a new minor league deal to remain in the organization.

It should be noted that the Rule 5 Draft, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 9, during the Winter Meetings, won’t take place if there is a lockout.

Last season, the Brewers opted to protect right-handed pitcher Coleman Crow, who had a cup of coffee in the majors in 2026, appearing in five games (18 2/3 innings).

As a reminder, to prevent players from becoming eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, organizations must add players who signed at age 18 or younger to their club’s 40-man roster within five seasons and players who signed at age 19 or older to their club’s 40-man roster within four seasons.

Qualifying Offers

After Brandon Woodruff was offered and accepted a qualifying offer last season, the only real candidate for Milwaukee this year is first baseman Jake Bauers. While he made just $2.7 million in 2026, Bauers became a key player for the Crew in 2026, putting up 3.7 fWAR as he hit .266/.389/.484 with 26 homers over 144 games, earning NLCS MVP honors and helping the Brewers win it all.

This year’s top candidates for qualifying offers ($23.15 million for 2027) include Bauers, Randy Arozarena, Brandon Lowe, Seiya Suzuki, Trevor Rogers, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Adrian Morejon, Ian Happ, Ryan Jeffers, David Bednar, and Matthew Boyd.

If a team gives a qualifying offer to a player who then signs elsewhere, the club that lost the player is eligible for Draft pick compensation the following year. A team’s highest first-round pick is exempt from forfeiture.

Last season, 13 players received qualifying offers ($22.025 million) and four accepted (Woodruff, Trent Grisham of the Yankees, Shota Imanaga of the Cubs, and Gleyber Torres of the Tigers). Bo Bichette, Dylan Cease, Edwin Díaz, Ranger Suárez, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Michael King, and Kyle Schwarber all declined their offers, though each of the last three re-signed with their original team.

Award Dates

• November 1: Gold Glove Awards (8 p.m. CT on ESPN)
• November 2: National Baseball Hall of Fame announces its eight-person Contemporary Baseball Era Players ballot
• November 2: BBWAA award finalists (5 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 5: Silver Slugger finalists (10 a.m. CT)
• November 6: MLBPA Heart & Hustle Award (MLB Network)
• November 6: Rawlings Gold Glove dinner and announcement of Platinum Glove winners
• November 9: Rookie of the Year Award (6 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 10: Manager of the Year Award (6 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 11: Cy Young Award (6 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 11: Hank Aaron Award, Comeback Players of the Year, Relievers of the Year, Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year, MLB Executive of the Year, and selections for All-MLB First and Second Teams (8 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 12: MVP Awards (6 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• November 16: BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot released, with voting taking place through December 31
• November 17: Silver Slugger Awards
• December 6: Contemporary Baseball Era Committee of the Hall of Fame will meet and announce results (7 p.m. CT on MLB Network)
• December 9: Winner of Hall of Fame’s Frick Award (for broadcasters)
• January 19: Hall of Fame announces 2027 class (5 p.m. CT on MLB Network)

Other Key Offseason Dates

• November 9-12: General managers meetings (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• November 17-19: Owners meetings (New York)
• November 17: Qualifying offer deadline (3 p.m. CT)
• November 17: Rule 5 protection deadline (5 p.m. CT; see more details above).
• November 20: Last day for teams to offer 2027 contracts to arbitration-eligible unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. More commonly known as the “non-tender deadline.” Last year, the Brewers tendered contracts to all arbitration-eligible players.
• December 1: Likely lockout; some of the events listed below might not happen or be rescheduled.
• December 7-9: Winter meetings (San Diego, California)
  • December 8: MLB Draft lottery, determining the first 18 picks of the 2027 draft. As World Series winners, the Brewers hold the No. 30 pick in 2027.
  • December 9: Rule 5 Draft (1 p.m. CT)
• December 15: 2026 international signing period closes (4 p.m. CT)
• January 8: Salary arbitration exchanges take place between players and teams
• January 15: 2026 international signing period opens (8 a.m. CT)
• Late January/early February TBA: Salary arbitration hearings

2027 Season Dates

• February 10: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training
• February 14: Remainder of players report to spring training
• February 19: Spring Training schedule begins
• March 25: The Brewers begin the defense of their title with a series against the Los Angeles Angels at American Family Field

Frequent board commenter Solanus tracks an enormous amount of pitcher and catcher data, tabulating each game result by hand. Last year, he gave me enough insight into his spreadsheets where I was able to re-create much of the data he hand tabulates (I’m way too lazy for that!) and I wanted to peak at some of those data points and see what we could learn about the defensive side of their catching corps.

The data itself comes from a mix of sources. Statcast data for actual line-ups and game events (who pitched, who caught, which innings, etc.). Baseball reference.com for overall pitching lines for each game, and with Fangraphs because of course there has to be differences in how the data is constructed that doesn’t make it easy. Team ids between sites are different. Player Ids are different. Even game Ids are different, and all three have to be brewed together to knit the data into one consistent result.

I wrote the code. The methods are all Solanus. I simply copied his logic into R code and ran it. So he gets all the credit.

I chose to query both the 2025 and 2026 seasons (you will likely understand why when I go through it). Here is the raw data, and following that some of the interesting morsels I discovered and thought about some.

What do you see?

Here is what I picked up…

1. Take a look at the line marked Reliever WPA. This is “Win Probability Added” (or subtracted) by relievers across the two seasons, distributed by which catcher they were throwing to. This is calculated by accumulating the WPA (added or subtracted) that came with each pitch said relievers threw. What I noticed is that Pedro Pages, in both years, ends up with a significantly larger gain of WPA than the other catchers combined. It would appear that across two seasons and two largely different reliever staffs, Pages is better able to coax out winning performance among the reliever set. Interesting?
2. In what may be a companion stat, take a look at the rows marked RelieverMD and RelieverSD. SD and MD stand for Shutdown and Meltdown and are Fangraph proprietary calculations of reliever performance, where a relief appearance that nets > .06 WPA (ie. increases win chances by 6% or more) is an SD (Shutdown) and a Meltdown is the opposite, which is a relief appearance that decreases win chances by 6% or more. Pages has, by far, the highest ratio of SD:MD among the catchers across both years.
3. Take a look at the line CatcherRApergame. RA is runs allowed. Note that the only catcher to exceed 5 RA in both seasons is Jimmy Crooks. This is a wee bit different than catcher ERA, as this stat just counts runs, not just earned runs.
4. Here is an unexpected twist. Across two seasons, only one catcher was able to coax positive StarterWPA. The 2026 version of Ivan Herrera. Who had that on their pre-season predictions?
5. Having nothing to do with individual catchers, but look and the StarterWPA and RelieverWPA totals across 2025 and 2026 and see how much they shifted. Reversed is really what happened. The 2025 bullpen with the 2026 rotation produces a WPA of 4.6 (instead of just below 0). That is ~85 wins right there. Wow. And I knew the bullpen was bad, but holy cow!
6. Again, having nothing to do with catchers, but notice how evenly distributed the games are in both years. Almost 1/3 of the games were games where the Cardinals scored 6 or more runs and another 1/3 were games where the Cardinals scored 2 or less runs. Presumably, if my math skills persist, the remaining third falls in the range of 3 to 5 runs scored. While much ado can be made about all the close games the Cardinals played, the reality for most teams, most years is that the 3-to-5 runs cohort is going to be crapshoot, 50-50 on wins and losses, unless they have a lights out bullpen. Two major areas of improvement for the Cardinals are going to be 1) reduce the number of games they score 2 runs or less (they only won 16% of these) and 2) reduce the number of games they score 6 runs or more AND lose (they only won 73% of these games). That number needs to be nearer or above 80%.
7. Here is one that probably needs a methodology tweak, but it looks to be on the right path. Solanus calcs starter WPA and assigns as SD (shutdown) or MD (meltdown) grade similar to relievers. If you look at the totals for each season, the number of starter SD and MD outcomes flipped between 2025 and 2026) in a good way. What I need to figure out is … is the .06 WPA threshold correct for starters. They pitch more innings, but lower leverage, so not sure the actual threshold is where I’d want it. More to chew on this winter.

I’m not sure if there is more to decipher from this or not. Although I think that over long periods of time Catcher ERA can be an indicator, it is pretty volatile over small samples. While I gathered two seasons of data, realize that this is only 60 starts for a guy like Herrera and only Pages exceeded 100 starts across both seasons combined. Probably too small to make definitive conclusions, but some trends (as noted above) emerge and can be hard to ignore. Some caveats include: Most of Ivan’s data set in based on 2026, and was mostly restricted to two starters – Pallante, McGreevy. Crook’s and Bernal’s sample sizes are too small to read much into.

Comparing to the Brewer’s catchers in 2026

One of the beneifts of having code instead of hand-tabulating is I can run this for any season, any team. For fun, I ran the same queries against MIL pitchers and catchers for the 2026 season. Some things I noted:

For fun, I ran the same queries against MIL pitchers and catchers for the 2026. Some things I noted:

• Want to know the difference between Milwaukee and St. Louis? Look at the Starter and Reliever WPA numbers. In 2026, the Cardinals starters accumulated .7 WPA and -2.5 for relievers. Milwaukee? 5.3 and 9.5 respectively. The reliever gap alone is 12.12!! Using really rough math, I figure most games started out in the area of 50-50 win probability, with a little bit more to the home team and better team. A .5 increase in WPA takes a 50-50 game and turns it into a win. 12 WPA turns into 24 wins. Right?
• Then, take a look at Catcher starts. Last I checked, William Contreras was a pretty good hitter. If Milwaukee can catch their pretty good hitter 120 games+, why are Cardinal fans in such a hurry to move Rainel Rodriguez off C?
• Another thing to gander at. The Cardinal relievers had a few more Shutdown performances, but overran the Brewers with like 40 more Meltdowns. Hmmm. That could leave scars.
• Last, look at the Brewers win PCT when the score 6 or more, or allow 2 or less. They are up around 90%. That is where the Cardinals should be, not in the mid 70’s.

Have a happy and safe Halloween, or Dia de los Muertos, whichever you prefer.

We’re fully in offseason mode now, as the Brewers’ celebration continues and the rest of the league prepares what moves they can make before the CBA expires. There were a couple of minor trades completed, both involving the Red Sox, and there were a couple of player options decided on — expect plenty more to come as teams whittle down their 40-man rosters and the free agent pool gets finalized. We’ll at least get to determine who gets qualifying offers and who elects free agency before transactions freeze, and it will be interesting to see if any extensions come in during this time period as the game’s salary structure is under the microscope.

We’ve got a couple things on the docket for you here, starting with Andres giving out the latest report card to Cody Bellinger (spoiler, he got a passing grade). Then Andrew will wish a happy birthday to Mickey Rivers, and in the afternoon Josh will reminisce on Gary Sanchez as the Kraken is now a World Series champion… well after his days in pinstripes.

Questions/Prompts:

1. With no more MLB games the rest of the year, what’s your interest level in following any of the other sports over the winter?

2. Any fun plans for Halloween weekend? Got a costume ready?

The Milwaukee Brewers have been a better organization than the Pittsburgh Pirates for a long time. 

They’ve reached the MLB postseason 10 times in the 19 seasons since 2008, something the Pirates have achieved just three times in the same span. They’ve posted 14 winning records compared to the Pirates’ five. It’s not close. 

Still, Milwaukee’s lack of postseason success before this year allowed the Pirates front office the luxury of excusing the gap to a team that plays in a television market two thirds the size of Pittsburgh by casting both organizations as ultimately two unfortunate peas in the same small market pod. 

Required reading: For Pittsburgh Pirates, 2026 was playoffs or bust. Then the season started | Opinion

Not anymore. The Brewers’ dominant, 103-win 2026 capped with a World Series victory this week shreds the narrative that Pittsburgh cannot afford to succeed in MLB’s current economic system. 

One could also argue Kansas City’s 2015 World Series win did that, too. Or that Tampa Bay’s consistent competitiveness in the American League East division that’s loaded with high payroll teams demonstrated a clear path to competitiveness. Or that Cleveland’s eight playoff appearances in nine seasons in a similar market a mere two hours from Pittsburgh undercut the Pirates’ bellyaching about their economic disadvantages. 

Those arguments would all be correct. 

Pirates fans don’t see those American League teams up close very often, though. The Brewers amount to a much more intimate look in the proverbial mirror because of their status as a National League Central division rival. 

Will MLB enter a lockout? Here's everything to know for the looming work stoppage originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A new MLB champion has been crowned, and now the baseball world will eagerly await a return to the diamond.

The timing of that return, however, is very much up in the air.

Major League Baseball owners and the MLB Players Association are a month away from a potential lockout. The two sides can work out a new collective bargaining agreement to prevent a work stoppage, but they are far apart on several key issues in labor discussions.

Those topics have to be negotiated and agreed upon, and they could shape the next half-decade of the league. Teams can’t return to play until both sides sign a new collective bargaining agreement.

When would a lockout begin, how long could it last and which issues are at the center of discussions? Here’s everything to know as the expiration date for the current CBA quickly approaches.

What is a lockout?

A lockout is a work stoppage when the owners of a sports league and the players’ union fail to agree on a collective bargaining agreement before the existing one expires. There are no games until the two sides agree on a new CBA.

Players are barred from team facilities and official activities during a lockout, they do not get paid and their images are expected to be removed from the league’s official website.

On the team side, franchises cannot sign players or make trades during a lockout, which could spark a free-agent frenzy in November.

When does the current MLB CBA expire?

The current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association will expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. It was signed on March 10, 2022, after a 99-day lockout.

Why is there going to be an MLB lockout?

The MLB and MLBPA are at odds over money, namely a potential salary cap, its impact on the competitive balance of the league and the ramifications for players’ earnings.

The league believes a salary cap would help level the playing field for its 30 ballclubs. The highest-spending team in 2026, New York Mets, had a payroll exceeding $346 million, per Spotrac. On the other end, the lowest-spending team, the Cleveland Guardians, had a payroll below $75 million.

“In order for this game to reach its full potential, we need to continue to address concerns that our fans have, particularly concerns that go to the core of what we’re about — that is, competitive balance,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in July. “We need to make sure that fans in markets at the beginning of the season have a realistic belief that their team has a chance to win.”

However, spending did not equate to winning in 2026. The final four teams were No. 2 (Los Angeles Dodgers), No. 19 (Milwaukee Brewers), No. 28 (Tampa Bay Rays) and No. 30 (Guardians).

The Dodgers’ acquisition of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal ahead of this year’s trade deadline fueled debate about the competitive advantage big spenders can afford. Months later, their three-peat bid came crashing down in the NLCS at the hands of the Brewers, who swept that series and defeated the Rays for their first World Series title.

“It’s further evidence that the league’s purported ‘competitive balance’ justification for a salary cap holds no water,” Bruce Meyer, the acting executive director of the MLB Players Association, told NBC News in a statement ahead of the World Series. “But that’s never been the real reason why they want a salary cap. They want it to juice their profits and franchise values.”

Local revenue shares will also be negotiated. The league wants to equalize those shares among all 30 teams, but it would come at a cost to high-earning teams.

The schedule has also been mentioned in labor talks.

In a recent bargaining session, MLB proposed cutting the regular season from 162 games to 154 games while expanding the Division Series from five games to seven starting in 2029. It also proposed having higher seeds choose their playoff opponent beginning in 2027.

“Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off-day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said. “A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans — with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage. And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones.”

Other issues in labor discussions include the league’s drug-testing program and players wearing microphones in games for broadcast use.

How many games could MLB miss during the lockout?

It could be as few as zero, but there is no limit to the number of games that could be lost to a lockout.

When is the deadline for a new CBA?

There is no official deadline for the two sides to reach a new agreement, but there are certain cutoff dates where the season and league partners would be greatly affected.

The two sides were able to salvage a 162-game season in 2022 after agreeing to a new CBA on March 10, three weeks ahead of the originally scheduled Opening Day. The start of the regular season was pushed back a week to April 7, the end of the season was extended three days and nine-inning doubleheaders were added to make up for a condensed schedule. Even if MLB cancels early games next spring, they could reappear in the schedule if an agreement is reached shortly after.

Should the lockout persist later into the spring, it could impact the league’s broadcast partners. The Athletic, citing people briefed on MLB’s rights agreements, reported that the league’s national broadcast contracts would extend an additional year to 2029 if 60 or more games are cut from each team’s 2027 schedule. Local broadcasters could feel the affects even sooner if games are lost in the lockout.

Looking back at past MLB lockouts

There have been nine strikes and lockouts in major league history:

1972 MLB strike: Canceled 86 games. The owners conceded after 13 days.

1973 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. Owners and the MLBPA agreed on a three-year CBA and spring training games resumed.

1976 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. Players were locked out of spring training the first few weeks of March. No regular-season games were missed. 

1980 MLB strike: Canceled no games. Players went on strike late in spring training and an agreement was reached before the beginning of the regular season.

1981 MLB strike: Canceled 713 games. The MLBPA went on strike after games on June 11 and games didn’t resume until Aug.10.

1985 MLB strike: Canceled no games. This in-season strike lasted from Aug. 6-7, but the games missed were made up at the end of the season.

1990 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. This lockout destroyed spring training and pushed the start of the season back a week, but the full 162-game season was played. 

1994–95 MLB strike: Canceled 938 games and the entire 1994 postseason, including the World Series. At the time, it was the longest work stoppage in professional sports history (since surpassed by the 2004-05 NHL lockout).

2021-22 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. The first two series of the regular season, plus all of spring training, were originally canceled, but a 162-game season was salvaged when the two sides agreed to end the lockout on March 10.

Will MLB enter a lockout? Here's everything to know for the looming work stoppage originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A new MLB champion has been crowned, and now the baseball world will eagerly await a return to the diamond.

The timing of that return, however, is very much up in the air.

Major League Baseball owners and the MLB Players Association are a month away from a potential lockout. The two sides can work out a new collective bargaining agreement to prevent a work stoppage, but they are far apart on several key issues in labor discussions.

Those topics have to be negotiated and agreed upon, and they could shape the next half-decade of the league. Teams can’t return to play until both sides sign a new collective bargaining agreement.

When would a lockout begin, how long could it last and which issues are at the center of discussions? Here’s everything to know as the expiration date for the current CBA quickly approaches.

What is a lockout?

A lockout is a work stoppage when the owners of a sports league and the players’ union fail to agree on a collective bargaining agreement before the existing one expires. There are no games until the two sides agree on a new CBA.

Players are barred from team facilities and official activities during a lockout, they do not get paid and their images are expected to be removed from the league’s official website.

On the team side, franchises cannot sign players or make trades during a lockout, which could spark a free-agent frenzy in November.

When does the current MLB CBA expire?

The current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association will expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. It was signed on March 10, 2022, after a 99-day lockout.

Why is there going to be an MLB lockout?

The MLB and MLBPA are at odds over money, namely a potential salary cap, its impact on the competitive balance of the league and the ramifications for players’ earnings.

The league believes a salary cap would help level the playing field for its 30 ballclubs. The highest-spending team in 2026, New York Mets, had a payroll exceeding $346 million, per Spotrac. On the other end, the lowest-spending team, the Cleveland Guardians, had a payroll below $75 million.

“In order for this game to reach its full potential, we need to continue to address concerns that our fans have, particularly concerns that go to the core of what we’re about — that is, competitive balance,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in July. “We need to make sure that fans in markets at the beginning of the season have a realistic belief that their team has a chance to win.”

However, spending did not equate to winning in 2026. The final four teams were No. 2 (Los Angeles Dodgers), No. 19 (Milwaukee Brewers), No. 28 (Tampa Bay Rays) and No. 30 (Guardians).

The Dodgers’ acquisition of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal ahead of this year’s trade deadline fueled debate about the competitive advantage big spenders can afford. Months later, their three-peat bid came crashing down in the NLCS at the hands of the Brewers, who swept that series and defeated the Rays for their first World Series title.

“It’s further evidence that the league’s purported ‘competitive balance’ justification for a salary cap holds no water,” Bruce Meyer, the acting executive director of the MLB Players Association, told NBC News in a statement ahead of the World Series. “But that’s never been the real reason why they want a salary cap. They want it to juice their profits and franchise values.”

Local revenue shares will also be negotiated. The league wants to equalize those shares among all 30 teams, but it would come at a cost to high-earning teams.

The schedule has also been mentioned in labor talks.

In a recent bargaining session, MLB proposed cutting the regular season from 162 games to 154 games while expanding the Division Series from five games to seven starting in 2029. It also proposed having higher seeds choose their playoff opponent beginning in 2027.

“Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off-day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said. “A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans — with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage. And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones.”

Other issues in labor discussions include the league’s drug-testing program and players wearing microphones in games for broadcast use.

How many games could MLB miss during the lockout?

It could be as few as zero, but there is no limit to the number of games that could be lost to a lockout.

When is the deadline for a new CBA?

There is no official deadline for the two sides to reach a new agreement, but there are certain cutoff dates where the season and league partners would be greatly affected.

The two sides were able to salvage a 162-game season in 2022 after agreeing to a new CBA on March 10, three weeks ahead of the originally scheduled Opening Day. The start of the regular season was pushed back a week to April 7, the end of the season was extended three days and nine-inning doubleheaders were added to make up for a condensed schedule. Even if MLB cancels early games next spring, they could reappear in the schedule if an agreement is reached shortly after.

Should the lockout persist later into the spring, it could impact the league’s broadcast partners. The Athletic, citing people briefed on MLB’s rights agreements, reported that the league’s national broadcast contracts would extend an additional year to 2029 if 60 or more games are cut from each team’s 2027 schedule. Local broadcasters could feel the affects even sooner if games are lost in the lockout.

Looking back at past MLB lockouts

There have been nine strikes and lockouts in major league history:

1972 MLB strike: Canceled 86 games. The owners conceded after 13 days.

1973 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. Owners and the MLBPA agreed on a three-year CBA and spring training games resumed.

1976 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. Players were locked out of spring training the first few weeks of March. No regular-season games were missed. 

1980 MLB strike: Canceled no games. Players went on strike late in spring training and an agreement was reached before the beginning of the regular season.

1981 MLB strike: Canceled 713 games. The MLBPA went on strike after games on June 11 and games didn’t resume until Aug.10.

1985 MLB strike: Canceled no games. This in-season strike lasted from Aug. 6-7, but the games missed were made up at the end of the season.

1990 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. This lockout destroyed spring training and pushed the start of the season back a week, but the full 162-game season was played. 

1994–95 MLB strike: Canceled 938 games and the entire 1994 postseason, including the World Series. At the time, it was the longest work stoppage in professional sports history (since surpassed by the 2004-05 NHL lockout).

2021-22 MLB lockout: Canceled no games. The first two series of the regular season, plus all of spring training, were originally canceled, but a 162-game season was salvaged when the two sides agreed to end the lockout on March 10.