For years, many folks have clamored for the Colorado Rockies to honor their history. Many teams around the league have some sort of “Hall of Fame” honoring great achievements in franchise history. The Arizona Diamondbacks came into the league five years after the Rockies did, and even they set up both a 20th Anniversary Experience in 2018and a team Hall of Fame in 2024. The Rays, who also joined MLB in 1998, created their own team Hall of Fame in 2023; and the Miami Marlins — the Rockies’ 1993 expansion twins — created one in 2025.
In 2022, Skyler Timmins wrote about establishing a Rockies Hall of Fame. In 2025, Evan Lang called upon the Rockies to celebrate more of their history. After all, they now have two Hall of Famers in Cooperstown and both have had their numbers retired.
While the team has not officially announced a team Hall of Fame, they did make an announcement on Saturday at Rockies Fest: Hall of Famers Larry Walker and Todd Helton would be honored with statues commemorating their time with the Rockies.
Join us for a celebration and statue unveiling of Rockies Legends Larry Walker and Todd Helton!
While Helton was unable to attend the festival due to an illness, both Walkers — Larry and Monfort — were on hand to discuss the momentous occasion.
“A while back, a few of us here internally got together,” Monfort explained.
“Obviously, we have two retired numbers up there — 33 and 17. It commemorates their incredible achievements as Rockies, both Todd and Larry. To me, they are a big part of me being a baseball fan today. They’re just incredible athletes, and we took it a step further. We got together and decided ‘Hey, we ought to also commemorate here at Coors Field the fact that they are also both members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“So this year, we are very excited to announce that on Sunday, August 23, we will unveil a Larry Walker statue here at Coors,” he continued. “And on Saturday, September 19, we will unveil a Todd Helton statue.”
In addition to the statues, Monfort also said that fans will receive commemorative mini statues. (“I wouldn’t say bobbleheads because their heads don’t bobble.”)
“Obviously, these two have meant so much not only to me and my family personally, but to all of us Rockies fans and staff, and we’re very excited that they will live forever here at Coors Field.”
Larry Walker said he has already met with the sculptors, and explained how much this moment means to him.
“The number being retired, and you walk in the ballpark, and I see 33 up there, trust me, it melts my heart. It’s a pretty cool honor to have that,” Walker said.
“And then when the phone call comes and says ‘We’re going to put a statue outside the ballpark’ — those are two pretty cool things that when you play baseball you don’t (think about). And I’m glad I enjoyed my career in a Rockies uniform, and I’m honored and thank you to the Monfort and Rockies family for allowing this to happen.”
Monfort mentioned that they took inspiration from the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the New York Yankees Monument Park. He also said the process has been in the works for the last five or so years, with Vice President of Community Relations and Retail Operations Jim Kellogg working to secure the sculptors.
Eventually, the Rockies commissioned George and Mark Lundeen of Lundeen Sculptures in Longmont.
Even though the Rockies are still considered an expansion team, they do have history to be recognized and are finally leaning into it.
“If you’ve been a Rockies fan for long enough, we’ve been impacted by these guys,” Monfort said.
“We have memories that will never, ever go away because we were either here or we saw something on TV, and that’s what this is all about. We’re capturing history, and want to be able to explain our history to future generations and to the kids that are running around here that didn’t have the chance to see them play… that’s why it’s so important to us.”
While this wasn’t an official “Rockies Hall of Fame” announcement, it is a step in the right direction. The Rockies have had some bad years as of late and won’t be competitive in 2026. However, there is a new vibe at 20th and Blake; there is an optimism for what can be accomplished, and there is a lot of buy-in from coaches and players. While the statues might be part of “the future of nostalgia,” it’s a great way for the Rockies to continue to honor their greatest players while setting a precedent for the future.
There is a lot riding on the 2026 season, but even more in the seasons beyond. Matt Postins identifies Ethan Holliday and Charlie Condon as key cogs to turn the franchise around. So far they’ve showed promise, and Condon could be in the majors potentially as early as 2026.
Zack Meisel thinks that Ramírez and Cleveland are a perfect match that almost never happened. (The Athletic sub. req.) Ramírez has now twice agreed to a below-market extension to stay in the Western Reserve.
Tyler Kepner looks at newly-elected Hall-of-Famer Carlos Beltrán’s cap dilemma for his plaque in Cooperstown. (The Athletic sub. req.) Kepner also notes that this has been an increasing issue in recent years. Beltrán appears to be debating between a Mets cap, a Royals cap or going in without a team insignia on his plaque.
In the long history of the Yankees, the players to have donned the pinstripes run the spectrum from complete unknowns to national heroes. In between those two extremes, you have the type of player who maybe didn’t compile the most noteworthy career, but who provided a moment that has become immortalized in the annals of the franchise. Brian Doyle certainly falls into this category.
Brian Reed Doyle Born: January 26, 1954 (Glasgow, KY) Yankees Tenure: 1978-80
Brian Doyle and his twin brother, Blake, were born on January 26, 1954, in Glasgow, KY, the younger brothers of major league second baseman Denny Doyle. The pair attended Caverna High School in Horse Cave, Kentucky, where Brian (a second baseman) and Blake (a pitcher and shortstop) led the team to the second state baseball championship in the program’s history in 1972. Both brothers had received several athletic scholarship offers from Division I schools, but had to change course following a family health scare. Their father suffered a heart attack in 1972, causing both brothers to declare for the 1972 June amateur draft thanks to the lucrative signing bonus offers that could help keep the family afloat in that time of financial need.
Brian and Blake were drafted in the fourth round that summer, by the Rangers and Orioles, respectively, and this is where the twins’ baseball stories diverged. Doyle experienced instant success upon being assigned to the Geneva Senators in the Short-Season A New York-Pennsylvania League, batting .256/.390/.363 with 16 stolen bases in 215 ABs. Unfortunately, Doyle was not able to sustain that early success, with injuries limiting him to just 115 ABs in 1974 and a prolonged slump leading to his demotion to the Class A Carolina League in 1975.
But then in his fourth season in the minor leagues, something clicked. In 1976, Doyle started the season on fire, leading to a promotion to Triple-A Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League. He finished that season batting .290 with three home runs and 32 RBI in 393 ABs, attracting the attention of the Yankees. Intrigued by this surging young player, on February 17, 1977, the Yankees traded Sandy Alomar Sr. to the Rangers for Doyle, fellow minor leaguer Greg Pryor, and $25,000.
Doyle was assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs of the International League and began his tenure in the Yankees organization exactly as he ended his tenure in the Rangers organization — on fire. He scored nine hits in his first 26 ABs including lining up opposite his twin in a May 16th game against the Rochester Red Wings. However, misfortune struck again, a severely injured finger derailing a player who looked to be on the fast track to the majors. Both his offense and defense suffered, Doyle finishing the year batting .200 with no home runs in the second half of the season.
By the time 1978 rolled around, Doyle was back to full health, though the same could not be said for the major league club. The Yankees were struck by an uncommon number of injuries to start the season, which led to Doyle’s first call-up in April to replace infielder Mickey Klutts, who had broken his thumb. Doyle made his MLB debut on April 30th, going hitless in three ABs against Twins righty Roger Erickson after replacing Willie Randolph at second base early in the contest.
Doyle was briefly optioned back down in May, but found his way back to the major league club after batting .333 in 75 ABs at Triple-A Tacoma. He collected his first two major league hits in a 4-0 win over the California Angels on June 17th, but was back on the shuttle to the minor leagues when first baseman Jim Spencer came off the DL. The September roster expansions gave Doyle another crack in the majors, but he registered just one appearance as a defensive sub with the Yankees and Red Sox locked in a fierce divisional battle for first place.
Sometimes, all you need is one opportunity, and Doyle’s came when Randolph suffered a season-ending hamstring injury running out an infield single in the eighth inning of a September 29th tilt against Cleveland. Doyle entered as a pinch-runner and scored the go-ahead run in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory. In the final games of the regular season, Doyle platooned with Fred Stanley, including starting the famous Bucky Dent Game when the Yankees defeated the Red Sox in the AL East tiebreaker playoff at Fenway to punch their ticket to the postseason.
The following day, Doyle was penciled in as the starter at second for Game 1 of the ALCS against the Royals. However, after being left off the 25-man playoff roster, he had to receive last-minute emergency dispensation from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn to be added to the roster. He collected a pair of hits including the first RBI of his career, a fifth inning single off Steve Mignori to plate Graig Nettles as the Yankees went on to win, 7-1. Doyle was used as a defensive sub in Game 2, did not appear in Game 3, and drew a walk in the series-clinching Game 4 as the Yankees were set to defend their World Series crown against the Dodgers.
With the southpaw Tommy John on the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1, Doyle started on the bench and was only used as a late-inning defensive replacement as the Yankees lost, 11-5. He drew the start in Game 2, knocking a single off Dodgers starter Burt Hooton, but Ron Cey’s three-run homer off Catfish Hunter put the Yankees in a hole, 0-2, to start the series.
Doyle got the start again in Game 3 and went hitless in four ABs, but the Yankees clawed themselves back into the series with a 5-1 victory. John started his second game of the series in Game 4, which again relegated Doyle to being a late-inning defensive replacement as Lou Piniella leveled the series at two games apiece with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th.
Hooton was back on the mound for the Dodgers in Game 5 meaning Doyle earned the start and batted eighth. He singled to center with one out in the fourth off reliever Lance Rautzhan and scored on a Mickey Rivers single as the Yankees plated three in the frame to extend their lead to 7-2. He singled again with one on and one out in the seventh off reliever Charlie Hough, scoring on a Roy White single as part of a four-run outburst. He collected his third single of the contest in the eighth, this time with two outs, and the Yankees completed their 12-2 romp to pull within a win of back-to-back titles.
The series returned to Los Angeles for Game 6 with future Hall of Famer Don Sutton on the mound for the home team. Davey Lopes opened the scoring with a leadoff home run off Hunter in the first, but Doyle responded in the second, doubling to deep left with two on and one out to plate Nettles as the tying run. Both Doyle and Spencer would score a batter later when Dent grounded a two-run single up the middle to give the Yankees the lead, 3-1. After Lopes drew the Dodgers within one in the third, Doyle legged out an infield single in the fourth, though the Yankees failed to score in the frame. Two innings later, Piniella led off with a single, but Sutton recored a pair of quick-fire outs to seemingly end the threat. However, Doyle lined a two-out single to center to plate Piniella and restore the Yankees’ two-run cushion before scoring himself on a Dent single to left that made it 5-2, Yankees. Reggie Jackson clinched the World Series winning victory with a two-run home run in the seventh, and just like that Doyle went from a September call-up to World Series hero in the span of six weeks.
Doyle led all Yankees hitters with a .438 average across those six games. He finished second in World Series MVP voting behind Dent. The pair collected three hits each in Games 5 and 6 as the No. eight and nine hitters in the lineup, scoring four runs between them in Game 5 and driving in five runs combined in Game 6. As Doyle put it after raising the trophy, “All I know is, I’m not going to sell clothes this winter,” in reference to his offseason job selling shirts and fitting customers at Gold & Farley’s clothing store in Bowling Green, KY. Doyle was celebrated in a parade on “Brian Doyle Day” in his hometown of Cave City, KY, a week later and capitalized on his newfound family name fame by opening the Doyle Baseball instructional school in Florida alongside his brothers that winter.
With Randolph fully healthy at the start of the 1979 season, Doyle returned to a bench role and appeared in just 20 games. It was more of the same in 1980, though Doyle did collect the lone home run of his major league career — a solo shot off Cleveland righty Len Barker on June 29th. Following the conclusion of the season, the Yankees traded Doyle’s platoon partner Stanley and a player to be named later to the A’s for pitcher Mike Morgan, the Yankees sending Doyle to complete the deal. However, the commissioner vetoed Doyle’s inclusion given he was assigned to a minor league club at the time, though the A’s managed to complete the transaction by selecting Doyle in the Rule 5 Draft in December.
Injuries prevented Doyle from ever nailing down a starting role in Oakland, as a separated shoulder suffered in a collision at second base with Blue Jays DH Otto Vélez on May 24, 1982 ended Doyle’s major-league career. After brief management stints in the minor leagues, Doyle retired from organizational baseball in 1984. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, but was able to make it to Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium that season, where he was celebrated for his World Series performance. Doyle has remained a familiar presence at Old-Timers’ Day events ever since.
If not for his World Series heroics, Brian Doyle would likely have joined the long list of players to have played for the Yankees but faded into obscurity. However, those six games cemented Doyle’s place in the memories of many Yankees fans.
References
Brian Doyle. Baseball-Reference.
Brian Doyle. Baseball Almanac.
Skelton, David E. “Brian Doyle.” SABR
Grubbs, Rob. “From the Bronx to the Barn: Brian Doyle’s remarkable journey comes full circle in Newnan.” The Newnan Times-Herald. July 3, 2025.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
The MLB regular season is fast approaching, and there are a couple of can’t miss series early on in the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Home Opener series against Baltimore April 3-6
The Pirates start their first two series of the year on the road against the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds. While those two series will undoubtedly be very exciting in their own right, PNC Park in the early part of the year is just that much better, especially if you have the privilege of being there in person. As with every Opening Day contest, the Pirates will be getting started at 4:12 p.m. in what should be a fun series against the Baltimore Orioles.
I had the opportunity to be at the home opener in PNC Park in 2024 (also against Baltimore) and it was possibly the most memorable sporting event that I had ever been to. Pittsburgh was in the middle of some nasty storms, and the rivers surrounding the stadium were flooding over. It was a football like environment because of how cold it was, but it did not change the fact that the backdrop at PNC Park was breathtaking.
Rain, snow or shine, the stadium is going to be packed out that first weekend at home. The Orioles will be bringing their young plucky team to face a rejuvenated Pirates’ lineup that should make for a great first series in Pittsburgh.
First series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field April 10-12
Just a week after their home opener the Pirates will be back on the road to face their NL Central division rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
All due respect to PNC Park, there really is nothing like Wrigley Field. First opened in 1914 it is the second oldest stadium in Major League Baseball, only being outdone by Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. With that being said, Wrigley is one of the most iconic venues across the country. People come from all over the world to visit Chicago, and a visit Wrigley is typically on their itinerary. From the old school scoreboard to the iconic ivy covered walls in the outfield, it is one of the premier destinations as a baseball fan.
Aside from the incredible venue, the early opportunity to take down a division rival also makes this series very exciting. The Cubs and the Pirates are a couple of the oldest and most iconic franchises in baseball and it’s always great when the two clash. The Pirates lead the series 1317-1286 all time against the Cubs, but Chicago is 8-2 in their last ten contests against Pittsburgh. If the Pirates can pull off some wins in Wrigley it will serve as great momentum early on in the year.
Battle for the Keystone State at PNC Park May 15-17
Considered by many to be one of the best rivalries in the National League, the hatred between the Pirates and the Phillies dates all the way back to late 1880’s when the two clubs first met. Despite them not playing in the same division since 1994, the series between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are still highly anticipated.
Not only is there a buzz because of the in-state Pennsylvania rivalry, there’s a lot to be excited about because of the great talent on both of these teams. The powerful Philly combo of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber almost always guarantees fireworks. The Pittsburgh tandem of pitcher Paul Skenes and slugger Ryan O’Hearn adds to the excitement surround the Pirates’ new-look roster for 2026.
For whatever reason, the city of Pittsburgh is obsessed with fireworks, and a firework show at PNC Park is like no other. The first game of this series will be a night contest with Zambelli Fireworks being scheduled following the game. A night game at PNC Park is already an incredible time, as the sun sets over the city’s skyline, but throw in some fireworks, and you’ve got a perfect yinzer night out. These two teams are primed to make big moves within their respective divisions, but a classic brawl between historic rivals is almost just as important.
Let us know in the comments which series yinz are looking forward to the most as the season is fast approaching!
I have a feeling that one of the bigger stories entering spring training and the 2026 season is going to be the lineup and how Rob Thomson constructs it. There is a linked story down below about it, but even then, what goes on after the top three in the order hit? Where does Adolis Garcia fit in all of this?
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! If you’re in Maryland or one of the other areas that got hit with winter weather, I hope you’re staying warm. Here in Columbia, we got about seven inches of snow and a whole lot of ice. I’ll be staying home again today, because who wants to go out if they don’t have to?
If you were hoping to spend the cold weekend warming your hands at the Hot Stove, you were left disappointed. There was no Orioles news and little other news. The White Sox signed Seranthony Dominguez to be their closer, and José Ramírez agreed to a contract extension with the Guardians through 2032. He must really like it there!
There was a bit of Orioles-adjacent info that came out, neither of which was too exciting. Hanser Alberto, whose best MLB season came with the Orioles in 2019, announced his retirement. Alberto hadn’t played in the majors since 2023. In 2019, Alberto hit .305/.329/422. He also had 12 home runs, which was nine more than in any other season. Best of luck in retirement, Hanser!
The other info that came out was an announcement by Tomoyuki Sugano that he doesn’t intend to return to Japan after one season with the Orioles. He plans to stay in MLB and is “waiting for offers.” I hope he gets one.
Of course, there is also the thing that we’ve been talking about the entire off-season: pitching. Jim Bowden had a story in The Athletic on Friday ranking the remaining free agents. At the top of the list is Framber Valdez, who has surprisingly not signed yet. In his blurb on Valdez, this is what Bowden had to say:
Most in the industry believe that he will eventually land with the Baltimore Orioles for fewer years than he anticipated at the beginning of free agency.
Anything written by Bowden has to be taken with more than a few grains of salt, but I have to admit I enjoy reading that. Maybe this will be the week!
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies: Jemile Weeks (39), Rick Schu (64), and Bob Nieman (b. 1927, d. 1985). Weeks appeared in just three games with the Orioles, but I will always remember him as the trade return for Jim Johnson. By 2013, Johnson had been with the Orioles for eight years and was coming off of back-to-back 50-save seasons. He was due $10 million in salary, which seemed too much for the Orioles. So they sent him packing. The trade was a bit of a head-scratcher, but it turned out in the Orioles’ favor. Johnson was terrible in 2014. Anyway, sorry about not having a Jemile Weeks story on his birthday.
On this day in 2004, the Orioles re-signed Sidney Ponson to a three-year deal. They had traded him to San Francisco at the 2003 trade deadline and the Orioles just had to get him back. Ponson’s second stint with the Orioles did not go so well. In two seasons, he was terrible. The Orioles released him with a year left on his contract for violating their morals clause. Ponson had a number of legal run-ins, including the infamous judge-punching incident.
In 2015, the Orioles signed Chris Parmelee to a minor-league contract. He was called up in early June and had four hits, two of which were home runs, in his first game. It was very exciting! Things fell off after that, and he ended up missing the last few months with injury. He was never heard from again in Baltimore.
In 2021, the Orioles signed infielder Freddy Galvis. He played in 72 games with Baltimore before going back to Philadelphia at the trade deadline.
And in 2023, the Orioles traded for pitcher Cole Irvin. They sent prospect Darrell Hernaiz to the then-Oakland Athletics and got Irvin and minor-leaguer Kyle Virbitsky in return. Irvin spent two seasons in Baltimore, splitting his time between the rotation and the bullpen. He did not have much success, but was an easy guy to root for. There was some heartburn among Orioles fans over sending away an interesting prospect in Hernaiz, but so far he hasn’t done much with the Athletics. He’s still young, though, just 24 years old.
The Detroit Tigers 2023 draft is currently on track to be among their best ever. That draft is going to be remembered for Max Clark in the first round, and an absolute steal in Kevin McGonigle in the competitive balance round. Second rounder Max Anderson has a shot to make his presence felt in the big leagues as well. Third rounder Paul Wilson was a high school star and one of the best prep left-handers in his class. The pick was well received, but Wilson struggled mightily in 2024 and then needed UCL reconstruction in April 2025. The goal now is just to get him back on the mound and working sometime this summer.
The Tigers paid the Oregon product $755,000 over slot as a third rounder to pass on his college commitment to Oregon State, and Wilson had a lot of other teams interested in doing the same. The Tigers were happy to get to him first, and landed a pretty advanced young pitcher who had been coached up from an early age by his father Trevor, himself an eight veteran MLB pitcher.
Wilson’s 2024 Complex League debut was really rocky. He didn’t pitch that much, making eight starts, until he was shut down in late July with an undisclosed injury. Prior to that, he’d shown a pretty deep repertoire of pitches, but was also plagued by some stretches of wildness as he tried to implement some adjustments to his delivery.
In 2025, he started the season with Single-A Lakeland and while his stuff looked nastier, he was still fighting his delivery through a couple of short outings before the injury ended his season. Wilson has a quick arm and some deception from a pretty prototypical high three-quarters arm slot. He appeared to have added some good muscle and his balance and lead leg blocking both looked better than in his high school days. Unfortunately, his velocity was also down a good bit, and he still sometimes threw some very wild pitches, both proving to be harbingers of the elbow injury brewing.
UCL reconstruction at Wilson’s age obviously delays his progress, but nowadays the odds are quite high that the surgery and rehab will be a success. Tarik Skubal didn’t have access to the top surgeons in the game when he had the procedure as a college freshman, and he’s done alright. So with a bit of luck, Wilson will be back on the mound sometime late this summer for a little work, and then ready to go full speed again in 2027. The problem is that he’ll be 22 years old by the time he gets a full season of work in, putting him on the same track as a college draft pick, but with far less experience.
With two and half years since his draft day, minimal progress and now a major injury, it would be reasonable to drop Wilson off the board entirely, but the potential he showed in high school is still actionable and it’s worth giving him through 2027 before writing him off. Drafting prep pitchers is a high risk, high reward game, but either way one has to expect that in most cases things are not going to go smoothly. The advantage is that while top college pitchers are safer, they’re also snatched up in the first two or three rounds of the draft. Using your bonus pool to sign a bunch of talented prep pitchers later in the draft gives you a shot at some real home runs. That’s going to come with some big misses too. Wilson may prove to be one of them, but for now we’ll give him the same amount of time we’d give a college pitcher before making any final verdicts on his future.
As a highly regarded prep pitcher, Wilson was comfortably 92-94 mph with his fourseamer, occasionally reaching back for a little extra. In high school he also showed off an advanced curveball-changeup combination and both pitches showed out pretty well in his brief 2025 work though command remained sketchy. The fourseam shape needed some tweaking to get better carry, and there were signs of that, as well as good progress with his slider, in 2025. Combined with good control, a projectibile frame that promised more velocity, and good feel for pitching overall for his age, there was a ton to like on draft day.
What we need to see this year is Wilson back on the mound after the All-Star break with his velocity intact. In 2027, a real leap is going to be required or Wilson may just drift off into org starter territory, a far cry from the mid-rotation upside he had on draft day.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Steve Trout* and others are traded for, plus the expanded strike zone and more!Where were you when it really snowedin Chicago?
Today in baseball history:
1931 – The International League accepts the open draft imposed by the major leagues. Until this time, the top minor leagues could control their players and refuse to sell them. (2)
1963 – Major League Baseball’s Rules Committee increases the size of the strike zone. The zone will stretch from the top of the batter’s shoulders to the bottom of the knees. The committee hopes the return to the 1950s strike zone will result in a decrease in runs scored. The results will exceed the committee’s expectations, and after the “Year of the Pitcher” in 1968, the strike zone will be tweaked again to give the hitters a break. (2)
1531 – Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die.
1784 – Benjamin Franklin expresses unhappiness over eagle as America’s symbol.
1788 – Captain Arthur Phillip and British colonists hoist the Union Flag at Sydney Cove, New South Wales, now celebrated as Australia Day. Referred to as Invasion Day by some First Nations people.
1887 – Ground is broken and construction begins on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
1967 – Chicago “Big Snow” strikes with a record 23 inches of snow fall causing 800 buses and 50,000 automobiles to be abandoned.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Artemi Panarin: 19G-37A-56PTS; Mika Zibanejad: 21G-27A-48PTS; J.T. Miller: 13G-19A-32PTS
Jonathan Quick: 3-11-2, 3.20 GAA, .885 save percentage
Game notes
The Bruins are in snowy New York City on this fine Monday to face the New York Rangers, who are at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division after a disastrous first half of the season.
That disastrous first half featured, among other things, a 10-2 shellacking by the Bruins and another open later to Rangers fans talking about an impending retool. Good times.
Jonathan Quick has been shouldering the load in the absence of Igor Shesterkin, who was injured earlier this month. It…hasn’t gone well for Quick, who has lost his last 12 starts (and only two of those losses were beyond regulation). Yikes.
Speaking of losses, the Rangers have lost three games in a row and eight of their last nine. I don’t mean to pile on the Blueshirts, so I guess we could just leave it at “things have not been going well across the board.”
Sorry, last one: the Rangers have been bad at home this season, sitting at just 5-13-4 at Madison Square Garden.
Spencer Martin started the Rangers’ last game, a 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Friday.
This is the last match-up of the season between these two teams, as aside from the aforementioned 10-2 game, the Rangers beat the B’s 6-2 back in November.
The Rangers are celebrating their centennial season this year, and like the Bruins, they are milking it for all that they can. Tonight is one of their “eras” type celebrations, “Legendary Blueshirts,” which will be “honoring some of the best to ever play the game, some of the best individual seasons and team accomplishments in franchise history.”
Tonight will be the first game of back-to-backs for the Bruins, who will host Nashville at TD Garden on Tuesday night.
Hope your back isn’t too sore from all the shoveling! See ya tonight!
New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: The major business for the Yankees seems to be done for the winter, after the team agreed to terms with Cody Bellinger last week. That makes Belli the biggest addition (or retread) of the club alongside the returning Trent Grisham and new Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers. It’s not exactly as big a splash as some of the division opponents have made in the offseason, with the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Orioles all on paper a little better than they were to end 2025. The Yankees are betting on repeating 2025’s “success,” with a very similar roster, and it’ll take a few months to see if that wager is a fruitful one.
MLB.com | Bryan Murphy: A key to the Yankees’ success in 2026 will be a rerun of Carlos Rodón’s strong campaign, even as the lefty continues to rehab from elbow surgery in his pitching arm. The nominal #1-B pitcher had bone chips removed from the joint back in October, and while he is still expected to start the season on the IL, his recovery seems to be progressing normally. Rodón himself seems excited that he can button his own shirt, and if that’s the mile marker he needs to be at at this stage, that’s good news.
FanGraphs | David Laurila: By now we know two former Yankees were voted into Cooperstown, with Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán getting the requisite 75 percent of the BBWAA vote for enshrinement. Another ex-bomber, Bobby Abreu, seems to be having a tougher time building a voting case for himself, and with three years remaining on the ballot, he may end up falling just short of baseball’s most exclusive club.
Los Angeles Dodgers World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto holds his trophy as teammates celebrate their win in Game 7 of baseball's World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
In their quest for a third consecutive World Series championship, the Dodgers will encounter obstacles in some of the usual suspects.
The Mets, who picked up Freddy Peralta and Bo Bichette. The Blue Jays, who added Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto. The Yankees, who re-signed Cody Bellinger.
Over the next nine-plus months, however, the Dodgers’ competition won’t be limited to the 29 other teams in the league.
The Dodgers will also be taking on history.
(L-R) Roki Sasaki and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays. Getty ImagesA view of the Commissioner’s Trophy being raised after the LA Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5–4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
They will be measured against champions spanning multiple generations, from Babe Ruth’s Yankees to Mickey Mantle’s to Derek Jeter’s.
They will be chasing the legacies of every powerhouse team from the Big Red Machine to the Orioles of Frank Robinson and Jim Palmer, the three-peating Athletics of Reggie Jackson to the Braves of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.
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As baseball’s only repeat champions in the last 25 years, the Dodgers already belong in the company of these dominant champions of the past. But the group led by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman now has a chance to elevate itself in the sport’s mythical realm.
In front of the Dodgers is not only the opportunity to make history but also rewrite it. If they win the World Series this year, they will have a legitimate claim as the greatest team of all time.
Los Angeles recognizes when history is being made, and similar to when Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant dominated the NBA or when Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart powered the most recent USC dynasty, the people here know the Dodgers have the kind of team they will be telling their grandchildren about.
LA Dodgers World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto holds his trophy as teammates celebrate their win. AP(C) Dodgers’ Dave Roberts celebrates with his team after defeating the Blue Jays 5–4 to win the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
The appetite for Dodgers-related information has become insatiable in Los Angeles.
The first time I spoke to Ohtani, he was still playing for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Japanese league. I visited the hometown of Roki Sasaki and spoke to a close friend of his late father, who died in the 2011 tsunami that devastated the region. I was able to interview Yoshinobu Yamamoto and interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda about their relationship, in the process learning the superstitious Sonoda wears lucky underwear on days when Yamamoto pitches.
With two more stars in Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz joining the Dodgers this year, there will be even more stories.
This is what our customers demand and deserve, particularly in what could be a generation-defining season for the Dodgers.
Would a third consecutive championship, or a fourth in six years, make the Dodgers the best team ever?
Manager Dave Roberts thinks so.
Over the last few decades, Roberts said, “The only team that compares is the Yankees.”
As great as the Atlanta Braves were in the 1990s, they won only one World Series. The San Francisco Giants won three titles from 2010–2014, but their offense was always mediocre, which is why they missed the playoffs twice in that five-year stretch.
The LA Dodgers win the World Series and celebrate on the field in the 2024 World Series. Robert Sabo for NY PostPitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers (R) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Blue Jays. Getty Images
The Yankees won the championship three years running, from 1998–2000. Including the 1996 World Series, they won the World Series four times in five years.
But the game has changed since then. A luxury tax was implemented to reduce spending on player salaries, and one of the side effects was supposed to be increased competitive balance. The postseason is also harder to navigate now, as the field has increased from six teams to 12.
What other teams could be compared to the Dodgers?
The Athletics or Reds of the 1970s? They never had to play a Wild Card or Division Series.
The Yankees of the 1950s and ’60s? They advanced directly from the regular season to the World Series, eliminating any possibility of an early-round upset.
Dodgers’ Ohtani celebrates with teammates in the locker room after defeating the Blue Jays. Getty ImagesThe Dodgers celebrate as they defeat the New York Yankees 7-6 to win Game Five and the 2024 World Series. Getty Images
By no fault of their own, no pre-integration team merits consideration, and that includes the 1927 Yankees. The player pool back then was much more limited than it is today.
Relative to their contemporaries, the Dodgers could be more loaded than any of the above-mentioned teams.
In theory, talent would be diluted in a 30-team league, but the Dodgers have seven former All-Stars in their projected lineup, counting Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy. They have four more in their starting rotation — Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow.
They have the most complete 40-man roster in baseball, with pitchers such as River Ryan and Gavin Stone who would be in the rotation plans of almost any other team. The Dodgers might not have a generational talent in the minors, but their farm system is marked by unmatched depth.
Dodgers’ president Stan Kasten stands in between the 2025 and 2026 World Series Trophies. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In Roberts’ view, there are factors beyond baseball ability and on-field performance to consider.
“I would say there’s more Dodger fans than there ever has been,” Roberts said. “Certainly because of social media, because of Shohei, because of our winning, [because of] Yamamoto. And the Yankees sort of did that in the ’90s. They were like the team of the world. So I do think that when you do something like that, that matters, too.
“As far as just on the playing field, that’s what you guys are for,” he added. “That’s what makes sports great, so people can debate.”
That’s why we’re here. To chronicle the efforts of a dynasty to enhance its legacy. To place what is done or said into context. To provide information that can inspire more spirited debates.
But he has a belief about where his 2026 Dodgers team is headed.
In his 10 years as manager of the Dodgers, the pressure on Roberts’ club has always been the same: World Series or bust.
The reasons why, however, have constantly shifted: End a decades-long title drought for the franchise. Validate a pandemic-altered 2020 championship with another. Erase a maddening pattern of October disappointments. Become the first repeat champion in a quarter-century, and cement a dynasty more than a decade in the making.
This year, the historical stakes facing the Dodgers will only heighten.
The LA Dodgers win the World Series and celebrate on the field after the game in Game Five of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY PostLA Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts celebrates with his team after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
They will be attempting to complete only the third World Series three-peat in MLB’s expansion era (since 1961). They will be trying to burnish their bid as one of the best teams of all time. And they will do it against the backdrop of continued angst around the sport, with their run of dominance pushing baseball (fairly or not) into an existential crisis over competitive balance and financial parity.
“It’s kind of who we are,” Roberts said. “That’s the expectation.”
Which is why, as Roberts discussed the upcoming season with The California Post recently, he didn’t bother tempering such expectations or cautioning about the obstacles that may lie in his team’s path.
The LA Dodgers win the World Series and celebrate on the field after the game in game five of the 2024 World Series. Robert Sabo for NY PostThe LA Dodgers pose for a group photo on the field after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Instead, he pondered historical comparisons between his current group and the late ‘90s New York Yankees, baseball’s most recent three-peat champions: “I think it’s a good debate,” he said, later adding: “I think three [World Series] in a row would certainly make our case stronger.”
He embraced the amplified external pressure that has enveloped his club: “If you’re saying a championship is the only thing that we expect, and we’re gonna win this year, then you gotta realize that bar. And I think that’s a good thing.”
And then, when asked if that meant he wanted to guarantee a third-straight ring, he chuckled and flashed a confident grin.
“That’s the plan,” he said. “That’s the plan.”
A view of the Commissioner’s Trophy being raised after the LA Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series. Getty ImagesPitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the LA Dodgers (R) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-4, in game seven of the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
On paper, of course, the Dodgers’ 2026 plans once again look impenetrable.
They are returning almost the entirety of their 2025 lineup, and added four-time All-Star and top free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million contract last week for good measure.
They are bringing back practically every member of last year’s pitching staff, save the now-retired Clayton Kershaw, and fortified their shaky bullpen by signing top free-agent closer Edwin Díaz to a $69 million deal last month.
Oh, and they will have Shohei Ohtani available as a full-time, two-way player for the first time in his Dodgers career too.
To no surprise, the Dodgers are already prohibitive title favorites according to both bookmakers (their World Series odds are three times shorter than the next closest contender) and analytic projections (they are a distant leader in Fangraphs’ team WAR projections, almost seven wins clear of any other club).
Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) celebrates on the podium after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Kevin Sousa-Imagn ImagesShohei Ohtani #17 of the LS Dodgers (C) celebrates with teammates in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series. Getty Images
“The team these guys put together and assembled, to give a great product for the fanbase in the city, to go out there and compete for a championship, kind of speaks for itself,” Tucker said at his introductory press conference last week, citing the Dodgers’ powerhouse status as one of his main appeals in coming to Los Angeles. “I think it’s very special. You don’t really get that very often.”
Then again, it’s not often that teams face the uniquely challenging circumstances the Dodgers will have to navigate this coming season.
Over the last two years, the club has played a combined 33 postseason games, putting a burdensome tax on their aging lineup.
“That’s an extra month to a month and a half that you don’t get to rest and recover, and that you’re pushing beyond what you normally do,” third baseman Max Muncy said during last year’s championship trek. “One postseason game is the equivalent of playing three extra-inning games, all at one time. The stress — both mental, physical, emotional — it’s just on a whole ‘nother level.”
Getty Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last October, the Dodgers also had to push their pitching staff (and starting rotation, in particular) to a point that often heightens injury risk for the following season.
“It’s something we definitely have to be mindful of,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at the Winter Meetings.
Team officials aren’t worried about motivation or complacency, not after one player after another took the mic at last November’s World Series parade and forecasted their aim for three-peat glory.
“I’m ready to get another ring next year,” Ohtani said then.
“It’s time to fill the hand all the way up, baby,” echoed Mookie Betts, who will be going for his fifth career World Series championship.
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But difficulties will present themselves, nonetheless, in ways that will force the Dodgers to be strategic with their roster management (the club is planning to be even more cautious than usual with pitchers’ workloads, and work in more off-days for their veteran hitters) and push through the daily mental grind of a 162-game marathon.
“I think the most taxing part of it, even with the pitchers, is the mind, the emotions,” Roberts said. “If you look at even last year, you could see that the intensity wasn’t there all year. It’s just hard to manufacture that, certainly coming off two world championships.”
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That, though, is why Roberts doesn’t want to shy away from pressure, expectations or historical significance. He’d rather his team embrace it, use it as fuel, and let it steel an organizational culture that has already brought them to the mountaintop of the sport –– and the precipice of legacy-cemented three-peat triumph.
“I think it puts it on [the players] and myself and the coaches to keep that incentive to be a team that wins three in a row,” Roberts said. “I have enough trust with our players that when I talk about things like that, they talk about things like that, we’re not gonna run from it … I think our guys really can understand and manage that, and that comes with experience.”
On Friday, MLB Pipeline released their annual preseason ranking of the league’s top 100 prospects. Five Brewers made the cut, all of whom were also named to Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects just a few days earlier.
Since I already briefly profiled each prospect when the Baseball America list came out, I won’t repeat myself. If you want to read a quick profile on each of the prospects, check out that article.
Now, I’m interested in why the two lists differ; in other words, why did MLB Pipeline rank each prospect lower or higher than Baseball America did?
3. SS Jesus Made (BA No. 4)
Made’s status as one of the best prospects in baseball is pretty universally agreed upon. Pipeline likes Made more than Cardinals infield prospect JJ Wetherholt, who Baseball America ranked above Made, but the difference between Made and Wetherholt (and Kevin McGonigle, Leo DeVries, and even No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin) is pretty minimal. While none of those shortstop prospects are exactly alike, all of them are seen as having superstar potential and have (so far) lived up to their billing in the minors. Any of those guys could end up being the best big leaguer out of the group.
One reason Pipeline may have ranked Made above Wetherholt is that he’s more likely to stick at shortstop, often considered a “premium” position. Wetherholt will probably move over to second or third base (at least early in his career) because he’s not a better defensive shortstop than the Cardinals’ current shortstop, Masyn Winn. Milwaukee does have a stud defensive shortstop prospect in Cooper Pratt, but he’s a prospect; Winn just won a Gold Glove. Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz is also arguably a top-three defensive shortstop in the league, but his bat has left a lot to be desired early in his career.
26. INF Luis Peña (BA No. 47)
Peña is ranked over 20 positions higher than he was by Baseball America. As detailed in the BA article, Peña’s offensive stats took a dive once he was promoted to High-A. Pipeline holds a more optimistic view of that stretch:
“Peña remained aggressive in search of contact and High-A pitchers exposed him as allergic to non-fastballs, throwing offspeed roughly 60% of the time after his promotion. Peña moved so quickly he needed exposure to that quality of stuff, but now, it’s on him to adjust back.”
The other thing holding Peña back, for now, is his defense. While he’s fast, has good range for his size, and has an above-average arm, he showed a tendency to “let balls slip by or… sail throws.” His eventual home may be at second or third base.
Peña is pretty raw, very young (turned 19 in November), and is still developing, so there’s a lot of projection involved in predicting his potential future outcomes. Still, he has the tools to be a top 10 prospect on this list someday — ostensibly part of the reason he’s ranked so highly.
51. SS/2B/OF Jett Williams (BA No. 71) & 64. SS Cooper Pratt (BA No. 50)
While Pratt (Pipeline No. 64) was ranked higher than Williams (Pipeline No. 51) on BA’s list, their places are reversed here. Pratt is a better defender and might have more overall upside if his bat develops as hoped, but that’s far from a certainty.
Pratt got on base at a solid clip last year (.343), but his batting average (.238) and slugging percentage (.348) still leave something to be desired. Williams (.828 OPS, 17 HRs) had a much better offensive season than Pratt (.691 OPS, 8 HR) did last year. Williams is also fast (clocking sprint speeds above 30 ft/second), a great baserunner, and incredibly versatile. He’s played at least 30 minor league games at three different positions (shortstop, second base, and center field). Pipeline sees Williams as a “good fit in a Milwaukee organization that highly values short, speedy types up the middle.” Since Pipeline tends to weigh current production and proximity to the big leagues a bit more heavily than Baseball America, it makes sense that Williams is ranked higher than Pratt.
For what it’s worth, the “short” thing feels like a strange inclusion to me. Other than Caleb Durbin (who isn’t normally an up-the-middle player for the Brewers), none of the Brewers’ middle infield and center field options are even that short. Joey Ortiz is 5’10”, Brice Turang is 5’11”, Jackson Chourio and Blake Perkins are listed at 6’ even. Garrett Mitchell is 6’2”. Milwaukee didn’t trade for Williams because of his diminutive (5’6”) stature; they traded for him because they value fast, athletic, defensively capable players who can get on base.
100. Brandon Sproat (BA No. 81)
Pipeline’s Mr. Irrelevant is a prime pitching lab candidate. Sproat has great stuff; Pipeline gives him a 60-grade slider and a 55-grade curveball and changeup. He’s ranked this low because he had an underwhelming season in Triple-A last year (4.24 ERA) and didn’t pitch any better in four September appearances with the Mets (4.79 ERA, albeit with 17 Ks in 20 2/3 innings pitched). He’s also 25 and will be 26 by next year’s playoffs.
The acquisition of Sproat gives me Quinn Priester vibes. Both were highly-drafted prospects with great stuff who struggled during their first tastes of the big leagues. Priester put together a great season with Milwaukee last year; hopefully, Sproat can do the same. If any team can get the most out of him, it’s the Brewers.
As I said in the Baseball America article, I have a breakdown of both Williams and Sproat coming soon… stay tuned.
Robbie Ray was an All-Star in 2025. At least, up until the All-Star break.
His 2.65 ERA led the club into the July recess. At that point in the season, he ranked in the top-10 among qualified pitchers across the MLB in innings pitched, batting average of balls-in-play, runners stranded (LOB%), and opponents’ average. In tandem with Logan Webb, the pair were co-aces leading one of the better rotations in the Majors. They were an odd-but-effective couple: Ray’s blunt instrument attacks at the letters one day; Webb’s heavier rocks-at-the-knees the next.
The invitation to the Midsummer Classic was well-deserved. His last two seasons for Seattle and San Francisco were cut short by Tommy John surgery then long delayed by recovery. But at the start of the 2025 season, Ray was finally healthy and pitched with purpose from the jump. The relief he felt being back on the mound with regularity was clear, his loud grunts of gratitude echoed throughout the stadiums as he won his first three outings of the year. From the end of April to the beginning of June, the southpaw strung together eight consecutive quality starts. His strong performance had Fangraphs’ blogger Ben Clemens singing his praises, marveling at Ray’s ability to do so much with so little. Just a mid-to-low 90s four-seamer, three subpar secondary pitches, and a whole lot of backspin was ostensibly all he needed to not only be effective, but reclaim his Cy Young form from 2021. Out of nowhere, he flirted with a “Maddux” in Arizona, throwing his second career complete game. He then tangoed with future World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto right before the break, logging his 13th quality start in 20 games.
But this is a 2025 San Francisco Giants player review after all, so we know the good times just don’t last — and Ray might’ve been the first body to fall off the back of the wagon.
His first start after the All Star break came in Toronto in which he surrendered 5 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. It was his worst outing of the year up to that point — but it’d have more competition as he and the Giants slogged through the dog days of summer. Having allowed just 4 earned runs in a start just once over his first 20 games, Ray gave up at least 4 or more runs in 6 over his final 12, including a horrific, knuckle-dragging stumble in which opposing teams plated 22 runs in 22.2 innings against him over his last 5 games. His ERA over the “shorter half” nearly doubled. His K/9 rate fell and his BB/9 rate increased. Balls in play started finding holes and open grass. Hitters became more persistent. Innings drew on longer and became harder to close out. Ray’s left-on-base percentage dropped nearly 20 points. Opponent’s OPS rose from .608 to .810.
As disappointing and as sharp as the decline was, it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. Fatigue is always a factor for any pitcher in the latter half of the season. Not to mention the fact that Ray, who turned 34 in October, has been wringing his arm out like laundry for over a decade’s worth of seasons now. The fabric is worn, the color faded, and then there’s the long wrinkle of his Tommy John surgery that stretches back to 2023. His last full season with a proper pitching load was with Seattle way back when in 2022 (189 IP/ 32 GS). The 119 innings Ray logged over his first 20 starts was nearly four times his innings total from 2024.
While the final 3.65 ERA in 2025 is surely a disappointment considering what Ray initially seemed to promise, it’s still lower than his career mark, and the drop off shouldn’t be too surprising. Looking back over his career, Ray has never been a steady hand. His three-outcomes style opens him up to wild swings in results, making sustained dominance over a whole season difficult. The real accomplishment of 2025 for Ray is that he stayed healthy. For better or for worse, he notched 32 starts for the fifth time in his career. His 182.1 innings were just 11 shy of his career high. He would’ve been considered the workhorse in the Dodger rotation, throwing more than Yoshinobu, more than double Tyler Glasnow’s regular season innings, nearly three-times Blake Snell’s, and nearly four-times Ohtani’s.
Small points of pride — but points all the same.
Ray has one more year on his Giants contract, and considering how the offseason has played out in terms of pitching acquisitions, the team is counting on him to reclaim his partnership with Webb at the top of the rotation. They need him to stay healthy again…and to be better through August and September.
Can he do that? Sureyeerrrrmaaheeyybeeee…
All I know is that Ray is a pitcher who can be both fun and infuriating to watch — and often these emotions are felt in the same game, or in the same inning. A lot of his success in the league comes from getting out of his own way. Walks and home runs and home runs after walks have been his downfall for a long while now. When he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2021 with a league leading 157 ERA+, his HR/9 rate was 1.5, the same rate as it was the following year in 2022 when he posted a 100 ERA+. Players will always hit the ball hard and in the air against Ray, the difference is if there are runners on base when that happens. While he’s certainly used to, and accepted, that walks are a part of his game, they still very much matter. His 4.77 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2021 dropped to 3.42 in 2022, while his walk rate increased from 2.4 to 3.0. That small increase has a ripple effect. All those extra pitches thrown and extended innings add up over 180 innings and can whittle you down to average.
A pitcher like Webb has a myriad of ways to get a batter out in terms of pitch type and location. He’s not afraid of contact because it’s often shot into the ground. Ray is playing a much more dangerous game. He needs to miss bats. He needs the strikeout, and to get a lot of strikeouts, count leverage, chase, and whiff are key ingredients. Last season, Ray’s 27 Whiff-%, while still above leave average, was his lowest (in a full season) since 2016. His K/9 rate dropped below 10 for the first time since 2015. More plate appearances ended when the batter was ahead in the count against Ray than behind (265 to 253). Count leverage can mean the difference between facing an All-Star in the box or Matt Cain. An .888 OPS and a .455 OPS is pretty stark, and for Ray last season, it ended up being a coin flip at times what kind of hitter he faced. Best not to leave that kind of thing up to chance.
First pitch strikes are key, as are finding a way to wiggle yourself back into a count you fell behind in. Webb’s strikeout-to-walk ratio after he fell behind 1-0 to a hitter was still 2-to-1 last season. For Ray, it was a smidge better than one-to-one.
I think the key for Ray in 2026 is to reassert his fastball. This is somewhat obvious. As mentioned earlier, it’s no secret, with its backspin and rise, that it’s his best pitch — but just because its his best pitch doesn’t mean it needs to be saved for two-strike situations. In his most successful years, the four-seamer was a dynamic weapon in all counts. Ray threw a first-pitch fastball nearly 65% of the time in 2021, and last year that number dropped down to 49%. In 2017 (his first All-Star year), he threw his four-seamer 53% of the time when he was ahead in the count. Last year, that usage again fell to 49%. When he was behind to a batter in 2017, he threw his signature pitch 66% of the time; 65% in 2021 — but just 59% in 2025.
These are not monumental shifts in approach, but the drops seem to hint at a hesitancy or a lack of conviction around the pitch. Why? I don’t know, but Ray clearly needs to do better at establishing the fastball early on against hitters. If he doesn’t there’s a negative trickle down effect on the rest of his mix and his peripheral weapons become less dynamic. While his revamped change-up (with its Tarik Skubal inspired grip) got the most buzz last season, it’s Ray’s non-sliding slider that really feeds off of the four-seamer. The offering is an awkward duck for sure, with little drop or break, and easily turn into an ugly one if left up over the middle of the plate against righties, but when mixed in well, it’s historically flummoxed hitters with whiff rates nearing 50% for years.
As you can see, in 2025, the slider’s whiff-% came in at 29% — Ray’s lowest mark ever in a full season of work.
Ray’s fastball-slider pairing accounted for 90% (59% FF – 31% CH) of the offerings he threw en route to Cy Young hardware. Not all solutions lie in the past, and I appreciate the desire to evolve, especially as he strides into his mid-30s, but perhaps its best not to overthink certain things. Ray needs to quit playing around with toy pitches like that dang knuckle-curve and just lean on the attack.
Andrew McCutchen during batting practice before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Andrew McCutchen is presently unsigned for 2026, but the former NL MVP is still miffed that the Pirates did not invite him to their annual preseason fan fest.
McCutchen, who has played 12 of his 17 MLB seasons in Pittsburgh over two stints, took to social media Saturday night to express his unhappiness.
He cited Albert Pujols, Clayton Kershaw, Miguel Cabrera and others as examples of longtime stars who attended team functions in the past despite not being under contract for that upcoming season.
“I wonder, did the Cards do this [to Adam] Wainwright/Pujols/Yadi [Molina]? Dodgers to Kershaw? Tigers to Miggy? The list goes on and on,” McCutchen wrote on X. “If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player.”
Andrew McCutchen during batting practice before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
Pirates GM Ben Cherington gave vague answers Saturday about why McCutchen — a five-time All-Star outfielder and the 2013 NL MVP — was not in attendance.
“Andrew has meant a ton to the team. He’s had an incredible run at two different times. Certainly, his legacy as a Pirate is secure,” Cherington said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Everybody with the Pirates, it’s our desire to maintain a really good relationship with Andrew well into the future.”
The 39-year-old McCutchen, who appeared in 25 games for the Yankees in 2018, batted just .239 with 13 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .700 OPS in 135 games — 120 as a designated hitter — for the Pirates last season.
Andrew McCutchen bats against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park on September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
“Then we come back to our team. What is the job? The job is to build a team that gives us the best chance to win games when you’re at the ballpark in June and July,” Cherington added. “Our approach this offseason has been laser-focused on what gives us the best chance to win more baseball games in Pittsburgh than we have in the past seasons. That’s gonna continue to guide our decisions. So much respect for Andrew. That relationship is really important to us.
“We’ll continue to communicate with him directly as the team comes together. We have more work to do.”
