If I told you on September 1, of this year that the Blueshirts secret weapon would be a lad named Eeli Tolvanen, it says here that you wouldn't even know how to pronounce his first name.
In case you're interested it's pronounced "Elee" and, furthermore all the good citizens of Vihi, Finland happen to know it by heart, so there!
Plus, you're gonna know a helluva lot more in the months to come about "Trolleycar Tolvanen.
BECAUSE The Maven is here to tell you that this non-finicky Finn already is and will continue to be a producive Ranger.
Before You, I and Manny Malhotra realize it, Energizer Eeli will be sooooooooo good that even I will be able to correctly spell his first name on the third try; give or take one,
Write it down and paste it on your fridge and see me on this during the Rangers first playoff round.
As for now and Anaheim tonight, if Tolvanen The Terrific gets one measly assist it will be a milestone 100th career helper.
Mark my words, the Rangers "Secret Weapon" will – by the Thanksgiving Day Parade – be a secret no more. And. by Christmas, all will be in high glee over "El-ee."
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 06: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run in the third inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s that time again. Everybody loves home runs and now (thanks to Statcast) it’s time to take a look back at 10 of the longest home runs of the season for the Atlanta Braves during the 2026 regular season. As you can imagine by Atlanta’s return to the Postseason, the homers flew early and often for the Braves in 2026. They hit 204 homers, which put them in a three-way tie seventh-place in all of baseball (with the Dodgers and Mets). In all but one of the Postseason seasons for the Braves since 2018, they’ve hit at least 200 dingers so maybe that appears to be a magic number for this team as currently constructed?
Either way, the home run stroke returned for Atlanta in a major way this season and now it’s time to look back at the 10 longest dingers of the season for the Braves.
No. 10 – Austin Riley, August 4 vs. Marlins, 433 feet
Get ready to see a lot of Austin Riley on this list. Despite the fact that Riley had a pretty underwhelming year as a whole when it came to plate production, he did so “despite” finishing the season in the 91st percentile in Bat Speed, the 82nd percentile in Barrel percentage and the 81st percentile in Hard-Hit percentage. He can still hit a ball pretty hard — it’s just a matter of actually hitting it.
No. 9 – Austin Riley, September 11 vs. Phillies, 434 feet
In fact, we didn’t have to wait long to see Austin Riley’s second appearance on this list. That September 11 classic against the Phillies was a fun night at the ballpark and it provided us with moments like this one where the Braves continued to fight and claw against Philadelphia in a crucial moment in the NL East race. Truist Park wasn’t particularly kind to Aaron Nola during the month of September (whether it was the regular season or the Postseason) and this was another example of it.
No. 8 – Matt Olson, August 16 vs. Diamondbacks, 437 feet
This was a majestic way to help give the Braves the win in what was a frustrating weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as Matt Olson crushed one out to dead center for a three-run shot that gave the Braves the lead and ultimately the victory. I’d say that this is the most aesthetically-pleasing dinger on this list so far, as there’s just something satisfying about seeing that ball land, bounce and eventually (I’m assuming) roll out of the stadium and into the loading bay out there beyond center field. Plus, we got the usual mix of admiration and disgust that we see from Matt Olson whenever he demolishes a ball. You love to see it.
T-No. 4 – Austin Riley, May 2 at Rockies, 438 feet
Coors.
In all seriousness though, you knew a Colorado shot was going to make it onto the list and here it is. It may not look super spectacular but due to the large dimensions at Coors Field, you’ve got to hit ‘em a long way to get no-doubters in that ballpark. That was the case for Riley, who makes yet another appearance on this list. It’s also bittersweet to hear Brandon Gaudin on the call claim that “Austin Riley might be back,” because we all wanted that to happen a ton and it felt like there were plenty of moments that felt like the turning point. Ah well.
T-No. 4 – Ronald Acuña Jr., May 31 at Reds, 438 feet
Speaking of guys who looked like they were “back” but didn’t quite get there, Ronald Acuña Jr. definitely fits that bill. His flashes of brilliance lasted much longer, though — this series in Cincinnati being a prime example of it as we got to see an extended glimpse of Acuña at his most brilliant at the plate. Acuña went on an absolute tear during this series and this moonshot was proof of how locked in he was at the moment. Also, get ready to see “438” feet a lot because that was a distance that this team enjoyed, apparently.
T-No. 4 – Austin Riley, August 12 vs. Mets, 438 feet
Another bomb for Austin Riley during another one of those games where it looked like he was getting set to put it all together and go on a real run. You’re really doing something if you reach the middle rows in the left-center outfield seats.
T-No. 4 – Drake Baldwin, April 21 at Nationals, 438 feet
This is probably the wildest entry on the list basically because of where the pitch was located in the first place. Foster Griffin probably figured that the worst that could happen in this situation against Drake Baldwin was a ball or maybe even a pop fly. Instead, Baldwin put a huge swing on it and ended up sending it deep into the seats. Baseball is a wild sport, y’all.
No. 3 – Matt Olson, April 10 vs. Guardians, 441 feet
Another incredibly aesthetically-pleasing dinger from Matt Olson. We all love to see Chop House shots and we especially love seeing them hit the roof out there (at least if it’s a Braves batter. No points for you, Kyle Schwarber) and this was another one that Olson could add to his personal list. Hoo boy, that was majestic.
No. 2 – Ronald Acuña Jr., September 5 at Phillies, 450 feet
Here’s the dinger that set off the home run trot that set off Philadelphia fans and their media for nearly a full week. Acuña got every stitch of this one (against Zack Wheeler, to boot) on a pitch that landed right in the part of the strike zone where you don’t want to leave a pitch to Acuña. If it’s low and in the middle of the zone, that is Nitro Time for Acuña and he lifted off in fine fashion on this particular pitch.
No. 1 – Drake Baldwin, June 16 vs. Giants, 473 feet
Drake Baldwin’s first swing after an IL stint ended up resulting in the longest home run that any Braves player hit this season. That fact alone is absolutely wild but it’s also crazier when you consider the conditions. This was a game that ended up getting postponed due to rain and the conditions were absolutely appalling for baseball on that particular Summer evening. Yet, Baldwin still sent this ball on a fantastic voyage and hit it deep into the greenery in dead center field. This was such an impressive home run on so many levels and it’s worthy of being the most majestic dinger on this particular list.
BONUS – 2026 Short Boy Award: Ronald Acuña Jr., August 6 vs. Marlins, 337 feet
Acuña popped two dingers in this game and I’m including both of them because they were both bizarre. The first one is that one where two Marlins outfielders collided near the fence and none of them came up with the ball — it bounced off of them and into the seats for a dinger. The second one is what got Acuña the Short Boy Award for 2026, as he bounced it off of the concrete lining the brick wall in right field and into the nearby concourse in order to cap off one of the weirdest multi-homer games that you’ll ever see a Braves player have.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 17: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game four of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field on October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline came and went, the Tampa Bay Rays finally became full fledged buyers. Erik Neander went out and brought the Rays an excellent catcher in Liam Hicks, a decent option in the bullpen with Tyler Wells, and then a possible top of the rotation arm in Freddy Peralta.
Of course, Peralta had his struggles while with the New York Mets but was just a half season removed from being a Cy Young contender with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Now, with the Rays on the cusp of reaching the World Series, it will be Freddy Peralta taking the mound for Tampa Bay.
A few days ago, this series was all but wrapped up for the Cleveland Guardians as they held a 2-1 advantage with two more games remaining at home. Then the rains came and washed out what would have been game four on Friday. With the schedule pushed back and extra day to recombobulate, the dormant Rays offense awoke while the pitching continued its excellence and all of a sudden, the Rays have a 3-2 advantage as the ALCS returns back to Tropicana Field where the Rays held one of the best home records in all of baseball.
The Guardians will have to try and piece together a pitching strategy as manager Stephen Vogt has heavily relied on his top relievers all series, making them questionable for tonight’s game. It has been announced that Cleveland will be starting former Ray, Shawn Armstrong, once again. Armstrong started Saturday’s game, providing the Guardians with four outs as an opener. This will mark his 4th appearance of the ALCS and thus far he has recorded 4 innings, allowing 0 runs on 2 hits.
After Armstrong, it’s anyone’s guess as to who Vogt will turn to in a must win game.
Vogt does have options with Tanner Bibee being the most likely. The 27-year old right-handed pitcher has yet to pitch in the ALCS and made one appearance during the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox. Bibee had a solid regular season for Cleveland and was a modern day workhorse as he compiled a 4.36 ERA | 4.52 FIP with a 19.0 K% & 7.1 BB% over 188 IP. Other options for Vogt tonight include Joey Cantillo, Matt Festa, and Slade Cecconi.
The rest of Vogt’s staff has seen plenty of action this ALCS, but it has been reported that game three starter Gavin Williams will be the only pitcher not available to pitch in tonight’s game. However, Vogt called upon Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski, and Tim Herrin in yesterday’s game as well as Shawn Armstrong, making them questionable for action tonight.
Tampa Bay meanwhile benefited from an exceptional outing by Drew Rasmussen in which the ace of the staff logged seven innings, yielding just one run, en route to the Rays 3-1 game five victory. Still, Kevin Cash had to call upon Bryan Baker, Cam Booser, and Tyler Wells to finish out the game; Wells threw just five pitches and was well rested prior to the game. Bryan Baker and Cam Booser pitched consecutive games so they may not be available tonight either; Baker also had had a noticeable dip in his velocity. Still, Kevin Cash has plenty of options should he need to use them in Kevin Kelly, Tyler Wells, Cole Sulser, Steven Matz, and Brody Hopkins; Hopkins has yet to appear in an ALCS game, the lone player on the roster who has yet to make an appearance.
It’s game six of the 2026 American League Division Series. The Rays are up three games to two. The series is back at Tropicana Field. BJ Upton is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. The game begins at 8:00pm.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is just something different about those no doubters, when a slugger digs into the box and really gets a hold of a pitch unleashing that wooden thunderclap like the legend of Thor. Watching the ball arch towards the sky and then seeing gravity finally win the fight and bring it back down to earth still sends a childlike joy through my bones.
Despite only getting 327 at-bats from biggest sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees still had their fair share of no doubters in 2026. Before we dive into the top ten home runs, I want to clarify this list ranks each long ball by distance.
There is one honorable mention I want to give out before we get started. On April 21st, Stanton launched a 368-foot home run with a 41-degree launch angle. This moonshot in Boston was the Yankees’ highest-arching home run of the season. It did not go far, but it was a fun one to watch as it had hang time like Vince Carter!
I hope you are not hungry, because this top ten list contains as much Rice as your favorite takeout place’s menu! There is your dinner plan, as Rice keeps serving us even after the season ends. This early-August blast came off the bat at just over 105 miles per hour (mph) and had the highest launch angle of the top ten at 35 degrees.
The team leader in home runs stakes his second claim on the list quickly, also claiming the nine-hole. This bullet traveled 109.1 mph off Benny’s barrel and had a 26-degree launch angle. The three-run job was one of those long home runs that reminds you center field at Yankee Stadium is no joke.
Starting the list off with a turkey, Rice keeps cooking. Unlike his first two appearances, this one came in Toronto. Number 33 on the season for Rice came off Braydon Fisher in the top of the 10th inning, making it the latest inning long ball on the list. What would prove to be the game-winner jumped off the bat at 108.5 mph and launched at a 27-degree angle.
The rookie’s first home run in the show was an absolute missile. Jones jumped all over this pitch from Slade Cecconi and produced the second-highest exit velocity on the list at 112.2 mph, with the lowest launch angle of the top ten at just 25 degrees. Do not blink, or you will miss this straight-line shot that got out of play in a hurry.
Despite a lower exit velocity of 108.6 mph, the one-degree difference in launch angle, at 26 degrees, was enough for this Rice home run to travel one foot farther than the previous entry. This ball ran away from the camera operator as it decided it would rather check out the San Diego Zoo than stick around for peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
5. Giancarlo Stanton: 446 feet (April 16th vs. LA Angels)
Big G gets more than just his honorable mention with this home run that landed 446 feet from home plate in the Bronx, earning him a spot in our top five. Stanton muscled this ball at 111.1 mph off the bat and into the air at a 27-degree angle. This was a frustrating season for Stanton, and at this stage of his career, there might not be many more of these moments left for us to enjoy.
Making his fifth and final appearance is Rice with this home run down at Camden Yards. This one got a few extra shakes of Old Bay seasoning as it traveled at 110.2 mph and lollipopped toward the harbor at a 33-degree angle. All hail the Yankees’ home run king of 2026!
With a build similar to Judge and a left-handed swing, Jones is sure to send a few moonshots each season that will be impressive enough to land him on this list for years to come. This home run claims the title of highest launch angle on the list at 34 degrees. The towering drive traveled at 109.8 mph before falling like a meteor out in the desert.
2. Amed Rosario: 450 feet (July 31st @ Chicago Cubs)
Imposter alert! Surprise, surprise, surprise. Who would have believed it at the start of the season, but at 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, Rosario hit a home run good enough for second-furthest of the season. Perhaps aided by the Chicago wind, this home run tried its best to make it to the rooftop seats, coming off the bat at 108 mph with a 30-degree launch angle. Another whacky surprise, it was off a lefty!
1. Aaron Judge: 456 feet (April 13th vs. LA Angels)
Almost as surprising as Rosario, Judge finally makes his first appearance on the list, and of course, the best power hitter since the steroid era takes the top spot. Why waste swings, right? This home run by Judge is truly a piece of art. At 116.2 mph, it was the hardest-hit Yankees home run of the season in addition to being the furthest. Its 26-degree launch angle helped it get over the fence quicker than a little leaguer retrieving a home run ball in the sandlot. Please be healthy next season, Captain. We missed you this year.
That concludes the top ten longest Yankees home runs of 2026. Did anyone see any of these in person? What was the biggest surprise in your eyes? I was most surprised that Bellinger didn’t crack the top ten, or even the top 20 longest home runs in 2026!
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Chase DeLauter #24 of the Cleveland Guardians is seen in the dugout during Game Four of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Just make sure you get to keep playing baseball, boys.
The Guardians continue to have somewhat of a snake-bitten season at home this season, dropping two games against the Rays to head back to Tampa Bay down 3-2 in a 7-game series. They now face Freddy Peralta for a second time, who threw six scoreless against Cleveland in game 2 (after also dominating the Yankees in the ALDS). Meanwhile, the Guardians will open with the “reliable vet” option of Shawn Armstrong and the rest of their pitching plan for the game being, essentially, a shaken 8-ball reading “Reply hazy, try again.”
Keys to Game Six for the Guardians:
1. Hit Freddy Peralta’s Fastball: Peralta is a three-pitch pitcher with a four-seamer, a changeup, and a curveball. Peralta threw a season-high 71% four-seamer mix against the Guardians in game two of the ALCS. It worked. So, does that mean he goes back to the same plan in an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy, or does he make an adjustment to mix in more changeups? Peralta’s average velocity on his fastball was up 2.6 mph from his season average, so I suspect he is simply going to let this pitch ride and dare the Guardians to hit it. We have seen enough of the Rays’ pen to know that there is a reason they haven’t lost a game this season when leading after eight innings. They are very good, so they need to find a way to get to Peralta to have a chance tonight. So… there you go, Guardians. Gird your loins, hit the fastball, and this has a good shot of going to a winner-take-all. For what it’s worth, during the season, Chase DeLauter was 15 runs above average against the fastball, Steven Kwan 5.2 runs above average, Travis Bazzana 4.5 runs above average, and Brayan Rocchio 2.1 runs above average.
2. Adjust to Playing on Turf: There were a couple rough plays on the Tampa Bay turf in games one and two and the Guardians’ defense has been shaky the past two nights. If the Guardians win tonight, they will need to play clean defense and adjust to the various quirks of the turf at Tropicana Field.
3. Strategically Deploy Your Pitchers: After Armstrong, I think we will be set to see Daniel Espino, Joey Cantillo and Tanner Bibee in some capacity. Foster Griffin threw 44 pitches on Saturday… so he could also get an inning, given the elimination game dynamic. Stephen Vogt will need to leverage these arms in the right moments to have a chance at turning the game over to his high leverage arms (who also all threw yesterday, of course). The one thing I definitely would like to see is Espino facing a different part of the order than Diaz and Caminero who have seen him quite a bit.
You know, I feel so good about this Guardians’ season. I will be disappointed in a loss because you can never guarantee yourself this kind of opportunity again, but I also feel proud of what these guys have done to get to this point. I would be so sad because there is a good chance I will not see any more Guardians’ baseball until at least Memorial Day, but I have a lot of happy memories from 2026 to keep me warm. I also would be happy to watch the Brewers-Rays World Series because I like both teams and would enjoy seeing either get a title. But, hey, neither of them deserve to see one as much as Cleveland baseball fans do. None of their players deserve a ring like Jose Ramirez does. So, let’s see our guys really fight to keep this ride going another day.
Third baseman Teruaki Sato, coming off a historic season with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hanshin Tigers, will officially be posted, giving MLB teams a 45-day window to negotiate a contract with him, according to Japanese outlet Sponichi Annex.
Tigers general manager Satoshi Shimamura confirmed the club’s intention to make Sato available via the posting system, giving him time to ink a contract before the looming MLB lockout.
Teruaki Sato #7 of Team Japan hits a RBI double in the third inning during a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela at loanDepot park in Miami, Sunday, March 15, 2026. Getty ImagesSato enjoyed a historic 2026 with the Hanshin Tigers, winning the triple crown. Getty Images
“I am grateful to the team for respecting my wishes,” Sato said in a statement. “I truly enjoyed the days I spent with my teammates while playing for the Tigers, and I am sincerely grateful for the warm support from the fans. I ask for your continued support.”
Sato is expected to travel to the United States in November to meet with interested teams, per Yahoo Japan.
The 27-year-old slashed an outstanding .306/.383/.609 with 39 homers and 106 RBIs, becoming the ninth player in NPB history to win the triple crown.
Team Japan pinch hitter Teruaki Sato (7) hits an RBI double in the eighth inning during a World Baseball Classic Pool C game against Australia at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, March 8, 2026. Getty Images
Sato became the first player since now-White Sox star Munetaka Murakami (2022) to secure NPB’s triple crown honors, Hanshin’s first Japanese-born to win the award and the first Tigers player since Randy Bass (1986).
The 6-foot-1, 207-pound Sato’s incredible campaign followed a 2025 in which he hit 40 home runs and 102 RBIs en route to Central League MVP honors.
Sato’s offensive output profiles similarly to the aforementioned fellow lefty-swinging Murakami, who blasted 35 home runs with the White Sox, but also continued to strikeout at an alarming 35.4 percent clip.
Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (5) strikes out during the ninth inning in game five of the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Getty Images
Over the past two NPB campaigns, Sato whiffed at a 27 percent rate, compared to Murakami, who whiffed at a 28.8 percent clip over his final two full seasons in Japan.
Primarily a third baseman, Sato — who made an appearance in right field during the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Samurai Japan — could also follow Murakami in shifting full-time to first base.
Even with concerns about his long-term viability at third base, Sato is expected to command league-wide interest — with both New York teams at the forefront.
The Post’s Jon Heyman reported in August that the Mets are interested in Sato as a first base target in the wake of Pete Alonso’s departure and disappointing production from the position in 2026.
After another early playoff exit, in part due to a sputtering offense, Sato’s left-handed stroke also makes him an intriguing target for the Yankees at the hot corner.
The Phillies and Dodgers are also expected to have interest in Sato, per Heyman.
As the MLB Players Association negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement, Sato and thousands of other players will enter the offseason in a state of flux.
MLB’s collective bargaining agreement will expire Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m., casting doubt on how aggressive teams will be in signing free agents before the expected lockout.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 30: Ben Rortvedt #47 of the Los Angeles Dodgers plays against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on August 30, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rortvedt was acquired by the Dodgers while off the 40-man roster at each of the last two trade deadlines, and filled in while both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing were injured in both seasons. Rortvedt even started four postseason games behind the plate in 2025 before Smith was fully ready to return from a broken hand.
Rortvedt was with the Dodgers during workouts and through their postseason run, but was not active for either the National League Division Series or NL Championship Series.
Rortvedt was active with the Dodgers for four weeks, and ended the season nine days shy of four full years of major league service time. But as someone with at least three years of major league service time who was sent outright to the minors during the season and optioned to stick around, they can elect free agency at the end of the season, per Article XX(D)(1) of the collective bargaining agreement:
Any Player who has at least 3 years of Major League service, or who qualified as a “Super Two” Player under Article VI(E)(1)(b) as of the conclusion of the prior championship season, and whose contract is assigned outright to a Minor League club may elect, in lieu of accepting such assignment, to become a free agent. In the event that such a Player with at least 3 years of Major League service does not elect free agency in lieu of accepting such assignment, he may elect free agency during the period between (i) the end of the then current Major League season and (ii) the next following October 15, or 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time on the second day after the date the Player’s Club plays in its final post-season game that season (whichever occurs later) (the “Election Period”), unless such Player is returned to a Major League roster prior to making such election.
Saturday was the second day after the Dodgers played their last postseason game. Another player who elected free agency at the beginning of that period was outfielder Alek Thomas, who opted for free agency on September 29.
Thomas played in seven games for the Dodgers, including six starts in center field. He delivered run-scoring singles in each of his first three games, and totaled four hits in 19 at-bats plus a walk with the Dodgers. Thomas has somewhere in the neighborhood of three years, 156 days of major league service time, 16 days shy of four full years, but with at least three years he had the right to elect free agency after getting sent outright, off the 40-man roster, to the minors during the season.
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 27: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays is emotional after defeating the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Coming into 2026, the last season of his six-year, $150 million contract with the Jays, we really didn’t know what to expect. He had a couple of very good seasons, a couple of fairly average season and a poor season. In 2026, coming off his best season of the five, who knew what would happen at age 36?
Baseball Reference has him at a 0.6 WAR, FanGraphs at 0.9 giving him a value of $7.1 million to the Jays.
He had a wOBA of .320 (down from .408 last year) and a wRC+ of 105 (down from 166).
Compared to 2025, Springer’s walk rate was down (9.1% from 11.8), and his strikeout rate was down slightly (18.4% from 18.9).
His line-drive rate was way down (17.1% from 21.7), the ground ball rate was way down (44.7% from 37.3), and the fly-ball rate was down (38.2% from 40.9). Fewer of his fly balls left the park (10.6% from 20.0%).
George’s hard contact rate almost exactly the same (35.2% from 35.3), and the soft contact rate about the same as well (15.7% from 16.1).
Springer’s BABIP was .282 (way down from .340 last year).
Like the last three years, George hit RHP (.265/.337/417) much better than LHP (.213/.285/.376)
He hit much better at home (.271/.354/.449) than on the road (.223/.282/.353).
George hit .248/.320/.381 with RISP and .254/.324/.425 with the bases empty.
He hit much better in the second half (.288/.344/.444) than in the first half (.218/.303/.374) much like he did last year.
Springer by month:
April: .217/.309/.383 with 2 home runs, 8 walks and 15 strikeouts in 16 games.
May: .208/.276/.344 with 3 home runs, 7 walks and 19 strikeouts in 24 games.
June: .239/.340/.398 with 3 home runs, 13 walks and 22 strikeouts in 23 games.
July: .290/.362/.516 with 4 home runs, 7 walks and 8 strikeouts in 16 games.
August: .321/.370/.488 with 2 home runs, 7 walks and 16 strikeouts in 27 games.
September: .222/.273/.319 with 1 home run, 5 walks and 15 strikeouts in 17 games.
Defensively? Well, he played just two games, 16 innings in left field, so lets ignore that.
FanGraphs has him at a 1.0 runs above average as a baserunner. He was 12 for 14 as a base stealer. Exellent job, George.
Springer’s games started by his spot in the batting order:
1st: 62 games, hitting .222/.309/.379.
2nd: 9 games, hitting ..250/.333/.400.
4th: 44 games, hitting .282/.335/446.
My memory is terrible I thought he hit further down in the order some. He was pretty good in the cleanup spot.
Favourite team to face: He was 7 for 11, with a homer and 3 doubles in 3 games against the Mariners (.636/.667/1.848). He hit .314/.366/.514 in 11 game vs. the Red Sox
Least favourite: Rangers, .095/.136/.095 in 6 games.
The Jays were 59-56 in his starts.
Longest hitting streak: 10 games. Longest on base streak: 18 games.
Longest streak without a home run: 23 games. Longest hitless streak: 4 games.
Random Baseball Savant Numbers:
Hard Hit %: 39th percentile.
Sweet-Spot %: 13th percentile.
Bat Speed: 62nd percentile.
Strikeout %: 67th percentile.
Walk %: 50th percentile.
Sprint Speed: 36th percentile.
Presuming his time with the Blue Jays is over, this is where he is on the Jays leader boards:
WAR Position Players: 22nd, 14.8.
Batting Average: 36th, .260.
On-Base %: 22nd, .340.
Slugging: 22nd, .452.
OPS: 25th, .791.
Games 25th, 776.
Runs Scored: 13th, 474.
Hits: 26th, 763.
Home runs: 11th, 134.
Walks: 1th, 337.
Stolen Base %: 1st, 87.50.
During his 6-year, $150 million contract, FanGraphs says he added $124.8 million in value for the Jays, so he wasn’t the bargain Kevin Gausman was, but he wasn’t all that terrible either. Of course, they likely paid him a few million for all the commercial he made.
Like Gausman, it’s been fun watching Springer for the last few years. He has been a lot of fun. He obviously enjoys playing baseball, enjoys his teammates and the fans. I like guys like that. I think if you paid me a hundred million dollars to play a kids’ game, you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
He does a bit of everything on offence; he has power, takes walks, and steals bases. I don’t think I’d use him as a leadoff man as much as the Jays did, but that’s a small thing. He definitely has charisma. I’m sure he could go into broadcasting, if he wanted to, but with the money he has, I can’t imagine that he would want to do anything other than spend time with his family.
Springer turned 37 back in September. I wouldn’t be looking to re-sign him, but someone might see value in having him in their clubhouse and in the batter’s box. I don’t know if anyone would offer him enough money to make him want to stay away from his family for eight months, but we’ll see.
Before the season, we asked:
Will Springer’s bWAR be closer to 2025’s 4.8 or 2024’s 1.1? Well, 80.8% of us were wrong because we were optimists.
If the over/under on Springers games played in the outfield is 50, I’d take the; most of us (87.6%) were right to take the under.
We also asked whether the Jays would offer him a contract after this season. We don’t know the answer yet, but 54% said no, and I think they are likely right, but it is yet to be seen.
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 03: A detailed view of the MLB debut patch on the Nike jersey of Nolan Kingham #58 of the Texas Rangers after his Major League debut during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Globe Life Field on August 03, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kai Kanzer/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the offseason underway, we are taking a look at every player who appeared for the Texas Rangers in the 2026 season.
Today we are looking at pitcher Nolan Kingham.
One of the difficulties in doing this series is deciding who to write up in any given post. Early on, one can be overwhelmed by all the choices available — there’s a phenomenon known as “choice overload,” where a whole lot of things to choose from can overwhelm a person and make it harder for them to pick anything at all. Folks who are especially vulnerable to this, I have to think, stay away from the Cheesecake Factory.
There’s also the question as to who should be the first player to be written up. In previous seasons, when the Rangers were eliminated before the regular season was over, and I started the write-ups in the last week or two of the season, that was easier, because I could pick someone who was on the injured list or who had been traded or released. If I’m doing seasons in review with a week and a half left in the season, guys still on the active roster, or who could be activated or called up, are excluded, simplifying the issue.
The Rangers weren’t eliminated until the final day of the 2026 season, however, so that isn’t an option here.
So what to do? Pick someone prominent? Someone who had a really good season? Someone who disappointed? Someone who I have lots to say about? Someone I’m indifferent to? Do I jump immediately in the deep end with someone controversial who there’s going to be a lot to say about?
Ultimately, the decision was to ease into things. Start off with a write-up that isn’t going to get people mad or worked up or cause controversy, to better whet the appetites of the LSB faithful for the previews to come.
Do you remember Nolan Kingham? I’m willing to bet that, a few years from now, he’ll be one of the least-guessed answers on the 2026 Texas Rangers Sporcle quiz. Hell, I am betting that some of you read the headline and said, who? Is AJM making up players now? Did he stroke out at the keyboard? AJM, do you smell burnt toast?
Nolan Kingham was one of 34 Texas Rangers players who pitched for the team in 2026. Three of the players who pitched were actually position players, though, so we can say Kingham was one of 31 pitchers who the team rostered and who appeared in a game for the Rangers in 2026.
The Rangers, as a team, had 1419.1 innings pitched in 2026. Nolan Kingham threw one of those innings, representing .07% of the total innings thrown for Texas on the season. The Rangers allowed 719 runs in 2026. Kingham allowed one of those runs, meaning he allowed .13% of the total runs allowed by Texas in 2026.
Kingham was the #223 prospect on the Baseball America board in 2015, coming out of Desert Oasis High School in Enterprise, Nevada. I had never heard of Enterprise, Nevada before now. It is, per Wikipedia, an unincorporated town that is part of the Greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. It had 14,676 residents in 2000, per the U.S. Census, and 221,831 in 2020, which is kind of remarkable. That’s, like, Collin County on steroids levels of population growth.
The “Notable People” section of Wikipedia has a surprisingly lengthy and eclectic list of residents, including, among the athletes, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Baron Davis, Reggie Jackson, the Big Hurt, and Chris Carter. I had assumed that Chris Carter had been retired for years, but he’s actually been playing in the Mexican League since 2019. He slashed .237/.370/.486 in 219 plate appearances for Saltillo in 2026, at the age of 39. Nick Carter is listed, as is Toni Braxton, and seeing her name reflexively makes me think back on, and lament, the Three J’s.
Someone named Terry Fator is also listed in the “Notable People” category. It says “Terry Fator, ventriloquist.” He’s from Dallas, incidentally — was born there, anyway — but I take issue with his being listed there. The only ventriloquists who are Notable People are Edgar Bergen and Jeff Dunham.
Also, I can’t think of ventriloquists without thinking of this. Fun fact — Choo Choo, the Herky Jerky Dancer, is played by Jay Johnston, who was convicted of a felony in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack. Less fun fact — Professor Murder is played by Sam Sarpong, who took his own life in October, 2015, by jumping off a bridge in Pasadena.
Anyway, back to Kingham…Kingham was by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 39th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. As was the case with most 39th rounders, he didn’t sign, opting to go the college route, and pitched for the University of Texas for three seasons. BA had him as the #100 prospect in the 2018 draft, with a disappointing junior season dropping his stock, and the Atlanta Braves selected him in the 12th round, giving him a $150,000 bonus, $25,000 more than the $125K amount that you can sign a player in the 11th and later rounds without dipping into your bonus pool.
Kingham made it to AA in 2019, his first full season as a pro. 2020 happened, and we won’t talk about all that. 2021, 2022 and 2023 saw him shuffle between AA and AAA in the Braves’ system, providing organizational depth but not missing enough bats to have any sort of real success. He was released late in spring training in 2024 by the Braves, and was not picked up by a major league team.
Another fun fact — Nolan’s brother, Nick, was also a major league pitcher. A former consensus top 100 prospect in the Pirates’ organization, Nick appeared in 43 games for the Pirates and Blue Jays in the 2018-19 seasons, then pitched in Korea from 2020-22, then briefly in China and Mexico in 2023. Nolan, having seen his brother’s path, opted to do something similar, spending the next two-plus years pitching in the Mexican League and in the Mexican Winter League.
The minor league roster limits that were implemented in the last CBA mean that teams aren’t able to sign and roster random depth arms like Kingham like they used to, which means that, when injuries strike in the minors, teams are now having to turn much more often to the independent leagues to find someone to fill in. And so Kingham, who was sporting a 1.82 ERA in 6 starts for Monterrey to start the 2026 season, was snagged by the Rangers when they needed an available arm for the rotation at Round Rock in late May.
Back where he played college ball, Kingham did what was asked of him, going out every fifth or sixth day for the Express and giving them some innings. The innings were not necessarily good innings — after eight starts he had an 8.41 ERA and was allowing opposing hitters a whopping 1023 OPS — but, you know, they didn’t have to be good innings at that point for the Express.
A relief appearance, where he threw a scoreless inning, was followed by a pair of five inning starts where Kingham allowed three runs total. In the second of those starts, he struck out nine batters, the most he’d fanned in an affiliated game since pre-COVID. Whether because he impressed in that outing, or previous outings, or just because the Rangers needed an arm, he was brought up to the big leagues on August 1, replacing Luis Curvelo, who had given up four runs in two innings the day before in what would turn out to be Curvelo’s final appearance in the majors for the Rangers.
Kingham — who I keep wanting to call Kingman, a problem I have had since the Rangers signed him four and a half months ago — made one appearance for the Rangers. The game, against the Giants, was a memorable one, due to clownball by the Rangers resulting in five errors, and Texas scoring just one run despite Ezequiel Duran going 4 for 4 and coming a triple short of the cycle.
Kingham loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks sandwiched by a single. Jung Hoo Lee hit a sac fly before Kingham got Willy Adames to strike out swinging to end the inning.
The Rangers won the following game, which featured several relievers, by one run, and so one can argue that Kingham being able to come in and pitch an inning in a game the Rangers lost contributed, in a small way, to a Rangers win.
Kingham was designated for assignment a few days later, and was claimed by the Seattle Mariners, who optioned him to AAA. By my count Kingham got 10 days of major league service time, which is 10 days more than most baseball players get. Kingham was DFA’d by Seattle at the start of September, waived and outrighted, so he will be a free agent in a couple of weeks once the season ends. At that point, he might sign a minor league deal with another team — maybe Texas! — or he may return to toiling in one of the independent leagues, waiting for a major league team to need an innings sponge at their AAA affiliate.
Kingham is 30 years old, and so he will have the opportunity, should he choose, to continue his professional baseball career in one form or another. He could make it back to the majors, in a similar situation to this year, when a team needs a fungible arm in the bullpen who can give them innings in a lost cause and be designated for assignment soon thereafter. Or he could continue to toil in AAA, or one of the indy leagues here, or in Mexico, or overseas.
But Nolan Kingham made it, even if he never makes it back. He will forever have an entry in the major league records. He will forever get to say he faced a guy making $182 million and struck him out swinging.
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 13: Sean Sullivan #45 of the Salt River Rafters pitches during the game between the River Rafters and the Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 in Glendale, AZ United States. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Sean Sullivan (No. 21 PuRP) had an up-and-down season.
He made his MLB debut on June 12th in the Las Vegas heat (while battling illness) and shined. But that was about the high point for Sullivan, as he bounced between Triple-A and the majors, and also battled an elbow injury.
“It was originally my elbow. It was just, like, some posterior impingement – just some inflammation and stuff like that. Nothing really too serious,” he said. “I got it obviously MRI’d and everything, and it came back fairly clean. So I just got a cortisone shot and just rehabbed it and took some rest and was able to come back for those last two weeks of the season.”
Sullivan made 14 total starts in Albuquerque, posting a 5-3 record and 5.31 ERA. He was on the injured list from August 3-September 16. In three starts at the end of the year — including one rehab start — Sullivan pitched 6.1 innings across three starts and posted a 2.84 ERA and 1.58 WHIP.
In five big league starts between June 12-July 4, Sullivan went 0-3 with an 8.87 ERA. But he learned a lot during the 2026 season.
“I feel like there were a lot of ups and downs throughout the year,” Sullivan said.
“This year for me was definitely a year of growth and learning. Obviously, the debut day was a pretty special day in my life. But … I think just every day I was up there [was a highlight] — just being able to live that experience. And even when I got sent back down, just knowing what I need to get back to and what I’m missing out on.”
He continued, “It was a great learning experience, but I take it all for granted, and I’m very blessed to be in the position I am.”
His favorite moment? Facing his hometown Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 23rd.
“That was pretty cool for me, just being from the Boston area,” he recalled. “I grew up loving that team and seeing a lot of those names and facing that lineup was pretty cool for me. So I would say that was probably a special day for me.”
But of all the lessons Sullivan learned, he said many of them stemmed from his injury.
“I felt like my body just wasn’t in a position where it needed to be physically,” he said. “I felt like I was running on fumes almost when I was up there, and I think you could kind of see that with some of my velocity and just my stuff overall wasn’t performing as well as it usually does.
“And that ended up showing when I got injured and stuff like that. So I think just getting my body in a better position to where I can go out there for 30 starts and be able to pitch for a full season.”
But that also gave him the opportunity to spend some time in Arizona, and now he’s back with a plan in place.
He has made two starts so far with the Salt River Rafters, allowing five runs on 10 hits across 5.2 innings with one home run, one hit batter and eight strikeouts.
“I think the idea was to get me innings, but obviously while I’m pitching, I’m always working on something,” Sullivan said. “Right now, me and Owen Cuffe have been working on my slider, just kind of changing the shapes a little bit from more of, like, a sweeper to more of a traditional slider, and working and kind of tinkering with different grips and stuff like that with my changeup, as well.
“But I’ve definitely seen some great progress so far,” he continued. “I think taking some of these adjustments into the game has been kind of nice in a less-intense environment rather than in the big leagues where it’s hard to make those adjustments.”
That was something that senior director of player development, Chris Forbes, said before the AFL season started.
“He missed quite a few starts, so I think we’re hoping to get his innings up, and I’m hoping this ends up being a blessing in the sense that once we got him down here, as were kind of letting that calm down, he was able to kind of get to, ‘OK, we’re going to focus on strength. Let’s get the strength back up,’” Forbes said in September.
“He’s one of those guys that, during the year, just has trouble maintaining weight. He can come in at 205 (pounds), and now he’s pitching at 187 or something at some point. So you’re hoping with him that he’s able to get some innings back in and get some feel back, and then ultimately make a better decision on how does he play in next year’s club. Does he come out of the bullpen as a length guy? Is he doing a spot start? I don’t know. But that’s the plan with Sean. I’m just looking at five healthy starts and going into the offseason feeling really good about it.”
And Cuffe shed some light on Sullivan’s new pitch.
“We decided to use this time during the Fall League to work on adding a pitch to his arsenal,” Cuffe said via text message. “The goal is give him another pitch to make hitter decision making tougher and have another tool to help him platoon hitters. We wanted to keep the cutter and sweeper in his arsenal and to add a more traditional gyro slider that’s more in that 80+ mph range to give him another breaking ball.
“So far, he’s had some success with throwing it in our pitching lab, so we will see how it performs to hitters. He’s also been working on his movement quality on the mound, which has allowed him to get about 92 mph for the first time in a game this year. Overall, Sean has been working hard and seeing some of the payoffs, so I’m excited for him!”
In the midst of executing his new pitch and overall plan, Sullivan is also enjoying the opportunities afforded to him in the AFL, such as playing with players and coaches from other teams.
“It’s really special,” he said.
“I think that’s one of the coolest parts of this is just being able to kind of pick everyone’s brain. And other teams have coordinators in town, and obviously just talking in the dugout and on the bench and stuff, just trying to hear how other teammates do it in their processes and organizations, and I think it’s a great way to learn and stuff.”
Planning ahead, Sullivan is looking forward to continuing to get better and compete.
“I missed some decent chunks of time this year, and it’s never fun,” he said. “So I think continuing to get to play – potentially before a lockout, too – is exciting. Whenever I get to take the mound is awesome.”
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Ha-Seong Kim (7) hits the game winning base hit during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 26, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Happy 2026 Battery Power Player Review season to all who… celebrate?
This particular season was ripe with weirdness and what-ifs. It seems only fitting that we will kick off this year’s series with one of the most polarizing of players to don a Braves uniform this year: infielder and presumed Opening Day shortstop Ha-Seong Kim.
How acquired
In a low-risk waiver claim for the final month of 2025, Kim played 24 games with the Braves and seemed to be trending upward offensively from his injury-plagued time with the Rays (.253/.316/.368 with a .301 wOBA/92 wRC+ with three homers). Emboldened by that improvement and a dire shortstop market, he declined the $16 million player option to test the waters of free agency.
But the faith in Kim in his “trial period” and mutual interest paid off, as he and the Braves reunited to the tune of a one-year, $20 million deal in mid-December.
What were the expectations?
The South Korean infielder was given a pretty penny to shore up a premium position in place of glove-first players like Orlando Arcia and Nick Allen in years past. At minimum, it was an exciting short-term upgrade if Kim’s production was even close what it was in his time with the San Diego Padres. In the longer term, this could have paid off in an extension that got us closer to bridging to our potential shortstop of the future in Tate Southisene.
Kim was tabbed to be the primary shortshop with earlier offseason acquisiton, infielder Mauricio Dubón, serving as a versatile utility man.
At the time of the signing, we were pretty excited about the upgrade to our infield and looking forward to what Kim could bring to the Braves in a full season. The projections were fairly solid despite his poor 2025, with Steamer seeing a 1.4 WAR, league-average bat with subpart shortstop defense in a half-season, and ZiPS more sanguine at 2.1 WAR over about two-thirds of a campaign. Both projection systems saw him as a league-average bat, which makes sense given that he had a 99 wRC+ coming into the 2026 campaign.
2026 Results
Kim played in 51 games with Atlanta, racking up single-digit wRC+ (7) negative fWAR (-1.2) with a .116/.219/.140 slash line. Defensively, his Statcast-based value was also negative (-3, as in, three runs below average despite playing in less than a third of a season).
What went right?
Once reactivated from the injured list on August 3, he stayed up with the big club for good and was available through the end of the season, even making a couple starts in the postseason.
Can a walk-off single be worth $20 million if it’s against the two-time World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers? In a series full of unreal scenes (and second only to Chris Sale’s complete game shutout), he entered with two on and two out in a tie game to pinch-hit for pitcher Victor Mederos. Kim saw seven pitches before lacing a ball to left field to win the game and the series for the Braves in electric fashion.
That was part of a brief stretch of unexpected heroics from Kim: he had that huge hit, had a three-hit game against the Nationals a few days later, and then played a critical role in one of the division-defending wins against the Phillies in September, singling with two outs to tie the game in the 11th and then madly dashing around the bases to score the walkoff run a few minutes later.
Basically the whole thing, but you knew that. We seemed to run out of synonyms for “nightmare” when talking about Kim’s 2026 season. You almost couldn’t have drawn it up any worse. It was historically terrible.
A dastardly patch of ice derailed things early. A month after signing with the Braves, the news broke that he’d sustained a hand injury while slipping and tore a tendon in his right middle finger and putting him on the shelf for at least four months. Once activated in May, he was Not Right. He struggled and he hit the Injured List again for inflammation in that same finger in early July. He largely lost out on the starting shortstop job, getting the occasional rep as matchups allowed or entering games late as a pinch-runner. He earned a little more regular playing time after the walk off hit above and showed some signs of life, but still never put it all together.
All in all, Kim finished with the lowest wRC+ among anyone with 140 or more PAs this season, as well as the lowest xwOBA. Somehow, he was only bottom five in value (thanks, Jorge Polanco and Noelvi Marte!). Nor did anything really get better in the postseason, as Kim managed just a 20 wRC+ in eight PAs. It’s also not like the Braves were able to bury him in a way that kept his struggles from leading to losses, either. Or, at least, not soon enough for it to matter. One of his most damaging games came in his fifth contest of the year: he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and up with two out and the bases loaded in a one-run game, hit a measly groundout to Aroldis Chapman to end the game.
Even his defense graded out poorly, though this was a case where most of the damage was done early, as he was a positive defender after May (though not enough to counterbalance how poorly he played in the field in May).
2027 Outlook
Kim headlines another thin shortstop class in this uncertain offseason, and it’s anybody’s guess as to who might take a chance on him if baseball is played in 2027. On one hand, that’s two truly terrible years in a row (albeit with some bad luck of the injury persuasion in there). On the other, there is a chance he can get back to being a ~2 WAR player, as he was projected to be in 2026… though the path as to how he gets there is a bit unclear given that it will have been at least three years since he was last productive by the time he next takes the field.
Walt Weiss lauded Kim for his hard work and team-player attitude amidst his struggles this season. With no real internal options and Dubón also hitting free agency, there may be an opportunity for a return to the Braves. If he does, there’s truly nowhere to go but up. At least it won’t be for $20 million this time — it’s hard to see a team guaranteeing him more than $5 million at this point, even if the spending situation associated with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is relatively unchanged. The Braves, though, will probably want to move on from this specific sense of failure.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13, 2026: Mason Peters #81 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a minor league spring training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Wrapping up the season with the second worst record in the California League, it was a tough year to be a 66ers fan. In their first year in the Mariner organization and needing to replace the dominant Modesto Nuts affiliate, the 66ers shortcomings were largely caused by factors out of their control; with the Mariners drafting heavily from the college ranks in the 2025 draft, many of the typical contributors one would expect to fortify the A-ball roster bypassed the level entirely and made their way to Everett to start the year. Despite the struggles in the win column for much of the year, this team still had a ton of strong performers that made the season incredibly exciting (particularly in the second half), and many of the system’s top 20 prospects appeared on this roster at some point in time this past year. Led by a strong pitching staff all season, the Mariner’s A-ball affiliate kicks off LL’s series of minor league “year in review” that we’ll have for you in the upcoming weeks.
Team Performance
First Half Record: 28-38 (-52 Run Differential)
Second Half Record: 31-34 (+39 Run Differential)
Final Record: 59-72
Team ERA: 5.04 (second in Cal League)
Team OPS: .755 (seventh in Cal League)
Stat to Know: Led California League in K/BB ratio (2.80)
Season Stars
Mason Peters
Easily the biggest riser of any Mariner prospect over the course of the 2026 season, Peters had a sensational first season as a professional and dominated his way through the Cal League. With as impressive a resume as any arm at the level, Peters posted 50.1 IP at the level and recorded 68 punchouts to just 12 walks, dominating his way to a 1.43 ERA and earning a promotion up to Everett late in the summer. Peters is an undersized pitcher with a slight frame and does not overwhelm with velocity, but his innate ability to spin the baseball and immense feel for his fastball-breaker combination make him one of the most exciting prospects in the entire system. He’s still a ways behind system-leading hurler Ryan Sloan, but he’s got a rather strong argument for the second best arm in the organization’s minor league ranks and should be primed for a strong 2027 season at High-A.
Mason Peters was dealing today. Final line: 4IP, 4H, 1R, BB, 7K, 54-37.
One of, if not the strongest performer of anyone drafted in the entirety of the 2026 MLB draft, Ace Reese made it clear he had little to prove at the A-ball level, making mincemeat of opposing pitchers and smashing his way to an OPS of nearly 1.200. A line of .440/.530/.667 is obviously impossible to ignore, and even though Reese arguably would have been more appropriately placed in High-A or even Double-A, his dominance is quite assuring of his acumen at the plate. The defense at third base (a position he’s still rather new to) left a lot to be desired, and he’ll have to put in a substantial amount of work if he wants to dispel the 1B/COF archetype many have already lumped him into, but regardless of where he ends up, Reese is going to hit, and he’s going to hit a lot.
The first-half hero of the lineup, Dickerson was routinely putting in work for this 66ers lineup in its darkest of times. Dickerson, a fifth rounder in 2025, manned center for IE defensively and showed off a compelling combination of power and speed that has him amongst the better bats in this system. Logging 35 steals (21 for IE) and 15 homers (9 for IE) on the year, Dickerson’s premium glove up the middle and tantalizing raw tools at the plate make him a must follow for the 2027 season; he’s struggled a bit with the bat-to-ball, but he started showing improvement after his promotion to Everett and was a key player for IE for much of the season. Given the wave of major league promotions that many of the top prospects in this system earned this season, don’t be surprised if Dickerson sneaks his way on to top ten prospect lists this offseason. He’s a really good player that’s got a bright future ahead of him.
Sleepers
Hayden Yost
Arguably the biggest breakout of the 2026 draft class thus far, Yost, a fifth round outfielder from the University of Florida, absolutely raked in his limited sample of professional baseball and looks like a potential steal as a mid round gem. The lefty slugged his way to a .999 OPS across 114 PA’s and showed off a blend of power and bat-to-ball that’s hard to teach. He’s able to maximize his thump with a good feel to pull the ball in the air, and his clear command of the zone and his barrel bode incredibly well for his future as he moves up the minor league ranks. He was a huge part of the second half resurgence for this roster and should be on his way to Everett next season.
My goodness. Hayden Yost goes 470ft for his 2nd HR & 4th hit today. 4-5, 2HR, 2B, 3R, 5RBI. pic.twitter.com/UPQ9lyfJaY
If it weren’t for some midseason injuries that derailed his outstanding start to the season, we may be talking about Steensma as one of the stars of this entire pitching staff. Steensma, who worked 43.1 innings of 4.57 ERA ball this season, looked like a far more superior pitcher for much of the first half. There was clearly something off with him after returning from a multi-month hiatus in July as his performance took a bit of a hit, but his ability to rack up K’s while limiting walks is incredibly intriguing regardless of his late season struggles. He’s physical, has good stuff, and looks like he could be a very intriguing arm; health permitting, he’s one of the better pitchers in this system.
Anderson Guevara
Maybe the deepest cut on this list, Guevara is a fun reliever pick that has some nasty stuff on the mound. Guevara’s K rates sit just under 38% for the year and though he can get wild at times, his diabolical slider is a true whiff-getter, and there’s enough bat missing potential to dream of a successful career as a reliever. He’s a name to know for the true prospect heads that can’t get enough of everything Mariners.
CLEVELAND — Stephen Vogt and his Cleveland Guardians are used to this situation by now: needing two wins on the road to keep alive their season.
Cleveland faced a 3-2 deficit in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series and not a lot of time to rebound after a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. There is no travel day because of a rainout, and Game 6 is at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
“Let’s go. We don’t have another choice,” Vogt said. “This is when this team thrives.”
Cleveland rallied in September for the second straight season to win the AL Central. The Guardians were 60-65 and 5 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central on Aug. 17 before winning eight of nine and then going 16-9 in September to win the division by one game.
The Guardians dropped the first two AL Division Series games at home to the White Sox before winning the next two in Chicago and closing with a 2-0 win at Progressive Field in Game 5.
“I think it’ll help a ton knowing that we’re able to do it, facing elimination,” said Steven Kwan, who had two of Cleveland’s five hits and his first career postseason outfield assist. “I think we feel a little better on this one as opposed to the other ones since we’ve got some wins under our belt. Just have to trust our plans, turn the page and see what happens tomorrow.”
Kwan, who has 51 career outfield assists in the regular season, threw out Taylor Walls trying to score from second base on Jonathan Aranda’s fourth-inning single to left and made a leaping catch at the center-field wall on Victor Mesa Jr.’s eighth-inning drive, saving a run.
Teams trailing 3-2 after five games in the ALCS have come back to win only seven of 23 times. The last two teams in that position accomplished the feat, Texas in 2023 and Toronto last year.
Cleveland is 47-38 on the road in this year, including the postseason, and 43-44 at Progressive Field.
The biggest question is which pitcher will start. Foster Griffin began Game 1 but was the bulk reliever for Game 4, working 3 2/3 innings and allowing one run and four hits.
Vogt ruled out right-hander Gavin Williams, who led the AL with 248 strikeouts in the regular season. Williams started Game 3 and allowed two runs in five innings.
Cleveland’s bullpen allowed only one run in seven innings after Parker Messick struggled. A candidate for AL Rookie of the Year, Messick had the shortest outing of his big league career and didn’t make it past the third inning for the second time in four postseason starts.
The 25-year-old left-hander allowed two runs, five hits and three walks over two innings, throwing just 34 of 57 pitches for strikes.
Messick has pitched exactly 200 innings on the year, the first rookie to reach that mark in a season since Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura at 208 1/3 innings in 2014. The prior Cleveland rookie to toss at least 200 innings was Charles Nagy with 211 1/3 innings in 1991.
“I feel great right now,” Messick said. “Body feels good, arm feels good. I’m still throwing hard. I don’t really have any body fatigue. It’s just whether or not I’m executing the game plan.”
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 10: Teruaki Sato #7 of Team Japan hits a double in the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Czechia and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 10, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning! There’s still baseball being played. There might be a lock on the gates at Fenway Park, but it is NOT yet the offseason, and not yet time for the return of our Pulitzer Prize-winning* Smash or Pass series.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t start dreaming about some big offseason signings.
The whole world knows that the Red Sox need to add some thump to the lineup. Unfortunately, the MLB free agent class isn’t looking too thumpy this year. The top power hitters on the market are guys like Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, Brandon Lowe, and Jake Bauers, all of whom are on the wrong side of 30. But a new, not-technically-a-free-agent-but-still-kind-of-a-free-agent name is now out there. Teruaki Sato, who just won the Triple Crown in Japan’s Central League, will be posted this offseason.
There are a number of similarities between Sato and Munetaka Murakami, who was posted last year. Both were primarily third basemen in Japan, both were/will be posted at age 25, and both of them strikeout a lot. Sato, though, is considered to be a better athlete and defender (he’s won the NPB equivalent of the Gold Glove), with better contact skills but worse on-base skills.
Obviously things didn’t work out as everyone hoped the last time the Sox dipped into the Japanese market, but it’s not as if there isn’t plenty of MLB All-Star quality out there.
Talk about Japanese sluggers, the ALCS, or whatever else you want in this space and, as always, be good to one another.
*I give out my own Pulitzer Prizes. You’re allowed to do that if you want.
The Baltimore Orioles have hired Jared Banner as general manager to work alongside team president Mike Elias.
The Orioles announced the move Monday. Banner was the assistant GM of the Chicago Cubs, taking on that role in 2024. He’s also been a vice president of special projects and vice president of player development for the Cubs.
“When I first heard Mike’s vision, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Banner said in a statement. “The Orioles are a storied franchise with a passionate fanbase, a historic ballpark, and an organization full of talent.”
Banner’s arrival comes with Baltimore’s front office under increasing pressure to reverse the team’s decline the past couple seasons. Elias appeared to have built the Orioles into a force when the team won 192 games in two seasons from 2023-24. Since then, Baltimore has managed only 75 wins in 2025 and 79 this year.
“Jared has been one of the rising talents in our league for some time, now,” Elias said. “He has demonstrated success running multiple different departments and has worked alongside some of the best people and front office talent in the league across multiple stops. He is a perfect fit to grow, evolve and improve the Orioles’ baseball operations.”
Banner is a Brooklyn, New York, native. He played baseball at Amherst College and was a fellow in the baseball operations department of the Boston Red Sox in 2007. He spent 11 years with the Red Sox, working in player development and amateur scouting before becoming assistant director of player personnel in 2013.
He was Boston’s vice president of player personnel in 2017-18 before becoming executive director of player development of the New York Mets. Then he joined the Cubs in late 2020.
