Category: Sports News

The Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System was newly implemented in the majors this season and changed the game for the better.

José Caballero made MLB history on Opening Night, tapping his helmet after a questionable strike call to trigger the very first ABS challenge during the Yankees’ season opener against the Giants. Although the challenge was unsuccessful—as was a bit of a trend with Caballero in particular—the ball landed in the top right corner of the zone to uphold the call, it catalyzed a pivotal improvement to the game for the better. Cementing the historic moment in baseball history, Caballero’s helmet is set to be displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Tested for much of the decade at various levels of the minor leagues, the system tracks the specific location of each pitch, relative to the batter’s zone, which is calibrated to his height and measured to the fraction of an inch. Not meant to replace human umpires entirely, it’s meant to primarily correct human error in obvious misses. However, in cases where the call is challenged and upheld, it puts teams in difficult situations as they lose a challenge opportunity for the remainder of the game.

The Yankees consistently used their allotted two challenges per game to their advantage and ended the regular season with a 54.7-percent total success rate, with Austin Wells proving to be especially adept at it behind the plate. Experimenting with the system early in the season, the Yankees were more aggressive with challenges and quickly accumulated a high success rate, overturning 10 of 11 calls in their first four games of the season. They were more successful on pitcher/catcher challenges, and Wells finished the regular season with the fourth-highest win percentage from the field.

The days of adhering to calls from pitcher-friendly and hitter-friendly umpires, and even from some with personal animosities, will soon be behind us as we expect more modifications to the system. The Pinstripe Alley community shared their thoughts on the topic, and it appears that the majority have more positive feedback on the challenge system and engaged in discussions on how it can improve going forward.

Some envision the league allowing three challenges per game, giving teams more opportunities to overturn questionable calls, and others support having at least one challenge available per inning. It will be very interesting to see the evolution of this challenge system within the majors, and it’s already made a lasting impact on the league.

The Colorado Rockies need pitching. Lots of it.

Finding it won’t be easy. Established free agents can be expensive, assuming the Rockies can convince them to pitch at Coors Field. The draft offers another avenue, but even successful picks typically need years of development. Trades, meanwhile, offer an opportunity to acquire pitchers who could contribute sooner.

Paul DePodesta’s early pitching acquisitions offer some encouragement. Brennan Bernardino has emerged as a legitimate bullpen contributor, while Mason Adams and Mark Manfredi are intriguing additions from the Brenton Doyle and Antonio Senzatela trades, respectively.

Of course, acquiring talent means giving something up. Colorado has a crowded outfield, while former top prospect Adael Amador showed encouraging signs down the stretch and is one of several young hitters at the major-league level or in the upper minors who could be moved. Hunter Goodman, coming off a 41-homer season as a catcher, would represent a significant trade chip. There’s even the nuclear option of dealing top prospect Ethan Holliday, although that would require an extraordinary return.

The Rockies have options, but deciding which players to part with, and for what kind of pitching, is another matter entirely.

So, what’s realistic?

Inspired by a Baseball America article, I went searching for overlooked pitchers in other organizations. I focused primarily on arms outside their organization’s top 10 prospects and the national top 100, using strikeout rates, walk rates and fielding-independent pitching as starting points. I also included pitchers with interesting scouting profiles whose results haven’t necessarily matched their potential.

The goal is to identify possible contributors between 2027 and 2029, not predict the next Cy Young winner. I don’t know whether any of these pitchers are available or what their teams might want in return. But because they generally fall outside the highest prospect rankings, some could represent more realistic trade targets for the Rockies.

The numbers jump off the page

Strong minor-league numbers don’t guarantee major-league success, but these pitchers have produced strikeout rates worth investigating.

(All statistics are combined 2026 minor-league totals; levels indicate each pitcher’s highest level reached. FIP- measures fielding-independent pitching performance adjusted for league and park (100 is average; lower is better). GB% is groundball percentage. Competition varies considerably between levels.)

Miami’s Jacob Kisting has already changed organizations twice since November 2025. His 59 FIP- was exceptional, and his strikeout rate improved to 31.3% after reaching Double-A. Maintaining that production against more advanced hitters will be his next challenge.

Philadelphia’s Cody Bowker offers a particularly interesting fastball. His low release point and unusual carry help the pitch play above its velocity, contributing to impressive strikeout totals.

Bowker’s walk rate also improved from 11.8% at Single-A to 4.8% at High-A and 3.7% at Double-A. The final figure came over just 20.0 innings, but the progression is encouraging. Developing his secondary pitches will be important as hitters adjust.

Atlanta’s Cedric De Grandpré has reached Triple-A and maintained strong strikeout production, although his double-digit walk rate remains a concern.

Throw strikes and keep the ball on the ground

These pitchers offer a different combination of skills, pairing manageable walk rates with a greater tendency to generate groundballs. While that doesn’t automatically make them better fits for Coors Field, it’s another pitching profile worth exploring.

Boston’s Gage Ziehl combines above-average projected command with an encouraging groundball rate. His strikeout rate declined from 27.1% at Double-A to 19.6% at Triple-A, however, making his ability to generate outs against advanced hitters worth watching.

Atlanta’s Ethan Bagwell is only 20. His FIP- rose from 65 at Single-A to 91 at High-A, but he continued limiting walks and generating groundballs after his promotion.

Houston’s James Hicks also limits walks and generates groundballs, although his lower strikeout rate leaves less room for mistakes.

Close enough to help soon

Colorado needs pitchers throughout its system, but these four have already reached Triple-A and could offer more immediate help in 2027.

Boston’s Blake Wehunt experienced a dramatic change between levels. At Double-A, he struck out 33.0% of hitters with a 3.62 FIP. At Triple-A, his strikeout rate dropped to 15.9% and his FIP climbed to 4.92. The question is whether Wehunt can rediscover that effectiveness against Triple-A hitters.

Pittsburgh’s Connor Wietgrefe handled 151.1 innings while maintaining respectable results. His strikeout rate declined at Triple-A, but that workload is appealing for an organization needing more starting pitching depth.

Lucas Braun also provided substantial innings, although his Triple-A results were less encouraging. Houston’s Jackson Nezuh offers greater strikeout potential but needs to improve his control.

Something to fix, something to dream on

Acquiring one of these pitchers would mean betting on further development rather than established performance.

Miami’s Julio Mendez generates plenty of strikeouts, but his control needs work. The left-hander continued striking out more than 30% of hitters at High-A while walking 12.0%.

Cincinnati’s Mason Morris is particularly intriguing. FanGraphs assigns 60 grades to both his fastball and slider, but his statistical performance hasn’t matched the appeal of his arsenal.

FanGraphs projects Morris as a multi-inning reliever while also recommending continued development as a starter. MLB Pipeline sees starting potential, too, provided his command and changeup improve. Both paths remain interesting.

Cleveland’s Rafe Schlesinger reached Double-A with respectable results, but reducing his walk rate could make his profile considerably stronger.

Roster opportunities and second chances

Not every pitching acquisition requires a conventional prospect-for-prospect trade. Roster crunches, changing organizational priorities and pitchers who haven’t secured permanent major-league roles can create opportunities. That doesn’t mean either of these pitchers is available, but their paths illustrate how circumstances can change.

Chicago selected Jedixson Páez from Boston in the December 2025 Rule 5 Draft, designated him for assignment April 1 and returned him April 4.

Back in Boston’s system, Páez walked just 2.9% of opposing hitters across 70.2 innings while maintaining impressive strikeout production, earning another major-league opportunity in September.

His low-90s fastball and vulnerability to home runs remain concerns, but that level of control, combined with his varied secondary offerings, makes him worth watching.

Atlanta’s Blake Burkhalter reached the majors in September after spending his MiLB career as both a starter and a reliever. His strikeout production in 41.0 minor-league innings in 2026 was encouraging, though the small sample size warrants caution. His arsenal could provide value in long relief.

Raising the floor

Not every name here is a realistic trade target. Some may be too valuable to their organizations, while others could cost more than Colorado is willing to offer.

Some pitchers offer impressive numbers, others have intriguing arsenals, and a few might be closer to contributing than their prospect rankings suggest. The Rockies need pitching at nearly every level, and finding it will require looking beyond the obvious names.

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

Diamondbacks News

Mike Hazen Speaks on Offseason Priorities
It appears the Diamondbacks will continue to hunt for a left-handed impact bat.

Other Baseball News

Rain Postpones ALCS Game 4 Amid Controversy Regarding Timing of Decision
Game 4 of the ALCS will now be played today, instead of last night. MLB knew this to be the likely outcome long before they finally announced it. Do better MLB. Game 5 will now be played on Sunday, wiping out the day off for travel.

Fans Les Than Thrilled After Cold, Wet Night
Seriously, MLB. Just do better.

Five More Players Elect Free Agency
Five more players who played in MLB this year have elected minor league free agency, according to the transaction tracker at MiLB.com. These players were all outrighted off teams’ 40-man rosters and have played seven-plus seasons in the minors, so the elections are mostly formalities.

Digging Through a Weak Free Agent Market
Between the impending lockout and this particularly dismal free agent market, Mike Hazen is going to have his work cut out for him.

Friday’s postponement of Game 4 of the ALDS between the Rays and Guardians in Cleveland was the first postseason game postponed since Game 4 of the Cubs/Nationals NLDS at Wrigley Field in 2017. More on that below.

MLB handled tickets for the postponed game in an odd fashion. Here’s what they said in a press release about the postponement:

Fans with tickets to the original ALCS Game Four on Friday, October 15th may use those same tickets for ALCS Game Five on Sunday, October 17th at 5:08 p.m. (ET). Gates will open at 2:30 p.m. (ET).

Fans with tickets for the originally scheduled ALCS Game Five on Saturday, October 16th do not need to take any action. That game will now be played as ALCS Game Four. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. (ET) for the 8:08 p.m. (ET) first pitch. 

So if you held a “Home Game 2” ticket for Guardians/Rays Friday, you’re now going to be able to go to “Home Game 3” on Sunday — and now those who thought they were going to Game 5 on Saturday are now going to Game 4.

Before Friday, the most recent postseason postponement was Game 3 of the 2022 World Series between the Astros and Phillies in Philadelphia. That year’s WS schedule was pushed back a day as a result. Here are some other significant postseason postponements over the last few deecades.

1962: World Series Game 6

Look at the playing dates for the entire 1962 World Series. There’s a four-day gap between Game 5 and Game 6, and even in 1962 it didn’t take that long to get from New York to San Francisco. Three days of rain in the Bay Area pushed Game 6 back, and that was after Game 5 in New York had been postponed by rain there. That meant just two Yankees starters, Ralph Terry and Whitey Ford, threw games 4 through 7. Terry wound up throwing a 1-0 shutout in Game 7 to win the series for the Yankees.

1975: World Series Game 6

This is, of course, one of the most famous games in baseball history, won by Carlton Fisk with a 12th-inning home run. But rain in Boston had postponed this game three times, giving the teams four days in between Games 5 and 6. Luis Tiant, who started Games 1 and 4, thus came back for Game 6, though he was long gone from the game by the time Fisk won it with his homer.

1986: World Series Game 7

The Mets, as you know, won Game 6 with a miracle 10th-inning rally. They didn’t get the chance to win the World Series the next day, though, as rain in New York postponed Game 7 for a day. The Red Sox took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but back-to-back three-run innings won the game, and the Series, for the Mets.

1989: World Series Game 3

Just as Game 3 was about to begin at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the Bay Area was hit by a major earthquake. Here is ABC-TV’s pregame show. At about 4:35 into this video, you can see the feed simply drop out and be replaced by a still frame, with Al Michaels speaking by phone:

The 1989 World Series was delayed by 10 days, and then the Athletics completed a four-game sweep by defeating the Giants in Games 3 and 4 at Candlestick Park.

2008: World Series Game 5

This wasn’t a postponement, but rather a game suspended due to torrential rain and wind in Philadelphia. Since the suspended-game rules of the time did not permit for a game to be suspended if it wasn’t tied, the teams played until Melvin Upton (then known as B.J. Upton) scored to tie the game 2-2.

Check out some of the commentary in the Retrosheet boxscore of this game:

RAYS 5TH: Baldelli reached on an error by Rollins; Jimmy Rollins fought with the rain and gusting wind trying to catch the ball; Bartlett grounded into a double play (second to first) [Baldelli out at second]; Kazmir struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Rays 1, Phillies 2.

RAYS 6TH: Iwamura was called out on strikes; Crawford grounded out (first unassisted); Upton singled to shortstop; Upton stole second; Pena singled to left [Upton scored]; Ruiz allowed a passed ball [Pena to second]; Longoria flied to center; game suspended due to heavy rain and winds at 10:39 PM; resumed at 8:40 on 10/29; the first suspension in World Series history; temperature at the time of the resumption was 44 but it was dry; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Rays 2, Phillies 2.

This led to the rule change providing that every postseason game must go at least nine innings and if any such game is interrupted by weather and cannot be completed on the day it’s started, it will be suspended, no matter what the inning or game situation.

Joe Maddon was the manager of that Rays team. In 2018, when the Cubs and Braves played through a cold, wet, windy rain and the Cubs came back from an eight-run deficit to win 14-10, Maddon called that weather worse than the 2008 World Series game:

“I thought the 2008 World Series game I participated in was the worst. It just got surpassed,” Maddon said. “This is not baseball weather. The elements were horrific to play baseball in. That is the worst elements I ever participated in in a baseball game. Ever.”

2017: NLDS Game 4

The postponement of NLDS Game 4 between the Cubs and Nationals was the first postseason postponement for the Cubs in the divisional play era.

It was played the next day and the Cubs lost 5-0, with Stephen Strasburg striking out 12. The teams then traveled to Washington for Game 5, a wild contest won by the Cubs 9-8. But the rainout had cost the teams an off day for travel, and then the Cubs had to travel to Los Angeles to begin the NLCS two days later — a trip interrupted by an unscheduled stop in Albuquerque because of a “health issue,” later determined to be José Quintana’s wife falling ill on the flight.

Would the 2017 NLCS have gone differently for the Cubs if not for the rainout and that diverted flight? Obviously, we’ll never know.

“They talk about all the other fellas on that team, but I notice the man who hurts us when it counts is that third baseman. There is a real ballplayer.”

The Athletics entered the 1930s as the class of the American League, winning their second straight World Series title in ‘30 and taking the pennant again in ‘31. But the decade would belong to another team, one that rebuild itself after the departure of the game’s brightest star. Led by Lou Gehrig and Bill Dickey and, later, Joe DiMaggio and Joe Gordon, with Red Ruffing and Lefty Gomez in the rotation, that incarnation of the Bronx Bombers won four straight championships to close out the decade. But, when asked to identify the most dangerous player on the club, legendary A’s manager and owner Connie Mack named none of those Hall of Famers. Instead, it was the team’s cerebral, ultra-consistent third baseman who Mack feared most.

Robert Abial “Red” Rolfe
Born: October 17, 1908 (Penacook, NH)
Died: July 8, 1969 (Gilford, NH)
Yankees Tenure: 1931, 1934-42

Growing up in New Hampshire, Red Rolfe quickly distinguished himself in both academics and athletics. He earned acceptance to Dartmouth, where he performed well enough to draw the attention of several big-league teams. Mack offered the youngster a tryout, but he ended up signing with the Yankees, who pitched him on the potential to play alongside Gehrig and Babe Ruth.

Rolfe would get his chance before long, appearing in a single game as a defensive replacement a few months after his signing in 1931. He’d spend the next two years with the Double-A Newark Bears, consistently hitting for average while continuing to hone his defensive skills on the left side of the infield. He wouldn’t return to the Show until ‘34, when he broke camp with the Yankees. Rolfe’s first year in pinstripes was a mixed bag, as he dealt with maladies and a position switch from shortstop to third due to a lack of arm strength. Still, he immediately impressed some of his more seasoned teammates. “I never saw a kid with so much spirit and desire to learn as Rolfe has shown me,” said Gehrig. “When you start to discuss things, this Rolfe sticks his ear right into your tonsils. He wants to know everything. I think he’s a natural.” The two Ivy League men would become close friends, bonding over a shared appreciation for cribbage and literature.

If ‘34 was a step forward, ‘35 would be Rolfe’s breakout. He hit .300 and, while he was yet to show much power, he made up for it with his acumen. He was a progenitor of the shift, keeping detailed notes on opposing hitters’ tendencies and implementing his findings on the field. The following season went even better, as the third baseman hit .319 with an MLB-best 15 triples while settling into the two-hole. He also got his first October action and made the most of it, hitting .400 in a six-game victory over the rival Giants.

The Yankees settled into a familiar rhythm through the rest of the decade, winning four straight titles. And, while not able to compete with the fame of some of his teammates, Rolfe became a bone fide star, earning four straight All-Star berths and twice receiving down-ballot MVP votes. His career year came in ‘39, as he slashed .329/.404/.495 while leading the league in hits (213), doubles (46), and runs scored (139).

Rolfe’s performance took a downturn after that stellar campaign. A series of health issues, including a tonsil condition, a vision issue, and intestinal colitis, sapped him of much of his strength. Rolfe hit just .250 with little pop over the next three seasons as he saw his playing time decline. He had one more shot at playoff glory in ‘42, his final season, and made the most of it, hitting .353 in an eventual loss to the Cardinals.

Rolfe retired after that season to take a coaching job at Yale. In ‘46 he returned to the Yankees as a coach, and his longtime manager Joe McCarthy began grooming Rolfe to succeed him at the helm. But McCarthy found himself out of a job after the Yankees were sold to a new owner. Rolfe was forced to leave the only pro team he’d ever known, joining the Tigers first as farm director and then as manager. He took home Manager of the Year honors in 1950 as a previously moribund Detroit squad ended the season just three games back of the pennant.

That success proved unsustainable, though, and Rolfe was out by ‘52. He returned to his alma mater, Dartmouth, where he served as athletic director until health issues forced him to resign in 1967. Two years later, the man who had struggled with his health throughout his playing career died at the age of 60 from kidney failure.

Red Rolfe’s statistical impact is clear and impressive. But his impact on the Yankees and the game of baseball extend far beyond that. “Red was often sought out by teammates for help with income tax filings, advice on investments, counsel on their bridge game, and even their domestic difficulties,” said the Sporting Newsupon Rolfe’s retirement of his role as the consummate teammate. McCarthy, who managed for 24 years and won seven championships, called his protégé “one of the greatest third basemen of all time.” And he accomplished it all while dealing with health issues that would have led many others to walk away from the game. All this paints a clear picture of a player who, if you’d had the chance to watch him play day in and day out, would have been a beloved favorite, the kind of player who transcends on-field performance through strength of character. Or, in the words of the great Connie Mack, a real ballplayer.

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

At the start of every season, we do a ‘Bold Predictions’ piece here on Amazin’ Avenue. Last year, my bold prediction was a sub-2.50 ERA for Kodai Senga. My thought process, at the time, seemed sound:

With stronger up the middle defense, a potential six-man rotation, and a coaching staff more aligned with the front office, things seem like they may be working in Senga’s favor. Already this spring, Senga’s velocity is back up to the high 90s, and his ghost fork is diving out of the strike zone like it did in ‘23. If he can stay healthy, Senga is poised to have a monster season.

Welp.

Senga’s actual 2026 ERA was nearly three times the ceiling I set for it, finishing the year with a 7.34 mark. To say that everything went wrong for Senga is somewhat underselling just how terrible of a year he had, almost from the very beginning.

After two fine starts, in which he allowed two earned runs apiece over six and five and two-thirds innings, respectively, Senga’s season hit the skids in spectacular fashion. We all know that early season rate stats are never reliable, but let’s keep using ERA as the benchmark. After his second start, his ERA was 3.09. After his third, it was 7.07 and it never went south of that number again all season.

That is especially remarkable because, . But after his last start, his ERA was at a season high 10.08.

Senga spent six weeks or so on the Injured List with both spine inflammation and ulnar nerve irritation. When he came back, things didn’t exactly get better. He made three more starts before being demoted to the bullpen, and gave up thirteen earned runs, five home runs, and ten walks in those 12 and two-third innings.

So what happened? Well, the short answer is that his stuff somewhat disappeared and his walk rate ballooned. He was still getting strikeouts, and at a fairly similar rate, but what was gone was the weak contact that made him such a valuable member of the rotation. When Senga was getting hit this season, he was getting hit hard. He was bottom 5% in the all of baseball in wOBA against and walk rate.

The good news for the Mets was that once he moved into the bullpen, and especially since he was made the de facto closer with Devin Williams on the shelf, his performance not just leveled out, but he showed real skill at the role. He had just two truly bad outings as closer, while racking up eight saves. Simply put, in short bursts, Senga was good.

It is hard to lower your ERA out of the bullpen due to the natural innings limits that exist, but Senga dropped his ERA nearly three runs in his three months out of the bullpen. Once he made the switch to the bullpen, he gave up just nine runs in 30 and a third innings pitched, lowering his ERA from its season high 10.08 after his last start.

If Senga is comfortable with a bullpen role, this appears to be the way that the Mets can salvage the final year of his contract and give the team some more stability from the starting rotation. If not, it’s going to be another rollercoaster of a year for Senga and the Metropolitans.

In my defense, Senga’s ERA once he made the switch to the bullpen was 2.05. So, from a certain point of view, I nailed by bold prediction.

You’re welcome.