Category: Sports News

The past and future stars of third base in the American League could decide the pennant in 2026.

José Ramírez wasn’t an All-Star this year. It was the first time the Guardians veteran failed to earn the nod since 2019. Ramírez got off to a sluggish start, broke the hamate bone in his left hand in June, and slumped mightily in the second half after returning from the injured list. He hit .235/.320/.368 (92 wRC+) on the year as a whole. It was definitively the worst performance of his career, snapping a decade-long run as one of the best and most consistent players in the majors.

But Ramírez enters the ALCS on Monday on something of a hot streak. He surged over the final two weeks of the regular season, and helped carry the Guardians back from down 2-0 against the White Sox in the ALDS. He already has five hits this postseason, including four for extra bases. His two-run home run in Game 5 on Saturday secured Cleveland’s spot in the ALCS.

This trend is crucial. It could be what tips the scale in a highly competitive series on paper. The Guardians outlasted the White Sox in the AL Central (and ALDS) on the strength of their rotation and bullpen, but they’ve lacked depth in their lineup all year. If Ramírez is back to being one of the best hitters in the league, he provides the fearsome middle-of-the-order bat the Guardians need.

That’s not to say their lineup is totally desolate. Chase DeLauter was strong at the plate in his rookie year, as was Travis Bazzana. Steven Kwan has been finding more grass of late with his slap-hitting approach. Angel Martínez provides a little bit of everything on the field, even if his style of play lends him to being a bit streaky (and currently 0-for-15 in the playoffs).

Still, while there are a handful of useful role players, there just hasn’t been that legitimate thump at the top of the order, to advance runners and apply pressure and make opponents sweat. Ramírez renewed presence changes that. In a postseason bereft of offense league-wide, the Guardians 93 wRC+ is second behind only the Brewers, with Ramírez himself ranking fifth with a 211 wRC+. This group now looks competitive at the very least.

And competitive is all they really need to be, as we saw in Game 5, when the Guardians shutout the White Sox with 21 strikeouts. That wasn’t a total outlier, either: No pitching staff struck out more batters in the second half this season than Cleveland.

Gavin Williams got the start in Game 5 and picked up the first 11 of those strikeouts. He’s quietly been one of the best starting pitchers in the majors this year, and only Jacob Misiorowski and Dylan Cease struck out batters at a higher rate. Then there’s rookie Parker Messick, who finished the season top 10 in fWAR with an outstanding 2.56 ERA. Foster Griffin, who starts Game 1 on Monday, brings a “kitchen sink” approach from the left side and has occasionally dominated deep into games this year. The Guardians rotation is surprisingly deep for a group without a true “ace.”

The bullpen is really where they shine. If Cade Smith isn’t the best reliever in baseball, he’s at least the best remaining in the postseason (with Mason Miller recently eliminated). Erik Sabrowski is a solid 1b choice as one of the best lefty relievers in the game. But it’s the depth of the bullpen that serves to impress, with seven different relievers posting a FIP under 3 in the second half of the season. Expect Cleveland to use lots of different pitchers in this series — and expect them to be effective in doing so.

Still, they have a tough path ahead against the AL’s winningest team in Tampa Bay. The Rays are led by All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero, who hit 42 home runs this year and posted a .276/.360/.524 slash line with a 142 wRC+. Caminero, just 22, finished his second straight season among the top 25 players in the majors by fWAR, and has perhaps replaced Ramírez as the premier third baseman in the AL.

Caminero’s success is in part brute strength. Nobody swings harder at a scintillating 79.5 mph average bat speed. When he connects, he really connects.

But Caminero isn’t a free swinger taking massive upper cuts and aiming for the fences. He has a patient approach with a cautious eye, and takes nice, level swings to get the ball in play consistently. His 18.4% strikeout rate was four points below the league’s strikeout rate of 22.1% in 2026, which is rare for a player who swings so hard.

That’s sort of the theme with this Rays lineup. While Caminero is the only true star of the group, their lineup is chock-full of batters who simply refuse to whiff. The Rays 18.8% strikeout rate in 2026 was the lowest in the majors. It’s not just that they get the play in, either. The contact they make is generally on the ground and to the opposite field, going against the recent trend of pulling the ball in the air and chasing home runs. This all-fields approach shifts defenses out of position, especially with runners on base, and forces them to make plays they’re not always equipped to make. The Rays lack of power is why they ultimately finished middle of the pack in run scoring, but their “pesky” approach puts tons of pressure on opponents, and occasionally makes them crack, as we saw with the Yankees error-filled ALDS.

On the mound, the Rays aren’t quite as deep as the Guardians. Drew Rasmussen is perhaps the secret ace of the league, finishing top 10 in fWAR with a 2.67 ERA. He gets strikeouts, he doesn’t give up walks or hard contact, and his broad arsenal keeps batters off balance deep into games. When he’s on, Rasmussen is a joy to watch, and could be the difference in any game he starts.

The issue for the Rays is there isn’t a ton of depth beyond him. Freddy Peralta was the Brewers long-time number one starter, but he took a step back this year, often struggling to put batters away and keep the ball in the yard. Nick Martinez has found success here and there as a sort of wily veteran, but he’s not likely to deliver big innings in this series. On days Rasmussen doesn’t start, expect the Rays to lean heavily on their bullpen.

This ultimately looks like a fairly even matchup, despite the Rays winning 13 more games in the regular season. It’s worth pointing out they were the “luckiest” team in the majors this year, winning eight more games than implied by their run differential. The Rays hold a slight advantage at the plate, but the Guardians have the deeper the rotation.

That’s why I think this series could come down to the positional matchup at third base: the AL’s longtime star of the position versus its future star. I rarely view baseball  in individual terms like this, but in a series sure to be played at narrow margins, these two could be all the difference. If Ramírez stays hot, maybe that’s what the Guardians need to squeak across a few runs for their pitching staff. If Caminero can find the barrel, maybe he gives the Rays some rare power to counter Cleveland’s great pitching. If both players are on their game, well, this should be a fun series.

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

After seven-straight playoff losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers, dating back to 2018, the Milwaukee Brewers have finally added one to the W column.

The 103-win Brewers go into today’s NLCS Game 2 with a 1-0 lead as the defending two-time World Series champ Dodgers will aim to even things up.

Game 1 was a low-scoring affair with solid pitching at the center of it. After taking a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning, the Brewers’ bullpen ensured that the Dodgers wouldn’t tie things up.

The Dodgers come into Game 2 with their ace on the mound. One year ago, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw the first complete game of his career in Game 2 of the NLCS. In these 2026 playoffs so far, Yamamoto struck out ten over seven innings.

After Game 2, the series moves to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Thursday.

Here’s how to tune in to the Game 2 of the NLCS for free without cable.

Dodgers vs. Brewers start time

Game 2 of the Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS is scheduled to begin today, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET.

How to watch Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS Game 2 for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the NLCS for free.

DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes FOX as part of its 125+ channel options.

Dodgers vs. Brewers starting pitchers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9, 2.53 ERA) will start for the Dodgers, while Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47 ERA) is on the mound for the Brewers.

Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS schedule

• Game 1: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1
• Game 2: Oct. 12, 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Game 3: Oct. 14, 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Game 4: Oct. 15, 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Game 5: Oct. 16, 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET (FS1)*
• Game 6: Oct. 18, 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET (FS1)*
• Game 7: Oct. 19, 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET (FOX or FS1)*

*if necessary

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

Accustomed to the role of the favorites throughout their history, the Yankees were not favored against Tampa Bay in the ALDS and indeed bounced out early from the 2026 postseason, leaving the Rays, Guardians, Dodgers, and Brewers as the four clubs still battling for a championship.

Finding a rooting interest after your team is eliminated can be a tricky thing, and everyone has their process. Opting out is perfectly reasonable in its own right if it’s just time for you to begin the offseason baseball hiatus. But for those who watch, the Yankees left their fans in the role of cheering for the underdog on either side of the bracket. Generally, that’s the case for most people, but here it ties into the specific relationships with each of these teams, not because of who they are, but because of who they’re facing.

Before getting to the specific points regarding the Brewers and Guardians, it hit me just now that they represent the two other organizations one of the more recently honored Yankee legends played for in CC Sabathia. Inducted into Monument Park in September, Sabathia started his career with Cleveland before a brief and incredibly successful period in Milwaukee, ultimately signing with the Yankees and being an integral part of that 2009 championship-winning squad. (CC’s son, Carsten, was also drafted by the Brewers this past July.) The Hall of Famer has already stated his obvious enthusiasm for his two former clubs who are still contending for a title.

Interestingly, although the Rays are a division rival, one could argue the rivalry with the Guardians would be even more latent—after all, no teams from the same league have played each other in the postseason as often as these two. Nevertheless, the seven playoff meetings between New York and Cleveland—five of them finishing with the Yankees advancing, including the last four—haven’t built as much animosity as you’d expect between these two franchises.

It’s kind of hard to hold a grudge against a team they’ve been able to beat three times in the playoffs since the 2020 campaign and once more not so long ago in 2017. One might even argue some of the best Yankee memories in the postseason since winning their last World Series have come against Cleveland. Furthermore, this is such an odd Cleveland team that’s confusing, reminding you of the University of Iowa football team, continuously finding ways to win despite excelling in very few areas, far from overpowering on either side of the ball.

On the other side, the resentment towards the Rays could not be higher, spending nearly the whole year trailing them in the fight for the AL East—a fight that was more theoretical than put into practice, only to lose the ALDS excruciatingly. It’s not just about what the Rays did, but what the Yankees did and did not do. So it’s easy to root against them the same way most Yankees fans cheered against Toronto in the ALCS last year, when they narrowly beat Seattle for the pennant.

When it comes to the National League, few teams can claim such lengthy periods of success in the 21st century without a World Series title to show for it. As much as a title from anyone apart from the Dodgers might further expose Yankee management and its blown opportunities to compete for the ultimate trophy because it shows it could easily be done—even now, it’s far easier for a fan to sympathize with the low-profile Brewers. The City of Milwaukee hasn’t seen a World Series champion since 1957, when the Brewers didn’t exist and the Braves had not yet moved to Atlanta. That’s not as long as Cleveland’s drought, but it’s not far off.

Although the Brewers and Yankees have been common figures in the postseason over the last 10 seasons or so, they haven’t come close to facing each other in the World Series during this period. Whenever one was on the LCS, the other wasn’t. The playoff track record between them comes from when the Brewers were a part of the AL East; they met the Yankees in the 1981 postseason due to a midseason strike creating a split season. New York advanced in a best-of-five (3-2) and eventually lost the World Series to … the Dodgers. It always comes back to them, doesn’t it?

Who would Yankees fans pick if both underdogs prevailed and made it to the Fall Classic? It’s hard to say. But honestly, most would probably be content if they were told that even one of the Dodgers or Rays got knocked out to create an easy Fall Classic rooting favorite.

For the first time in nearly twenty years, the League Championship series is back at Tropicana Field.

Over the past two decades, the Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the best franchises in all of baseball. Since the start of the 2008 season, the Rays have the 3rd highest winning percentage in the game and have been to the playoffs 10 times. They have won two pennants, falling just short of winning the World Series both times.

There have been two Cy Youngs (Blake Snell and David Price), four Rookie of the Year winners (Randy Arozarena, Wil Myers, Jeremy Hellickson, and Evan Longoria), and numberous Silver Sluggers and Gold Glovers as well Managers of the Year (Joe Maddon and Kevin Cash both winning two).

Factually speaking, this is the team’s third time making it past the Division Series but the 2020 season muddles things as it was only 60 games and each postseason game past the Wild Card rounds were moved to a central locations to try and keep the players safe from COVID (well sort of safe, thanks Justin Turner). The Rays defeated the Houston Astros in seven games in San Diego to move onto the World Series and face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Texas.

So with all their successes, it’s crazy that the Rays will be just playing in their second ALCS at Tropicana Field.

Cleveland’s pitching staff was taxed during their five game series against the Chicago White Sox but the Guardians were able to win out in the end. It was a bittersweet situation for Cleveland during the final two games of the ALDS as they were able to start those games with their two best starting pitchers but that leaves them at a disadvantage with the bottom end of their rotation going against the Rays ace.

So on Monday night at Tropicana Field, instead of Gavin Williams or Parker Messick taking the mound, Cleveland will instead call upon 31-year old southpaw, Foster Griffin.

It’s been a whirlwind of a career for Griffin as he was originally a first round draft pick, selected at 28th overall by the Kansas City Royals way back in 2014 ranking as one of the top high school arms in the country. He and an up-and-down prospectdom with some years appearing as an ace and others as a neverwill. Eventually, the Royals gave Griffin a cameo in the big leagues as a reliever but ultimately he would only toss 6 innings for his drafting team before being traded to the Blue Jays ahead of the 2022 deadline; Griffin would only throw two innings for Toronto and was released in November.

Following his release, Griffin ventured overseas and pitched for the Yomiuri Giants from 2023 through 2025 and performed quite well, regaining his status as a starting pitcher. Over those three seasons, Griffin compiled a 2.57 ERA spread across 315.2 IP.

The Washington Nationals signed Griffin to a one year, $5.5M deal ahead of the 2026 campaign and the changes Griffin made to achieve success in Japan easily transferred state side as he excelled with Washington. Over the first several months of the season, Griffin compiled a 3.06 ERA | 4.10 FUP with a 22.1 K% & 5.7 BB% over 129.1 IP. In need of pitching for their playoff aspirations, that Guardians acquired Grffin from the Nationals at the trade deadline.

The results for Griffin have been inconsistent since landing in Cleveland. There are a couple of outings that heavily skew his 5.19 ERA and his 3.54 FIP suggests that he has been unlucky. Griffin made 9 regular season starts for Cleveland and allowed 3 runs or less in seven of them but also only compelted six innings, three times.

Going to the mound for the Rays in game one will be Drew Rasmussen.

The 31-year old hurler was nearly perfect the last time he toed the rubber for the Rays back on Saturday, October 3rd, during the first game of the ALDS against the Yankees. Rasmussen delivered eight innings of dominance against New York, striking out ten hitters and walking just two; he was just four outs away from a no-hitter when Austin Wells drilled a ball into the right field corner. This looked like a possible turning point in a 1-0 game, but a questionable baserunning decision and elite Rays defense resulted in Wells being thrown at third to record the final out of Rasmussen’s brilliant 8 inning outing.

According to Baseball-Reference’s GameScore (developed by Bill James), this start was the best of Rasmussen’s career as he registered an 88 GameScore. Rasmussen’s previous high (85) was an outing from earlier this season in which he struck out 13, allowing just two hits over 7 scoreless innings against Boston. It was easily the best postseason performance from a Rays starting pitcher, surpassing Matt Moore’s (77) stellar postseason debut in 2011 and Matt Garza’s (75) 2008 ALCS game 7 performance.

The Tampa Bay Rays managed to sweep the New York Yankees in the ALDS despite receiving a less than stellar performance from their offense. As a whole, the offense hit .208/.255/.344 with a .599 OPS which is the second lowest all-time for a team that swept their opponent in the LDS. However, they did have to face one of the toughest pitching staffs in all of baseball so that needs to be taken into consideration as the Yankees led the league in ERA.

The game begins tonight at 8pm with Rays Hall of Famer Carl Crawford tossing out the ceremonial first pitch.

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves down 1-0 in the NLCS to the Milwaukee Brewers, unable to muster more than one run. As is so often the case, Monday afternoon they will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to try to even the series.

The Dodgers are 9-1 in his postseason starts and are undefeated in his six road playoff starts. The last time that Yamamoto faced the Brewers in the NLCS, just last season, he had his first career complete game in a 5-1 victory.

With Yamamoto being a right handed pitcher, expect Christian Yelich to be back in the Brewers lineup.

The Brewers will counter with rookie Logan Henderson, who was 11-3 with a 2.47 era during the regular season, and has only pitched 5.0 innings this postseason, with four strikeouts allowing one run on two hits against the San Diego Padres. He was pulled after five innings at only 71 pitches.

Henderson out-dueled Tarik Skubal in August at Dodger Stadium, going a career high seven innings in a victory that lead to the Brewers having the home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Dodgers got just one against him in that game, a Max Muncy homer in the fourth inning. The Dodgers also faced him in Milwaukee, and did not get any runs. Henderson has 13 K’s in 12 innings against the Dodgers this season.

The Dodgers haven’t had much of an issue getting batters on base, it’s the getting those runners across the plate that continues to plague this team. Only Andy Pages has come through with a key hit that wasn’t a home run. The Dodgers have the pitching, but they need the offense to step up if they want to take this series from the Brewers.

NLCS Game 2 info

• Teams: No. 2 seed Dodgers at No. 1 seed Brewers
• Series: Brewers lead 1-0
• Ballpark: American Family Field, Milwaukee
• Start time: 2:03 p.m. PT
• TV: Fox (Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci)
• National radio: ESPN Radio (Jon Sciambi, Doug Glanville)
• Local English radio: AM 570 (Stephen Nelson, Rick Monday)
• Local Spanish radio: KTNQ 1020 AM (José Mota, Luis Cruz)

It’s Monday and that means it’s time for another update from the Boys of Autumn on the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

In case you’ve forgotten what the AFL is all about, check out last week’s introduction. This year, the Mesa Solar Sox are a team consisting of players from the minor league systems of the Cubs, Athletics, Angels, Blue Jays and Red Sox.

We have a special event later today as Kate Preusser of our sister Mariners site Lookout Landing was down in Arizona and she managed to snag an interview with Cubs outfielder Kade Snell as a favor to us. That interview will run later this afternoon.

The Solar Sox went 1-3-1 this past week, with one tie on Monday. That makes their overall record for the season at 2-4-1 so far. The home team is listed last in these links.

Monday, October 5: Scottsdale Scorpions 6, SOLAR SOX 6 in 10 innings.

Tuesday, October 6: Glendale Desert Dogs 4, SOLAR SOX 3 in 10 innings.

Thursday, October 8: SOLAR SOX 3, Salt River Rafters 4.

Friday, October 9: SOLAR SOX 10, Scorpions 11.

Saturday, October 10: Peoria Javelinas 3, SOLAR SOX 7.

So despite going 1 and 3 (and one!) for the week, all three losses were by one run and the Solar Sox outscored their opponents for the week, 29 to 28.

Here’s how the eight Cubs prospects on the Solar Sox did.

Infielder Juan Cabada: At 18, Cabada is the second-youngest player in the AFL this year and as such, it should not come as a surprise if he struggles. Cabada played in four games this week, although on Saturday, he only pinch-ran and went in to third base as a defensive replacement. He did not have a plate appearance in Saturday’s game.

But Cabada played second base on Monday and Tuesday and third base on Friday. He went 1 for 12 with a walk and a stolen base. Cabada was also hit by a pitch. He scored one run and had one run batted in.

On the AFL season, Cabada is hitting .133 with a .278 on-base percentage. He’s scored twice.

Outfielder Harrison Feinberg: Feinberg made his AFL and professional debut on Monday and he went 1 for 4 in that game. He also played on Saturday and Sunday and finished the week going 3 for 9 with three walks and a stolen base. Feinberg scored two runs and had one run batted in. He played left field in all three games.

Outfielder Kade Snell: Snell was the Solar Sox starting right fielder on Monday, Thursday and Friday, but he had a bit of a rough week, going 1 for 10 with a double. He did walk four times, which mitigates the batting average somewhat. He scored one run this past week.

For the young season, Snell is hitting .211/.348/.263 with the one double. He scored twice and drove in one run.

Right-hander Juan Cabral: Cabral just faced two batters this week, relieving his fellow Cub Anhuar Garcia in the fifth inning of Friday’s game with no one on and two outs. Cabral walked the first batter he faced and then got a grounder to first to end the inning.

Cabral has not allowed a run over 1.1 innings and two appearances so far. He has walked two and struck out one.

Right-hander Anhuar Garcia. As noted above, Garcia pitched on Friday, entering the game with one out and one on in the second inning. Garcia pitched 3.1 innings and allowed three runs, two in the third inning and one in the fourth. However, because of an error in the third and a passed ball in the fourth, none of the three runs were earned. Garcia allowed three hits and one walk while striking out two.

Garcia now has thrown five innings over two relief appearances and has an ERA of 7.20. Garcia has walked four and has struck out two.

Right-hander Yohendris Gonzalez: Friday was apparently the Cubs day to pitch as Gonzalez made his only appearance on Friday as well. Gonzalez entered the game in the eighth inning with the Solar Sox leading 6-5.

But Gonzalez had a rough outing. He walked the first two batters he faced but then bounced back to strike out the next two. But then Gonzalez allowed an RBI single to former Cubs farmhand Zyhir Hope to tie the game and then a three-run home run to Giants prospect Dakota Johnson. He left the game right after that.

So the final line on Gonzalez was four runs on two hits and two walks over two-thirds of an inning. Gonzalez struck out two.

Right-hander Dominick Reid: Reid is quickly becoming the ace of the Solar Sox. He started Saturday’s game and got the win after allowing one run on four hits over four innings. Reid’s command of the strike zone wasn’t quite as impressive as in his first game as he walked three and only struck out two on Satyrday.

Over two starts, Reid is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA over eight innings. He’s struck out nine batters and has walked four.

Right-hander Luis Rujano: Rujano was the only Cubs prospect to pitch twice this week, giving the Solar Sox 1.2 innings on Monday and one inning on Saturday. Monday’s appearance was excellent—no runs on one hit over 1.2 innings while striking out three and walking just one.

Friday’s was less excellent but not terrible as Rujano allowed one run on one hit and one walk over one inning. He did not strike anyone out in that game.

Those were Rujano’s first two appearances in the AFL, which gives him an ERA of 3.38 over 2.2 innings.

Why is it so hard to find good outfield help these days?

Since 2012, the Phillies have struggled mightily to find quality baseball players to man that vast expanse of green. There have been 83 players who played at least 30% of their games in the Phils’ outfield since the 102-win, 2011 season. It’s a fascinating list.

While he’s no longer primarily an outfielder, Bryce Harper unsurprisingly leads the pack with 29.2 WAR and a 143 OPS+, and Kyle Schwarber is No. 2 at 13.4 WAR. Odubel Herrera, despite not playing for the Phillies since being released during the 2022 season, is still at No. 3, with 13.3 WAR. Brandon Marsh is No. 4, at 9.2 WAR and Ben Revere, their starting center fielder from 2013-15, is No. 5, at 4.9.

That’s right. Ben Revere. The 5th-best Phillies outfielder of the last 15 years. Soak it in.

Here are some other highlights from the list:

• Johan Rojas (3.4), Marlon Byrd (3.3), Andrew McCutchen (2.8), Aaron Altherr (2.2) and Juan Pierre (2.1) are the only other outfielders to amass more than 2.0 WAR since 2012. Byrd and Pierre compiled theirs in just one season.
• Derek Hill, a bench outfielder this year, was tied with former first round bust Adam Haseley for 12th with 1.4 WAR.
• Daniel Nava (1.2), who played 80 games as a part-timer with the 2017 Phils, was worth more than Nick Castellanos (1.1).
• Just 20 of the 83 players listed was worth at least 1.0 WAR.
• Remember Bradley Zimmer? He played nine games for the ‘22 NL champs and put up 0.3 WAR, tied with Pedro Florimon, Peter Bourjos and David Dahl for 30th.
• Darin Ruf is 9th on this list in HRs (35), but with a -0.6 WAR.
• Corey Dickerson has the 2nd-highest OPS (.886) among outfielders with at least 100 PAs. The player with the lowest is Moniak (.386). Yep, that’s lower than Michael Martinez (.432) and Tony Gwynn Jr. (.455)
• Odubel Herrera is 2nd in hits (791), Domonic Brown is 7th (333), Scott Kingery is 9th (239).
• Nick Williams is the worst outfielder over the last 15 years in terms of WAR (-1.5). Tyler Goeddel (-1.3) and Cody Asche (-1.0), are the others with at least -1.0 WAR.
• These 8 players played less than 10 games in the outfield: Oscar Mercado (1), Steve Susdorf (3), Jordan Danks (4), Steward Berroa (6), Jorge Bonifacio (7), Simon Muzziotti (9), Jason Pridie (9), Zimmer (9).
• Remember these guys? Kyle Garlick, Casper Wells, Jose Pirela, Ezequiel Carrera, Brian Bogusevic, Dylan Cozens, Darnell Sweeney, Cameron Perkins, Matt Joyce, Ty kelly, Jimmy Paredes, Tony Gwynn Jr., Phil Gosselin.

The situation isn’t getting any better.

The minor leagues provide little hope of internal improvements. The Phillies tried to promote Felix Reyes and Gabriel Rincones this season and, to their credit, both made a pretty fun initial splash.

Unfortunately, neither proved they could handle big league pitching and were shuttled to Lehigh Valley not long after their arrival. They’re not in the plans for 2027.

The Phillies received just 1.1 fWAR from their outfielders last year. Only two teams got less production from that position: the Rockies (0.7) and Reds (0.4). Harper’s 1.1 fWAR while playing outfield saved them, otherwise Hill’s 0.7 would have led all Phillies outfielders last year. Their .686 OPS ranked 5th-worst and, again, that was only aided by Harper’s inclusion (.867) over the final two months.

Of all the areas on the field, this is the area that needs the most improvement but also has the greatest opportunity to see change. That being said, Dave Dombrowski needs to make some tough calls over the next few weeks.

What do they do with Brandon Marsh?

After starting in right field for the NL All Stars, Marsh’s end-of-year numbers ended up being the worst of his career (.260/.304/.408, 0.3 fWAR). His second half struggles have been well-chronicled and he’s due to see a raise in arbitration this year to around $8.3 million, which is a hefty price tag for a player 28-year-old coming off his worst season.

The Phillies have been trying to make a platoon with Marsh work for more than four years now. It’s not working. Time to shake things up.

Is Justin Crawford strictly a platoon player? And is he a long-term plan in center?

Crawford’s rookie season was… fine. He was not a disaster defensively in center field, but his -8 Defensive Runs Saved ranked 16th out of 17 qualified players at that position, and his -2 Outs Above Average was 14th. His 82 wRC+ ranked 37th out of 54 players with at least 100 plate appearances as a center fielder, but his one great attribute (that isn’t likely repeatable) was his ability to hit with runners in scoring position (35-for-100, .350 AVG).

He will never be a productive enough offensive player to shift to a corner spot, unless the Phillies were somehow to acquire an offense-first center fielder. Which means, you have to find major contributors in the corners and platoon Crawford in center, hoping his defense improves.

Bottom line, Crawford is not going to be an impact player, even if he hits his ceiling. He’s Ben Revere. Maybe.

Do they keep Bryan de la Cruz and/or Derek Hill?

If so, what are their rolls? Both played better than expected when called upon last year. De la Cruz actually had better numbers against right-handers (.333/.378/.513, .891 OPS) than he did lefties (.222/.317/.306, .623 OPS). Hill was better against southpaws (.781 OPS) compared to righties (.647), and would make for a decent pairing with Justin Crawford in center next year as a platoon-mate. Hill’s defense is well above average, as we saw on numerous occasions last season. But both could be solid bench contributors.

Are there answers in free agency?

Surprisingly, there are a couple. Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki checks a lot of the boxes for a corner outfielder. He was worth 5.1 WAR in 143 games his season, with 26 HRs, 31 doubles, 86 RBIs and an .841 OPS. He’s a very disciplined hitter who routinely has one of the lowest chase rates in the Majors. He’ll be 32 next season.

Seattle’s Randy Arozarena had an even better year, in a more difficult park in which to hit. He led the AL in runs scored (113) and piled up 5.7 WAR for the Mariners, putting up an .865 OPS and 148 OPS+, the best season of his career. He will also be 32 in 2027. Both are right-handed hitters, something this Phillies lineup desperately needs.

What about Trea Turner?

The most likely landing spot for the veteran shortstop is a shift to second base, which would push Bryson Stott back to shortstop or third base. However, Turner has played center field in the Majors before (10 years ago).

If he turned into a good defensive center fielder, his .675 OPS would be a bit easier to swallow, although it would still fall short of what one would come to expect from a corner outfielder.

That being said, Turner is going to have to play somewhere in 2027, and it’s not going to be shortstop. If the Phillies decide to put him in the outfield, it’s likely you’ll see Marsh traded, Crawford/Hill sharing center, and one of Arozarena/Suzuki in the other corner. If they do put Turner in center, Crawford probably has to be moved. He’s not productive enough to be the strong side of a corner outfield platoon.

Are there any possible solutions in the minors?

Not for 2027. After Aidan Miller, Francisco Renteria, the team’s top international free agent signing this year, is the team’s top position prospect. He’s already a top 100 prospect at just 17 years old, but he’s still at least a couple years away from playing in the Majors. Like, 2029 or 2030. Dante Nori burst onto the scene during last year’s World Baseball Classic for Team Italy, but it turned out to be nothing more than an amusement. Nori dealt with injuries for most of the year, and didn’t play all that well when he was on the field.

Caden Bogenpohl is a 21-year-old outfielder drafted out of Missouri State and put up a .742 OPS in 20 games for Clearwater this year. Griffin Burkholder is a 20-year-old prospect who played for Clearwater and Jersey Shore last year and had a .674 OPS in 87 games. Again, both players, if they ever progress, are a couple years away.

So, no. There are no answers coming from the current prospect pool for 2027, and probably not ‘28 either.

Lots for Dombrowski to work on ahead of the work stoppage on December 1!

Today marks Garth Iorg’s 72 birthday. He played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1978 to 1987.

Born in Arcata, California, Iorg was selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of the 1982 amateur draft, but joined the Blue Jays in the 1976 expansion draft. Over nine seasons with Toronto, he batted .258/.282/.347, hit 20 home runs, and appeared in 931 games.

Iorg wasn’t a standout player. He joined the Jays as a second baseman and hit accordingly, showing little power, few walks, and limited speed (23 career stolen bases).

Iorg is best remembered as the right-handed half of the “Mullinorg” platoon at third base, paired with Rance Mulliniks, generally considered the stronger player. Iorg’s only standout season came in 1985, when he hit .313/.358/.469 with 7 home runs in 288 at-bats—coinciding with Toronto’s first playoff appearance. The Jays lost to the Royals in a seven-game ALCS, where Iorg struggled, batting just .133/.188/.133 in 15 at-bats. Aside from that year, he never truly excelled, even when facing primarily left-handed pitchers.

I recall him as a solid defensive player, though it may be that his lack of offensive production led me to assume he was more reliable with the glove.

The Jays often used platoon systems at third base, catcher, and designated hitter. In recent years, however, the increased number of pitchers on rosters has made platooning more difficult for teams.

Iorg debuted for the Jays in 1978, appearing in 19 games, mostly at second base. The team struggled that year, finishing 59-102, and Iorg hit just .163/.218/.163. He spent all of 1979 in the minors. In 1980, he returned as a utility player, appearing in 80 games at a variety of positions—2B, 3B, LF, 1B, and SS—and hit .248/.286/.329.

During the 1981 strike season, Iorg played 46 games at second base filling in for the injured Damaso Garcia, as well as a few games at third, but hit just .242/.269/.293. With Bobby Cox arriving in 1982, the Mullinorg platoon began. That year, Iorg played 100 games at third base and 30 at second, posting his best numbers to date: .285/.307/.365. The Jays also improved, finishing 78-84 as some future stars emerged.

In 1983, the Jays achieved their first winning season at 89-73, finishing fourth in the AL East. Iorg hit a hollow .275, with a .298 on-base percentage and a .376 slugging. The 1984 Jays finished second in the division, 15 games behind the World Series champion Tigers. That year, Iorg struggled at the plate, batting just .227/.244/.304. Rance Mulliniks arguably deserved the full-time third base job.

As previously noted, Iorg’s 1985 season stood out as his best.

In 1986, the Jays slipped to the middle of the AL East standings, and Iorg’s performance declined to .260/.303/.352. That year, Kelly Gruber was called up and began taking over at third base, while manager Jimmy Williams used Iorg more often at second as Damaso Garcia’s tenure waned.

In 1987, Iorg became the team’s primary second baseman but struggled offensively, hitting just .210/.262/.284. The season ended in disappointment, as Toronto was swept by Detroit in the final series, losing seven straight games and surrendering first place. Iorg made the final out of the deciding game, with the tying and winning runs on base.

That at-bat marked Iorg’s last appearance for the Jays. He became a free agent afterward but drew no interest from other major-league teams, ending his playing career with Toronto.

Following his playing days, Iorg managed at every minor league level in the Blue Jays organization. He also worked as an agent with Sosnick Cobb Sports Agency, representing many young players, and served as a roving instructor for the Milwaukee Brewers. Iorg is the brother of former major leaguer Dane Iorg and is a father of eight children.

Garth is also remembered for his unusual batting stance—standing on the toes of his front foot and leaning back toward the catcher as the pitch was delivered. As Rance Mulliniks succinctly put it: “It’s unique.”

Happy birthday, Garth. Wishing you a great day.

Nolan Reimold is celebrating his 43rd birthday today.

Reimold played 22 games for the Blue Jays in 2014 after being claimed off waivers from the Orioles, as the team hoped he would hit well against left-handed pitching. He posted a .212/.283/.404 line with 2 home runs before being lost on waivers to the Diamondbacks at the end of August.

Over eight major league seasons—seven with the Orioles—Reimold hit .246/.323/.422 with 56 home runs in 480 games.

Happy birthday, Nolan.

Tanyon Sturtze is turning 56 today.

A right-handed pitcher, Sturtze signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent before the 2003 season. He appeared in 40 games (8 starts), posting a 7-6 record and a 5.94 ERA. In 89.1 innings, he allowed 107 hits, 14 home runs, 43 walks, and struck out 54 batters.

Sturtze’s MLB career spanned parts of 12 seasons. He debuted with the Cubs, pitching 13 innings over 1995-1996, then had brief stints with the Rangers and White Sox, appearing in just one game for Chicago in 1999. The Rays acquired him midway through the 2000 season.

He had his best run with the Rays, spending three seasons there and compiling a 19-30 record with a 4.48 ERA in 91 games (65 starts).

Sturtze later spent three seasons in the Yankees’ bullpen, posting a 5.26 ERA in 110 games. He finished his career pitching 2.1 innings for the Dodgers in 2008.

Across 272 games (84 starts) for seven teams, Sturtze recorded a 5.19 ERA and a 40-44 record. I don’t recall much else about his career.

Happy birthday, Tanyon.