Maro Itoje captains England after missing summer Tests
Concerns Tom Curry may miss all Nations Championship
Fin Smith has successfully come through his final fitness Test to be named at fly-half for England’s autumn opener against Australia while Ben Curry is selected at openside flanker for the first time since the summer of 2025.
Steve Borthwick has made four changes to the side that beat Argentina in July with George Furbank also coming in at fullback, Maro Itoje returning to captain the side and Fin Baxter getting the nod at loosehead prop. The Exeter back-row Greg Fisilau is in line for a debut from the bench.
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg celebrates after scoring against Clippers during the second half of last week’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco.Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
If a screen-addled pickup basketball player teleported into the body of a high-level athlete, they might resemble Yaxel Lendeborg. The most commonly cited fact about Lendeborg is that he used to spend 12 to 14 hours a day gaming, and didn’t debut on his high school basketball team until he was an upperclassman. Professional athletes often have origin stories that resemble the superhero more than the mortal, but Lendeborg really was just like us at one point. Lendeborg has also said that prior to entering the NBA, he didn’t really watch it, either. The Puerto Rican forward racked up more than enough accolades in college to qualify for the NBA, including helming Michigan to their first national championship in 37 years, but still. Any of you reading this could smoke the man who may be this season’s rookie of the year in trivia about his profession.
The 24-year-old Lendeborg is a forward on the Golden State Warriors, a team caught between the ancient, gleaming remnants of the most fearsome dynasty of the 2010s and its future. The balance didn’t work out last season, as the Warriors produced flashes of old greatness to win one play-in game before flaming out in the next. Such results are a frustrating waste of Stephen Curry’s wonderful form even at 38 years old. Lendeborg is the best hope in a while to help maximize it. But even more importantly, Lendeborg is the character of the season so far. He’s spent its first two weeks antagonizing superstars, firing off unselfconscious takes in the press and vacuuming up the spotlight from his blander peers. What a joy to bear witness to an athlete who probably didn’t even hear the words “media training” until college.
Lendeborg and the Warriors kicked off their season with a resounding loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, which quickly became the most talked-about blowout of the season so far thanks to Lendeborg making an enemy of the Lakers’ star, Luka Dončić. The two jawed at each other throughout the game, in which Dončić torched the Warriors as a whole but somewhat struggled when working one-on-one against Lendeborg. After the game, the rookie took issue with Dončić’s style of play – presumably too distracted by playing NBA 2K, he’d previously only watched Dončić via highlights and wasn’t familiar with the crafty Slovene’s foul-baiting abilities. “You get the foul call. Congratulations, bro,” Lendeborg said in a press conference. “Then you talk to me like you did something great. C’mon, dog. That shit is weak. It kind of threw me off because I have so much respect for him. Gone, man. Gone.”
Angering Dončić, an all-time great who famously levels up even further when furious, is certainly a choice. (Also, foul-baiting made Lendeborg lose all respect for him? I hope he didn’t see this effort from Duncan Robinson; it might propel Lendeborg into manslaughter.) Dončić has been on a historic offensive heater ever since, and if he maintains this temperature and wins his first MVP, he owes thanks to Lendeborg for the motivation. But the friction between the players was fascinating – a player shaking their head at Dončić like a disapproving uncle is certainly a new image – and nobody got hurt. Lendeborg later said that he took his complaints a little far. On the contrary, Yaxel: keep it up, your press conferences are now appointment viewing.
Not even a week later, Lendeborg was drawing fouls against the Nuggets like the best of them, taking 13 free throws and making 12. Just listen to him after that game, openly aspiring to new free-throw shooting heights that everybody seeks but nobody is shameless enough to admit to. I find Lendeborg challenging my staunchly held opinion that not a soul should start a new podcast until the current market desaturates.
It’s common for players like this to come out of the gates with color and gradually accept the beige, conflict-avoidant stock quotes spouted by the rest of the league. “Get this man a PR manager,” smirks the Redditor, perhaps unaware that they are advocating against their own interests. The more athletes succumb to the monochrome group of the media-trained, the more crucial dissenters become. The longtime reality show Survivor is in decline in part because modern contestants know the game too well, and thus often play the same way. Lendeborg brings to mind a similar truism about professional sports: the less a player cares about the PR contours they’re expected to follow, the better TV they make. Luckily, Lendeborg seems to understand his responsibility as an interesting athlete. “I’m not doing that, man,” Lendeborg said of media training to the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m going to stay true to myself, and be honest. I’ve seen plenty of interviews where people are talking and it’s like, ‘Man, I don’t want to watch this,’ you know what I mean? And it’s not like I’m click-baiting or click-farming or whatever the heck people are saying.”
It’s a bonus that Lendeborg is also on an encouraging trajectory on the floor. At 6ft 10in, he provides the Warriors, who rely on exceptional shooting and quick ball movement over height, with some much-needed size. Lendeborg can do a little of everything: defend, shoot threes, pass sharply enough to keep up with Golden State’s manic style of play, drive to the basket and lay the ball in through contact.
Lendeborg rained 31 points, 12 rebounds and six assists upon the Denver Nuggets last week, the best performance of anybody in that game. He also helped hold the Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon, who often feasts against the Warriors thanks to their small lineup, to seven points. And yet, after that game, Lendeborg had the urge and lack of self-consciousness to ask a panel of former NBA greats for advice on his game during an interview. It’s no surprise that some of the feedback was for Lendeborg to keep up the “nasty” edge he’d established. Against the Los Angeles Clippers a few days later, Lendeborg piled up 37 points.
Even in plays Lendeborg isn’t a part of, you can see him twitching on the perimeter, calling for the ball and hopping in disappointment when it doesn’t arrive. (He may have gotten too excited in a rematch against the Lakers: the Warriors won, but Dončić repeatedly fried Lendeborg, who was benched and eventually fouled out.) In a win against the Miami Heat on Thursday night, Lendeborg drew a foul on Bam Adebayo and hopped up and down with his arms raised in celebration, an NBA finals-grade reaction for a routine play. He recorded a 17-8-6 stat line on the night (with three steals and a block thrown in for good measure) and it already felt quiet by his standards.
Don’t raise your expectations for the Warriors just yet – the ligaments holding them together are too frayed for that – but the team have won six games in a row. Behind Curry’s gleaming star, much of the credit has to go to Lendeborg. Warriors fans will delight in their maybe-savior, but Lendeborg’s personality has given the whole basketball fanbase reason to cheer.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks talks with head coach Doc Rivers during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on November 17, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the most recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, former Bucks coach Doc Rivers shared insight into the challenges he experienced coaching Giannis, saying it’s “not easy.”
“He plays at this crazy downhill pace,” Rivers said. “He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t necessarily have super IQ at the same time. It’s really a strange thing.
“The thing he needs to learn is the value of execution… Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is at execution.”
Doc Rivers
“He really has one way—downhill. Force, force, force. Every play, he wants to force it. I wish he learned how to execute better. He’s one of those guys who has never needed to execute, because they can do it on their own. But that doesn’t help the team.
“The thing he needs to learn is the value of execution. How important it is when you’re in practice and shootaround to lock in on execution. Now he has a coach who’s as good as there is at execution.”
Now, I also want to note that Rivers made it clear on the podcast that he loved Giannis as a person and a player, and enjoyed coaching him in general, but that his process was flawed in a few key areas.
On the one hand, Rivers’ comments lined up with many of my own critiques of Giannis’ game over the years. Namely, he needed to learn to contribute without the ball in his hands and, as Rivers said, understand the value of execution.
On the other hand, it’s frustrating that the former Bucks coach had all these pointers for Giannis but apparently couldn’t get him to put most of them into practice? Like, you’re the coach. That is quite literally your job!
I don’t know. Maybe he did try, but by then Giannis’ bad habits were so deeply ingrained that it was futile. Maybe there was a top-down directive to placate the two-time MVP at every stop so he wouldn’t request a trade. No idea.
“When I look back on that whole situation, Giannis wanted out, but he didn’t want to be the bad guy.”
Doc Rivers
“You know now that you should have traded Giannis that summer,” Simmons said. “They (the front office) just weren’t ready to do it.”
“I don’t think Giannis helped with that either, though, in Jon’s defence,” Rivers replied. “I thought Giannis kept yo-yo-ing.
“When I look back on that whole situation, Giannis wanted out, but he didn’t want to be the bad guy.
“He wanted Jon and Wes (Edens) to say, ‘We’re trading you,’ instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.”
Overall, I didn’t think anything Rivers said was false or out of line; Giannis is a superhuman athlete and the most talented basketball player I’ve ever watched, but he is also a flawed thinker of the game. By the same token, Rivers obviously lacks accountability for the role his own actions played in the Bucks’ downfall, but let’s be honest, that’s par for the course with him.
Ethan Wilson, who’s worked in communications for the Mets since 1999 and is an incredibly kind person, was among the Mets players and staff honored by the BBWAA’s New York chapter.
Bud Selig and Major League Baseball moved the Brewers to the National League on this date in 1997, and for a little while there, the Mets fared extraordinarily well against them. That 2024 Wild Card round was a lot of fun, too, but the Brewers have clearly had the last laugh at this point.
The annual MLB GM Meetings, held every November, usually result in a minor ripple of news and rumors before the usual tsunami that comes out of December's Winter Meetings.
Expect that to change this time around.
That's because the Winter Meetings, like everything on the MLB calendar once it flips to December, are in peril due to the coming lockout.
Barring a shocking last minute breakthrough in negotiations, the Winter Meetings (scheduled for Dec. 7-10) will be canceled as the league and MLBPA dig their heels in for what could be a drawn out negotiation while the two sides work to create a new CBA -- with the league wanting a salary cap and the players being vehemently opposed to one.
That means that just over three weeks remain until everything shuts down, which should result in a relative frenzy of free agent signings between now and Dec. 1.
With that as a backdrop, here are five questions Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns should answer as the GM Meetings begin this week in Las Vegas...
When asked in a roundabout way about a possible pursuit of Tarik Skubal, who was still under contract with the Dodgers at that point, Stearns gave an understandably vague response that didn't mention Skubal by name.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
One of the most illuminating things Stearns said that day, though, revolved around the Mets' willingness to be "selectively very aggressive" as he alluded to an ownership group that has "the resources and the willingness to be that aggressive."
That takes us back to Skubal.
If Stearns was the only decider, the Mets under his stewardship might not ever go to the very top of the free agent market for a starting pitcher (the pursuit of a then-25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto being an exception). But there seems to be a very real possibility that owner Steve Cohen could urge Stearns to go hard after Skubal -- the kind of ace who could transform the rotation.
There's no reason to think Stearns will tip his hand ahead of a possible negotiation with agent Scott Boras, who represents Skubal, but it will still be fascinating to hear what he has to say this time around about the possibility of adding to the top of the rotation.
In addition to that, would the Mets be interested in a reunion with Clay Holmes? And are there any rotation locks beyond Nolan McLean and Christian Scott?
Are the Mets comfortable with Jared Young as the regular first baseman?
In the same news conference where he discussed the Mets' rotation situation, Stearns talked about first base, praising Young's performance (and Brett Baty's late-season surge) while saying his expectation was that the club would be looking externally for first base help.
Stearns also made it clear that it would be foolish to expect anything resembling regular playing time in the field for Jorge Polanco in 2027, which means New York's main internal options at the position are Young and Baty, who both hit from the left side.
While Young played well after being unexpectedly thrust into a de facto starting role this past season, he hit just nine home runs in 342 plate appearances and did not have much success against left-handed pitching -- slashing just .228/.290/.316 (.606 OPS) with zero homers in 62 plate appearances. Like Young, Baty didn't fare well against lefties, posting a .500 OPS in 91 plate appearances.
New York Mets left fielder Jared Young (29) watches his solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Factoring in the above, and the uncertainty surrounding Polanco, the Mets should at the very least be seeking a right-handed hitting first baseman who excels against left-handed pitching. Even if they get that player, Young would seemingly be penciled in as the regular at first base. Is that good enough?
If Stearns wants to find a regular at first base, options on the free agent market include Ty France and Jake Bauers, who are both coming off late-career offensive eruptions. The righty-hitting France (who won the Gold Glove award in 2025) would make more sense than the left-handed Bauers, who is attached to a qualifying offer.
New York could also pursue Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, whose handedness (he's a lefty) is offset by his immense upside.
What is the appetite for a big trade?
With the exception of first base, second base (which could be filled internally if Marcus Semien's struggles continue), and designated hitter (which is likely to be filled by committee), the Mets are pretty set all over the diamond.
So if they swing a big trade this offseason, there's reason to believe it would be for pitching help. And there are a handful of very intriguing starting pitchers who could be available, including Drew Rasmussen, Hunter Brown, Joe Ryan, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby.
In a world where the Mets sign Skubal (or ink a free agent like Holmes or Michael King), it could make sense to fill another rotation spot with a relatively inexpensive but high upside option (like Brown, Ryan, or Kirby), or a slightly more expensive pitcher who is set for free agency after 2027 (like Gilbert or Rasmussen).
After bringing an influx of talent into the farm system via their trade deadline sell-off in 2026, the Mets are better set up to swing a trade for an impact pitcher. But how eager will they be to do that? And can a match be found?
Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts after getting the games final out against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / John Jones - Imagn Images
Senga, who was a starting pitcher for his entire MLB career before being moved to the bullpen in the middle of last season, prefers to return to the rotation.
Before 2026, the last time Senga pitched regularly in relief was in 2015, during his age-22 season with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan. Senga also made one relief appearance for Japan in the 2017 WBC.
So it's unsurprising that Senga, who has been known for having pretty meticulous routines, still wants to start.
While what Senga did in relief late in 2026 was promising, with his fastball/ghost fork combination playing up, it would be unwise to insert him into that role in 2027 unless there is buy-in from him. And even if there is buy-in from Senga, it's fair to wonder if he would remain healthy -- and be able to have a regular reliever workload -- given the rigors of what it takes to pitch in the bullpen.
It would be quite surprising if the Mets move Senga back to the rotation, which means the options here seem to be Senga being a reliever for the Mets or being a starter elsewhere.
What about that lockout?
Most MLB owners and executives haven't gone into detail when asked theoretical questions about the coming lockout. But with the lockout now just a few weeks away, perhaps that starts to change.
With the league's aforementioned focus on a hard salary cap (even if the players bending on one seems unlikely), will it color the Mets' offseason approach in any way?
Even if there is no salary cap, will the possibility of stricter luxury tax penalties lead the Mets to be more careful when it comes to adding long-term commitments to the payroll?
Meanwhile, will the lockout be preceded by a flurry of trades by Dec. 1? Or is the industry expectation that trades will be more difficult to complete amid all the uncertainty?
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Alec Bohm #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
You may not have noticed, but MLB free agency is underway as you read this. Nothing of note has happened yet, but with the lockout looming just a little over three weeks away, perhaps some of the bigger free agents will be able to find homes fast.
One that will probably be waiting a while is Alec Bohm. The Phillies declined to issue Bohm a qualifying offer, all but closing the door on his tenure in Philadelphia and allowing a new team to acquire his services without suffering draft pick penalties. It’s not a definitive end to his time with the Phillies, as a reunion can’t exactly be ruled out yet, but all signs are pointing to Bohm playing for another team in 2027 (or whenever baseball happens again).
Bohm’s free agency will be an interesting albeit not flashy case to watch. His 101 OPS+ and 107 wRC+ for his career both point to Bohm being right around a league average hitter. In a market starved for bats, particularly right-handed ones, Bohm is almost certain to find work somewhere despite his warts as a below average defender. But still, most rankings of free agents have him near the bottom of the Top 50 or outside of it altogether. His market will likely not be robust coming off of arguably the worst season of his career, but the lack of the QO anchor should help him at least somewhat.
Bohm seems destined for a short one or two-year deal with a small market team in need of a corner infielder or DH. The real question is will it be with a contending one such as the Cleveland Guardians or one far from it such as the Kansas City Royals. If it does end up being the latter, a good first half from Bohm could make him a decent trade chip come deadline season.
In any case, where will Alec Bohm be playing in 2027? What type of contract do you think he is in line for?
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 26: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles breaks his bat after striking out in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles telegraphed that Samuel Basallo was their catcher of the future as soon as they signed him, days into his MLB career, to an eight-year contract extension. When the team traded Adley Rutschman ahead of this year’s trading deadline, that elevated Basallo to catcher of the present as well. Unfortunately for Basallo and the Orioles, his rookie season ended up with him like so many other recent young Orioles, where flashes of the potential were regularly present but the whole thing did not come together into as good of a package as the team needed.
Going into this season, you didn’t have to be living in a delusional, optimistic world to think that Samuel Basallo might end up as a Rookie of the Year contender. The Orioles massaged his arrival carefully last year – same as they did with Dylan Beavers – just to preserve that possibility. They really thought they were getting things lined up to maybe get a bonus draft pick next year. They had managed this once before with Gunnar Henderson.
As it turned out, all of this was pointless, and it didn’t even have anything to do with Basallo, because of a strong AL rookie field. Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle is likely to run away with the race. A pair of Japanese “rookies” in Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami had strong American debuts. A number of other American-born players have strong cases to fill out ballots, among them Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter, Chicago’s Tristan Peters, and Kansas City’s Carter Jensen. Basallo could have had a good season and he would have been just another player in this 2nd-5th place pack.
Through the end of May, things were going very well. At the end of May, he had a .283/.345/.516 batting line, with nine home runs already. This turned out to be the high point for Basallo’s 2026 season. He did not have another good month at the plate for the rest of the season, with poor hitting in June and July and incredibly awful hitting in August and September.
Part of the story of the second half struggle was surely injuries. Basallo played in only 29 games after the All-Star break. He missed close to a month due to dealing with shoulder inflammation, and it was after returning that his season numbers really took a swan dive. Unfortunately, one part of the story of Basallo’s injuries was that his manager, first-time skipper Craig Albernaz, spent some of his time with reporters openly questioning Basallo’s toughness.
There was a period of a few days there where it seemed that Albernaz had vindictively benched Basallo over the catcher needing an off day to manage a minor injury. That’s what was implied by both Orioles TV and radio broadcasts at the time, with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer expressing his disagreement with that treatment of the O’s young player. (Maybe that’s why Albernaz didn’t reply to his text that one time.)
I don’t want to hijack this article about Basallo with a rant about the manager being an idiot. Yet it’s hard to avoid wondering how much Albernaz’s attitude affected Basallo in August and September. Did he rush back from that shoulder injury? Was he playing through something else in order to avoid the ire of Albernaz? It’s not certain it was physical. There is always the Adam Jones Theory of Baseball, which he delivered at a time when reporters were asking him if he was playing through an injury: “Sometimes you just suck.”
The late-season swoon included a number of moments from Basallo where the frustration bubbled over. The photo accompanying this article, Basallo destroying a bat by snapping it over his thigh, was only one example. I can’t help but bring Albernaz into it again. What was the manager doing while his young player was going through extremely public and obvious challenges? (A similar question could be asked regarding Gunnar Henderson’s visible frustration.) It’s the job of Albernaz and his coaching staff to stop things before they get to that point! What were they doing? Sorry. Okay, I’m not sorry. But I am going to try to get back to Basallo.
More than most of the other positions on the diamond, the value of a catcher is about more than just what he does when he’s hitting. Even as he debuted last year as a much-hyped prospect, there were questions about what level of defense Basallo might be able to develop as time went on. Would he be able to handle some of the technical aspects like pitch blocking and controlling the running game? Would he be able to develop good relationships with his pitchers and carry out productive pitch-calling game plans?
There is enough in the 2026 performance to think that the answer to these questions could, over time, be yes. Basallo graded out well in the Statcast metrics for pitch blocking. He also showed a good pop time and with it, solid ability to control the running game. Regarding game-calling, Basallo emerged as the clear personal catcher for Trevor Rogers, even before Rutschman was ever traded, so it’s clear there was something positive going on there.
Less positive was Basallo on pitch framing. This is a skill whose importance has evolved with the introduction of the ABS challenge system. It’s less final if a catcher is bad at it. You can get the umpire to fix a mistake, theoretically. It’s still worth something to have a good framer of a catcher. It’s better to make the other team have to put one of their challenges at risk to have the umpire overturn a borderline pitch than to have to put one of yours at risk.
As a challenger, as a catcher, Basallo was exactly 50/50. He won 30 and lost 30. That’s actually a higher percentage than I expected, because it felt like there was a lot of “Basallo blows a challenge early and it was a bad idea” going on. There was some of that, and perhaps that’s an influence on why Basallo actually graded poorly as a challenger: He only challenged 19% of eligible mistakes. Maybe he became too conservative after some of the mistakes.
The Orioles were 30th of 30 teams in this category. That is, they were the worst team at using a challenge when pitches in the strike zone were called balls. Basallo wasn’t the only problem, but he was reflective of it. The average team was challenging about a third of the mistakes made when they were on defense. It could be that some early bad challenges by hitters also influenced the catchers. This is an area where the whole 2027 Orioles can stand to improve.
What does all of this add up to for Basallo in 2027? Although he is the team’s most prominent remaining catcher, it’s still not clear how frequently he will, or should, catch behind the dish. The team was already conservative with how often they played Rutschman back there. He’s got stuff to work on: Along with the framing/challenging, he could stand to chase less, and find a way to get productive launch angles more frequently. I don’t know how well the manager will be in his corner for all of this.
Even so, Basallo is the Oriole whose contract is guaranteed the farthest into the future. More than anyone else, he is expected to be a key piece of what happens going forward. There are reasons to be excited. Hopefully by the end of next season, there will be more such reasons.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Fernando Cruz #63 of the New York Yankees reacts against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the most beautiful parts of baseball is how many different personal journeys we fans get to learn about as players chase their dreams. Fernando Cruz’s story aside, let’s dive into the season that earned him a B- from the staff here at Pinstripe Alley.
Cruz’s 2026 really started at the World Baseball Classic, representing Team Puerto Rico. After rejoining the Yankees, he picked up where he left off last season as a trusted member of Aaron Boone’s bullpen. From there, it became a story of two halves.
Before the All-Star break, Cruz was excellent. He was a borderline All-Star, striking out 50 batters over 40 innings while holding opponents to a .191 batting average. His best month of the season was May, when he appeared in 14 games and posted a 1.02 WHIP while allowing just two earned runs over 13.2 innings. He was one of the more dependable pieces out of the bullpen during the first half of what was an underrated unit.
The key to this effectiveness was his splitter, which he deployed 51.3 percent of the time. He paired that pitch with a four-seamer, sweeper, and sinker to keep hitters off-balance. The splitter continued to be his best weapon, generating a 52 percent whiff rate and limiting hitters to a .161 average against it.
After the break, however, his performance began to slip. Something seemed off as Cruz started losing some control in late July, and August became his roughest month of the season. He posted a 6.75 ERA over eight innings, allowing six home runs and four walks. Following a blown save against Houston on August 25th, the Yankees announced that Cruz had suffered a partial tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament, and he landed on the injured list the following day.
The ultimate team guy, Cruz opted to pursue a non-surgical approach after receiving a second opinion with the hope he could make it back in 2026. He received a cortisone shot and started rehabbing trying to find his way back into the mix for the postseason. However, a month after landing on the injured list, the Yankees transferred Cruz to the 60-day injured list on September 25th, ending his chances of returning during the 2026 season.
On the season, Cruz had some impressive underlying numbers. He ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity and the 99th percentile in whiff rate. He also landed in the 82nd percentile in xERA, the 88th percentile in strikeout rate, and the 85th percentile in extension. However, his hard-hit rate ranked in just the 22nd percentile, and his walk rate was in the third percentile. The right-hander was also effective against left-handed hitters holding them to a .180 batting average.
Losing Cruz after the Trade Deadline was less than ideal, especially with the Yankees having few options capable of replacing his production internally, which led to the Michael Fulmer experience. As the page turns to a new season, with the injury question mark hovering over him, Cruz becomes an interesting offseason decision for the Yankees.
The team has until November 20th to tender him a contract for the 2027 season. Depending on the outlook for his elbow, it would not surprise me to see the Yankees retain him and try to work out a deal before arbitration. Given the injury uncertainty, it could be a buy-low opportunity for the club, provided they believe he can return to form and he is willing to accept a similar salary to last season. However, professional baseball is a business and the team might opt to use the money and roster spot they would spend on Cruz elsewhere this offseason.
Personally, I gave Cruz a B for this season, and in hindsight, I feel that might have been a touch low. What grade would you assign Cruz, and what are your thoughts on him in pinstripes in 2027?
See more of the Yankees Roster Report Card series here.
Round 24 of voting was the last of 2023 (we did not do an actual wrap for the voting, but Jordan Sprinkle ended up being our final pick), and the full archive.
We are starting the Top 100 Prospect countdown on the same day as our first poll, with the goal of running a new poll every day. At that rate, we should get through 35 Votes before the Top 100 meets our polling, giving SSS readers 35 chances to weigh in on our Top 100. From there, we will stop the polling and run through the remaining players, finishing up as all players report to camp in mid-February.
As of now our countdown will start with Fidel Montero as our Mr. 100 this year. We’ve customarily turned over the Prospect Vote to the next round as soon as the top vote-getter seems to have an insurmountable lead, but if there’s a rout, we’ll call it in a day. In order to get as many votes as possible in, we’ll try to wait no longer than two days before the next round.
Four players from last year’s Top 10 Prospects have lost their prospect status due to MLB service (Braden Montgomery at No. 1, Noah Schultz at No. 3, Hagen Smith at No. 4 and Sam Antonacci at No. 7). As an indication that there is some continuity in the system, four players on last year’s initial ballot appear in this year’s as well. With Mason Adams having been traded, that means just one player, Christian Oppor, performed poorly enough to drop off of our initial ballot.
Six of the 10 players on this first 2027 ballot played in the White Sox system in 2026, including two who made their major league debuts during the season. As to be expected drafting so early, we have four 2026 draft choices rounding out on the first ballot.
This year, the grandfather of our Top 100 is Tanner McDougal, marking his sixth year on our list and having moved from No. 21 to 22, 26, 63 and 6 so far. If all goes well, it will be his last, as he’ll see significant MLB time.
All right, let’s have some fun. And get voting!
We took a little downturn in total votes this round, which hopefully isn’t an enthusiasm signal going forward. Initially two shortstops, Billy Carlson and William Bergolla Jr., were deadlocked. But Carlson pushed ahead and prevailed, with 21 of 56 votes (38%):
Carlson, drafted in the first round in 2025, was voted our No. 7 prospect last year.
As you might have imagined in a shortstop-heavy system, we already have two shortstops among our picks:
Past No. 4s in the SSS Top Prospect Vote 2026 Noah Schultz (49%) 2025 Hagen Smith (23%) 2024 Edgar Quero (36%) 2023 Lenyn Sosa (43%) 2022 Oscar Colás (31%) 2021 Nick Madrigal (70%) 2020 Andrew Vaughn (74%) 2019 Luis Robert Jr. (58%) 2018 Alec Hansen (64%)
Right fielder Alex Weingartner, a 2026 draft choice, joins the ballot this round.
South Side Sox Top-Voted White Sox Prospects for 2027
Billy Carlson — 38% (Bergolla Jr. 27%, Fauske 13%, McDougal/Prosek 7%, Thome 4%, Lodise/Mogollón/Wolkow 2%, Volchko 0%)
William Bergolla Jr. Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 15 2026 high level Charlotte (AAA) Age relative to high level -5.1 years Overall 2026 stats (ACL/AAA) 11 games ▪️ 0 HR ▪️ 9 RBI ▪️ .444/.524/.556 ▪️ 2-of-4 (50.0%) SB ▪️ 5 BB ▪️ 4 K ▪️ 1.000 FLD%▪️ 0.6 WAR
The epitome of a “Chris Getz player,” Bergolla offsets his Punch-and-Judy bat with deft baserunning, a killer glove and incredible plate discipline. Well young for his level, this legacy player (dad, also William Bergolla) has cut through the White Sox system like butter since his acquisition at the 2024 trade deadline (from Philly, for Tanner Banks). After getting some heavy run in Spring Training 2026, Bergolla was on the fast track to Chicago before a collision with left fielder Sam Antonacci in an April game for the Knights gave him a serious bone bruise in his leg; after a lengthy stint on the IL, Bergolla broke his injured leg in his first rehab game in the ACL.
Jaden Fauske Center Fielder Age 20 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 11 2026 high level Kannapolis (Low-A) Age relative to high level -1.3 years Overall 2026 stats 118 games ▪️ 4 HR ▪️ 48 RBI ▪️ .250/.388/.360 ▪️ 46-of-56 (82.1%) SB ▪️ 94 BB ▪️ 125 K ▪️ .948 FLD%▪️ 2.8 WAR
A year ago, we were not certain where Fauske would play, as a high school catcher announced at the draft as an outfielder-only. That proved to be the case in his first professional season, but what ho, Fauske saw more time in center than right field. And with quicks that saw Jaden snatch 46 bags in 118 games, the youngster might well stick in center.
Kyle Lodise Shortstop Age 22 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 24 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level 0.0 years Overall 2026 stats 111 games ▪️ 20 HR ▪️ 77 RBI ▪️ .230/.380/.440 ▪️ 42-of-51 (82.4%) SB ▪️ 92 BB ▪️ 141 K ▪️ .957 FLD%▪️ 3.6 WAR
Lodise made a return visit to Winston-Salem in 2026, and his first full professional season went extremely well. With a low average and slug to burn, the shortstop fits right in with the org profile of swinging hard, damn the contact. Thankfully, Lodise is selective enough at the plate to produce astronomical OBPs. And his power bat is showing better than advertised at this point.
Tanner McDougal Right-Handed Starting Pitcher Age 23 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 33 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking N/R 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 6 2026 high level Chicago (MLB) Age relative to high level -6.2 years Overall 2026 stats (High-A/AAA/MLB) 2-3 ▪️ 27 games (7 starts, 3 finishes) ▪️ 50 IP ▪️ 4.86 ERA ▪️ 53 K ▪️ 34 BB ▪️ 1.480 WHIP ▪️0.2 WAR
The good news is that McDougal was enough of a core piece to be promoted to Chicago in the second half of 2026. The bad news … well, where to start. McDougal’s presumptive march to the South Side rotation was stopped dead early in the season, when he was sidelined for weeks with forearm tightness. While the injury was thankfully not severe enough to necessitate a second TJS, Tanner was a relief arm for the rest of the season and not a stable one at that. His brief cameo in Chicago saw him rack up one out along with three walks.
Javier Mogollón Second Baseman Age 21 2026 high level Winston-Salem (AA) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats (Low-A/High-A) 91 games ▪️ 14 HR ▪️ 57 RBI ▪️ .262/.368/.448 ▪️ 36-of-44 (81.8%) SB ▪️ 53 BB ▪️ 123 K ▪️ .965 FLD%▪️ 2.5 WAR
The diminutive (5´8´´, 160) infielder wowed in rookie ball and though his climb has slowed, Mogollón has steadily risen up our ranks, from No.62 in our 2024 Top 100 to the cusp of the Top 10 today. That said, he’s seen two straight seasons shortened by hamstring issues. At least in 2026, Mogollón was able to return before season’s end, providing a clutch bat coming that provided a .313/.389/.813 slash and eight RBIs en route to sweeping to a SALLY title.
Cole Prosek Third Baseman Age 19 2026 High Level Magnolia Heights (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 41 games ▪️ 18 HR ▪️ 79 RBI ▪️ .545/.678/1.177 ▪️ 62 R ▪️ 7 SB ▪️ 31 BB ▪️ 12 K
Coming to Chicago as a second-rounder, Prosek seems more highly-regarded by evaluators than the guy picked ahead of him by the White Sox, low first round choice Landon Thome. That’s a curious thing, but Prosek dominated his prep competition even more thoroughly than Thome. Plus, while the White Sox regard Prosek as a second baseman, his prep time was spent significantly at the hot corner, and he has experience behind the plate as well.
Landon Thome Shortstop Age 19 2026 High Level Nazareth Academy (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats (H.S) 7 HR ▪️ 29 RBI ▪️ .545 AVG ▪️ 49-of-50 (98.0%) SB
How crazy is it to have two high school teammates (Thome and Jaden Fauske) on our first ballot of the voting year … or any ballot, ever? The White Sox were so hot to dip back into Nazareth’s roster that they dealt promising 2023 first-rounder Jacob Gonzalez to Pittsburgh to acquire the draft pick to snag him; clearly the club was not confident Thome would drop into the second round. Unlike his father, Hall-of-Famer and White Sox adviser Jim, Landon is better regarded for his speed and defense than his ability to put the ball over the fence. Slugging will come in time for junior, however.
Joey Volchko Right-handed starting pitcher Age 21 2026 high level University of Georgia (NCAA) Age relative to high level +0.1 years Overall 2026 stats 11-2 ▪️ 18 starts ▪️ 1 CG ▪️ 95 1/3 IP ▪️ 3.68 ERA ▪️ 119 K ▪️ 46 BB ▪️ 1.343 WHIP ▪️ 2.1 WAR
This big-armed righty can touch 100 mph with his fastball, but wildness concerns might have precipitated Volchko’s drop to the White Sox in the third round in spite of MLB ranking him as a second round (68th-best) talent. He’s a big-game pitcher who dragged the Bulldogs to their first College World Series win in 18 years with a complete-game effort over the University of Texas. There’s a chance Volchko ends up as a high-leverage bullpen arm, but he will get every chance to stick as a starter.
Alex Weingartner Right Fielder Age 19 2026 high level St. Augustine College Prep (H.S.) Overall 2026 stats 30 games ▪️ 7 HR ▪️ 36 RBI ▪️ .495 AVG ▪️ .817 SLG ▪️ 33 SB ▪️ 21 BB
Oddly enough, Weingartner may be a doppelganger for the player listed right below; both he and George Wolkow were prep plums selected lower than their skill and scout rankings indicated, and both players scored sweet bonuses from the White Sox to lure them from potential college commitments. Both have rocket arms (Weingartner, in fact, pitched for his St. Augustine Hermits in 2026) as well.
George Wolkow Right Fielder Age 21 2024 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 14 2025 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 13 2026 SSS Prospect Poll ranking 16 2026 high level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -2.0 years Overall 2026 stats 123 games ▪️ 22 HR ▪️ 100 RBI ▪️ .239/.317/.446 ▪️ 15-of-22 (68.2%) SB ▪️ 50 BB ▪️ 179 K ▪️ .971 FLD%▪️ 1.6 WAR
Wolkow sacrificed speed and what batting eye he had for power in 2026, and while that made for some impressive counting stats (22-100 plays on the back of any baseball card) the hole in his swing hasn’t been sewn. If the White Sox brass is having Wolkow bet on his best tool, power, at all others’ expense, he’s slipping into the Colson Category.
The Blue Jays made it clear they do not stand with outfielder Anthony Santander after his anti-Muslim posts following Abdul El-Sayed’s Michigan senate win Tuesday night.
Santander, 32, is two seasons into a five-year, $92.5 million contract he signed in 2025.
“Baseball is for everyone,” the team’s statement read, according to The Athletic, “and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Anthony Santander hits a two-run RBI single against the New York Yankees during Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Venezuelan outfielder caused a stir recently when he posted at least two videos to his Instagram Story knocking the new senator for his Muslim faith.
One video included the caption, “American voted for Sharia last night!” while another said “Muslims are not peaceful.”
El-Sayed’s religion became a major storyline during his heated race with republican Mike Rogers, and he became the first Muslim ever elected to the United States senate.
I’m all for free speech, but this is extremely disgusting and flat out disrespectful stuff shared by Anthony Santander.
Islamophobia is never acceptable, and I hope the @BlueJays take the appropriate action, considering they have some Muslim employees as well. pic.twitter.com/F3VV9cgMLH
The Blue Jays have taken strong actions against those on their roster who have made incendiary comments against a group before, having cut reliever Anthony Bass in 2023 after he called for boycotting companies that promoted LGBTQ+ rights.
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins described the transactions as a “baseball decision” at the time, but acknowledged the comments’ effect.
“There’s a myriad of variables,” Atkins said in June 2023 after releasing Bass.
Abdul El-Sayed declares victory at a Democrats election night party in Detroit on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. ZUMAPRESS.com
“Performance is usually the driving one and performance was a large aspect of this decision. Distraction was a small part of it and something we had to factor in.”
Moving on from Santander would leave the Blue Jays with at least $57.1 million in dead money when adding in his $5 million buyout clause for 2030.
His play on the field could warrant such a move, though, as he’s appeared in just 54 games with the franchise over two years, all in the 2025 season, and has slashed .175/.271/.295.
Santander underwent left labral surgery in February that ended his 2026 season before it began.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 12: The Boston Red Sox celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look at an unlikely comeback in the middle of the streak.
A few days ago, before the Ravens-Bills matchup, ESPN ran a parody ad on folks who left a 2025 game early, as Josh Allen and the Bills found themselves down two possessions in the fourth quarter. The Bills, to the ire of this Patriots fan, would win that primetime game last year, and Josh Allen, never one to mince words in his postgame interviews, said “Our team didn’t quit. I mean, I think there’s people that left the stadium. That’s OK. We’ll be fine. But have some faith next time.” The camera then cut to some folks who were in the parking lot during Allen’s comeback, and I found myself laughing at Buffalo fans, as is often easy to do amongst their deep playoff runs filled with hope, their chirps that at least Allen would win an MVP, and celebrations of October records. Of course they’d leave this game early, and how funny it was that they weren’t able to see how brilliant their quarterback was in the clutch in person!
I then recoiled in horror as I realized that, just four months ago, on one fateful afternoon much further downstate in Flushing, I did the exact same thing to our beloved Red Sox.
In my first year of being a resident of the Capital Region, New York, it has been easier for me to hit the Big Apple than Boston. I circled the Mets-Red Sox series in my calendar for the middle of July, reluctantly, as the Red Sox did not start the season very well and the game would be directly before the All-Star game. By the day of the game, though, I was very bullish on this Red Sox team. The Red Sox were winners of eight consecutive games, and it didn’t much matter if those wins came against the Angels and the White Sox, the latter of whom, at the time, weren’t the formidable contender they ended up becoming later in the season, but were certainly no slouches. The team had awakened offensively against the Angels and was showing definite signs of life
This was not the case, though, in the early innings of this game against the Mets, after my trip down 87. The Red Sox had trouble getting anything going against a lanky lefty Zac Thornton. Thornton ended up being a bright spot in an otherwise hapless season for the Mets, but he was on the mound for the first time in what was already his third call-up of the season from Triple-A Syracuse. His first try resulted in the Nationals taking him for five runs in 4 1/3 innings. It was fine for the offensive to flounder while I was watching – I had seen it plenty of times this season. But did the bats have to flounder so harshly while the wonderfulObsession star Inde Navarette was in attendance? No, no, no, no, no, don’t do that! I thought we were having a nice win streak!
If matters weren’t bad enough, this was a scheduled short appearance from Payton Tolle, who looked serviceable for a bit longer, striking out Juan Soto with authority (you can watch that clip below) and Brayan Bello, the guy who departed the Major League roster about a month prior to fall in love with baseball again, was up in relief. Frankly, I was writing this game up as a loss mentally, as the Mets lineup did not look punchless so far and Tolle was lucky to have just Francisco Lindor’s RBI double after 3 2/3 innings.
But Bello coasted for quite a while. Lindor would be pesky yet again with a home run to make the game 2-0, but that was one of two batters Bello did not retire, and the other one would be victim to a double play, anyway. Bello would pitch through the eighth. The problem, though, is that Thornton was dealing. Through seven, he had given up just two hits, was pitching a shutout, and had struck out five. But, good things can’t last forever, and so interim manager Andy Green went to Luke Weaver to start the eighth. At that point, with how hollow the Red Sox’s hitting attempts had become, the Red Sox’s expected winning percentage was hovering around 7 percent. The Red Sox would go 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. More of the same.
Enter Devin Williams, and enter my walk to the exit when, after a Ceddanne Rafaela single, he’d unceremoniously retire Abreu with a pop fly. The team’s pop was completely nonexistent; why would I subject myself to sitting in more NYC traffic after a loss? It was a sure thing, right? No sooner did my feet hit the closing gate than I heard a roar from a rather divided crowd. Francisco Lindor, the guy who was singlehandedly responsible for the lead the Mets had built, had bobbled the most routine of grounders that would have ended the game. The Red Sox now had men on first and second, and I was left to turn the stream on in the car.
The rest is history as we know it: Devin Williams would walk in the Red Sox’s first run of the game. Aroldis Chapman would start warming, Jarren Duran would have a clutch RBI knock, the game would go to the bottom of the 9th inning all tied up at 2, Chapman would be every bit of the historically dependable reliever we’ve come to know to send the game to extras, the top of the tenth would see the Red Sox playing small ball extremely efficiently, scoring the Manfred runner Masataka Yoshida on two consecutive plays. The small ball was a welcome addition to their game plan, and on that Sunday, it was due to their trust in the man who’d come in to close the game out, Garrett Whitlock, who slammed the door the same way I slammed my door when I arrived to it in the parking lot.
The Red Sox were winners of nine consecutive games going into the All-Star break, a streak that would last two more series. Even better, they were in that situation thanks to contributions — 13 outs in relief, to be exact — from a guy who was one of the reasons the season starting so dire in the first place. On July 12, Bello was electric, and so began a summer that made it exciting to root for Brayan Bello’s growth and success again. They were finding ways to win. I guess, as Josh Allen put it so eloquently, when dealing with a team I should be confident in, I’ll have more faith next time.
Have you ever left a game early and really wish you hadn’t? Can anyone one-up me with a 2013 ALDS story? Sound off below!
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Albert Pujolslooks on from the MLB Network set before the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 27, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we get into specific candidates for Astros manager it pays to take a look at the demographic information that the other 29 managers fit. We are looking at three relevant factors as it pertains to managers. We are looking at their current age as they sit and whether managing has become a young man’s game. We are looking at whether they were experienced prior to taking the job. We are finally looking at whether the manager had a prominent playing career at the big league level.
Age Factors
It’s important to look at data from all different kinds of angles. One can simply look at the numerical mean and that tells us a lot, but it doesn’t tell us anything. Rudimentary statistics also tell us that range is an important issue. Plus, we might want to look at the various ages graphed out because they clumps will tell us something the mean may not. Often times, an extreme outlier or two can impact the mean. So, let’s start with the basics and ignore rudimentary mean.
Oldest manager: Pat Murphy 67 Youngest manager: Blake Butera 34 Managers in their 60s: 6 Managers in their 50s: 8 Managers in their 40s: 13 Managers in their 30s: 2
I should point out that Joe Espada was left off of this list, but every other team is represented even if their manager was let go like the Red Sox, Angels, and Mariners because we are looking at the 2026 universe. If one were searching for a medan then the median would almost certainly be 49 which also is likely to be pretty close to the numerical mean.
How many had prior experience?
Out of the 29 managers that are currently or formerly employed, only five had previous big league experience before taking their current job. We should probably take a look at those five managers to get a handle on who they are and whether they have been more successful. Obviously, A.J. Hinch is the first one that comes to mind. We know what he did in Houston and he has had mixed success in Detroit.
Craig Counsell and Terry Francona represent the NL Central. Counsell signed almost as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs ironically from the Milwaukee Brewers. Counsell has certainly won more games than he has lost in Chicago, but Milwaukee obviously got better when he left. Francona has had mixed results in Cincinnati after being brilliant in Cleveland. Most people would probably classify him as a failure, but they also have fewer resources than the other clubs that routinely win.
Don Mattingly took over last season in Philadelphia and signed a two year extension. He took the team from the duldrums early in the year to qualify for the playoffs. They flamed out once they got there and it remains to be seen if he has staying power. Otherwise, that is pretty much it. So, getting an experienced manager is actually rarer than we may have thought and their success is actually fairly mixed. So, maybe we need to tamp on the breaks before demanding an experienced manager.
Past playing experience
This is the one that probably seems to be the big push. However, perception and reality are often different, so we should probably check this out. I will place players into three categories. You have star players that probably attended at least one all-star game, players that were regulars or semi-regulars for a long time, and then those that had a cup of coffee.
Star players: Aaron Boone, Stephen Vogy, Mark Kotsay, Kurt Suzuki, Walt Weiss, Don Mattingly, Regular Players: Dave Roberts, Torey Lovullo, Craig Stammen, Terry Francona, Craig Counsell, Skip Schumaker, Will Venable Minor players: Kevin Cash, Alex Cora, A,J. Hinch, Don Kelly
So, the list of managers that were former players is pretty extensive. Now, some of you will certainly question some of these categories and that is fine. The category isn’t so important. I wouldn’t necessarily consider Kotsay a star player for instance. Suzuki might also be a stretch there. One thing is for certain, not a one is a Hall of Fame player and that is interesting to say the least.
So, by my count more than half of the managers in baseball had somewhat significant careers. That makes sense, but it is not an overwhelming majority. I’m sure if we added in the ones that played minor league baseball we would get over 20 that had played professionally. What is interesting is when you put some of these categories together. The number of managers being hired in their forties for the first time that had recently played is on the rise.
What does all of this mean?
I think it means a couple of things. First for foremost, many of us were clamoring for managers that had managed in the big leagues before. So far, Brad Ausmus is the one significant interview that matches that qualification. I was one of those clamoring for an experienced manager, but given the demographic information above, maybe that is not really the best direction to go.
If we are going to demographics and to trends, then finding someone in their forties that had significant big league experience as a player would be a go to strategy. Names have included Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Daniel Descalso, Morgan Ensberg, Benji Gil, and Jon Jay. Obviously, I could do a deep dive into their playing careers, but we know very little about how any of them would manage a clubhouse. Someone like a Randy Flores has familiarity with some of them, so he would be in a better position to know and you would hope that some of it would come out in the interview process.
I stated my piece earlier on Joe Espada on multiple occasions. One of the frustrations was that he really didn’t do a good job of controlling the clubhouse. This particularly manifested itself in the Framber Valdez meltdown but also manifested itself in the numerous mental errors the Astros seemed to make on the bases or in the field. The new guy will have to command respect and it seems that a former player would have the upper hand there. Then, we get the strategic questions with the lineup, load management, and pitching staff that we simply won’t know until we know. That can be frustrating and answers may come in the interview process but hypotheticals and real life tend to differ at times. However, a former player has navigated the lineups and load management on the player side, so hopefully they would have some insight there.
There are names that potentially excite me and names that give me pause. All that being said, we on the outside are not in a position to know how these interviews are going and whether any of the individuals bring the personality and the attention to detail necessary to do the job well. We will have to trust Flo to make the best hire. The possibilities are many and hopefully we will see something within the next couple of weeks.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 03: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a 2-run home run during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 03, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kyle Tucker’s first season as a Dodger was undoubtedly a disappointment, but it can be broken up into two phases.
The first phase saw him underwhelm to the tune of a .221/.321/.350 slash line while producing negative value both offensively and defensively. Over his final 17 games of the regular season, he finished strong with a .333/.406/.667 slash line, with five of his 17 home runs on the season hit in the span. He carried that spark into the postseason, and was one of the lone bright spots in a tumultuous postseason lineup.
Entering the second year of his four-year, $240 million contract, there are questions as to which version of Kyle Tucker the Dodgers will see in 2027. Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru of MLB.com attempts to answer these questions based on Tucker’s torrid final stretch as well as his previous on-field success he had prior to joining the Dodgers.
Broadly, there are two possible answers to the question we’ve posed: Either Tucker’s September/October surge was a fluke, or that was just how long it took for him to get right again. In all likelihood, it’s the latter. If so, the Dodgers would have yet another true impact bat in their lineup in 2027.
Center fielder Andy Pages is one of 28 Super-2 players eligible for salary arbitration, per the Associated Press. The 25-year-old outfielder is coming off his first All-Star campaign where he lead the team in RBI with 85 and defensive runs saved with 20.
Dayn Perry of CBS Sports lists the 25 players that are most likely to be traded this offseason. Outfielder Teoscar Hernández ranks high on his list, with the probable destinations being the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners— his former team before joining the Dodgers.
Throughout the second half of the season, Blake Snell and Tarik Skubal developed a friendship that continues to blossom. Snell is now actively recruiting Skubal to rejoin the Dodgers, and he spoke with David Vassegh of SportsNet LA about the conversations he’s had with the two-time AL Cy Young award winner.
“He knows how I feel. I want nothing more than for him to be a Dodger. It’s a big life decision for him and his family, so I respect that. I’ve done my pitch… I think we have a good shot.”
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 1: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we trudge through award season, Matt Olson is in the running for yet another award. It was announced Thursday that Olson is a finalist for the Silver Slugger award. The winner will be announced November 17.
Your 2026 National League @SluggerNation Silver Slugger Award finalists 💪
Olson has already won some hardware this season, earning a Gold Glove and the Fielding Bible awards. He won the Silver Slugger in 2023 and aims to add another trophy to his cabinet.
More Braves News:
The Braves reunited with Perry Minasian, who will return to the front office after working with the Los Angeles Angels.
Our 2026 player review series continues with catcher Austin Wynns.
Luis Reyes will look to pick up where he left off after lat surgery cost him the entire 2026 season. | Luis Reyes/Instagram
Luis Reyes Right-Handed Starting Pitcher 6´2´´ 190 pounds Age: 21 2026 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 63 2025 High Level Kannapolis (Low-A) (injured for all of 2026) Age relative to 2025 high level -1.6 years SSS rank among all right-handed starters in the system 14 Overall 2025 season stats 4-9 ⚾️ 23 starts ⚾️ 87 IP ⚾️ 4.34 ERA ⚾️ 1.402 WHIP ⚾️ 88 K ⚾️ 37 BB ⚾️ 1.7 WAR
Signed to a $700,000 contract with the White Sox on Jan. 15, 2023, Luis Reyes has slowly but steadily developed into one of the more interesting young arms in the system. At 6´2´´and 190 pounds, Reyes noticeably added some strength since he first arrived in pro ball, and this translated to additional power on the mound. Unfortunately, Reyes missed all of 2026 after a lat injury in Spring Training put him under the knife.
Before injury, Reyes threw with a loose, easy arm action and repeated his delivery well. His fastball played in the low- to mid-90s but had touched 97 mph. The righty also threw a slider in the low 80s — which was by far his most-used pitch, thrown almost half the time. The 81-84 mph go-to slider had the makings of an actual out pitch. His other offerings were works-in-progress, but the foundation of a solid arsenal is in place.
At just 19 years old for all of the 2025 season, Reyes worked all year for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The hurler showed signs of continued development despite a somewhat uneven season overall. After a tough April and May, Reyes was able to turn the corner in mid-summer. The righthander was named MiLB Pitcher of the Month in June, when he gave up only one earned run over 25 innings. Reyes posted a microscopic 0.36 ERA and a 0.720 WHIP in that span, highlighted by two seven-inning, complete-game shutouts. He understandably regressed a bit in July (5.59 ERA) before ending the season on a stronger note in August (3.60 ERA).
After underwhelming results in the DSL and Complex League in 2023 and 2024, 2025 was a step in the right direction for Reyes. He improved his command and averaged 9.10 K/9. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to build on that progress in 2026 due to that surgery in March to repair a lat injury.
Heading into 2027, the priority is getting healthy and back on the mound, almost certainly starting in the ACL and likely spending a good chunk of the season there. With his size, arm strength, athleticism and makeup, Reyes still offers the potential of a mid-rotation starter, but a lost year adds uncertainty to that projection. Once healthy, he can get back to refining his command and secondary pitches while rebuilding his workload. The upside remains intriguing. Now he needs the innings to keep developing it.
