KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 19: Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals at bat against the Athletics during the third inning at Kauffman Stadium on August 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The The Star, Jaylon Thompson writes about Maikel Garcia’s goal for next season:
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia has one specific goal in mind heading into the 2027 campaign: Stay healthy.
…In total, Garcia missed 67 games due to injuries…
Garcia added more weight this offseason. However, the added strength caused unforeseen problems in his lower half. It caused the hamstring issues to persist as Garcia never really felt quite like himself.
At MLB.com, Anne Rogers… wait, a second:
Programming note: This week marked the end of my 2026 season ⚾️ A bit early, yes, but baby’s arrival is getting close! It’s safe to say year six on the Royals beat was unlike any other for me. Thanks as always for reading this year, through all the good and the bad.
Jensen is finishing his first full season in the Majors so strongly that he might be included on some Rookie of the Year ballots. After going 2-for-3 with a walk on Thursday, he has reached base in 20 consecutive games and has produced an RBI in his last seven contests.
With 24 homers, Jensen is tied with Bob Hamelin (1994) for the Royals’ rookie home run record. Eighteen of Jensen’s home runs have come from the leadoff spot, matching the club record shared by Johnny Damon (1998) and Alex Gordon (2011)…
Top thief?
Bobby Witt Jr. has led the American League in batting average, hits, doubles and triples all at some point during his five-year Major League career, and this season, he has a chance to add a stolen base crown. Witt has 42 steals and was tied for the AL lead before Tampa Bay’s Chandler Simpson passed him with a pair (44) on Thursday.
Picollo’s offseason quest to add pop to KC’s outfield corps produced Collins and Lane Thomas. Thomas is gone, dealt to Atlanta at the midsummer trade deadline, and Collins hasn’t produced enough to warrant a 2027 return. After going 0-for-2 against Houston Tuesday, he’s slashing .220/.326/.335 with six homers and 40 RBI in 135 games, and is hitting .133 this month, hardly the kind of numbers that inspire hopes of a big 2027. Yes, he walks a bit over 12% of the time, but that’s not enough for a club so lacking in big bats.
And although he’s under team control through the 2030 season, the Royals need the roster spot he’d occupy if they bring him back. Triple-A outfielders Carson Roccaforte and Gavin Cross are enjoying good seasons — through Tuesday in a campaign split between the Storm Chasers and Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Roccaforte had 35 homers, 94 RBI, 30 steals, and was slashing .259/.341/.527 with an .868 OPS, and Cross had homered 17 times, driven in 52 runs, stolen 25 bases, and was slashing .248/.307/.437 with a .744 OPS in 114 games for Omaha. KC will have to find room for Roccaforte, Cross, or both, on next season’s 26-man roster — it’s time for each to get major league shots.
This is probably be a record for the shortest Friday Rumblings ever. I could put in an MLB section, but then I’d have to write about the Dodgers winning yet another NL West crown with their infinity payroll.
My last couple of weeks have included everything from replacing a hot water heater to a work mess to pink eye. And I know I’m missing items there, but if I spent time listing even more, well, no one wants to hear that. Suffice to say, it’s been a week. Or a couple of weeks.
Today’s OT will get finished up and moved to next week and we’ll have fun with it there.
We haven’t revisited Just Shapes and Beats yet this year. We’ve done all the boss levels, but there are still some fun ones to listen to. This is probably the most chill song in the game: “The Art of War” by Chipzel.
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 17: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after the Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds to clinch a 2026 postseason berth at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, September 17, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by David Jordan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Happy Friday, everyone! Lots of little news bites to keep you busy this morning while you’re pretending to do work, or just enjoying your coffee. We look at some of the Mets’ woes, from terrible offseason choices, to their fanbase missing Pete Alonso, to a new and rough-looking injury. We also check in on some injured superstars, as Shohei Ohtani is feeling a little closer to normal, while Aaron Judge was pulled from a game. Uh oh.
We’ll also see which MLB managers might want to start refreshing their resumes, update you on the WPBL postseason, and share the cutest first pitch ever.
HARRISBURG, PA - AUGUST 27: Ethan Anderson #22 of the Chesapeake Baysox looks on during the game between the Chesapeake Baysox and the Harrisburg Senators at FNB Field on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Casey Saussaman/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Triple-A: Charlotte Knights (White Sox) 5, Norfolk Tides 1
Norfolk and Charlotte entered the eighth inning with the game tied at one, but Alex Pham allowed four runs in the top of the eighth. Pham allowed a leadoff single, walked a batter, and allowed a go-ahead single to Korey Lee. Pham allowed another run-scoring base hit and walked another batter before recording the first out of the inning. Charlotte scored its fourth run on a fielder’s choice and capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Norfolk starter Jake Dykhoff limited the Knights to one run on two hits over five innings of work. Dykhoff, a former minor-league free agent, walked two and struck out three. Christian Herberholz tossed a pair of scoreless innings before Pham let the game slip away.
Yaramil Hiraldo struck out the side during a clean ninth inning.
Norfolk’s only offense came from another home run from Ethan Anderson. The switch hitter launched his first Triple-A home run on Wednesday night from the left side of the plate. Yesterday he went deep while batting right-handed. The Orioles selected Anderson in the second round of the 2024 draft.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound after being removed from the eighth inning of game one of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 30, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox have just nine games left in the regular season before an all-but-inevitable trip to battle the Yankees in New York for the Wild Card game.
Boston’s magic number sits at three entering play on Friday, so the ballclub still has business to take care of to ensure a return to the postseason. With that said, literally everyone has spent a month preparing for a playoff rematch after the series loss in New York in August (and last October).
We’ve gone in depth about the lineup and what the rotation should be for the best-of-three clash. OverTheMonster’s Bob Osgood provided a well-detailed outlook of the bullpen you should also read.
Now is a great time to emphasize how each bullpen could decide the fate of the series, though let’s focus on why the Red Sox should LOVE their depth of relievers heading into The Bronx.
Personally, I believe the Red Sox have been at their best in the postseason when there’s a true closer to turn to in the ninth along with depth starters to jump into the Swiss army knife, multi-inning role to battleize the group. Well, Aroldis Chapman remains as good as any closer in baseball and if he’s ready to go by the end of his rehab stint, getting Tanner Houck for multiple innings (as they did in the 2021 postseason) is fairly massive for Boston.
Not to mention the steady work of elite setup man Garrett Whitlock and the ever-awaited return of Garrett Crochet. The Red Sox, however, will have to be very mindful of when to deploy him. There’s a real chance given the pace of his ramp-up that Crochet may only throw once – two innings at absolute most – for the entire series. Chad Tracy will have a real decision to make when to fire off his “secret” weapon.
Like every facet of the roster, the Red Sox should feel worlds better about the state of the roster heading into this postseason compared to last year. Especially if the bullpen looks something like this:
LHP: Aroldis Chapman RHP: Garrett Whitlock RHP: Tyron Guerrero LHP: Erik Miller RHP Greg Weissert RHP Brayan Bello LHP Garrett Crochet RHP Tanner Houck
Given the rotation and bullpen firepower for Boston and New York, scoring really could be at a legitimate premium in the series. That’s pretty cliche when discussing playoff baseball, but the elite pitching on both sides cements that notion entering the likely seventh all-time playoff meeting between the Red Sox and Yankees.
Will the Red Sox bullpen ultimately decide the series? You tell us.
All eyes were on Matvei Michkov as Philadelphia Flyers training camp opened up on Thursday morning, and the Russian phenom delivered in ways even we reporters didn't foresee in advance.
Much has been made of the language barrier between Michkov, 21, and his teammates and coaches, dating back to his rookie year in 2024-25 with John Tortorella.
Teammate Egor Zamula and Flyers skating coach Slava Kuznetsov served as the de facto translators for Michkov that year, and Ivan Fedotov, and briefly, Andrei Kuzmenko, were the only other Russian speakers on the roster at the time.
Last season, the Flyers had a new head coach with Rick Tocchet, Fedotov was traded in the offseason, and Egor Zamula was jettisoned in January. Michkov did have Nikita Grebenkin with him, but Grebenkin is equally inexperienced and can't be relied on as a mentor the same way Zamula was with all his experience in North America.
Heading into a very important third NHL season with the Flyers, the language barrier and English-speaking ability were outstanding question marks for Michkov, but the youngster surprisingly put those concerns to bed out of the gate.
Michkov was requested for media availability from the Group A skaters on Thursday, and we were informed that the 21-year-old would speak only in English and draw on Kuznetsov, who stood off to the side, when needed. A surprise, to be sure, but it ended up being the biggest bright spot of the day by far, and it didn't even happen on the ice.
Michkov acknowledged the difficulty of speaking English during his availability, but it didn't deter him from giving honest answers and showing off some of his personality.
"I feel good, good summer. I work all time. Work and fun, 50-50," Michkov said with a smile. "I feel really good right now, and I think me ready in season."
The Russian phenom revealed in a recent interview that he's shed 30 pounds from this time last year, coming into training camp 2025 at 205 pounds, but coming into this year at 176. Michkov already feels the difference.
"I think this is so good for me. You know, I feel right now lighter, lighter right now on ice, and more speed. Every skill, more speed, better speed. This is hard work, too," Michkov added. "I eat right now just good food, but no fast food. You know, no sugar, but no... little bit, maybe day off. I like chocolate, but day off, just day off!"
That personality, even in broken English, will connect Michkov with fans and doubters alike just by organically communicating through us in the media.
He's able to, more or less, say what he really thinks, and on his own terms.
Michkov cleared a major mental and social hurdle
Matvei Michkov celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn images)
You can tell that Michkov listens intently and seeks to understand, even when he knows he may not.
For example, I asked Michkov what his experience was like training with Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev in Russia this summer. He recognized the players' names and nodded his head to show he understood, and asked Kuznetsov what "experience" meant.
"This is a good experience for me. Thank you Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev, messaged me, and so good guys, so good players," Michkov answered. "Just NHL guys who from in Russia, and we work the same. Hands, skills, a little bit skating, and this is good for me, too."
Michkov concluded his interview acknowledging his progress from Year 1 with Tortorella and the Flyers to today.
"I know now a little bit better English. My first years so hard for me. I stay in Philly zero level English, second year a little bit better, now a little bit better more," Michkov assessed. "This is my first interview in English. This is hard for me, guys, sorry. I feel much better now. You know, I think Philly, this is my second home, and I feel the same. My first and second home, I feel the same, same good, so good. Thank you everybody for support and the atmosphere."
It was a long time coming for Michkov, who braved the cameras, the language barrier, and the uncertainty to try something new.
This was a social hurdle Michkov needed to clear on his own terms, and doing so would only benefit him on and off the ice. He can communicate with his coaches and teammates better and ask questions when needed.
As a reporter, I've been there, too, learning to ask questions and assert myself. It's still a work in progress, so I can empathize.
But you can always control your effort and what you do, and Michkov put forth his best effort Thursday on and off the ice, impressing teammates, coaches, and media all the same.
"I think that's a big step for him. We encourage him to come out. I don't think he needs a translator all the time. We want to take the safety net out under him and I think he did a hell of a job," Tocchet said of Michkov after practice concluded.
"Going up to coaches on his own and things like that, we got to create that culture for him. He doesn't need people around him to tell, I think he knows. And it's the only way to learn, and he wants it. He wants to learn that way, too. It's good for us."
Earlier in the day, during the skating portion to end the Group A session, Michkov appeared to ask Denver Barkey and Jack Studnicka to lead off the second lap, and he did so keeping pace with his peers the whole way, even after blowing a tire on a tight turn around one of the nets.
"It's just the first day," Tocchet said. "But you can tell he's lighter and he looks stronger skating, like the stride's longer. You watch the laps, when guys start getting tired, their stride is choppier, and his was still elongated. That's a good sign."
By all accounts, Michkov passed his first tests of Flyers training camp with flying colors.
Of course, with only four preseason games and a shorter training camp overall, it will be up to Michkov to keep it going into the season and make his progress count for something, but a major breakout for the Flyers seems likelier than ever after Day 1.
Lost amid the fact that Chris Kreider spent his first practice with the Montreal Canadiens on the first line and that Oliver Kapanen was back on the second line was the fact that Team B's players face a lot of uncertainty. Martin St-Louis could have gone for all-veteran lines for that squad as well, but he chose not to, and that might be for a couple of different reasons.
He may want to give a real audition to a player like Florian Xhekaj, who finds himself skating on a line with Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault, who will be on the opening-night roster, no questions asked. Jake Evans and Alex Newhook have their spot guaranteed as well, but it would be rather surprising to see their linemate Brett Berard make it; at this stage, he looks like a placeholder.
St-Louis might also have wanted to send a message to the players who are, for now at least, likely to be the fringe players. That’s hardly likely to be Zach Bolduc, who’s fresh off signing a 4-year, $4.2 million cap-hit contract. The ones who will really have to fight for their NHL spots are likely to be Alexandre Texier and Kirby Dach. The former is under contract for two years at $2.5 million per year, while the latter could only get a one-year deal at $3.6 million from the Canadiens.
The Habs' unwillingness to sign Dach to a $4 million qualifying offer should have already sent a clear message to the Albertan. They did tender him the qualifying offer, but by making it a two-way contract, they essentially forced him not to accept it, and the message was clear: so far, you haven't shown us you are worth $4 million a year.
In the first round of the playoffs last season, Dach faced some serious backlash after one of his mistakes cost the Canadiens a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. St- Louis came to his rescue, refused to give in to the pressure to scratch him, and even publicly said he wouldn’t give up on a player who hasn’t given up on himself. The big winger repaid him with a tremendous performance in the next game, but then faded away, and by the end of the playoffs, he was on the fourth line.
At this stage, Dach shouldn’t take anything for granted; he needs to show the coach and the team that he hasn’t given up on himself. It would be rather surprising if GM Kent Hughes didn’t try to find a new home for the winger this past summer; it feels like he did but couldn’t find a trading partner, and if that’s the case, the Habs may be tempted to send an even louder message to Dach by sending him down to Laval, much like they did with Joel Armia when his performances weren’t up to scratch. Armia was 30 years old then, though; Dach is only 25 and was picked third overall in the 2019 draft, which may ultimately save him. Hughes may not be willing to roll the dice on losing a player he acquired at high cost, sacrificing Alexander Romanov to do so.
As for Texier, he didn’t cost anything to acquire, and when he signed with the Habs after agreeing to terminate his contract with the St. Louis Blues, he had to go through waivers. His debut with the Canadiens was impressive, and he spent time on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, while Juraj Slafkovsky skated alongside Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen; now Kreider is there.
The Canadiens have a legitimate top six, and the only spot that could open up is the second-line center role if a better option than Kapanen emerges, but Texier cannot play center. Where does that leave him? He doesn’t exactly play with the grit you’d want from a bottom-six player, and he’s not an energy guy either. At this stage, it very much feels like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, but we’ll see what he can show in this express training camp.
Of course, Montreal can always just stick to the 13 forwards that have an NHL contract, but if the younger Xhekaj shows that he’s ready to take the next step and that he could bring some of that grit, that sandpaper that was missing in the playoffs, the team may be forced to make a tough decision.
Florian Xhekaj semble avoir de réelles chances de percer l’alignement du Canadien cette saison. 👀
Il semble avoir pris du coffre tout en gagnant en rapidité. Il protège également très bien la rondelle, comme on peut le constater sur cette séquence. 👀⬇️
The Metropolitan police have been granted special powers to tackle violence as the south and east London teams meet again on Saturday after 14 years
Absence has not made the heart grow fonder. Millwall and West Ham meet for the first time in 14 years on Saturday, but it is not going to be a joyous reunion at the Den. The atmosphere will be ferocious and the main hope is that the focus is on the football rather than any nonsense away from the pitch.
These two have plenty of previous, even though they so rarely play each other. The most glaring example is the shocking disorder inside and outside Upton Park when Millwall lost in the second round of the League Cup at West Ham’s old ground in August 2009. A 44-year-old man was stabbed in the chest as trouble raged outside and riot police struggled to maintain order during the game, with play suspended briefly when home supporters invaded the pitch after one West Ham goal.
BOSTON - 1982: George Gervin #44 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1982 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1982 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yesterday, we posted about the Spurs hiring a new Vice President of Technology. Technology is constantly updating, improving, and outright changing with such pace that sometimes we can barely keep up. By “we” I mean people who did not grow up with this level of tech. For example, my first phone was rotary, my first television required getting up and changing the dial to one of the three channels available (four if PBS was coming in on a clear day). We didn’t get cable until I was in 2nd grade. There used to be ONE computer in our school…you get the picture, yes?
I digress. The point is, there was a time when technology seemed so advanced, but now those images and films are trite and simplistic. Or are they.
I found this footage. It sparked a memory of my first trip to HemisFair to see a Spurs game,
This was the announcement for the 1982 Western Conference Finals when the #2 ranked Spurs got swept by the #1 ranked Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers went on to win the title against the Philadelphia 76ers. 1982 was the Lakers second NBA Finals trip in what turned out to be eight in the 1980s. You read that right, the Lakers made 8 trips to the Finals in the 80s.
The 80s were so dominated by the Lakers and Celtics, it’s hard to remember just how good the Spurs were. With George Gervin as their superstar and Stan Albeck as head coach, they had some solid years.
Anyway, I just saw this footage, got nostalgic, and realized how much the presentation of the game has changed over the decades.
TGIF, Pounders! Have. great weekend.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Greetings, Brew Crew Ball community. The Brewers have officially clinched the NL Central, and they’re now on the verge of clinching their first-round bye. They’re also nearing a franchise record for wins (97-65 last season) and have a realistic shot at becoming the first 100-win team in franchise history. Lots to still play for (even if it’s somewhat symbolic) over these last 10 days.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
The Detroit Tigers dropped the series opener to the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Thursday night, 3-1. Framber Valdez struggled early, giving up all three runs that the home team would score in the first inning and the offense simply had no answer for the opposing pitching staff.
Getting the start in Game 2 for the Motor City Kitties is right-handed rookie Andrew Sears, who has had mixed results in his four appearances so far. The 24-year-old has put up a perfectly mediocre 4.50 ERA and 4.10 FIP so far in two games as a starter, allowing 11 hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out nine, along with a pair of hit-by-pitches over 10 innings since being moved into the rotation.
The ChiSox have a righty rookie of their own taking the bump on Friday night in David Sandlin, who will make his fifth start of the 2026 campaign. The 25-year-old has put up a 4.15 ERA and 3.83 FIP over 21 2/3 innings as a member of Chicago’s rotation, but a rough outing that saw him surrender eight earned runs over four frames prevents him from having much more impressive numbers.
Take a look below at how the two match up in the second of the four-game series this weekend.
Detroit Tigers (72-81) vs. Chicago White Sox (78-75)
Time (ET): 7:40 p.m. Place: Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois SB Nation Site:South Side Sox Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 154: LHP Andrew Sears (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP David Sandlin (2-2, 5.64 ERA)
From a regular season standpoint, the 2026 season ends Sep 27. For teams like the Cardinals, their minds’ eye has already started to turn toward the 2027 season. However, transactions (for the most part) that begin to shape the organization’s talent pool won’t really begin until after the World Series ends, or very early in November.
This off-season portends a bit of a unique feature in that the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on Dec 1, and the universal expectation is that transactions will freeze at that point and the players will be locked out of MLB facilities. This will create the MLB version of NCAA’s quiet period, inconveniently overlapping with the time most MLB teams conduct the most extensive roster reshaping exercises of the year. Unless there is a surprise early agreement on a new CBA, expect that the Winter Meetings won’t include player transactions (free agent signings or trades) and the Rule V draft will not occur (on the last day of those meetings). The Winter Meetings themselves may not even occur.
Given this backdrop, what is in store for the Cardinals as they continue to reshape their roster and strive to re-acquire a playoff contending team?
First, I want to take a look back at what this new management team did to reshape the roster in their first year at the helm. Some will remark that this management team has been around longer than a year, which is fair, but they really didn’t get their fingerprints on the major league roster until last November. This article focuses on that roster, not the MiLB side, which has been changing for a longer time. Let’s look a year ago.
When the 2025 season ended, the Cardinals had wrapped up with 78 wins and a retirement party for outgoing POBO John Mozeliak. Change was in the air and hopes were high. As I look at the 40-man roster at the time, it seemed an extensive roster reshaping might be in order. 78-win teams will create that impression. At the time, I counted up 21 pots that could undergo some churn (and hopefully, improvement). See below.
Free Agents
40-man clean up
Trades
Non-tender
60-day IL
Mikolas
Koperniak
Contreras
King
Thompson
Pozo
Nootbaar
Roycroft
Donovan
Raquet
Gorman
Munoz
Romero
Veneziano
Gray
Alcala
Arenado
Prieto
Siani
Thompson
Veneziano
Mikelos was expected to depart via free agency and did. King was non-tendered, as expected. Ten spots on the 40-man roster needed upgrades. A year later, all but one (Prieto) have been moved on. Although the path from then to now was a bit circuitous, I think it fair to opine that in general, improvement has been achieved.
Thompson ended 2025 on the 60-day IL but was not added back to the 40-man when it expired. He remained in the organization, however, but he has not pitched since. I suspect his career is over.
Additionally, one could look at the established veterans on the roster and anticipate that some, if not all, could be dealt as the Cardinals transitioned from one core set of players to another. Their contracts represented a tangle, but management put up the cash to make transactions happen. Here we look up a year later, and all seven indeed have moved on.
That covered the pending departures. Moving on to anticipated adds.
Many 40-man roster changes are instigated by the need to bring on prospects who needed Rule V protection or were ready to make their MLB debuts even if they don’t need protection. The player situations coming out of the 2025 season are shown below, along with some obvious acquisition needs that would be met via trade or free agency.
MLB Debuts
Rule V protection
External Acq.
Mathews
Ramon Mendoza
LH reliever (King)
Wetherholt
Joshua Baez
SP (mikolas)
Henderson
Leonardo Bernal
Bryce Mautz
Austin Love
Brycen Maultz
Bryan Torres
Pete Hansen
C. Hjerpe
In the first column, we have the players that could have been projected for MLB debut in 2026 before needing 40-man protection. Three were indeed added to the 40-man and promoted. Henderson suffered a long-term injury and his future is cloudy.
The second column identified players needing 40-man protection. Baez, Bernal, Mautz, Torres and Hjerpe were protected. Love, Hansen and Mendoza were not. All protected players saw their MLB debut and most project as part of the future. The ones that were not added? Hard to say these were mistakes. Winquest was overlooked in this list and got drafted in the Rule V (and returned).
The last column identified the obvious needs (before any MLB roster transactions occurred). Dustin May effectively replaced Mikolas. Justin Bruihl effectively replaced John King and they were added to the 40-man when acquired. Several other pitchers were added later as well, such as Stanek, Shuster, Bruihl, Soriano.
One complicating factor seemed particularly acute last year. At the end of 2025, in addition to the aforementioned Thompson, the Cardinals were carrying 3 pitchers with long-term injuries that would carry over into the 2026 season. This had the effect of freezing three 40-man spots, rendering them unusable until recovery occurred. Roby and Hence were already on the 40-man, and in spite of the injury, Hjerpe did get added. Hjerpe eventually made it back and had his MLB debut recently and he required a 40-man spot when he returned. Roby was handled differently. In 2026, he wasn’t actually placed on the MLB 60-IL but was optioned to MiLB and from a 40-man standpoint treated as a player in the minors. He did pitch in game conditions in order to preserve the option year. He will pitch in the AFL. Hence did not make it back and was subsequently removed from the roster.
Without getting into individual players and situations too much, I think a couple of observations about the overall process may be instructive for how this management team operates.
While the opportunities for churn were obvious a year ago, we should note that it really took almost a full year (not just the off-season) to accomplish “churning” 22 out of the 23 spots (deductions) and 11 more additions. For example, there was much teeth gnashing when Pozo remained on the roster coming into the 2026 season. Heck, if I could see the need for roster upgrade in September, 2025, why would that not be done by when the 2026 season opened? Answer: Sometimes it takes a little longer. At the end of the day, they got there.
The process itself is not complete. I look at this an iteration number one of the transition. I suspect we face another this next year (not just the off-season), complicated by CBA machinations.
Note the imbalance of subtractions and adds from the minor league system last year. The Cardinals chose to add a number of one-and-done players to fill out their MLB roster, many of whom were already off the roster by the end of 2026 (Pushard, Shuster, Blewett, et.al.). This appears to have been by design, to provide roster flexibility as prospects ascend. Keep this in mind. The main path for these guys coming in? Spring training non-roster-invitees (NRI).
When compared to prior years, the amount of churn after 2025 was high. I think most agree the roster had grown stale and this churn was necessary, if sad at times, as we saw favorite players depart. What I think we learned is that this management team is methodical, but not necessarily conservative. Turning over half the roster is not “passive”. Fans can squeal about whether Baez should have come up in July instead of August, but realistically, the indirect path led to the needed changes.
How might this apply to this upcoming off-season? If they follow a similar recipe, it should look about like this:
Free Agents
40-man clean up
Trades
Non-tender
60-day IL
Urias
Strzekeki
Gorman
Rajcic
Stanek
Prieto
Liberatore
Scott II
Pages
Soon after the World Series, expect the Cardinals to decline option years on Urias and Stanek. I anticipate a much more limited roster clean-up this off-season (to start with), which I will explain more in the next section. I see 3-4 guys being removed from the roster as part of a general clean-up and another 3 potentially being non-tendered. They will need these spots cleared to make room for new prospects being added, and these are the guys I anticipate going first.
For each of these three non-tender candidates, their performance, projected role and arbitration salary make their spots tenuous at best. It is possible they could end up in the traded category, if another team wants to jump the line before the non-tender deadline.
As to the Free Agents and clean-up spots, I’ve heard these being referred to a “organic changes”. They occur every year with every team and this (or something like it) is this year’s edition. Urias and Strzeleki are already gone, being DFA’ed in the 3rd week of September. Both players were at various stages of injury recovery and the timeline on the season was running out. With the writing on the wall, I anticipate both transactions were done with the players knowledge and acceptance.
Last, two 40-man roster spots may free up in February if Rajcic and Dobbins get placed on the 60-day IL for the 2027 season. Similar to Fitts and Roby last year, they may choose to option these guys and put them on the MILB full season injured list. This decision will likely depend on how many MLB additions they bring into camp for Spring Training.
In total, I expect only 8-9 spots to open up over the off-season. A fair bit different than last year.
Moving on the the potential additions the Cardinals will have to consider as they map out 2027:
MLB Debuts
Rule V protection
External Acq.
60-day IL
Rodriguez
Jesus Baez
Reliever (Rajcic)
Rajcic
Cijntje
Chase Davis
Starter (Dobbins)
Molina
Zach Levenson
CF
Doyle
Chen-Wei Lin
3B
Franklin
Won-Bin Cho
Other relievers
Jesus Baez
Ledbetter
I’ll start with the Rule V protection column. As described in a prior article, I anticipate that these six players will be the players moved on to the 40-man. Might be one or two more or less, probably depending on if they see some of the new outfielders as better alternatives to Scott II.
In the IL-60 column, Rajcic must be moved back to the 40-man as the IL-60 list expires at season’s end, so he looks like an addition. This leads to my roster math … seven players on, eight or nine players depart (free agents, 40-man, non-tender). This isn’t a statement that the other 32 spots don’t need upgrading, it is recognition that they free up those spots when someone is ready to fill them (trades, free agency). By November, they’ll need seven spots just to protect their own assets, so they will focus there first.
Looking down the road, it seems prudent to expect the Cardinals will continue to promote up some of their high-ceiling prospects (the first column) through the course of the 2027 season, but likely not coming on Opening Day. In constructing their 2027 roster, they must be mindful to allow for up to 7 spots to churn mid-season as these phenoms matriculate. Realistically, the 40-man roster will need at least half-a-dozen players on it that they do not expect to be with the team come this time next year, to allow for these promotions.
As you look at potential roster improvements (listed generally in the external acquisition column), the team will have pretty much two alternatives. One, they can go out and acquire players that upgrade these areas, or they can wait for some of the uber-prospects to master AAA and be promoted.
If they choose to wait, they will be faced with either coming out of spring training 2027 with a roster largely unchanged from the one that ends 2026 or acquiring a series of short-term upgrades that can be displaced when the uber-prospects are ready as 2027 progresses (or perhaps longer).
There will be some trickiness here, because those yet unidentified, short-term upgrades will displace existing roster members. Bruihl? Torres? Rincon? Peirera? Mautz? Fermin? Winquest? It speaks to the improvement of the overall roster that these decisions will be a bit tougher this go-around than last year.
A third option is to trade off from the core set of players and more radically approach upgrading the roster. Herrera? Burleson? Winn? All are possibilities, but this seems somewhat remote, but a non-zero probability.
So, at the end of the day, I see 3 pathways:
Keep the roster mostly intact, except for the organic changes related to free agency, non-tenders and a couple of fringe players,
Obtain a number of short-term upgrades and displace role players, and/or
Deal off from the core set of players to upgrade the roster in the areas of need (3b, CF, SP, RP, bench).
Remember, the Cardinals will have about 30 days to execute whichever approach they choose before the lock-out starts. They will also likely have a short window post-lockout, but that will be a mad scramble that will be difficult for this methodical group to navigate.
Are you not entertained?? (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Only nine games remain on the Orioles’ 2026 schedule. We’re down to single digits now. Tonight, the Orioles begin their final homestand of the season, hosting the MLB-best Brewers and the wild card-hopeful Blue Jays before finishing their year at Yankee Stadium.
You’d be forgiven if you thought the Orioles’ homestand actually started four days ago, considering how much adulation and support the CitiField crowd was giving to the Orioles (well, one particular Oriole). The positive energy coming from the Mets fans seemed to bolster the Orioles’ spirits, lifting them to a series sweep. It also helps that the Mets are a truly dreadful team.
The Orioles don’t figure to get the same kind of help this weekend from the Brewers, who hold the best record in baseball and have already clinched the NL Central. If the O’s intend to keep their hot streak going, they’re going to need to bring their A game, such as it is. The pessimistic take is that the Orioles will get a cold dose of reality now that they’re facing competent teams, and that this homestand is almost certainly when the O’s will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
But if you’re the optimistic type who’s holding out hope that the Birds can still make a late run at this, they’re going to need to play practically flawless baseball from here on out, and they’re going to need some help to knock out their wild card competitors, too. Right now it’s hard to pinpoint exactly which teams are their wild card competitors, since the AL Central and AL West divisions are very much up for grabs. The White Sox and Guardians are tied for the Central division lead (with the White Sox holding the tiebreaker), and in the West, the Astros hold a one-game lead over the Rangers (and the tiebreaker). The O’s are three games behind for the third wild card spot, currently held by the Guardians. The Rangers and Blue Jays are two games back.
With so many mediocre teams in the mix, the math gets complicated. To catch the Guardians, the Orioles would need to be four games better than them for the remaining nine games (since Cleveland holds the tiebreaker). But if the Guardians were to take the AL Central lead and knock the White Sox into the wild card race, the O’s would only need to be three games better than Chicago, since the Orioles hold the tiebreaker. Of the West teams, the Orioles hold the tiebreaker against the Astros but not against the Rangers, so however that division shakes out will affect the Birds as well. And then there’s also the Blue Jays to contend with, though the Orioles will have a chance to beat them head-to-head in their three-game series next week.
There are a lot of moving parts, and very little time for all of those parts to move in the Orioles’ favor. In all likelihood, three or four days from now there will be no need for O’s fans to keep track of the various wild card permutations. But if you’re keeping an eye on the out-of-town scores just in case, the Guardians are hosting the Athletics this weekend, the White Sox hosting the Tigers, the Astros at home against the Braves, and the Blue Jays and Rangers are facing each other in a pivotal wild-card battle in Texas. Happy scoreboard watching!
Cade Povich is the only realistic choice to replace Kyle Bradish, but see, this is why it’s hard to really believe the Orioles have any kind of chance of running the table.
The rookie lefty didn’t exactly endear himself to O’s fans by losing his first two major league games, but he’s quietly pitched pretty well since then.
At least Pete is signed for four more years after this one. I just wish I could feel confident that the Orioles won’t waste all of those, too.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Two former Orioles pitchers were born on this date: 2021-22 righty Marcos Diplán (30) and the late lefty Harvey Haddix (b. 1925, d. 1994), who finished his career with the O’s from 1964-65.
On this date in 1976, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, then playing for Cleveland, appeared in the final game of his 21-year major league career. Appropriately enough, it came against the Orioles, and befitting of Frank’s stellar career, it was an RBI single. It came as a pinch-hitter in the eighth in a 3-2 O’s win at Cleveland Stadium.
One year later, another Orioles legend got his moment as the O’s celebrated “Thanks, Brooks” Day to honor the retiring Brooks Robinson. A sellout crowd of 51,798 packed Memorial Stadium to cheer on the beloved longtime Oriole in an hour-long pregame ceremony. Brooks received a minutes-long standing ovation from the crowd as he rode in a car around the warning track, greeting fans. Despite insisting on no gifts, Robinson was presented with a new car, replacement Gold Glove awards for the ones he had donated to charity, and even third base itself, given to him by his replacement at the position, Doug DeCinces.
And on this date in 1991, yet another legendary O’s Hall of Famer had a day to remember. Cal Ripken Jr. hit his 30th homer in a loss to the Red Sox, making him the first shortstop in major league history to have a 30-homer, 40-double season. He finished the season with a career-high 34 homers as well as 46 doubles on his way to winning his second AL Most Valuable Player Award.
It’s the final regular season homestand and it’s one of the tougher matchups. Atlanta Braves Pre/Post Game Host, Barrett Sallee from 680 The Fan joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes to break it all down.
Q: Astros fans immediately flashback to the 2021 World Series against Atlanta. There’s still 5 members from that squad on the Braves. When you prepare your pre/post-game coverage tonight, will you reflect or reference that matchup?
A: Yeah, we will definitely discuss the 2021 World Series. That was one of the most improbable runs we have seen in the sport in a very long time. It’s not often that a team that’s below .500 at the deadline makes a run like that, especially with two trade deadline pickups as the MVPs of the NLCS and World Series. As far as specific coverage, we haven’t figured that out yet. But it will definitely be a topic of conversation, especially for local callers after the network coverage wraps up.
Q:Let’s begin with the top of the order, it seems like there’s been a variety of combinations and most of them have worked.
A: Walt Weiss has moved players all over the lineup this season. Typically, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin are No. 1 and No. 2 depending on righty or lefty matchups. However, Harris has popped up to the leadoff spot a few times over the last few weeks. It’s been a challenge for the top of the lineup at times this season. Acuña was hurt, then Baldwin, then Acuña again. Things have settled down lately, and we have seen Olson entrenched in that No. 3 spot behind Acuña and Baldwin, wherever they pop in on any given day. Olson has been in a bit of a slump lately. He’s always been a streaky hitter, but this one seems to be longer than others that we have seen in the past. However, when he breaks out of them, he does in a BIG way. Those three can be the most dangerous top 3 in baseball if they’re all healthy and cooking at the same time. Hopefully we will see that for the rest of the season and beyond.
Harris is a massive reason that the Braves have been successful this season. Historically, his slumps and hot streaks have been extremely low and extremely high, with nothing in between. However, this year he has been solid all season. The slumps haven’t been long, and certainly not as noticeable. The hot streaks have been incredible, which is why you see his offensive productions so high this year when compared to other seasons.
Q: What has Chris Sale has meant to this rotation this season?
A: Sale might not win the Cy Young Award again this season, but there’s no doubt that his contribution to this team is as valuable as any other pitcher to any other team in the league. He has received very little run production, but finds ways to give his team chances to win every single game. He truly doesn’t care about his win/loss record. He goes in to every start with the only goal of giving his team a chance to win. If he has a great game and the Braves lose, he is not a happy camper. Some pitchers say things like that, but don’t really mean it. Chris REALLY means it.
He has been pushed back in the rotation quite a few times for two reasons this year. The first is to give him a little extra rest to keep him fresh and secondly, to set up matchups against good pitchers and teams to set the tone. I compare the way that Weiss uses Sale to that of a college coach in the midst of a conference schedule. Every team always has that “Friday starter.” The guy that you trust more than anybody else, and can go out and dominate not only to set the tone for the series, but also protect the bullpen for the remainder of the series. Sale has thrived because of it.
More than anything else, though, is that his mindset has permeated throughout the clubhouse. He wants to win, plain and simple. That’s all this team wants to do. If any starter or any hitter goes out and has a great day, but the team loses, that’s a bad day. The younger guys – pitchers and hitters alike – have all taken to this mindset.
Q:Are the Braves built for a deep run this postseason?
A: The Braves are definitely built for a postseason run. While the offense has gone through some rough spots – June and August to be specific – we know how dangerous it can be. Plus, the ability of the pitching staff to keep them in games really helps. The biggest reason, though, is the bullpen. We have seen Dylan Dodd and Didier Fuentes escalate their games to become much higher leverage pitchers than they were early on. When you factor in Raisel Iglesias and (hopefully) Robert Suarez, the Braves have one of the best bullpens in the game.
Q: What would be your overview on pitcher Grant Holmes ?
A: Grant has really come along this season. He has a bulldog mentality. There have been times where, whether it’s for the team or himself individually, he has been in pressure-packed situations. He has come through in every single one of them. His slider has been nasty essentially the whole season. When he gets in trouble, it’s because of walks. However, he told us a few months ago that he really toned down his intensity. As a result, his command has become much sharper and he’s been able to go deeper in games. He really has a chip on his shoulder, too. He was a first round draft pick who essentially spent a decade in the minors. He belongs, we all know he belongs, and he’s going to show everybody that he belongs every time he takes the hill.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: Manager Don Mattingly #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets. We don’t like them. We would like to beat them.
I cannot guarantee victory over the loathed blue and orange club. I can guarantee some links.
Phillies News
José Urquidy has made his way to Philly from the ChiSox via waivers.
Today in baseball history, in 1909 – Before 35,409, the largest paid baseball attendance ever, Charles Bender beats Bill Donovan and the Tigers, 2 – 0, at Philadelphia. Ty Cobb is the Triple Crown winner with a .377 BA, 9 home runs (all inside-the-park), and 107 RBI. He also will lead the American League with 216 hits, 116 runs, and 296 total bases. His 76 stolen bases make him the only player ever to win a “quadruple crown”, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
1908 – The largest crowd in the history of the National League – 35,000 – cheer as the Giants shove the Pirates to five games off the pace by sweeping a doubleheader. Christy Mathewson shuts out the Bucs in the first game, 7-0, for his 11th shutout and his 33rd win. Then the Giants collect 18 hits to take the nitecap, 12-7, as Hooks Wiltse and Joe McGinnity combine for the win. The other hitting occurs in the first game when Mike Donlin tires of a heckler and punches him in the eye. Police quickly move in.
1950– At Ebbets Field, the Dodgers’Tommy Brown hits three home runs in his team’s losing effort. He is the third Dodger this year to clout three homers in one game. The Cubs’Ron Northey hits his third lifetime pinch grand slam – a record – to give Chicago a 9-7 win.
1986– For the second time in his career, Reggie Jackson belts three homers in a game in an 18-3 Angels laugher over Kansas City. At the age of 40 years, four months, Reggie joins Stan Musial and Babe Ruth as the only players to accomplish the feat after turning 40. Reggie scores four times and has seven RBIs.
1998 – Frank Thomas notches his 100th RBI – the eighth straight year he’s reached that level – by clouting a two-run home run in Chicago’s 11-9 win over Boston. Thomas’s home run is one of seven in the game in which 32 hits are registered.
1903 – The Cubs beat the Phils, 6-5, in the first game of a twinbill. In the second game, Chick Fraserno-hits Chicago, 10-0, for the Phils. Peaches Graham, normally a catcher, is the loser in his only major league decision, while Fraser K’s five and walks four.
1935– With 30,000 fans watching at Wrigley Field, first-place Chicago tallies 20 hits in thrashing the Giants, 15-3. Charlie Root picks up the win, Chicago’s 15th straight.
1977 – After losing five of his last six decisions, Chicago’sRick Reuschel notches his 20th victory, beating the Mets, 6-5. Reuschel leaves after six innings because of a blister, but racks up two hits and three ribbies at the plate.
1999 – Slammin’ Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in major league history to hit 60 homers twice. The Cub outfielder hits his milestone round-tripper off Brewer hurler Jason Bere.
