Good morning, folks…
The Brewers beat the Rays last night by a score of 5-4, giving them a 2-0 lead as the series now heads back to Tampa.
Cody Stavenhagen writes about how the presence Bob Uecker, who passed away in 2025, is still felt by the Brewers.
In non-baseball happenings, 20 year old Kimi Antonelli can clinch the F-1 Driver’s Championship this afternoon in Austin at the United States Grand Prix.
David Laurila has his Sunday Notes column up at Fangraphs.
One key statistic highlights how Sharks' defense struggled in loss vs. Bruins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
BOSTON — How do we quantify how the Boston Bruins beat the San Jose Sharks on Saturday?
There’s the obvious 6-4 scoreboard.
“Starts with protecting our net front,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said about four of the six goals surrendered.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov put a finer point of emphasis: “We [don’t] battle, [don’t] win the battles when we have to. We’re not playing more hungry for the battles, for the puck, and [lose] focus sometimes.”
One Stathletes’ micro-stat underscores all of this. The Sharks gave up seven rebound shots last night. That’s their worst total of season.
Just for comparison, the Utah Mammoth give up 1.25 rebound shots against per game, best in the NHL, followed by the New Jersey Devils (1.73), Dallas Stars (1.9) and Carolina Hurricanes (1.92). These are, as of now, some of the better teams in the league.
The Sharks, however, are among the worst teams in this department: Their 3.42 rebound shots against per game is fifth-worst in the NHL.
With the Bucks going 2-3 in the preseason—beating the Thunder and Pacers and losing to the Wolves, Hornets, and Bulls—we wanted to take the fans’ pulse on whether their optimism had changed for this week’s survey. As the graphic shows, a plurality (48%) of fans were neutral, voting that they felt “about the same” as before preseason, while 38% felt worse. This left 14% of fans voting that they felt better.
VoltantheDestroyer: “About the same. Ware is worse than expected. Others non-Herro players from Miami look marginally better than expected. Burries/Ament better; Dieng worse. All in all a wash. Plus it’s preseason.”
naveed2000s: “Worse. Our key guys often looked pretty bad out there, but our overall depth makes us a great garbage time team. I had a lot of opinions on who should stay and who should go, who should be featured or not. But I’m settling into the idea of this being a complete retool season, and am not getting too attached to anyone. We may be really bad, but let’s introduce concepts and a general identity, and continually clean up the roster. See what (probably few) players emerge as keepers, trim the fat where needed, and make an impactful trade or two to set the tone.”
Nate O: “I went with Better: I’m definitely worried about Ware. I was hopeful he would slot right into a Jenkins’ run system, and there’s still time, but the early returns were disappointing. Jaquez Jr. in my opinion was “meh”- not worried, not thrilled, saving any judgements until I can see way more minutes from him regularly. He played sporadically during the preseason as many did so the hot and cold, up and down here doesn’t worry me too much for now. So the “better” is coming from Burries and Co. appearing to be ahead of schedule. I really thought he looked impressive on his drives and his court vision, but I sort of expected the pieces to look sloppier than they have been. Ament showed more promise than I ever originally gave him credit for, and Jakucionis really looks comfortable with the ball in his hands.“
Like everyone else, the ALDS and the conclusion to the Yankees’ 2026 season left me very frustrated. It just feels like another year of missed chances with a roster that is good, but not good enough as it probably should be. There will always be moves made and unmade that you can look back on that you wish you could go back over. However, there’s no way to really do that… except in the fictional world.
I decided to take out my frustration at the end of the season in the only way in which I have a real way to: using the MLB The Show video game. Messing around with the game, I wanted to see how many pieces the Yankees truly were away from maybe winning the World Series. None of this is completely realistic, but that’s not the point, I wanted to use the Yankees to put a hurt on some teams. With that in mind, here is my experiment.
To start, let’s upgrade the Yankees’ weakest position, both in the game and arguably in real life this year: third base. To do that, we’ll not only add to the Yankees but weaken their biggest enemies this year by taking Junior Caminero from the Rays.
The Caminero addition doesn’t help the Yankees avoid a slow start to the season, as they’re hovering around .500 well into June. However, they play good baseball after that, finishing 91-71 and getting the top AL Wild Card. The Rays are significantly weakened without their star, but the Yankees still fall short of the Blue Jays.
Judge stays fully healthy and hits over 50 homers, with Caminero hitting 41 himself. However, this universe’s Cam Schlittler struggles to a 5.00 ERA, while Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón both throw less than 10 innings in the regular season due to injury. Max Fried picks up the slack, putting up a nice season though. In the end, this universe’s 2026 ends like the real universe’s 2025: the Yankees lose to Toronto in four in the ALDS. The Dodgers end up completing the three-peat, beating the Royals (???) in the World Series.
For round two, we decide to shore up the designated hitter spot and take the guy who will likely win this year’s AL MVP in Yordan Alvarez.
Despite that, the Yankees again go just 91-71. Alvarez isn’t really the issue, as he posts a .898 OPS with 32 home runs. This time, they’re severely hampered by Caminero missing over 100 games with injury, and Amed Rosario struggles in his place. However this time around, those 91 wins are enough to take the AL East.
This time with home field advantage, the Yankees again take on the Blue Jays in the ALDS. This series goes all the way to Game 5, and features a wild ending. Taking a 2-0 lead into the ninth, David Bednar coughs up three runs to put the Jays three outs away. However, the Yankees rally in the ninth, scoring twice with Austin Wells getting a walk-off, series winning hit to move onto the ALCS.
In the ALCS, the Yankees face the Mariners, who put up the top record in the AL. The series again goes to the final game and is also decided by one run, albeit not in as dramatic circumstances. A 5-4 Yankees win in Seattle sends the Yankees to the World Series, with Bednar recording the save this time around.
In the Fall Classic, the Yankees dispatch the Cubs in five games, winning Game 5 after failing to sweep the series. The latest addition, Alvarez, proves to be a very big one. He goes 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in the clinching win. He OPSed .912 in the postseason in general. Cody Bellinger ended up winning the World Series MVP though, having homered and drove home three runs in the clinching Game 5 win.
So that’s what it would apparently take for this Yankees’ roster to get over the hump and win the World Series, but I’m still out for blood. I want to know what it will take for the Yankees to get towards record setting territory. While I’m hopeful about George Lombard Jr., we can still upgrade that spot even if he turns out pretty good. Let’s go get the best shortstop in baseball.
An 8.7 WAR season from Witt — and 6.0 from Austin Wells??? — gets the Yankees to 100-62, but an ALCS loss to the Mariners. Now, it’s time to go in for the kill.
Doing all that apparently only gets the Yankees to 106-56. That may have to do with the fact that somehow Mark Leiter Jr. reappeared on the roster.
While it takes six games, the Yankees do end up taking the World Series over the Brewers.
While the Yankees’ roster is now excellent, the depth still lacks. Plus, we’ve been leaving “budgets” on, and we should not have to follow those. Let’s go truly nuts.
The Yankees now have the top rated depth chart at every position except for first base. As far as that goes, I don’t want to trade Ben Rice, and we can’t upgrade Paul Goldschmidt until June 15th as he was an offseason free agency signing. Once that deadline goes past, I decide to make a further move as the team is still not good enough for my liking.
Finally now have we assembled a truly unstoppable team. It’s baseball, so they still end up losing over 40 games, but this version of the Yankees goes 119-43. They score 985 runs on the season which is over six per game. They drop just four total games over their three playoff series. Two come in the ALCS against the Twins, which seems unrealistic for several reasons. However, I now feel better about things, at least until I turn off my XBOX.
Hi there, just trying something new, only for this season review. You’ll see the Spanish version I wrote below the English version. If you don’t speak Spanish, just scroll past it.
Saludos, probamos algo nuevo, pero es sólo para esta revista. La versión en español está debajo de la versión en inglés. Muchas gracias por su paciencia si hay error.
Luis Torrens capped off a successful 2026 with his second consecutive Gold Glove nomination. It is well-deserved, as he once again demonstrated his defensive acumen and, presumably, vibe. Although he was technically the backup catcher, he started 74 games and participated in a total of 86 games at the position. During his season, he also cemented himself as a steady hand for veteran and rookie pitchers alike.
After Francisco Alvarez tore his meniscus in May, Torrens took over as the starting catcher, and Hayden Senger joined him as his backup. During this time and throughout 2026, Torrens’ defensive metrics were elite. His DRS was 12 (17.8/1000 innings), his FRV was 10 (14.8/1000 innings), and he caught 17 runners stealing. In addition, his pop time was 1.86 seconds. It is no surprise that he was considered one of the best, if not the best defensive catchers in the league.
Pitchers also had success with Torrens behind the plate. It is difficult to do a comprehensive analysis of pitcher/catcher splits due to a variety of factors affecting pitchers, such as other players on the field, ballpark factors, weather conditions, and potential injuries at play. That said, pitchers complimented Torrens’ pitch calling and game management. It can also be noted that his catcher ERA was 3.74, lower than Alvarez’s at 4.54.
Despite typically being lauded for his defensive prowess, Torrens also broke out offensively in August. In 14 games, he hit six of his nine home runs, and raised his OPS from .602 at the beginning of August to .701 at the beginning of September. He hit .235/.295/.396 for the season.
And don’t forget that he pitched 2.1 innings, allowing two runs for an ERA of 7.71. For some reason, he also played 3.0 innings at first base. Maybe this contributed to his overall fWAR of 2.1; maybe not.
Torrens’ overall performance meant it was not surprising that the Mets offered him a two-year, $11.5 million contract to return through 2028. He signed in May, presumably to remain as the Mets’ backup catcher. With so many things now up in the air, it’s nice to think that he will return with the Mets when baseball returns.
Luis Torrens tuvo una campaña exitosa en 2026 y fue nombrado finalista al Gold Glove por segundo año consecutivo, un honor muy bien merecido. A pesar de ser el cátcher suplente, fue el titular en 74 partidos y participó como cátcher en 86 partidos. Se ha establecido como una presencia firme y estable detrás del plato y con los pícheres veteranos y bisoños.
Cuando Francisco Álvarez se desgarró el menisco en mayo, Torrens se hizo el titular, con Hayden Senger como suplente. Mientras era titular y durante todo 2026, sus números defensivos fueron magníficos. Tenía DRS de 12 (17.8/1000 entradas), FRV de 10 (14.8/1000 entradas), y atrapó a 17 corredores robando. Su tiempo de tiro a segunda (pop time) fue de 1.86 segundos. No es sorpresa que Torrens sea considerado uno de los mejores, si no el mejor, cátcheres defensivos en MLB.
Los pícheres tenían mucho éxito cuando Torrens estaba detrás del plato, también. Aunque un análisis completo es bastante difícil a causa de la variedad de factores que afectan a los pícheres, como los otros jugadores, los estadios diferentes, el tiempo, lesiones, etc., podemos decir que los pícheres elogiaban sus habilidades. Su ERA durante el año con Torrens fue de 3.74; en comparación, con Álvarez fue de 4.54.
Torrens era más conocido por su talento defensivo durante esta campaña, pero al final del verano también se encendió ofensivamente. Él participó en 14 partidos en agosto, y golpeó seis jonrones, subiendo su OPS desde .602 al principio de agosto a .703 al principio de septiembre. En toda la campaña, él bateó para .235/.295/.396.
Y no se nos olvide que Torrens también fue pícher por 2.1 entradas este año. Permitió dos carreras para una ERA de 7.71 y jugó en la primera base por 3.0 entradas. ¿Por qué? No sabemos. Quizás contribuye a su fWAR de 2.1, o quizás no.
Su conjunto de obras en 2026 demostró por qué los Mets decidieron ofrecerle a Torrens un contrato rico para quedarse como suplente por dos años más. En mayo, él firmó un contrato de $11,5 millones hasta 2028. Con todo lo que pueda cambiar ahora, es buena noticia saber que Torrens volverá a los Mets cuando el béisbol vuelva.
The final call in last night’s World Series Game 2 has sparked some controversy. Yandy Díaz got crossed up by an Aaron Ashby curve and was called for a swing on the appeal down to first, a call that Díaz disagreed with. I believe that the moment is way too big to allow a judgement call be the deciding factor, and while it’s easier said than done, you have to swing or get off the pot. Do you think he swung? Do you think he didn’t swing? Do you think if you stare into the abyss long enough it stares back? These are the important questions of our time.
Happy Sunday everybody!
Scoring three in the first and on the back of a dominant, albeit short start by Dodger farmhand Luke Fox, the Desert Dogs outlasted the Scorpions in a one-run win by a score of 5-4. Fox covered three frames, allowing a single run, recording six of his nine outs via strikeout, setting the tone for an overpowering 15 punchouts by the Desert Dogs pitching staff. For a pitcher who so heavily relied on strikeouts, Fox was relatively efficient, averaging a tad over 16 pitches per inning.
Fox wasn’t the only Dodger to start off this game strong, as Glendale opened the scoring in the first thanks to a leadoff home run by Charles Davalan, who got the nod at second base. The solo shot would be the only time he would get on base in this game and represent his second home run in the AFL.
Batting cleanup and playing first base, Chase Harlan didn’t record a hit but scored a run with a walk on four plate appearances. While Davalan’s numbers have been underwhelming as a whole, only Caleb Bonemer has an OPS higher than Harlan’s (.963) in the Desert Dogs lineup.
Sunday is an off-day in the AFL, and the Glendale Desert Dogs return to the field on Monday at 1:30 p.m. (PT) to welcome the Mesa Solar Sox in the matchup of the only two teams with a losing record in the league.
The Toronto Raptors are off to a hot start so far this season, with two double-digit wins, albeit against opponents of…let’s say “uncertain” quality. Still, they’ve been more or less as advertised, especially on defence, where they’ve given up just 97 points per game and held players like Anthony Davis and Josh Giddey to to horrible shooting nights. Now, they’re hitting the road to take on the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves, who have had nothing but good vibes lately. Will the Raptors pick up another win? Let’s take a look at how the two teams match up.
Last year’s Raptors lost both matchups against Minnesota, both by single digits. Both teams have made notable changes since then, which could make for an exciting early-season game.
There’s a new kid in town! After a couple of seasons of hoping an aging Mike Conley can turn back the clock and buoy them at the point guard position (not to mention their point guard of the future, Rob Dillingham, not working out and already on his second team), the Wolves shocked the league by trading the jettisoning the talented-but-mercurial Julius Randle and the locally adored Naz Reid while bringing in a walking highlight reel in LaMelo Ball.
For all of his goofiness, Ball is one of the league’s premier playmakers, a rare tall guard with a dangerous handle, real creativity, and the ability to make any pass with either hand. His shot selection can be, um, optimistic, and his defensive focus has come and gone, but he’s looked like a surprisingly natural fit in his first-ever stint on a serious team with serious aspirations, even stepping up on the defensive end so far.
But Anthony Edwards’s new backcourt partner isn’t the only thing that’s changed the look of these Wolves. Jonathan Kuminga is also new in town, and starting at Randle’s old power forward spot. He’s smaller, but one of the most explosive athletes at his position. Like Ball, if the Wolves can hone in on what makes him dangerous and hide some of his weaknesses, they’ll be hell to play against. The defensive foundation in Minnesota was already strong, but the added offensive dynamism and juice in transition (Ball is electric on the break and Kuminga will no doubt get tons of alley-oop opportunities) could propel them to another level, especially if Kuminga keeps shooting like he has been this year.
Depth could still be an issue, though. Ayo Dosunmu is one of the best bench players in the league, but there aren’t exactly a ton of reliable players outside of him and Terrence Shannon Jr. Toronto’s a much deeper team and could feast if the Wolves are forced to play bench-heavy units.
The Wolves can put up points in bunches, as they demonstrated when they dropped 131 on the road against the Miami Heat in their season opener, but the Raptors match up pretty well defensively against anyone not featuring an elite scoring centre. That being said, Rudy Gobert’s size could cause them problems as an offensive rebounder, especially if the Raps play a lot of small-ball.
Speaking of Gobert, he’s the key on the other side of the floor, as always. He’s pretty good at defending on switches (despite what viral clips of elite scorers cooking him would lead you to believe), but he’s at his best when he can organize a defence in drop coverage against teams that feature non-shooting bigs, which is exactly what the Raptors are. It’s tough to score in the halfcourt against any Gobert-led defence, but there could be opportunities to take advantage of unproven defenders like Ball and Kuminga off the ball.
This game will be the both teams’ first real test of the new season, and it’ll be must-see TV for anyone curious about how two teams at the centre of some of the NBA’s biggest offseason moves will shape up this year.
The instructional and developmental nature of the Arizona Fall League allows minor league players to supplement their regular season or add needed experience beyond injury-shortened seasons.
The third week of the six-week AFL season resulted in the Peoria Javelinas, the AFL team employing eight Padres prospects, playing five games with a 4-1 record. They currently are in third place in the six-team league with a 9-7 record and 1.5 games back of the Scottsdale Scorpions.
Outfielder Alex McCoy, the Padres No. 26 prospect, played in three games and got his first start as a first baseman in the AFL. Predominantly a corner outfielder, McCoy played some first base in college and in two games this past season with the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps.
He is being exposed to some upper-level pitching in an effort to improve his swing and miss against better pitchers and their offspeed and breaking pitches. So far, McCoy has adjusted well in his climb through the first two minor league levels but cutting down his strikeouts and whiffs will be his biggest challenge.
He is hitting .256 for the Javelinas with a .989 OPS. He leads the team with four home runs and 11 RBI. He also leads the Javelinas with 17 strikeouts.
His 345-foot, 118.2 mph home run had the highest exit velocity on a home run this AFL season. Fourth highest in AFL play since the Statcast era began in 2015.
Infielder Justin DeCriscio is struggling so far with the Javelinas. In his nine games played, he is hitting .167 with a .624 OPS, has a double, a home run, and eight RBI.
Catcher/DH Ty Harvey is also working to improve his average and his slug, sitting at .182 for both; he has no extra-base hits in 11 games played with five RBI but is 9-for-9 in stolen bases.
RHP Kannon Kemp has started three games and pitched 8.2 innings with a 5.19 ERA. He has three walks and 11 strikeouts.
RHP Winyer Chourio continues to struggle with his control, throwing 8.2 innings over three starts with seven walks and six strikeouts, and a 5.19 ERA.
Righty reliever Francis Peña has appeared in five games and 5.1 innings pitched with a 0.00 ERA. He has two walks and four strikeouts.
Lefty reliever Igor Gil has appeared in three games and 3.1 innings pitched with a 5.40 ERA, with three walks and four strikeouts.
Righty reliever Jordan Valenzuela has four innings across four games with a 6.75 ERA, allowing a walk with three strikeouts.
Padres News:
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The San Antonio Spurs have big goals this season, so finally getting in the win column after an 0-2 start must have felt cathartic, especially against a rival like the Dallas Mavericks. Luckily, there wasn’t too much to complain about on Saturday.
Divisional matchups are always fun but the first half was all gas and not much brakes as both teams laid a stack of bricks from deep. The game was decided by three things: the Spurs’ offensive rebounding (which turned into 26 second-chance points) scoring off turnovers, and the defensive intensity of the fourth quarter, holding the Mavericks to 31.8 percent shooting.
Let’s check out the cool stuff.
Carter Bryant has looked lost at times to start his second season, but moves like this baseline dunk are reminders of what we can expect when his composure matches his athletic abilities.
Are the Mavs for real? Perhaps an assistant should have told coach Dusty May that it’s a terrible idea to play a zone against someone like Wemby who can stack up rebounds and jump higher than everyone else on the court. This was just too easy.
Stephon Castle is a hunter on defense and this was one of his three steals.
Alley oops get lots of great PR, but the next most exciting play in basketball is the pick-6 in the opponent’s territory and it might be the most deflating one for them. Castle gets extra points on this one for the mean mug after the dunk.
I present the Showtime Spurs. This was the second time Devin Vassell blew up a pass and started the break.
The thing about this Wemby lob is that it is only getting taken away with a big gamble at the expense of the arc or if the on-ball man makes a miraculous play because he grew a longer, third arm. The Spurs should be running more of these.
Yeah, this is year four of Victor doing this stuff, but it’s still hard to get over the novelty of him being that big and making this look so smooth. I must whisper “Oh my gosh” to myself a handful of times per game.
The rook, Tarris Reed Jr., is going to remember this moment for life and it’s cooler since the game was up for the taking at this point. He had been hovering by the dunker spot, which is a good idea for others to get open on this team. He showed some moves at school, and might be an option to turn to if a backup big needs minutes.
I’ve said it a million times: Wembanyama post ups are gold because few in the league have the minerals to stop it, and in this instance, he had four players looking at him, making it easier for De’Aaron Fox to get loose on a curl. This arguably could’ve been a foul because Wembanyama didn’t have much landing space and got it to go anyway.
Julian Champagnie took eight shots, which is what’s needed from him, but whoever said shooters are unwilling to go to the body had clearly never heard of him. Aside, Wemby’s screen is the MVP of this play because look how wide he is standing.
This would probably get a head nod from Nikola Jokić.
His favorite player is Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
He follows one major league team on Instagram: The Dodgers.
And while people familiar with his situation insist he hasn’t made a decision, the widespread expectation around the industry is that 18-year-old Shoki Oda of Japan will end up with the Dodgers.
If Oda sticks to the plan he unveiled earlier this month, the hard-throwing right-hander will do something no Japanese superstar before him has ever done by moving to the United States without first playing in Nippon Professional Baseball.
The Japanese establishment is viewing the potential development as an existential threat to its domestic league, as no prospect of Oda’s caliber has ever signed with a major league organization as an amateur.
What would NPB be without such players?
Daisuke Matsuzaka played in the league.
So did Yu Darvish.
And Shohei Ohtani.
And Roki Sasaki.
In the case of Ohtani, he was close to signing with the Dodgers out of high school as a pitcher, only to be drafted by the Nippon-Ham Fighters, who talked him into signing with them by offering him a chance to be a two-way player.
The Yomiuri Giants used their first-round selection in the recent NPB draft on Oda, perhaps thinking they could similarly change the mind of the Yokohama High product.
With 22 Japan Series titles, the Giants are the most successful team in NPB history. Their new manager is Hideki Matsui, one of the most popular players in Japanese baseball history.
But in reality, their efforts to convince Oda to stay in the country have the feel of a symbolic last stand.
Something like this was bound to happen.
The Dodgers have achieved their goal of “painting Japan blue,” as the triumphs of Ohtani, Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have made them the country’s favorite major league team.
But this goes beyond that.
Over the last three decades, Japan has gone from treating Hideo Nomo as if he was a traitor for joining the Dodgers to wanting to see its best players compete in the world’s top league.
“I want to play in the No. 1 (league) in the world,” Oda told reporters. “I want to be No. 1 in the world.”
He isn’t alone.
Last month, the San Diego Padres signed right-hander Tatsuya Nogami directly out of Osaka Sangyo University.
This summer, Rintaro Sasaki chose to sign with the Miami Marlins instead of the SoftBank Hawks. The decision marked Sasaki’s second time rejecting NPB’s overtures. When Sasaki graduated from Hanamaki Higashi High – also the alma mater of Ohtani and the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi – he skipped the NPB draft and enrolled at Stanford.
What distinguished Oda’s situation from theirs was that Oda was considered an entirely different class of prospect. Oda was part of the same powerhouse program that developed Matsuzaka. He threw a 97-mph fastball that was the fastest pitch ever recorded at Japan’s national high school baseball tournament, which earned him comparisons to Sasaki.
There are clear benefits to signing with a major league organization as an amateur.
In NPB, nine years of service time is required to become an international free agent. Players who aren’t international free agents have to be posted by their NPB teams to move to the major leagues. The SoftBank Hawks have a policy against posting their players. Other organizations, such as the Giants, very rarely make their players available to major league teams.
Finances are also a factor. Bonuses for NPB draft picks are capped at 100 million yen, or about $640,000.
Major league teams are assigned bonus pools to sign international amateurs, and they are free to allocate as much of that as they want to any one player. The Dodgers’ bonus pool was $7.2 million last year. One major league talent scout estimated that Oda could receive a signing bonus of anywhere from $3 million to $5 million.
Oda’s anticipated move to the U.S. will be complicated by baseball’s upcoming labor stoppage.
The international player acquisition system is collectively bargained, and baseball’s current collective-bargaining agreement will expire on Dec. 1, at which point franchise owners will lock out the players.
Oda would not be able to sign until a new CBA is ratified.
Perhaps that’s what the Yomiuri Giants are counting on. Perhaps they think an extended lockout will wear on Oda.
Long term, it won’t make a difference.
Because if Oda doesn’t sign with the Dodgers or some other major league team, the next Oda will.
Milwaukee is cooking, y’all. After winning 103 regular season games, they blew through the Padres in the Division Series, swept the Dodgers in 4 games in the Championship Series and currently have a 2-0 lead in the World Series. They’re 5-1 in one-run games, so they’re not exactly blowing teams out. But with their bullpen sporting a 1.41 / 2.79 / 3.62 line in 44 and 2/3 innings through Friday’s game, they are extinguishing any late game challenges.
So will the Brewers ever lose again this year? Fangraphs have the Rays slightly favored for the next two games. A Robert Gasser – Freddy Peralta matchup has the Rays with a 53% win probability. The Shane Drohan – Griffin Jax matchup has a similar 52.2% Rays win probability? So Tampa Bay isn’t cooked just yet. Only the 2005 White Sox and the 1999 Yankees have won the World Series with only one loss in the Divisional Era. But to avoid adding a third, the Rays do need to get started soon.
Since there is an off day today for the World Series as everything picks up and heads to Tampa Bay, it’s a good time to think about the Phillies and their own World Series history.
Playing in eight different versions, the Phillies have a 2-6 record in them, famously winning in 1980 and 2008, losing in 1915, 1950, 1983, 1993, 2009 and 2022. The guess here is that many of you don’t really remember much of what happened in the 1915 or 1950 versions, but the other five have had several different things happen that were memorable.
What is your favorite memory from any of the World Series that the Phillies were participants in? Obviously the last out of the ones that won are going to stick out, but for me, I’ll always remember 2009 Game 3 version. I was sitting in the 200 level of Citizens Bank Park, about even with the right field wall. I will never forget that Alex Rodriguez’s “home run” hit that camera and should have been ruled a double.
The World Series is making its way South with the midwest avian population but my sports focus somehow still centers around the St. Louis Cardinals and football, both fantasy and NFL. Nothing against the Brewers, Rays, or the game of baseball, since I do think this Fall Classic is going to be as fun as it gets without having a team in the race.
Even without much happening around the Cardinals, you are all here with us and ready to jump in with your thoughts and feelings around the organization. Chaim Bloom does not tip his hand too often, so trying to predict the actual path he will take this offseason is difficult. He does do well to taper our expectations, saying things in a way that keeps us from hoping for big spending in free agency. I do think this allows us to pencil in much of the 26-man roster, outside of speculating a couple trades here and there.
Assuming that Bloom will leave much of the offense and starting rotation untouched, I wanted to take a look at how these guys should be expected to perform next season. In the most recent VEB and articles pods, I stated a couple times how 77 wins is now the baseline for success in my mind while also understanding the win column does not tell the whole story. Because I expect minimal changes, unfortunately, I could see next season’s record sitting near what we saw in 2026 since the team outperformed most preseason win totals.
To get in front of it, I do not expect the Cardinals to trade Ivan Herrera or Leo Bernal this winter, or move on from Masyn Winn for someone who can provide more offense. I foresee Joshua Baez getting I have more than 50% confidence that Nathan Church will be starting in center on Opening Day and I will give a slight edge to Blaze Jordan over Thomas Saggese at third. I think Saggese can (and should?) take Jose Fermin’s role of “super utility guy who somehow starts too many games” to take advantage of his full skillset. However, my confidence in either of those spots being locked up already is low, so I will not figure them into my 2027 thoughts just yet.
This leaves me providing my way too early expectations for JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera, Leo Bernal, Joshua Baez, and Masyn Winn.
The first two names probably come as no surprise but adding Herrera to the trustworthy list may be a slight shock. The 2025 season was supposed to be a stepping stone for Herrera, but too much time behind the plate and a huge workload may have prevented that leap forward. Even with a slightly disappointing campaign, the hopefully full-time DH was still an above-average bat who can produce runs in different ways.
Assuming that Wetherholt and Herrera bounce back into full health for 2027, this past year may actually be the baseline for both of these players. I am hopeful that the Cardinals staff limits the amount of times a player is in the lineup despite injury, even if they are not at risk for additional damage. Any discomfort can cause a change in mechanics, limiting consistency and potentially creating bad habits. That could have been the case for these two in the dog days of the season, but I think this duo and Burleson will create a scary top of the lineup.
Burly has improved every season of his career and after leading all of MLB in RBIs last year, I am still hopeful for another jump. As he continues to prove his value with the glove at first base, I am holding out for multiple seasons of 30+ homers and a .270 or better batting average before his time in St. Louis is up. The first baseman is a proven clubhouse veteran who still has plenty of time left in his prime to continue to make his mark on the organization and be the grizzled voice for the next contending Cardinals team.
A lot was said about Walker’s second half and I hate to use it as an excuse, but he was another player who was playing through discomfort for little or no reason. With the Cardinals out of it, Walker continued playing near everyday as he looked to end his breakout campaign with a 30 homer season and a 3.0 fWAR or better. The injury was said to not have long-term effect on the outfielder, but we saw him fall back into bad habits in September. The All-Star actually hit .305 in August, despite participating in the Home Run Derby, but his final month average dipped to .172, which made his overall second-half stat line look worse than it truly was.
Walker was able to continue to have success on the bases in the final few months of the year, still swiping nine bases to get him into the 20/20 club. Assuming the time off from the daily grind will allow Walker’s hip to get back to full health, the 2027 season will be another big one for him. Baseball card numbers aside, if Walker could put up another 20% or better than league-average season, he will slide into Tier 1 before next season ends.
Moving to Bernal, he could have fit into either of the final two tiers but his debut was so impressive I had to keep him above the last one. My hope is that the switch-hitter plays in 130 games at the big league level next season, which would mean the Cardinals made a catching decision elsewhere on the roster and Bernal was able to stick around for a full major league season. In just 24 games, Bernal hit .284 with a 124 wRC+ but he also saw regression in his plate discipline and defense.
The second part would have been enough to put him into Tier 3, but he looked so darn good at the plate that asking for more from a rookie catcher felt unfair. I believe that the glove will be just fine for the two year fielding award winner in the minors as he gets more comfortable with major league hitters in the box and adjusts to the pitching staff’s stuff. Bernal will play most of the season as a 23-year-old in 2027 and I believe he could be an early leader for Rookie of the Year if he can repeat his offense over a full year while playing a premium position.
Jumping to Baez first, he showed plenty at the plate in a handful more games that Bernal but falls a tier below the catcher. The left fielder’s .510 slugging percentage was a welcomed addition to the lineup, especially after finally putting an end to the revolving door of players at that spot before his debut. Before going down with an oblique injury that coincidentally ended his season without the Cardinals having to make a playing time decision, Baez hit seven homers, seven doubles, and stole two bags to put his season totals to 41, 29, and 23 respectively. If Joshua Baez could just do it again while at the major league level, we would be in a great spot in St. Louis.
While the 17 homer jump from 2025 is an amazing feat, Baez also saw his K-rate jump back towards the concerning numbers that made him tumble down prospect lists before his resurgence. He also saw his overall average drop about 40 points from his prior year, but that could be easily explained by the outfielder playing at two higher levels than he did in 2025. The main reasons I threw Baez into Tier 3 are his plate discipline, both with contact and patience, and his fielding. I am not asking him to change his overall approach in the box, but a little more bat on ball is a decent sacrifice if it means 35 homers instead of 40. In the grass, he put up a -2 Statcast run value in 24 games on defense and looked awkward tracking down the ball. I will hope his route running improves as he spends more time in just one outfield spot.
Speaking of defense, Masyn Winn does not have anything else to prove at shortstop to make me believe he is a major league capable defender. In order to get me back in on him as an everyday player for at least the next five seasons, though, I have to see a big jump with the bat. Another player that ends up in the lineup despite being nicked up on an annual basis, there has always been something to point to for why the shortstop’s bat has not progressed to the levels we saw in the minors. Even with the injuries, Winn’s metrics have not changed much since his rookie season, so I have started to become more pessimistic on his offensive future.
Chaim Bloom recently spoke to Jesus Baez being more than capable of handling shortstop and the prospect’s offensive skillset is more intriguing than Winn’s was in the minors. The title of this tier was originally Last Chance and only had Winn in it, but he is still just 24-years-old and I cannot let myself be all the way out on a player I had so much positivity around. I am officially out on my 20/20 prediction, but I am not out on his ability to be a .270 or better hitter since he was able do that in the upper levels of the minors and nearly reached that number as a rookie. If Winn does not hit to a 90 wRC+ or higher, I am not saying it is time to send him packing, but I would definitely be more hesitant to loosen the pursestrings to keep him in St. Louis beyond his rookie deal.
Let me know if you would place any of these guys in other spots, although these are my own tiers that are titled in a way to fit my storylines. Feel free to also predict what you think will happen with Nathan Church or third base. Lastly, in case you missed it, I had an interview with Cardinals pitching prospect Michael Watson that was tons of fun. Kareem was also on the pod and it was a ton of fun to dig into the year at Springfield at the talent on that roster. I linked that below for your viewing and/or listening pleasure. Thanks as always!
Welcome to Winners & Sinners, our new weekly feature that reflects on the week that was. With Giannis wearing enemy colours and a new, youthful Bucks corps leading the charge, this season presents the unique opportunity to see just who is the Most Valuable Buck (MVB). But that’s not the only “award.” Each week, we’ll hand out the following:
Now that you know the categories, let’s see the recipients!
It’s got to be Jaime Jaquez Jr., right? Tyler Herro has certainly put up a great argument, posting 23.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 5.3 APG—and he’s quickly converting this writer into a fan. But after exploding against the Bulls he was relatively quiet against the 76ers. Meanwhile, Jaquez has been Milwaukee’s most consistent player. In addition to his 20.7 PPG (on 61% shooting!), Jaquez is contributing 8.7 RPG and 3.7 APG while playing with the sort of effort that Taylor Jenkins has preached all offseason.
Defending Champion: Vacant.
The Contenders: Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Decision: Look, there haven’t exactly been any All-Defensive pushes to start the season, but the Bucks’ starting forwards have shown the most grunt (I’ll leave GRIT to retired janitor). Kyle Kuzma was the only semblance of a roadblock against Anthony Davis and has hit the glass hard, pulling down a team-leading 27 rebounds, including 21 on the defensive glass. He gets the nod.
naveed2000s takes the cake for this one, putting on a Woj Shams mask to drop news of the Golden State Warriors’ interest in trading Kristaps Porziņģis to the Bucks—before we could even think about getting a newser out. Kudos to you, naveed. Catch the scoop and join the conversation here:
Herro curls around a Myles Turner screen, catches and rises up—fluid, like Lake Michigan. Splash! And the harm. He converts on the two-to-make-one flagrant free throw too. It should’ve been the momentum moment to spur the Bucks to victory; the first of a long list in Herro’s Bucks lore. Instead, it’ll have to settle for this week’s highlight moment.
Meat Loaf said two out of three ain’t bad but in the NBA it’s a prerequisite—you need at least two of talent, smarts, or effort to truly succeed. At the moment, Ware has the talent. The know-how and the motor are works in progress. Thankfully, Jenkins is a teacher. Then again, so is Erik Spoelstra. The real question, then: does Ware know the difference between hearing and listening? If his performance against the 76ers is anything to go by, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Myles Turner, on the other hand, has been flat-out bad—7.7 PPG and 4.3 RPG, shooting below 40% from the field—to go along with 3.0 turnovers per game, while coming last on the team in plus/minus (-11.0) and offering little in the way of a paint presence. It’s time to hit the confessional.
Otherwise, the fourth quarters have been capital “R” Rough for the Bucks. Through three games, they’ve been outscored 98-73. Turn that around and they’d be sitting pretty.
If Ryan Rollins doesn’t start finding his offensive groove soon—which includes turning off the blinders so that he can run the team more effectively—then Taylor Jenkins might be wise to turn even more to Kasparas Jakučionis. The young Lithuanian has starting point guard written all over him.
Did I win the tip or am I running back on defence? Share your winners and sinners in the comments.