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Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado have led the San Diego Padres back to the postseason.

The duo helped push San Diego into the National League Division Series against the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers after they swept the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-3 wild card series.

The Padres will start the NLDS on the road, with the first two games at Milwaukee.

Robbie Ray has been tabbed as the Game 1 starter for the Padres. Ray has started seven games against the Brewers in his career, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.82 ERA and 46 strikeouts.

The Padres managed to win the regular-season series against Milwaukee this year, 4-2.

Here's what you need to know about the best-of-five NL Division Series, which begins on Saturday, Oct. 3:

During Friday’s discussion with the media, Atlanta Braves skipper Walt Weiss provided plenty of updates on injured players ahead of the NLDS beginning in Los Angeles. From Martín Pérez to Bryce Elder and Tyler Mahle, Weiss provided some updates without explicitly announcing the pitching plans for the series.

The series gets underway this afternoon at 4:00 ET.

MLB News:

MLB Trade Rumors released a list of projected arbitration salaries for 2027. 

From the Feed:

How do you think the NLDS will end? Let us know here.

The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees square off in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday at Tropicana Field, the opener of the best-of-five clash between AL East foes.

It's the second time the two clubs have met the postseason, the other occasion in the 2020 ALDS, a five-game Rays win as Tampa Bay went on to reach the World Series. The Rays won the division this season, outlasting the Yankees to earn a first-round bye with the best record in the AL.

"They haven't had many lulls in the season, and those handful of weeks where they've struggled a little bit, they've answered it really well," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. "So it's a confident group, an athletic group, and one we obviously have to be at our best to have a chance to win."

The Yankees swept the Red Sox in the AL wild card series, outscoring Boston 18-2 in the two-game series in the Bronx. Gerrit Cole takes the mound for the Yankees in the opener on Saturday while Drew Rasmussen gets the nod for the Rays.

Where to watch Yankees vs Rays: Time, TV channel

• Game time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: TBS
• Live stream: HBO Max, Sling

Watch MLB playoffs on Sling

In Chaim Bloom’s end-of-season press conference, he was firm on his stance that the Cardinals would not take any shortcuts in building a team that could contend for division titles and World Series championships. Watching the Cubs get swept out of the playoffs in two games was quite enjoyable, but was also a good reminder of how silly the current playoff structure is. But whatever. Those are the rules, so the only way to avoid the fake playoffs and get a real series is to win the division with a top-two record in the league. 

Building a team that can compete for a division title is not a theoretical target. The Brewers happen to play in the NL Central with the Cardinals, so the path to reaching this goal runs through Milwaukee. If your goal is to beat another baseball team in a baseball game, a critical component of the exercise is to have better baseball players on your team. Unfortunately for us Cardinals fans, the Brewers have had really excellent baseball players over the last few years. 

Today, I am going to go position by position and diagnose which franchise has the edge in 2027 and long term. For this exercise, I am focused entirely on players already within the respective organizations. This is not an argument for or against the Cardinals acquiring outside help, but rather just a snapshot of the current talent pools. When I am thinking about the long-term outlook of a position, I am mostly focused on the current major league roster and upper-level prospects. Both the Cardinals and Brewers have super deep and talented farm systems, but it is too early to start making plans around Trevor Condon or Ricki Moneys. Finally, this post got pretty long, so this will only cover the position-player side of things.

The Brewers posted a team FanGraphs WAR of 26.1 this season, outclassing the Cardinals’ 15.6 WAR. Let’s dive right in and get to work. 

For space, not all players are listed, so the player total will not equal the positional total. Def is the FanGraphs defensive value plus positional adjustment. 

Catcher

The Brewers had a significant edge on the Cardinals during the 2026 season thanks to the excellent all-around play of William Contreras and a surprisingly effective offensive season from Gary Sanchez. 

The catcher position looks to be one of the more tenuous ones for Milwaukee moving forward. Contreras is under contract for only one more season and seems like a prime candidate to be traded in the offseason. Sanchez will be 34 next season and is not under team control (mutual option). The Brewers have two organizational top-30 prospects at the catcher position in Jefferson Quero and Marco Dinges. Quero was previously a top-100 prospect at some outlets, but had a down 2026 season with a below-average Triple-A batting line. He looks like a poor man’s Jimmy Crooks to me. Dinges is a power/bat-first prospect with only 58 Double-A plate appearances and does not project as a starting-caliber player.

The Cardinals are primed to give Bernal the starting job with Crooks or Pages serving as the backup and Ivan Herrera as the third catcher. Of course, Rainiel Rodriguez may factor in at some point in 2027. With all the comments from the front office about getting Rodriguez positional versatility, I am starting to think that he is more likely to break in as a corner infielder. This makes sense to me for a couple of reasons. The obvious one is the depth of options at the catcher position. The other reason is that he might simply be outhitting the catcher position. There is a real chance that he is a top-10 hitter in MLB and a potential cornerstone for the franchise for the next decade. Do you really want to risk the wear-and-tear of the catcher position on a bat that elite? I am not sure I do. 

With or without Rodriguez behind the plate, the Cardinals should have a big edge over the Brewers over the next three seasons. William Contreras has declined by WAR the last three seasons and is getting to the older side for a catcher going into his age-29 season. Still, he is a stud and Bernal is more upside than a guarantee, so the Brewers get a slight edge for 2027.

2027: Brewers, slight edge

Long term: Cardinals, big edge

First Base

The Brewers produced the best first-base offensive output in baseball with the platoon of Bauers (career 88 wRC+ coming into the year) and Vaughn (career 102 wRC+ coming into the year). 

Give the Brewers as much credit as you want for the production they got out of these two, but this level of performance is almost certainly unsustainable. Bauers is a free agent and Vaughn has one more year of team control. The Brewers do have an enviable amount of upper-minors corner bats on the way. Andrew Fischer hit 48 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He may stick at third base, but was given time at first as well. He looks like an extreme version of Joshua Baez, if you can imagine that, with a 33% strikeout rate and 37% whiff rate. Blake Burke hit 30 home runs in Double-A as a 23-year-old and Luke Adams cracked out a 149 wRC+ as a 22-year-old in Triple-A. None of these prospects are considered top-100, but all three have a chance to be problems in the future. 

The Cardinals have Alec Burleson under team control through 2028. If he is around, he will get the vast majority of the playing time for at least the next two seasons. Jack Gurevitch and Deniel Ortiz are a tick behind the Brewers’ trio in prospect pedigree, but both have starter upside at first or third base. The big thing in the Cardinals’ favor is all of that catching depth could spill over into first base with Rodriguez and Bernal already playing the position. 

I like the Cardinals’ first-base setup in 2027 and going forward. The Brewers have enough prospect depth to make it interesting, but the Cardinals have the best player in Burleson, solid prospect depth with Ortiz and Gurevitch, and the leftover catchers to fill in as needed.

2027: Cardinals, big edge

Long term: Cardinals, slight edge 

Second Base

Turang has improved every season of his career and put up borderline MVP-caliber numbers in 2026.

Both teams are set at second base for the foreseeable future. I am guessing that when the 2027 player projections are released, Turang and Wetherholt will be within a half win of one another. Turang is under team control for three more years while Wetherholt is locked in with the Cardinals for eight more seasons. Between these two players, you would much rather have Wetherholt going forward just because of the contract situation. Things are more complicated when you start looking at the minor league depth. The Brewers have a bunch of middle-infield prospects on the way that could slide over to second base. Still, assuming that baseball’s number one prospect, Jesus Made, sticks at shortstop, none of them would be projected to outperform JJ. 

2027: Even 

Long term: Cardinals, slight edge

Third Base

Joey Ortiz played like prime Nolan Arenado across 50 games, and the Cardinals went a full season without an answer at the hot corner. 

Ortiz is not a prototypical third baseman, but he has had excellent production at the position over the last three seasons. With Cooper Pratt in as the primary shortstop until the prospects arrive, I assume Ortiz is going to get the majority of his playing time at third. He is under team control for three more seasons. If either of the aforementioned Andrew Fischer or Luke Adams can make it work defensively, they could challenge for playing time as early as next season as well. Jett Williams is a former top-100 prospect who played plenty of third base in Triple-A, but he had a down season offensively and looks like a utility bat moving forward. 

You know all the names that are in play for the Cardinals. If the season started tomorrow, we would get some combination of Saggese and Blaze Jordan. Jesus Baez might start making top-100 prospect lists this offseason and is the most obvious potential fit in the upper-minors. Gurevitch and Ortiz could also be in the discussion at some point, but neither is the type of prospect you pencil in. This is where I start to get excited thinking about whether Rainiel Rodriguez could handle third defensively. If my theory is correct that he might be hitting his way off of the catcher position, it would be a huge deal if he could play third base rather than DH and first. 

Neither team has an obvious long-term stud at the position, but the Brewers have a much higher floor with Ortiz. Jesus Made could also be an option at third if his defense does not surpass that of the incumbent shortstop, Cooper Pratt. Luis Pena is the Brewers’ second-best prospect and is ranked in the top-20 on most national lists. He could be their long-term preference at third, but looks like he still has a lot of developing to do. Scouts love Pena because of his tools and the exit velocity numbers he has posted, but he has yet to crack double-digit home runs in a season and has not done much offensively above Low-A. He is only 19 and has already made it to Double-A, but until he puts up actual numbers, I will not be too worried about him. 

2027: Brewers, big edge

Long term: Brewers, big edge

Shortstop

Even in a down season, Winn provided enough production to comfortably outperform the Brewers’ mix of shortstops. 

The Cardinals pretty clearly have a present advantage at the shortstop position. Cooper Pratt is only 22 and put up a really solid season, but he did have some BABIP luck and looks to be more solid than exceptional defensively. While the Cardinals have the advantage today, the Brewers pretty clearly have it moving forward. Jesus Made is the game’s top prospect and could debut as early as next season.

2027: Cardinals, slight edge

Long term: Brewers, slight edge

Left Field

Chourio is still just 22 and is inching dangerously close to superstar status. 

Chourio is under team control through 2033 and appears to only be getting better. It is not realistic to project Joshua Baez to match or exceed his production, but it would be a big deal if he could at least close the gap. 

2027: Brewers, big edge

Long term: Brewers, big edge

Center Field

The Brewers have a good center fielder and the Cardinals do not.

Mitchell is a high-strikeout guy who has posted a career 115 wRC+ thanks to a .382 career BABIP. He has a volatile profile and is only under contract for two more years. Luis Lara broke out in Triple-A as a 21-year-old, but struggled a bit after being called up. He signed a long-term extension and is under team control for the next ten years with club options. Lara is not a sure thing either, but he should have a reasonably high floor thanks to his speed and contact ability. The next-best prospect in the pipeline is Braylon Payne, who made it to Double-A as a 19-year-old. He has swing-and-miss problems, but a ton of upside with 70-grade speed, plus defensive grades, and above-average power. 

This feels like a position in which the Cardinals could quickly close ground, but they are signaling that they are going to stick with Nathan Church to start next season. After that, you are waiting for Josiah Ragsdale, Tai Peete, or one of the teenage prospects to emerge. Despite the relatively uninspiring depth in Milwaukee, I would still give the Brew Crew the edge both now and moving forward. 

2027: Brewers, big edge

Long term: Brewers, slight edge

Right Field

Jordan Walker’s solid season was enough to give the Cardinals their first decisive win for the 2026 season.

The Brewers will surely have better production next year with either positive regression from Frelick or putting Lara in right field full time. Still, you would much rather have Walker and his upside than anyone the Brewers are likely to run out over the next few years. 

2027: Cardinals, big edge

Long term: Cardinals, big edge

Designated Hitter

Both teams had disappointing seasons from their primary DHs, but at least the Cardinals were not paying theirs $26M. 

Yelich is under contract for two more seasons and for once, this control is a disadvantage for the Brewers. He is a good bet to rebound some, but is unlikely to be worth his salary as he enters his age-35 season. The previously mentioned corner-infield prospects could help provide some production in the future. Josh Adamczewski is a top-100 prospect who is seen as one of the best pure hitters in the minors but a below-average defender. He only has 66 games in Double-A and is just 21, so he is probably a few years away from being a major factor. 

It is hard to project DH value because you do not know if teams are going to use the position as a rotating way to give guys a day off, or have a mostly full-time DH. Herrera is a good bet to be one of the best DHs in the sport for the next three years of his team control. This, combined with Yelich’s contract, gives the Cardinals the edge now and moving forward.

2027: Cardinals, big edge

Long term: Cardinals, slight edge

Advantage by Position

Takeaways 

1. The Cardinals could have a huge advantage at the catcher position as early as next season if the Brewers trade Contreras. 
2. I give the Brewers the edge at the shortstop and third base positions long term, but a lot of that is based on teenage prospects that might be overrated. Made and Pena have not posted numbers in line with their prospect rankings. If they do not live up to the hype, the Brewers will be in trouble. 
3. The biggest single position advantage now and in the future is Chourio in left field. Unless Baez turns into a 3+ WAR player pretty quickly, this is going to be tough to overcome.
4. Outside of Chourio, the Brewers’ outfield is really not scary in the short or long term.
5. Christian Yelich is the only bad contract on either team, eating up almost 20% of the Brewers’ payroll. That is a real advantage for the Cardinals.
6. Where Rainiel Rodriguez fits in positionally could change the picture a ton. 

Alright, so where does this leave us? Based on my assessment, the Cardinals and Brewers should have the same number of positional advantages next season. Turang outperformed his expected stats and likely just put up his career year. Bauers is a free agent. Ortiz, Mitchell, and Vaughn all crushed their projections and are likely to regress. You could see some bounceback from Contreras, Yelich, and Frelick and continued improvement from Chourio, Lara, and Pratt. Any time a team wins 103 games, they are all but guaranteed to have some regression the next season. There is plenty of uncertainty on the Cardinals’ side too. No one knows what Walker will do next. Burleson’s 2026 will be tough to beat. I would expect better seasons from Winn and Herrera. Baez has such a low bar to clear from the left fielders he is replacing that he alone could make up a ton of ground. A full season of Bernal should be a huge improvement too. 

We obviously haven’t begun to address the pitching side with this comparison, but on the position-player side, the Cards are a center fielder and third baseman away from being right there.

The Wild Card series wrapped up on Thursday and now we’re onto the divisional rounds, which will give us our fist look at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians. These series will feature some old friends, and has there are a lot of storylines to keep up with.

Here are some Rockies storylines from the first week of the offseason, as well as some from around the league:

Rockies News & Links

• Here is each club’s Arizona Fall League sleeper prospect | MLB.com — For the Rockies, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra believe that Jack O’Dowd (HM PuRP) is the biggest sleeper prospect.
• Rockies Struck Gold With One of Paul DePodesta’s First Moves | Sports Illustrated — It’s no secret that TJ Rumfield was one of the brightest spots on this 2026 Rockies team. Scott Roche revisits the move and the impact it had on this team.
• 4 Rockies Prospects Listed in MLB Pipeline’s Final Top-100 List | Sports Illustrated — You can probably guess the four (they’re Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 on our mid-season PuRPs list).

Around MLB

• Seattle Mariners claim Michael Toglia off waivers from Cincinnati Reds | Red Reporter — Old friend Michael Toglia played just 10 games with the Reds in 2026 before a shoulder injury ended his season. Wick Terrell breaks down the move, and Toglia’s tenure with the Reds, on our sister site.
• Dodgers’ Ohtani admits he won’t be fully healthy in playoffs | ESPN — Shohei Ohtani has been fighting left knee and right biceps injuries, so this could be a story to keep up with in the postseason. The Dodgers have a ton of depth even without Ohtani, and are still favored to threepeat, but it’s definitely something to watch.
• Yankees’ Aaron Judge Undergoes Experimental Blood Treatment In Desperate Bid To Return | Yahoo! Sports — Another storyline to watch is that of Aaron Judge. Judge has been battling hamstring injuries for most of the season, but was available to play against the Rockies a few weeks ago. The headline is slightly misleading, stating, “But the shot he received is a fairly new medical innovation, known as platelet-poor plasma (PPP), and it is so groundbreaking that it is still considered relatively unproven by the healthcare industry.”
• Miz and Miller in same series? Postseason velocity records beware! | MLB.com — Zach Sweet writes, “Fifty-six pitches. That’s the most triple-digit heat any postseason series has produced since pitch tracking began in 2008.” That happened during the 2016 Giants-Cubs NLDS. And Jacob Misiorowski has thrown four more this season by himself. And Mason Miller is second in that arms race. Good luck to any of the batters in this series!
• MLB nixes plan to host regular-season game at Grand Teton National Park | The Athletic ($) — Looks like MLB read Renee’s article explaining why a game in the Tetons was a bad idea!
• Are Dodgers villains? Or a model to aspire to? Their title defense could shape MLB’s labor debate | The Athletic ($) — Look, I hate the Dodgers as much as the rest of us (#BeatLA!). But Andy McCullough makes some good points about how we’ve gotten to a potential lockout, and how the Dodgers are being blamed (rightfully or wrongfully) for what’s likely about to happen in two months.

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Today’s Reflections

There’s not much to say about Game 2 or the Wild Card Series overall.

Nico Hoerner was the only hitter to consistently rise to the challenge of the Padre pitching. Hoerner went 2-for-4 in each game with a double and RBI in Wednesday’s game. Seiya Suzuki was 2-for-7 with a run scored over the two games.

There wasn’t anything worth talking about regarding the pitching staff.

Not-very-deep-or-analyzed thoughts about the state of the team going into 2027:

There will probably be a lockout.

The coaching staff: …… Not ready to cut Counsell, but wouldn’t be upset if they did. There will be some movement in the staff, however.

I would love to re-sign Seiya, but now is his time to go get his bag and the Cubs won’t match, so good luck. I feel the Cubs and Ian Happ will part ways.

This would be a great reduction in production, but ride into the regular season with some combination of Pedro Ramirez, Matt Shaw and Kevin Alcántara into the OF to start and hope Josiah Hartshorn will be ready in the second half. Very few quality FA OFers, so it is not worth it to overpay for anyone out there.

Pour all that “new” money and spend it in every facet of the pitching staff. Top two SP, a closer and a very good high-leverage RP. “Well, what about the strike and all those high-dollar guys sitting out?” Any time off is less wear on their arms. Plus it would give Justin Steele and Cade Horton more time to get ready. Cheer for a strike? Maybe it would help the Cubs.

Again, just off the top of my head stuff, no numbers or targets — just a basic set up for improvement for the team in the future. Nothing in stone. Probably way off.

I appreciate your reading.

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Wild Card Game No. 2 Stories:

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs quickly KO’d from playoffs after bats quiet again in 4-1 loss to San Diego Padres. “Just as the clock hit midnight in Chicago to ring in October, the Cubs’ 2026 season ended with a dud.”

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs mull what could have been after abrupt Wild Card exit. “Looming free agencies of Happ, Suzuki at forefront as Chicago looks ahead after ‘sour taste’ of 2026’s end.”

• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs don’t get close to meeting championship expectations as season ends in two-game playoff sweep vs. Padres. “The Cubs’ season ended with a thud Wednesday night as they were swept out of the postseason with a 4-1 loss to the Padres.”

Post-Mortem for Wild Card Stories:

• Matt Ostrowski (North Side Baseball): Cubs Get Stern Reminder About What It’s Like To Play Baseball Without Joy. “The Cubs didn’t do the little or big things right in their series against the Padres, looking miserable as they trudged to the finish line of their season.”
• Tyler Edmunds (OnTapSportsNet): The Cubs Didn’t Just Lose — They Quit. “The Cubs didn’t just lose the series on Wednesday night, they quit. The “magical” season ends on a whimper.“
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Tyler Mahle’s Wild Card brilliance calls Cubs’ Kevin Gausman decision into question. “While a less-than-100% Gausman struggled, Tyler Mahle was brilliant for the Braves.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Stinging from playoff exit, Cubs must make sure next year is different: ‘It’s time to look in the mirror’. “The Cubs’ disappointing playoff failure generates plenty of questions. But only one matters: How do they make sure this doesn’t happen again?”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs make MLB postseason history with all-time terrible slugging percentage. “This feat of history is one to forget for the Cubs amid a horrible postseason run.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ swift elimination leaves them facing reality of season gone wrong: ‘I look at it as a failure’. “The Cubs reacted to an earlier-than-expected playoff loss, the end of a brief stay that had the Padres looking like championship contenders and the Cubs nowhere close to sniffing their World Series aspirations.”
• Alex Pratt (Yardbarker): Chicago Cubs: A weird and wild season comes to an end. “The team that struggled down the stretch, lost the top Wild Card spot, and was running into a buzzsaw had an uphill battle.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ total playoff no-show let — and left — everybody down.. ““I’m just feeling pretty disappointed in myself,” Pete Crow-Armstrong said after going hitless in two wild-card games against the Padres. “But that’s for me to work on.”“
• Matt Snyder (CBSSports): Pete Crow-Armstrong takes accountability after Cubs’ quick postseason exit: ‘Pretty disappointed in myself’. “The likely NL MVP was 0 for 7 with a walk and four strikeouts in the Wild Card Series vs. the Padres.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Alex Bregman Did Something This Week That He’s Never Done Before in the Postseason. “For the 10th time in his 10+ year MLB career, Alex Bregman made the postseason.”
• Sean Sears (Chicago Cubs On SI): Takeaways After Cubs Fall Apart in Wild Card Series, Fail to Reach Full Potential. “The Cubs’ bats never woke up as the red-hot Padres completed the series sweep.”

Pre-MVP Celebration:

• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Don’t Stop Him Now: The Breathtaking Brilliance of Pete Crow-Armstrong, One More Time. “Picking a favorite highlight from the season Pete Crow-Armstrong just had is functionally impossible. Any time you alight on one, another thrusts itself at you. Let’s sit with a few of the best, as a balm for the disappointment of a summer that gave way to fall too soon.”

Post-Post Series/Off-season Stories:

• J.P Hoornstra (The Big Lead): Longtime Cubs infielder who finished career in Cleveland dies at 76. “A veteran infielder who played nine MLB seasons and was known more for his glove than his bat with the Cubs and Indians died at 76”
• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ offseason: 3 big questions for a second-place team still chasing the Brewers. “Here are three questions to ponder as Cubs players and personnel scatter for the offseason, not knowing exactly when they will regroup and return to business as usual.”
• Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): The Toughest Contract Decision Facing the Cubs This Winter. “On the heels of a crushing playoff exit, the Cubs now must turn to the offseason.
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ Wild Card collapse opens door for Jed Hoyer to revisit painfully familiar narrative.“We’re here again.”
• Doug Schwamb (Chicago Cubs On Si): The Biggest Fix the Cubs Need to Make After An Ugly 2026 Ending. “The Chicago Cubs season is over and there’s plenty of blame to go around. However, the Cubs biggest mistake cost them a shot at a deep playoff run.”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Why Cubs’ biggest priority in offseason is not their beloved free agent outfielders. “The top priority for the Cubs after elimination has nothing to do with their outfield.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Was That Ian Happ’s Last Game as a Chicago Cub? Were These Words His Farewell?. “I’m not sure there’s been a more controversial GOOD player in my time covering the Cubs than Ian Happ.”.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago {$}): ‘He’s the Chicago Cubs’: Ian Happ — team’s longest-tenured player — faces uncertain future after playoff exit. “Key members from the past two playoff teams are impending free agents and unlikely to return, a group that includes left fielder Ian Happ, who has spent the last 10 big-league seasons representing the organization.”
• Madison Williams (Newsweek): Ian Happ Reflects on His Time as a Cub Ahead of Free Agency. “Longtime Cubs outfielder Ian Happ could’ve played his last game with the team as the Padres swept them in the wild-card.
• J.J. Cooper & Mark Chiarelli (Baseball America (free): What’s Next For Cubs In 2027? Top Prospects, Biggest Needs. “As soon as an MLB team bows out of the postseason, fans immediately want answers.”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Tigers tabbed as No. 1 landing spot for Cubs 4.51 ERA starter in free agency. “Tigers linked to Kevin Gausman as affordable free agent target,”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune {$}): Column: With both teams on Peacock, finding a Chicago playoff game on TV never has been so maddening. “It’s one thing to miss a regular-season game because it was on an app you don’t have.”

Food For Thought:

Leroy Carr (March 27, 1904 or 1905 – April 29, 1935) was an American blues singer, songwriter and pianist who developed a laid-back, crooning technique and whose popularity and style influenced such artists as Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. Music historian Elijah Wald has called him “the most influential male blues singer and songwriter of the first half of the 20th century”.

After his parents separated, Carr moved from Nashville to Indianapolis, Indiana with his mother. Carr was a self-taught piano player. After dropping out of high school, Carr travelled with a circus, and in the early 1920s served in the U.S. Army. Carr returned to Indianapolis and worked in a meat-packing plant. He was married and had one daughter. Carr was convicted of bootlegging and served a year at the Indiana State Penitentiary. His light bluesy piano combined with Scrapper Blackwell’s melodic jazz guitar attracted a sophisticated black audience. The two recorded with Vocalion Records beginning in the 1920s.

Francis Hillman “Scrapper” Blackwell was an American blues guitarist and singer. Best known as half of the guitar-piano duo he formed with Leroy Carr in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he was an acoustic, single-note picker in the Chicago blues and Piedmont blues styles, with some critics noting that he veered towards jazz.

Blackwell was born in Syracuse, South Carolina, on February 21, 1903 as one of sixteen children. He claimed to be part Cherokee. When he was quite young, his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he spent most of his life. He was nicknamed “Scrapper” by his grandmother because of his fiery nature. Although largely self-taught as a guitarist, Blackwell was later influenced by the recordings of Willie Harris and Blind Lemon Jefferson, and probably by the East Coast Piedmont style of his birthplace. He didn’t consider himself a professional musician until pianist Leroy Carr persuaded Blackwell to record with him

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