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Earlier today, Rawlings announced the 2026 Gold Glove finalists. The Chicago Cubs were well represented with five players: CF: Pete Crow Armstrong (previously won in '25) 3B: Alex Bregman (previously won in '24) SS: Dansby Swanson (previously won '22-23) LF: Ian Happ (previously won '22-25 ) RF: Seiya Suzuki (first nomination) Should we be surprised? Not really. This past season, no team played better defense than the Cubs. Among the plethora of defensive stats, they led the league in FRV (76), OAA (74), and DRS (115). Notably, second baseman Nico Hoerner (9 OAA & FRV each) was excluded, but he had to fill in at shortstop for Dansby Swanson’s oblique injury. The most unexpected nominee was Seiya Suzuki. In his walk season, he upped his defensive game. Among NL right fielders, he ranked first in FRV (8) and DRS (14) and second in OAA (3). Keep in mind, Suzuki played in the same league as Diamondbacks speedster Corbin Carroll and is six years older than him. This is Suzuki's first Gold Glove nomination in the majors. As a member of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he had previously won five NPB Gold Gloves Awards. The winners will be announced on Sunday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. View the full article

There is a familiar face and a new face representing the Milwaukee Brewers for this year's NL Gold Glove awards. Second baseman Brice Turang and left fielder Jackson Chourio were named as finishing in the top three in voting for the 2026 Gold Glove awards. Turang won the NL Gold Glove in 2024 as well as the NL Platinum Glove, which goes to the top overall defender in each league. Chourio is up for his first Gold Glove. Winners will be announced Nov. 1. Managers and up to six coaches from each of the 30 teams vote on the best defenders at each position, although they can't vote for players on their club. That accounts for 75% of the vote, with SABR's defensive index making up the remaining 25%. In 151 games (148 starts) at second base, Turang had a .992 fielding percentage, with five errors in 593 chances. He led the NL with 219 putouts and MLB with 91 double plays. He also led MLB with 15 total zone field runs above average, per Baseball Reference. The other two in the top three at second are Brandon Lowe of the Pittsbugh Pirates and JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals. Turang also was among the top three last year, when the award was won by Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs. Chourio has made tremendous progress in his third MLB season. He looked lost at times as a rookie, but has shown significant improvement the last two years. Just considering when he played left field (123 games, 112 starts), Chourio made zero errors in 207 chances, with eight assists. Ian Happ of the Cubs and Daylen Lile of the Washington Nationals also finished in the top three for left field. Including his 13 games in center and one in right, Chourio did not commit an error in 226 chances. The Brewers had the seventh-best fielding percentage in MLB at .987. There is only one round of balloting, which was already done, so these players are not technically finalists. View the full article

Holding a 2-0 lead in the NL Championship Series, the Milwaukee Brewers travel to the West Coast in a bid to take a stranglehold on the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven series. Left-hander Robert Gasser, still technically a rookie, will be sent to the mound by the Brewers to start Game 3. The 27-year-old will be making his second start of this postseason and fourth appearance in the last two playoffs. Gasser pitched twice in relief in the 2025 postseason, including getting two outs in Game 2 of last year's NLCS vs. the Dodgers. Gasser made a start against the Dodgers in L.A. this year and turned in a decent start. Gasser went 6⅓ innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out seven in a 3-1 loss. Dodgers ace right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the opposing pitcher that day. In his start against the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series, Gasser got the assignment in Game 4 as the Brewers clinched with a 3-1 victory. He went just four innings and yielded a run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts. After starting the season in the minors, Gasser started all but one of his 21 appearances and went 109⅓ innings, posting a 7.6% walk rate and 22.2% strikeout rate. Gasser was very good in his final six starts of the regular season, putting up a 1.67 ERA over 32⅓ innings with 12 walks and 31 strikeouts. Walks have been a slight concern over the last two months with 21 in 52 innings. He has made two regular-season appearances against the Dodgers. In those two games, Andy Pages has the most success, going 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs. He went 3-for-4 with that homer in the game this year. Teoscar Hernandez also has a homer while going 2-for-5, as does Tommy Edman in his 2-for-3 showing. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is 0-for-6 vs. Gasser. Ohtani has struggled this offseason due to right biceps and left knee injuries. His 3-for-20 performance with seven strikeouts prompted manager Dave Roberts to have a conversation about the four-time MVP being in the lineup. Roberts said Ohtani will be the designated hitter for Game 3. Robert Gasser vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Shohei Ohtani L 7 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 .000 .143 .000 .143 0 0 0 0 0 2 Mookie Betts R 6 6 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 .167 .167 .167 .333 0 0 0 0 0 3 Teoscar Hernández R 5 5 2 0 0 1 3 0 2 .400 .400 1.000 1.400 0 0 0 0 0 4 Andy Pages R 5 5 4 1 0 1 2 0 0 .800 .800 1.600 2.400 0 0 0 0 0 5 Kyle Tucker L 5 4 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 .250 .400 .750 1.150 0 0 0 0 0 6 Tommy Edman B 3 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 .667 .667 1.667 2.333 0 0 0 0 0 7 Hunter Feduccia L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 8 Freddie Freeman L 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 1.000 1.000 2.000 3.000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Kiké Hernández R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Max Muncy L 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .667 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 11 Miguel Rojas R 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 12 Will Smith R 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/13/2026. After facing the reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner in Game 1 and the 2025 World Series MVP in Game 2, the Brewers won't get much of a break in Game 3 as left-hander Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner himself, will start for the Dodgers. Snell only pitched in nine games this regular season, only one before August, due to left shoulder, left elbow and left groin injuries. He had a 1.72 FIP (1.90 ERA) over 42⅔ innings, with a walk rate of 9.2% and strikeout rate of 31.8%, pretty much on par with his career numbers (10.8%, 30.1%). He made one start in the NL Division Series vs. Atlanta, going in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium. Snell went 3⅔ innings, giving up a run on three hits, but walking five and striking out five. He has limited experience vs. the current group of Brewers hitters. Aside from backup catcher Gary Sanchez, who is 7-for-23 with five homers in 31 plate appearances (.304/.484/1.000), Christian Yelich is 2-for-6, the second-most plate appearances. None of Snell's three career games against the Brewers came with the Dodgers, with his last outing vs. the Crew coming in 2024 with the Padres. Blake Snell vs. Milwaukee Brewers: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Gary Sánchez R 31 23 7 1 0 5 8 8 13 .304 .484 1.000 1.484 0 0 0 0 0 2 Christian Yelich L 6 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .333 .333 .333 .667 0 0 0 0 0 3 Jake Bauers L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 4 William Contreras R 3 3 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 .333 .333 .667 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jackson Chourio R 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 6 Sal Frelick L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 7 Joey Ortiz R 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 .500 .000 .500 0 0 0 0 0 8 Garrett Mitchell L 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.000 3.000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Brice Turang L 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/13/2026. View the full article

The 2026 Gold Glove finalists were announced today, and the Boston Red Sox were represented well as they had three finalists between the 10 positions (utility player was added in 2022). The defensive recognition for the team should come as little surprise as the organization stated going into 2026 they were focused on run prevention after failing to bring in the power bats the lineup truly needed. While the team struggled at times, three players on the team shined the entire year on the defensive end. They were constantly coming up with big plays or affecting the game with their gloves. Thanks to that, Caleb Durbin, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela were all named Gold Glove finalists for their respective positions. This is Durbin’s first time being named a finalist, the third baseman being acquired in the offseason from Milwaukee. Upon first arriving in Boston, it was undecided if he would be the starting second baseman or third baseman before being named to man the hot corner early in spring training. Defensively, he finished the season with 11 errors (six fielding and five throwing) and a .972 fielding percentage. More importantly were his +7 Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value of +6, both of which had him near the top of the league. For Abreu, this is his third straight season of being a finalist as the elite outfielder looks to take home his third straight award. Despite making the most errors of his career with nine (four fielding and five throwing) and finishing tied with the worst fielding percentage of his career at .971, he was still one of the most valuable outfielders in the game. Defensively, he saved +28 runs for the Red Sox while patrolling right field this season and finished with an OAA of +2 and a FRV of +5. While lower than his previous season, they were still some of the best marks in the league for outfielders. Finally, Rafaela was named a finalist for the second consecutive season as he wowed fans and his fellow players alike with his defense in center field. Despite starting off slow in the outfield to begin the season, Rafaela only committed two errors all season (one fielding and one throwing) while finishing with a .994 fielding percentage, the highest of his career for full seasons (he had a 1.000 fielding percentage in 20 games in 2023). While his OAA and FRV were lower than in 2025 (+16 for both compared to +22 for both in 2025), he was worth more Defensive Runs Saved in center field with +21 compared to +20 in 2025, while his arm was worth seven runs compared to five in 2025. The Red Sox have a very good chance of bringing home all three awards thanks to the defensive level their players performed at across the season. There is an argument to be made that Rafaela could even make another run at being named the Platinum Glove award winner after being snubbed in 2025. The winners will be announced on Nov. 1. View the full article

There was a reason (or two) why the San Diego Padres' defense was much-improved during the 2026 season. And now there is tangible proof. First baseman Ty France and catcher Freddy Fermin were revealed as finishing in the top three for NL Gold Gloves on Wednesday. The winners at each position in each league will be announced Nov. 1. Managers and up to six coaches from each of the 30 teams vote on the best defenders at each position, although they can't vote for players on their club. That accounts for 75% of the vote, with SABR's defensive index making up the remaining 25%. France, who won his first Gold Glove last year as an AL first baseman as he played for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, played 127 games at first, starting 116 times. He made just three errors in 951 chances at first, but was also responsible for saving other Padres infielders from errors with throws in the dirt or otherwise off-target. He was involved in 75 double plays. That resulted in a .994 fielding percentage. The other two top vote-getters at first base in the NL are Matt Olson of Atlanta and TJ Rumfield of the Colorado Rockies. Olson won last year's NL Gold Glove at first. Fermin was behind the plate for 94 games, including 74 starts. He committed only seven errors in 684 chances for a .990 fielding percentage. Fermin threw out a nice 30.4% (24 of 79) of would-be base stealers (league average is 23.3%). Also in the top three in the NL at catcher are Gabriel Moreno of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Luis Torrens of the New York Mets. Moreno won the award in 2023, with Patrick Bailey, then of the San Francisco Giants, taking it the last two years. The Padres finished with the second-best fielding percentage in MLB at .989, only behind the Chicago Cubs, who had five Gold Glove candidates in the top three at their positions and had a .990 fielding percentage. There is only one round of balloting, which was already done, so these players are not technically finalists. View the full article

There was a reason (or two) why the San Diego Padres' defense was much-improved during the 2026 season. And now there is tangible proof. First baseman Ty France and catcher Freddy Fermin were revealed as finishing in the top three for NL Gold Gloves on Wednesday. There is only one round of balloting, which was already done. The winners at each position in each league will be announced Nov. 1. Managers and up to six coaches from each of the 30 teams vote on the best defenders at each position, although they can't vote for players on their club. That accounts for 75% of the vote, with SABR's defensive index making up the remaining 25%. France, who won his first Gold Glove last year as an AL first baseman as he played for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, played 127 games at first, starting 116 times. He made just three errors in 951 chances at first, but was also responsible for saving other Padres infielders from errors with throws in the dirt or otherwise off-target. He was involved in 75 double plays. That resulted in a .994 fielding percentage. The other two top vote-getters at first base in the NL are Matt Olson of Atlanta and TJ Rumfield of the Colorado Rockies. Olson won last year's NL Gold Glove at first. Fermin was behind the plate for 94 games, including 74 starts. He committed only seven errors in 684 chances for a .990 fielding percentage. Fermin threw out a nice 30.4% (24 of 79) of would-be base stealers (league average is 23.3%). Also in the top three in the NL at catcher are Gabriel Moreno of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Luis Torrens of the New York Mets. Moreno won the award in 2023, with Patrick Bailey, then of the San Francisco Giants, taking it the last two years. The Padres finished with the second-best fielding percentage in MLB at .989, only behind the Chicago Cubs, who had five Gold Glove candidates in the top three at their positions and had a .990 fielding percentage. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins hired Rays Triple-A pitching coach Brian Reith as the team's new major-league pitching coach, the team announced Wednesday. Reith, 48, spent the last five seasons as the pitching coach of the Durham Bulls, and brings a long track record as a pitching and former hurler to the role. Reith appeared in parts of three seasons with the Reds from 2001 through 2004, with a 5.92 ERA in 127 career innings. After finishing his playing career in 2009, he transitioned into coaching and instruction. The Rays hired him as a pitching coach in A ball in 2015, and he spent three seasons with the Bowling Green Hot Rods, then two with the Hudson Valley Renegades. After spending time around the major-league team in 2021, he got the bump to Triple-A Durham in 2022 and had served as their pitching coach ever since. More to come. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have spent years trying to figure out how to make pitchers throw harder. This offseason, they are apparently going in the opposite direction. Bailey Ober has already established himself as one of baseball's most unusual starting pitchers. His fastball velocity has fallen into the high-80s, making him the slowest-throwing starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. His strikeout rate has followed the same trajectory, dropping from 26.9% in 2024 to 19.2% in 2025 and 17.1% this season. Most organizations would look at those numbers and start asking how to get the velocity back. The Twins are asking a different question. What if they make him throw even slower? "We've seen what happens when Bailey throws 88," Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said. "Now we're interested in finding out what happens at 82." "And 80." "Potentially 76." Zoll stressed that the organization isn't necessarily trying to make Ober worse. It's trying to make him different. "Pitching is about evolution," Zoll said. "We've seen velocity continue to increase. We've seen pitchers change shapes, grips, arm slots and usage patterns. We're constantly looking for the next competitive advantage." The Twins believe they may have found it somewhere between a Division II college pitcher and a position player asked to throw an inning in a 12-2 game. There is a theory behind this. At 98 mph, hitters know they need to react immediately. At 88 mph, hitters have slightly more time. At 82 mph, they may have enough time to wonder why the baseball is taking so long to arrive. At 78 mph, perhaps they simply stop swinging. "We don't know where the floor is," one Twins front office member said. "That's what the offseason is for." The organization reportedly has a series of experiments planned for Ober's offseason program. The first bullpen will focus on 87 mph. The second will target 85. The third will be conducted with a radar gun turned off because the Twins don't want anyone to become psychologically attached to the number. Eventually, the organization hopes to discover the exact velocity at which a hitter becomes so confused that the pitch qualifies as a breaking ball simply because of how long it takes to reach the plate. Ober, for his part, is willing to try anything. "I want to pitch," Ober said. "Whatever gives me the best chance to stay in the big leagues, I'm open to it." "What if the fastball is slower than the changeup?" he was asked. Ober paused. "Then I guess we have a new problem." The Twins aren't necessarily concerned about that problem yet. They're excited about the possibilities. Ober finished 2026 with a 4.47 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 131 innings. His 17.1% strikeout rate was well below league average, but his career has already demonstrated that he can succeed without premium velocity. The question is whether he can succeed with even less. "Everyone wants to talk about velocity," another member of the front office said. "We want to talk about deception." "What happens if the pitch is so slow that the hitter loses interest halfway to the plate? That's deception." The Twins are also reportedly studying whether Ober's 6-foot-9 frame can create additional psychological confusion. A hitter sees a giant man on the mound. He prepares for something coming quickly. Then the pitch arrives at approximately the speed of a moderately ambitious lawn mower. "We think there's something there," the front office member said. There is, however, one person who may be even more excited about the Ober experiment than Zoll. Tom Pohlad. The Twins chairman has spent much of the year answering questions about payroll and the organization's plans to increase spending. Pohlad recently reiterated that Minnesota intends to meaningfully invest in the roster in 2027 after finishing the 2026 season with a payroll around $100 million. The organization would apparently prefer to discuss something else. "We've been thinking about the fans," Pohlad said. "We've been thinking about the media. We've been thinking about what we can do to create some positive offseason conversation." Then came the real plan. "If we can get Bailey Ober down to 79 miles per hour, Aaron Gleeman could spend four hours explaining why it doesn't make any sense," Pohlad said. "That's four hours where he isn't talking about our payroll." At that point, the Twins' analytics department reportedly began calculating the exact relationship between Ober's velocity and the amount of time Gleeman could spend discussing it. The early projections are encouraging. The Twins don't seem worried. They've already started preparing for the next phase. The goal isn't to make Ober throw harder. It isn't even to make him throw better. The goal is to make him throw so slowly that nobody has any idea what they're watching. And if that keeps the conversation away from payroll for a few hours? The Twins may have finally discovered their offseason ace. View the full article

As Major League Baseball's 2026 trade deadline approached, there were few needs as obvious as the San Diego Padres' need for starting pitching. The Friars' staff was cobbled together by one-year and non-guaranteed contracts. Michael King & Nick Pivetta began the season as the only sure things in the starting five, with the remainder being comprised by a mix of spring training darling Randy Vásquez and veterans Walker Buehler, Griffin Canning, and Germán Márquez as the team awaited Joe Musgrove's return from Tommy John surgery. Of the latter trio, only Buehler held on to a role through the end of the regular season. The results were otherwise rough as Craig Stammen tried to piece together a workable rotation, especially once Pivetta landed on the injured list before April was even over. Through July 31, the Padres managed just 4.5 innings per start with a 4.67 ERA that ranked 26th and a 4.64 FIP that sat 25th. The rotation's collective fWAR through that point in the calendar sat at just 4.2 (also 25th). While a temporary turn to "pitching chaos" wherein Stammen deployed openers, starters in relief, and piggyback situations proved to work, the team's progress toward contention prior to the deadline all but assured at least one starting pitcher would make their way to San Diego before August 3. They ended up with two. First, it was Robbie Ray from the San Francisco Giants for a package that included a top pitching prospect in Miguel Mendez. Closer to the actual afternoon deadline, it was Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers as the Padres parted with an even more highly touted arm in lefty Kash Mayfield. That was a high price to pay on both sides, but one that was expected to help stabilize the rotation, especially with the expected returns of Pivetta & Musgrove in the second half. Between the two, Ray was expected to bring in the postseason experience and Mize the upside. While Ray had his troubles keeping runners off base this season, a combination of a fly-ball rate that would play well at Petco Park and his ability to navigate said troublesome situation represented a quality addition. Mize, meanwhile, was in the midst of a career season with a 2.70 ERA through 16 starts with Detroit prior to the deadline. Interestingly, the rotation did stabilize. Padre starters averaged 4.7 innings per start in the second half, with a 3.92 collective ERA that ranked 11th among starting groups. The issue is that the majority of that leveling out came more from defined roles than any actual contribution from either of Ray or Mize. The right-hander represented the much larger issue of the two. He made 10 starts with the Padres to the tune of a 7.46 ERA and a 7.18 FIP that indicated the struggles weren't necessarily a mirage. His strikeout rate was just 12.0 percent, and he surrendered hard contact at a 44.4 percent rate. An ankle injury sent him to the IL at the end of the season and he never appeared in a playoff game. At the same time, Ray gave the Padres work all the way into the postseason. But his ERA sat at 5.64 in nine regular season starts with a walk rate over 14 percent. His 4.7 innings per start fell right in line with the team average during that stretch, but he also failed to work beyond the fourth inning in three of his nine starts. That trend quickly carried into the postseason. Ray didn't appear in either of the team's Wild Card Round games against the Chicago Cubs, but he did appear twice in the NLDS against Milwaukee including a Game 1 start. Therein, he almost immediately lost a grip on the Padres' early 2-0 lead by surrendering a pair if runs in the third inning; he wouldn't get out of the frame before being replaced. He threw another inning in Game 4, allowing a run in the fourth that would prove to be the death knell on the Padres' season. Ray concluded the postseason with a 7.36 ERA. Such is the legacy of the Padres' two primary additions from the 2026 trade deadline. In general, the moves were exactly what they should have been: a pair of established starters to help stabilize a rotation sorely in need of aid. And while that did, technically, happen, it's nearly impossible to say that it's because of Robbie Ray and Casey Mize. Their contributions were few and far between down the stretch, and considering the absence of positive contributions in the postseason (and in Mize's case, any contributions), it would be foolhardy to label A.J. Preller's moves as anything other than a failure, regardless of how logical the intent may have been. View the full article

A mid-to-upper 90s fastball, two nasty breaking balls, and an impressive ability to miss bats? Adrian Bohorquez has the makings of an intriguing pitching prospect, even if he's not getting much attention yet. View the full article

Johan Santana was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball during his prime, collecting two American League Cy Young Awards and helping define an era of Twins baseball. Despite those accomplishments, his path to the National Baseball Hall of Fame came to an abrupt end after he received too little support in his first year on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. Santana's career presents an interesting Hall of Fame debate. His peak performance stacks up favorably against many pitchers already enshrined in Cooperstown, but injuries limited his career longevity and overall statistical totals. Those factors have left voters divided over how to evaluate his place in baseball history. To get a better understanding of Santana's candidacy, I reached out to current Hall of Fame voters Dave Brown, an MLB reporter with Pitchers List, and Dan Szymborski, a senior writer for FanGraphs. Both writers offered perspectives on Santana's Hall of Fame case, including the accomplishments that make him worthy of consideration and the obstacles that ultimately kept him off the ballot beyond his first year. Twins Daily (TD): If Johan Santana were eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot today, would you vote for him? Why or why not? Dave Brown (DB): This is a great question, and I'm not sure you want me to answer it. Because as a ballplayer, he deserves it. I give a lot of consideration to the sexual assault allegation made against him in 2010. For me, it's disqualifying (even though men are, can be and will be, falsely accused). I need to know more about the story, and more about Santana, before I can give a definitive answer. I never had a chance to vote for him, so I never dived into it thoroughly. Here's an example of how this kind of thing has influenced my voting for other players. Andruw Jones was credibly accused, and arrested, for assaulting his wife on Christmas one year. I never voted for Jones. People who are credibly accused of acts like that—I won't celebrate them. Dan Szymborski (DS): Absolutely. I occasionally rant about writers not voting for him on social media. Basically, he's 90% of [Sandy Koufax] with the same type of peak. I don't accept that being 10% less than Koufax is the difference between a no-doubter and someone who gets five-and-outed. TD: Knowing what you know about Santana's career today, do you think the 2.4% of the vote he received in 2018 accurately reflected his Hall of Fame case? DB: Big-time fumble by the voters. Sort of like a pitching version of Kenny Lofton. Maybe his comparison isn't apt. I'm not saying Santana was as good as Koufax, but the deference given to Koufax for having a shortened career should be applied to other players. I do it all of the time. I have voted for David Wright for basically this reason. The longer we go in time, the better Santana's HOF case will look, because starting pitchers are going to have fewer and fewer career innings by comparison. Santana clearly was one of the best pitchers of his generation, and he got hurt. If another voter wants to DQ him for that, OK, but Koufax is an important precedent to me. DS: No, I think he had a very strong case, and while I concede it's not an absolute slam dunk, it really annoyed me how little he was even discussed. A little like Lance Berkman, in a sense. TD: Has your opinion of Santana's Hall of Fame candidacy changed since 2018? If so, what changed your thinking? DB: See my answer for [the previous question]. Our expectations for pitchers have changed. They need to change for the HOF too. DS: Not really, since I felt about the same eight years ago! If anything, I'm even stronger on him, as we've seen innings continue to go down in baseball. Guys like Felix Hernandez are getting looked at more for their peaks. TD: Has the way you evaluate starting pitchers for the Hall of Fame changed over the past decade? DB: I definitely give more credit to just pitching innings. It's just so valuable. Strikeout percentage is a great way to evaluate pitchers in the present, but for a long career it's harder to look at strikeout totals because pitchers aren't pitching as much—and strikeouts are also much more common in general. What do you do with these paradoxes? DS: Not really, simply because I've always been on the "we have to evaluate players in the context of the time they played" bandwagon. Now, I'm surprised just how quickly win totals have dropped. I thought 200-win pitchers would be a regular thing for a while, but they're really not going to be. The ZiPS projections at least don't have a single player who doesn't already have 200 wins as being at least 50% to hit 200 wins. I wrote a piece about this with Chris Sale last year, and I'm on record that my intention is to vote for Jacob deGrom. TD: How do you balance peak performance against career longevity when evaluating a starting pitcher for Cooperstown? DB: That's the thing with all of these evaluations, isn't it?. There is something to be said for being a valuable player over a long period of time, and deserving of HOF consideration—even if you're not elite. For example, Mark Buehrle is a low-end Hall of Fame person to me, because he was above average for a long time, like Jim Kaat or Tommy John. Buehrle also had a perfect game and a no-hitter, and he helped the Sox win a World Series. I give Buehrle and Kaat credit for longevity, but I don't take it from Santana. Could be tortured logic. I just don't judge Santana the same way. The great part of his career is most of what I give him credit for, and his longevity (such as it was) is a smaller consideration. His WAR and length are weak because he pitched two years in his 30s. Not because he was a bad pitcher all of a sudden, but because he was hurt and wasn't on the field. DS: Basically, his peak is his case. I don't understand why writers stray so far from peak arguments. Take Miguel Cabrera. He only had passed the 400 HR mark and 2,500 hits as of 2016. His case is no better with 511 HR and 3,174 hits, because he was an awful player after 2016. How does being a bad player enhance someone's greatness? Going back to Santana, add Jordan Lyles's career to his numbers. He now has 3,500 innings, 210 wins and a 113 ERA+. He almost certainly wouldn't have been one-and-out with those numbers back then. But if you slap on 1,500 bad innings, are you actually making Santana greater? TD: What is the single strongest argument for Johan Santana being in the Hall of Fame, and what is the single strongest argument against him? DB: For: He was the best pitcher in the league from 2004-2010, and second to Halladay from 2002-2010. Three-time ERA champ, three-time strikeout champ. Cooperstown credentials. Against: Other than what happened on the golf course [where the sexual assault allegedly took place]? Santana didn't perform for long enough, no matter the reason. The Bottom Line Santana's Hall of Fame candidacy remains a fascinating debate about peak performance versus career longevity. His two Cy Young Awards, dominance during his best seasons, and place among the defining pitchers of the 2000s make a compelling case. However, his injury-shortened career and traditional counting statistics created obstacles for voters evaluating his overall resume. When Santana appeared on the ballot in 2018, he received just 2.4% of the vote, falling short of the 5% threshold required to remain eligible for future BBWAA consideration. That result closed one door, but it did not necessarily end the discussion. The perspectives of Brown and Szymborski offer an opportunity to revisit the arguments surrounding Santana's candidacy and consider how voters should weigh a pitcher's best seasons against the length of his career. For Twins fans who watched Santana dominate the American League, the question is about more than statistics. It is about how baseball remembers one of the franchise's greatest pitchers and whether his peak deserves a place among the game's all-time greats. Santana's case may not have an easy answer, but it remains worth discussing. Should a pitcher who reached such extraordinary heights during his prime receive another look for Cooperstown? How do you view Santana’s Hall of Fame credentials? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Few catchers can match Francisco Alvarez's raw power, but turning that potential into consistent production has been a different story. Here's what stood out from his 2026 season. View the full article

Shota Imanaga's three years in Chicago were punctuated with some of the highest highs, and lowest lows a pitcher can have. Imanaga would win over fans pretty quickly on the North Side; his infectious personality shined through his initial interview and his first start at Wrigley saw him strike out nine Rockies over six frames. There was a time in early 2024 Imanaga looked like a legitimate Cy Young candidate and he finished fifth in his rookie season for NL voting. 2025 had far more lows as Imanaga struggled with injury early in the season. (possibly) tipping pitches, and struggling at the end of the year as the team lost to division rivals, Milwaukee in the NLDS. His 2025 was such a downer that both he and the Cubs turned down potential contract extensions which saw the lefty play out the 2026 season on the one-year qualifying offer; Imanaga hoping to rehab his image and the Cubs' hoping to avoid a disastrous long-term pact. The 2026 season saw Shota Imanaga, again, have his fair share of ups and downs, though one I'd argue had more positives than negatives. On the positive side of things, Shota Imanaga saw a lot of bounceback in his game as he struck out 24.6% of opposing hitters (up from 20.6% in 2025). He continued to keep his walk total low, as well, providing an impressive combination of strike-throwing and whiff-getting, finishing in the 91st percentile for chase-rate, 82nd percentile for whiffs and the 95th percentile for walks. The reason for the revival; health and better velocity, two things that likely go hand-in-hand. Imanaga, unlike the year prior, avoided the Injury List and pitched a full compliment of games and innings. The year prior, it's fair to assume that the diminished fastball velocity was in due, to some part, the hamstring pull he dealt with early on in the season. In 2026, his velocity jumped (almost) a full mile-per-hour and was on par with what it was in 2024. The added health also aided in his mechanics, as the pitcher was able to increase his arm angle a few degrees, closer to what it was in 2024. The 2026 version was much closer to the 2024 version and it showed. Another positive for the lefty was something the Cubs had to have: availability. Making 32 starts on the year and pitching 174 innings, the lefty lead the team in both categories. In a season which saw Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, and most of their other starters spend copious amounts of time on the IL themselves, simply being healthy was a massive positive. When other's couldn't, Shota could and that matters. But not everything was perfect for Imanaga and his warts shined through at times making him a somewhat frustrating watch. The biggest issue in Imanaga's game is how reliant he is on getting fly-balls. Even with his increased velocity, his fastball sat at a pretty uninspiring 91.6mph on average, meaning he has little room for error to begin with. Add in that his fastball works the best up in the zone and any miss can turn what would have been a routine fly-out into a big-fly home run. So while the diminutive pitcher has the ability to generate a lot of whiffs, he runs a pretty hefty home run rate, and 2026 saw him surrender the second most gopher balls of any pitcher. For a team that lead the league in the statistic, Imanaga still managed to stick out like a sore thumb. Another glaring issue; the Japanese pitcher just doesn't have a massive arsenal of out-getting pitches. He's either fastball-splitfinger to righties or fastball-sweeper to lefties. And while most pitchers struggle heavily against hitters a third time through, without a deep bag of tricks to pull from, Shota was more susceptible than others. Seeing hitters a first time, Shota struck out 29.3% of hitters and had a 3.22 xFIP. When facing hitters a third time through the order those numbers fell off a cliff to just a 12.2 K% and a 5.53 xFIP. So while Shota was available to start every time through the order, he was limited in just how deep he can go. With all of the negatives said, Imanaga was probably better than many gave him credit for. It's true he had terrible home-run against numbers and it's also true that he was limited in length, he still put together a pretty solid year. His 3.77 ERA doesn't appear to be luck driven; his expected ERA was 3.80 and his xFIP was 3.74; both suggest his ERA was earned. While he gave up (more than) his fair share of bombs, he largely worked around them by limiting walks and free passes. His worst moments of the season came in moments where he was his own worst enemy; walking a hitter and then giving up a follow-up home run, like what happened during his August 30th start against the Reds. But those moments didn't define his season, they just highlighted why someone of his ilk is hard to sustain; he runs on a razor's edge. When things are going right, they can go very right, but any deviation, any slight disturbance in the force and things could go ugly, fast. Overall 2026 Grade: B- Imanaga is both a benefit of the circumstances and a prisoner of them. His 2026 was better than the home runs he gave up suggested he was because in a year the Cubs needed someone (anyone) to stay healthy, he did. But those home runs still cost him and the team because in a season the team needed someone to keep the ball in the ballpark, he could not. Making over $20m for a season, you'd have liked for him to have been a bit better on the margins. With that said, while he may have been slightly overpaid on the qualifying offer, it was also a one-year deal, and it's really hard to have a "bad" one year deal. A B- is probably a bit rich considering he didn't accrue even two fWAR and gave up the second most amount of home runs of anyone, but a C+ felt a bit harsh for a starting pitcher who finished 24th best in ERA for a team who desperately needed a pitcher to stay off of the IL. Because of that, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and give him a boost in his overall grade because being available is a skill and he delivered on that. However, it's also due to those flaws and the incredibly slim margins for success Shota has that he will likely find himself in a new organization come 2027. What did you think of Shota Imanaga's 2026 campaign? Do you think the good outweighed the bad? Let us know in the comment section! View the full article

We're going to keep this one pretty short and simple since it wasn't much of a race. Only two players had enough playing time and good enough performance to credibly qualify for this award. That's not to say this season was lacking for high-profile debuts. Top prospects Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez received late-season call-ups, but Jenkins didn't reach 100 plate appearances and Rodriguez didn't reach 50. Kaelen Culpepper had a larger sample of playing time, but did not quite meet the 130-AB threshold to surpass rookie status. That didn't render him ineligible, and Culpepper did get some down-ballot votes from our panel, but you want a more complete rookie season to evaluate. Two pitchers gave us that: Connor Prielipp and Andrew Morris. As of late August, it was a close race, with Morris actually in the lead. But the way things finished for both players more than closed the gap, resulting in a near-unanimous selection of Prielipp as Twins Daily's 2026 Rookie of the Year. Twins Daily 2026 Rookie of the Year Results Connor Prielipp (34 pts, 6 first-place votes) Andrew Morris (27 pts, 1 first-place vote) Kaelen Culpepper (22 pts) Walker Jenkins (3 pts) Prielipp vs. Morris: A September Swing Both hurlers arrived earlier than expected this season, debuting in April with their timelines accelerated by injuries in the rotation and bullpen. Morris opened up with a few rocky outings and then absolutely locked in for a long stretch. From April 30th through August 15th he posted a 2.09 ERA with 45 strikeouts, 18 walks and only two home runs allowed in 47 ⅓ innings. He was a revelation for a needy Twins bullpen alongside waiver find Yoendrys Gómez. But both faded down the stretch and Morris completely cratered, posting a 9.37 ERA with four blown saves, an 0-5 record, and AL-worst negative-1.48 Win Probability Added in his final 17 appearances. It was enough to sabotage his case completely, leaving Morris with mediocre final numbers that were still very respectable for a 24-year-old rookie — especially with the context that Morris was transitioning into a short-relief role for the first time, and nearly tripled his previous career high for appearances. I don't want to downplay the right-hander's season entirely on the basis of that finish. This was an impressive season overall for Morris, and he deserves to be mentioned prominently in this conversation. But Prielipp's finish left little doubt. There were a lot of ups and downs in Prielipp's rookie season. One of those downs came in August, where he posted a 7.76 ERA and the Twins went 0-5 in his starts. It looked like the oft-injured lefty might be understandably wearing down as ventured into unprecedented workload territory. Then, in September, he was brilliant, posting a 2.36 ERA with one homered allowed in 26 ⅔ frames. The Twins went 4-1 in those five starts. It was en electric finish to a rookie season that was better all-around than it might appear on the surface. More Than Meets the Eye Even with the strong September, Prielipp's surface numbers don't pop off the page: 4.87 ERA and 6-7 record in 125 innings pitched. But those numbers are weighed down by bad luck and a few clunker outings where he was arguably left in too long. Prielipp's 3.73 FIP and 3.95 xERA paint a brighter picture. His 2.0 fWAR ranked third among Twins pitchers, behind only Taj Bradley and Joe Ryan. Given the southpaw's health history, merely getting through the season healthy was going to be a win. Doing it almost entirely in the majors, while at minimum holding his own and finishing on a dominant note, makes him one of the best stories on this Twins team. He ended the year as a bona fide young building block in the rotation, leaving no doubt that he belongs in the big leagues. With a solid workload foundation in place, he'll enter 2027 as one of the organization's most valuable assets, and one of the biggest reasons to believe in its future. What are your thoughts on the 2026 Twins rookie class? Do you see more of a legit argument for Morris, or even Culpepper? Sound off in the comments. View the full article

For many Brewers, trips to Los Angeles, Anaheim or San Diego count as visiting home. American baseball players disproportionately come from California—especially Southern California. Robert Gasser belongs to a different subtype of California ballplayer, though. He's from El Dorado Hills, a small community on the south side of Folsom Lake, just east of the infamous Folsom State Prison. That's the place where Johnny Cash became a legend, going before a crowd (the inmates of the prison) that would have intimidated most performers and laying down his sound as if they were old friends. Sharp like a razor, steady like a train, Cash's music has been called. It was the perfect sound for an audience like that. Gasser has been both things of late for the Brewers, too, and although his start Wednesday night will come before an even larger (and more hostile) crowd, he comes as well-armed for the performance as Cash was. That's not because of his talent. Gasser does have good stuff, but it's never been elite. Even if it ever had been, it would have had to survive Tommy John surgery in 2024, so it might be diminished. Indeed, Gasser has had to prove his steadiness through a number of tough changes. He wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and started his collegiate career at the University of New Mexico, before transferring to the University of Houston. After the Padres drafted him in the second round in 2021, his stock rose quickly, but then he was part of the still-infamous (perhaps, with each passing day, less so) Josh Hader trade in July 2022. Thrust into a new organization that has different predilections than the Padres, Gasser adjusted well, but he never got the call to help the 2023 Brewers. The 2024 team needed him relatively immediately, and he might have played a big role for them—but instead, after just five (very encouraging) starts, he tore his ulnar collateral ligament. His last appearance in 2024 was on June 1. He made it back to the mound last season only at the tail end, in late September. Proving his stuff was still big league-caliber was important, though, because it sent him into the offseason with positivity and purpose. Gasser had a runway and a path to a big job for the 2026 Brewers, but he was unable to claim it in spring training. In fact, he didn't reach the majors again until mid-May, when he made what was essentially a spot start against the Twins in Minnesota. He was viable but wobbly in that start, and in his next against the Dodgers (uh-oh), and he dropped back out of the rotation for a spell thereafter. He's had to make several adjustments, going back to the offseason and since the campaign began. Firstly, he changed the grip on his sinker, one of the primary weapons in his arsenal, to a one-seam variation that has more heavy sink. Speaking just after that first start in Minneapolis, he said the idea was to achieve more separation from his four-seam fastball, and that seems to have worked. However, for a guy with a relatively heavy sinker, he gets very few ground balls. In fact, hitters lift the ball against him much more than against an average hurler. As the image above implies, they simply don't have to worry about anything that breaks downward. The sinker has more drop than one would expect, given its initial spin direction, but not so much (relative to his arm slot) that a hitter swings over the top of it or hits the top part of the ball very often. Nothing else in his arsenal even gives the appearance of downward movement, save his changeup—and that only does so when he plays it off his four-seamer, a pitch he's used less often as the year has progressed. Swinging above the center of the ball nets grounders, but it's also the surest way to get whiffs against bif-league batters. Gasser gets his misses above hitters' bats, but that means he also allows a lot of contact in the air. He's not especially good at inducing hitters to swing early or late, either. He needs, then, to avoid the center of the barrel, to keep the ball in the park and have success. To do that, in turn, he's had to create tougher angles for opposing hitters. Between the end of the 2025 season and the beginning of this one, Gasser slid from the third-base side of the rubber toward the center of it. Since the season began, he's slid more. Here are three snapshots of Gasser releasing sinkers, from (left to right) last September, this June, and this September. He hasn't increased the crossfire stride pattern in his delivery; that would compromise his explosive move down the mound. Gasser gets great extension (6.9 feet toward the plate before he lets go of the ball) despite being just 6 feet tall, and it's the way he flies off his back leg that allows that to happen. To create tougher angles for batters, therefore, he's changed where he starts. Now, he's achieving that effect hitters often talk about so uneasily, where a same-handed batter feels like the ball is coming straight at them, at first. Righties, meanwhile, think the ball will never come back to the plate, so Gasser's cutter has been more effective against them, because it does. After the All-Star break, Gasser made 12 starts. The Brewers won 10 of them. He maintained a 2.86 ERA and a 3.47 FIP over that span, and if you look at his last six starts (as he locked in what he's now doing so well), that ERA comes down to 1.67. He pitched 32 innings in those six appearances and gave up only two home runs. The Dodgers have seen the new-and-improved version of Gasser, too, although before he reached his final (for now) form. On August 14, they handed the Brewers one of those two losses in Gasser starts, thanks mostly to solo home runs by Andy Pages and Tommy Edman in the fifth and sixth innings. Those were the third at-bats for each player against Gasser, though—a privilege Pat Murphy could deny to each of them Wednesday night. Gasser still pitched well, overall, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing three runs, with one walk and seven strikeouts. If anything, that was a higher-function version of the Dodgers lineup than this one, and a less optimized version of Gasser than will step into the crucible of Dodger Stadium for Game 3. Failure is still a real possibility. Being sharp and steady is important, but when Cash played Folsom Prison, he didn't have to beat another band. The Dodgers are fighting for their lives, and Gasser will have to bring his best. Already, though, he's shown that boisterous SoCal crowds can't spook him; he held firm in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Padres. He's made it through upheavals and injuries, and he's remade himself on the fly. He enters this matchup looking like the right person to strike the truly fatal blow on the defending champions. He just needs his newly sharpened arsenal and a steady heartbeat. View the full article

With the 2026 season behind us, it’s time to review each player's performance. This is the third part of this series; find previous entries here: Outfielders & DH Infielders The Royals entered spring training in 2026 with eight pitchers who had major-league experience and were capable of starting in the rotation. By the end of the season, only three of those pitchers remained on the active roster, and they had to transition Daniel Lynch IV from the bullpen to the rotation (he will be covered in the bullpen edition). The Royals turned to 13 different pitchers to make starts in the 2026 season. Today, we'll focus on the nine pitchers who were primarily starters, ordered by innings pitched. The four other pitchers who started at least a game for the Royals will be covered in the bullpen edition. Michael Wacha: A Wacha threw for a career-high 200 2/3 innings in 2026, and he was one of only three pitchers to eclipse the 200 innings mark this season. He led all Royals starters with a 3.32 ERA and earned his second All-Star appearance, his first since 2015. In a season with so many injuries in the rotation in addition to a struggling bullpen, Wacha offered stability and consistency as the workhorse of the pitching staff. Noah Cameron: A- Cameron had an excellent follow-up to his rookie season, where he finished fourth in AL Rookie-of-the-Year voting. Cameron led all Royals pitchers with 2.8 fWAR and had a solid 4.11 ERA across 177 1/3 innings. Cameron was held back by a slow start to the season, but he was able to turn a corner in late July when he started to call his own pitches and changed his pitch mix. He did not finish the season as strong, surrendering at least four earned runs in three of his starts in September. Cameron has proven that he can be a key piece in the Royals rotation, but he needs to prove that he can maintain that consistency over a full season. Seth Lugo: C+ Lugo threw 172 1/3 innings, and his 5.17 ERA was the highest among all qualified pitchers in the majors this season. His ERA has jumped up at least one run in each of the past two seasons after finishing second in AL Cy Young voting in 2024. Lugo is in danger of trending in the wrong direction, but he still provides value by eating innings for the thin rotation. Randy Dobnak: B After triggering his upward mobility clause with the Seattle Mariners, Dobnak was traded to the Royals on June 17 for cash considerations. He started hot with the Royals, not allowing more than two runs in each of his first six appearances with the club, and his ERA stayed at 2.00 or below through his first 10 appearances. The wheels fell off in September, when he posted a 7.15 ERA across his five starts to close out the season. Dobnak also struggled to go deep into games, averaging just under five innings pitched per appearance. Had Dobnak not fallen off at the end of the season, the grade here would have been higher, but his ability to come in midseason and make starts for a rotation that lost multiple arms to season-ending injuries was extremely valuable. Luinder Avila: C- Avila had a rocky first start of the season that temporarily moved him back to bullpen duties. He saw a return to the rotation in June after multiple pitchers landed on the IL. He finished the season with a 5.53 ERA across 70 innings pitched. When you look at his splits, he had a 6.27 ERA in 51 2/3 innings as a starter and a 3.44 ERA in 18 1/3 innings as a reliever. His season ended early after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early August. Stephen Kolek: C Kolek started the season in Omaha after a successful short stint with the Royals in 2025. He returned to the major-league rotation in May to fill in for injured starters. He finished with a 4.50 ERA across 54 innings in 10 starts and unfortunately also ended his season with Tommy John surgery. Kolek showed his upside with a few different shutout performances, including a complete game shutout against the Mariners on May 23, but also showed the opposite with multiple outings allowing at least four runs. Kris Bubic: B- Bubic has had a career filled with injury woes, and 2026 was no exception. Bubic had a 4.11 ERA across 50 1/3 innings in nine starts with the Royals. However, unlike other Royals starters, his injury was not season-ending. Bubic was traded to the Dodgers before the trade deadline in exchange for pitching prospect Carlos Durán. Bubic gets bonus points for providing the Royals with trade value before reaching free agency, allowing the team to turn his limited season into a pitching prospect rather than losing him for nothing. Cole Ragans: D Ragans has not been able to stay healthy after his 2024 season, when he finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. In 2026, he managed to make eight starts with a 4.84 ERA across 35 1/3 innings. In early July, Ragans underwent surgery to repair his left UCL and faces another lengthy recovery. Bailey Falter: F Falter made two starts among his five appearances with the Royals in 2026. In his 9 2/3 innings, he had an ERA of 13.97. Falter was designated for assignment on May 27 and was packaged with Lane Thomas in a trade to the Braves. Before his DFA, Falter voiced his frustration with his lack of a defined role in the pitching staff and being asked to start on short notice. That, however, will not impact his grade since his performance on the mound speaks for itself. What do you think about my grades? Who would you grade differently? Share your thoughts in the comments, and make sure to catch the other Royals' grades. View the full article

The Blue Jays scored 648 runs in 2026. That was the lowest number in the majors this year, and the worst in franchise history (in a full season) since 1980. Of the 25 players who stepped to the plate for Toronto, only seven were above average offensively, according to FanGraphs. Only four reached double-digit home runs. The defense was much better, thanks largely to a phenomenal group of catchers. Still, the Jays' position players finished the season with a mediocre 19.1 fWAR, a huge step back from last year's 32.6. The pitching staff overcame countless injuries to produce postseason-calibre numbers, but the bats couldn't back them up. Of course, the blame doesn't fall on everyone. A handful of Blue Jays hitters still had seasons worth celebrating, and those are the names you'll find below. Read More Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Starter of the Year Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Reliever of the Year Honourable Mentions I came into this exercise planning to pick a top three and a couple of honourable mentions. After thinking back on the season and looking at the numbers, I decided there were only two players who deserved serious consideration to be Jays Centre's Hitter of the Year. All three players I was considering for the bronze medal position on this list felt more like honourable mentions, so that's how I left them. They're listed here in alphabetical order. Brett Bateman 2026 Stats: 41 G, 181 PA, 2 HR, 3 SB, .329/.402/.424, 138 wRC+, +4 FRV, 1.9 fWAR Brett Bateman was a stud for the Blue Jays post-deadline. He hit .329 with 28 runs scored and a 138 wRC+, flashing every tool except for power. His 1.9 fWAR didn't just lead Toronto from the day of his call-up onward – it placed him among the top 20 position players in the league. As terrific as Bateman was, the fact that a rookie who only played a quarter of a season was even in consideration for this list says as much about the Jays' disappointing year as it does about Bateman himself. The kid deserves plenty of praise, but I can't justify anything more than an honorable mention for a player who didn't debut until August 7. Andrés Giménez 2026 Stats: 148 G, 508 PA, 9 HR, 20 SB, .244/.291/.359, 81 wRC+, +16 FRV 2.8 fWAR We technically call this article "Hitter of the Year," but really, it's our award for position players. I needed to mention that here, because Andrés Giménez isn't on this list for what he did with the stick. Rather, he compensated for an 81 wRC+ (sixth-worst among qualified AL hitters) with good baserunning (20 SB) and superb defensive range (19 OAA). In his first full season at shortstop, Giménez ranked third at his position (and top 10 in MLB) with a +16 Fielding Run Value. That helped him finish with 2.8 fWAR, second-most on the Blue Jays. He might have earned that bronze medal I mentioned if it weren't for some other defensive metrics (like DRS and DRP) not being as high on his glovework at short. While FanGraphs will tell you he had about a three-win season, Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus put him closer to one-win territory. Nathan Lukes 2026 Stats: 125 G, 450 PA, 10 HR, 1 SB, .277/.327/.387, 102 wRC+, +8 FRV, 2.2 fWAR Nathan Lukes had a solid season. I wish he could have played more of a supporting role, but it's not his fault that he was one of Toronto's better all-around players. Lukes posted a wRC+ just above league average, thanks to his strong splits against righties (and his limited playing time against lefties). He also played strong defense in right field. His range was good, and his arm was dangerous, helping him keep runners honest and mow them down when they dared to test him. Lukes was one of only seven players with 10 or more outfield assists in 2026, and he ranked third in Statcast's arm value metric. Runner-Up: Alejandro Kirk 2026 Stats: 79 G, 313 PA, 10 HR, 1 SB, .278/.351/.415, 114 wRC+, +10 FRV, 2.8 fWAR If it weren't for the broken thumb that shelved him for two months, Alejandro Kirk might have earned the top spot. He essentially repeated his All-Star 2025 season, albeit in three-fifths of the games. Kirk's .767 OPS and 114 wRC+ were well above average for a catcher, while his glove was elite by every measure. Particularly impressive was Kirk's work in the second half. It seemed like his thumb injury was still bothering him in June and early July. After the All-Star break, however, he took off. His 138 wRC+ ranked third among qualified catchers in the second half, while his .851 OPS ranked fourth. Combine that with his strong defense, and he posted 2.5 fWAR post-deadline, second among catchers and 13th in all of MLB. Still just 27 years old, Kirk is one of the best catchers in baseball. The Blue Jays are very fortunate to have him under contract for less than $50 million over the next four years. Hitter of the Year: Kazuma Okamoto 2026 Stats: 156 G, 636 PA, 33 HR, 1 SB, .232/.310/.452, 113 wRC+, -2 FRV, 3.0 fWAR Kazuma Okamoto hit 33 home runs in 2026, more than twice as many as any of his teammates. He also led Toronto in runs, RBI, walks, and every version of position player WAR. The result of it all was the best season Blue Jays fans have seen from a rookie hitter since Eric Hinske. It wasn't all perfect. Okamoto may have set the Blue Jays' rookie home run record, but he also set the franchise record for strikeouts in a season. He missed on nearly one-third of his swings. Yet, he made up for the strikeouts with timely hitting and power to all fields. Sure, he had his ups and downs, but by and large, Okamoto was the one hitter Blue Jays fans could count on throughout the season. And that's why he's Jays Centre's 2026 Toronto Blue Jays Hitter of the Year. View the full article

The Quad Cities River Bandits were the Royals' most successful affiliate in 2026. The River Bandits went 70-57, good for second in the West Division. However, they beat the first-place South Bend Cubs in the playoffs and then defeated East Division champ Dayton Dragons in the championship to win the Midwest League title. While the River Bandits were an excellent team, they also featured the Royals organization's best prospects. Six of the Royals organization's top-10 prospects played in Quad Cities at some point in 2026. That showed Davenport, Iowa, was a hotbed for Royals fans who loved prospect watching, whether on MiLB.TV or in person at Modern Woodsmen Park. So, who stuck out on this championship team in 2026? Let's take a look at the hitter and pitcher of the year, the biggest riser, and the most intriguing prospect from Quad Cities last season. Hitter of the Year: Blake Mitchell, C Mitchell had a tough 2025 season in High-A Quad Cities. After breaking a hamate bone in Spring Training, he proceeded to hit only .207 with a .668 OPS in 216 plate appearances. The biggest disappointment, however, was his two home runs, which were 16 fewer than he hit in Columbia in 2024. While he still got on base often in 2025 (.372 OBP), his lack of power dampened his prospect outlook. Thankfully, the power came back considerably in 2026. In 511 plate appearances, Mitchell hit 23 home runs and posted an .873 OPS. While his batting average wasn't high (.234) and strikeouts remained a concern (34% K%), he proved to be a three-true-outcomes hitter in all the right ways with the River Bandits last season. In fact, his power came through in the postseason, as his home run against Dayton in Game Two clinched the Midwest League championship for Quad Cities. However, it's interesting that Andrew Fischer of the Brewers is seen as one of the better hitters in Minor League Baseball when his profile is just as flawed as Mitchell's, as shown below in his Statcast Percentiles summary via TJ Stats. Of course, Fischer did this in Double-A, while Mitchell posted these metrics in High-A. However, I think Mitchell can be a serviceable backup catcher in the Mike Zunino or Austin Hedges mold at the very least, despite his swing-and-miss-heavy profile. Despite the expectations and deflated stock going into 2026, Mitchell stepped up and became the River Bandits' most impactful hitter. Let's hope this performance carries over to Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2027. Pitcher of the Year: David Shields, LHP While the River Bandits had Justin Lamkin and Kendy Chourio in the rotation at different points this year, Shields was the most dependable and durable pitcher in 2026. In 25 starts and 116.2 IP, the 19-year-old lefty posted a 4.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 2.78 FIP. Shields was a strikeout machine in Quad Cities, posting a 29.7% K% and a 23.7% K-BB%. As a result, he earned Midwest League Pitcher of the Year honors, following his Carolina League Pitcher of the Year honors with Columbia in 2025. Shields has a complete profile as a starting pitcher. He ranked in the 75th percentile in CSW%, 82nd percentile in SwStr%, 95th percentile in O-Swing%, and 94th percentile in wOBA allowed. Despite pitching in the hitter-friendly Midwest League, Shields thrived and showed a profile that can certainly transition well to Northwest Arkansas next year. The Royals starting pitching staff took a step back in 2026 and looks questionable for 2027, with Cole Ragans, Luinder Avila, and Stephen Kolek all expected to miss significant time next year due to injury. Does that mean Shields will be in the Opening Day rotation? Probably not. However, could he make his MLB debut in the second half? That's possible, especially if he keeps putting up gaudy numbers in the Texas League. Biggest Riser: L.P. Langevin, RHP The Royals bullpen was an absolute mess in 2026. They ranked 29th in reliever ERA, 28th in BB/9, K/9, and H/9, and 30th in WHIP. Although Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz showed promise, neither claimed the closer role last season. As a result, President JJ Picollo said in his end-of-year press conference that improving the bullpen is a top priority this offseason. The Royals will be aggressive in acquiring bullpen help this offseason. However, they shouldn't overlook Langevin, who could help Kansas City at some point in 2027. Last year, the River Bandits reliever struck out 106 batters in 55.1 IP, good for a 44.9% K%. He also posted a 28.4% K-BB%, a 3.42 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP. Walks were certainly an issue for Langevin (16.5% BB%), as they were in 2025 (21.2% BB% between High-A and Rookie ball). However, he showed much better control down the stretch last year, especially in the postseason. In four postseason games (4.0 IP), he allowed no runs, no walks, and one hit, while striking out eight, including six in a row in two performances against Dayton in the Midwest League Championship. Because of his strong season, the Royals named Langevin the Dan Quisenberry Reliever of the Year. The award goes to the top relief pitcher in the Royals' farm system. Langevin's profile isn't complex. He leads with an elite fastball that sits regularly in the upper 90s and can touch 100 MPH. However, while his repertoire isn't diverse, his approach and mindset are tailor-made for high-leverage late-inning situations. He has definitely brought his "hockey" attitude from growing up in Quebec to the mound. That has helped not only him but the River Bandits. The stuff is there for Langevin to make his MLB debut in 2027. It will just be a matter of how his command and control fare in Double-A in 2027. If it keeps improving, he could be due for a second-half promotion to the big leagues. Most Intriguing Prospect: Austin Charles, SS/3B Charles had a stellar start in Quad Cities in 2026. From April 7th to May 19th, he was hitting .306 with an .868 OPS. However, ligament damage to his hip and stomach put him out for most of the year. Most people figured Charles would miss the rest of the season. Somehow, Charles returned to the field on August 18th and finished the season with a .283 average and a .839 OPS in 189 plate appearances. In the postseason, Charles hit .267 with an .800 OPS in 15 plate appearances. His best game came in Game 1 against South Bend in the West Division playoffs, when he had three base hits, including a home run, in the River Bandits' victory. Because of his shortened season, the Royals have Charles playing in the Arizona Fall League. His stats haven't been great: he's hitting only .100 with a .300 OPS in 20 plate appearances. However, he's launching the ball well and pulling it in the air, so he could break out once he gets his timing together. Because of the injuries and his unique size profile (6'5, 215 pounds), Charles is a tough prospect to project. That said, he has the athleticism and tools, and scouts rave about his competitiveness and makeup. He definitely was a major leader on the Quad Cities roster this year, despite missing so much time on the IL. That bodes well for Charles' outlook, even if the mechanics and consistency (especially on defense) need some work. However, the Royals can afford to be patient with Charles, especially since he's still just 22 years old. View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Tuesday's show was hosted by Ely Sussman and featured panelists Isaac Azout and Kevin Barral. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be on Tuesday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET. View the full article

From an offensive standpoint, the 2026 season can be described as one of impressive highs and incredible lows. Through the first two-and-a-half months of the season, the Boston Red Sox looked completely lost at the plate and struggled to score in big scenarios. Then, the end of June came and sent us through an incredible summer of winning baseball that was often accompanied by big swings and even bigger walk-off victories. Sadly, the season ended with a whimper as the Sox bats went cold in the month of September and they never earned a chance to play baseball in the month of October. That being said, there were more than a handful of players who either took massive steps forward at the plate or added a jolt of offensive firepower to the team after they were traded to Boston. While we’re still mourning the end of the season, it's worth celebrating the players who did everything they could to turn this team around. Talk Sox's Best Red Sox Hitters of the Season (2026) #4: Caleb Durbin Season Stats: .248/.332/.378, 13 HR, 64 RBI, 20 SB, 8.7 BB%, 13.5 K%, 100 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR Durbin didn’t have the start or end to the season that he, or the team, anticipated him having when he was acquired from the Brewers. He was the face of the streak over the summer, though, and that showed us just how impactful he can be when his bat is hot. He battled through multiple injuries to his pinky, didn’t blink when fans booed him early in the season, and then proved to be one of the better clutch hitters on the team until he ran out of gas. Once he adjusted his offensive approach—instead of selling out for pull-side power, he went back to hitting to all fields—we saw Durbin become someone that pitchers had to circle on the lineup card because he was going to find a way to get on base. He wasn’t afraid to take a hit by a pitch and he would take his walks when he could. His strikeout percentage was first among qualified hitters on the team and second to only Masataka Yoshida if we include non-qualified hitters. With a full offseason to work with the organization, expect Durbin to become a mainstay in the lineup as he continues to play Gold-Glove-caliber defense at the hot corner. #3: Wilyer Abreu Season Stats: .248/.327/.446, 24 HR, 76 RBI, 8 SB, 10.4 BB%, 20.7 K%, 112 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR It felt like 2026 was the make-or-break season for Abreu. He finally was taken out of a platoon in right field and was left to face left-handed pitching on a nightly basis. He responded to the challenge in a way that no one likely anticipated. Abreu became a terror against southpaws to the point that Lou Merloni and Dave O’Brien would loudly question why opposing managers would consistently go to a lefty reliever late in games against Abreu. More often than not, the slugging outfielder came through in those situations and reached base. He was a crucial part of the summer winning streak as well. The knock against Abreu throughout his career is that he’s a hitter who goes through extended slumps that are rough to watch, and we saw that this season. When he’s hot, he’s one of the best hitters in the game, but when he’s cold he presses far too often and ends up striking out or hitting rollovers to second. Those cold streaks likely can take the blame for his 20.7% strikeout rate, and for him to take the next step in his career, that number is going to have to continue to come down. He did seem far more selective at the plate, though, and his 10.4% walk rate proves he is still making forward strides. #2: Ceddanne Rafaela Season Stats: .283/.319/.442, 16 HR, 70 RBI, 17 SB, 3.8 BB%, 20.3 K%, 110 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR The ending to Rafaela’s season likely has left an awful taste in his mouth, but it can’t be argued that he was one of the most consistent hitters in the lineup day in and day out this season. He’s always had a problem with striking out and not walking and that continued this season, but his strikeout percentage came down from 2025 and that’s a huge takeaway from his offensive approach. He seemed to be far more comfortable at the plate and, in turn, was more selective in his approach so he was able to put the ball in play more often than in previous years. He had a knack for huge, clutch hits in 2025 that seemed to escape him this season, but he still was one of the driving forces of the offense no matter where he was hitting in the lineup. Going into 2027, Rafaela has likely earned the trust of Chad Tracy to be moved to the two-hole on a permanent basis, allowing him to be a featured hitter of the team for the remainder of his contract. Oh, and he's still one of the best defenders in baseball regardless of position. #1: Willson Contreras Season Stats: .275/.386/.516, 27 HR, 81 RBI, 3 SB, 11 BB%, 25.2 K%, 151 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR It shouldn’t be surprising to see Contreras at the number one spot here, even if he faded a little down the stretch. He was the offensive lifeblood of the team throughout the entire season, even when he was injured or suspended. We talked at length on the Talk Sox Podcast early in the season about how his amazing offensive production was being wasted on a team that was quickly going nowhere. Thankfully for all of us, the team got hot around him and Contreras was able to set career highs in both home runs and runs batted in in his first season in Boston. He’s polarizing to some of the fanbase because he’s not afraid to speak his mind about any topic he gets asked about in postgame pressers, but he’s a leader in the clubhouse and is in line to be a major contributor in 2027 as well. If Contreras continues to hit this well—and with his PullAir% going up in his first season playing in Fenway, all signs point to him feasting for a while—he’s going to be an important veteran on the team as they push get past their Wild Card demons next season. View the full article

The shortstop position for the New York Mets is very much set in stone for the next handful of years, with Francisco Lindor under contract through 2031. But that doesn't mean there won't be room for another middle infielder to make his way into the team's long-term plans. Enter Mitch Voit, who was selected 38th overall by the Mets in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Michigan. His first full season of professional baseball didn't necessarily jump off the page at first, but a late-season promotion to Double-A revealed a lot to be excited about. And after watching how he finished the year, I'm extremely high on Voit's outlook. Voit began the 2026 season with High-A Brooklyn, where he recorded a .242 batting average, .349 on-base percentage, and .745 OPS across 347 plate appearances. He also collected 23 extra-base hits and stole 36 bases, flashing the well-rounded profile that earned him first-round consideration in the first place. Yet those aren't exceptional numbers. There were some encouraging signs, particularly his ability to get on base and make an impact on the basepaths, but his overall production left something to be desired. The Mets, however, saw enough to promote him to Double-A Binghamton late in the season. And that's when things really started to click. Across 136 plate appearances over 29 games, Voit looked like a completely different hitter. He slashed .347/.430/.517, good for a .947 OPS, while recording 15 extra-base hits and nine stolen bases. The jump in production was significant, especially considering he was facing more advanced pitching at a higher level of the minors. Now, it would be easy to look at those numbers and chalk them up to a small sample size. After all, 29 games isn't enough to draw any definitive conclusions about a young hitter's long-term outlook. But I don't think that's the case here. One of the most difficult transitions for any prospect is the jump from High-A to Double-A. Pitchers at that level tend to have better stuff and more advanced command, making it a significant test for young hitters as they work their way toward the big leagues. Typically, you'd expect a prospect's strikeout rate to climb during that transition; Voit's did the opposite. After striking out in 20.2% of his plate appearances at High-A, he lowered that mark to just 17.6% at Double-A. Even better, he maintained a 10% walk rate while making more consistent hard contact. He wasn't just benefiting from a few balls finding holes or putting together a hot streak fueled by unsustainable results. He was making consistent contact, continuing to work counts, and hitting the ball with more authority against better competition. That's not to say a strong month at Double-A guarantees future success, but it's certainly a lot more encouraging than a sudden jump in batting average alone. When you look at the type of hitter Voit is becoming, there's reason to believe he can continue to produce as he climbs through the minors. He's probably never going to be a 30-homer threat, but Voit doesn't necessarily need that kind of power to become an effective everyday player. Instead, his offensive profile is built around making consistent contact and driving the ball into the gaps. Line drives accounted for 27.2% of his batted balls in 2026, already an encouraging mark for a young hitter still adjusting to professional pitching. At Double-A, that figure jumped north of 36%. That’s a big part of why Voit was able to hit nearly .350 over his 29-game stint with Binghamton. When a hitter routinely squares up the baseball and produces line drives, he's going to give himself plenty of opportunities to reach base and generate extra-base hits, even without elite raw power. Of course, maintaining a line-drive rate above 36% over a longer stretch is a different challenge entirely. Those numbers will likely fluctuate as Voit faces more advanced pitching and continues to develop. Still, the underlying approach is promising. Defensively, he has the tools to stick at short. He has the athleticism, and his background as a two-way player at Michigan during his freshman and sophomore seasons would certainly suggest he has the arm strength to stick at the position. The Mets clearly liked those traits enough to give him additional opportunities at shortstop, even though he appeared in just one game at short during his collegiate career. Lindor is going to be the Mets' shortstop for as long as he's around, though, so Voit isn't exactly going to have an easy path to that position in New York. Fortunately, he's also a very capable second baseman, and it's a position he's already familiar with from his college days. That gives the Mets some flexibility as they determine where he fits best defensively moving forward. Having the ability to handle both middle-infield positions is a valuable trait, especially for a prospect whose offensive profile could translate into a regular big-league role. In effect, Voit doesn't need to displace Lindor to have a future in New York. I'd imagine he’ll begin the 2027 season back at Double-A, where he'll have another opportunity to show that his late-season breakout was a sign of things to come. I wouldn't expect him to replicate the gaudy numbers he put up during his final month of the 2026 season over a full year. That's a difficult standard for any hitter to maintain, particularly as opposing pitchers get more familiar with his approach. But we've seen what he's capable of, and the encouraging underlying numbers give us reasons to believe there's more room for growth. Voit is still early in his professional career, and another full offseason of development could help him build on the adjustments he made throughout 2026. If he can carry that improved contact quality and plate discipline into next season, he could quickly establish himself as the most intriguing infield prospect in the Mets' system. View the full article

If you think Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy has been a little edgy this season, you are correct. And that edginess is needed at its most right now. With the Brewers feeling good after taking the first two games of the NL Championship Series at American Family Field against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Murphy and his staff are about to find out how much this approach has taken hold of his young players. "I respect the Dodgers a great deal. That's all there is to it," Murphy said after the 7-3 win in Game 2. "They're arguably one of the best teams ever put together. They're a great team. And I'm not going to think about anything but the next game. That's it. Just one inning, one pitch at a time. Don't look ahead. Don't plan. Don't complain, explain. Just keep going." But that is hard to do when your team is two wins away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 1982. Teams winning the first two games of any best-of-seven postseason series have gone on to win the series 79 of 95 tries (83.2%). Teams that are up 2-0 after winning both at home in the current 2-3-2 format have won 46 of 57 series (80.7%). Murphy is channeling his inner Han Solo: "Don't ever tell me the odds." He knows full well that if there is one team that can flip those odds, it is the Dodgers with their star-studded roster and back-to-back World Series rings. That feat has been done very recently. Just last year, the Toronto Blue Jays lost the first two of the AL Championship Series at home to the Seattle Mariners, then won the next two on the road, then both at home to advance to the World Series. That was the latest of the 16 comebacks from 2-0 deficits, six of which have happened in the LCS. Of the 16 instances, 12 were pulled off by the team that did not have home-field advantage. It also happened in 2023, when the Philadelphia Phillies were up 2-0 in the NLCS after outscoring the Arizona Diamondbacks 15-3. The D'backs won the next two, lost Game 5, then won the final two games on the road in Philadelphia to move on to the World Series. The Dodgers were down 2-0 to Atlanta in the 2020 NLCS, played at a neutral site due to the pandemic, and were also down 3-1 after dropping Game 4. Los Angeles, which had the best MLB record that season at 43-17, won the next three games at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, then won the World Series at the same venue. Before that, the last time a comeback like that happened was even more spectacular. That was the 2004 ALCS in which the Boston Red Sox lost the first three, then won the final four en route to winning the World Series, ending their historic 86-year drought. Murphy's challenge will be to keep the younger players in check. He has a few veterans to rely on, led by captain Christian Yelich, as well as injured right-hander Brandon Woodruff, outfielder Sal Frelick and former Dodger Dustin May, who was on that 2020 L.A. championship team. However, with the mentality that Murphy has instilled since the first day of spring training, it shouldn't be a tough task to keep the players focused on the task at hand. That is winning Game 3. Then winning Game 4. One game at a time. Until the Brewers actually get that fourth win and can celebrate actually going to the World Series for the first time in 44 years, Murphy will need to maintain the edge he has had all season. Benching rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt to teach him about running everything out. Removing rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat mid at-bat because he wasn't throwing strikes. That edge is as important as ever now. The Dodgers have the players who can flip the switch at a moment's notice. Mookie Betts single, Freddie Freeman double, Kyle Tucker homer. Bam. Three runs. The Brewers' pitching has handled that lineup well through two games. Only two Dodgers have more than one hit (Betts and Teoscar Hernandez have two). Remember, these Dodgers were down 3-2 to the Blue Jays in last year's World Series, then won two the final two in Toronto for their second straight World Series title. "The way I look at it, you're climbing a mountain, and you're getting really close to the top, and when you are, usually that path narrows a little bit, you know what I mean? It's not as wide," Murphy said Tuesday. "When you start the mountain, it seems like this wide. Then as you get closer and closer, most mountains are like that. "I think, as you get closer, you've just got to keep your footing, keep your head down, make sure you keep your footing, and you can't look too far ahead. When you look up for the prize, 'Oh, where's the top?' you might step in a crack or a pothole. You've got to keep your head down and go forward and don't — adversity is coming. You know all that kind of stuff could possibly come, whatever, just keep responding, keep your head down, and keep going." View the full article

Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are the Dodgers' near-immortal October heroes. After most teams start a series with hurlers like that, there's a major step down in quality to the back half of their rotation. In Los Angeles's case, though, that step is much smaller. Here's how the Brewers can attack the other two-time Cy Young Award winner in the Dodgers rotation, and one of the most physically intimidating pitchers in baseball. Projected Game 3 Starter: Blake Snell The Brewers got a first-hand look at just how good Snell can be in 2025. He capitalized on a change in his pitch mix, throwing a heavy dose of in-zone changeups that completely befuddled Milwaukee in one of the best starts of his career: eight innings, one hit, 10 strikeouts. But that isn't always the version of Snell that opponents see. Snell is willing to nibble around the edges of the zone, making swing decisions in the shadow zone particularly important for Milwaukee against another high-release, left-handed pitcher with a devastating fastball and changeup. The difference is that Snell is much more comfortable giving up a walk than Skubal, and somehow even harder to square up when hitters do swing. His start against the Braves showed both sides of that equation. Snell lasted just 3⅔ innings, walking five hitters and striking out five, but he allowed only one run. Three hits and five walks might suggest that Atlanta simply missed its opportunity, but there is a reason Snell can survive that kind of traffic. His fastball has elite ride, and when he works at the top of the zone, it's extremely difficult to get on top of. Add a wicked slider and curveball that blend beautifully with the fastball from his high release point, plus a quality changeup, and Snell's four-pitch mix is loaded with ways to beat a hitter. This is the type of contact quality Snell has allowed this season: Snell isn't overly concerned about the walks, because he trusts his ability to strand runners once they reach base. Especially in the tense environment of a playoff game, he can induce chase, generate swing-and-miss, and force weak contact when hitters finally do get the ball in the zone. Even when he does throw strikes, Snell is difficult to hit. Fresh off the injured list, his fastball has gained roughly an inch of both ride and run compared with 2025. As a result, the one pitch that hitters had previously been able to barrel with some consistency has taken a step forward. That makes this a waiting game for Milwaukee. Can the Brewers build enough pressure on Snell that he finally blinks before they do? Can they turn the walks and deep counts into hard contact when he eventually has to come into the zone? More importantly, can they force him to throw enough pitches that the Dodgers have to turn to their bullpen earlier than they'd like? Atlanta managed to run Snell's pitch count up and get him out of the game, and white-knuckled their way to a win from there. Milwaukee may need a similar approach. They're unlikely to drop the hammer on Snell, and they'll need some batted-ball fortune when their opportunities arrive, but if they can make him work, accept the walks and punish the mistakes, they have a path to turning Snell's greatest strength, his willingness to live on the edges, into a weakness. Braves batters swung at just 34 of the 90 pitches Snell threw in the NLDS. To match that patience in last year's NLCS Game 1, the Brewers would have had to swing 10 fewer times. The key to beating Snell is those 10 fewer swings. NLCS Game Four Starter: Tyler Glasnow Tyler Glasnow works from one of the highest release points in baseball, pairing a high-velocity fastball with breaking balls that feature sharp, late movement. Like Snell, he's comfortable working outside the strike zone and using his secondary pitches to induce chases. His two breaking balls can fall off the table, making them difficult to touch—let alone hit hard. Glasnow threw just 74 innings during the regular season, but posted a 0.95 WHIP and a 34% strikeout rate, a testament to how difficult he is to handle—particularly when he gets ahead in the count. There is, however, another dimension to the matchup. Glasnow can be vulnerable to the running game: opposing runners went 14-for-17 on stolen-base attempts against him in 2026, an 82% success rate. If the Brewers can get men on base, they may have opportunities to pile on pressure with their legs. The bigger question, of course, is how they get on in the first place. Once again, the fastball could be the key. Glasnow's breaking balls have enough depth and movement to make consistent contact a challenge, particularly when hitters are forced to protect against them outside the strike zone. The Brewers will need to recognise those pitches early and avoid expanding the zone. The encouraging sign is that, unlike Yamamoto, Glasnow has shown a more conventional relationship between count leverage and pitch selection: as he falls behind, the likelihood of seeing a fastball increases. Glasnow's outing against the Braves offered a glimpse of both his vulnerability and his ability to limit the damage. He struggled to locate his secondary pitches, walking five hitters, and threw his four-seam fastball in the strike zone roughly two-thirds of the time. The Braves managed just one run, however, illustrating how difficult it can be to capitalize on Glasnow's occasional command issues. Even when Glasnow loses his feel for the secondaries, his four-seamer remains a formidable weapon. Released from a high arm slot, the pitch can play above the barrel, but it also cuts just enough to slide along the barrel. That helps him limit hard contact and keep the ball in the park, even when hitters know a fastball is coming. The offering has some similarities to the one the Brewers recently faced from Nick Pivetta, against whom they timed the fastball well. That being said, recognizing the pitch and actually squaring it up are two very different things. The Brewers' best approach will be to make Glasnow work. Extending at-bats, laying off pitches outside the zone, and forcing him to find the strike zone with his secondary offerings could create opportunities to get runners aboard. From there, they can look to apply pressure on the bases and turn a difficult matchup into a more uncomfortable one. That fits their broader approach of building pressure and forcing mistakes, but Glasnow is unlikely to unravel simply because the Brewers make him work. Ultimately, the Brewers will need to combine disciplined at-bats with timely hitting. Glasnow has the stuff to overpower even a patient lineup, and he would be an ace in most postseason rotations. The opportunity is there, but exploiting it will require the Brewers to turn the few openings he gives them into meaningful damage. View the full article

To love Dansby Swanson as the starting shortstop for the Chicago Cubs is to accept him for what he is. Unfortunately for Swanson, the 2026 season actually made what he is a touch murkier while having the subsequent effect of sapping the love he might've generated from the team's fanbase nearly out of existence. Such is life when your slash line at the end of the season reads a mere .213/.297/.397. When your wRC+, at 93, sits at its worst mark since 2019. When your contact rates remain pretty similar and you can draw a walk, but you lose seven points on your hard-hit rate. Things that weren't necessarily overt concerns for Swanson in his first handful of seasons with the Cubs have definitely emerged as so, which makes what lies beyond the 2026 season quite difficult to project. Prior to this year, there were certain truths that one had to accept about Swanson. The first was that there's an inherent streakiness to his game. In 2025, he had months where his wRC+ sat up at 138 and 114 but also months where it was 76 & 81. It was true in 2024, as well, as Swanson went for wRC+ figures of 111, 120, and 140 across three separate months while also enduring months of a 39 and a 63 wRC+. It was a truth that we saw play out in an even more severe fashion in 2026. Swanson got off to a decent-enough start. He wRC+'d 118 in in the season's first month, combatting some awful batted ball luck (.224 BABIP) with the ability to draw a walk (16.4 BB%) and provide occasional power (.224 ISO). That's how one overcomes an early .214 batting average. Unfortunately, the following month saw him lose his ability to make quality contact while still wrapped up in his battle with the BABIP monster, leading to a walk rate that was cut in nearly in half (9.6 percent), an ISO that fell all the way down to .065, and an absolutely miserable 30 wRC+. The rest of the season, unfortunately, kept trending in that direction. The power was there in June even if the strikeouts went up and the walks continued to decline. Then, his ISO fell by over 100 points in July, along with a strikeout rate below five percent. In August, that wRC+ was back up to 125, with a walk rate near 14 percent and a .209 ISO before an oblique injury sent him to the shelf for much of the rest of the year. When he returned, any chance of regaining form was apparently lost as he limped toward the finish line (52 wRC+ in September). So, while Swanson's inherent streakiness was very much present in 2026, it also manifested differently. Some months, there was an approach. Others, there wasn't. Some months, he had power. Others, it was gone altogether. In general, we're accustomed to seeing Swanson succeed when he hunts fastballs to the point where he even overdoes it. The 2026 season, thus, lent itself to far more questions than answers regarding what lies ahead for the 32-year-old. The most discernible of the trends from Swanson's season are in his timing. There weren't too significant of changes in his mechanics, but timing certainly stifled his ability to make quality contact: The off-speed element here is particularly notable. Swanson was early and over off-speed pitches quite often, hence a 50.0 percent groundball rate on that pitch type for the season. He also managed a hard-hit rate of just 38.9 percent against that pitch type. That would be less of a problem if it didn't serve as the pitch type at which he swung at the highest rate in three out of the six months of the year. So, while some of the trends—like a higher overall walk rate, poor batted ball luck, or more isolated slugging—may try to tell us that Swanson is doing something differently, the issue really is the same as it's always been: He is swinging at the wrong pitches. And this isn't even from a zone standpoint, as many of his zone trends and plate discipline metrics are in-line with recent years. This is an inability to recognize pitches and opposing pitchers continuing to maximize their own results while Swanson endures shorter stretches of good play than he used to. Swanson is under contract for another three seasons at a pretty high price point ($28 million in 2027, which then decreases by $1 million in each of the two subsequent years). It's an immovable contract and one the team would likely be unwilling to eat. His bat, as he continues to rack up vacuous plate appearances, appears entirely unlikely to earn that pay. At least the defense is still elite. View the full article

The Minnesota Twins might not have a top-100-caliber pitching prospect in their farm system right now, but that doesn't mean they lack useful young arms. Despite winning the organization's Minor League Player of the Year award, right-hander Adrian Bohorquez is flying a little under the radar. Bohorquez currently sits outside the Twins' top 20 organizational prospects, but he put together a strong season in the minors that deserves more attention. Between High-A and Double-A (with a brief rehab stint in the Florida Complex League mixed in), he posted a 3.02 ERA in 59 2/3 innings. He also struck out 69 batters, good for an impressive 27.3% strikeout rate. His workload was limited as the result of an April forearm strain that cost him about a month and a half, but when he was healthy, he showed flashes of a pitcher who could eventually contribute at the major-league level. The raw stuff is legit. The 21-year-old features a mid- to upper-90s four-seam fastball with impressive life when thrown up in the zone, giving hitters much to think about before they even get to his secondary offerings. He also has two quality breaking balls with plenty of movement, giving him multiple ways to keep hitters off balance. That mix provides a strong foundation for success. Opposing hitters had a difficult time making consistent contact against him. An impressive 13.3% of the pitches he threw resulted in swinging strikes. That's a strong number for a 21-year-old who reached Double-A, especially considering he still has plenty of time to refine his arsenal. Bohorquez also did a nice job limiting damage when hitters managed to put the ball in play. He surrendered just three home runs, continuing a trend he's maintained throughout his professional career. His ability to keep the ball in the park is valuable no matter what role he might take on as he matriculates to the majors. Between his pitch shapes, swing-and-miss ability and knack for limiting hard contact, Bohorquez looks like a prospect with a solid floor. He has the ingredients to make life difficult for opposing hitters, and he doesn't need to overhaul his arsenal to become a legitimate pitching prospect. However, like most young pitchers, there are still a few areas where he needs to improve. The biggest one is control. Bohorquez finished the season with a 12.6% walk rate, which looks ugly on the surface. His control improved as the year went on, but his early-season struggles at High-A played a significant role in that overall number. He posted a 14.3% walk rate at the level, more than double his 6.1% mark from 2025. That's a significant jump, and something he'll need to address as he continues climbing through the minors. His stuff is good enough to get hitters to swing and miss, but falling behind in counts and handing out free passes will make it more difficult to take full advantage of those weapons. The good news is that his command showed signs of improvement as the season progressed, giving the Twins something to build on heading into the offseason. I'd also like to see Bohorquez get the ball on the ground a little more frequently. His 41.1% ground-ball rate was an improvement over his 33.3% mark a year ago, but there's still room for growth. As he faces more advanced hitters, limiting airborne contact will become increasingly important, particularly if his walk rate remains elevated. One way he could improve in that area is by developing a more reliable changeup. He does have a changeup in his arsenal, but there's a reason it wasn't mentioned alongside his four-seam fastball and breaking balls. The pitch hasn't consistently shown the velocity separation or movement profile needed to make it an effective weapon. Given the quality of his other offerings, a dependable changeup could be the piece that brings everything together—something slower than his four-seamer, which runs away from lefties and dives late, would give him another way to disrupt hitters' timing while generating more ground balls. It could also help him navigate lineups multiple times as he advances through the upper levels of the minors. As he progresses, mistakes in the strike zone will become more costly, and he'll have to work harder to maintain the home-run suppression that's been a strength throughout his professional career. A more complete arsenal would give him another tool to keep hitters from doing damage when they make contact. The Twins might not have an obvious ace-in-the-making among their pitching prospects, but Bohorquez is a name worth keeping an eye on. He's already laid the foundation for a plus arsenal, and if he can continue improving his control while developing a more consistent changeup, there's room for him to take another meaningful step forward. He might not be one of the organization's most highly touted prospects right now, but Bohorquez has the potential to change that. With a little more refinement, the Twins could have another young arm capable of making an impact in the big leagues. View the full article