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The Minnesota Twins entered the 2026 season hoping Royce Lewis could finally put together the kind of consistent campaign that his talent has always suggested was possible. Instead, the former No. 1 overall pick enters the offseason facing perhaps the biggest question of his career: Does he still fit into the organization's plans? There is plenty of history tying Lewis to the Twins. Minnesota selected him first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, and the organization has continued to invest opportunities in him despite injuries and inconsistent stretches at the plate. When Derek Shelton took over as manager last October, Lewis was the first player he visited for a one-on-one meeting. Now, the relationship has reached a crossroads. Lewis stayed healthier in 2026, spending only 10 days on the injured list, but his offensive performance remained a significant concern. He finished the season hitting .227/.287/.380 with 15 home runs, 24 doubles and an 86 OPS+. Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll acknowledged the progress in Lewis' availability but made it clear that the next step has to come at the plate. “His performance on the field, obviously, had ups and downs,” Zoll said in the organization’s end-of-season press conference. “For Royce that success just comes down to being more consistent over longer stretches. We’d love to find a way to figure that out and to have him become the impact player that he’s shown at various points along the way.” That leaves Minnesota with another major offseason decision. The Pros of Keeping Lewis The easiest argument for keeping Lewis is that the Twins have already seen what he can become. His 2023 season provided a glimpse of the player Minnesota envisioned when it selected him first overall. Lewis hit .309/.372/.548 with 15 home runs in only 58 games that season. He followed that up with a memorable postseason in which he hit four home runs in six playoff games. Those flashes haven't completely disappeared. The problem has been finding them consistently enough. Lewis also stayed relatively healthy in 2026 compared to previous seasons. He appeared in 125 games, easily surpassing his previous career high of 106 games. That matters for a player whose availability has been one of the biggest concerns throughout his career. There is also some potential defensive value in moving him around the diamond. Lewis has experience at third base, shortstop, second base and first base. Minnesota used him periodically at second base during the season, where he showed some positive defensive metrics in a relatively small sample. If the Twins believe the offensive player they saw in 2023 is still in there, keeping Lewis gives them another opportunity to find that version of him. There is also a financial element. Lewis remains under team control through 2028, although he is entering his third offseason of arbitration eligibility. MLB Trade Rumors estimates he'll make about $5.1 million in arbitration next year. The Twins don't have to make a long-term commitment to find out whether he can rebound. They can simply give him another opportunity. The Cons of Keeping Lewis The biggest problem is that the evidence is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Lewis' recent offensive production has been well below what the Twins need from a player who was once viewed as a foundational piece. Since the 2024 All-Star break, he has hit .226/.282/.376 with an 82 wRC+, which places him well below league average over a substantial sample. That creates a difficult roster-building question. If Lewis is going to remain in Minnesota, the Twins could move him into more of a platoon role at second base. That would allow the organization to pursue a better offensive player at first base, where the offensive expectations are considerably higher. That could be an important distinction. First base is one of the easiest positions on the diamond to upgrade offensively through free agency or a trade. If the Twins believe Lewis can provide adequate defense and enough offense at second, they can use their resources to find a legitimate run producer at first. But if Lewis can't hit enough to hold down second base, the entire plan becomes much more complicated. The Twins have already spent several seasons waiting for Lewis' bat to stabilize. At some point, the organization has to determine whether another opportunity is development or simply repetition. What Would the Timeline Look Like? The first major deadline comes in November. Lewis was arbitration eligible for the first time last winter and earned $2.85 million. Minnesota must decide whether to tender him a contract for 2027 by the league's tender deadline, which typically falls on the Friday before Thanksgiving. A non-tender would make Lewis a free agent. A trade could happen before that deadline, although the Twins don't have to rush into a decision. Minnesota can continue evaluating Lewis' market while also exploring other options at second base and first base. But if they do offer arbitration and can't find a trade partner, they're on the hook for roughly a $5M salary in 2027. If the Twins tender Lewis, they could negotiate a one-year arbitration contract or potentially explore a longer-term arrangement. The organization has used both approaches with arbitration-eligible players, although it has generally preferred to settle before arbitration hearings. The timing of a potential trade could be particularly interesting. Minnesota could attempt to move Lewis before the tender deadline, when another team would be acquiring a player with multiple years of control remaining. Or the Twins could keep him through the winter, determine how their roster comes together and make a decision later. The biggest question is what they believe Lewis' trade value looks like compared to his potential value in Minnesota. There isn't an easy answer with Lewis. The Twins have legitimate reasons to keep him. He's still relatively young, has multiple years of team control remaining and has demonstrated the ability to be an impact player at the major-league level. His improved availability in 2026 also removes one of the biggest concerns surrounding his future. But the offensive decline cannot be ignored. Minnesota needs to build a more productive offense, and Lewis has now produced below-average offensive numbers for a significant stretch. If the Twins keep him, they need a clear plan rather than simply hoping another season produces a different result. That could mean moving him to second base, giving him a defined role and using first base as an opportunity to add offense elsewhere. Or it could mean deciding that the best way forward for both sides is a trade and a change of scenery for Lewis. The Twins don't have to give up on Lewis this offseason. But they do have to decide what they believe he can become, where he fits, and how much longer they are willing to wait for that player to emerge. Will the Twins keep Lewis this winter? What could his role look like on the 2027 Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The Cubs' 2026 season officially concluded last week with a Wild Card Series loss to the San Diego Padres. Well before that, though, minor-league seasons had already ended, and depending on how much you paid attention, you may have missed quite the season for some of the top Cubs prospects. Chicago did part ways with their former Nos. 1 & 2 prospects (Moisés Ballesteros and Jefferson Rojas) during the season, creating a path for new prospects to step forward and make their mark atop the prospect rankings. Some of those prospects did just that. Let's dive into those seasons and crown our three Minor League Hitters of the Year in the Cubs' system. 3. Kane Kepley - 125 G, 444 AB, .243 AVG, 10 HR, 70 RBI, 70 SB, 120 BB, 127 R Kepley didn't have the best season in terms of average and power, the rest of what he did at the plate earns him a spot on this list. Kepley hit just .243 across two levels, but he posted a .422 on-base percentage, a higher number than his .401 slugging average. That .422 OBP was aided by his minor leagues-leading 120 walks, the fifth-most by any minor-league player since the 2005 season. Kepley made opposing pitchers pay for giving him a free pass, too, as he stole 70 bases. His efficiency in both areas is worth noting, too. In 595 plate appearances, he only struck out 89 times, despite working enough deep counts to rack up all those walks. He was caught stealing just six times en route to the 70 thefts. The combination of patience and speed earned him 127 runs scored, also the fifth-most in a minor-league season since 2005. Kepley still has a ways to go before reaching the major leagues but if he continues to get on base at over a .400 clip, his speed and patience may make for a quicker promotion that others who hit in the .240-.250 range. 2. Owen Ayers - 125 G, 447 AB, .289 AVG, 25 HR, 29 2B, 82 RBI, .929 OPS You could argue that Ayers was the top hitter in Chicago's farm system, as he had a nearly identical season to our No. 1 ranked hitter, Josiah Hartshorn. Ayers shot up through three levels this season, beginning the year with High-A South Bend and finishing with Triple-A Iowa. His best numbers came in his 69 games with Double-A Tennessee, where he slashed .304/.417/.591 with 16 home runs, 16 doubles, 48 RBIs and 42 walks. His production at Triple-A declined a bit, as he slashed .247/.365/.356 with three homers, 10 doubles and 20 RBIs. Ayers will start the 2027 at Triple-A, and with continued success both at the plate and behind the dish, there's a very good chance we'll see him on the major-league roster at some point during the season. 1. Josiah Hartshorn - 125 G, 450 AB, .284 AVG, 23 HR, 112 RBI, 91 BB, .925 OPS The new and undisputed top prospect in the Cubs organization is our top Minor League Hitter of the Year. Hartshorn, the 6th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, burst onto the scene in 2026 and made a major name for himself. Much like Ayers, Hartshorn made it through to three different levels during the season and put the baseball world on notice. The difference is, he did it all at age 19. Hartshorn's most action came with High-A South Bend, where he slashed .297/.405/.560 with 17 doubles, 18 home runs, 85 RBIs, 54 walks and 12 stolen bases. The 85 RBIs set a new South Bend Cubs record, and he was the only Cubs prospect to reach 100 RBIs overall, at any level. It was one of the best prospect seasons in recent memory for Chicago, and Hartshorn earned the right to be the No. 1 prospect in the organization. He'll have a legion of eyes on him entering the 2027 season, and with another outstanding season, he could be a dark horse candidate to be a September call-up. If nothing else, though, his stock is way up from when he was drafted. The Cubs have to celebrate (and capitalize upon) such occasions. View the full article

The 2026 season was a trying one for the Omaha Storm Chasers. They finished 65-81, which was enough to place them third-to-last in the International League West division. Omaha finished higher in the division than the Louisville Bats (Reds) and Iowa Cubs (Cubs). It was not surprising that the Storm Chasers finished so poorly. They lacked high-end prospect talent for most of the season, and relied heavily on former MLB veterans to carry the roster. On the hitting end, that included Abraham Toro, Josh Rojas, Brandon Drury, and Kevin Newman, all of whom have seen considerable time in the Majors. On the pitching end, Mitch Spence, Eli Morgan, Aaron Sanchez, Vince Velasquez, and Anthony Gose were veterans who carried the Storm Chasers' rotation and/or bullpen. However, some key standouts on the Storm Chasers this year could have an impact in 2027 and beyond. Here's a look at four "award winners" from Royals Keep who fans should pay attention to next season after solid campaigns in Triple-A. Hitter of the Year: Brett Squires, 1B/LF Squires won the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award, which goes to the top-hitting performer in the Minor Leagues, and also won the official Storm Chasers Hitter of the Year Award. So it's no surprise that Squires takes "Hitter of the Year" honors at Royals Keep, especially since no one matched him over a full season. In 369 at-bats with Omaha, the former Oklahoma product slashed .271/.339/.553 with an .892 OPS. He hit 25 home runs, scored 56 runs, drove in 74 runs, and stole 15 bases on 15 attempts. His Statcast numbers were also impressive: a barrel rate of 12.4%, a 90th EV of 106 MPH, and a pull air% of 17.2%. While Werner Park is hitter-friendly, Squires' batted-ball data shows he can translate his skills to the Major League level. Two questions remain with Squires this offseason: 1.) Will he be selected in the December Rule 5 MLB Draft? And 2.) Will the Royals add him to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from that Draft? Unfortunately, the answer isn't clear. First, the upcoming labor stoppage could cancel the MLB Winter Meetings and, in turn, the Rule 5 Draft. Second, Squires' natural position is first base, and the Royals are flush with options there next year, including Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, and Salvador Perez, who all spent considerable time there in 2026 (and are expected to again in 2027). The key to adding Squires could rest on whether he can play left field at the Major League level. In his end-of-year press conference, President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo said that they needed to upgrade in left and center field. Obviously, the latter is out, but could Squires slide into left field in 2027? He can't be a complete drain defensively, but if Squires can showcase that 20-25 HR potential in Arizona this spring, then it's possible he could be an internal option who could at least platoon in left field next season. Pitcher of the Year: Ben Sears, RHP The 26-year-old righty had a solid year in the Storm Chasers bullpen. A former 2022 14th-round pick out of Houston, Sears posted a 3.91 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 4.61 FIP in 69 IP. He's not a high-strikeout guy (19% K%), but he limited walks (9.5% BB%) and generated a ton of ground balls (50.7%). That made him a useful option for the Storm Chasers in the middle innings, especially with runners on base. Stuff-wise, Sears wasn't anything special, as evidenced by his overall TJ Stuff+ of 96. However, he had a seven-pitch mix, and his two primary pitches (sinker and sweeper) posted above-average whiff rates of 15.7% and 35.9%, respectively. That gives him a Seth Lugo-esque arsenal, and Sears also showed Lugo-esque athleticism on the mound this year. I am not sure if Sears will be a high-end or high-leverage reliever anytime soon. That said, his diverse arsenal and ability to generate groundballs make me wonder whether he could build a long-term career as a low-leverage middle reliever or a long reliever who could eventually transition to starting, especially if he can tweak his pitches to improve their quality. Given the Storm Chasers' pitching shortage this year, Sears helped keep Omaha competitive on the mound and shouldn't be overlooked. He's the kind of pitcher who may not make his debut until 28 or 29, but could surprise once he finally matriculates to the Majors. Most Intriguing Prospect: Gavin Cross, OF The ninth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Virginia Tech, Cross's minor league career has been polarizing. He's been a rollercoaster at each level in the Royals system since being drafted over four years ago, with a mix of lackluster play and injuries (including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) that have limited his ceiling and impact. Things didn't look good for Cross early this year, as he posted a .243 OPS in March and a .370 OPS in April. He improved to .695 in May, but that still didn't look great for a guy repeating at the Triple-A level. However, Cross came absolutely alive once the weather turned. After a decent .754 OPS in June, he posted a 1.057 OPS in July and 1.049 OPS in August. An injury in August limited him to just 11 games that month and 14 in September, and he cooled off in the last month of the season, posting only a .603 OPS. However, when healthy, Cross demonstrated that he could be an option in the corner outfield for Kansas City in 2027. For the season, Cross slashed .245/.305/.432 with a .737 OPS in 467 plate appearances. He also hit 17 home runs and stole 25 bases, leading the Storm Chasers in stolen bases this season. If he can cut down his strikeouts (31.5% K%), Cross could be at least a 15 HR-15 SB guy at the Major League level, which would help him stick as a platoon outfielder in 2027, at the very least. Biggest Riser: Beck Way, RHP Acquired from the Yankees in the 2022 trade involving Andrew Benintendi, Way finally limited walks and put it all together in 2026 in Omaha. That helped him make his MLB debut with the Royals and find a spot in the bullpen until a shoulder injury on July 24th shut him down for the remainder of the season. In his MLB rookie season, Way posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 23.1 IP. He struck out 20% of batters, posted a 10.5% K-BB%, and generated a 56.5% GB%. While not a high-leverage guy, Way produced good stuff and strong chase and whiff rates for a rookie, as shown below via TJ Stats. However, Way got to the Majors on his solid performance in Omaha this season. In 20 outings and 31 IP, he posted a 4.35 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. While those aren't great numbers on the surface, his FIP was better at 2.80, and he also generated a 32.6% K% and 25% K-BB%. He also posted a 64.6% GB%, a 104 TJ Stuff+, a 29.7% whiff rate, and an xwOBACON of .337. TJ Stats rated all those marks as above average. His 50.9% zone rate also rated above average, a nice development given that he struggled to throw strikes at various levels in the past. Way is expected to be ready to go by Spring Training, and he could (and should) be part of the Royals' bullpen in 2027, along with Nate Pearson and Steven Cruz. Like Pearson and Cruz, Way probably should be limited to middle relief. That said, he has the stuff and ability to induce ground balls to thrive in that role both next year and beyond. Pitchers like Way (cost-controlled), if healthy and successful, could help change the bullpen culture that's plagued the Royals in the past, especially in 2026. View the full article

Yesterday, I graded every position player who took at least one plate appearance for the Blue Jays this past season. Today, I'm moving on to the starting pitchers. Eight pitchers made at least one start and at least one relief appearance for the Jays this year. A few more made multi-inning relief appearances following an opener but technically never started a game themselves. For the sake of these report cards, I sorted most of the borderline names into the "reliever" category, with the exception of Spencer Arrighetti. He only started two games for the Jays, but he pitched more than two innings in six of his seven appearances. Below, you'll find all 11 members of Toronto's 2026 starting rotation listed in alphabetical order, with a few lines to explain their grades. Spencer Arrighetti: D The Jays knew Arrighetti was a project when they acquired him, but still, they were hoping to get some solid innings out of him. Instead, he gave up 20 runs in 22.2 frames of work. Shane Bieber: C+ When Bieber exercised his $16 million player option for 2026, many of us celebrated. In hindsight, we should have realized he had some pretty legitimate concerns about his health. There were times when the former Cy Young winner looked like his old self, but his peripherals were concerning, and he only gave the Jays 55.2 innings between stints on the IL. Dylan Cease: A+ Cease led the AL in strikeout rate, home runs per nine, and FIP. He started the All-Star Game in the summer, and he will likely finish as the Cy Young runner-up when awards are announced in the fall. Despite going on the injured list for the first (and second) times in his career, he still qualified for the ERA title for a sixth year in a row. This was an easy A+. Patrick Corbin: C Corbin was a lifesaver for the Jays in April and May. The team was desperate for arms, and he pitched to a 3.65 ERA over his first 10 starts. Of course, regression was inevitable, and the veteran gave up 30 runs over his next 30.2 innings before he suffered a season-ending injury in July. Kevin Gausman: B+ Gausman had some uncharacteristic blow-up outings, but overall, his 4.38 ERA with the Jays was perfectly solid, and his underlying numbers were as strong as usual. Even though he was traded at the deadline, he still finished the year ranked second on the team in innings and strikeouts. Eric Lauer: D Lauer's follow-up to his heroic 2025 campaign in Toronto couldn't have gone worse. After he pitched to a 6.03 ERA in seven games, the Blue Jays designated him for assignment in May. To add insult to injury, he was a solid inning eater for the Dodgers over the rest of the season. Cody Ponce: B- Grading Ponce was easier than I thought. Anything lower than a B- felt unfair. Anything higher than a B- felt unearned. B- it is. Max Scherzer: B- Scherzer and Corbin posted nearly identical numbers, and my expectations for Scherzer coming into the year were higher. So why does he get a higher grade? You know why. Scherzer delivered one of the best performances of the season in Game 162. Whether he retires this offseason or not, that was a game I'll remember for a long time. José Soriano: C+ Even at his best, Soriano never looked spectacular for Toronto. At his worst, he really struggled. I'm still optimistic about Soriano heading into 2027, but his 2026 ended on a rough note that dropped him from the B range to the C range. Jameson Taillon: B- The Blue Jays didn't get much out of Taillon between his two trips to the IL, but he only gave up four runs in 10 innings, and Toronto won all three games he pitched. Trey Yesavage: A- I was hoping for more from Yesavage this year, but it wouldn't be fair to grade his first full season on the standard he set last fall. Twenty starts, 97 strikeouts, and a 3.69 ERA from a 22-year-old rookie deserves an excellent grade. What do you think about my grades? Who would you grade differently? Share your thoughts in the comments, and check back soon to read about the Blue Jays' relievers. View the full article

The question posed to Pat Murphy before the Brewers' workout on Friday afternoon: to win playoff games, do you have to play in a way that forces the other team away from its strengths, or is excelling at what you do best good enough? "That's the age-old question, right?" Murphy replied. "You got to do what you do well, and you got to understand what the other team can do well and how they're going to attack you, knowing how you play and what you do well. So it's that cat-and-mouse all the time, and you can only try to put yourself in the right positions." The Brewers took a valiant crack at it in Game 1 of the NLDS, making excellent swing decisions against a Padres bullpen known for making hitters chase outside the strike zone. It ultimately took home runs from Jackson Chourio and William Contreras to score just enough in a tense series opener. For most of Game 2, the Padres forced the Brewers away from their strengths and made them look like an entirely different team. Michael King's sequencing was masterful, and his changeup and breaking balls flummoxed a usually disciplined lineup. The Brewers chased 34% of King's pitches outside the zone and took too many fastballs for strikes. Meanwhile, the Padres did what the Brewers usually do, forcing a starter to work for each out for a second straight game. They chased just 18% of the time against Logan Henderson, who settled in after a shaky first two innings to toss five competitive innings in his postseason debut. They also put more balls in play than Milwaukee, who committed three errors and botched a bunt coverage to allow two unearned runs. The Padres looked more like the Brewers than the Brewers—a fundamentally sound team having one of their sloppiest games of the year at the wrong time. "We didn't play special," Murphy said. "When do you see us make four defensive miscues in a game in the infield?" "We feel like we probably didn't play our best, cleanest game," Christian Yelich said. "It happens, though, and you just got to flush it." That ties back to Murphy's answer on Friday. There's value in trying to combat the other team's strengths, but he came back to the same message he preaches daily in the clubhouse: control what you can control, respond to what the game gives you in the moment, and worry about nothing else. "It comes down to being ready pitch-to-pitch and winning more pitches than not. And there's some parts of the game you can't control," Murphy said. "You can't control some parts of the game. And the ones you can control, you try to control, and you stay after it. Don't give up." The Brewers took it pitch by pitch in the late innings. When the Padres unleashed flamethrowing closer Mason Miller in the eighth inning for a six-out save, they knew the assignment. "Just grind, man," Yelich said. "Just find a way to get on [base] there." "Guys like that don't give up multiple hits in innings very often," Sal Frelick said. "He was tasked with six outs today, so we wanted to kind of put the pressure on him." Miller didn't give them opportunities to do that in the eighth, breezing through the heart of the order while throwing six of 12 pitches in the zone. In the ninth, those strikes turned into near misses, and the Brewers refused to bite. With one out, Yelich laid off multiple back-door sliders and drew a five-pitch walk. Frelick never swung as Miller danced around the edges of the zone for another walk. Then Murphy went to the bench, hitting veterans Andrew Vaughn and Gary Sánchez for Cooper Pratt and David Hamilton. Vaughn flied out, but like Frelick, Sánchez didn't swing, working back from a 2-2 count for a third walk. "Honestly, it started with Gary," Frelick said. "When you see a guy like that do that and then pass the bat to Jackson, you kind of start to feel that momentum." Having watched the inning unfold, Chourio stepped into a bases-loaded situation with a game plan: make Miller throw him a fastball for a strike, and be ready when he got it. "Watching those at-bats, I knew he was a little bit erratic," Chourio said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert. "I knew he was going to come at me with the fastball at some point, so mentally I was just making sure that I was prepared for that." He got it on the first pitch and swung through it. He whiffed on another fastball right down the middle to fall into a 1-2 count. After fighting off a painted heater on the outside corner and laying off a low slider ("An unbelievable take," Yelich said), Chourio timed the next fastball perfectly, drilling a 110-MPH liner up the middle to walk it off. "I think it's probably in the top three of the special moments I've had in my career," Chourio said. "He loves those moments, and he knows how talented he is and what he can do on a baseball field," Yelich said. "He can do anything." Chourio delivered the final punch, but Murphy emphasized that Frelick was the engine of the comeback, from his six-pitch walk to his tight rounding of third base to score the winning run on a hard line drive. "That ball's smashed that Chourio hit," Murphy said, "and cutting that turn the way he did makes a difference in the game." "This is the stuff we take pride in," Frelick said. "This is the stuff that we practice every day in spring training, is cutting the corner at third base and not getting too wide and how much time you lose. It's that attention to detail that is instilled in our culture." To win the series, the Brewers were going to have to get to the Padres' bullpen at least once. They waited out Miller in one of their most disciplined innings of the season. It was an impressive response from a team that has struggled to recover from tough moments in past playoff games, a sign that this year's group is different from the others that fell short in October. Now, Milwaukee heads to San Diego in the driver's seat, one win away from a second straight trip to the NLCS. "They have a belief," Murphy said. "That's what it is. They have a belief." View the full article

In the chart above, I've laid out what I view as the baseline roster for the Twins in 2027. That is not to say it's the roster I expect to see, but it's the mold they are working from. It includes all of their arbitration eligible players, with the exception of Trevor Larnach, who I just can't see coming back. Other players might be varying levels of unlikely, as we'll cover below, but they all have a case at least. In looking this over, a few things stand out. Let's unpack. Payroll Will Rise Naturally Even without any external acquisitions, payroll is set to increase as a byproduct of arbitration raises (as estimated by MLB Trade Rumors), with a starting point around $115 million. That includes the $11 million the Twins are paying Houston for Carlos Correa, but also the $3.75 million they got back from Toronto to help cover Jeff Hoffman's salary. It's why Tom Pohlad's proclamation that payroll will rise next year is hardly some bold assertion. It's kinda hard not to go up from their 2026 Opening Day figure of $105 million. The bigger question is how much of an increase we're talking about. I'm setting the over/under at $130 million. Too Much Starting Pitching I know, I know, there's no such thing. We learned that the hard way this year. But the concept of Connor Prielipp being crowded out of the rotation to start the season seems outrageous. If healthy, Mick Abel should be there too. And I've currently got Zebby Matthews pegged for the bullpen (where I think he actually has a lot of upside). Part of me thinks the Twins could non-tender Bailey Ober, but he proved reasonably effective even with the reduced velocity. It's kind of hard to let a dependable back-end arm — second only to Joe Ryan in innings pitched for Minnesota over the past four years — get away for no return over $7 million. Either way, you can see why Jeremy Zoll has expressed openness to dealing from the team's starting pitching depth, and it's why I predict Ryan will be moved. The Lineup Is Mostly Set Looking at the projected starting nine, it seems all but certain that eight of the nine players will be slated for the starting lineup, with the possible exception of Emmanuel Rodriguez if he opens in a reserve role. (He has to be on the active roster due to being out of options.) The glaring exception is first base. Royce Lewis' future with the franchise is in flux, and this position looks like easily the most obvious place to aim for an impact upgrade. We'll be taking a closer look at some of the potential targets in the days to come. A Solid Base to Work With in the Bullpen One of the most critical tasks for the Twins in this transitional season was to establish some stability in the bullpen, which was largely devoid of quality talent entering 2026. To their credit, they made some real progress. Hoffman gives them a legit centerpiece to build around, with Yoendrys Gómez and Andrew Morris emerging as solid complementary pieces. I'll be curious to see how many of their three arbitration-eligible vets are retained between Anthony Banda, Cole Sands and Tommy Nance. All are reasonable values at their projected salaries, but none offer a ton of upside. With maybe one more high-profile addition, you can really see the makings of a quality relief corps, especially if someone like Matthews or Kendry Rojas converts full-time. What are you biggest takeaways as you look over the projected 2027 roster as it currently stands? What are the most sensible places to invest? Where would you be aiming to shake things up? Share your thoughts in the comments. View the full article

The Miami Marlins have their catcher of the future in Joe Mack. There is no question about that. Mack immediately produced as a rookie in 2026, especially defensively. He led Major League Baseball with 26 runners caught stealing, even though he was not called up until May 4. Per Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 84th percentile of framing and provided above-average blocking. Mack's .234/.282/.403/.685 slash line almost exactly matched the MLB average for catchers. Overall, he had 2.2 fWAR, the highest single-season mark for a Marlins catcher since the team traded J.T. Realmuto. However, every roster needs a backup catcher to protect against overuse. Who will catch for the Marlins when Mack rests? Liam Hicks made his last appearance as Marlins catcher on August 1. Over the final 50 games of the season, Mack started 32 times, Brian Navarreto started 12 times and Agustín Ramírez started six times. Expect a change to that group moving forward. Navarreto simply does not hit enough to hold onto an active roster spot (19 wRC+), while Ramírez struggles too much behind the plate to play the position unless it's an emergency situation. The only other candidate on Miami's 40-man roster is Logan Driscoll. Turning 29 next month, Driscoll has 15 games of MLB experience from the 2024 season. The Marlins acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in August for cash considerations, briefly calling him up late in the year, but not using him during that stint. For what it's worth, he was on a hot streak with Triple-A Jacksonville after joining the organization (1.000 OPS in 14 games). Even if Mack is healthy throughout his sophomore season, the Marlins must have a plan for somebody else to catch 1-2 times per week. A right-handed backup would be ideal considering Mack's poor performance versus lefties so far (.190/.238/.259/.497 in 67 PA). Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly would be the best fit in free agency. In 2026, he slashed .258/.336/.376/.713 with 10 home runs, 58 RBI and a 103 wRC+. Kelly has a $7.5M mutual option for next season, which he is expected to decline in order to pursue a multi-year deal. Last season, Kelly posted an .871 OPS against left-handed pitching and he's been over an .800 OPS against them in four straight seasons. That's great news for the Marlins, who could use Kelly often in pinch-hitting situations when he isn't in the lineup. Behind the plate, his biggest strength is blocking (89th percentile of blocks above average). Kelly also played some first base last season, but that was only a 10-inning sample. If Kelly sees himself as being overqualified for a part-time job, the Marlins may have to focus on veterans who are more comfortable with limited playing time. In 2026, Elias Díaz was with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. He slashed .234/.266/.404/.670 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and an 83 wRC+ in 87 games played. The 35-year-old posted his lowest on-base percentage since his rookie season. Behind the plate, runners rarely attempted to steal against Díaz and he threw out 36.4% of those who did. He ranked in the 68th percentile of blocks above average, 66th percentile in caught stealing above average, 49th percentile in framing and 80th percentile in pop time. After settling for a minor league deal last offseason, Díaz will probably get a small guarantee this time around in the $1M-3M range. Jonah Heim contributed to a World Series-winning team not too long ago, but should come even cheaper than Díaz. After originally signing with the Atlanta Braves, he mainly played for the Athletics in 2026. Between those two organizations, Heim slashed .204/.262/.366/.627 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and a 66 wRC+. The switch-hitter had almost all of his success against left-handed pitching (.855 OPS). An All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, Heim's framing and throwing accuracy have trended in the wrong direction lately. The challenge for Peter Bendix in recruiting any of these free agents will be getting them to buy into his team's system of relaying pitch calls from the dugout. Bendix's stance is taking that responsibility off the catcher's mind allows them to focus more on other aspects of the game. We shall see if veterans who have spent years mastering how to call a game are willing to give that up. View the full article

Over the course of the 2026-27 offseason, we will once again see players from the Miami Marlins organization travel the world and continue to get game reps, furthering their development and/or compensating for time they missed over the summer. In addition to the Arizona Fall League, expect them to latch on with teams in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Australia. Any fall/winter ball participants who are employed by the Marlins organization will be included below. Players who depart the organization over the course of the offseason via free agency, trade or waivers will be removed. Player names are linked to their Baseball-Reference pages. Hitters are listed at the positions they played in fall/winter ball, even if they've been used differently by the Marlins organization. Click to see their full fall/winter ball history. RHP Samuel Carpio (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Low-A INF Carter Johnson (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at High-A Made AFL debut on October 3 OF Dillon Lewis (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Double-A Made AFL debut on October 3 LHP Brayan Mendoza (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at High-A Made AFL debut on October 3 LHP Emmett Olson (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Double-A RHP Tristan Stevens (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Double-A RHP Alex Williams (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Double-A Scheduled to make AFL debut on October 6 OF Max Williams (Arizona Fall League, Glendale Desert Dogs) Finished 2026 minor league season at Double-A Made AFL debut on October 4 The following Marlins players participated in winter ball during the 2025-26 offseason and may do so again: INF Maximo Acosta (Venezuelan Winter League, Tiburones De La Guaira) 1B/OF Chris Arroyo (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Previously announced this summer that he'd be playing if fully recovered from meniscus surgery 1B Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Winter League, Gigantes del Cibao) INF Cristian Hernández (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) C Brian Navarreto (Puerto Rican Winter League, Cangrejeros de Santurce) OF Esteury Ruiz (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) INF Jared Serna (Mexican Pacific Winter League, Charros de Jalisco) Miscellaneous notes UTIL Jesús Hernández has been participating in preseason activities with Venezuela's Águilas del Zulia. Hernández has made only one career regular season appearance for Zulia, way back in 2022-23. View the full article

Congratulations on being part of another Mets season, however you might have participated. While a lot went wrong — almost all the winter's MLB trades and free-agent acquisitions have been a sour harvest to date, leaving the team at the back end of the standings — not a little went right. A scantly precedented class of four rookies, have shown themselves to be top-of-the-roster contributors, along with a rookie from two years prior making an unexpectedly robust return from UCL surgery. If you like, you can throw Nate Lavender in the pile of assets that all matured at once, as ephemeral as relief help can be, and as hard to project as 21 2/3 innings can be. Either way, it's a crop, leaving all something to look forward to, after a season that wasn't much to look back on. For the season immediately coming, the good news is the bad news, and the bad is the good — both being that no MLB contracts are expiring. The guys you want to see are expected to be back, and so are the guys you don't want to see — with the key caveat that we have yet to hear from Bo Bichette on his opt-out. So, yeah, apart from buying insurance in the form of a thousand minor-league contracts, David Stearns has the option of totally standing pat. He can trust his plan, count on young players to continue to mature and progress, and hope for better luck on the injury front. We don't know how much taste he has for masochism, though, and moving things around — even to negative effect, as last winter, at least has the virtue of buying you some time. So expect some changes, to the below. Starting Pitching: What's below certainly appears to be something that can be a solid-or-better rotation, but over-reliance on youth can create volatility. Look for at least one name-brand starter to be added and Jonah Tong to be demoted back to part of Plan B. And you always break the seal on Plan B. Relief Pitching: What's below represents the eight guys in the best position professionally on October 5, but a lot of deck-shuffling will take place before opening day. The second half of the season certainly suggested that a bullpen you have developed and cobbled together can equal the bullpen of MLB veterans assembled on veteran contracts, but the Mets will still throw at least some resources after the latter. If nothing else, it gives you beaucoups assets to deal at the deadline, and allows the former to be your backup plan. Several names not appearing below — Daniel Duarte, Jonathan Pintaro, Nathan Lavender, Dedniel Núñez — gave solid late-season performances. They currently sit behind guys with longer track records and fewer options, but they should re-emerge as the Mets make wintertime decisions on some of the more seasoned guys. (Robert Stock is not a good candidate to last the winter on the roster, but hey, there he is.) Catching: It's an impressive unit, and the Mets will most likely field it in 2026. It would be trading low to move an underperforming All-Star talent like Francisco Alvarez, but there's always a deal if you look hard enough. Infielders: A whole lot of volatility here. The firstbaseman missed most of the season. His replacement is recovering from a serious concussion. The secondbaseman took a step backwards (from an already precipitous decline) on offense and defense. The shortstop is a fixture and a future Hall-of-Famer but saw his focus fall and his batting average drop to .225 following an extended injury. The thirdbaseman underperformed and still might opt for free agency. Oddly, two of the most reliable parts of the picture are Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, who have both demonstrated, even in failing to establish themselves, that they are pretty reliable platoon parts. One can envision a season opening with Vientos sharing first base with Jared Young, while Baty alternates with Jorge Polanco, playing left field and bumping Juan Soto to DH against a righties. One can envision that. One quite possibly isn't rooting for that. Outfielders: Pretty set in stone, no? Seven infielders and four outfielders is suboptimal, but Jared Young is experienced out there also. Also, three guys on the bubble — Ronny Mauricio, Christopher Morel, and Christian Pache — have run out of options, but that likely only particularly concerns the Mets in the first case. It's a team. What you see below is definitely a team. Probably not the team you're gonna see on March 25 when the season opens in Miami on March 25(!!). Watch this space as the picture evolves! Your Projected 2027 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Sean Manaea Nolan McLean Christian Scott Zach Thornton Jonah Tong R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 L/L DoB: 2002-01-17 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 Relief Pitchers Chayce McDermott Tobias Myers Cionel Pérez Kodai Senga Robert Stock Austin Warren Devin Williams L/R DoB: 1998-08-22 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 R/L DoB: 1996-04-21 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 L/R DoB: 1989-11-21 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Jefry Yan Francisco Alvarez Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio Jorge Polanco L/L DoB: 1996-08-17 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Jared Young Brett Baty Carson Benge A.J. Ewing Juan Soto R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 L/R DoB: 2004-08-10 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Tylor Megill Philip Abner Daniel Duarte Reed Garrett Justin Hagenman Nathan Lavender Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/L DoB: 2002-05-04 R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 L/L DoB: 2000-01-20 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Jack Weisen- berger Cameron Weston Hayden Senger Christian Cairo Christopher Morel Eric Wagaman Nick Morabito Cristian Pache R/R DoB: 1997-10-08 R/R DoB: 2000-08-27 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 R/R DoB: 2001-06-11 R/R DoB: 1999-06-24 R/R DoB: 1997-08-14 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 R/R DoB: 2020-08-21 Your Projected Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coord. Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitch. Coach Andy Green Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1977-07-07 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Pract. Pitcher Equip. Manager Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Recond. Coordinator Recond. Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB:1972-07-17 DoB:1978-??-?? DoB:Circa 1980 DoB:1988-06-23 DoB:1996-??-?? DoB:1987-??-?? DoB:1991-??-?? DoB:????-??-?? DoB:1962-07-19 2026-2027 MLB Free Agents Manager Relief Pitchers Carlos Mendoza Joey Gerber S/R DoB: 1979-11-27 R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 2026-2027 Minor-League Free Agents Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Eris Albino Dalton Mall Matteo Morelli Christopher Rochin Omar Victorino Luis Alvarez Adbert Alzolay Jesüs Anton Brett Banks Mike Baumann R/R DoB: 2004-02-24 R/R DoB: 1999-08-27 R/R DoB: 2006-02-27 R/R DoB: 2006-09-18 R/R DoB: 2005-06-09 R/R DoB: 2003-05-05 R/R DoB: 2995-03-01 R/R DoB: 2006-02-17 L/R DoB: 2001-10-03 R/R DoB: 1995-09-10 Relief Pitchers Tyler Burch Nick Burdi Yoralbert Cadíz Alex Carrillo Joe Charles Jamdrick Cornelia Colton Cosper Anthony Crespo Chris Devenski Franyel Diaz R/R DoB: 1997-09-02 R/R DoB: 1993-01-19 R/R DoB: 2004-10-24 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 2000-04-05 L/L DoB: 2005-11-17 L/L DoB: 2002-09-08 R/R DoB: 2004-05-04 R/R DoB: 1990-11-13 R/R DoB: 2004-12-18 Relief Pitchers Luis Garcia Kevin Herget Jordan Geber Wilson Lopez Robinson Martinez Yoelvis Martinez Trey McGough Pablo Medina Jahzeel Montas Layonel Ovalles R/R DoB: 1987-01-30 L/R DoB: 1991-04-03 R/R DoB: 1999-07-31 R/R DoB: 2002-07-15 R/R DoB: 1998-03-20 R/R DoB: 2006-06-21 L/L DoB: 1998-03-29 L/L DoB: 2006-10-12 R/R DoB: 2005-01-06 R/R DoB: 2003-06-16 Relief Pitchers Catchers Rayner Reyes Anthony Reynoso Jun-Seok Shim Jermayne Verdu Deivy Victora Brandon Waddell José Aular Austin Barnes Julian Hernandez Daniel Silva R/R DoB: 2005-10-20 L/L DoB: 39102 R/R DoB: 2004-04-09 ?/R DoB: 2006-07-27 R/R DoB: 2005-08-14 L/L DoB: 1994-06-03 R/R DoB: 2004-01-02 R/R DoB: 1989-12-28 R/R DoB: 2005-09-24 S/R DoB: 2005-01-12 Infielders Christian Arroyo TT Bowens Jackson Cluff Taylor Darden Jefrey De Los Santos Alexander Eneas Cole Fowler Yonny Hernandez Grae Kessinger Leandy Mella R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 R/R DoB: 1998-05-27 L/R DoB: 1996-12-03 R/R DoB: 2000-01-16 R/R DoB: 2003-05-30 R/R DoB: 2007-09-12 L/R DoB: 2002-12-10 S/R DoB: 1998-05-04 R/R DoB: 1997-08-25 L/R DoB: 2007-02-24 Infielders Diego Mosquera Sam Robertson José Rojas Nick Roselli Dangelo Sarmiento JT Schwartz Zack Short Kevin Villavin- cencio Trace Willhoite Wyatt Young L/R DoB: 2005-05-14 R/R DoB: 2004-07-17 L/R DoB: 1993-02-24 L/R DoB: 2003-03-31 R/R DoB: 38356 L/R DoB: 1999-12-17 R/R DoB: 1995-05-29 R/R DoB: 2003-11-24 R/R DoB: 2000-11-17 L/R DoB: 1999-12-05 Outfielders Haniel German Simon Juan Adolfo Miranda Jared Oliva Jaylen Palmer Jeffry Rosa Matt Rudick AJ Salgado Mike Tauchman R/R DoB: 2005-12-05 R/R DoB: 2005-07-13 R/R DoB: 2006-10-04 R/R DoB: 1995-11-27 R/R DoB: 2007-07-31 R/R DoB: 2004-09-11 L/L DoB: 1998-07-02 L/R DoB: 2001-09-16 L/L DoB: 1990-12-03 View the full article

The quest for the Chicago Cubs' fourth World Series championship must now wait until their 151st season. Countless moments this season took our breath away, but right now, it feels like 2026 was a missed opportunity—one that, with a prolonged work stoppage looming as at least a cloud over the offseason, might take a while to get back. Thanks a lot, San Diego. Jed Hoyer addressed directly in his end-of-season press conference what we all knew: blowing the chance to host the Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field put the Cubs at a tremendous disadvantage. In a "two-and-done" situation, taking the field in Southern California opposite a piping-hot team and their rabid fanbase put the North Siders into an environment they seemed ill-prepared to manage. Game 1 was ugly. The postseason experience of veteran starter Matthew Boyd was ineffectual against the explosive talent of Fernando Tatis Jr., who sent the very first pitch of the bottom of the first inning over the wall in left-center, just out of reach of Pete Crow-Armstrong. Three pitches later, Manny Machado went yard, sending an already raucous sell-out crowd into a state of delirium. Meanwhile, the Cubs' vaunted offense was shut down by the Pads' razor-sharp starter Michael King, who held Craig Counsell's crew hitless through 6 1/3 innings. The offense, so mighty throughout the regular season, was limited to just three hits. The 8-0 loss set up what could be the squad's last game of the year. And it was. Though the Cubs and Game 2 starter Kevin Gausman attempted to wipe the slate clean and keep their season alive, nothing quite "clicked". The untimely slump Chicago's offense settled into over the last two weeks of the regular season manifested in this contest, too. The North Siders left seven baserunners stranded, producing a nauseating 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. After a quick first inning, Gausman was uneven at best, lasting just 3 1/3 innings and surrendering three earned runs. From the jump, the Cubs didn't look like a squad ready for the postseason spotlight. The 4-1 loss stopped their playoff run before it could begin. They never held a lead. Indeed, the Padres led for all but the first inning and a half of the second game. So, here we are. While eight teams remain in the MLB playoffs vying for the Commissioner's Trophy, The Chicago Cubs stand outside of it all, facing the doubt and scrutiny of a mission unfulfilled. When this team returns to action, whether that's in 172 days or longer, it could look different in some major ways. For starters, the squad's corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are free agents. Happ's emotions when reflecting on his decade-long tenure with the team were emblematic of what the vibes are like right now within this organization. The bar is irreversibly raised for this franchise. Getting to play just two additional games, when much more was anticipated, is not enough. Here's hoping that when this club comes back, they more closely resemble a championship contender. View the full article

Throughout everything the San Diego Padres experienced this year—the offensive funk of May and June, the woes of the starting rotation—there was always one piece of the Friars that was reliable from Opening Day through the NL Wild Card Series. The bullpen. But after two days in Wisconsin, the best of the Padres' relievers were beaten in the biggest of situations. Thus, the Padres find themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Milwaukee Brewers in the best-of-five NL Division Series following superstar closer Mason Miller surrendering a walk-off two-run single to Jackson Chourio with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-3 loss. It came less than 24 hours after left-hander Adrian Morejon was tagged for a go-ahead solo homer by William Contreras in the bottom of the seventh. Those players will need to regroup if the Padres are to pull off what is now a very imposing task: having to win three straight games against the team that posted MLB's best record this season. Granted, two of those three games would be at Petco Park, where the Padres have been one of the best home teams since the end of July. This one stings for more than a few reasons. Chief among them is that it was the Padres' best pitcher getting beat with the game on the line. With the way the game developed, manager Craig Stammen called upon Miller for a six-out save, which would have been just the second of his career. Miller zipped through the eighth against the Nos. 2-3-4 hitters in the Brewers' lineup on just 12 pitches, striking out Brice Turang and Jake Bauers and getting William Contreras to fly out to right. Miller's ninth inning began rather routinely as Garrett Mitchell grounded out to shortstop Xander Bogaerts. But then things turned. Brewers captain Christian Yelich took a first-pitch slider for a strike, then looked at four straight balls. Another left-handed hitter, Sal Frelick, was down in the count 1-2, including Yelich stealing second, then Miller missed with three pitches in a row. That matched Miller's season high for walks in a game, done six times. Pinch-hitter Andrew Vaughn flew out to shallow center on three pitches for the second out. A second pinch-hitter, Gary Sanchez, worked Miller for a six-pitch walk to load the bases. Baseball's most dominant closer, the one with the most strikeouts of any reliever this season, possessing a ferocious four-seam fastball and a slider that could be the game's best pitch, was on the ropes as Chourio, the Brewers' best player even at 22 years old, stepped to the plate. Miller started Chourio off with a 100.8 mph four-seamer up and in that Chourio swung through. He stayed with his four-seamer and tried to get Chourio to bite at one outside of the zone at 102.2 that evened the count. Miller then fired one nearly right down the middle at 102.2 that Chourio again took a mighty hack at and missed. He gassed up yet another four-seamer, this one at 103.5 mph, that was on the lower-outside corner that Chourio fouled back. The next pitch was the first slider of the at-bat, missing low to bring the count to 2-2. The final pitch was middle up and at 101.3 mph, with Chourio whistling it past Miller's attempted stab at the ball, then rocketing past a diving second baseman Jake Cronenworth and into center. The tying run was in. Frelick was barreling around third, but center fielder Jackson Merrill's throw was late and off the mark. The Padres had lost—and now their season is on the brink, one defeat away from elimination. Two games. Two losses, both at the hands of the Padres' best relievers. The hit Miller gave up was the first of his career against any of the Brewers on the roster in eight innings. This one was different from Morejon the day before, where the left-hander couldn't find the strike zone for an at-bat and yielded the game-changing homer. Miller was asked to do something many thought would come up at some point in the postseason. Get six outs. Stammen said postgame that going into Game 2, among the plans the Padres had was their stud closer getting six outs. There were only nine times this regular season that Miller had been asked to do that. Makes sense as the regular season doesn't have the importance of the postseason. Closers typically just pitch the ninth inning. Miller had gone two innings two times this season, resulting in walk-off wins. But not a six-out save in the postseason. He is built for the situation, but he didn't come through for one of the rare times. It is fair to question the bullpen usage by Stammen in this game. Right-hander Jason Adam wasn't deployed and could have been used in the eighth. Morejon threw a second inning after giving up the go-ahead homer and threw 31 pitches. Miller was the only leverage arm not used in Game 1. After cruising through that eighth inning in Game 2, Miller threw another 28 in the ninth, giving him a season-high 40. It felt like the right plan when Miller came on for the eighth, but you also knew that the Brewers were going to battle Miller down to the final pitch. That is what they do. If this matchup happened 10 times in that situation, that might be the only time Chourio gets a hit. Maybe not. But now the Padres are headed back to Petco Park to figure out how to win Tuesday. Then they can worry about Game 4 on Wednesday. And then, they hope, Game 5 on Friday back in Milwaukee. It won't be easy. But nothing for the Padres has been this season. View the full article

Brandon Compton's first full minor league season was one of the best power-hitting performances in the history of the Marlins organization. Here's every homer he hit across three different MiLB levels. View the full article

The poor San Diego Padres. They're a very good team, and they played one of their better games on Sunday. They did it in the wake of a heartbreaking loss the previous night. They did it in the belly of a tough stadium to play in, even with the roof open. They've been as hot as any team in baseball for the last month, and they did pretty much everything they could do. It wasn't enough. They were up against forces beyond their ken—namely, a team that has a date with a greater destiny than the Division Series. By all rights, the visitors should have won Sunday, evening the NLDS at 1-1 and sending it back to Petco Park for what would be a very difficult two-game trial for the Brewers. That phase of the series will still be difficult. Now, though, the Brewers will get to enter it with a 2-0 edge in the series already—much the way they did against the Cubs last October. Should the Padres (it seems improbable, now, but let's imagine) push the series back to The Ueck. though, both teams already know: there's no joy waiting in Milwaukee for the National League's other Small Market That Could. The Brewers sent a clear message, even as they struggled and strained to pull out their latest triumph. Bad defense has been the theme of the series so far for the Crew. It cost them in Game 1, though it could have cost them much more. It cost them right away in Game 2, and it could have cost them much more. Jake Bauers has played atrocious defense at first base (traditionally, the spot where you sweat defense the least), and the rest of the infield has been uncharacteristically erratic, too. By the top of the seventh on Sunday, it felt like that shakiness might prove to the team's downfall. And then, it wasn't. Sal Frelick is not this team's superhero. He's never been cut out for that role, and he's only very briefly been assigned it in his three-plus years with the Brewers. Sometimes, though, the superhero can't do it all. They need the help of the Boy Wonder—the little guy an opponent might foolishly overlook or underestimate. At the vital junctures of Game 2, that was what happened. Frelick had singled home the first run of the day for the Brewers in the bottom of the fifth, but when the top of the seventh came, the Padres still led, 2-1. Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on an error by David Hamilton, and then, with two outs, Manny Machado drew a walk. That brought Ty France to the plate against a tiring Abner Uribe, whom France also saw on Saturday night. The matchup augured ill for the Crew, and sure enough, France shot a 1-0 sinker through the right side of the infield. Tatis scored, and the Padres were almost in position to keep piling on, but Machado got overambitious. He tried for third, and Frelick threw him out, charging France's grounder well and firing without hesitation to nab the trailing runner. It was a bailout. It was partly a mistake by Machado, but it was also a brilliant play by Frelick. Between the RBI hit and that throw, the semi-veteran right fielder had earned some of his manager's trust. When Frelick's turn came in the bottom of that inning, lefty Yuki Matsui was on the mound, with one on and one out. Pat Murphy could have taken down Frelick in favor of Andrew Vaughn or (more likely) Luis Lara, but he chose to stick with his little lefty playmaker. Frelick was overanxious at first, swinging at two pitches above the zone, but then he calmed down and forced Matsui to throw him a strike. One finally came on 3-2, but Frelick fouled it away. The seventh pitch sailed high, and Frelick demonstratively threw his bat down as he headed to first. His mission was accomplished. The line kept moving. With the bottom of the order due behind him, the Crew was unable to tie the game in that seventh inning. Garrett Mitchell (whom Frelick had impelled to second with his base on balls) did score later, though, on an error by the Padres on a Hamilton ground ball. That brought Milwaukee within one. It's funny how similar Frelick's next at-bat would be, in some ways, even as it was profoundly different in others. He came up again in the bottom of the ninth, with the score still 3-2. Christian Yelich was on base, this time, and he stole second, so a single by Frelick could have tied the contest. Mason Miller wasn't throwing strikes, though, and this time, Frelick wasn't offering the opposing pitcher any charity at all. He saw six pitches. Two were called strikes, but neither of them was in the zone; Frelick challenged one and got it overturned. Four were called balls; one of those was in the zone and the Padres got it flipped. When the dust settled, though, Frelick had reached base again, without the bat entering the hitting zone. He'd had to lay off four tempting pitches to earn that free pass, and any of the four might have resulted in weak contact or a whiff. He got nothing to hit; no matter. He moved that line again. That's as far as the sidekick can take you, though. They can land a blow and weaken the enemy when things look most dire. They can keep the fight going when it looks like you might be about to be pulverized. But they're there to set the stage and lend support; the hero still has to be the hero. To get their hero to the plate, the Brewers needed one more unexpected contribution, but they got it. Gary Sánchez drew a six-pitch walk of his own, pushing Frelick into scoring position and Yelich to third base—and bringing Jackson Chourio to bat. I love stories about the unheralded hero. I love an underdog. Frelick's two hard-worked walks, and his key earlier single and that great throw, those things made the game winnable. But this game went from great to transcendent when Chourio stepped in, to face the best closer in baseball at the end of a grueling two-inning stint. In October, Chourio has been a genuine superhero. Even last year, when he made some of the key outs while playing through a significant hamstring strain in the NLCS, it was clear how capable he is of reaching another level in the heat of the playoff spotlight. He got a fairy-tale setup for this at-bat: bases loaded, two outs, one run down, an elite fireballer on the mound. When playoff games go down indelibly in the game's history, it's for moments and encounters like that one. First Pitch: Swinging Strike, 100.8 MPH, Inner Third, Upper Third Everything you hope this kind of battle will be showed up right away. Miller threw a fastball right by Chourio, which is what Miller does to people. Chourio gave it his best pass, though. This game would not end with one side trusting home-plate umpire Lance Barrett's zone; that much was certain. (Barrett had 10 calls overturned on the day.) Pitch 2: Ball, 102.2 MPH, Outside Unless you're Jacob Misiorowski, it's hard to keep that much heat on the plate. Chourio was geared up to time Miller's fastball, but not so tightly wired for it that he plunged into swing mode. Count: even. Pitch 3: Swinging Strike, 102.2 MPH, Right Down Wisconsin Ave. Oof. That was the one, you thought. It's so nasty, what Miller can do. His slider is so sharp that you can't quite force yourself to aim for the top half of that fastball, which is how he gets you, because that thing has some hop to it, even at 102. He doesn't strike out 47% of opposing batters without having the ability to simply bully them. Still, it hurt to see that one slip past. Pitch 4: Foul, 103.5 MPH, Outer Edge, Just Above Knees Last year, though the Cubs eventually ousted San Diego in the Wild Card Series, Miller dotted a 104-MPH heater on the outside corner to Carson Kelly, at the knees. It was so unfair that it became an oft-used video exemplar of how unfair modern pitching can be. This was that pitch again, only with the stakes ratcheted up higher, good enough to win the game right there and break hearts all over Milwaukee. But Chourio is no Carson Kelly. He spoiled it. This is when you could really sense that something was coming. Pitch 5: Ball, 88.8 MPH, Slider Well Below the Zone This was the right pitch, again. Miller really did work Chourio over in the at-bat. There was just something in Chourio's eye that allowed him to avert defeat on the previous pitch, and to hold off on this one, setting the stage. That was Miller's 39th pitch. He was still working fairly well, but he could feel his own clock running out. Chourio had forced him back to something a bit less perfect. He just had to not miss it, this time. Pitch 6: 101.3 MPH, Upper Third, Outer Third. Bedlam. The ball jumped off Chourio's bat at 109.5 MPH—right back where it came from, a hair steeper, no chance for anyone to stop it, and no chance you were throwing out trusty Sal Frelick as he streaked home with the winning run, either. The Ueck exploded. The game was over, and the series might as well be, too. Chourio now has 17 hits and 15 RBIs in the postseason, not even three years past his debut and before he turns 23 years old. In baseball history, only 267 batters have driven in most playoff runs. Chourio is now tied with Willie Mays, along with famous playoff heroes Cecil Cooper, Chris Chambliss, Bucky Dent, Juan Gonzálex and Salvador Perez, among others. He's carving one of the great postseason legacies in the game's history, day by day. Sunday, though, might have been his greatest moment. Like all the others, it wouldn't have been possible without his teammates. They (today, especially Frelick) deserve a tremendous amount of credit. But Chourio will be the center of the story, and it shouldn't be any other way. View the full article

Everyone seems to be buzzing about whether the Brewers stole a victory from the Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, after Ty France hit a high fly ball that caromed off one of the structures supporting American Family Field’s roof, with the ball dropping into the glove of Jackson Chourio. Lots of Padres fans think it should have been a homer. Brewers fans are sighing with relief. But here’s what fans need to know up front about that flyout in the top of the ninth: The decision about how to handle a ball hitting the roof was made long before both teams even took the field Saturday night. One of the beautiful things about baseball is that, while there are certain parameters that must be held to, each stadium is unique. Each team can design a stadium to adjust for local conditions or to accommodate the thorny logistics of building structures so large. While we no longer have the very deep center field of the Polo Grounds or an extreme bandbox like Ebbets Field, stadiums are still permitted to be quirky. It’s all part of the charm of the national pastime. Want a roof? Go ahead, play under a dome or a retractable roof. You can use any type of natural or artificial turf (the Brewers should consider the latter, given how often they smoke ground balls, but that’s another discussion). There's no rule on how much (or how little) foul ground there should be. The outfield distance and the height of the fences? Up to the architects hired by the team to build the parks. This has all happened before; this will all happen again. It also means that there are circumstances that may show up in a given ballpark, which other ballparks might not deal with. Fortunately, Major League Baseball has a way to address that. Ground rules smooth out all the differences, so the game can be played (more or less) the same way in many different places. According to the MLB website, this year’s ground rules were decided on March 25 by the Office of the Commissioner. Most of the time, rules like the one that came into play Saturday night don't change much, but they have to be locked in anew before each season begins. The Brewers aren't the only ones with rules governing what happens if a ball hits the roof, either. One potential World Series opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays, has a similar rule in effect for Tropicana Field. For some of the catwalks and structures supporting the dome that is above the field of play, the rule is the same as it is for American Family Field: The ball is in play, and if caught, the batter is out. Of course, some ground rules are universal, and are applied in varying ways only because of slight differences in the shape or placement of standard structures. In no stadium can a player go into the dugout to catch a foul ball. Balls that get lodged in signage are dead, and umpires place runners based on the same criteria at each field. Chairs cannot be brought onto the playing field from the dugout or bullpen. There are some other unique ground rules for American Family Field people may want to keep in mind: The pads on the left-field foul pole are considered part of the foul pole. Hit them in flight,and it's a home run. A bouncing ball that hits the pad is a ground-rule double. The ground rules also determine what happens if a ball hits the top of the outfield wall at American Family Field (It’s a home run, even if it bounces back onto the field). When the series goes to San Diego, Petco Field will have its own ground rules. Petco Field is located right next to the Western Metal Supply Building, which almost looks like part of the left field wall. As most fans know, though, if a ball hits the stadium in fair territory on the fly, it’s a home run. If it his to the left of a yellow stripe on the building, it’s a foul ball. Hitting the top of the videoboard in right field of Petco on the fly is a home run, while if it hits the top after bouncing, it’s a ground-rule double. This will be the case even if the ball is in play. Before each game, the managers of the two teams will meet to discuss ground rules for that specific game. That eliminates real surprises in most cases—including this one. Sometimes, a given at-bat can be a learning experience for fans and outside media, though. This one created a storm of controversy, but it was an utterly needless one. The ball was in play. It was caught. The rules make clear how it was to be called, and it was called correctly. Onward. View the full article

If the San Diego Padres ever needed an ace-like performance, the time is now. Luckily for the Friars, right-hander Michael King is set to start Sunday's Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Padres trail the best-of-five series 1-0 after dropping a dramatic 3-2 decision in Game 1. With a quick turnaround between games, the Padres will need to flush what transpired Saturday in order to not put their backs against the walls. King, who turned in a spectacular performance in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series vs. the Chicago Cubs in which he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, has faced the Brewers four times in his career, including once this year. That came May 13 at American Family Field, site of Game 2. In that game, King went 5⅔ innings, allowing a run on six hits and two walks, striking out five in a 3-1 Padres win. There are a few Brewers who have had success against King. They include right fielder Sal Frelick, who went 2-for-3 in that game and is 5-for-10 vs. King overall. Second baseman Brice Turang is 3-for-11 with a triple. King has also shut down key Crew hitters. Catcher William Contreras, who hit the go-ahead homer Saturday, is 0-for-9 and first baseman Jake Bauers is 1-for-9. Michael King 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 Sal Frelick L 11 10 5 1 0 0 1 1 2 .500 .545 .600 1.145 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brice Turang L 11 11 3 0 1 0 2 0 1 .273 .273 .455 .727 0 0 0 0 0 3 Jake Bauers L 9 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 .111 .111 .111 .222 0 0 0 0 0 4 William Contreras R 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jackson Chourio R 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .167 .000 .167 0 0 0 0 0 6 Joey Ortiz R 5 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .400 .400 .400 .800 0 0 0 0 0 7 Garrett Mitchell L 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .333 .000 .333 0 0 0 0 0 8 Gary Sánchez R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Christian Yelich L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Bo Naylor L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/3/2026. The Padres had plenty of opportunities to break through in Game 1, but didn't cash in enough against the Brewers. Now, they face right-hander Logan Henderson, an underrated piece of the Brewers' rotation. Henderson, who just completed his first full MLB regular season, faced the Friars at Petco Park on Aug. 10. In the 3-2 Padres win, Henderson worked 6⅓ innings, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. He surrendered a pair of homers, solo shots to Ty France in the second inning and Jackson Merrill in the seventh, his next-to-last batter. France had two hits in that game. In 18 games, Henderson had a 3.32 FIP (2.47 ERA) in 98⅓ innings, with a 5.1% walk rate and 29.6% strikeout rate. He has not pitched since Sept. 23 against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he allowed a run over five innings. Rust could be a factor. Manny Machado and Dustin Harris were the key contributors in Game 1 with a pair of hits each. Luis Campusano will start behind the plate as he has been King's personal catcher. Ethan Salas, the 20-year-old rookie, is starting at designated hitter over Gavin Sheets as a left-handed bat in the lineup. Logan Henderson vs. San Diego Padres: 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 Jake Cronenworth L 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .333 .333 .333 .667 0 0 0 0 0 2 Ty France R 3 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 .667 .667 1.667 2.333 0 0 0 0 0 3 Manny Machado R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 1 4 Jackson Merrill L 3 3 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 .333 .333 1.333 1.667 0 0 0 0 0 5 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 6 Freddy Fermin R 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .500 1.000 1.500 0 0 0 0 0 7 Gavin Sheets L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 8 Sung-Mun Song L 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 1 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/3/2026. View the full article

There was a lot of focus on the Twins’ farm system this year, whether it was top prospects making their way to Target Field, young players taking meaningful steps forward in the minor leagues, or prospects being moved at the trade deadline. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest winners and losers from the Twins’ farm system in 2026, starting with the winners. Twins' Biggest Farm System Winners (2026) The first winner has to be Marek Houston. Houston entered the season as a top-10 prospect in the Twins’ organization, but he has climbed into the top five after putting together an impressive 2026 campaign. He began the year with High-A Cedar Rapids, where he slashed .326/.406/.461 across 56 games before earning a promotion to Double-A. And he didn’t stop there. He continued to hit with the Wichita Wind Surge, keeping his batting average north of .300 while posting a .379 on-base percentage and .450 slugging percentage across 60 games. On the season as a whole, he finished with 42 extra-base hits and an impressive 50 stolen bases. Not bad for a glove-first prospect. Houston has always had the defensive ability to make an impact, but the offensive strides he made this season are what really changed his outlook within the organization. When you combine that development with his defensive prowess, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Houston make his major league debut at some point next season. The other big winner is the Twins’ minor league catching depth. Coming into the season, Minnesota already had a trio of intriguing catching prospects in Eduardo Tait, Khadim Diaw, and Enrique Jimenez. That would have been a pretty solid group on its own, but the Twins added another pair of high-upside catchers in Vahn Lackey and Carson Tinney. According to Twins Daily, all five catchers currently rank within the Twins’ top 20 prospects. That’s a pretty remarkable amount of organizational depth at one position, especially considering how important catching is to the development of a young pitching staff. Not all five players are going to stick as catchers, or even reach the majors, of course. But having that many legitimate prospects gives the Twins plenty of options moving forward. The future of the position certainly appears to be very bright. Twins' Biggest Farm System Losers (2026) As for the losers, we’ll start with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Twins’ High-A affiliate had a disappointing first half of the year, going 31-33. That certainly wasn’t what the organization wanted, but it also wasn’t exactly a disaster. Then came the second half. The Kernels went just 17-49 across their final 63 games, turning an already mediocre season into a really ugly one. They finished the year with a 48-83 record, which is obviously not the kind of season anyone in the organization was hoping for. And it wasn’t for a lack of talent. Houston, Tait, Diaw, Riley Quick and several other notable prospects spent a significant portion of the season in Cedar Rapids. Some of those players eventually moved up the ladder, but the Kernels simply weren’t able to turn that talent into many wins. Obviously, winning isn’t the only thing that matters in the minor leagues. Player development is the priority, and some of the organization’s most important prospects made meaningful progress while wearing a Kernels uniform. Still, a 48-83 record is hard to overlook. The results simply weren’t there for Cedar Rapids this year, which puts the Kernels in the loser column. The other loser is the Wichita Wind Surge. Wichita wasn’t quite as bad as Cedar Rapids, but it still wasn’t a particularly good year for the Double-A affiliate. The Wind Surge went 25-42 during the first half before improving to 30-39 in the second half. That’s certainly a step in the right direction, but it still resulted in a 55-81 record for the season. And, just like Cedar Rapids, it wasn’t for a lack of talent. Houston, Diaw and Quick all spent a decent amount of time in Wichita, while other notable prospects such as Hendry Mendez, Brandon Winokur and Ryan Gallagher also saw significant action with the Wind Surge. There were plenty of interesting players on the roster, but the results simply weren’t there for Wichita this year. Both the Kernels and Wind Surge will be looking to rebound in 2027, and both should look considerably different by the time next season rolls around. That’s simply part of the nature of minor league baseball, where players are constantly moving between levels and organizations are continually bringing in new pieces. Still, when looking back at the Twins’ farm system in 2026, Cedar Rapids and Wichita certainly belong on the loser side of the ledger. View the full article

The Brewers can grab a 2-0 lead in the NL Division Series, but they will have to go through San Diego's best starter to do it. Milwaukee survived a harrowing ninth inning in Game 1, winning 3-2. Jackson Chourio tied it with a two-run homer in the third, and William Contreras broke the tie with a solo shot in the seventh. Five relievers covered the final five innings, capped by a four-out save from Trevor Megill. The roof lent a helping hand: a Ty France drive in the ninth caromed off the canopy and was caught by Chourio, sending Padres fans into conspiracy theories and depression. In game two, Michael King gets the ball for the Friars, pitching on normal rest after a gem in the Wild Card Series. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Cubs and finished with seven scoreless innings, one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts. King went 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in the regular season, striking out 159 and walking 70 in 185 innings. His 4.13 FIP suggests he got some help, but he was better after the break (6-3, 2.93 ERA) and owns a 2.05 career postseason ERA. King also has recent success in Milwaukee. He beat the Brewers at American Family Field early in the season, allowing one run over 5 ⅔ innings on May 13. The opening for the Brewers may be his control. Milwaukee drew the second-most walks in MLB and led the majors in batting average (.258), and King issued 70 free passes this year. Brewers Hitters Vs. Michael King As a group, current Brewers are 11-for-59 (.186) against King, with three walks, 21 strikeouts and no home runs. Only two of those hits went for extra bases. Sal Frelick is the exception. He is 5-for-10 with a double and a walk, rocking a 1.145 OPS, and should get the start in right. Brice Turang (3-for-11, a triple, two RBI) and Joey Ortiz (2-for-5) have also had some success against King. Left-handed hitters are 9-for-37 (.243) against King, while right-handed hitters are just 2-for-22 (.091). Contreras is 0-for-9 with three strikeouts, and Chourio is 0-for-5. Jake Bauers (1-for-9, four strikeouts) and Christian Yelich (0-for-3, two strikeouts) have had trouble, as have Gary Sánchez and Bo Naylor in limited looks. Small samples all around, as the Brewers haven't spent much time facing King, though the same can be said for the Padres and Logan Henderson. Michael King 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 Sal Frelick L 11 10 5 1 0 0 1 1 2 .500 .545 .600 1.145 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brice Turang L 11 11 3 0 1 0 2 0 1 .273 .273 .455 .727 0 0 0 0 0 3 Jake Bauers L 9 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 .111 .111 .111 .222 0 0 0 0 0 4 William Contreras R 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jackson Chourio R 6 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .167 .000 .167 0 0 0 0 0 6 Joey Ortiz R 5 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .400 .400 .400 .800 0 0 0 0 0 7 Garrett Mitchell L 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .333 .000 .333 0 0 0 0 0 8 Gary Sánchez R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Christian Yelich L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Bo Naylor L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/4/2026. Logan Henderson's First Postseason Start The Brewers counter with rookie right-hander Logan Henderson, who will be making his first career postseason start. After opening the year in Triple-A Nashville, he went 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and a 3.32 FIP, striking out 110 and walking just 19. Milwaukee went 14-4 in his 18 starts and has yet to lose when he starts at American Family Field. Henderson leans heavily on two pitches, throwing his four-seam fastball (46.4%) and changeup (35.2%) more than 80% of the time. His underlying numbers back up the results: he ranked in the 95th percentile in expected ERA. There are two things to watch. Henderson has not pitched in a game since Sept. 23 at Philadelphia, an 11-day layoff. He hasn't gone more than five innings in his last three starts. After using five relievers Saturday, Milwaukee would like several innings from Henderson, though the Brewers have a travel day off on Monday as the series moves to San Diego. Padres Hitters Vs. Logan Henderson Current Padres are 5-for-22 (.227) against Henderson, all from that August start, with no walks and six strikeouts. The damage came from two swings: a solo homer by France and the two-run shot by Merrill. France is 2-for-3 against Henderson and nearly homered again Saturday, so he is the hitter to keep an eye on. On the other side, Manny Machado (0-for-3, a GIDP) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (0-for-3) did nothing against him, and Gavin Sheets struck out in both trips. Logan Henderson vs. San Diego Padres: 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 Jake Cronenworth L 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .333 .333 .333 .667 0 0 0 0 0 2 Ty France R 3 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 .667 .667 1.667 2.333 0 0 0 0 0 3 Manny Machado R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 1 4 Jackson Merrill L 3 3 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 .333 .333 1.333 1.667 0 0 0 0 0 5 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 6 Freddy Fermin R 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .500 1.000 1.500 0 0 0 0 0 7 Gavin Sheets L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 8 Sung-Mun Song L 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 1 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/4/2026. View the full article

In a best-of-5 series that either extends or ends your season, every little thing matters. It's important to spot small mechanical issues and correct them before a hurler's whole day derails. It's important to have a thorough plan that sets up each hitter to make the right swing decision as often as possible. And if you can help it, you want to avoid giving good hitters a third look at the same reliever. One game into their NLDS showdown, neither the Brewers nor the Padres are in a great position to do that. Robbie Ray got San Diego just eight outs in Game 1, which wasn't a huge surprise; the team will lean harder on Michael King and Nick Pivetta. It forced the Padres bullpen to give several Brewers hitters first looks at high-leverage arms, though. Here's a chart of how many times each Milwaukee batter saw each Padres hurler who appeared in Saturday's 3-2 Brewers win. Name Matsui Morejon Ray Adam King Miller Morgan Musgrove Pivetta Rodriguez Vasquez Contreras X X XX Sanchez Vaughn X Bauers X X XX Turang X X XX Pratt X X X Ortiz X X X Hamilton Chourio X XX X Mitchell X X X Lara X X X Frelick Yelich X XX On the other side, though, things look (if anything) even more dire. Part of that is because the Padres got to bat nine times, whereas (by winning in standard fashion) the Brewers didn't get to hit in the bottom of the ninth, but another part is because Jacob Misiorowski only covered four innings and two trips through the batting order. Unlike Ray's early departure, that one was not expected, and it does not suit the Brewers' broader plan for the series well. Here's the same chart for Milwaukee pitchers and Padres hitters. Name Patrick Ashby Hall Senzatela Megill Uribe Romero Drohan May Gasser Misiorowski Harrison Henderson Tatis X X X XX Harris X X X XX Taylor Machado X X X XX France X X X XX Merrill X X X XX Andujar X Bowen Salas X XX Campusano X X XX Fermin Bogaerts X X XX Sheets Cronenworth X XX Hays X Because Misiorowski had to be lifted after 18 batters faced and the bullpen had to cover 15 outs, the top half of the Padres lineup has already gotten one look each at three Brewers righties: Antonio Senzatela, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill. The bottom half saw Aaron Ashby and DL Hall once apiece. There was some consternation among Brewers fans (especially in our game thread, which you should join for Game 2 and beyond!) about Pat Murphy removing Ashby when he did, in favor of Uribe. This is one reason why he did so. Chad Patrick is a tough matchup for some of the top Padres batters; his utility will be a bit diminished for this series. As Murphy and his staff looked at the rest of the series, they already knew they would be racing to find ways not to have Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado or Ty France face a high-leverage arm for a third time, since they were each likely to see at least one of Uribe and Megill in Game 1, even by that stage. Now, the next time Murphy needs to sneak through that pocket of the batting order, he has the option of using Ashby to do so. Of course, there are good reasons why the three righties got the top half of the order and the two lefties got the bottom half. Matchups govern these decisions, even more than familiarity does. Uribe is a good matchup for Tatis, Machado and France. He's not as good a fit for Jackson Merrill or Xander Bogaerts. The reverse is true of Hall. Working against the niceness of those matchups, though, is that they swing in the batter's favor if they see the same guy three or four times in a week. Arguably, Craig Stammen made a crucial error by leaving Adrian Morejon in for the eighth inning, after he'd given up the game-winning home run to William Contreras in the seventh. Morejon faced all nine Milwaukee hitters, including pinch-hitter Andrew Vaughn. The Brewers will like their chances if Vaughn, Contreras and/or Chourio can get a third look at Morejon in the series; they all got closer to doing so by making him work Saturday night. Neither side grabbed a clear advantage in this important game-within-the-game in Game 1, which makes the Brewers' win in the actual game even more vital. Each team is a bit more exposed than they'd like to be, heading into Game 2, but Milwaukee does so with a game in hand. View the full article

A crucial offseason for the Miami Marlins is underway. Kevin Barral and Ely Sussman read between the lines of Peter Bendix's annual end-of-season press conference, take a big-picture look at the club's offense, ponder whether there is an opportunity to extend Sandy Alcantara through the rest of his prime years and begin analyzing a thin MLB free agent class. 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. The Marlins have until five days after the World Series to officially exercise Alcantara's $21 million club option for the 2027 season. Between that and a relatively large group of arbitration-eligible players, team payroll is almost certain to rise after Miami ranked dead last in the league this past year. View the full article

Emmanuel Rodriguez finally got his opportunity to show Twins fans what he could do at the highest level. The former top prospect had spent years climbing through the organization's minor-league system, building a reputation as one of the more dangerous power hitters in the organization. His first taste of the big leagues was brief, with only 48 plate appearances, but Rodriguez managed to provide plenty of reasons for excitement. There were hard-hit balls, impressive defensive plays and moments where his raw power was obvious. There were also some familiar concerns. Rodriguez's strikeout rate remained high, and his walk rate dropped considerably from what he had produced in the minors. Like most young hitters, there will be adjustments ahead. Here are three things that stood out in a positive way and three areas Rodriguez will need to improve. Up 1: Hot Start Rodriguez wasted little time showing why he had been considered a top-100 prospect since signing with the Twins. Through his first four games, Rodriguez went 5-for-15 (.333) with a .733 slugging percentage. That production included a home run, a triple and a double, giving fans an early glimpse of the power and extra-base ability that has followed him throughout his professional career. It was only four games, but the start provided an encouraging introduction. Rodriguez looked comfortable enough to attack big-league pitching and immediately make an impact. The challenge will be sustaining that production over a much larger sample. Up 2: Barrel King Rodriguez only accumulated 48 plate appearances during his first taste of the big leagues, so it is important not to draw sweeping conclusions from the numbers. That said, his underlying metrics were extremely encouraging. Rodriguez posted a 20.7% Barrel rate, a .534 expected slugging percentage and a 44.8% Sweet-Spot rate. Had he qualified for the league leaderboards, those numbers would have ranked near the top of baseball. Those numbers will almost certainly regress as Rodriguez sees more major-league pitching. Pitchers will make adjustments, and Rodriguez will have to make adjustments of his own. Still, the underlying skills are difficult to ignore. Rodriguez has the tools to develop into an elite power hitter, and his first exposure to the majors provided plenty of evidence to support that belief. Up 3: New Energy Rodriguez also brought something else to the Twins: energy. That was particularly noticeable when he hit a bases-clearing triple against the Yankees. Rodriguez's excitement was obvious, and it provided one of those moments that can inject life into a team. He showed that same emotion on defense against the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez made a spectacular leaping catch at the left-field wall to rob Danny Jansen of extra bases. After completing the play, Rodriguez was understandably fired up. That kind of enthusiasm can be contagious. The Twins have lacked that type of youthful energy at times in recent seasons. Rodriguez is still learning how to handle the major leagues, but his willingness to show emotion and enjoy the moment gives the roster another personality. Down 1: Cold Finish Rodriguez's strong beginning was followed by a difficult finish. Over his final nine games, he went 3-for-30 (.100) with two extra-base hits. He also posted a 12-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio during that stretch. It is not difficult to see the adjustment period taking place. Major-league pitchers were able to exploit some of Rodriguez's weaknesses, and he struggled to make the necessary adjustments before the season ended. The good news is that Rodriguez has an entire offseason to study what happened. Twins fans saw Walker Jenkins go through a similar slump during his first taste of the big leagues. Young players are going to have difficult stretches, and it is better for Rodriguez to experience those challenges now and learn from them before heading into 2027. Down 2: Strikeout Issues Strikeouts have followed Rodriguez throughout his professional career. Part of that comes from the same approach that makes him dangerous. Rodriguez is a patient hitter who is willing to work deep counts, but that patience can also lead to situations where he has two strikes and must protect against a wide variety of pitches. There is also legitimate swing-and-miss in his game. At Triple-A this season, Rodriguez posted a 26.4% strikeout rate. That number climbed to 33.3% during his brief stint in the majors. The Twins don't need Rodriguez to become a low-strikeout hitter, but there needs to be a balance. His power makes the strikeouts more acceptable, but a three-true-outcomes approach comes with risks, especially if the walks and power aren't consistently there. Rodriguez's challenge will be maintaining patience and power while finding ways to put more balls in play. Down 3: Missing the Walks One of Rodriguez's greatest strengths throughout his professional career has been his ability to control the strike zone. At Triple-A in 2026, he posted an impressive 19.1% walk rate. That was down from his 20.6% mark in 2025, but it still demonstrated an elite ability to reach base via the walk. That skill disappeared during his first taste of the majors. Rodriguez walked only three times in 48 plate appearances, producing a 6.3% walk rate. That is a significant drop from what he had established in the minor leagues. MLB pitchers can throw strikes consistently, and Rodriguez will have to be ready to attack those pitches. At the same time, he cannot abandon the strike-zone discipline that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. Finding that balance will be one of the most important parts of his development heading into 2027. The Bigger Picture Rodriguez's debut offered a pretty good snapshot of both his upside and the work still ahead. The power is real. His 20.7% Barrel rate, .534 expected slugging percentage and 44.8% Sweet-Spot rate point to a hitter capable of doing significant damage when he squares up the baseball. His energy also stood out, giving the Twins another young player who isn't afraid to show some emotion. But the strikeouts and lack of walks cannot be ignored. His 33.3% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate were significant departures from his Triple-A numbers. That makes 2027 an important season for Rodriguez. The Twins don't need him to eliminate the swing-and-miss or become the same hitter he was in the minors. They need to see him make adjustments while preserving the power and plate discipline that made him such an intriguing prospect. After 48 plate appearances, there is still plenty left to learn about Rodriguez. But there is also plenty of reason to believe the Twins have an impact bat on their hands. What else stood out about Rodriguez in his first taste of the big leagues? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

It sounds dramatic to call a non-elimination game a must-win, but for the Brewers, a Game 1 win in the NLDS was as close as you can get. Generally speaking, the first game sets leverage for the rest of the series; under MLB's current playoff format, the team that wins Game 1 of the Division Series has won the series more than 70% of the time. In this matchup, even more leverage was at stake. Milwaukee will face Michael King and Nick Pivetta, the Padres' two best starting pitchers, in Games 2 and 3. The latter will be at a rowdy Petco Park, where the Brewers must piece together two bullpen games with some combination of Robert Gasser, Dustin May, Shane Drohan, and Kyle Harrison. Gasser finished his season strong, but with middling peripherals. May, Drohan, and Harrison all struggled in September and lost full-time rotation spots. The Game 1 matchup, meanwhile, firmly favored the Brewers: soon-to-be NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski against back-of-the-rotation veteran Robbie Ray. It was their opportunity to set the tone and give themselves room for error in those San Diego games. Instead, things went haywire from the get-go. Misiorowski couldn't control his fastball, and the Padres worked him for 25 pitches in a scoreless first inning. Ray retired the side in order on seven pitches, sending Misiorowski right back to the mound. With Misiorowski's fastball command faltering, William Contreras faced the challenging job of calling the right pitches to rein him back in. When his fastball sails up and arm-side, as it was on Saturday, the cutter becomes his most consistent in-zone pitch, because it forces him to work through the ball to his glove side. But there's a fine line between the cutter being a valuable fallback fastball and the worst pitch to throw in a given sequence. When hitters are late on triple digits, they're right on time for 95- to 97-MPH cutters. Misiorowski's fastball wasn't overpowering the Padres—they whiffed just four times on 28 swings against it—but they weren't timing it up, either. Most of their foul balls were late swings. Timing-wise, cutters were not the right call during a three-batter sequence in the second inning. With one out, Xander Bogaerts reached on a hard ground ball in the hole that Cooper Pratt knocked down for an infield single. After Ethan Salas whiffed late on a first-pitch fastball down the middle, Contreras called a cutter on the next pitch. Even though it was below the zone, Salas drilled it up the middle for another hit. After Luis Campusano took a fastball for strike one, Contreras called another cutter, and Campusano singled down the right-field line. The Padres had an early lead, in a game where the Brewers were positioned to strike first. "In the second inning, his heater wasn't a strike very often. He was missing his spots, and they felt they had to go to offspeed," Pat Murphy said. "After you see the [hit], 'Why didn't you just throw a fastball at 103?' But they weren't feeling good—[Contreras] and Miz himself—they weren't feeling good about the heater command after the first inning." After a mound visit from Chris Hook, Contreras and Misiorowski committed to the fastball, throwing it 77% of the time in the third and fourth innings. He threw one more cutter, but the rest of his secondary pitches were curveballs. Misiorowski faced the minimum over those final two innings before the Brewers went to the bullpen. "We're trying to battle them, and they were fouling **** off," Misiorowski said. "You've kind of got to make an adjustment and try to go soft, and they're fouling soft off. You kind of just do something until it sticks, and that was the curveball and heater." Meanwhile, Jackson Chourio resumed his postseason heroics with a game-tying home run off Ray in the bottom of the third. The Brewers loaded the bases with two walks and a bloop single after that, but Christian Yelich and Cooper Pratt failed to drive those runners in. That kicked off a three-inning stretch where Milwaukee had traffic but couldn't score. It wasn't a lack of effort or poor process. The Brewers had the same strong at-bats they usually do, making sound swing decisions and forcing the Padres to make plays. Murphy said a few hitters were "a little jittery," but the offense chased just 24% of pitches outside the zone and swung at 72% of pitches in the zone, both even better than its season averages. That approach scored the second-most runs in baseball during the regular season. On Saturday night, it wasn't working. The Brewers just ran into a buzzsaw Padres bullpen and a few loud outs, including six outs with exit velocities of at least 100 MPH. "You've got to understand who we faced," Murphy said. "That bullpen is recognized as the best in the game, if not one of them." Like last year, this is the concern shrouding the Brewers' brand of offense in October: does waiting out pitchers and stringing together hits work against the game's best arms in a short series? If not, Milwaukee, who ranked 29th in home runs, must hit for enough power to change games with a couple of swings. Their very first postseason game played out that way. The Brewers needed another home run, and they got it in the seventh. William Contreras worked Morejon into a 3-1 count, then launched a 3-2 sinker over the outer third of the plate to right-center to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead. "[The home runs] were helpful," Murphy said. "We'll take them." "There's a lot of people in the public opinion that think that we're not able to connect with the big hits, with the homers," Contreras said. "I like that today that's how the game shook out, and we were able to win like that. We were able to show that we were able to play that game, as well." Some of that tough batted-ball luck swung back the Brewers' way in the ninth. With the tying run on first base against Trevor Megill, Ty France's loud fly ball hit one of the cables hanging from American Family Field's roof and deflected down to Chourio, who caught it for the second out. Jackson Merrill then ripped a 109-MPH lineout to Luis Lara to end it. France's fly ball almost certainly wasn't clearing the fence in fair territory without the deflection. In the Statcast era (since 2015), just one batted ball with a launch angle of at least 49° and exit velocity between 105 and 106 MPH—how France hit his ball—has been a home run. He hit it too high. Both Murphy and Chourio believe it was tailing foul, meaning the cable denied France another swing against Megill. "A hitter that talented, they would have liked to have that hitter back up there with another strike," Murphy said. The Brewers' path to their first World Series becomes clearer if they win Misiorowski's starts and hit with timely power. They did both on Saturday night. The Padres took a bite out of Milwaukee in the process, forcing them to use five relievers behind Misiorowski, but that's inconsequential compared to the importance of a Game 1 Brewers win. It wasn't easy, but they gained the series leverage they needed. View the full article

The Miami Marlins can essentially "run it back" with the same cast of characters next season, if they choose to. Reliever Pete Fairbanks is their lone pending free agent, assuming that the club option in Sandy Alcantara's contract gets exercised. It was a similar story entering the 2025-26 offseason, except now, more of their core players have gained enough major league service time to qualify for significant pay raises via the arbitration process. On Friday, MLB Trade Rumors continued their long-running tradition of publishing annual estimates of the salaries that arb-eligible players will get during the upcoming season if their teams tender them contracts. There are 11 Marlins who clear the estimated service time cutoff of two years and 133 days. The following MLBTR projections are sorted from most expensive to least expensive: $5.4 million for Otto Lopez (first arbitration year) $3.5 million for Xavier Edwards (first) $3.4 million for Anthony Bender (fourth and final) $3.2 million for Eury Pérez (first) $3.2 million for Kyle Stowers (first) $2.9 million for Calvin Faucher (second) $2.7 million for Max Meyer (second) $1.4 million for Victor Vodnik (first) $1.3 million for Esteury Ruiz (first) $1.1 million for Andrew Nardi (second) $900,000 for Tyler Zuber (first) The Marlins still have more than a month to finalize their decisions, but I expect nine of these 11 players to be tendered. The lone exceptions should be Nardi and Zuber, both of whom are rehabbing from elbow injuries and pitched poorly even when they were available this season. Subtracting them from the equation would trim the total cost of this group to $27 million. At various points, Faucher looked like he was trending toward being a non-tender candidate, but he was quietly brilliant down the stretch (1.25 ERA and 2.09 FIP in 22 post-trade deadline appearances). It has become increasingly common across the majors for teams to iron out contract extensions with their top players before they even reach arbitration eligibility, giving themselves cost certainty and avoiding the awkwardness of annual renegotiations. The Marlins haven't been able to strike any such deals during Peter Bendix's tenure so far. View the full article

Last week, Nick Nelson of Twins Daily graded every player who appeared for Minnesota this past season. I decided to do the same for the Blue Jays. (Five players appeared for both clubs in 2026. Bragging rights if you can guess all five! Hint: They're all right-handed pitchers.) First up are the position players. Twenty-five guys took at least one plate appearance for the Jays this year, from Kazuma Okamoto, who led the team with 636 PA, to fellow 30-year-old rookie Rudy Martin Jr., who stepped to bat three times. You'll find all 25 players listed below in alphabetical order, with a few lines to explain their grades. Brett Bateman: A+ Even though we saw it coming, it was still disappointing when the Blue Jays traded away beloved veterans Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho. Then, somehow, an unheralded prospect named Brett Bateman spent the next two months making those trades look like the best decisions of the season. Bateman was so good that he would have earned an A even if he were a top prospect. The fact that he came out of nowhere to post an .826 OPS and 1.9 fWAR in 41 games is what bumps him up to an A+. Addison Barger: C I really want to give Barger an "incomplete," but I said I'd grade every player, so I'm going to grade every player. His 1-for-22 performance at the plate deserves a D (if not an F), but I'm bumping him up a whole letter grade because he put his body on the line for one of my favorite defensive plays of the season. Daz Cameron: C Cameron didn't do much for the Jays, but he gets a C for one really impressive home run. Jonatan Clase: B It's important to remember that the grading criteria are different for every player. Clase hit two homers in nine games and debuted the home run dragon. That earns him a B from me. Ernie Clement: C- Can I give a player two different grades for the first and second halves of his season? Clement was a deserving All-Star over the first three months of 2026. Then, he struggled so badly in the second half that even a C felt too generous. It pains me to give one of my favourite players such a low grade, but it's precisely because I expected so much more from him that his grade isn't any higher. Clement's .649 OPS and 80 wRC+ ranked fifth-last among qualified AL hitters, and his defensive metrics were surprisingly poor at second base. Andrés Giménez: B Were we hoping to see a little more out of Giménez at the plate? Sure. But let's be realistic. His numbers in 2026 were right in line with his averages from the previous three seasons. I'm not going to penalize Giménez for being the same hitter he has been for years. Besides, he stole 20 bases and played strong defense in his first full season as a shortstop. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: D I really considered going with an F here, but that seemed slightly too harsh. One of my major grading criteria is performance relative to expectations, but I have to remember that Vladdy was still a near-league-average hitter and a good defender at first base. His season wasn't a failure, even if it was a massive disappointment. Tyler Heineman: C+ One way to see Heineman's 2026 is as a massive disappointment compared to his 2025. I prefer to conceptualize it as an inevitable regression to the mean. That's why his grade is higher than you might have expected. I know this isn't how luck *actually* works, but I view this season as the price that Heineman (and the rest of us) had to pay the baseball gods for his ridiculously good 2025 that helped the Jays win the AL East. And while he offered next to nothing at the plate this year, that's true of a lot of backup catchers, and at least his defense was still superb. Eloy Jiménez: C- If I gave Daz Cameron a C, I really should give Jiménez a C as well. But the bar was slightly higher for the former Silver Slugger winner, and I just don't have any memories of his brief stint in Toronto. Sean Keys: C Keys would get an A+ if I were grading minor league seasons. But I'm not. Alejandro Kirk: A I almost gave Kirk an A- because he only played 79 games, but I realize it would be a mistake to penalize him for a freak injury. In the half season he played, Kirk looked just like the player he was in 2025 – in other words, one of the best catchers in baseball. Nathan Lukes: B+ Lukes essentially repeated his 2025 season, reaffirming that he can hold down a semi-regular role as the lefty-batting half of a corner outfield platoon. He earns the "plus" in his grade for leading the American League in Baseball Savant's arm value metric. Rudy Martin Jr.: B- I've been giving most players like Martin a grade in the C range, but what the heck. He earns a slightly higher grade for the feel-good-story aspect of how his Blue Jays tenure started and because I feel bad that an injury ended his long-awaited first taste of the majors so abruptly. Charles McAdoo: B- McAdoo homered in his big league debut and the final game of the season. Most of what happened in the middle was less impressive, but he deserves props for handling himself at so many different positions in his first major league campaign. Kazuma Okamoto: A- Signing Okamoto was one of several great decisions Toronto's front office made last winter. In his first MLB season, the third baseman led the Jays with 33 home runs. His propensity to swing and miss is the only thing that keeps this grade from being even higher. Yohendrick Piñango: C+ Piñango had some memorable moments at the plate... and just as many forgettable moments in the field. Jesús Sánchez: D I still don't agree with the team's decision to cut Sánchez at the end of the season, but the fact that he lost his job has to affect his grade. He was one of the more productive lefty bats in a very thin lineup, but his defense was untenable. Davis Schneider: D+ I was really hoping for a lot more from Schneider this year. He didn't deliver. Josh Smith: B- Smith was great for the Jays after the trade deadline before coming down to earth in the final weeks of the season. His defensive versatility brings him up from a C+ to a B-. Lenyn Sosa: C- Sosa was pretty bad for the Jays, but he only played 28 games, so I don't feel the need to give him a D. George Springer: B Springer isn't Guerrero, and it wouldn't be fair to base his grade on how much worse he played in 2026 than he did the year before. Considering he turned 37 in September, Springer turned in a perfectly solid campaign. I bumped him up from a B- to a B in honour of the fact that he might have just played the last season of a very successful career. Myles Straw: C+ Straw is fast. Very fast. That makes him a valuable player to have on the bench as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He's going to struggle if he's asked to be more than that, but if you're a team that's asking Straw to play 147 games in a season, that says more about your poor roster construction than Straw himself. Luis Urías: B Urías didn't have a very memorable season with Toronto, but apparently, he posted an .803 OPS and a 122 wRC+ in 25 games before he landed on the IL. So, I feel like he deserves a solid grade. Brandon Valenzuela: A- It was a year of extremes for Valenzuela at the plate. He started slow and finished cold, but he was red-hot for a stretch in the middle. Meanwhile, his defense was consistently excellent from day one. All in all, Valenzuela exceeded expectations in his rookie season, and he was a lifesaver for the Jays while Kirk was on the IL. Daulton Varsho: C+ If I were grading Varsho's full season, he might be in the D range, but thankfully, we don't have to concern ourselves with what he did (or, rather, how little he did) for the Astros. Varsho's overall numbers with the Blue Jays weren't awful, but the power he showed off in 2025 disappeared, and his defense wasn't as stellar as usual. How do you feel about my grades? Are any of them way off? Let me know with a comment, and check back soon to read about the Blue Jays' pitchers. View the full article

One of the rocks of the strongest part of the San Diego Padres showed a crack in Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. It cost the Friars in dramatic fashion and is likely to have a lingering effect for the remainder of the best-of-five series. Left-hander Adrian Morejon, one of the top setup relievers in all of MLB throughout the regular season, was tagged for a game-deciding homer by William Contreras with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Contreras' no-doubt opposite-field blast broke a 2-2 tie, sending the Padres to a 3-2 loss in Game 1. Morejon nearly got a reprieve, but Ty France's potential two-run go-ahead homer hit a truss and ricocheted to left fielder Jackson Chourio for the second out of the ninth inning. Morejon had given up just four homers over 86 innings and 76 games during the regular season. But in the most critical situation he has faced this season, he showed a flaw. Coming in to begin the seventh, the first two batters went down on just two pitches. They just weren't any batters. They were Chourio, the leadoff hitter who had already homered in the game, and Brice Turang, the Brewers' RBI leader. Chourio smoked the first pitch toward right field, but second baseman Jake Cronenworth made a terrific diving stop and threw out the speedy outfielder. Turang hit the next pitch on a line, but right at left fielder Dustin Harris. A good start to the inning. That brought up Contreras, who has had a knack for hitting big homers for the Brewers during his time in Milwaukee. Morejon has relied on his sinker all season as his primary pitch. That was the pitch he used to retire Chourio and Turang. Sinker was also the pitch that left-handed starter Robbie Ray had used to attack Contreras the two times he faced him. With the first two batters of the inning going down on two pitches, Contreras was in take mode to begin the at-bat. The first sinker (99.4 mph) missed outside. Morejon went to a changeup for the second pitch that was in the dirt for ball two. Contreras just left the bat on his shoulder as Morejon grooved a 99 mph sinker to make the count 2-1. The next pitch was the most crucial before the final pitch of the at-bat. It was another sinker at 98.6 mph that was very wide to put Contreras in firm control of the count at 3-1. Morejon needed a strike to avoid a walk. Yet another sinker, this one at 99.1 mph, was above the zone and Contreras took a big hack and fouled it off. Now, the count was full. Morejon went back to his bread-and-butter pitch to potentially get the punchout. He unleashed his fastest pitch of the night, a 101.1 mph sinker that was on the outside corner but waist-high and Contreras crushed it to right-center. It was a 406-foot blow that left Contreras' bat at 103.7 mph and just the second pitch of the at-bat that was in the strike zone. The at-bat was the only one where Morejon didn't have his best control and it cost him and the Padres dearly. One of the talking points all season was the Brewers' lack of hitting homers. They tied for the second-fewest homers with the Los Angeles Angels. Morejon had faced Contreras five times previously, retiring him four times, allowing an RBI single. The homer snapped an 8⅓-inning postseason scoreless streak over five games for Morejon. Following the homer, Morejon bounced back to finish the game. He retired the next batter to finish the seventh and then had a 1-2-3 eighth inning. While that was important for Morejon moving forward, the homer will have to weigh on the left-hander for the remainder of the season. Morejon has allowed a run in just 17 of his 76 regular-season appearances, but six of those involved multiple runs. The Brewers suddenly have to think they have an edge on Morejon, who has paired with superstar right-handed closer Mason Miller to provide the best 1-2 back end of the bullpen in MLB this season. Morejon will be called upon in another key situation in this series, perhaps again facing Contreras. There is no doubt manager Craig Stammen would put his big left-hander in a similar scenario again. Starting the count 2-0 against Contreras put Morejon in a bind. He nearly climbed out of it, but a bad location on the 3-2 pitch led to a devastating outcome and put the Padres down in the series. The good news is now their ace, right-hander Michael King, will need to be as sharp as he was in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series to get the Padres a split before returning to Petco Park. View the full article

It's not just their production. The effusive intensity matters, too. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras savor big hits like few other players in the game, and their energy not only inspires their teammates, but intimidates opponents, even in advance. Their will to come up with the big hit against you radiates off them like heat; it spooks people into making the mistakes the two can turn into game-breaking hits. That didn't take long to show up in Game 1 of the NLDS Saturday night—though it took long enough to let Brewers fans sweat a little bit, anyway. Milwaukee fell behind 2-0 in a frustrating second-inning sequence that saw the Padres spoil some good pitches from Jacob Misiorowski; Misiorowski give them too many looks at his secondary stuff; and the defense behind him let the ace down. Thus, when they got their turn in the bottom of the third, they were working their way out of a hole. This was not your average Game 1. Its series leverage was much higher than for most openers in a best-of-5. The Brewers needed a break, and it couldn't wait. Thankfully, one came quickly. Garrett Mitchell got jammed as few players have ever been, fighting off a 93-mile-per-hour sinker that got deep enough in his kitchen to find his secret stash of chocolate. The resulting floater was hit so softly that shortstop Xander Bogaerts couldn't make the play on Mitchell, giving the Crew a leadoff infield single. Joey Ortiz grounded out, but Mitchell advanced to second on the play. That brought Jackson Chourio to the plate for the second time. In his first trip, against Padres starter Robbie Ray, he had worked a five-pitch at-bat, but he hit a harmless fly ball the other way on a sinker on the outer edge. That was the bad news. The good news was, in those five pitches, he'd seen Ray throw the sinker four times. He had an inkling—a hunch—that Ray might start him with a slider the second time. That was enough. Chourio had never before hit a home run at even 111 miles per hour, in terms of exit velocity. This ball screamed off his bat at 113.3 MPH. He dropped the bat head on, sure enough, a slider, which had plenty of the zone but was directionally in the right location. Ray was trying to get ahead of him. Big mistake; huge. The first time he saw a pitcher in a game this season, Chourio swung at the first pitch just 18.1% of the time. Thereafter, that rate more than doubled, to 37.7%. He went from markedly below-average in first-pitch aggressiveness to markedly above-average, beginning the second time he saw a pitcher in a given game. Maybe the Padres didn't get the memo, or maybe they thought Chourio would be a bit hesitant in the pressure of a playoff tilt, especially with his team already trailing. Either way, they were extremely wrong. Chourio's rocket of a homer restored scoreboard parity, which held for a long time. The next real turning point in the game, arguably, came in the top of the fifth inning. With Misiorowski out of the fray after just four innings, Antonio Senzatela allowed a dribbler toward first off the bat of Padres left fielder Dustin Harris. He couldn't handle Jake Bauers's flip to the base, though, and Harris reached on an unlikely infield single. That could have been the spark that became a game-winning fire for the visitors. Instead, Harris took off for second base during the ensuing at-bat—and Contreras threw him out. Everything about this throw was gorgeous. Contreras's exchange and footwork were lethally quick, but the accuracy of his peg to Brice Turang was the difference. It left no chance of any mistakes. That throw might have saved the Brewers' bacon, because Senzatela got into further trouble in the frame, before Pat Murphy could get Aaron Ashby warm and into the contest. Slowing down the onslaught allowed the Brewers to avoid damage. Contreras's biggest contribution was to come later, though, of course. He came up in the bottom of the seventh with the score still tied, two outs, and nobody on. The Padres, like the Brewers, had plunged into the deep end of their elite bullpen, and Adrian Morejon had gotten two easy outs to start the inning. Contreras would be the opposite of that. If the Padres stay at the Pfister Hotel Saturday night in Milwaukee, the rumors of that place being haunted will finally be true, because Morejon is likely to have wrestling matches with his demons and shouting matches with his pillow, rather than sleeping. His signature pitch is the changeup, but in a six-pitch sequence, he threw just one to Contreras, and it was a bad one. He fell behind 2-0, and then 3-1, and he couldn't summon the confidence in that changeup to throw it to Contreras and risk the walk. He should have; he unequivocally should have. With two outs and the bases empty, a walk is not damaging enough to risk giving up a long hit in order to avoid it. If one of San Diego's two more seasoned catchers had been behind the plate at that moment, perhaps they'd have called for at least one more changeup. Ethan Salas is just 20 years old, though, and he defaulted to Morejon's fastball, a sinker, on 3-1. Contreras fouled it off. On 3-2, Salas called for the same pitch. Morejon hit the outside edge, too. Against a hitter who was geared up to pull the ball, that pitch and that location are a good enough combination to get the final out of the inning. Contreras, though, is as smart a hitter as he is talented. He stayed closed. He looked to drive it the other way. The pitch he got was perfect for that approach. It often looks simple. Chourio and Contreras can be easy to mistake for mistake hitters, playing baseball at full speed and intensity but relying on raw talent to thrive. That couldn't be further from true. As Chourio's third-inning ambush reflected his strategically evolving approach throughout a game, Contreras's homer reflected the way he waits and anticipates and adapts to situation and opponent. Just as Contreras's throw in the fifth was a reminder of how well he's honed his craft as a controller of the running game, Chourio's adjustment to catch Ty France's roof-scraping flyout in the top of the ninth reflected his evolution into the best defensive left fielder in the National League. Chourio and Contreras started this baseball year by winning the World Baseball Classic for their native Venezuela. Their intensity, their genius and (yes) their talent are exactly what the Brewers need to finish the year with a World Series title. The first game of the Crew's postseason run underscored that beautifully. View the full article